16 Nov 2019, 07:10
A Wand for the Beguiling
[quote]Sara stepped into the crowded shop. Following behind her was her older sister Stefania, who was there to make sure she was alright as they went shopping around Diagon Alley for their school supplies. They didn't look anything alike; Sara had brown skin and purple hair while Stefania had fair skin and blonde hair. But they both were dressed the same, with their cute little summer dresses and black combat boots.
As they waited in line for Mr. Ollivander, they both chatted about things, like the lastest news in the Daily Prophet and about the upcoming school year. Stefania was just telling Sara about Potions when Mr. Ollivander cleared his throat.
“Miss Breeden and Miss Venturi, how lovely.”
“Oh, hello, Mr. Ollivander!” chimed Sara, giving him her best smile. “Today I'm finally going to be getting my first wand.”
The shop owner turned to Sara. “Is that so? Shall we get on with it, then?” He beckoned the two girls and they followed him towards another side of the shop.
Everywhere one could look were towering stacks of wands. It wasn't Sara's first time being in Ollivander's, thanks to her brother Lothario who always snapped his wands getting into fights or during Quidditch practice. She wasn't surprised to see Mr. Ollivander using his own wand to pick several boxes from the shelves, lowering them onto a table nearby.
Sara rushed over to the table, scanning the titles inscribed on the boxes. Each inscription told the viewer about the wand, like how long it was and what it was made of. Mr. Ollivander had picked three boxes for her to try first and she could barely contain her excitement.
“Don't worry if the first few don't work,” assured Stefania from behind. “Lotharia had to try thirteen of them before one decided to glow.”
Sara giggled. “Oh, yeah, I remember that.”
Mr. Ollivander of coursed remembered their brother. He was a normal customer to the shop, well-known for his mistreatment of his wands. “Speaking of young Lothario, how is his wand...?”
The shop owner and her sister began to converse about their brother, so Sara was left to test her wands by herself.
The first one she chose was made of cherry wood and kraken beak. It was lightly colored and easy to get a grip on, but there's was something about it that didn't feel right.
Sara happened to look up and see a pamphlet explaining wand woods and wand cores. She flipped through it and saw that the cherry wood came from Japan, where cherry wood was thought to be both extremely rare and powerful. But then Sara came across writing explaining how kraken core wasn't much to brag about.
The girl quickly tested the wand and was relieved to see that nothing happened. She put it away and moved onto the next. This time this wand was made of oak wood and unicorn hair. Sara of course liked unicorns and was eager to try it out, not bothering to look at their descriptions on the pamphlet.
But this wand didn't work, and neither did the next. Sara stood there slightly discouraged but she turned to Mr. Ollivander in determination. “May I try others?”
Startled, he said, apologizing, “Oh, I'm sorry, I was lost I conversation with...no matter.” He glanced at the wands that she'd tried and gave Sara an assuring look. “Onto the next wave!”
He pulled three more cases off the shelves. Stefania saddled over to Sara, grinning. “Hey, when this is over with, do you want to head over to Florean's?”
Sara nodded and went back to her wand, trying to focus, even though there wasn't much to focus on. Mr. Ollivander always said that the wand chose them, and never the other way around. One couldn't force it, no matter how much they really wanted a certain one.
The next one she tried didn't work but she immediately moved onto the fifth box. Ollivander made a clucking noise with his teeth but Sara didn't pay that any mind. This one declared that the wand was made of walnut wood and dragon heartstring. For some reason this one felt different than the others, and one could tell by the bright look in Sara's eyes.
Mr. Ollivander, picking up on the excitement, said, “Walnut wood...ah, yes: owners of this wand are usually highly intelligent and innovative. Although most powerful wands are hard to manage, once subjugated, ones of walnut wood will perform and task desired by it's master, as long as they have sufficient brilliance.”
That greatly interested Sara, and especially her sister, who was a proud Ravenclaw. “Wow, if you get this one, perhaps you'll be sorted into my house!”
Sara wouldn't mind that, which is why she began to test it out, just as Mr. Ollivander continued. “And dragon heartstring...” The wand began to glow with brilliant light, which made Sara and Stefania squeal in delight. “...my, brilliance and power.”
The shop owner studied Sara long and hard as Stefania searched for her purse. All Sara could think about was the wand—her wand. She scarcely cared for it's properties; this magnificent thing was hers now. She was just like her family, who all had wands to call their own.
“Walnut wood, known for his affinity for the greatly intelligent, and dragon heartstring, known for it's great power. This indeed fascinating, Miss Breeden. You are one intriguing you lady. I wonder what great deeds you'll be known for along your journey as a witch.”
