Hogwarts Pack

Chapter 4- Shopping in Diagon Alley

"Talk"
'Think'
"Parseltongue"
Chapter 4 – Shopping in Diagon Alley
Petunia and Harry stepped out into the Alley with their minds filled with new information. They stood watching everyone move about going store to store before walking to the first store on their shopping list; Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. The store was surprisingly empty. An attendant waved Harry over with a friendly smile, if not a little tired. Petunia pushed Harry to follow the woman into the room for fitting while she took his bag and moved to look at different fabrics stacked against the walls. Harry walked into the room to find one other person up on a stand. It was a boy about his age. He had light blond hair slicked back, and cloudy grey blue eyes on a fair skinned face.
Harry stepped up onto the stand the woman indicated and watched a measuring tape start flying around him doing its job. "School supplies deary?"
"Yes ma'am, but also some causal in green, red, black, and blue if you please." Harry answered. The lady smiled and nodded getting back to work.
The kid next to him took this time have a look over at Harry. He must have found something he approved of because he nodded and stuck a hand out. "Name's Draco, Draco Malfoy."
Harry took the hand in a firm shake, "Harrison Evans, Pleasure to meet you Draco."
Draco smiled as they dropped their hand back to their side. "You are going to Hogwarts too? I can't wait. Do you know what house you will be in?"
Harry let a small laugh out, "To answer your first question, yes I am going to Hogwarts. I am thinking either Slytherin or Ravenclaw but Gryffindor wouldn't be too bad. My family is from all three houses."
Draco looked intrigued. "Your family doesn't care about the house rivalry? If I got into anything but Slytherin I would be a disgrace. No Malfoy has been in any other house."
Harry shrugged, "Both my parents were Gryffindors but my grandparents were a Slytherin and a Ravenclaw from what my aunt has been told. How resent is the rivalry?"
Draco sputtered before getting himself under control. "The rivalry has been around since the founder's time. Slytherin and Gryffindor do not get along. It's almost completely unheard of."
Harry blinked in surprise and confusion. His great grandparents were a Slytherin and a Gryffindor. He knew this because his mother had exsplained some of the Potter history to Petunia in letters after she married Harry's father and went into hiding. "Maybe it's just my family then. I don't care as long as no one judges me on my house. It's not right and I will not put up with it." Harry finished with a nod.
Draco smiled. He was about to say something when the lady measuring both of them told him he was done. Draco stepped down from the stand and turned back to Harry. "Have you gotten your books yet?" Harry shook his head no. "Then I'll wait for you and we can go together. My mother is looking for a book and I was to meet her over there when I was done."
"Alright, thank you." Harry gave Draco another smile. The lady finished with him soon after and the boys made their way back out into the shop were Petunia was waiting, looking at simple dark purple dress. Petunia glanced up to see both boys and put the dress back.
"Hello dear. I see you have met Harrison. I am his aunt, Petunia Evans." Petunia smiled at Draco holding her hand out to shake.
Draco being the gentlemen his mother and father raised him to be, took her hand only to lightly kiss the back of it. "Draco Malfoy, Madam. Please to meet you."
Petunia let a light, delighted, laugh out. Draco let go of her hand to turn to Harry. Harry was already at the register having his order wrapped. Draco made his way to Harry's side with Petunia behind watching over both boys. While Petunia paid for the clothing Draco was at the next register paying for his own. Harry asked the woman if she could shrink his bags, she did, and he put them into his shoulder bag.
Draco waited for Harry to finish putting his bags away before starting to the door, no bags insight. Harry grabbed his aunt's hand before following his new friend out the door. The street was no less busy than when they last saw it. They followed Draco down the street to a store called Flourish and Blotts.
Draco made a beeline for an elegant woman with black hair streaked with silver. She turned to great the boy with a nod of approval. Draco indicated toward Harry and Petunia as they approached. "Mother this is Harrison Evans and his Aunt Petunia Evans. Harrison is going to Hogwarts this year. I hope you do not mind, but I thought it would be nice if Harrison and I got our supplies together."
Harry watched Mrs. Malfoy as Draco spoke. She had an almost perfect mask but Harry could see her eyes warm with love as Draco spoke. Her clothing looked to made of high quality silk, her skin was smooth and blemish free, nails were perfectly done in a French manicure, and her hair was pulled back into a loose but elegant bun. Elegant, that word described Mrs. Malfoy to a T.
"Draco, your new friend and his aunt are more than welcome to join us. I am please you wanted to invite them." Mrs. Malfoy smoothed a hand down Draco's cheek in a loving caress. She turned to Harrison and Petunia and offered a small but sincere smile. "I am Narcissa Malfoy. I am Draco's mother. It is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Evans, Mrs. Evans."
"It's Ms but please call me Petunia, I not one for formalities. It is a pleasure to meet the mother of such a well mannered gentleman." Petunia smiled back.
