Chp 24: Changes

Location: Dogs Den, Belgravia

Date: August 15th 1991

----

Adam had moved in with Sirius who owned a townhouse in Belgravia, central London. He was busy running, on a treadmill.

He had started at 8 am and it was now midday, and he wasn't even out of breath, sweaty sure but he felt just as good as when he started. He hadn't noticed it due to the extreme circumstances his body had gone through since being separated from Kaldor but his body was different stronger in more ways than the second heart beating in his chest.

"Wow, I've gotten fitter, I didn't think it was possible after all Kaldor put me through" he thought.

'Hey kid we better go get your kit for Hogwarts today, summers coming to an end' called Sirius down to Adam in the basement gym.

Adam wiped the sweat off with a towel, before loping up three flights of stairs and into the ensuite shower in his room.

Drying off his ribs felt strange, larger somehow almost one continuous peice with barely any gap between them.

Grabbing, his Hogwarts letter he hurried down the stairs to see Sirius throwing an black overcoat on over a white linen shirt.

'Damn kid you get taller every time I see you, you must be what 5ft 3 I swear you were barely 4ft 8 when I met you last month'.

----

'So what's on the list kid, you think you can read it' said Sirius to Adam as they walked through the brick wall separating the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley.

'Um, yeah' flipping the letter over.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

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, with silver fastenings).

Please note that all pupil's 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 Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration

by Emeric Switch.

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida Spore.

Magical Drafts and Potions

by Arsenius Jigger.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Newt Scamander.

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin 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, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad..

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus, Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions

---

'And we're away, you've already been to Madam Malkins so we'll go their later, how about we get your wand first'.

Adam and Sirius wandered down the alley which seemed even busier than it had the last time Adam had been there.

'It seems everyone has the same idea before the school term started' shouted Sirius over the clamor of the crowds.

'Here we are Ollivanders, Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC'.

Sirius motioned him inside leaning against the glass which displayed a single wand, indicating that he would stand outside whilst Adam purchased his wand.

Adam stepped through the door a bell ringing to announce his entry. His eyes straining for a second to grow accustomed to the dark interior of the shop.

The shop was small only a single chair sat in one corner with thousands of boxes stacked from floor to ceiling.

'Another customer' Adam jumped as he heard a voice from behind him as a man who must have lurking their all along made himself know.

'Know who might you be' asked Ollivander an old man whose m wide, pale eyes shined like moons through the gloom of the shop.

'My names Adam or you can call me Harry Potter I don't really mind which'.

'A Potter now I didn't expect to see you, what a revelation, you have come for your wand I assume'.

'Now onto the wands you see every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance, Mr Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers and the heartstrings of dragons and in some rare cases less stable magical materials. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand'.

'Are you right or left handed' asked Ollivander.

'I'm ambidextrous' he replied.

Adam suddenly realised that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

'That will do' he said, as the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. 'Right then, Mr Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave'.

Adam took in his hand giving it a wave only for a potted plant across the room to explode into splinters.

'Definitely not' said Ollivander, returning the wand to it's box.

'Maple and phoenix feather perhaps. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try ...'

Harry tried – but he had hardly raised the wand when it, was snatched back by Mr Ollivander.

'No, no – here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out'.

Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr Ollicander was waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the spindly chair.

'Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here somewhere, I wonder now, yes, why not unusual combination holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple.'

Adam took it in its hand, feeling a warmth flush through him, only for it to start smoking in his hand as Calcifer perked up in his head.

"I don't like it it's too clingy".

'Strange I was sure that would be a fit, how peculiar. You have me stumped my boy which means for the first time in a long time there is no wand here which is suited to you'.

'Does that mean I can't go to Hogwarts' asked Adam visibly worried.

'No, but it means I get to make you one' said Ollivander smiling.

'Eleven inches seems right but the wood, follow me to the back, we've got some choices to make'.

----

'Pass you hands over the wood see if there's any that particularly attract you'.

Adam held his left hand out passing over the array of woods landing on a silvery white wood.

'Silver lime, what an anamoly in this day and age. This unusual wand wood was highly fashionable in the nineteenth century, but demand outstripped supply, and unscrupulous wandmakers dyed substandard woods in an effort to fool purchasers into believing that they had purchased silver lime. The reasons for these wands' desirability lay not only in their unusually handsome appearance, but in their reputation for performing best for Seers and those skilled in Legilimency, mysterious arts both, which consequently gave the possessor of a silver lime wand considerable status. But since then doubt has fallen on such claims and they have since fallen out of fashion. However, what is certain is that those who carry such a wand are inextricably tied to fate even if they cannot peer into it merely by its possession.

'Now onto the core ... hhhmmm I doubt any of the usual would suite you considering how you responded to the previous wands you tried'.

'I notice you carry a thorn around your neck, may I see it'.

Adam untied a leather corded necklace from around his neck producing the wraithbone thorn.

'Now this is quite the mystery, a bone of some kind?' inquired Ollivander questioning.

'I believe so, it was removed from my leg when I was undergoing treatment in St Mungo's' relied Adam.

Ollivander has by this time placed it under a series of magnifying glassds, 'it seems almost metallic, yet clear striatons of growths are apparent. Where did you get this'.

'The old man will know if you lie' spoke Calcifer.

'It got me; though, I believe the material is called wraithbone'.

'Fascinating, truly fascinating fortunately it seems to be organic in some sense, so it should have no problems melding with the wood ... and such as strong connection already, a gift of blood.... what strange magical conductivity'.

'Go go, take the whole afternoon even, come, this might take a while ... fascinating' said Ollivander to Adam not looking up.