Hagrid grinned at Harry's amazement. She, Hagrid, and Harry stepped through the brick archway. It shrunk back instantly into a solid wall. Emaline had never been to Diagon Alley before. She was just amazed as Harry and both were looking at everything they could set their eyes on. Hagrid turned his attention to Harry, who was looking at a store for cauldrons, in every shape, size, and variety: copper, brass, pewter, silver, collapsible and self-stirring. "You'll be needin' one of those, Harry.", he said. "but first we need to get yer money." A low and soft hooting came from a shop with a sign saying Eeylop's Owl Emporium with owls of every size, shape, and species, including some from North America. "At Ilvermorny," Emaline said to Harry. "We don't use owls. We use either ravens, hawks or falcons, and sometimes eagles, to carry our mail back and forth."
"Really?" said Hagrid.
"Yes. Well, they do allow owls but let's be honest, they are very rarely used," she said. "A lot of the rich kids use hawks and eagles."
As they walked down the street, there were people running around in every direction, doing their shopping and going about their business as they walked up the street. Harry looked around in every direction trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside of them on display. There was a plump woman outside an apothecary shaking her head as they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, 17 Sickles an ounce, they're mad..." There was a group of boys about Harry's age looking at broomsticks with their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. "WOW! Look at it!" one of the boys said. "The new Nimbus Two Thousand! It's the fastest model yet." There were shops selling telescopes, shops selling robes. There were windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eel's eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon, and logs of wood from around the world, to be used for making wands and an ice cream parlor featuring every flavor imaginable, including chocolate (Emaline's favorite flavor.)
"Emaline," Hagrid said. She turned around to face Hagrid "If it's all right with ya, Harry and I are gonna have to leave you and head over to Gringotts and buy his supplies for school. We'll catch ya later. Do you need any money?"
"It's okay, Hagrid," said Emaline. "I have some shopping of my own to do. Bye-bye." She waved to them, turned around, and disappeared into the crowd. "Come along, Harry," said Hagrid. "Let's head over to Gringotts." They vanished into the crowd far from her view and she walked on.
First, she walked into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions, looking for new clothes for school, feeling a little nervous. The owner, Madam Malkin, was shorter and older than Emaline sporting clothes of mauve. She was smiling. "Good morning, dear," she said to Emaline. "Good morning, miss. I'm here to get my robe." she said. Madam Malkin quickly noticed Emaline's accent.
"American?" Madam Malkin asked her.
"Yes, ma'am," she said. "I've been transferred to Hogwarts from Ilvermorny. For my sixth year."
"Got the lot here - fitting up another young lady right now. Just wait here, dear. Almost done." She returned to her client, a younger girl, who was five years younger than her and had long, brown, bushy hair and brown eyes and large front teeth. She was reading a book entitled: "Hogwarts: A History" borrowed from the shelf. Madam Malkin sat Emaline next to her. She took her purple and silver jacket and scarf off, placed them on a coat rack, and slipped a robe over her head, pinning it to the right length.
"Hello," the girl said to Emaline. "Are you going to Hogwarts?".
"Yes," said Emaline. "I'm supposed to start my sixth year at Hogwarts. I'm Emaline Goode."
"Hermione Granger," she shook hands. "My father is buying a quill and parchment next door and mother is here with me, over there." She had a very bossy voice. "After this, I'm gonna go and buy some books for school."
"I'm planning to get a new broomstick after this," said Emaline.
"Hopefully one of those new ones I saw in that store just down the street. I wanna try out for the Quidditch team."
"Are you on your own?" Hermione asked.
"Yep. I just got transferred from Ilvermorny. Arrived in London last night."
"I've heard of that school. Which Ilvermorny house are you in?"
"Thunderbird. But I'm hoping to get sorted into either Ravenclaw or Gryffindor when I get to Hogwarts." Meanwhile, a boy with white-blonde hair and a pale, pointed face walked into the shop with his parents and sat down.
"Where are you from?" the girl added.
"Portland, Oregon," said Emaline. "You?"
"Heathgate. In Hampstead."
"I have no idea where that is."
