Heretic - A Mila Vance Story

2 - Ollivander's (Year 1)

'Enter, stranger, but take the heed Of what awaits the sin of greed, For those who take, but do not earn, Must pay most dearly in their turn, So if you seek beneath our floors A treasure that was never yours, Thief, you have been warned, beware Of finding more than treasure there' repeated Ron, 'what a load of bollocks what kind of thief will read that crap before going to rob a bank.'

'For god sake's Ron hurry up,' cried Mila grabbing her cousin by the forearm and tugging him into Potage's Cauldron Shop.

They were both much older, Mila had long straight dark hair and tanned skin but the same big brown eyes she had as a baby. 

'Bloody Hell, Mila, if you make me go any faster I'll push you in front of the Hogwarts Express'

'Shut up you lazy git I came all the way to Devon for you and back'

'Yeah, by Floo!'

Mila and Ron sauntered down the aisle of the shop browsing for cauldrons even though neither of them had knowledge about what would be the best to buy. 

 'Shit!' Mila cursed aloud, muttering under her breath didn't work out so well. 

She had got her foot stuck in the handle of a cauldron. She felt her cheeks go red as the people in the shop turned as they heard her. 

A slightly emaciated boy who was about her height with messy brown hair with an angular face laughed. He had big green eyes and a crooked smirk. It took a moment before Mila realised it was at her. She scowled.

 'Hi,' he said as he offered his hand to help her up.

Mila didn't take it. Not out of spite but because she didn't find hands helpful she could much easier just get up herself. 

 'Theo Nott.'

 'Huh?'

'That's my name, Theodore Nott' he repeated

 'Oh,well I'm Mila. Mila Vance.' 

'You going to Hogwarts?'

'No not at all, I'm a freaking muggle shopping for aubergines,' she said sarcastically holding up her Hogwarts list. 

'What house are you hoping to get into?'

'That easy to tell I'm a first year huh?' muttered Mila 

 'Yea the muggle humour gave it away. I want to get int-'

 '-Slytherin,' interrupted a solemn looking older version of Theo.  'Best house there is. Better carry on the family tradition Theodore,' he said firmly pushing his son out the dark, damp shop. An odd look spread over his face, something she didn't expect - was it fear?

'Before you trip over anymore cauldrons find me first so I can watch!' he called as he was yanked out the doorway Mila glared at him but couldn't keep up the pretence and ended up laughing. It strongly reminded her of something Coray would say.

'Better stay away from that one then,' said Ron pulling a face, 'imagine actually hoping for Slytherin.'

'Ollivanders is the furthest away, then we can make our way back up again.' said Mila ignoring his petty comment

'So unfair how you're parents are buying you a new wand,' said Ron grumpily

'Hey, I did offer for me to use Charlie's wand and you have a new one but I almost blew up your house,' said Mila trying to cheer him up as they approached the shop.

Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 BC. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. It was a tiny place,  and was deadly silent, except for the noise of them shuffling inside, and dimly lit as Mila looked at the small boxes that were piled up against the walls very neatly. A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as she walked through the wooden door but was drowned out as she sneezed.

'Bless you.' said an old man with slightly long,messy white hair with thick white side burn and his wide, pale eyes shone like moons through the gloom of the shop. 

'Thank you,' said Mila

A boy with slicked black blonde hair who was already in the shop sniggered as soon as he saw her next to Ron. She shot him a dirty look.

'Draco,' said an unpleasant looking man with long platinum hair, 'let's go.'

'ahem - prick - ahem,' Mila coughed as they left the store, Ron stifled a laugh.

'You must be Miss. Vance and Mr Weasley,'  said the nice old man as he looked at Mila and Ron. 

They nodded. Despite the stuffy and dark environment the store gave off a warm feel.

'Well, I remember every wand I've sold and remember both your fathers coming in here together after receiving their Hogwarts letters,' muttered Ollivander as he walked to the back of the room and picked out a wand box. He walked back to the front of the shop and placed a long white wand with golden engravings in her hand. 

'Give it a go,' he urged her

Mila waved the wand and from the tip erupted a gigantic blue flame and the wand disintegrated in her hand and just like  that the fire had gone as quickly as it had started.

'Sorry,' she said dumbfoundedly putting the ashes in her hands on the table.

'No worries dear, you were to powerful for that poor wand your magic killed it. Shame, but interesting - it is very rare for my wands to do that.'

He returned to the back of the store again to pick out another one.

'Maybe this one,' he gave her a darker one it was light, probably ten or eleven inches. 

She held it - it felt uncomfortable to hold, but she continued regardless. With a loud bang thunder boomed all over the shop and it began to rain indoors. Ollivander stopped it after a few seconds but Ron had got the worse of it and was scowling.

'Perhaps not that one no, you can't control its magic' 

The wandmaker climbed up a ladder and took out another one. He placed the box on the desk and Mila reached out for the wand. It was a light brown colour and engraved on the handle were vines that reached up to the tip of the wand. A warm feeling began in her fingertips and filled her whole body before the wand even touched her fingers, it began to glow and rise out of the box. The moment she touched it a red smoke shot out of the end of her wand forming into a fox that circled her playfully and then disappeared in a poof.

Ollivander certainly looked shocked. 

'Perfect, twelve and a quarter inches, aspen, unicorn hair and reasonably flexible,' he said one he had composed himself to talk, 'very obscure.'

''Scuse me Sir,' asked Mila, 'why's it odd?' 

'Miss Vance, like I said,' he began, 'I remember every wand I have ever sold and to whom. Your entire bloodline's wand have something in common, except for you. You have great power in you, use it carefully. Choose wisely who you keep around you and their intentions and remember control is key,'

Mila was perplexed. What did that all mean?

Ollivander's smile wavered, 'you remind me of someone. But that's a story for another time.'