Dear Mr. Hare,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Headmistress
I read over the letter again for almost the hundredth time. Ten times I had read it, before I decided to show my parents. Every time I read it, it was as if the balloon that was inside my heart inflated a little more. My dad was the one most shocked, because after I showed him the letter, my mum had to tell him about her history, and that I was a new part of that history. I don't think he was upset, but he was definitely shocked to say the least.
It was already the middle of August. I wondered when I would be getting a wand. Mum told me all about Diagon Alley, Gringotts bank, and Olivanders.
"You have a long journey ahead of you," She said, "but trust me it's worth it. With Professor McGonagall as headmistress, and with it being your first year, there are a lot of surprises that await you. Not to mention Hogsmeade...although that doesn't come until your third year, but that's okay. There's plenty to do until then."
To be honest, I wanted her to be quiet about it. I wanted it to be a surprise; because today was the day I went to Diagon Alley. I read over the school supply list again.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (Dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings.
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
Course books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The standard book of spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical theory by Adalbert Waffling
A beginners' guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phillida Spore
Magical Draughts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quintin Trimble
Other Equipment
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, Standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl, or a cat, or a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
My heart was pounding with anticipation and questions rose in my head. How long was the trip going to be? Could I maybe practice a few simple spells at home?
No. I had to quiet my mind of all the questions. I didn't want to spoil the surprise. At least I was going to get a small taste of what Hogwarts was going to be like at Diagon Alley.
"Vince!" Dad called, and my heart fluttered. Was it time? "Lunch is ready!"
Damn. I thought to myself. "Coming," I hollered back.
On the counter were items such as bread, lunch meat, lettuce, mayonnaise, pickles, and tomato to make sandwiches. I made up a little joke as I made my sandwich, and sat down next to my dad, who was reading the afternoon paper.
"Hey, Dad, why don't wizards go to the desert?" I asked.
"Because of the sandwiches?" He replied.
Damn. I thought to myself again. "Yes." I replied aloud. Dad had kind of made it a game for me, to make up a joke that he couldn't guess the answer to, or to tell a joke he hasn't heard.
Dad chuckled, set his newspaper down and gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "It was a good try, though."
I smiled lightly and stared at my sandwich. The anticipation of what today would bring was tying my stomach in knots, and I didn't know if I was going to be able to eat anything.
"You alright, Vince?" Asked Mum.
"I'm just...not very hungry." I replied.
"Excited about Diagon Alley or nervous?"
"A little bit of both."
"Incoenatus." Mum whispered.
All of a sudden, my stomach seemed to untie itself and I was famished.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"You'll need your strength. Don't want you falling over or fainting while you're getting fitted for robes, because you didn't eat." Said Mum.
I must have eaten at least three sandwiches before Mum whispered "finite" and lifted the jinx she had on me.
"Alright, get your shoes on and grab a lightweight jacket, just in case." Mum said.
I rushed upstairs, very hastily and lazily put my shoes on and threw on a gray zip up hoodie.
Mum grabbed her jacket, threw it over her shoulder, kissed Dad's cheek, then told me to get in the car.
While we were in the car, I had to ask at least one question, one that wouldn't really spoil the surprise of what was waiting for me.
"Mum...would it be alright if I practiced at home?"
"No." She said, very gently, but very seriously. "Magic is forbidden at home. It's not me that made that rule, it was the Ministry of Magic, and it's called The International Statute of Secrecy."
"I didn't know the wizarding world had secrecy laws." I said.
"Oh they do, and they don't take too kindly to people who break the law."
Mum shuddered. It was as if she knew about what happens to people who break the law.
"What happens if you do?" I asked.
Mum stayed silent until we reached a stoplight, when we stopped, she looked at me with a wide eyed fear and said, "You don't want to know."
* * *
The rest of the car ride was silent. My mood had dimmed some, and so had Mums after asking her about breaking the secrecy law. I didn't ask any more questions about the wizarding world. It was obvious that things would be clear soon enough. Even if Mum had told me what happens to people who break the law of secrecy, I would have also learned it at Hogwarts soon enough.
