Chapter 3: Diagon Alley (Part. 2)

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Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. While Virgus asked the man behind the counter for a supply of some basic potion ingredients for Virgo, Virgus himself examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule, glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).

Outside the Apothecary, Virgus checked Virgo's list again.

"I don't think we need a new pet, we still have Nochu. Just Ollivanders left now - only place for magic wand"

A magic wand... this was what Virgo had been really looking forward to.

This last store is narrow and rundown. Scratches and black burns on the bricks add a bad impression to this shop. The golden letters that had peeled over the door rang, 𝘖𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴: 𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 382 𝘉𝘊. A wand lay on a dull purple pillow in a dusty window.

The clink of the bell rang in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. The place was very small, empty, there was only one thin high chair. Virgus just stood waiting by the door because he was reluctant to sit his butt.

Virgo began to swallow a lot of new questions that popped into his mind and just looked at the thousands of flat boxes stacked neatly up to the ceiling. For some reason, he got goosebumps. The dust and silence in this shop feels like it contains secret magic.

"Good evening," a soft voice came. Virgo got jumped.

Virgus must have jumped too, because the sound of his footsteps quickly approached to Virgo.

An old man sitting in a wheelchair in front of them. His wide pale eyes glowed like the moon in the gloomy shop.

"Hello," said Virgo, a little scared.

Mr. Ollivander approached Virgo. He looked at half of his face covered by a bucket hat. Feeling uncomfortable, Virgo quickly took off his hat for fear of being seen as impolite kid.

Mr. Ollivander was surprised.

"Mr. Ollivander. I hope you understand, in fact my brother is living too long in the world of muggles. Using colorful soft lens is a trend for muggles now days, so please don't be surprised." Said Virgus suddenly and smiled sweetly trying to lie.

"Oh you must be Mr. Malfoy! And what is soft lens?" Mr. Ollivander smiled.

"An object that could change the color of our eyes."

"Wow, muggles is very advanced, apparently. By the way, your hair color is good too." Virgus just chuckled and Virgo still couldn't grasp the intent of all these moment.

"I want to say that the wand chose the wizard, of course." He pulled out a long meter with silver markings from inside his pocket.

"Let's see, Mr. Malfoy. Which hand is your wand holder?"

"Er-- left hand," said Virgo.

"Stick out your hand. Good." He measured Virgo from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit, and around his head. Virgo feels a little uncomfortable.

As he measured, he said, "All of Ollivander's wands are the essence of the occult, Mr. Malfoy. We use unicorn hair, phoenix tail feathers, and dragon heart pulses. No two Ollivander wands are the same. Just as no two unicorns, dragons or phoenix are exactly the same. And of course you won't get good results with another wand."

Virgo suddenly realized that the meter that was measuring the distance between his nostrils, measured itself. Virgo looked at Virgus like he was asking for help and Virgus just chuckled softly.

Mr. Ollivander went round in front of the shelves, unloading all the boxes. "That's enough," he said, and the meter immediately sank to the floor. "Fine, Mr. Malfoy, try this one. Beechwood and the pulse of the dragon's heart. Twenty a half centimeter. Nice and flexible. Take it and try to shake it."

Virgo grabbed the wand and (felt dumb) shook it a little, but Mr. Ollivander immediately snatched it. "Mahogany wood and phoenix feathers. Thirteen and a half centimeters. Try it..." Virgo tried—but just as he raised it, the wand was also usurped back by Mr. Ollivander. "No, no-this, ebony and unicorn hair, twenty-one quarter, elastic. Come on, come on, try this one."

Virgo try it and try another. He had no idea what Mr Ollivander was waiting for. The stack of wands he had been trying was getting higher and higher on a thin chair, but the more wands he took from the shelves, Mr Ollivander is seemed more happy.

"A picky buyer, eh? Don't worry, we'll find a wand that fits right here一what if一yes, why not一an unusual combination一Apple wood and phoenix feathers, twenty一five and a half centimeters, nice and flexible."

Virgo took the wand. Suddenly his fingers felt warm. He raised the stick above his head, swung it down in the dusty air, and a tinge of green sparks shot from its end like fireworks. Virgus gaped, and Mr. Ollivander exclaimed, "Oh, bravo! Yes, really, very good. Wow, wow, wow, really weird ... really weird ..."

