15^th AUGUST 2021

Diagon Alley was overwhelming, even for those who knew of the wizarding world before Hogwarts. Shops lined the cobbled path worn by the shoes of wizards and witches for many decades; shops for every occasion a magical person might encounter. Gringotts Bank with it's pearly walls and grand entrance. Magic was everywhere, that single alley held the most magic Cassidy had seen in her entire lifetime.

Being so close to the beginning of the Hogwarts school year, students made up a lot of the customers milling around the path. Ollivander's was extra busy and Cassidy had to wait until she could enter the well-known shop. It was a sight. The walls were stacked with boxes and boxes of powerful wands; she could almost feel the buzzing magic radiating from them, waiting to choose their lucky wizard. One will be mine, the thought excited her. Her very own wand.

A man with frizzy grey hair and wrinkles speaking of his lifetime stood behind his wooden counter. His twinkling eyes lit up with recognition as he saw Cassidy's mother by her side.
“Ah, Donna Gray! I remember you, your wand was quick to choose you. I sure your daughter will be no different,” Ollivander spoke in a way Cassidy was led to believe they had known each other for a while. Were they friends, or did this man remember each and every customer?

“Fraser now,” She corrected with a grin.
“I see.”
The man directed his attention to Cassidy, his worn eyes scanning her almost curiously, “I think I have the wand for you. Spruce, dragon heartstrings core. Picky little bugger, ” He slipped a box out of its place and retrieved the wand. It was slightly yellow with striped engravings on the handle and a bulb above them. Cassidy carefully took the wand as if it were delicate glass and held it stiffly, unsure of how to use it.
“Give it a little wave,” Ollivander directed.
Cassidy drew a circle in the air and the wand reacted quickly, blasting an aggressive red spark at the wooden roof and leaving a small burn mark.
“Nasty little one. Give it here,” He whisked the wand away and retrieved another box.

“This should suit you better!” He handed Cassidy another wand.
This one was much darker in colour and quite crooked with a flat handle. She whisked it around in the air and felt... Nothing. After a short pause she tried again. Nothing.
“Nothing happened...” Cassidy murmured, her lips curving into an uncertain frown.
“That's perfectly alright,” Ollivander reassured the girl as she snatched away the wand.

The next wand send a jolt through Cassidy's hand and she almost dropped the wand, while the next one send a bolt of bright light right over Ollivander'head and into the wall of wands, scattering them across the floor which he tidied with a flick of his own wand. She felt disheartened when the next wand gave her nothing but more trouble.

“Alight, alright, try this one,” Ollivander's voice remained friendly; he must have had customers more difficult. “Cherry wood, dragon heartstring, flexible. Perfect for duelling.”
Cassidy took the wand and quickly turned it over in her hand. A reddish wood sanded down made up the wand; the bottom of the wand was flat, with four verticle lines engraved from the bottom to the top of the handle marked by a bulb. She gave it a half-hearted flick and, to her surprise, a light breeze passed through the store from seemingly nowhere and Cassidy felt a surge of energy from the wand into her hands and veins, seeping into her soul.
“I-I think this is it-!” Cassidy spoke up, a hint of relief in her tone.

WORD COUNT | 622