"Oh. It's in Northwest London."
"Ms. Goode?" said Madam Malkin. "We're ready for you, dear."
"Okay, Emaline. Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts then," Hermione said.
"Bye, Hermione," said Emaline. "Same to you."
She walked towards the counter and paid Madam Malkin 11 Galleons for her robes. She grabbed her belongings, including her jacket and scarf, put them on, and began to walk towards the exit. "Allow me, my dear." said an older man who got up to open the door for Emaline. He appeared to be the boy's father. "Thank you, sir," she said politely and she began to walk towards her next stop.
Emaline bought a brand new Nimbus 2000 at Broomstix, following her ambitions of joining the Quidditch team for whichever house she would be sorted into. Her next stop was Flourish And Blotts, to buy books for her classes, including The Standard Book Of Spells, Grade 6 by Miranda Goshawk, Advanced Potion Making by Libatius Borage, and A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration. The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather. Some were the size of postage stamps in covers of silk, while there were books with symbols on the covers and some with nothing on the covers at all. After a few more stops, including Slug & Jigger's Apothecary, Scribbulus Writing Instruments and Potage's Cauldron Shop, visited Eeylop's Owl Emporium and bought a new friend, a beautiful Great Horned Owl that she named Newton, she caught up with Hagrid, who was buying some ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. She walked inside and shouted "Hagrid!"
Hagrid turned around and saw her. "Ah! Emaline!" he said. "There you are! Looks like ya got a lot of shopping done!"
"I did!" said Emaline "I'm actually almost finished. Where's Harry?"
"Down the street, getting fitted for his robes at Madam Malkin's. Thought I'd get him some ice cream. Do you want some?"
"Yes," she said, "I'll take chocolate. It's my number one favorite!". Hagrid bought her a cone of chocolate ice cream.
Emaline accompanied Hagrid once again as Harry as he bought his supplies for Hogwarts. As Hagrid went into another shop, Harry sat down with her as she was enjoying her chocolate ice cream while Hagrid went to get some supplies.
"What's Quidditch? Harry asked. Emaline suddenly had a very shocked look on her face. "It's our sport, Harry" she answered. "Like soccer is to the Muggles and baseball is to the No-Majs."
"What are you lot talkin' about?" said Hagrid, as he walked outside with a bag of supplies for Harry.
"Quidditch," Emaline said.
"Ah," Hagrid said as he sat down next to Harry. "It's kinda hard to explain. I think they 'ave 7 players on a team and there are 4 balls I think."
"You are right, Hagrid." Emaline said. "You should see how Quidditch is played over in America."
"What's it like, Hagrid?" Harry said curiously.
"It's not like our game," said Hagrid. Someone else was listening to him talk. "It's much, much different over there, Harry. It's extremely brutal and violent and there are fights. You would not dare take the field unless you knew how to use your fists. Lots of them. I've heard some people have actually died during matches."
"Oh my goodness!" said an older woman who was sitting with her husband. "How awful!"
"Yep," Emaline agreed, "You'll find that we take our Quidditch very seriously over there in America."
"Where did you hear about Quidditch, Harry?" said Emaline.
"There was a boy I talked with at Madam Malkin's. He also talked about Hufflepuff and Slytherin. What is that?"
"Those are two of the four houses at Hogwarts." she said, "But the other two are called Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Those are the ones that I'm hoping for."
"Hey, Emaline, What are the houses at Ilvermorny?" Harry asked again.
"Well, there's Horned Serpent, Pukwudgie, Thunderbird and Wampus. They promote unity, strength, and friendship," she said. "At Hogwarts, you are sorted into one of the four houses based on the traits that you consider the most important. Meanwhile, Ilvermorny sorts you based on how you define yourself and what tools you prefer to use in your approach in life. All of the houses share a special pact of friendship."
"Interesting," said Hagrid.
"Yeah, My house is Thunderbird," she said, "It represents the soul and favors adventurers. It's definitely the best house. I'm not trying to brag or anything."
After a few more stops, Harry was reviewing his list of supplies and said "I still need...a wand."
