"Any comments?"
"'It's Salazar Slytherin, not Salazar Slyverian and Rowena Ravenclaw, not Rowanda Ravenclaw. Please learn to spell people's names properly.' Oops!" Harry laughed at that, and Hermione scowled, probably on the sheer principle of the thing. "What about you, Clyde? Destined for candle wax and broom straw?"
"I passed!" Clyde said, grinning broadly, showing off his 'Average'. "Barely, but I passed."
"Clyde!" All three said in unison.
The other boy just grinned more broadly. "I'll see you all tomorrow! I'm going to go celebrate!"
Gradually, they all departed, Harry making plans with the two girls to have a butterbeer at Hogsmeade after their shopping trip the next day.
Saturday morning arrived gloomy and overcast, but it did little to thwart Harry or his friend's good moods. Everyone arrived early to their usual meeting place, now completely devoid of their classroom tent. They didn't wear their students robes either. In fact, many of them were dressed particularly nice that day.
Natalie was looking a bit like a French princess in her white velvet dress and hair tied up in blue ribbons. Hermione, while more practically dressed in a lavender cotton sun dress, was looking equally elegant with her hair tied up in elaborate braids and held in place by an ornate silver and opal hair pin and matching bracelet. Harry and Clyde (both similarly dressed in nice slacks, button-up shirts, and vests) could only stand there and gape at how pretty all their female classmates had made themselves for some simple shopping.
"Egad, I forgot they were girls," Clyde said, watching a girl dressed in a pink silk blouse black skirt pass by him with a wink and a smile.
"The robes kinda do that," Harry said.
"Boys!" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Natalie merely smirked and threw them both a kiss.
"Hey! The teachers are coming!"
They all turned towards the castle to see a group of five wizards and witches making their way towards them. Harry scowled as he recognized the distinct profile of Professor Snape, who lead the procession along with Professor McGonagal. The other professors he didn't recognize, and he was certain he would have remembered them if he had. One of them was a middle-aged gentleman in a pointed cap, who had so much trouble keeping his eyes open that Harry wasn't certain how he hadn't fallen on his face. Another was a very short elderly man with pointed ears, and Harry couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't a dwarf. The third was a woman so dark, she had an almost purplish hue, and walked with the grace of a stalking panther with the golden eyes to match. When the teachers had reached the cluster of students, McGonagal stepped forward to address them.
"I am Professor McGonagal, this is Professor Snape, Professor Flitwick, Professor Quirrel, and Professor Toure," she said, pointing to each professor as she introduced them. "We will be escorting you all on this venture. We expect you all to behave yourselves like mature ladies and gentlemen, and any behavior that reflects badly on the school will be disciplined most harshly."
There was a great deal of discomfort at her stern warning. She did not look like a woman to be crossed, nor did Snape or Toure. Harry crossed his fingers and hoped he got placed with either Quirrel or Flitwick, or at the very least not Snape.
"There are some simple rules we expect you to adhere to. First and foremost, do not wander out of sight of your escort. If you wish to go to a particular store or a back room, you must first ask their permission. There will be absolutely no fighting, stealing, or mischief. You will be held responsible for your own money, so be sure to keep it in a safe place on your person at all times and make sure you buy all your supplies before you spend it all on non-essential items. Additionally, you are not permitted to purchase any pets. While Hogwarts does permit owls, rats, toads, non-venomous snakes, and cats, your parents will be the ultimate authority on whether or not you may have one. Now, as each professor calls your name, please gather into a line in front of them and then we can be on our way."
With that, she pulled out a list from her pocket and began to read off names. Hermione went to stand with her, along with Clyde. Each teacher began calling on their intended wards, and as each teacher finished, Harry was filled with increasing dread as he stood, the last of four other students before the only teacher who hadn't bothered calling anyone. Snape sneered down at them, sparing the largest portion of his vitriol for Harry.
"If you know what's good for you, you will not make a sound through the entirety of this excursion. Is that clear?"
The other four nodded quickly, and Harry just glowered at him. Snape seemed to consider him a moment, debating if he should cause trouble for Harry's lack of response or not. He apparently decided against it, and turning about he stalked after the other departing professors towards Hogsmeade. From Hogsmead they took the floo (the very least favorite form of travel Harry had encountered by far) in the fire place of The Three Broomsticks, and exited in a bustling floo station. Without a word, Snape exited the station, and he and his group scrambled after him to keep up.
