Welcome to your First Year of Hogwarts (On Hold)

Chapter 4

Read this chapter if you picked the Floo Powder

After going back and forth between the two options, you decide. "Let's use the Floo Powder."

"Ok, meet me downstairs in an hour," your dad says as he walks out of your room.

You look at yourself in the mirror and try to picture yourself with magical powers.

"How could I ever fit in at a magical school? I'm just an ordinary person," you think to yourself. You feel nervous and excited. You can't wait to try on robes and hats.

After an hour, you meet your father in the living room. He is standing next to the fireplace and you notice he is holding a gilded vase. Your mother sits nervously on the couch.

"What's that?" you ask your dad as you point to the vase.

"This," he says as he puts his fist into the vase and pulls out glittery, silver powder, "is Floo Powder."

"How does it work?"

"Listen carefully," your dad explains as you walk towards him, "you throw the powder into the fire, and the fire will turn a bright green. When it does this, walk straight into the fire; it will not hurt you. But before you walk in it, you have to say the place you want to go very clearly. For example, you would say, 'Diagon Alley.' It's two words. Any alterations in the wording could be disastrous!"

You swallow. "This sounds kinda scary," you think to yourself. "Is this safe?" you ask.

"Nothing is ever 'safe' in the wizarding world," your dad says smiling at you.

"Do you want to go first?" your dad asks you."

If you decide not to go first, read on

If you decide to go first, go to chapter 6

"I think you should go first," you tell your dad.

"Alright, but watch carefully!"

"Is mom coming with us?" you ask.

"Yes, I am," your mom says unhappily.

"Have you used this before?" you ask her.

She nods. "Once."

"Ok, now watch me," your dad continues. He throws a handful of powder into the lit fireplace, and the flames burst into a neon green. Then, he yells, "Diagon Alley!" and jumps into the fire. Within seconds, he disappears, and the fire goes back to normal.

"Go ahead," your mom says to you. You shakily throw the powder in the fire, and it turns green.

"Diagon Alley!" you yell. You hesitate for a second, but finally you close your eyes and let the flames envelop you.

You feel the world spinning around you. You open your eyes slightly, and you see rapidly changing images of different rooms flash before your eyes. Your ears pop, and your head spins, so you close your eyes.

After awhile, you feel yourself stop spinning. You open your eyes, and you find boxes surrounding you. You step out of the fireplace, and you look around. You are in a small room with a single, spindly chair in the corner of it. Thousands of thin boxes are stacked all the way to the ceiling, and there isn't an empty space on the walls. The whole place has a thin layer of dust covering it.

A man with white hair, light skin, and pale silver eyes peers before you. "May I help you?" the man asks.

"I think I'm lost. Where am I?" you ask the man.

"You're in Olivanders, and I'm Mr. Olivander," the man tells you.

"What are these?" you ask as you touch a box.

"They are wands."

"Wands?" you ask as your eyes light up.

"Here," Mr. Olivander grabs a box from a nearby shelf, "try out a wand." He opens the box and lifts out a dark brown, gilded wand. You take it out of his hand.

"How does it work?"

"The wand chooses the wizard," he says as if he answered all my questions. "Give it a whirl."

You flick the wand in the air, and boxes fly off the shelves. "That one surely isn't meant for you." He places the wand back on the shelf. "Each wand has a core," he explains as he grabs another box, "and each body of a wand is made from a choice of different woods with different magical properties." He hands you another wand.

After several tries, Mr. Olivander hands you a box from the very top shelf. "This wand is 9 inches and its core contains unicorn hair; it is also made of cherry wood," he explains. You flick the wand in the air, and surprisingly, nothing bad happens.

"I think you've found the one!" Mr. Olivander explains.

"I don't have money," you say.

"It's on me," he says as he winks at you.

You thank him and head outside with your new wand to find your family.

Go to Chapter 7