"A wand? You'll want Ollivander's. There ain't no place better," said Hagrid, pointing to a narrow and shabby shop with a sign that read "Ollivander's. Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C."
"Why don't you two run along there and wait? I got some other stuff to do. Won't be long." He walked off to a nearby store. "Come on Harry," said Emaline.
A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop. They both walked inside Ollivander's and Emaline put her school supplies and Harry's stuff to the side. Emaline walked off to a corner of the shop and took a seat on a spindly chair and waited. "Hello?" said Harry, hoping to see if anyone was there. "Hello?" he repeated. "Good afternoon," a soft voice replied. Harry jumped. An old man appeared before Harry who rode on a sliding ladder. His wide, pale eyes shone like moons through the glooms of the shop. And then, he smiled. "I wondered when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter." It wasn't a question. He got down from the ladder.
"Hello," said Harry.
"You have your mother's eyes. It seems only yesterday that she was in here, buying her first wand. Ten and quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. nice wand for charm work.", Mr. Ollivander said. He moved closer to Harry. He wished that Mr. Ollivander would blink his eyes. They looked a bit creepy. "Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it - it's the wand that chooses the wizard, of course. It's not always clear why."
"Greetings, young lady," Mr. Ollivander said, noticing Emaline. "Are you a friend of Mr. Potter?"
"I guess you can say that," she said. "Emaline Goode is my name."
"Would you mind if I see your wand, my dear?" Mr. Ollivander said to her. Emaline walked up to the counter, pulled out her wand from her pocket, and gave it to Mr. Ollivander and he examined it. "Hmm. Interesting," he said, as he looked it. "Not like any wand of my making. Pacific Madrone, thirteen-and-a-half inches, thunderbird tail feather and surprisingly swishy. Excellent for Astronomy, Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration. It's extremely powerful. Your wand packs a serious punch thanks to the Thunderbird tail feather that resides within your wand. Treat it carefully." He gave it back to her. "Tell me miss, do you know Shikoba Wolfe, by any chance?" he asked.
"Yes." she said, "She's doing very well."
"Good," he said. "Be sure to give her my love."
"I will," she replied.
After Emaline sat back down, he flittered around the shelves, taking down random boxes until he pulled out one certain box and opened it. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible." He gave the wand to Harry. Harry just looked at him. "Give it a wave!", Mr. Ollivander said suddenly. Looking foolish, Harry waved it around a bit, and then a number of boxes flew out of the shelves and on to the floor. "Mercy Lewis!" Emaline exclaimed.
Harry put the wand on the counter. "Apparently not." Mr. Ollivander said. He returned to the shelf and came back with another wand box and opened it. "Perhaps this. Ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches. Give this a try" He put it Harry's hand and he waved it, causing a vase full of water and flowers to explode, which in turn, caused Emaline to scream and take out her wand in self-defense. "No, no, definitely not!" He said. "Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match for you here somewhere, Mr. Potter." He tried a couple more. All of them ended up on the counter.
Ollivander then found another box and looked at it. There was silence. "I wonder..." he said mysteriously as he walked back to the counter. "Try this one: an unusual combination - holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."
Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. His hand began to tremble. A breeze began to suddenly fill the air. Emaline got up from her seat, whooped and clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried. Harry smiled. "Curious," he said, "Very curious..."
"Sorry," said Harry, "But, what curious?"
Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale, icy stare as he took his wand.
"I remember every wand I have ever sold, Mr. Potter. It just so happens that the phoenix, whose tail feather resides in your wand, gave another feather. Just one other. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar." Harry swallowed.
"And who owned that wand?" he said.
Mr. Ollivander exchanged a surprised look with him. So did Emaline.
"We don't speak his name, Harry," she said.
"That's right, Ms. Goode. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter," Mr. Ollivander continued. "It's not always clear why. But I think it is clear that we can expect great things. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, yes, but great. He gave Harry his wand. "Harry," Hagrid said as he was tapping on the window and carrying a cage. "Harry! Happy Birthday!". Harry turned around and in the cage was a beautiful white Snowy Owl. "Wow!" Harry said quietly.