Palms

Friends or Foes, Who Knows?

Danny and I set out into the street with mile long list of items we need to attend class. Danny seemed more excited than even I did. He insisted we stop in every store we could.
The first we stopped in sold cauldrons and vials and all kinds of containers. I brush my hands along them feeling the smooth glass and pewter. 

"You're going to break something," Danny says eyeing me carefully. 

"I'm not a little kid Danny. I know how to behave in a store." I turn a corner and just as I do I bump into another person. They drop a glass vial onto the floor shattering it.

"Now look what you did," they say in a high whiny voice. Our eyes lock and I'm face to face with a small white haired boy with a bony face and a turned up nose.

"Sarah!' I hear Danny call, "What did you do?" 

"Nothing Danny, it's fine," I shout across the store. I turn back to this boy and I'm at a loss for words. "Um. Sorry I didn't see you." I extend a hand, "My name is Sarah." 

With a cautious hand, he shakes mine. "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." 

"Will you be going to the same school as I am?" I ask. Maybe I can make a friend before I even start.

"I'll be attending Hogwarts, wher-"but before he finishes his sentence a man appears behind him in a long flowing cloak with silvery hair much longer than mine. 

"Come Draco." He puts a hand on Draco's shoulder and gives me a resentful look as he ushers Draco out of the shop. Must be a strict parent. But, that look in his eyes was spiteful and full of hate. I don't understand it and I don't know if I want to. 

"I wouldn't be messing around with that lot." A voice comes from behind a large wall of glass vials and bottles. 

"Slytherins, they're nothing but trouble." A second voice says. Through the glass I can see two distorted figures. Their features hard to make out as they keep changing shape and color with the movement of the glass.

"And what does that make you?" I ask moving along to the end of the shelf.

"We're also trouble," One says poking his head out from behind the shelf. He's tall with red hair that falls flat on his head and freckles across his nose. 

"But the good kind." The second one finishes and jumps out to reveal that they are twins.

"I'm Fred!" The first one says holding out a hand. 

"Sarah." I say taking his hand. He shakes it roughly nearly knocking me over.

"And I'm George." The second says holding out his hand but before I can shake it a woman who I assume is their mother yells for them.

"Boys!" A shrill woman's voice calls. 

"That's our queue." Fred says before turning and cupping his hands to his mouth, "We're coming ma!" He disappears behind the shelves.

"Nice to meet you!" George says and with a wave he's gone too.

I have everything checked off my list at this point aside from my wand. Danny had gotten his passed down from our Uncle. A beautiful cherry wood with a dragon heartstring core my brother had taken very good care of his wand. I've always hoped for a wand as trustworthy and reliable as Danny's. We entered the wand shop, a dark and cool room. We could hear someone rummaging around behind large shelves that lined the room. A face appeared at the counter, laugh lines on his cheeks and crows feet at his eyes that held a mischievous twinkle. 

"Now these can't be Jeanie and Samuel Green's kids can they!?" he threw his hands to his white hair. "What are you doing here of all places?" He looked us up and down. 

"You knew our parents?" I ask walking up to the counter.

"Even our mother?" Danny followed behind me.

"Oh yes, what lovely people. I was at their wedding of course. Now I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you however." he reaches a hand across the counter, "Garrick Ollivander."

I take his hand and shake it. "I'm Sarah and this is Danny, it's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Ollivander." Danny shakes his hand as well.

"Now lets see about that wand." Mr. Ollivander disappears behind the counter once again. We can hear him pulling boxes and moving stuff around. All the time he's muttering to himself. Finally he stops and we hear his footsteps coming back. He has an armful of boxes and he places them in front of me. 

"Now it's true the wand chooses the witch Ms. Green but I'll allow you the chance to introduce yourself first." He gestures for me to pick a box. I pick one up and gently slide off the lid. Inside is a long reddish grained wand.

"Now that is Cherry with dragon heartstring." Mr. Ollivander smiles a knowing smile. I turn to Danny beaming.

"Like yours!" I pick up the wand and give it a wave. Absolutely nothing happens.

"That is," Mr. Ollivander pauses, "odd." He pushes one of the other boxes forward, "Try this."

I pick it up and wave it so dramatically that Mr. Ollivander ducks behind the counter. But again, nothing happens.  We do this three or four more times with no luck. 

"What does this mean."Danny whispers to Mr. Ollivander.  I pick up the last wand and wave it. Nothing. I wave it again

"Well it could mean that she's not.." a small beam of light escapes the wand and a gust of wind blows against my face. 

"Yes!" Danny yells rushing to hug me. "You got it!" he squeezes me and I sigh smiling at my wand. 

"That is a willow wand with a phoenix feather core." Mr Ollivander says looking relieved that a wand had finally chosen me. "A very specific t-"  McGonagall enters the shop in a rush.

"We have to go, now." She nods to Ollivander and I give him a wave goodbye. She grabs me by the back of my cloak and leads Danny and I out of the building and around a corner. "I've got your things together for you. We have to leave for Hogwarts early, it's the safest place for you at the moment." She hands us each a simple black bag and grabs hold of our arms. Then we're apparating again. 

When the whirl stops I find myself on the edge of a forest. Everything is green and growing and it seems almost a little familiar. In front of me is a large stone castle. 

"Welcome to Hogwarts." McGonagall sighs taking a deep breath.