Childhood Part 6: Onyx's Shopping

"Ah, young mister Grey. How are you today? Doing your school shopping or just a small visit?" The lady smiled at the boy she got to know during the last year as a calm and gentlemanly fellow. She held a little hope that he and her Neville would one day perhaps become friends and he'd take after the boy.

Onyx returned her smile "I got my letter today so it's time for the whole lot! Can't wait for my wand especially!" The boy seemed to light up at the notice of a wand. His eyes filled with longing, Onyx supposed he wasn't the only one who really couldn't wait to get started!

Augusta chuckled lightly at the boy's enthusiasm. "Well then, we won't waste your time but I would like to introduce my little grandson Neville here, he'll also be starting next year." She gently shoved the tubby boy a few steps forward and he bowed down.

"I'm Neville Longbottom, heir to House Longbottom, pleased to meet you Mr. Grey." He looked to his grandmother for approval and with a small nod he visibly relaxed.

Onyx gave one of his wide calming smiles to Neville "You don't have to be so formal with me Mr. Longbottom. I'd love for you to call me Onyx, maybe steer clear of Onny though.." He gave a squinted eye at his mother and then turned back to Neville. "we'll be yearmates, at the very least, soon after all!"

The boy lost his bow and straigtened up. He gave Onyx a small smile and returned "You must call me Neville then. Maybe we'll see each other again before school, perhaps a day when less is planned already?"

Onyx looked into the eyes of the boy. He seemed to be begging for some reason, didn't he have any friends? Those eyes spoke of loneliness. Onyx saw no reason to turn him down and simply gave a small grin "I'll owl you later, I already have your address" With that, the groups parted ways. As soon as the Longbottoms were clearly gone, Emma punched Onyx's arm "How do you do that?!"

Onyx simply looked at her baffled "What? Do what?" He looked to his parents for support but they just smiled knowingly at him and then Emma continued "He instantly wanted to be your friend!" And then she said her last bit a lot quieter and almost completely mumbling "Nobody seems interested in me.."

Emma looked at the ground and now Onyx saw what she meant. She had never had anyone over. She had been in school with him but a year below and he hadn't really thought about it but she was always an outsider, keeping to her studies.

He bent at the knees so his face ended up at the spot she was looking "I'll give you some pointers when we get home. How about that?" This seemed to return her mood and she gave him a hug, almost pushing him over. Onyx would have to buy her something to keep this mood up until they got home.

They went to all kind of stores in Diagon as well as the nearby alleys, Diagon alley is just the main street after all. As there isn't really a requirement to buy his items in the main stores, Onyx spent a lot of time in Horizont Alley buying a whole bunch on new clothes fit for his new school adventure. Less rough clothes and more silk. Especially acromantula silk, Onyx almost got scared when he saw the bill from his new robes. To imagine that there'd be such an expensive material.

After they had a bite to eat in Horizont they left for Diagon to buy the last remaining items. It was just a cauldron, potions ingredients and a wand. Before going to Ollivander's they stopped by some joke shops to buy some trinkets to play with. He got himself a brand new set of wizard's chess with an option to play against the chess pieces themselves. That could be nice if he were to feel like being alone at some point.

He also bought some charmed notebooks and plenty of parchment. If only there was a self-inking quill of some kind he thought, as he bought several bottle of ink and a couple of rather expensive quills, he should have stayed in Horizont.

Finally it was time to buy his wand! They were walking towards Ollivanders when Onyx saw another small wand shop. The sign said Jimmy Kiddell's Wonderful Wands, Onyx had never heard of it. How could it afford to be situated in Diagon alley if he had never even heard the name? The storefront had loads of strange materials he had never seen before. Horns of all sizes, tails of all colours and parts of all animals. As he thought about this, Emma dragged him along to Ollivanders.

They entered the store and Jasper pushed Onyx to the front and right into the gaze of an old man he could only guess was Ollivander himself. Sure, he didn't believe he was the first one as the shop was founded about a millennia and a half ago, but he wasn't young.

The man had sunken eyes but somehow they glistened and his eyebrows made his face look enthusiastic. "Ah! Mr Grey has finally arrived. I had thought your day was coming up soon. Mind if I start the measuring?" Before he could shake his head, a measuring tape was sent towards him and started measuring everything. He was used to this by now as he just exited the clothes shops a few hours ago but it still wasn't comfortable.

'This place is a dump!' Onyx thought as he saw piles and piles of boxes in disarray with plenty of dirt and filth in between. Figuring the man was mad and simply didn't care, Onyx brushed the thoughts off.

A few minutes later Ollivander showed up carrying seven wands and looked in between them thinking of what to try first. Onyx looked at them and he felt…nothing. The wands could have just as easily been just sticks found in a muggle forest.

He couldn't feel anything from them and that was strange as he was so used to the trees at home emanating a soothing feeling throughout his body. Ollivander placed the wands one by one into his hands and one after another nothing happened. This was going to take a while.

"Mum, take Rufus out to get some treats. I have a feeling this will take long" Onyx sighed and his mother went out with his faithful companion. Ollivander seemed utterly confused, how had he missed the fact that a fox had entered the shop with them?

He was usually a very attentive man, which was how he matched the wands after all. As Rufus exited he stood still, thinking it all through. He went to the back and came out front with three more wands. All of their boxes were covered in a thick layer of dust. Onyx thought he felt an inkling now. Maybe one of them was his?

The first one was brought to him. "Dragon heartstring, from a particularly old and mighty Catalonian Fireball matched with a mixture of yew and willow" Onyx took it in his hand and was instantly disappointed. This wasn't the one. The second one was just as disappointing. The third however "Kelpie hair from 'Nessie' herself, the wand wood is walnut", this was the one he felt something from. It wasn't much but he felt a small pull from it.

Ollivander sighed. "I think this is as good as you will get here. I don't usually do this but as I have failed you I will recommend you to another. You may keep that one if you want as well." Ollivander looked terribly gloom as he began writing on a small piece of paper.

He soon handed it over to Onyx. "Bring this to little Jimmy three doors over and he might be able to help you. He deals with the more... 'difficult' customers." Onyx took the paper and thought 'He must mean that other shop I noticed earlier' and so he bowed his thanks to Ollivander and pocketed the wand before exiting.

As they got out Jasper began laughing. "I can't believe you'd have to be sent over there. He doesn't have many customers, but the few he does are almost all heirs or lords." Onyx looked at Jasper in confusion. Was there something important about that he simply missed? He shook it off and walked into the new store.

This one was a lot more organized. Where Ollivanders had piles of boxes, Jimmy had shelves of hearts and horns. From behind a pair of curtains they heard a man whistling and so they rang a bell. The whistling stopped and a small man separated the curtains.