"Harrison is fine with me ma'am. It is very nice to meet you." Harry gave a dip of his head. Narcissa gave a small laugh, "Then please call me Narcissa. Your nephew is very polite."
Petunia smiled back. Harrison turned to his aunt, "Aunty," He turned to Narcissa, "Ma'am, may Draco and I go explore and gather our books?"
Narcissa nodded her permission. Harry turned back to his aunt. "Yes sweetheart, but I do not want to see more than three books that are not school books."
Harry gave a serious look back. It was time for business. "Six." "Four." Petunia also adapted a business face. "Four and a new sketch book." Harry rebutted. Petunia gave a moment of though before nodding seriously. Harry's face broke out into a grin. He grabbed Draco's hand and ran to the closest shelf of books, leaving a laughing Petunia and an amused Narcissa.
"Do you two do that often?" Narcissa asked Petunia, putting the book she was looking at away.
Petunia shook her head, clearly amused too by her nephew. "Only when it comes to books. Before he could read I would let him pick out books he wanted me to read to him when we went to book stores and he would have a pile taller than him picked out. We started the negations after he learned to read."
"I wish my Draco had that kind of love for books." Narcissa replied watching Harry drag Draco shelf to shelf getting all the books on their list and a few, she knew, wasn't.
Petunia again shook her head, this time in decline in what Narcissa said. "Harry doesn't read to read. Harry reads to get knowledge. The books he reads can and will give him help in this world. Psychology, politics, sociology, history, world religions, anatomy, so on and so forth."
"He...he couldn't possibly read and understand those book. Not at his age." Narcissa couldn't believe that. This boy was only 11, even if he looked younger.
Petunia just gave a light laugh. She watched as Draco pointed out some sections of the store to Harry and Harry look over titles in the section. It didn't take more then ten minutes before the boys made their way back to their guardians, Harry's stack of books four more then Draco's. Petunia felt the familiar tug of a smile wanting to make its way onto her lips. "What did you find this time?"
Harry looked down at his books, "I found a book on the history of the wizardly world but it's only a broad view. I'll need to get more detailed books on different periods later on. I found one on the different categories different spells, hexes, jinxes, and curses can fall into. The third is on Magical Britain's politics, though I found one that was an overview of most politics in all parts of the magical world, but decided to stick to Britain first. The last is the self-updating version of Hogwarts a history. I figured I need to work my way up from the basics before I get the deeper books." Harry looked up a grin, "We might need to be back to get me new books in a couple weeks."
Draco stood beside Harry looking at him like he was crazy. Narcissa wasn't doing much better. What was an 11 year old boy looking into all that for? She turned back to Petunia who was rolling her eyes with a smile on her face. "I'll think about it. Remember you got the others books we just got yesterday to read."
"That's why I said 'in a couple weeks'. I really want to read 'Inside the Mind of the Killer' or 'Blood and Tears' when we get home. I might have to flip a coin." Harry turned around to get the cash register, not knowing how shocked he made the Malfoys with his book choices.
Petunia, on the other hand, saw and just smiled. "He is a genius. Understands everything, and remembers almost everything."
After paying for the boy's books they all made their way to get the cauldron, scale, phial, and telescope the boys needed. While the Malfoys were looking at pets in Magical Menagerie, Harry and Petunia went to Scribbulus Writing Instruments to get lots of parchment and quills. That only took minutes. Harry and Petunia then made their way to Tunkin's Trunks.
The store way large, clean, and filled with different sizes of trunks in all shapes and colors. A man was quick to greet them. "Hello, hello. Welcome to Tunkin's Trunks, Off to Hogwarts lad?"
"Yes sir. I need a trunk that can hold all my books and the future books I will be putting in there along with all my school things. It needs to be able to shrink and be hidden from muggles who know nothing of magic. If you could make it so it opens to a password that would be great." Harry took the lead seeing how Draco told him about some of the different features a trunk can have when getting their books.
"My," the man looked puzzled for a moment before brightening back up. "I got the perfect idea for that." He led them to a wall with a plain brown trunk with three bronze clasps and hinges. "This trunk has a library compartment, a clothing compartment, a potion compartment, a supplies compartment and has password charms on it to open to each compartment. I can easily put a shrinking charm and a muggle repellent charm on it. The colors can be changed to fit your liking and your initials put on."
Harry grinned in delight. "Perfect. The coloring black leather with silver hinges and claps. Have both shrinking and muggle repellent charms put on. The initials are H.J.E.P."
The man nodded, going straight to work in moments the trunk was just how Harry wanted it. "You can apply the password to each compartment when you wish. To shrink the truck you just need to tap the middle clasp. Tap it again and it will be its original size."
"Brilliant, thank you sir that will be all we need." Harry waited for Petunia to pay before getting the trunk shrunk. They met up with the Malfoys outside Ollivanders Wand Shop.
Both Draco and Harry were ready to start bouncing up and down as they went in. The store was small, boxes were piled high to the ceiling, and a layer of dust covered everything. Harry noticed a shadow move in the corner of his left eye and turned to see if it was just a trick of the light.
