Elizabeth Lily Potter: The Girl Who Lived

Chapter 12: Wands, Wands, and Wands (and Owls too!)

I pushed open the door, and heard a series of soft musical notes quietly echo through the shop to alert the owner that he had customers. Harry, Hagrid, and I stepped inside, and I felt magic radiating and pulsing around me. It was thick in the air like dust. I breathed it in, and it raced through my veins, leaving a tingling sensation on my arms as goosebumps appeared.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, letting a smile cross my face as I stood there, in complete bliss, letting the waves of magic wash over me like the ocean at the beach.

Suddenly, I heard a elderly voice call out, "Oh, hello there!" Shaken out of my reverie, I saw an old man approaching the counter in front of me. Harry snickered behind me and I turned around to see him leaning against Hagrid, struggling to hide his laughs behind coughs. Apparently, I'd been a statue for quite a while, and Harry didn't want to "disturb" me. I glared at him half-seriously before I turned to Hagrid, who gave me a shrug that nearly knocked Harry to the floor.

The old man cleared his throat to get my attention. "Don't worry yourself, Ms. Potter. Many first time customers to my shop experience the magic in the same way you did. I've often had to snap my fingers a couple times to get someone's attention." He chuckled softly. "I've wondered if I'd have to Rennervate people!"

My eyebrows rose at the strange word. He must have noticed my expression, because he let out an amused breath before answering my unspoken question.

"Rennervate is a charm that revives people if they've fainted or if they've been hit with a Stunning Spell." I nodded warily and the man gave me a smile.

"Now, enough chit chat, Ms. Potter, Mr. Potter," he nodded his head to the two of us and beckoned Harry, who was standing near Hagrid, forward to stand beside me. "It's time for you to be chosen!"

"Chosen?" Harry asked, completely confused. The man looked at my brother incredulously before replying, "why, chosen by your wand, of course!"

Harry still looked skeptical (I was too), so the man began to explain as he worked. He tapped a series of tools, quills, and two pieces of parchment with his wand. The items floated up, and they did their jobs. The tools measured Harry and I in various different ways: from shoulder to shoulder, middle finger to base of hand, wrist to elbow, elbow to shoulder, head to toe, hip to toe, around our waists, etc. etc. etc. As this was happening, the quills were floating next to each of us, writing down the measurements as they were made.

The man stood in front of the shelves of long, thin boxes, picking a couple out. As he searched for specific ones, he called out, "It's safe to say that you have assumed that I am Mr. Ollivander, correct?" He asked, not waiting for our answers. Mr. Ollivander then went on to explain how his family had made wands for generations, and talked about the different woods and cores he uses. He repeated his previous statement that the wand chooses the wizard and told us that every wand he had ever sold was unique.

"I remember each wand I've ever sold, did you know? Your mother Lily, such a lovely young woman, was chosen by a willow wand, ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, and nice for charm work." He reminisced for a moment before looking intently at the two of us. "You both have her eyes, her beautiful eyes. But, you both look startlingly like your father, especially you Mr. Potter. James had a mahogany wand, eleven inches long, pliable, and absolutely excellent for transfiguration."

With a hint of a sad smile, he turned away to gather even more boxes. Finally, he waved his wand again, and the floating objects went back to their places. His expression completely changed as he looked at us excitedly. "But now, let us focus on the present, not the past. You are not your parents, and now it is your turn to be chosen by your wands." He clasped his hands together before turning to Harry. Mr. Ollivander's fingers flickered over several boxes in his pile before choosing one. He opened it and passed the wand to my brother.