The two headed out of the uniform shop and entered the book shop across the road it was a large wizarding bookshop filled with shelves stacked to the ceiling. There was hardly enough air breathe as the shop was not only full of dusty old books but jam packed full of other young wizards and their parents. Just a few metres to the Hogwarts first year’s shelf caused Rubeus and his father to break out into a sweat pushing past numerous people. Not wanting to spend more time in flourish and blots than necessary; the two grabbed the books Rubeus needed and headed to the counter to purchase them, a few moments later the two were once again outside on the street of Diagon alley panting for air they missed out on inside the shop.
Rubeus now had his wand, his robes and his books; he pulled out his shopping list to see what was still needed.
First-year students will require:
v Uniform
v plain buttoned shirt (White)
v v-neck jumper (Grey)
v Trousers (Grey)
v pocketed blazer (Grey)
v open buttoned robe with the school crest (Grey)
v One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear
v One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)
Please note that all students’ clothes should carry name-tags.
v Books
o The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
o A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
o Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
o A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
o One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
o Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
o Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
o The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
v Other Equipment
v 1 Wand
v 1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
v 1 set of glass or crystal phials
v 1 telescope
v 1 set of brass scales
v Students may also bring an Owl OR a Cat OR a Toad.
v PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.
Rubeus’ father looked over his shoulder and whispered into his ear “how about a pet?”
Not a person was happier at that moment of time when Rubeus heard he would be getting a pet.Suddenly he imagined himself dragging a great welsh green dragon into the castle on a lead after a tiring walk or perhaps a cockatrice with which he could scare anyone who might annoy him. His father ended his daydream abruptly with the words “an owl, a cat, or a toad”. His face sank slightly, but think of all the things he could teach the animals to do, if he could teach a crow in dean forest to collect mail like an owl then imagine what he could teach a real owl to do.
The two walked briskly to Eeylops emporium, Rubeus’ heart leapt as he saw the vast amount of animals in the shop. There were rats, bearded dragons, owls, cats, geckos, toads, frogs, miniature dragons, snakes and even posters for eggs from basilisks, cockatrices and even not yet born phoenixes. Rubeus was in his heaven.
In the corner of the room on top of a pile of books was a small rusty cage, and in the cage was the most beautiful creature Rubeus had ever seen a very small baby snowy owl. He had huge golden eyes that poured into Rubeus’, he had fallen in love with the owl. The shopkeeper watched as Rubeus stood frozen on the spot staring at the creature and sighed. He crossed over to Rubeus and gently patted his shoulder saying “I’m sorry, he’s already been sold, he’s a beauty, isn’t he?”
Rubeus felt his heart freeze into ice then shatter like glass as the shopkeeper spoke those words. He was devastated. His father realising his disappointment, was quick to point out all the owls which hooted gleefully, but Rubeus shook his head he wanted a snowy owl, not some boring barn owl.
Eventually, Rubeus found another pet he adored; it wasn’t an owl, but a toad. An extremely large albino toad. Its eyes were as red as blood and its skin as pale as snow. It wasn’t a particularly pretty pet like the owl, but it was unusual, perhaps the reason as to why Rubeus loved him so much. Rubeus thought for hours over a name for his little toad. It was almost time to go, when Rubeus said to his father.
“Ceratoph, I’ll call ‘im Ceratoph, or tophy for short”
“Interesting name, where’d you find it?” his dad asked
“I saw it in a book ‘bout this wizard that transfigured toads into people in the Middle Ages”
“That’s illegal now”
“I wasn’t gonna do it”
“din’ say you were”
“So, tell me ‘bout Ceratoph?” Rubeus asked curiously,
“Well, I’m not sure if it’s the same person that I know of, but when I was studying ‘istory of magic, we learned that there weren’ enough princes around for all the princesses, so the kings and queens asked this wizard to transfigure princes from toads and frogs. Eventually muggle writers turned it into a fairytale, but then again most muggle fairytales are based on wizardin’ fact.”
“Oh…you did history of magic?”
“I only did at O.W.L level, I only just passed” his father laughed in response.
At that moment, a boy about Rubeus’ age but only half his size walked past with his dad, in his hand was a large metal bird cage, inside was the beautiful snowy white owl that Rubeus had admired. He turned green with envy as the boy looked so happy.
“When I have a son, I will make sure I get him a snowy white owl…”Rubeus said out loud, but it was more to himself than to anyone else.