He put the Virgo's wand back in his box and wrapped it in brown paper, while muttering,

"Weird, weird..."

"Sorry," said Virgo, "but what's weird?" Mr. Ollivander looked at Virgo with his pale eyes.

"I remember all the wands i once sold, Mr. Malfoy. One by one. It just so happened that the phoenix whose tail feathers were on your wand, produced one more feather. It was strange that you were destined to be the owner of this wand, while the other Malfoys never had that type of this wand..." Virgo swallows. And Virgus just rolled his eyes because what Mr. Ollivander's said.

"Woah... sounds like Mr. Potter's wand, isn't it? I read alot about him already."

"Yes! You're right! But his wand isn't an Apple wood" Mr. Olivander clapped his hand excitedly. "It's really strange things. The wand that chose the wizard, remember... I think we should expect you to do extraordinary things, Mr. Malfoy..."

Virgo shuddered. He wasn't sure if he really liked Mr. Ollivander. He paid seven Galleons of gold for his wand and Mr. Ollivander was nodded, escorting them left the shop.

***

The afternoon sun hung low in the sky. Virgo and Virgus return to Diagon Alley, heading to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner. Along the way Virgo doesn't talk at all. He didn't even realize how surprised the people around Diagon Alley were to see them.

"I told you to wear your hat," Virgus said. He deliberately bought two bowls of chicken soup, worried if Virgo was not accustomed to eating Leaky's weird food. They sat on long wooden chairs to eat it. Virgo repeatedly looked around. Everything feels strange.

"Are you okay, Virgo? You've been quiet too long," Said Virgus.

Virgo is not sure he can explain. Today was the happiest day of his life - but - he was chewing on chicken meat, trying to find words.

"I don't know anything about magic or maybe Hogwarts. Mother and father never told me about them. I just feel so stupid." he said finally.

"And I also felt something was happening..."

"Lately I have nightmares... about our family. There are groups of people who try to kill us. And every time I touch father or mother or maybe something in our house, I can see something that I shouldn't see. And..."

Virgo sighed quietly, trying to calm himself.

"...every time I smell something that is very sweet to me, my body feels like it is burning and thirsty. Especially when I smell a woman's scent. It's very torturous me."

Virgus suddenly choked by his food after hearing it.

Virgus stunned, watching Virgo who was eating with a confused expression on his face. It's not normal for a boy in the same age like him to get to know the smell of women. He even has never smelled a woman.

But Virgus's confusion disappeared when he could see the bright yellow bead behind the hat that covered half of Virgo's face. He knew very well who actually Virgo compared to his parents even though he was not close enough to the boy in front of him.

"Since when you can feel that."

"I don't know. Maybe since I was in fourth grade at primary school."

"That's your talent, Virgo. You just need to learn how to control it." Virgus prop his chin over on the table with his palm. He smiled very friendly.

"Don't worry, Virgo. You will learn quickly. Everyone is start from the beginning at Hogwarts, you won't get into the trouble. Just be yourself. I know this is hard. You have been chosen, and this is always hard. But you will be happy at Hogwarts. I'm also glad to be there and I don't want to go home from there." Virgus then handed over an envelope and a silver key.

"Your train ticket is at Hogwarts," he said. "September one - King's Cross - all listed on your ticket. And this is the key of your safe at Gringotts bank. If you want to take money at Gringotts, just say your name while handing this key to the guards."

Virgo realized that Virgus had been carrying a bead sling bag when Virgus took off the bag and gave it to Virgo.

"This is just a bag. My eleventh birthday gift from Mrs. Potter, you still remember her, right?" Virgo nodded in resignation.

"Don't lose it. Ah, it's better if we put all your stuff here."

Virgo gaping when all his stuffs fit in a small sling bag. He didn't blink at all, worried if he missed this moment for even a second.

"And one more thing. If you can't control your thirst, go to the forest to find a goat or bite your own fingers."

Virgo does not understand. He only nodded trying to respond to the words of the sharp-eyed man.

"It's almost late, let's go home."

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