Piérre was starting to get theatre neck.

He’d been staring up at the sky and the buildings of Diagon Alley for so long that he could feel a crick forming in the small of his neck. Mathilda had insisted that the boys do their shopping for Hogwarts today before there was any backlog a week before school started, and now it was close to twilight. Many of the shops were already closed, and Mathilda had made special preparations with Ollivander to get the twins their wands before he closed for the day. Even though Piérre had been told it was because Maddie didn’t have any other time to run these errands, Piérre knew that it was really because she didn’t want him pulling anything while she wasn’t watching and slipping off to torment some unfortunate wizard couple or child.

The bell ringing as they stepped into Ollivander’s, Piérre’s haze immediately snapped to look at all the shelves simply filled with small, narrow boxes. These were all wands. Piérre just knew that somewhere in there, in all the clutter and mess, his wand was in there. It was waiting for him. Piérre’s palms were itching with anticipation of trying every single one until he found his perfect match.

Even though his twin never expressed it, Romeo was excited too. He had been telling Piérre about how much he hoped he would be considered worthy of obtaining a Phoenix feather wand, as they were the pickiest and made the most judgmental choices. Piérre had smiled and nodded. Personally, he could have cared less what core and wood he got, he just wanted the wand to like him as much as he would like it back.

”Mister Ollivander. The Marchonné boys, just as promised.” Mathilda was holding their hands, making sure that Piérre wouldn’t suddenly dash off. ”Here for a pair of wands just before closing hour.”

Ollivander, who was working at the desk, glanced up to look at the approaching trio. He smiled as Mathilda stopped before the counter. ”Ah yes, the spirited boys I’ve heard so much about. Off to Hogwarts already are they? Well, we need to find special wands for you two, don’t we?”

Piérre nodded excitedly. This was it! This was really, truly it!

Standing with a chuckle, Ollivander searched the shelves, pulling a few black boxes out and muttering things under his breath like ”Perhaps dragon... or maybe a touch of Phoenix...” and ”No, no, that won’t do at all... Acadia is far too harsh for these two...”

Finally, he came back to the front counter again with an armful of boxes. He gently set them down one by one, as if placing a child gently to the ground. When he had organized them in a way he was satisfied with, he picked one up and opened it, showing it to Piérre first.

”Why don’t you go first, my lad? Try this one. 11 inches precisely, apple wood and dragon heartstring, whippy, good with spells with strong effects.” Ollivander presented the wand and with thumb and forefinger, Piérre gently took it, turning it in his hands carefully. ”An odd combination, but I am sure that this one has a home someplace.” Ollivander coaxed gently.

Piérre spun the wand once more, admiring its fine grain, before gently flicking his wrist as he held his breath in excitement.

Nothing happened.

Ollivander sighed, shrugging. ”Perhaps not. Why don’t you let the other lad try it as well?”

Piérre grinned and handed the wand to Romeo, but even before Romeo had a chance to try it out, Ollivander snatched it from his hands, muttering under his breath. ”No, no no, that won’t do at all...” Piérre chuckled at Romeo’s expense as Ollivander picked up another box after sealing the apple wood away, opening it and showing it to the boys again. ”Now this one is a little feisty. He seems to match up with many people but then changes his mind at the very last second. Ten and three quarter inches, Cypress and Phoenix feather core, unyielding, suited for a warrior and an individual who refuses to back down. Especially good with defensive magic.”

Piérre could almost hear Romeo’s eyes widening. This was exactly what Romeo had wanted the whole time!

Piérre was first however, and he could feel Romeo’s greedy eye on him as he took the wand in his left hand again, rolling it in his hand before delicately tightening his grip and flicking it again. This one felt a little more comfortable in his hand, its more unsanded edges feeling rustic and comforting.

Once again, nothing happened.

Ollivander only nodded once again. ”Quite a stinker, isn’t he? Here, let your brother try it.”

Piérre handed the wand to Romeo and Romeo smiled broadly, flicking the wand. Its tip began to faintly glow, shining pure silver to show that it had matched, when suddenly the bell on the counter in front of them exploded with a loud ring. Romeo dropped the wand in fear, repulsing from it. Piérre only laughed out loud. It was too funny. A sharp pinch on his shoulder from Mathilda, however, and Piérre was silent.

To Piérre’s surprise, Ollivander began to laugh as well, picking up the Phoenix core wand and putting it away. ”Oh don’t berate the boy, Miss Wendigo. You had many gos before you found your match, no? Your first wand you tried, as I recall, was also Phoenix feather. Nine and a half inches and redwood core, pliable, had a nasty habit of firing off spells at will. You had quite a scare from it, did you not? I should know, you told me the tale casually once when I was doing maintenance on your wand. That was the second bell the Wandmaker had to replace that day!” Chuckling, Ollivander put it aside opening a new box while still speaking. ”If my memory serves, you currently have a twelve and a quarter inches, alder and unicorn hair core. Very flexible and good with protection and concealment charms. Had to replace the core once, didn’t we?”

”Only because of the incident with the Death Eaters in 1998, Mister Ollivander. She served me very well both before and after those times.” Mathilda’s voice was even and slightly pointed, as if indicating that the conversation should be dropped.

Ollivander raised an eyebrow before nodding slowly. ”Yes, yes, of course. Now, try this one, little lad. I find that wands of this type tend to bond rather well. Ten inches exactly, elm and unicorn hair core, springy. Good with healing and abjuration charms. Give him a wave.”

