Semper Fidelis

Chapter 4.3

After a couple of hours of catching up with the twins, Harry left the shop with his heart full and a smile on his face. He made a mental note to write to Ron, Ginny, and Molly that night once he'd left Diagon Alley. He only had one last stop in mind and walked into the cramped quarters of Ollivanders.

The doorbell chimed as another first year and her mother gave the seven galleons to Ollivander. Garrick nodded his head to the pair in thanks as they left the shop. Glancing to the door, Garrick was surprised to see the man standing inside.

There by the door was none other than Harry Potter. He would recognize that face anywhere, even with that ridiculous hat perched on his head. Garrick Ollivander shook his head in surprise before waving his wand to put the Closed sign on the door. 'What an exciting day this is,' he thought.

"Well, come in and have a seat, boy, no need to dawdle by the door. To what do I owe this pleasure, Mr. Potter?" Garrick chided before sitting himself on the chair behind the desk. With a wave of his wand, a chair was summoned to the other side. Harry grinned before walking up and taking a seat. "Do you want some tea? Biscuits?" Garrick asked while already Accio-ing a teapot and some cups.

"How many times do I have to tell you to not call me "Mr. Potter"? It's just Harry." Harry said with a small laugh as he took the steaming teacup that was offered.

Garrick tsked and replied, "And how many times do I have to tell you that you are Mr. Potter and so I will call you as such?" Harry just laughed. "Anyway, what are you doing here, boy?"

"I was in London for the day and decided to visit some friends. I had just seen the twins before coming to you," Harry replied. "I was hoping to see if you've finished it?"

Garrick sat back on his chair and took a sip of tea. The it that Harry was talking about was a wand made from one of Buckbeak's wingfeather which Harry himself had provided. Ollivander had been experimenting with new cores and could not find a hippogriff willing to give him a feather. He turned to the only person he knew who could help and Harry was more than happy to ask Buckbeak for a friend. Harry gave him the feather almost a year ago but it took Garrick a long time to find the right wood to encase the core. It was during his trip to the western Americas that he saw the pair of redwoods which had fused metres above the ground that he knew he had found the right one. "I finished the wand just yesterday, Mr. Potter, but I'm afraid it had already sold this morning to a young Mr. Watson."

Harry gasped in surprise. "Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed to not have seen it, but I'm glad it was able to find an owner so quickly."

Garrick nodded his head. He was happy, too. It's unusual that a wand, just a day after its creation, would find its wizard. His thought drifted to the many wands stacked high in his shop which had been coated with dust, their boxes unopened for many years.

"Tell me, Garrick. Do you believe that the boy was the right fit for the wand?" Harry asked, setting down his now empty teacup.

Garrick Ollivander regarded the man sat in front of him. He had grown into such a fine adult, a feat Ollivander had always found amazing given the trials and tribulations Harry Potter faced while growing up. He was no longer the skinny, knobby-kneed boy that entered his wand shop those many years ago. He was much taller now, lean and muscular, yet his eyes held the same warmth and his hair as unruly as ever. Behind those warm, green eyes, Ollivander could glimpse a sadness set deep within.

Garrick knew he's probably one of the few people who knows the true cause of that sadness. Well, everyone knows the story. Shortly after The Defeat, Miss Hermione Jane Granger, best friend, confidante, one of the smartest witches in history, and one third of the Golden Trio, had simply vanished. There were no notes (that the public was aware of), no reason, nothing. All her belongings aside from her wand were left neatly in her bedroom at Hogwarts. Her books, pictures, clothes... all were left as tidy as they were and nothing seemed amiss aside from their owner not being amongst them.

According to The Daily Prophet article which was widely circulated after Rita Skeeter caught wind of the disappearance, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley spent months looking for her. No tables were left unturned, imprisoned Death Eaters were questioned in case it was an attack, and everyone in the wizarding world knew to look for the curly-haired, brown-eyed brunette who played a big role in The Defeat. But no one found her. The wizarding world moved on, Ron Weasley married Luna Lovegood, and Harry Potter joined the Aurors. Most of the world thought Hermione Granger was dead, for surely no one alive can hide and evade the searches of Harry Potter. Now, only a small number of people chose to believe that she's still alive and Garrick Ollivander knew better.

For years Garrick kept Hermione's secret as tightly guarded as his own. Yet, as he looked at the man sat in front of him and recalled the boy he met earlier that day, he had a very good feeling that her secret would soon be no more. But for now, Garrick knew this story was not his to tell.

He took a sip of his tea and gave Harry a smile.

"Yes, Harry. The boy and the wand belong to one another; of that I am sure."