Kiss | Malfoy, D.

五

italicized means words spoken in mandarin

As much as my parents wanted to come with me and get my supplies, they couldn't. Father was being called back to Shanghai while my mother went to Milan. Before my parents left, they told my brothers to accompany us in Diagon Alley. I have always loved that place, it brings me back alot of good memories, especially with my father. It was only Ivy left at home, getting as much rest as she needed before taking up another filming with Celestina Warbeck. 

"Have you ever used a floo powder?" Philip asks me as he takes a pot filled with what looks like ashes. 

I shook my head. Whenever my father takes me to Diagon Alley we would walk and he would tour me around muggle London or through a passageway coming from Leaky Cauldron. Evan, Lynn, Alan and Joan were laughing at my confused state. 

"Well then, let me introduce you how floo powder works." He smiles before extending his hand out to me towards the fire place. "After you." 

I was confused how floo powder works but nevertheless I stepped inside. He took a handful of ashes into his hands before stepping inside with me. 

"Diagon Alley" he says before dropping the ashes onto our shoes. Green flames started to errupt and I clinged onto Philip's arm. The flames didn't hurt but rather we were transported into the cobblestoned Diagon Alley immediately.

"They'll follow us soon after." Philip says as if sensing my curious, he pulled out his wand and gave it a flick. All the dirt and soothe from our clothes were removed. Diagon Alley is filled with people today. There are children looking through the window of Broomstix, gazing at the Nimbus 2000. I wasn't a fan of Quidditch, back then, my brothers would always play by the garden until they were able to recruit Alan, the three of them playing. When they tried to put me into a broomstick, I was so scared that I started panicking and then I fell off. That alone gave me a trauma when it comes to riding brooms. 

"That's Evan's office" Philip says as he points to a red brick building with the sign Daily Prophet Main Office etched on the front. 

"Now let's split up, you go to Ollivanders over here" he says as he points the shop behind his back. "That's where you'll be getting your wand. And I'll be going over there" he then points to another shop not far from Ollivanders "to get your books. I'll be going over here to pick you up." He pats the top of my head before seeing me off enter the shop. 

I opened the door and the chimes rang. There was no one behind the counter, and there are shelves that looks like all the wands' narrow boxes are stacked up together. 

"It is a pleasure to see, Ms. Chu" an old man says as he is hanging on his sliding ladder. 

"Hello Mr Ollivander" I chirped, painting my lips a smile. He takes a box in his hand before stepping down and placing it on top of the counter in front of me. 

"Yew, thestral hair, exactly 9 2/10 inches and surprisingly swishy" I take the wand into my hand and gave it a flick, to my surprise, the thin layer of dust surrounding his shop has disappeared and all the wand boxes were neatly placed. It was as if the place had a new makeover. 

"Fascinating" Ollivander whispers as he eyes the wand in my hands. 

"What is it?" I asked him before turning to look down at the wand in my hand. 

"You see, Ms Chu, the yew wood is among the rarer kinds and is extremely attracted to dark magic. Perfect for duelling and curses, may I add. The last time I sold a wand like that was You-Know-Who." He says. My eyes widened in surprise. 

"Having a thestral hair is also not a common thing. A known wand with the same core is the elder wand." I placed my wand back at its box and Mr Ollivander fixes it for me. 

"The wand chooses its witch, Ms Chu. And it so happens that your wand can compete with the elder wand." He smiles at me. I handed him ten galleons before leaving his store. 

"You good, Bella?" Philip turns his head to the side to look at me while he carries my books. I was still pondering about what Mr Ollivander had told me about my wand. Would that mean I would turn when I get older? 

"Nothing" I smiled a little and shook my head as I faced him. 

"A terrible liar" He chuckles. I hated it when people could see right through me. Evan, Lynn, Alan and Joan came to join us after getting their stuff before heading over to Florean Fortescue's to get a bite on ice cream. 

"Wait a minute. I completely forgot something." Philip says as he places my books on top of the table and left the shop. I turned to face my older siblings but they all shrugged. 

"If I'm guessing correctly he is going over to buy you an owl." Evan says, lifting his spoonful of ice cream and into his mouth. 

An owl? I've never thought about owning an owl since Lynn, Alan and Joan have theirs and I can just borrow their owls when I needed to send a letter to my parents. But then Philip comes back into the shop, a cage in his hand and the most beautiful snowy barn owl I have ever seen. 

"Another gift for our little Bella" He smiles, handing me the cage. 

"What are you going to name her?" Joan asks who is sitting besides me. 

"Vivi!" I smiled, admiring Vivi from her cage. 

"I can't bring Ningning with me?!" I was horrified when I was told that I was only allowed to bring an owl or a cat or a toad to Hogwarts. 

"It's school policy, my dearie. Besides, do you think all of them are accustomed to having a tiger as a pet?" My mother says as she pours me puer tea onto my cup. 

"This is tragedy. I can't leave Ningning alone here." I frowned, throwing my arms around Ninging as I hugged her. Her face had an unknown expression when I was taking too long with the hug until she lifted her paw and tried to push me away from her. 

"Nothing will happen to Ningning, sweetheart. She'll be perfectly safe, the house elves have grown to like her too. And besides, you're bringing Vivi with you. Aren't you happy with that?" She takes a fried tteok into a pick and brings into her mouth. 

"But I've never been away from Ningning" I frowned, taking the tea cup and taking a sip. 

"You'll see her on your holiday breaks. Cheer up now." My mother says, placing a bowl full of tteok to me, knowing too well that those are my favorite.