The mood was lightened however, when the car was stopped outside of a little pub. I had been by this place before, but I had never noticed the sign above a door that had a big black cauldron that said "The Leaky Cauldron."
"Where did this place come fr-"
"Shush!" Mum whispered, pulling me inside the pub. Once inside, she looked me in the eye and said "You have to be quiet about these things. I know you're excited, but you need to be more careful. Do you understand?
I nodded, remembering the look of fear on her face when I asked about the people who break the wizarding law. "Sorry, Mum."
"You'll get used to it. Now...let's go to the bank." Mum said.
I gave my mother a look of confusion and said "But we're in a pub. This isn't a bank."
That got me a few stares. People looked at me and Mum. That's when I noticed something. None of these people were in regular clothes. Yes, they were all dressed, but they were dressed in robes. Some of them were emerald green, and some of them were a light purple, some of them were a dark purple, and some had a mixture of green and gold.
"He's a first year. He's just now learning of this stuff." Said Mum.
The people who were staring looked at me, smiled, and went back to their drinks as if they understood that I didn't know anything about this place, but I was going to know.
"Come back here, Vince." Said Mum.
She lead me to the back of the pub where there was a small broom closet. I thought I was done for. I thought I was going to be lectured on staying quiet again, but when she opened the door further and I got a peek inside, I realized there was someone else already there.
"Dora?" Mum said.
"Lucy?" Replied the other woman.
"Merlin's beard! How are you?!"
"Oh, I'm fine. Just got Jazz her school supplies." Dora said, putting her hand on a girls shoulder. The girl had short brown hair that was short in the back, but longer in the front. Her bangs went slightly over her eyebrows, and looked to be about my age, but I hadn't seen her before. Mum seemed to remember though.
"This is little Jazzlynn?" Said mum.
"Not so little anymore." The woman called Dora said. "She's in her second year."
"Who's this?" I asked.
"Vince, this is my friend Dora. She's an old friend from Hogwarts, and that is her daughter Jazzlynn." Mum replied.
"But...you can call me Jazz." Said the girl standing next to Dora, extending her hand.
"Nice to meet you." I said, shaking Jazz's hand.
"I can show you around if you want." Jazz offered.
Mum and Dora exchanged looks and Dora said "Just don't go wandering too far. Not a toe into Knockturn Alley."
"Okay." Said Jazz.
"Go to Olivanders real quick." Said Mum, pulling out her wand. She walked to the brick wall in the back of the closet, and tapped a few of the bricks in a certain order.
I rubbed my eyes because I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The bricks were moving, making a big hole. It got bigger and bigger until finally it revealed a small archway, but I wasn't paying attention to the bricks anymore. I was looking at what was beyond the bricks that used to be there.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley. Come on, I'll show you Olivanders." Jazz said, pulling my hand as she ran into the alley.
I noticed several things walking to get to Olivanders. There was a book store labeled Flourish and Blotts, Madame Malkin's Robes, and another shop down at the end that read Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.
Jazz lead me down further and we walked into a shop with a big sign that said
OLIVANDERS
MAKERS OF FINE WANDS SINCE 382 B.C.
Once inside, Jazz called out "Mr. Olivander?"
From behind the counter and around one of the many shelves of stacked long boxes carrying a unique wand, stood a fairly decent looking man. If I had to guess his age, I would guess maybe late fifties or early sixties.
"So you're Mr. Olivander? You made this store?" I asked.
"Oh, no, no, no! Goodness me, no." Said Mr. Olivander, laughing. "I carried the family name, I learned the magic of wand lore, and I studied every wand in this store. My grandfather taught me to remember every wand I sell. I don't have the best memory, but I can sure help you find a wand. And if it breaks, we can repair it. That is one thing Olivanders offers that not a lot of other wand shops have, but let's get started. When is your birthday?"
"September 11th, 2020." I replied.