They first stopped at a potions supply store called Potions and Powders, where they were given ten minutes to gather their cauldrons, scales, dragon-hide gloves, crystal vials, and some basic potions ingredients. Harry just barely managed to collect his intended items. He was perpetually distracted by the many strange objects. Jars of preserved animal specimens, vials of strangely colored sands or dirt, a particularly vicious set of instruments.
They were then hurried to Banikey's Books. Again they were given a mere ten minutes to gather their supplies. Luckily, Harry ran into Hermione there, who merely handed him all of her supplies.
"At this rate, we'll be done in less than an hour," Harry said. "I was looking forward to looking around."
"Yes, he is being a bit inconsiderate," Hermione agreed. "He's usually not this bad, but he never did like large crowds."
"What?"
Hermione gave him a smirk. "Didn't I tell you Professor Snape is my brother's and my Godfather?"
"What?!"
"Potter! You have two minutes to purchase your supplies or your walking back to Hogwarts!"
Harry turned a disbelieving look towards the older man and then an even more disbelieving look towards Hermione. His thoughts whirling with the potential implications and sheer ludicrousness of the situation, he was barely aware when Hermione dragged him over to the register to purchase his items, and only came back to himself when Snape grabbed him by the collar and dragged him out the door.
"Get your hands off me!" Harry snarled, jerking out of the man's hold, barely keeping his balance or hold on his supplies.
"Watch your tone, Potter," Snape snarled right back. "I'll tolerate none of your juvenile sass, is that understood?"
"Perfectly, Professor." Although his tone was far from commiserating, the man let it go once again in favor of stalking off. With the man's back turned, Harry rolled his eyes and jogged after him with the rest of his troupe. They passed several shops along the way, and Harry caste longing glances at the strange items proudly displayed through the storefront windows. But Snape did not stop or slow his pace, and soon they were standing before a rather shabby and narrow little shop. The sign read 'Ollivander's: Maker of Fine Wands since 382 B.C'.
Harry felt a sudden, giddy rush. This was it. This was where he would obtain the defining tool of all wizards and the means to find that innate power buried somewhere inside himself.
Snape, amazingly, seemed to share his opinion of the importance of the event and regarded the little shop with a certain degree of reverence. He turned to his wards, glaring at them darkly.
"Pay attention," he commanded, "This will be one of the most significant moments of your lives. A moment when you pass from being latent magical entities into actively magical ones. Your wand will become an extension of yourself, of your magic, and no other wand will work as well your first. With that thought in mind, Mr. Ollivander, the man who makes all this possible, will be given the utmost respect. Any delinquent or rude behavior and you will be sent home without a wand, and explain to your parents why that is so."
Snape looked directly towards Harry. "And don't think that gives you free reign to behave however you like, Mr. Potter. As a ward of the school you will answer directly to me."
Harry clenched his fists, but said nothing, meeting that oppressive stare straight on.
"You will enter the shop one at a time, in order to prevent any accidents. Once you have obtained your wand, there will be absolutely NO careless wand waving. Your wand will come with a case, and you will not remove it until September first. Am I absolutely clear?"
"Yes, professor," Harry sighed, and the rest quickly followed.
"Ms. Westfield, you're first!"
With that Snape and the tow-headed girl disappeared into the shop. Harry and the others fidgeted for a while, before forming into a little cluster to talk amongst themselves. Harry pulled out his pocket watch frequently. Every time he did, he would be suddenly reminded that Snape was Hermione's godfather. Ugh.
About fifteen minutes after Westfield nervously entered the shop, she came out practically glowing. She gripped her wand case tightly to her chest and was grinning like a lunatic.
"10 inches white oak, and griffin feather," she said proudly. "It's your turn Jacob."
And so it went, and much to Harry's frustration and very little to his surprise, he was the last to be called on. It was nerve racking. Although they would only be gone for ten to fifteen minutes each, he felt like he was on some invisible timer. As if Snape would leave after exactly one hour, regardless of whether Harry had his wand or not.