Where the Magic Begins
created by brookline quinn!
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Hecate had taken an excited lead of the group, practically skipping on the way to Ollivanders. Pyce was equally excited, but slightly weighed down from their supplies.
During the walk, Hecate had taken it upon himself to inform Katelyn about wands. Just general chatter. He wasn't big on wands, not in the way Pyce was on creatures, but Pyce supposed that it was a very appropriate topic given what they were getting next.
"And the different wood! It all means something different. I don't even know which kind I would want! I suppose I'd want a sturdy kind of wand. Good for dueling, spell casting. Some are rarer than others too! Yew is rare. I think my great grandpa might have had a yew wand? Grandpa never talks about him, but mum did say that she knew someone with a yew wand and it isn't anyone I've met. So it's probably him."
"He doesn't know that. He's just saying it to sound cool." Pyce chimed in. Hecate scoffed.
"I am not! Anyway, yew might be nice. Spruce. Holly. Say, what is holly wood like?"
"I don't know?" Pyce turned to Katelyn. "I don't know if he actually explained it, or just talked about it a bit, but each wood has a sort of personality to it. Our friend Mori has a hornbeam wand, and they swear that it doesn't like them. I don't get that, but I suppose maybe I will?" Hecate opened the door to the shop just in front of them and excitedly ushered them in.
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@Katelyn Magnolia
ReducioWands time! For anyone following, the twins and Katelyn have just arrived from some chaos in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes where they got their Rememberalls
"The only thing stopping me from having a dragon living in my backyard is the law. Absolutely nothing else."
Where the Magic Begins
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Katelyn tried her best to follow along with everything Hecate was explaining; it felt like learning a different language with all the weird terms and names he was saying, and this was just for wands, too! She picked up the pace to keep up with the pair as she listened, juggling to keep all the items she needed from falling out of her arms. "I didn't think there'd be so much that goes into wands of all things."
She chuckled at Pyce's comment. It wasn't long before they arrived at the shop, Ollivanders. The building, like every other building in Diagon Alley, was rustic in design. The stone and wood that made up the building were aged, weathered down over the years, but still holding up after all this time. She was ushered in along with Pyce by a very eager Hecate, the chime of the bell above the door ringing as it was opened. Once inside, she was met with wands, tons of them. Wands are stacked on shelves reaching to the ceiling, with ladders on wheels scattered around to reach the higher ones.
Katelyn set down her items off to the side, hopefully out of the way, as she walked around the shop, looking at the various wand boxes. "There's so many, do they just sit here until someone takes one?"
"When I think of destiny, I don't think of a predetermined fate you can't escape. But rather... some sort of final goal, something you work towards your entire life."
Where the Magic Begins
created by brookline quinn!
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spacing for the space of spacing apparently |
"They're waiting for the right wizard." Pyce and Hecate both jumped as an old man emerged from the back. Hecate held a hand over his chest in typical, dramatic fashion. Though, Pyce could feel the urge to do it as well. Their heart could not take such a scare. "My, I didn't expect any more Rotanskis here so soon. I do believe Lea was the last one here." The man looked considering for a moment. Pyce was half tempted to ask how he knew them. "Sycamore, thirty-two and a half centimeters, quite bendy, wasn't it? A fine wand for a daring potioneer." Pyce nodded mutely. "Oh, and of course! A dragon heartstring core. Though, which was it?"
"Catalonian Fireball, sir." Pyce replied. Mr. Ollivander, for there was no one else Pyce thought it might be, grinned in a way that told Pyce he hadn't actually forgotten what the core of Lea's wand was.
Mr. Ollivander turned to Katelyn. "And you, young lady? This is your first time in Diagon Alley. I hope it wasn't too overwhelming. The magic world certainly can be a lot. Though, I find good company can help." In the corner of Pyce's eye, they could see Hecate finally acting a bit more like himself, walking over to the nearest shelf of wands, though not touching any of the boxes. Good. Some of them looked like they were ready to fall with even the slightest touch.
