Fenix's wispy copper hair, although much shorter than his mother's ash colored hair, fell around his face in the same soft ribbon-like manner requiring him to occasionally brush it out of his eyes. His parents, Lincoln and Charlotte Black, were quite a pair. 

Lincoln was a tall, athletic man with styled salt and pepper hair on the top of his head and an equally well groomed, full, jet black, beard and mustache. His facial hair framed his handsome face well and emphasized his icey blue eyes. He wore a velvet black suit trimmed with glittering gold embroidery featuring the Hogwarts crest on the left breast pocket.

Charlotte stood beside Fenix looking around at the strange attire sold at the shop. Fenix's mother was a petite woman with a gentle disposition and a warm tone in her voice. She wore a glittering golden lace shawl over an elegant black velvet frock that fell gracefully to her knees and a pair of black ballet flats with glittering gold toes to match her shawl. 

Fenix's father, Lincoln, went with the shop assistant with the list of things Fenix would need while Charlotte turned her pale blue eyes to Fenix, "How are you feeling, honey? Are you nervous?" she asked him. "A bit," he says, "What if I don't get into Hufflepuff like dad wants?"  "Fenix, your father will be proud of you no matter which house you get. He just wants Hufflepuff because that was his own house when he went to Hogwarts. People can be sentimental about things like that but that doesn't mean that if you don't get in, that he'll love you any less," said Charlotte, placing her hand on his shoulder and smiling that smile that told Fenix everything was going to be alright.

Lincoln returned bearing a large grin and an arm full of items with the shop assistant trailing behind him. "Charlotte! They've got dragon-hide gloves as well!" he said enthusiastically. "I could really use a pair to get that niffler out of the garden. It's dug up more cabbages again." 

"Arms out" said the shop assistant sternly at Fenix while a magical tape measure quickly took note of his measurements.

"Have we gotten everything that Fenix needs first? I don't want to send him away for months only to find out we forgot something."

"Oh yeah, after Madam Malkin's we head to the ice cream parlour and then home to pack, eh lad?"

"Yeah..."

"Ay what's wrong, lad? You look like someone's stolen your favorite book."

"Fenix is feeling a bit self conscious about which house he's going to get..."

"Ah I see... Lad, I donnit want ya to feel like you have to get Hufflepuff. Sure it would be great if you did, but the other houses have housed great wizards too. Ravenclaw has Mr Ollivander who we just saw to get your wand. Gryffindor of course had Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore, and Slytherin had Merlin himself in that house! So, son, no matter what house you get, your mother and I will be just as proud of you."

"Thanks, dad," Fenix said as he felt a large weight being lifted from his shoulders.

"Here we are, all ready to go," the shop assistant said, handing Lincoln freshly hemmed robes and trousers. 

"Thank you very much," Lincoln said and he turned to his family, "Alright then! Who wants ice cream?"

They leave the shop and make their way down the alley.