Chapter 3: Diagon Alley

"Alright - you ready?" Papa asked. I was currently around 140 cm, and so I was dwarfed by him, still. Mom was only 165 cm, so I'd probably wind up taller than her, at least.

Regardless, he was looking down at me. Today was the first day of Summer - and considering my blatant accidental magic which had come up a lot at home (and sometimes at school despite my attempts to smother it) - such as summoning things, putting out a fire when Adam - my brother - threw my favorite doll into the fire in a fit of anger.

I was going to Hogwarts - absolutely guaranteed. I had double confirmation because I'd been given a quest when I woke up.

Quest Alert - Hogwarts Supplies!

Get your Trunk

Get your Robes

Get your Wand

Get your potion Supplies

Get your books

Choose a Pet

~~ Bonus Objectives ~~

X

X

X

Reward: 100 XP

Your supplies to study / Practice

Failure: No supplies, no practice.

That's just how quests work for me. I get the things I need to do and then some bonus objectives - usually for tests or competitions it's to place well. For supplies? I had no clue! If I figured one out or completed it, they would show up, though.

I nodded my readiness. "Yes Papa." I sighed, seeing him not look convinced by my sign. I straighten a bit. I'm not used to waking up early on weekends! "I'm ready!" I said more cheerily.

"Alrighty - hold tight then Squirt! Apparition is a pretty nasty feeling." He reminded me. I knew. It did feel like getting squeezed through a tube which was too small for me, but at the same time it felt like someone was shoving their hand in my stomach and pulling me through that. Really a vile method of teleportation. The cost can be as low as you like, I'd find a way to make it less-sucky.

Portkeys were so much better. A hook in your navel, a slight crouch before you land, and then hop as it ends. You'll come out about an centimeter off the ground and so when you hit the ground you land on your feet. The landing is so smooth no one notices.

That's my Papa's secret. I know other people have other methods. Whatever works.

With a pop we appeared near the bank - on one of the side alleys open for application for Ministry employees. My snooping around had found my papa was in a department that did research on how to counter bad magic. I don't know if they have a name.

Harry Potter - the boy from character creation who I was told had the Potential perk, survived a curse which never left a survivor, they were trying to figure out how. That's all I'd been able to figure out.

Oh and the books about him are utter garbage. Clearly fantasy. I was displeased with how they portrayed someone who was my age. Imagine all that being attached to your name. How horrid!

Ah - back to shopping, I guess. First, a trunk!

"Papa, what kind of trunk am I going to get?!" I asked, excited. I knew they could do some crazy things to trunks, and I wanted a cool one!

"Well I was thinking something standard - a little bigger on the inside than out, feather-weighted and shrinkable at a tap of a wand should see you through Hogwarts pretty well. If you need more, I can always give you a family trunk to take with you as well. There isn't a limit on how many you can have, after all." He replies. I nod, pouting that it'll be "standard". If this was normal, what was really nice?

"What kinda things can they do to trunks?" I ask. "I've read they can have a lot of compartments, and that you can, like make them huge, but what about security? Can you have magical locks on your trunks? Hidden compartments?" I ask excitedly.

"Not sure, really. I think I've seen a trunk with seven compartments, though. I know you can get them to be about ten feet to a side - not sure if they can be bigger." He replies. "Locks are common. Not sure about the hidden compartments, or if those are the limits." He shrugs. "Would you like me to get a book about it for you? Enchanting is pretty advanced, but I can get you started on some of the things you'd need to know. I know the books they reference, so I'll just find the required reading material?" He asks me.

"I would LOVE that papa!" I say excitedly. I loved this magic system - so few restrictions. Only important ones were not making food from nothing and don't messing with time, really. Other than those you could in theory do anything, if you had the knowledge, power and will. "I think we'll need a lot of books, papa. The list they gave us was rather… thin." I tell him, he nods, seemingly bracing himself.

"And the robes! Ugh! We'll need to get something nice. You know how I loathe wearing the same thing too often. Uniforms are sooo boring!" I say, he does the smile and nod of someone who doesn't understand. Poor man. "Do you have any books, or supply recommendations?" I ask. He brightens.

