Mrs. Delaney Skelton and her daughter, Marjorie, walked down Diagon Alley. The younger carried a size two cauldron which held some other supplies and her sweater. Today they were going school shopping because the first day of school was only a few weeks away.

Marjorie, a very short eleven-year-old with unevenly cropped purple hair, was looking around curiously. Other children were about and she had every right to assume that they would be going to Hogwarts with her. Some were with their families and some were all alone. As she walking she swore that she recognized someone but she was sure that they were a muggle!

“I heard this year Hogwarts is going to be full of them,” muttered her mother, who'd followed her daughter's eyes. Marjorie shrugged but looked back. She'd only met two other muggle-born before.

Her mother suddenly stopped. “Ollivander's, is it then?” Marjorie didn't even bother looking up, she just pushed through the door and entered the shop.

“Hello, hello!” chimed Ollivander. He was old but there was still a look of charm and intelligence in his eye. He winked at Marjorie, who answered with a smile.

“Here for our first wand, are we? Yes, let's get along with it.”

“Yes, let's,” said Mrs. Skelton. There was already other people inside but they were busy trying out their own selection of wands. Marjorie honestly couldn't wait to try out her own.

Ollivander beckoned them along and they followed him to a corner of the shop. He looked around at the numerous stacks of boxes before pulling them down with a wave of his wand. Soon half a dozen lay on the table before Marjorie. She had to bite her lip to hold back her excitement.

She picked up a box that had '9½ inch, Willow Wood and Unicorn Hair' in golden writing. She removed the top and picked up the wand daintly, holding it with a strong grip.

“Nine and a half inch, made with willow wood and the hair of a unicorn. Sturdy, best for use in Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

She waved it awkwardly. Her smile faltered for second after a moment of nothing happening.

“This is normal, no worries...” Ollivander gestured for her to put the wand back and he grabbed another.

Holding it up the light, he said, ”Mahogany wood and phoenix feather...hmph, stiff yet very useful for Transfiguration.” He gave the wand to her and she tried it but again, it didn't work. Head downcast, Marjorie sighed and gave it back, watching the wand with different shades of brown disappear back in it's chamber. 'n' that yin wis bonny, tae. Ah hawp it wilnae tak' a thousand wands. But she knew she was just being irrationally impatient.

She felt a pinch on her arm just as Ollivander turned his back. Her mother was warning her to control her emotions; she hated when too much negative attention was drawn to any member of the Skeltons.

Emerly stood by one of the windows near the entrance, a number of packages by his feet. He had made sure to tell his parents and mother's side of the family that he wanted his very last stop in Diagon Alley to be Ollivander's. He'd just gotten his wand, and was now waiting for his parents to return and help carry everything to the Leaky Cauldron after reserving a table.
He had been quite traumatized by his wand-selection, managing to send a lady's hat flying into the wand maker's face without her noticing, make his favorite green scarf disappear and reappear near the ceiling, and, most memorable of everything, make a flash-bang so startling he just about fell to the ground to shield himself.
"All bang and no substance." Mr Ollivander had reassured. Though Emerly tried to back out, convinced that he might do worse and lose the store customers, the man pushed another wand into his hand and insisted so warmly, reluctantly Emerly covered his face, and keeping the thing as far from himself as possible, waved it like he was painting a wall.
When he had opened his eyes, he thought nothing had happened. Upon closer inspection, however, his scarf and the lady's hat had returned to their owners, and little motes of light had entered his field of vision, making him feel comforted as if he'd told a joke and the whole room had laughed at it.
He put a hand on his hip and looked out the window for any sign of his parents returning, tapping the wand against his knee as the shoppe bustled with activity. Every now and then he watched other kids try out wands. It seemed like a smaller, violet-haired girl was up next, and no matter how many wands she tried, nothing seemed to work... he crossed his arms, waiting for what would happen this time.