"Good evening Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Evans. I was wondering when I would be seeing you two. Let's get started shall we." A man stepped out of the shadows Harry was looking at. He was old with wrinkles on his face and hands, white hair that made him look like he had been electrocuted and deep black eyes that felt like they looked into your soul. He must be Ollivanders. "Mr. Malfoy, you can be first."
Harry watched entertained as Draco was measured by tape before passed wand after wand. Some did nothing, other changed something different colors, a few things broke (like the chair in the corner) and one dumped water on his poor aunt. Narcissa was kind enough to dry his aunt back out. It wasn't until a 10" Hawthorn and unicorn hair wand touched his fingers that a soft silver glow filled the room.
"Good, good, Mr. Malfoy. That wand will serve you quite well. Now, Mr. Evan, let's get you your wand."
Harry stepped up in the spot where Draco just stood. The process repeated. Harry was handed wand after wand, some snatch before he could wave it, some did nothing when he did. The display window was blown out twice, cracked 4, the lamp was destroyed 7 times, and numerous boxes were flung and pulled down. Narcissa was nice enough to fix all the damage poor Harry caused. Mr. Ollivander had a gleeful expression on his face like Christmas came early and he got all the presents. He just kept handing wand after wand to Harry.
Ollivander went to the back looking for the perfect wand. Harry turned to look at his aunt with weary eyes. "Aunty, do you think I will find my wand before I blow us all up?"
Petunia laughed and pulled him into a hug. "It's okay darling. I was here when your mother got her wand. She went through half the store, broke the lamp a few times, and if I remember right she even turned our father's hair pink for a week. You'll find your wand. It's just taking time, nothing to worry about." Harry nodded, feeling more secure in that knowledge. Ollivander was back with a single box held in his hands like precious crystal. "Let's try this one shall we? Holly with a core of phoenix feather, 11 inches."
Harry took it. No glow happened he felt connected yet also blocked. He looked to Ollivander to ask what was wrong but he was looking at him with a confused face. "In all my years, I have never seen this. Mr. Evans, the core of the wand bonded with you and the wood tried to bond but your magic blocked it. Curious."
Petunia was the one who asked the question they all were thinking, "What does that mean for Harrison, sir?"
Ollivander looked up in surprise. "Oh nothing to worry about, if you would let me take Mr. Evans to my workshop we will get the right wood and second core his magic is demanding. I won't take but a moment."
Petunia could only nod as Ollivander led Harry to a door to the right. Harry was surprised how clean and organized everything in the room was compared to the store. Shelves upon shelves held different woods, jars filled with different liquids, and boxes filled with anything else needed. Ollivander led Harry to a small work table. "Now my boy, I am going to bring you a group of different woods, hold your hand over each one. When you feel the connection you felt with the core tell me. That is your wood. We will do the same with more cores."
Harry just stood there as Ollivander got the woods. He laid them all out on the table. Harry did as he was told. He moved his hand over each wood until he stopped over two side by side, feeling a shot of warmth flood through him.
Ollivander grabbed them confusion morphing into glee, "Redwood and Yew. I have never used redwood. A hard wood to mold but to mix it with Yew... I would never have thought to do so." Ollivander shook himself. "Alright cores. Let's find one. Just do the same process as when looking for your wood."
Harry waited for Ollivander to switch the many woods for cores. He did the same as he did to the wood, letting his hand glide over each one in turn. He stopped on what looked like grey black string. Ollivander nodded.
"Master? My I add my poison to your wand?" Amara poked her head out from his sleeve. Ollivander's eyes flew to her.
"Sir may I also use her poison?" Harry asked letting Amara coil up in the palm of his hand. Ollivander gave an excited yes, rushing to get a small vial to put the poison in.
With everything Harry's new wand needed Ollivander ushered Harry out back into the store. Harry walked back to Petunia with a shrug. Amara stayed in his hand. "Master, the little one and I are hungry."
"Sorry my Amara. We will be done shortly and I will get you both food." Harry answered, noticing how both Malfoys stiffened in shock. He ignored it for now. "Aunty may we eat after this?"
"Are they hungry?" Petunia guessed.
"And I am too." Harry muttered as his stomach growled. Petunia giggled making Harry pouted.
"Yes dear, we can eat after this." Not a moment after telling him that Ollivander came out with a white and brown marbled wand. He held it out for Harry to take. A bright green light filled the shop. "Excellent, Mr. Evans. Redwood and Yew, 12 inches, with the wood soaked in Viperesk poison and core of Thestral hair and a Phoenix feather. We will be expecting great things from you." Ollivander happily took the money for both wands and led them back to the door.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He got his wand. He walked quietly beside Draco as Narcissa led the way to a nice little French café in one of the smaller side alleys. The conversation drifted from how Petunia was a muggle to what the boys wanted to do next. Fed and happy they made their way to one last shop; Eeylops Owl Emporium.
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