"Oh yes! I'm getting you extra ingredients - just a little over double, so you can do some testing if you like. A bronze cauldron for stability on testing and a silver one for making precise stuff. Figure you can also have a Pewter one for class, but use the silver one, in your later years. The potion quality when it's delicate will change depending on the cauldron. Simple potions aren't too picky, but in fourth and fifth year? Oh yea, you'll want Silver!" He says, clearly happy to have something to contribute to the conversation.

"What do you mean, experiment?" I ask, he grins.

"I've read your notes on some of the techniques and how you could improve things. I'd be interested in you testing them! If you do anything notable it'd be great! The only way to become really good and know what you can, or can't, do is often testing!" he says excitedly.

That made sense - I was happy we were financially able to indulge my want to test things. I suppose my following the rules to a T had help assuage his fears I would do something stupid.

"Make sure you have a professor with you when you do testing though, in case anything goes wrong. Or an older student, perhaps. You never know when you may need help!" He adds, cutting into my thoughts. His request was reasonable. Hopefully I'd find people willing to play along with my plans - and test things.

That would require making friends, wouldn't it? I didn't really have any, in primary, due to the blatantly obvious treatment I got. Not at all conducive to making friends with people who are young. We all wanted to be the best - myself included - of everyone. Actually being the best? It made you untouchable. Unbefriendable. My family had filled the void, but I would need to do something myself.

Do this, myself. So, friends. The thought was honestly terrifying.

"We're almost to the trunk shop - any design you were looking for? Wood type?" Papa asks, shattering my thought train.

"Uh… something nice and sturdy? I want it to be clear I have taste but I want it to be reliable, to last, you know?" I say. He nods as we enter the store, a light bell sounding above us. Considering it's the first day of summer and literally no one else is doing school shopping, I'm surprised to see one other person - acting as a customer - is in the store.

"...lar of course. Three compartments if you have it. The works on security." he says, his shoulder length black hair and piercing blue eyes sweeping to the door as we enter, they linger on my father, then me for longer than they do the rest of the shop. The attendant nods as he finishes his specifications.

"Of course sir!" She nods happily, tearing the sheet and walking into the door behind her, calling over a shoulder. "I'll be back in a second with what you requested - we have a couple of those in stock, they're pretty common for Law Enforcement and potion-crafters!" She says, then closes the door. A man walks out of the back - a bit older - maybe her dad? Before looking at us and smiling at my father and I.

"And what can we do for you folks?" he asks us boisterously. My father smiles at him and with me, we head to the counter, while the other man steps to the side.

"Well Charles, my daughter, Aubrey, is due to start Hogwarts, and we figure it's a good idea to get her going as soon as we can, so can you get me the standard Seventh year trunk, with security features added in? We're wanting it in a hard Maple, if you have it. We hope it'll last her all Seven years." he says. The shop-keep - Charles, nods.

"Of course, Mark!" He says, waving his wand at a stack of nicer looking chests and trunks. The pile shifts and a simple, but pretty trunk comes flying out and lands before us. "It'll be twelve Galleons, two sickles." He says, papa nods. Leaving the aforementioned currency on the counter.

"Thank you Charles!" He says, shaking the man's hand. "Maybe I'll see you soon. Been too long." he adds, I see Charles nod. While I'd love to grill papa for the information on how he knows Charles, since I'd never seen him before, mixed with the fact that the man made me feel a bit… off. I wanted to know. I also figured I'd met all his friends. They come over sometimes, after all.

We left the shop and the uneasy feeling left - and my thoughts about Charles, and the slightly off feeling he gave me.

"Where to next!?" I ask excitedly as he shrinks my trunk to the size of a deck of cards.

"Wand." He says. "Normally people do it last, but I think while you do that I can get your potion supplies and a post owl. Then we can meet at the bookstore. If I'm there first I'll handle your standard books, and get you those extras I promised. You just focus on finding things you want to know more about." He instructs. I nod, running off to the wand shop. Hearing him distantly chuckle at my exuberance.

