3 A Wand

"Now, Miss Weasley, try this one," an old man came out from behind the pile of boxes.

Ginny took the wand from him and gave it a wave and something happened. A gush of strong wind swirled around the shop.

"Perfect. Yew wood and Dragon heartstring," The old man cried with joy.

Ginny nodded and smiled but the woman looked very surprised.

"Dragon heartstring? No one in our family had used Dragon Heartstring before," the woman said to the old man.

"Yes, yes," the old man grinned widely. "That is why I had a problem with finding the perfect wand for her. Not in my lifetime, I had sold a wand with Dragon Heartstring core to a Weasley. You must be special little miss."

Ginny looked startled by this new information but the woman put an arm around her smiling and she relaxed.

"We always knew, our Ginny is very special," the woman said smiling proudly. "How much is it, Mr Ollivander?"

"Six Galleons," Mr Ollivander replied.

The woman's smile strained a little bit but then she quickly rummaged through her bag and paid for the wand.

"Let's go, Ginny," the woman turned to Ginny.

"Bye Chris," Ginny smiled brightly.

Chris smiled back and waved as Ginny and the woman left the shop.

"Good evening. I am Mr Ollivander," Mr Ollivander introduced himself.

"I am Christina Norton. First-year," Chris replied.

"Hmm. So which is your wand hand?" Ollivander watched her curiously.

"Right hand, I think."

Mr Ollivander nodded and pulled a long tape, and the tape started to measure Chris on its own.

"First try this. Alder wood and unicorn hair," He gave a wand to Chris.

Chris waved it like Ginny but didn't felt anything.

"Hmm. No, no, not right," Ollivander took it back.

"Cedarwood and Phoenix feather . . . . Vine and unicorn . . . . Alder wood and Dragon Heartstring. . ."

Chris tried and tried but nothing seemed to suit her.

But every time she failed Mr Ollivander looked more excited and he kept saying, "wand chooses the Wizard."

Chris found that line very interesting but she was getting tired. She felt like she has tried every wand in that shop but Mr Ollivander continued to bring something new with a curious smile on his face.

"Ebony and Dragon Heartstring. . . Hmm, not quite right. Try this, Holly wood and Phoenix feather."

This time, Chris felt something. The wand felt comforting in her hand when she took it. She waved the wand happily and a burst of colours swirled around the shop. Mr Norton looked very excited.

"Close but something is missing," Ollivander interrupted. "Wait, wait, I know. I know just the --"

And he disappeared deep into his shop.

"Dad, if he doesn't find any wand then I am taking this," Chris said turning to his father.

"Have a little patience," said Mr Norton. "Mrs Weasley said the wands are very important for learning magic and I want the best for you."

"Mrs Weasley? Do you mean that woman with Ginny? Was that her mother?"

"Yes, and she told me about --"

"Yes, yes, Miss Norton, try this," Ollivander appeared all of a sudden with a big smile on his face.

He looked unnaturally happy. Chris thought he was almost on the verge of going mad for his obsession with wands. She tentatively reached for the new wand and took it. Instantly, she felt connected to the wand and maybe the wand also liked her. She smiled and waved the wand. The lights in the shop flickered very fast. Ollivander clapped his hands looking delighted.

"But why is it so heavy than the other wands?" Chris asked.

"Perfect. Thirteen inches, Beech and Spruce wood and Snallygaster heartstring," Ollivander yelled ignoring Chris's question.

"Two kinds of wood?"

"Yes, it's a very old wand. My grandfather made it with only Beechwood, a year back it needed repairing, so I used the most difficult wood, Spruce, for experiment and its fitted perfectly. I think it because of the Snallygaster heartstring. They are very rare. Snallygaster is a half reptile and half bird," Ollivander continued in his overjoyed tone. "Very unique. The true match for a beech wood will be, a young, but wise beyond his or her years, and if full-grown, then rich in understanding and experience, Beech wands perform very weakly for the narrow-minded and intolerant. And Spruce wood's match is a bold spell-caster with a good sense of humour. However, the Snallygaster Heartstring is a bit tricky. I never used them as a core ever. So I don't know much about their nature. But if the woods are any indication then this a unique wand Miss Norton and I think as the owner of this wand, you will be a remarkable witch in the wizarding world." 

