Chapter 24: Robes and Witches

Looking at the luggage in front of me I noted how bulky it had gotten. Lugging it up the street I finally managed to get to the final destination on this little shopping trip;

'Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions'

I was starting to feel tired at this point and it was coming up to nearly 2 hours since I left McGonagall at the Leaky Cauldron. If I took any longer, she might come looking. Looking down at the luggage I had I sneakily put some of the items I bought 3 years ago within the stuff I bought now as there was no need to buy duplicates. McGonagall wouldn't know the difference unless she really scrutinised the books and saw slight wear and tear, but realistically that can be brushed off as just the book being old or used.

Walking into the robes shop I marvelled at all the different robes scattered around. It really was as the shop said, robes for all occasions. I didn't know if Madam Malkin herself was in however looking over at the counter I did see an older woman tending to a customer. As a matter of fact the person she was tending to seemed to be a student who was starting this year at Hogwarts as I saw the Hogwarts robe being passed over to them. Taking a quick glance at the person I noted they were nobody I knew from the canon or anything so I just ignored them as they passed me, walking to the counter.

As I approached the woman behind the counter put on a friendly smile and started to speak;

"Hello darling, welcome to Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions. I am of course Madam Malkin herself. I can guess you are here for your Hogwarts attire, no?"

"Yeah, I'm here to get my robes"

"Splendid, If you follow me upstairs really quick, I can get your measurements and sort out a robe immediately for you"

She started to head up stairs and I quickly followed behind her. Walking up a small flight of stairs we ended up in an area that was fully kitted out for measuring and creating robes. She moved me over to an area where I was told to stand still in. As I stood in wait, Madam Malkin casted a spell on the measuring tapes scattered on the floor and they started to rise and wrap around me in different ways. One would wrap around my arm, one around my waist and so forth, getting all my measurements. It was a strange experience as it felt like I was being bound…

Madam Malkin walked over and looked at all the measuring tapes on my body noting down numbers with a self-writing quill. After some jotting the measuring tapes fell and she headed over to her desk to overlook the numbers. Taking one glance at the numbers that were written down, Madam Malkin turned to me with an impressed smile.

"These measurements… you must be training yourself a fair bit physically darling... Compared to other boys your age your arms, legs, chest and even your height seem to be a bit more 'matured'. Honestly these sorts of measurements are usually what I see from a second into third year, not a first year like yourself. Unless you are a third year?"

"No, I am a first year"

"Well then as I said you must be training hard darling, I respect that hardworking nature"

Leaving off with that note Madam Malkin started to whip up a robe for me in record pace. I don't know if she was always the one to tend to the shop however just watching her make the robe made me feel respect at her skill in this field she had developed over countless years. Not even 10 minutes passed and she had already created the robe for me.

"Let's head down to the counter lovely and you can purchase this there"

Heading back downstairs into the main area of the shop with countless robes, me and Madam Malkin headed back to the counter. She placed the robe on the counter and started to calculate how much it would cost. After some thinking she gave me the price needed and luckily the price was just under the amount of money I had left from the Orphan Policy deal. The Apothecary drained most of my money however I had saved a lot from not buying books and such.

Handing her over the money I thank her kindly as I put the robe into my luggage box neatly. Just as I started to put the robe into the luggage, I heard the door to the shop open again.

"Honestly mum it would have been fine doing this just before the Hogwarts train. Why have we come early a few days early?"

"Now Fred, don't you know that if you come early to get your robes' sorted Malkin is likely to give a discount? It's a show of thanks for you coming a bit earlier instead of adding to the rush on the day heading to Hogwarts"

"Mums got a point Fred, every galleon saved is a galleon put towards another venture!"

Hearing the familiar voices, I raised my head and looked at the group that had entered. Four gingers had arrived in the shop. Seeing them I instantly recognised them all. It was Molly, Fred, George and Percy Weasley. They had all come to get their Hogwarts robes early it seemed. They walked past me and looked around the shop with bright eyes at the different robes.

As I thought of their names I wondered if a canon shift would come up due to this event unfolding however nothing seemed to show. The Weasleys were known to be not too well off so its not surprising that Molly was trying to grab any deal she could get. I finished packing my robes and walked past them all, I had no need getting myself involved with them. Turning around I gave Madam Malkin a little wave and left the store, heading towards the Leaky Cauldron.

.

It took some effort however I managed to pull my luggage up Diagon Alley and into the Leaky Cauldron. It wasn't like I was desperately dragging it; I could easily pull it with my strength however it was just incredibly taxing to do so. Walking into the pub I looked around and located McGonagall at the bar. She seemed to be talking to another woman.