I quickly find myself skidding to a stop in front of Ollivander's - ancient as the shop claims to be I don't believe it. Best to be careful though. Ollivander was respected in the community - a real pillar.

I was nervous. I opened the door regardless, taking a couple steps in. "Ah.." the voice came from behind me - to my right, opposite side of the room from where I entered. "Who do I have the pleasure of being in my shop, this fine day?" the elderly voice asks, and the tension leaves me. This must be Ollivander.

"Aubrey Hawthorne, sir." I reply dutifully, smiling at his slightly hunched form. He looks ancient!

"Indeed?" He asks me. "Then your Father must be Mark, yes? Oak, thirteen inches and dragon heartstring - good for dueling." He says, thinking a moment. "Your mother then would be Angelica. A Eleven and a half inch Maple wand, Unicorn Hair. A real beauty, good for charms." He says, from memory. I knew he got the woods correct, at least, I could assume the rest was as well. "Well, which hand do you use for your wand?" He asks, snapping his fingers. The measuring tape springs to life.

"I am right handed, though I am trying to teach myself ambidexterity, it's not so easy." I reply. He nods.

"A worthy skill, but one you won't need much." His measure takes a few quick measurements and he nods and trods to the back as it starts doing odd measurements. Length of my nose, circumference of my pinky?

"Why is it measuring my shin, sir?" I ask, getting a laugh, dry and dusty like the shop I'm in. Another snap echoes and the tape rolls up on the counter.

"A test. Most don't ask questions, but it's good to see some do. Suppose you're a Ravenclaw, then. Or a Slytherin?" His voice comes more clearly as he walks back in with a few boxes.

"Either work for me. I think I'd prefer Ravenclaw. I like being able to study, and something tells me they won't bother me over there. Slytherin may have the intrigue I desire, but I can interface with that when outside the dorms. Having a haven is wise, no?" I ask the question, to which I know the answer.

"Of course it is. Reasoning like that may ensure you a Slytherin dorm room, though." He offers me a wand. "Phoenix feather, Oak. Flexibile. 11 inches." I take it, wave it and he shakes his head. "No no, hmm." He trails off, inspecting the wand critically. "Both, huh?" He removes a few boxes from his stack leaving him with two.

"Maple and Unicorn Tail. Rigid, 12 inches." He pulls another out, and hands it to me. I feel a slight connecting, but he takes it back all the same. "Not quite. Perhaps…" and he wanders into the back.

"Perhaps what?" I ask him. "That one felt okay!" I say louder.

"But it wasn't perfect." He replies. "I know you'll find a few close ones like that, but we'll get there." He says, coming out with four more boxes. He opens one. "Ebony and Unicorn Hair, Twelve inches, Whippy." I take it and a blissful feeling hits me. A shower of sparks, which pop like mini bubbles, float in the room.

"Oh!" I say looking at the wand in wonder. "Like that?" I ask. He nods happily.

"Ebony i is a symbol of power, purity, balance, protection and luck." He says. "Unicorns are also Purity, Protection and Luck, but they also resonate highly on the "good" spectrum, though they're far more free spirited than a phoenix." He smiles. "I can expect good things from you, with a wand like that." He hands me the case.

"How much is it?" I ask, knowing wands are quite expensive.

"First one is only 8 Galleons." he answers. "If you need a new one, it'll be a bit steeper." He says a bit more seriously. "If you want a holster and care kit, I can get you those for 2 Galleons more." I nod, putting 10 on the table.

"I'd much like that, sir." I respond, looking at his selection, pointing at a black holster. "Can I have that one?" I ask, he nods obligingly.

"This one is made out of a soft wood, wrapped in cloth, not so durable, but it'll work unless you're planning on becoming an Auror?" He asks, I shake my head. He smiles. "Well this'll do you just fine for Hogwarts, anyways." And then he pulls out a small container and a brush. "Polish and a brush to apply it with." He explains. "The Oil of your skin will ruin the magic in the oil, so you need to use the brush and let the wand sit for ten minutes."