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@Katelyn Magnolia
ReducioSorry this took a bit... I can't wait to actually get to Hecate's wand! I didn't originally even plan for Lea to have one, so I had to scramble to do a bit of research to give her one! I debated on giving her pear wood, she's a potioneer, it makes sense, but sycamore works better with her personality, I think. Wands are fun!
"The only thing stopping me from having a dragon living in my backyard is the law. Absolutely nothing else."
Where the Magic Begins
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Katelyn jumped, jerking her hand away quickly before she touched one of the boxes as she spun around to see a rather elderly man. Glancing at the pair, she could tell they were just as startled by the man's appearance as she was. She glanced at the boxes of wands before scooting away, hoping it wasn't obvious she was about to touch one of them.
She moved down the rows of wand boxes. She didn't understand a single thing the old man was saying about wands; she was seriously starting to get tired of that, tired of not knowing anything. A scowl set on her face as she let out a sigh to herself, only to jump again as the man addressed her, making her turn around. At his question, she hesitated for a moment, mouth opening and closing again as she tried to come up with the words to say. "It's been...okay, could've been better-a-a lot better actually.."
She looked back at the wall of wands before her before speaking again, his comment about the world of magic being a lot to handle."I...feel like everything I've ever known has been thrown out the window and I'm stumbling like an idiot with no idea what I'm doing." Her voice somber before turning back around. "Though, at least I got people to keep me from falling on my face. Heh.." She chuckled softly, her face somber but at least more hopeful than before. She was grateful for the twins, really. Had it not been for them, she wasn't sure she would've been able to survive today, god forbid attending Hogwarts without knowing at least some people.
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@Pyce Rotanski
ReducioI got that Resident Evil hyperfixation worm in my brain
"When I think of destiny, I don't think of a predetermined fate you can't escape. But rather... some sort of final goal, something you work towards your entire life."
Where the Magic Begins
created by brookline quinn!
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spacing for the space of spacing apparently |
Mr. Ollivander nodded. "The world of magic can be a tricky thing. But I assure you, it has already chosen you." He turned from Katelyn to Hecate. "And you are getting impatient for your wand." Hecate nodded hard enough to probably give himself a concussion. Pyce had learned not to worry about that a long time ago.
"Absolutely!" Hecate was ushered forward.
"Hold out your wand arm for me." Cate's right arm was up in an instant. Pyce watched as Mr. Ollivander measured Hecate's arm, then his fingers, one by one, and then his total height, then from- Well, there was an awful lot of measuring. Pyce tried not to get too bored, but they were starting to feel a bit restless themself. Then, without any further ado, Mr. Ollivander went into the back and grabbed a wand box.
"Try this one. Just give it a swish." He opened box and handed Hecate a light colored wand. "Cherry wood with a unicorn hair core, whippy. Prefers a curious wizard." Hecate gave it a little wave before it was snatched back. "Not quite." Mr. Ollivander went into the back again. Hecate looked back at Pyce and Kate, confusion written over his face. Pyce shrugged.
"This one may do it." Mr. Ollivander pulled out another wand, this one green and made out of, well, it wasn't made out of wood. Pyce didn't know that was possible. "Vine and Rougarou hair, sturdy. A sensitive, powerful wand." He had barely handed the wand to Hecate before it too was snatched back.
"No, no. Perhaps-" The old man cut himself off and grabbed another wand, this one from one of the closer shelves. "Red oak and phoenix feather, surprisingly swishy. The perfect wand for a duelist." Hecate carefully took the wand, perhaps on edge from the couple of times it was taken back. He waved it and a faint glow emitted from the tip. As it did so, any tension Hecate held bled away. It was fascinating to watch. "Quite a pair you will make. Treat your wand well." Mr. Ollivander said as he placed Hecate's wand back in its box.
