Agathokakological

Destined Wand

Prologue - Summer

Chapter Five

OLLIVANDERS was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 381 B.C. A single wand laid on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait.

It was like they had entered a strict library, without books, but with thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

''Good afternoon,'' a a soft voices said. An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

''Hello.'' Harry greeted. The man looked curiously on the two children and his eyes widened.

''Ah yes,'' he said. ''Yes, yes, I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter. Not to mention, that I am surprised to see you too little miss.'

''You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. "Well, I say your father favored it – it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course.''

He pulled a large tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. ''Well, now – Mr. Potter. Let me see. Which is your wand arm?''

''Er – well, I'm right-handed.'' said Harry.

''Hold out your arm. That's it.'' He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and around his head. As he measured, he said, ''Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand.''

When he was done measuring he disappeared in the back of the shop and came back with one of the boxes.

''Before we begin,-'' he turned to Ariadne but was interrupted.

''I'm right handed as well.'' Mr. Ollivander smiled at the girls quick understatement of the process. She held her right arm out, and the measuring tape began to work on its own.

''Interesting.'' he muttered to himself and once again vanished in the back with another box in hand.

''Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave.'' Mr. Ollivander said, and handed a wand from the first box to Harry.

Harry took the wand and  waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.

''Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try –''

Harry tried – but he had hardly risen the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.

''No, no – here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out.''