Stefania smiled at the shop owner and placed the two galleons in his hand. “Thank you, Mr. Ollivander,” chimed the sisters simultaneously. The old man bowed as a farewell and the girls left. Mr. Ollivander watched them go in deep thought.
As they waited in line for Mr. Ollivander, they both chatted about things, like the lastest news in the Daily Prophet and about the upcoming school year. Stefania was just telling Sara about Potions when Mr. Ollivander cleared his throat.
“Miss Breeden and Miss Venturi, how lovely.”
“Oh, hello, Mr. Ollivander!” chimed Sara, giving him her best smile. “Today I'm finally going to be getting my first wand.”
The shop owner turned to Sara. “Is that so? Shall we get on with it, then?” He beckoned the two girls and they followed him towards another side of the shop.
Everywhere one could look were towering stacks of wands. It wasn't Sara's first time being in Ollivander's, thanks to her brother Lothario who always snapped his wands getting into fights or during Quidditch practice. She wasn't surprised to see Mr. Ollivander using his own wand to pick several boxes from the shelves, lowering them onto a table nearby.
Sara rushed over to the table, scanning the titles inscribed on the boxes. Each inscription told the viewer about the wand, like how long it was and what it was made of. Mr. Ollivander had picked three boxes for her to try first and she could barely contain her excitement.
“Don't worry if the first few don't work,” assured Stefania from behind. “Lotharia had to try thirteen of them before one decided to glow.”
Sara giggled. “Oh, yeah, I remember that.”
Mr. Ollivander of coursed remembered their brother. He was a normal customer to the shop, well-known for his mistreatment of his wands. “Speaking of young Lothario, how is his wand...?”
The shop owner and her sister began to converse about their brother, so Sara was left to test her wands by herself.
The first one she chose was made of cherry wood and kraken beak. It was lightly colored and easy to get a grip on, but there's was something about it that didn't feel right.
Sara happened to look up and see a pamphlet explaining wand woods and wand cores. She flipped through it and saw that the cherry wood came from Japan, where cherry wood was thought to be both extremely rare and powerful. But then Sara came across writing explaining how kraken core wasn't much to brag about.
The girl quickly tested the wand and was relieved to see that nothing happened. She put it away and moved onto the next. This time this wand was made of oak wood and unicorn hair. Sara of course liked unicorns and was eager to try it out, not bothering to look at their descriptions on the pamphlet.
But this wand didn't work, and neither did the next. Sara stood there slightly discouraged but she turned to Mr. Ollivander in determination. “May I try others?”
Startled, he said, apologizing, “Oh, I'm sorry, I was lost I conversation with...no matter.” He glanced at the wands that she'd tried and gave Sara an assuring look. “Onto the next wave!”
He pulled three more cases off the shelves. Stefania saddled over to Sara, grinning. “Hey, when this is over with, do you want to head over to Florean's?”
Sara nodded and went back to her wand, trying to focus, even though there wasn't much to focus on. Mr. Ollivander always said that the wand chose them, and never the other way around. One couldn't force it, no matter how much they really wanted a certain one.
The next one she tried didn't work but she immediately moved onto the fifth box. Ollivander made a clucking noise with his teeth but Sara didn't pay that any mind. This one declared that the wand was made of walnut wood and dragon heartstring. For some reason this one felt different than the others, and one could tell by the bright look in Sara's eyes.
Mr. Ollivander, picking up on the excitement, said, “Walnut wood...ah, yes: owners of this wand are usually highly intelligent and innovative. Although most powerful wands are hard to manage, once subjugated, ones of walnut wood will perform and task desired by it's master, as long as they have sufficient brilliance.”
That greatly interested Sara, and especially her sister, who was a proud Ravenclaw. “Wow, if you get this one, perhaps you'll be sorted into my house!”
Sara wouldn't mind that, which is why she began to test it out, just as Mr. Ollivander continued. “And dragon heartstring...” The wand began to glow with brilliant light, which made Sara and Stefania squeal in delight. “...my, brilliance and power.”
The shop owner studied Sara long and hard as Stefania searched for her purse. All Sara could think about was the wand—her wand. She scarcely cared for it's properties; this magnificent thing was hers now. She was just like her family, who all had wands to call their own.
“Walnut wood, known for his affinity for the greatly intelligent, and dragon heartstring, known for it's great power. This indeed fascinating, Miss Breeden. You are one intriguing you lady. I wonder what great deeds you'll be known for along your journey as a witch.”
Stefania smiled at the shop owner and placed the two galleons in his hand. “Thank you, Mr. Ollivander,” chimed the sisters simultaneously. The old man bowed as a farewell and the girls left. Mr. Ollivander watched them go in deep thought.