ALL NOVEL Chapter 6: 6. Appointment time
"Tricky customer, eh?" Mr. Ollivander remarked seeming happy that Harry was having such a hard time finding a wand. "Do not despair, Mr. Potter. The wand chooses the wizard."
"But that's ten wands I've tried and none of them like me. What if none of them do?"
"There's a wand for you, Harry. You just have not found it yet, but you will," Severus said soothingly.
"I wonder …" Mr. Ollivander muttered looking out at Harry and then back at the wand box on the shelf in front of him. He pulled it out of its slot and marched out. He took it carefully out of the box and presented it to Harry. "Holly, 11 inches, supple with a phoenix feather core."
The moment Harry grasped the wand it was obvious it was the wand for him. Green sparks shooting from the end confirmed it."
"Curious," Ollivander remarked. "Very curious."
"What's curious?" Harry asked.
"I've had that wand for over forty years, Mr. Potter and I never thought it would find a match, but I'm happy it has at last."
Severus was suspicious that there was more to the story then Ollivander was revealing, but decided he would not pursue it today. He also purchased a wand holster that Harry could wear on his forearm. "Come along, Harry. We must get your other things."
They went to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions for Harry's robes, to Flourish & Blott's for his textbooks, to Scribbulus Everchanging Inks for parchment, quills, and ink, to Slug & Jiggers Apothecary for a first year potion kit. While he was there Severus ordered replacement ingredients for the school stores and some ingredients for his private stores. Harry looked around in fascination. While some of the ingredients smelled terrible and looked gross, there were still other things such as different kinds of plants he'd never seen before. Their next stop was at Potage's Cauldron Shop where Harry acquired a pewter cauldron and a set of stirrers. At the magical instrument shop Harry got a good set of brass scales and a collapsible telescope. There were a bunch of kids standing outside Quality Quidditch Supplies admiring the new Nimbus 2000 broom that was featured in the window. Harry looked over at them, but didn't seem interested otherwise.
The last stop was at Eeylops Owl Emporium. Harry looked up at Severus in confusions. "Why are we here, Professor?"
"Your list says you can have a cat, a toad or an owl as a familiar. Eeylops sells all kind of owls and Magical Menagerie sells cats, rats and toads."
"Which one is better, Professor?"
"It depends on what you are looking for, Harry. If you are looking for companionship then cats are very good. An owl will provide you with both companionship and the added bonus is that it can deliver your mail also. You remember the owls that tried to deliver your Hogwarts letters, I assume."
Harry started to giggle and it warmed Severus' heart. "I overheard Uncle Vernon complaining to Aunt Petunia once about the owls pooping all over his company car. He said he had to stop and get it washed every morning before he went to work. If you don't mind, Professor, I think I would like an owl," Harry decided.
They went into Eeylops Owl Emporium and twenty minutes later Harry came out carrying a large cage with a beautiful snowy owl inside of it and a bag of owl treats for her.
"Before we go to the Ministry I am going to call my personal elf, Blinky, and have him take all your school things and your owl back to Hogwarts." Severus said. "Blinky?"
Blinky popped into Diagon Alley. He was wearing a white tea towel with the Hogwarts crest on it. "How can Blinky be of service to Professor Snape?"
Severus pointed at Harry's school things and his owl. "I need you to take Harry's things back to Hogwarts and put them in his room."
"Blinky can do that." He levitated all the packages, Harry's robes, and his owl cage and then popped out again.
"Wow!" Harry said. "Elves must be real powerful."
"They have their own special kind of magic. They are able to do things wizards and witches cannot." They crossed the street and went back to the Leaky Cauldron and then flooed to the Ministry of Magic. Severus presented his wand to the man seated at the security desk. "Ebony, thirteen and a quarter inches, serpent scale core." He handed Severus a slip of paper. Harry gave his to the man next. "Holly, eleven inches, and a Phoenix feather core," the man droned and gave Harry his slip of paper.
"Professor, we will get our wands back, won't we?"
"Yes, Harry. When we are ready to leave we can reclaim our wands." They took the lift to Level 2 as Wizarding Child Services was part of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Severus stopped outside the door to WCS and once again took the glamour off of Harry. He opened the door and they walked in. He looked around but did not see Regulus. He stopped at the receptionist's desk whose nameplate indicated her name was Isabella. She looked up and smiled. "Hello, Professor Snape."
"Hello, Isabella. I have an 11:30 appointment with Mrs. Mullings."
"She's expecting you, Professor. You may go right in."
Severus nodded his thanks and entered Sarah Mullings' office with Harry. She immediately got up from behind her desk to welcome Severus. They shook hands and Severus said, "Harry, this is Sarah Mullings, head of Wizarding Child Services. Sarah, this is Harry Potter."
"Hello," Harry said shyly, shaking her hand.