Only Death Will Have Me

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Neil and Hagrid flew to London, and they had lunch in the leaky cauldron before going shopping. After buying everything he needed, Hagrid told him he should get a new wand.

"But I have one." Said Neil, and showed his wand, it was his mother's, he had his wand destroyed last time he met his father.

"Yes, but the wand has to choose you. Your mother's wand can never be yours, unless it changes it's loyalty." Explained Hagrid, and he was right, the wand was very stubborn sometimes.

They went to Oliwanders and he bought one made out of dark wood, the core of Phoenix Feather. Intricate flowing patterns on the bottom, Neil was thrilled.

"This brings back memories of years ago, when I helped Harry Potter to buy his." Commented Hagrid at some point.

"How was he?"

"Excited, more than you even, he was raised as a muggle you see," Hagrid sent Neil a fond look, "I knew your mother Neil, she was a wonderful witch, and I'm glad you could come to Hogwarts safe."

Neil didn't know what to say, so he just took it in and nodded. Hagrid was right, his mother was a wonderful witch, but the violence broke her soul. In the end, she was so lost, Hagrid wouldn't have recognized her.

"So, anything else on your list?"

"Oh, it's not on the list, but I want a broom." Said Neil looking around the Alley, Andrew said there was a store specialized in quidditch.

"Oh, you can fly?"

"Yes, I used to play when I was a kid, I had to stop, but I still used a broom to travel, mom would be an eagle and I'd fly beside her, I lost my broom when she… passed, it was nothing special, very old actually." Neil was feeling good, he could be honest with Hagrid, if anything. He'd never been honest since he remembered.

They got inside the store, it was messy, like every other store at the Alley, Neil looked at the brooms on one wall, they went till the ceiling, each one shining and new. He had the money, but no ideia of which one to get. An attendant helped him, asking in what position he played or intended to, to make the decision easier. He wanted to be a chaser, his first coach said he was fast, so if he ever played again he'd be a seeker, but after watching the game that morning he knew he couldn't. He couldn't wait hours till he saw the snitch, he needed action and fighting to expend all his energy.

The attendant showed him 3 different ones, and in the end he bought the one Hagrid said was best, the attendant said it was a good choice. It was expensive, but Neil didn't care, he still had lots of money that could buy him a new name, instead, he was wasting it here, with a broom. It would be useful one way or another.

That night he moved to the Slytherin dorm room, which he was sharing with Kevin Day, Jean Moreau and Seth Gordon. Their old roommate died in the war, Riko Moriyama, Neil felt his guts clench when they said that, he didn't comment though, and they politely didn't ask where he was during the war, Kevin knew he was in America. It wasn't the entire truth, but it wasn't a lie either.

Seth wasn't much of a talker, or he just didn't like Neil, Jean would add something here and there, so it was practically Neil questioning Kevin about the game. They talked about Quidditch until 18h, when the sun was about to go down, Kevin got up and grabbed his broom. He told Neil to get his, Neil didn't waste time, following Kevin to the window, he opened it and got on his broom, Neil following suit. They left the room, Kevin grabbed his wand and sent out a patronus to someone, it was a cat. His mother tried to teach him, but she had lost hers as well, so they gave up trying. He thought about asking a teacher to help him with that. Kevin started moving again in the pitch's direction.