"I can do that!" I chirp. "Say, do you know how to get to Flourish and Blotts from here?" I ask, looking around.

He chuckles quietly, and gives me directions - across the street, take a left, three stores down - I follow them to the letter and see the looming bookstore. Three stories. Of books.

I enter and see my papa with a stack of books - observing them I see they're all beginner level texts on magical theory, specifically primers for Enchanting. There's a book on Potion crafting and a novice book on rune-sets. Probably for Enchanting? The others I knew to be the other stuff I'll need for the school year.

I immediately headed to the fantasy section - which was the far wall from the door - I found some of the books had skills, actually. Firing off observes, starting in the back corner, I ran my and along them as I went. The first two rows - about 200 books - I got a level in observe, and found a shelf covered in just one book - in various editions.

"Hogwarts, A History" eh? Well I'll take the first edit- they don't have it? The Fifth, then. the thirtieth and the most recent - the fifty-second edition. I'd ask papa where the first edition was later. They were skill books, and offered different skills, each. The most recent? Mapping. The oldest? Basic Defensive magic. The middle one? Navigation charms.

I suspect the writers of this book put the things they found useful to have at school in these books. They were each written in different time periods by different people. So they probably read differently, too.

What fun! Really, it would be fun, too! I liked reading historical documents and seeing how they changed. Having been alive for over six-hundred years in my last life really put it into perspective for me.

Speaking of, magical math? That sounded right up my alley! I'll take one of those, novice level and then beginner level books for my free time. Arithmancy? So cool! Wonder what system of equations they used to describe an illusion which is merely visual, and what layers of complexity is added for an audio and textile feel.

Sounded like a fun project! Probably a good few years of study!

A few isles - and me only hitting one out of every ten books with observations (having figured out their sorting method) I found one on old magical alphabets (Called ancient runes! I took Novice and beginner level books on that) and then a book that was a magical catalog of all magical beasts and what they could do and how dangerous they were. It was, as expected, about four-thousand pages. A real long time probably went into this book. And it was expensive as heck! Hope papa will get it for me…

A few Isles on down I came to the section on law. I skipped it all and went upstairs. Charms for hygiene were a must, and then a quick stop in detection spells to make sure no poisons or whatever was in my food.

Better safe than sorry. I'd seen what one magical little midget (in my last life) could do. I didn't want to know what a school full of them would do.

All the books I could think of collected I presented my (hefty, fourteen book) stack to papa.

He accepted most of them, but turned down the magical menagerie book, (too expensive) and the two charms books, telling me he had better at home. Accepting this we went to do what my father had hoped to avoid.

Clothes.

Thankfully I wasn't a hoity-toity "Acromantula Silk only" type person. It was just smoother than normal silk and was "fancy" ooh! Cotton was a categorically worse type of cloth.

It was a few minutes, but I wound up coming to agree with Madam Malkin, and took her recommendation - going for normal silk. Papa looked happy it wasn't the more expensive Acromantula stuff, and proud it wasn't cotton.

Long story short - I tortured my father for two hours trying on everything from robes to bralettes, and everything in between. I eventually nailed down what I liked and got my order in. Then I asked where I could get accessories and my father, who looked relieved, suddenly looked fit to faint.

Madame Malkin smiled at me sweetly. "I'll send my recommendations in the mail, with your robes when they're done." She informed me. I nodded.

"Thank you. Not often I get to take the old man out like this. I really enjoyed your help with deciding on all the cuts! Did you have any recommendations on books to learn size adjustment charms and such? I do expect to grow a bit.." I asked / stated.

She smiled and handed me a small pamphlet. "That'll have all you need in it." She said, setting with a stretch. "Your total is forty-two Galleons and sixteen knuts." She said. Papa put the money - quite relieved - on the table.

"Thank you" He says, looking delighted at his pending escape.

"No, thank you!" Malkin says, a large grin on her face. "Now go take your little angel out to a late lunch. Sorry to have kept you so!" She says with a smile on her face.