"I assume you're right handed?" Mr. Olivander said, taking out a tape measure.
"Yes."
Mr. Olivander measured my right arm, then my left, then the whole extension of my arm span.
"Let's see..." Mr. Olivander disappeared behind one of the shelves again, and came back with a wand. "Try an Elm with a dragon heartstring. Twelve and a half inches. Just give it a swish and a flick and say 'Wingardium Leviosa'."
I took the wand, waved it and flicked it while saying "Wingardium Leviowsa". Whatever it was supposed to do, I'm sure it didn't work. All the boxes burst out of the shelves and fell to the floor. Embarrassed with myself, I set the wand back in its box and said "Sorry, Mr. Olivander. I didn't mean to-"
Mr. Olivander held up his hand smiling. "Not to worry, my boy. Reparo!" He said, waving his wand in a circle and pointing it upwards. All of the boxes that had been knocked down seemed to fall in reverse and put themselves back on the shelves exactly as they were. "It's very rare if I get a wand right the first time. Let's try another one. How about..." He disappeared behind another shelf and came back with another wand. "Pine with a phoenix feather core. Ten inches. This time, try pulling the ladder over by pointing at it and saying 'Accio ladder'."
I pointed my wand and got ready for a big mess once again. "Accio Ladder." I said, pointing my wand at the ladder, but the ladder didn't move. What did end up happening was the filing cabinet behind it rumbled and shook as if some beast were inside trying to get out.
"Oh, dear. Not that one either. Well...maybe if...hmm...are you a muggle born, half blood, or pure blood?"
I honestly didn't know how to reply. "I don't know, sir." I said.
"Oh...let me be more direct...are both of your parents...well...magical?" Asked Olivander.
Understanding hit me like a baseball bat to the head. "Oh. My mom is a witch, but my dad is...non magical." I replied.
"That makes you half blood. I think I've got it now." Mr. Olivander grabbed one more wand from a shelf that was behind me. He had to climb high up the ladder, but when he got it, he said "Here, we are," and climbed back down. At that moment, Mum walked back in with Jazz's mum carrying a sack, apparently full of money. I didn't know how much it was, but I knew it was going to pay for a lot of stuff here.
Mr. Olivander handed me a plain looking wand, painted in nothing but black, but if this were actually mine, I would love it. This time, he didn't ask me to do a spell or wave it around. This time, when the wand was placed in my hand, there seemed to be a bright light, a light rush of wind, and red sparks flew out of the end of it.
Mum closed her eyes, and smiled, as if trying to hold back tears.
"Seems only yesterday you were in here for yours." Said Mr. Olivander to her.
"Where did the time go?" Mum replied.
Mr. Olivander laughed heartedly, put the wand back in its box, and handed it to me. "This is your wand." He said, "Hawthorn, with a unicorn hair core, ten inches. A little history from this wand...it once belonged to a wizard named Draco Malfoy, but he was disarmed by Harry Potter, one of the most famous wizards who lived. Harry had his wand repaired with a very powerful wand, known as the elder wand. He gave it to us, so that we could repair wands. It lies in a vault in Gringotts bank. When Harry tried to give this wand back to Malfoy, he had already gotten his wand replaced, so he gave this one back to us as well. It seems to have taken a liking to you, so take good care of it."
Mum paid seven gold Galleons for my wand and we walked out of the store.
"We've got one more important place to go: Madam Malkin's Robes. There, we'll get you fitted for your robes." Said Mum.
Jazz and her mum followed us and it was almost the same as Olivanders. I was measured from one arm to the next, then each arm individually, then my legs and my waist. The lady working there gave Mum three sets of school uniforms, all wrapped in brown paper.
When we left, Mum gave Jazz and I ten Galleons each. "Make these last, you two. Vince, I'll go get the rest of your supplies. Jazz, you can show him around like you wanted to."
"And behave yourselves. Both of you." Said Dora.
"I'll make sure he doesn't get into any trouble." Jazz replied.
Jazz grabbed my hand once again and pulled me towards the shop that said Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.