Azure

Familiars and Wands

"Eep."

"You need a wand, I presume? An untraceable one, one to match your true power? Hold out your hand then."

"Wha-"

A small flame near the entry of the shop flickered to life for a moment, shooting out embers. On the door, the sign hanging on the hook flipped so outside, it would show as closed.

"I am Timothy. You will hold out your hand now?" Harry nodded subtly, but he stayed frozen to the ground, simply staring, his lips forming words of no sound.

"Your hand," Timothy purred. "I need your hand." He snapped his fingers.

The sound jostled Harry, who mumbled a meek apology as he placed his hand on the counter, pressing his palm flat down.

"Ahh," murmured Timothy. "Lift up your hand now." His imprint against the glass quickly receded as his hand went quickly into Harry's pocket. Timothy stared at the print intently, before snapping his fingers. A small wooden box appeared on the counter. A crash resounded from the back store room.

"Must have been a bottom box," Timothy mumbled under his breath. Oddly enough, he smiled crookedly.

"Your previous wand is from Ollivanders- yes?" Harry gave a stiff nod.

Timothy smiled, and it was like watching the Earth spit out a sun. His teeth gleamed against the dark shop and skin.

"Ollivander is a tricky man," Timothy admitted. "He tends to create millions of combinations within wands. There is something to be said about the challenge he loves, but I prefer efficiency. You are- Phoenix feather, and holly, no?"

"I am," said  Harry with a nod to himself. "How did you-?"

"I prefer to have my customers handpick each part of the wand. The core, the wood.." His thick accent tangled in his mouth. "Stick out your hand, Harry Potter. Over the boxes."

Harry looked at the man, tilting his chin angularly. His eyes held a question, but he didn't know how to say it.

"Who the heck are you?"

"Why do you know literally everything about me?"

He didn't  know what to say, so instead Harry stuck out his hand with a grumble hidden in his breath.

There was a pull from the cores, and it was like a magnet drawing him down. His hand jerked in down and up in unpredictable patterns.

"Let your magic guide you." Timothy's voice bubbled over. Harry found himself wishing that the Phoenix feather wouldn't choose him.

Instead, there was a violent spasm of his hand and it wrapped around something soft that brushed against the edges of his fingers, and all Harry could feel was an immense rush of power. A feather floated from his hand, golden like the sun climbing the horizon.

"Griffin," said Timothy simply. The feather, Harry could see now, matched the man's eyes.

"And now, the core."

"Sir," Harry said, trying not to cower. "I haven't got an explanation yet. Who are you? Why do you know everything about me?"

"Ah," Timothy began. "So you can speak in sentences? That is good to know."

He tried not to duck his head. Instead, Harry forced his gaze to meet Timothy's unblinking eyes, and he clasped his hands together under the table.

His voice came out stronger than he realized. "Sir," Harry began. "Who the bloody hell are you?"

Timothy raised an amused eyebrow. "I read people, Harry Potter. That is my job. This is how we put together wands for customers. Now, please wave your hand over the wood."

Blushing faintly, Harry once again stuck his hand over the containers. The same spasm of his hand occurred, and before he knew it, a smooth darkened wood was hidden in his grasp.

"Alder," muttered Timothy. "This isn't good.."

He almost groaned. Another thing gone wrong? Another thing abnormal?

"What do you mean?"

"It means," Timothy said, boring his eyes into his, "It is starting. The heirs will reunite."

"Excuse me?"

"Never mind, never mind," mumbled Timothy. He picked up the wood and and began twisting it around the griffin feather. His hand scorched the wood and carved some design.

"I would like to offer you a gem to ingrain in your wand. You are a friend of the goblins, yes?" Harry nodded slowly.

Timothy laughed deeply. "Only a friend of the goblin can come here. It is how I know I can trust you."

"Are you a friend?" asked Harry, leaning against the glass case. He grazed his palm absentmindedly on the bronze.

"I am." Timothy nodded. "And now, would you accept a piece of hematite in your wand? It gives the user a reign to their power. No extra charge."

"I guess.."

Timothy pushed the piece of rock into the wand at the base, and handed it to Harry. He fingered the wand and found it was an incredibly comfortable fit.

"Lumos," he muttered. The shop filled with light.

"The gem is to reign your power!" Timothy shouted.

"Nox.." The light faded, and Timothy rubbed his eyes.

"200 galleons." Harry spread the gold in the case, and when Timothy had collected his charge, Harry walked out with his new wand tucked in a holster and his old wand uncomfortably in his hand. The brightness made him blink, as it was a stark contrast to the inside of the shop.

He decided he had time. Madam Malkin's was near. He walked lightly this time, hidden in the crowd and already fading in.

A.N.

It's been a while, hasn't it?

I need to thank all readers who have stuck with me till now. Thank you to all who have read this story, and thank you even more to those who have read it, and stuck with it.

I've been busy lately. Classes, homework, studying, sports, volunteer work, familial obligation, mentally dying... its been a lot.

I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Timothy came easy to me. I guess I made him sort of like Ollivander.

The thing is that I have this story planned so far ahead, and it's these small climb chapters that give me the most trouble. Should I trouble the characters? Should I keep everything smooth till my original ideas form? I'm figuring it all out.

As you can see, things are starting. Next chapter will be the shopping trio, cuz Harry can't live in rags. I'll probably have a little Hermione in the next chappie too. There might be an encounter with Vernon Dursley. After next chapter, the training will start. 

I've gotten many responses for Draco. Seems like everyone wants him bad. If you have any thoughts, comment! And good Minnie or bad Minnie? Or should I change her personality when it's convenient..

Thanks so much for reading. I'll update as much as I can! Remember, if you feel
Like quitting the story, I have it all planned! My notebook is filled with thoughts and excerpts. Now just to write it all and post it..

Xx Transmission