"Of course. I was getting quite hungry!" He says, and I get a ping from my UI -

Skill Acquired!

Lie Detection - Level 1 (2.4%)

+10xp.

Nice try, pops, but even my gifts are calling you out.

It was a couple hours later - after lunch and some Ice-cream, along with a quick trip down to the vault to pick up some pocket money (as we'd spent nearly everything he carried) we were home. My quest completed.

Quest Complete!

All school supplies have been gathered!

Bonus objectives -

Get your Wand Alone (+50xp)

Surprise Ollivander (+150xp)

Convince your father to get accessories with you. (Fail)

Total reward - 300XP

Level Up!

+5 Stat points

+1 Perk Point. (i)

I got perk points as I go? What? I clicked the little (i) symbol indicating an explanation.

Every Fifth level you get one perk point. These can be used for perks or stored. No perk costing more than (3) can be purchased without significant feats having been accomplished, thus unlocking them.

Perks only available on character creation (IE Metamorphmagus) have been removed. You are free to peruse the perks at any time.

Some perks are in what are known as "Perk Trees" and you can pick one tree in which you wish to specialize(i). Perks in this tree will cost half what they would otherwise.

Do you wish to look at perks now?

Yes

No

I looked around the house, seeing as I was in the living room - 'No'. I thought. The screen disappeared and "Perks" was added next to "Info" and "Character stats". I hopped off the couch and wandered to my room.

After I put away the stuff I carried in, I shot a quick observe at my wand -

Aubrey's Wand. Unique.

This wand is - as all wands are - unique. It is attuned to the witch named Aubrey, with a 97% compatibility. Due to its nature and natural properties, it grants +3 luck +3 to defensive magics (Learning and casting), +1 to all Wanded Magic Skills.

As long as you are the master of this wand (even if it is destroyed!) You will retain these benefits.

Blinking in shock at the wand - the first item to give me a bonus to a stat, ever, I looked over to the door - it was ajar. Oops. Closing the door, so no one walked in on me, gaping at air, I thought 'Perks!' and flopped onto my bed, grabbing a book and putting it on the other side of the "screen" so I could see what I was reading and not look insane.

Perks

1 - Point Cost Perks -

Clean-Blood.

You cannot become sick to any common ailments. Never have a case of the flu - or Dragon Pox - again!

Dedication - Part one of the "Modern Wizard" line.

Staying focused is easy for you. You can mindlessly slog through even the most boring of tasks with single minded determination - be that three hours of scrubbing cauldrons or similar - you have the dedication to do it! (Grants buff to willpower and helps you ignore distractions when you need to focus or get stuff done.)

People Like You - Part one of the "Healer" Line.

You've got a way about you that makes people just like you. You could be sweating copiously while sitting across from someone who can read your mind and they'll still usually come away thinking of you fondly. Treat people decently and you'll have more close friends than you know what to do with. (Give +10 to all reaction checks in interactions with any other creature.)

Etiquette - Part one of the "Magus" Line

Manners Maketh Man. You find you have an impeccable understanding of social norms and etiquette, knowing just the right way to treat everyone higher, equal and lower in status to you at all times. You're at home in any high-level gatherings, and will never be caught wearing the wrong cut of robes. (Adds 30 points to "Etiquette" skill)

The list had other 1-point perks, each of which were generic buffs to a set of skills, or granted some other minor benefit. None of them were catching my eye, right now.

Specialize? (i)

I poked the little (i) Icon and got more text.

What are you aiming to be good at? This is how you become so - perhaps one of the best - at it. Not every perk tree is straight forward - but each has a lot of perks! When you specialize, you get the first perk, complimentary, and all others come half off.

Keep in mind you only get to do this once!

I almost snapped into specializing Magus. I didn't know what Modern Wizard had to offer, but I know that Dedication was just… good.

I used my one point. And regretted it instantly.

Oh well. I know better now. And I can go through these books. I'd need to ask if I could practice my magic at home. Unfair advantages of living in a warded cottage! I'd see if mama can teach me the basic cosmetic stuff, and other day-to-day charms I'll need, when she has time.