Mr Norton wrapped his arm around Chris as Ollivander said the last line, his face was alight with pride. Chris, however, was very surprised. But after a moment, she looked at her new wand with a new determination.

'You really are unique and you chose me. I hope I do not disappoint you.'

"How much is it, Mr Ollivander?" Chris's father asked.

"Fifteen gallons."

Mr Norton paid and they left Ollivanders. After leaving the shop, they came across an ice cream shop and Mr Norton brought a chocolate ice cream for Chris.

"I think, you will need an owl," Mr Norton said as they started walking again.

"Why," Chris asked licking her ice cream, which was delicious.

"Wizards communicate with owls. So if you don't have one then how will you write letters to me?"

"There are owls in the school, Dad," Chris replied smiling.

"There are?" Mr Norton asked surprised. "But then why does your list say, you need an owl, cat or toad?"

"That's not necessary but pets are allowed, that's all," Chris informed and noticing her father's questioning face, she added, "I read these in the Hogwarts: a History."

"That's why I couldn't find the book," Mr Norton suddenly spotted a shop and pointed towards it. "Anyhow, I think you should have a personal owl. You know, a pet will always keep you company. So you would not feel bored and alone."

Chris didn't miss the sad note in her father's voice, so she smiled and caught her father's arm.

"Ok, let's go."

Mr Norton smiled back and they went to 'Eeylops Owl Emporium'.

After looking for a little bit, Chris bought a barn owl and came back home. She named her owl "Leon".

The rest of the days before school, Chris spent either reading books about Spells, Potions and Quidditch or with her new owl and her father. Her father was right, having a pet really made her happy. Chris also spent some time researching about wands, though she found Ollivander's obsession with Wands a little unsettling, she was interested in wand lore. She also felt that the wands have their own minds about magic and wizards. The spells and some potions recipes were fun too but she liked the quidditch best. Playing a game flying on broomsticks was an unbelievable dream. Her father nearly jumped with glee after hearing about quidditch.

Soon 1st September came. Mr Norton drove Chris to King's Cross station. Chris had travelled many times from King's Cross before, but she never saw platform nine and three-quarter. They arrived at the station at 10:40. The train was at eleven o'clock. They drag her trunk and Leon who was in his cage, to between the platform 9 and 10. Professor McGonagall was very clear about the instructions. Chris said bye to Mr Norton and walked through the wall between platform nine and ten alone, as Professor McGonagall warned that there could be problems if her father tried to cross the wall. As Chris get out on the other side of the barrier, she saw the beautiful train waiting for the students. She dragged her trunk but it was very heavy to move. She noticed a few students were using magic to lift their trunk, so she guessed that probably now they were allowed to do magic, as technically the train was part of the school.

"Good idea," grinning she pulled her wand out. "Please work," She told her wand then took a deep breath and said, "Wingardium Leviosa."

This was the first time she was using her wand. The trunk moved a little but didn't lift up. She tried again. The third time it started flying. She happily hoisted it up and after looking around for some time, she found an empty compartment and set her trunk and Leon's cage there. Sitting down she stared outside the window, she could see parents saying hasty goodbyes to their kids, some helping to carry stuff, some shouting at their kids to behave in the school, some to write letters.

Chris found herself smiling as a thought occurred to her, "They were like me. All of them."

Someone knocked on the compartment door. Chris looked up and saw a dirty blonde-haired girl with extremely pale eyebrows and a dreamy look in her eyes. She looked a little shorter than Chris.

"Hello, can I sit here?" The girl asked.

Chris paused for a moment before replying, "Yeah, sure. Come on in."

She really was going to give this new place a chance.

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