"Now, which of you is going next?" Pyce watched Hecate, who had yet to talk since the wand thing, place himself between Katelyn and Pyce. Pyce suspected he was in some sort of shocked awe, but they couldn't be sure. They glanced over to Katelyn. Pyce wasn't sure if she'd want to go next, or if they should offer instead.
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@Katelyn Magnolia
ReducioHecate wand time!!
"The only thing stopping me from having a dragon living in my backyard is the law. Absolutely nothing else."
Where the Magic Begins
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Katelyn wanted to believe that, she wanted to believe that maybe all hope wasn't lost for her to find her place in this foreign world. She stayed to the side and watched as Hecate was first up to get his wand. She had no clue what to expect from this process. She watched as Hecate's hand, fingers, and arm were all measured. Was that necessary?
She watched the older man walk away to grab a wand box before bringing it back for Hecate to test. The first wand gave no response. Hecate barely got to touch the second one before it was snatched away again. Katelny couldn't help but raise a brow, assuming there had to be a better way to do this. By the third and final one, she watched in amazement as the tip of the wand glowed in a gentle white light. "Wow..." She muttered softly. It was pretty to say the least, watching the wand glow a soft light before returning to normal. So this is how they pick out wands?
She was shaken from her daze when Ollivander boxed up Hecate's wand and handed it to him, now addressing the remaining two. Katelyn panicked as she glanced away before looking back to Pyce. "You can go next Pyce."
@Pyce Rotanski
ReducioI got that Resident Evil hyperfixation worm in my brain
"When I think of destiny, I don't think of a predetermined fate you can't escape. But rather... some sort of final goal, something you work towards your entire life."
Where the Magic Begins
created by brookline quinn!
|
spacing for the space of spacing apparently |
So. Pyce was up next. It wasn't that big of a deal. They only just witnessed the wand choosing process for the first time. It wasn't horrible, or even slightly daunting, really. Pyce nodded, more to themself than anyone else, and stepped forward.
"Your wand arm, please." Pyce held out their left arm, upon which Mr. Ollivander began measuring as he did for Hecate. Once that was done, Mr. Ollivander went to the wand boxes and searched for a moment before returning with one. He pulled the one from its box and handed it to Pyce. "Lets try this one. Apple wood and a Wampus cat hair core, whippy. Pairs well with a curious and empathetic wizard." Pyce gave the wand a little wave. Mr. Ollivander took it back, and Pyce wondered if they would have to go through as many wands as Hecate.
"No, no. Let me see." He returned to the many wand boxes and brought forth something else. "This wand has a dragon heartstring core, just like your aunt's. This one from a Swedish Short-Snout. Chestnut wood, pliant." Pyce once again gave the wand a swish. Mr. Ollivander looked quite expectant, then when nothing happened, took the wand back. "I think I know just the wand."
And for a third time, Mr. Ollivander returned with a wand box. "Here we are, cherry wood and unicorn hair, unyielding. A balanced wand with a good moral compass." A moral compass was certainly a strange thing for a wand to have, but it made sense for anything having to do with unicorns. Pyce had barely touched the wand when they felt rather warm. They waved it and the tip began to glow just like Hecate's did! It was their wand!
Pyce stared at the wand for a long moment. Mr. Ollivander had probably said something. Whatever it was, they missed it.
"Thank you." Pyce managed to mutter out before going to stand next to Hecate. The whole ordeal was simultaneously far less overwhelming than they expected, and far more than they had expected.
Oh. It was Katelyn's turn now, wasn't it?
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@Katelyn Magnolia
ReducioMuch like Cate's not-wands, the wands were chosen to show a characteristic or trait that Pyce has! (I did the opposite with the vine wand for Cate) I don't think I could pick a favorite of the two I used, since both have a lot of aspects of Pyce in them. However, I do think it rather important for their wand to not have a dragon heartstring core. But I did choose the Swedish Short-Snout for a reason! I also didn't realize I "third times the charm"-ed both twins
"The only thing stopping me from having a dragon living in my backyard is the law. Absolutely nothing else."