Piérre reached for the wand, but just as he was about to touch its polished surface, Ollivander pulled the box away. ”No, no, no. Not for a boy of your type. Unicorn core would grate on you. You would tire him out far too quickly and we’d be replacing his core every month! Perhaps you?” Ollivander extended the wand to Romeo.

Romeo tentatively took the wand before gingerly flicking it.

Once again, nothing happened.

Ollivander’s face darkened. ”Hmm... You two are not easily matched. I sense that you require steadfast wands. Wands that refuse to bend or bow. Yes...” Ollivander took the wand back and turned back to the shelves. ”Yes... I think I know the ones for you. I warn you, these two are finicky and require a firm hand. They do not take well to individuals who shy away from what must be done, and truth be told, I’ve not been able to find a match for them in the seven years since I’ve made them.”

”Seven years, Mister Ollivander? Seven?” Mathilda asked incredulously. ”Such a wait for an owner would cause their cores to burn out, even if it were a Phoenix feather!”

”Aha! That is where you are mistaken, Miss Wendigo. These are not Phoenix feathers. These are a special core I had imported.” By now Ollivander had brought out two cases, setting one in front of each boy. Like he was revealing the biggest attraction in a circus, he slowly opened the boxes, revealing a pair of beautiful, glossy white wands.

They looked smoother and whiter than bone, and their edges, perfectly carved and detailed with loving hands reflected the candlelight without flaw. Swirls and crescent moons decorated their bases, and the wands themselves tapered into a thin point, like the kind of switches old teachers would use in the first schools.

”Here,” said Ollivander, seeming to be holding back a cry of excitement as he whispered their names. ”Ten and a quarter inches, yew wood and Snallygaster heartstring. Slightly bendy, particularly effective with transfiguration, a little less than charms. Suited for an individual who is destined to overcome and blaze their own destiny against all odds.” Ollivander's voice shook with excitement as he announced the next statement.

”The reason why these refused to be chosen, my lads, and Miss Wendigo, you may also wish to lend an ear, is because these two are twins!”

”So they are twins. That does not mean that they wouldn’t have the capacity to be matched with another wizard. Ollivander, you are being cryptic.” Mathilda’s voice was low and beginning to tire. It was evident that she wished to return home as quickly as possible.

”Yes, Miss Wendigo, but no ordinary twins! Not only are these two twin cores, but identical twins in and of themselves! Observe them, and you will find that they are the same length, springiness, wood, and core, taken from the same tree and Snallygaster! Exciting, is it not?” Ollivander smiled broadly, stepping back. ”Now, you two, have a go at these.”

Piérre stared at the wand before him breathlessly. These were identical twins? Perfect for the pair of brothers they had been presented to. Piérre glanced at Romeo, who met his eye as if thinking the exact same thing.

Simultaneously, they reached for the wands, their fingers gently grasping the ends.

As soon as they touched the yew, the engravings in the wand began to glow, a verdant, garish green for Piérre and a calming, rich cyan blue from Romeo’s. With a gasp, both boys took the wands out the boxes and turned to each other, admiring the way the other’s wand glowed with supernatural light. Tentatively, as if frightened to discover what would happen if they did, the boys gently touched the tips of the twin wands together.

The light was small at first, but then it turned blinding, filling the entire shop with a golden white light that lit the alley outside of Ollivander’s. When the light faded, the green and blue lights in the twins’ wands had both snuffed, and they were left looking at the pristine, polished surface of the wand’s wood.

Ollivander chortled aloud. ”Aha! Seven years and you have finally found your matches, eh? After all the painstaking searching I did to find your Wizards, here they are! Haha! Well, it goes to show that even the eldest among these wands still have the core of a child’s soul inside of them, no matter how long they’ve been collecting dust. I’m glad you could find your matches, Sires Marchonné.”

Ollivander glanced at Piérre, fixing him and his with a serious look. ”Now, young mischief-maker, know this. He will serve you well as long as you take good care of him. Snallygaster are loyal and always, like dragons, stand for what they believe for unflinchingly. Yew is a dangerous wood, and both of you, including you, twin, should know that yew is good for both spells meant to intend harm and cause death, but they are also used in great manners of protection. Yours, mischief-maker, is the younger brother of the two, loving and yet, a little overbearing. He will watch over you like a father, watching you grow and flower, but he may prevent you from casting magic or backfire if he feels that you require some discipline. However, form a strong enough bond, and you two should get along splendidly well.”

Ollivander turned to Romeo. ”And you, lad, have the elder brother. He is courageous and slow to back down. You may find him, in opposite to your twin’s core, that he will cast spells unexpectedly when he believes action is called for. A feature usually becoming of Phoenix cores, but these wands have developed some attitudes during their seven year wait. Form a strong enough bond with him, and I can only dream of the magic you two will be able to perform someday.”

Smiling, Ollivander spoke to both the brothers again. ”Be mindful of your twin cores, boys. They will always find one another, no matter what, and they will always prove stronger when they work together verses when they are forced to combat their own kin. There is no closer ally than a brother in blood, or in magic.”

Smiling and fidgeting with excitement, Piérre and Romeo pressed two gold Galleons on the countertop before Mathilda ushered them away, leaving the boys with more questions about their wands even though the history of them had been laid bare at their feet.

That was also the day when Romeo decided what his destiny was going to be.