Blue Roses ; Harry's dark twin

~5~

•The one with tricky customers•

The wand shop was narrow and shabby, a stark contrast to the other ones on the alley. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of fine wands since 382 B.C. A since wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

A tingling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Hagrid sat on to wait. It felt like a very strange library, which made Maia feel right at home, Harry-- not so much. All they could do was stare at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. The very dust and silence seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. They all jumped, including Hagrid, because there was a loud crunching noise and he quickly got off the spindly chair.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of his shop. "I am Mr Ollivander."

"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.

"Ah yes," he replied. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Harry and Maia Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mothers eyes. It seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charmwork."

Mr Ollivander moved closer to Harry, his silvery eyes making Harry wish he would blink.

"Your father, on the other hand, favoured a mahogany wand. PLiable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favoured it-- it's really the wand that chooses the wizard of course."

Mr Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to nose. Maia was very glad of her personal space while Harry could practically see himself reflected in those misty eyes.

"And that's where..."

Mr Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a long, white finger.

"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it. Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... well, if i'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."

"Aye but they are both alive aren't yehs," Hagrid added.

"Yes, yes of course." said the man, seemingly in his own bubble, then upon realising he said, his stoic face shifted into one of glee and relief. "Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixten inches, rather bendy wasn't it?"

"It was sir, yes." said Hagrid.

"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr ollivadner, suddenly stern.

"Er-- yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still got the pieces though," he added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" he asked sharply.

"Oh, no, sir," Hagrid said quickly, gripping his pink umbrella very tightly as he spoke.

"Hmmm, said Mr Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well now -- ladies first, Miss Potter. Let me see." he pulled a long tape measure with long silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Erm, right?"

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Maia from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. Although, it would make more sense to say the tape measure was measuring her all on its own, with Mr Ollivander already flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.