As I got closer, I started to hear their conversation a bit.

"So, Irma did you manage to procure any of those hidden away books over the summer? You kept on mentioning finding ancient books before the end"

"Sadly, I couldn't even find a page Minerva, it was honestly frustrating. I had some leads on people who should have been in possession of said books however they either stated it was lies or that they wouldn't sell"

Looking at the woman McGonagall was speaking to a bit more intently I realised she was in fact Madam Irma Pince, the librarian for Hogwarts. As I got a bit closer, Irma clocked me and pointed McGonagall in my direction. As McGonagall turned around her eyes widened looking at the luggage.

"Honestly I expected you to come crying back instantly… you actually managed to buy everything and bring it back here alone?"

I wordlessly nodded and ushered her to look over everything I had gotten. She got a checklist out and went through it step by step. Checking over all the items in the luggage I had she had a satisfied yet surprised smile on her face.

"I'm very impressed Oz, seems you weren't lying about being used to going out alone and buying things. Seems that Nana and Melony of yours have raised you well"

Getting to the bottom of the list she looked over at me and asked one last question.

"Do you have your wand?"

I nodded again and showed the wand I had gotten at Ollivanders. The Blackthorn wand with replica Thestral Hair seemed to glisten a bit as I showed it in my palm. Irma looked at it intently and added on her own anecdote;

"That's certainly a unique wand you got there boy… Do you know what the core is? Or the wand wood?"

I could see that this woman was similar to me in some regards, wanting to know the answer to things as soon as questions arose in her mind.

"The wand wood is blackthorn… as for the wand core, it's Thestral tail hair"

Irma's eyes widened as she took as she exclaimed a bit too loudly.

"Thestral tail hair!? That's the same wand core thats said to be used in the Elder Wand! That mythical little thing, Ollivander tried to recreate it?"

"Well, Ollivander said it was like a replica of that 'Elder Wand'. Something he made in his younger days..."

Irma showed a sly smile and let out a slight chuckle thinking about what I had just told her.

"So that Ollivander had wilful years also hmm? Interesting"

"Ahem"

McGonagall seemed to be a bit annoyed at Irma as she wanted to sort me out fully yet Irma had butted in asking questions. Seeing McGonagall clear her throat, Irma backed off and went to reading a book at the bar.

"Looks like you managed to get everything you need then Oz. As a reward for completing a test you'd usually get house points however you aren't in a house or even at Hogwarts for that matter… Instead let me offer you a service. Ill take your luggage right now to the Hogwarts Express so you don't have to do that in a few days' time yourself. Will make the walk to Kings Cross a bit more pleasant for you. Just take these robes here you got and keep them on you as you'll need them for when you are on the train heading to Hogwarts..."

As McGonagall passed over the robes I thought I had no reason to not accept this service from her. It was convenient for me that she was doing this, allowing me an easier journey to Hogwarts initially. I gave her confirmation that this was "Fine by me" and she smiled.

"I will get that sorted then for you. In 3 days from now the Hogwarts Express will be leaving at Platform 9 ¾, Now when you go there I imagine you will be confused as there is no platform 9 ¾ however if you look hard enough and maybe run into a few walls I'm sure you will find what you are looking for"

Giving me a bright yet testing smile, McGonagall used a spell to levitate my luggage and walked to the exit of the Leaky Cauldron. Irma who was still sat at the bar spat out some words to me after McGonagall left.

"Seems she's fond of you somewhat, giving you a riddle instead of just telling you. Would you like me to tell you exactly what she means about the platform and how to get to the train boy?"

"I should be okay"

"Suit yourself"

Irma turned back to the book she was reading and I headed back up to my room in the Leaky Cauldron. It was different to the room I had the last time I stay here, a bit bigger this time. Laying down on the bed I raised the wand in my hand. A resolution had come to my mind.

At Hogwarts I needed to use this Blackthorn wand. Obviously for starters I needed to use it now McGonagall and Irma had seen it but in addition to this Merlin's wand was a wand that was identifiable if the right wizard looked at it. A legendary wizards wand in the hands of a new student would instantly be a link to the new Descendant of Merlin. Before the fallout of people learning my identity, I wanted to keep it under wraps for as long as I could until it was forced out in the open either by me or by someone else.

When in the room of requirement or in a safe place I can then practice with Merlin's wand or even both for that matter. I was unsure how it would work with two wands casting however it was something I would just need to attempt and see what happens. Looking out the window I noted I hadn't eaten today yet I was so tired that I didn't even want to bother. Soon after noting this fact, I fell asleep after a long day.

Tomorrow's goal would be getting myself a little message carrier…