Together- A Harry Potter Love Story (1- new)

3

August 1991

Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 3 8 2 BC.

An uncontrollable shot of excitement rippled through my fingers as I read the peeling, gold letters hanging narrowly over the door of the wand shop, and I would have pelted straight for the entrance if Dad hadn't swiftly pointed out the lengthy queue of people already waiting to get inside.

"Do you reckon they all go to Hogwarts?" I asked, eyeing a bearded man about Dad's age right at the front of the eager line. "Dad? Do you reckon? All of them? Do you think some of them are starting with me this year? Dad? Dad, can you - are you crying?!"

"No!" he defended as I glanced back at him, despite his eyes clearly brimming with prideful tears. "It's the dust! I have sensitive tear ducts-"

"I've never seen you cry in my life!" I mused, crossing my arms and smirking. "Do you need me to get you a tissue?"

"I am not crying, Millie, there is dust in my eye!" he retorted stubbornly, furrowing his eyebrows at the teasing grin plastered on my features. "I'm telling the truth!"

"Sure, tough guy..."

It had taken barely three seconds after I had pretended to turn around for Dad to let out a bellowing cry, so loud that multiple people in the queue glanced back to look at us. I fought the severe urge to laugh; what a sight this was, the great Auror, Jake Donovan, sobbing to his amused child.

"...I'm just so bloody proud of you, kiddo!" Dad exclaimed, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder as I continued to grin. "Seeing you here makes me so happy..."

"Thanks, Dad..." I answered, voice softening in response to his words. He smiled back through damp eyes, patting my shoulder wistfully.

"I tell you what," he started, slapping the final tear from his cheek and straightening back up, "only one person's allowed in Ollivanders at a time, so I'll go and get you a start-of-school present while you're in there."

"Really?" I gushed, clasping my palms together in anticipation. "You will?"

"Absolutely!" he affirmed, grinning at my excitement. "Besides, I think your mum would curse me herself if I didn't..."

"Oh, Dad, that's not possible!" I reminded him for the tenth time since the evening I had received my acceptance letter; that night had been when my parents had confirmed my pre-suspicion - Dad was a wizard and had attended Hogwarts himself, whilst Mum had grown up a Muggle.

"She'd find a way," Dad teased, covering his face in a mockingly-fearful way. "How about a pet, eh? Cat? Owl? Rat? Toad?"

I gasped, practically jumping up and down on the spot now in pure exhilaration. "A toad! Please, please, a toad!"

Dad stared at me through wide eyes, that enthusiastic grin flickering in the slightest of movements.

"How about we get you a cat and you can call it Toad?" he blurted, arching an eyebrow in hopeful persuasion. I beamed.

"Deal!"

Barely five minutes after Dad had disappeared up the bustling street of Diagon Alley to the Magical Menagerie, I found myself growing increasingly restless of waiting in the queue alone, my inescapable curiosity causing both my eyes and ears to flicker every two seconds, desperate to go and explore the endless magical shops.