First Time at Diagon Alley

[v_snape]

 
Location: Victor's Apt Bldg, Diagon Alley 
Date: 27th July 2017
Time: 1:45 pm

Mr. Snape nodded vaguely at the comment about the gun. When Marcus finished talking, he stood.

“Sounds fine to me. Emily always spoke highly of the old school and its staff. I think I can trust you to take the boy on your own.” He turned to Victor. “Well lad,

Comments

OOC: No worries; let's go shopping!

[marcus_flitwick]

"Okay Victorious, just follow me. I'll have him back by this evening, mister Snape." Marcus said, nodding a goodbye at Victor's father before leaving.

Marcus walked down the steps of the building, checking that Victor was following, as he explained how they would travel. "Now, Victor, I've had an old friend at the ministry set us up a connection to the floo network for this afternoon, so that's how we'll travel. Using the network is a little like teleportation, and it works between fireplaces. Are you keeping up?" The question was more about the concept than his speed, but Marcus wanted to ensure Victor could hear everything.

"Now, what we do is throw some powder into the fireplace we'll use- This is the one we'll be using-" At the bottom of the stairs, tucked into a corner, was a pile of wood. Marcus checked left and right before pointing his wand and quietly incanting "Incendio!". As he did so, a jet of flame from the tip of his wand ignited the pile. "And the powder both makes the fire safe, and allows the teleportation magic to work. We then simply state the name out loud of the place we are going, which is 'Diagon Alley'- say it after me so I know you're pronouncing it right, 'Diagon Alley'- and we will go to the public fireplace in Diagon Alley, which is the street upon which all the shops you need are located."

Marcus offered a bag of powder. "A large pinch, now. Would you like to go first, Victorious?"

[v_snape]

He nodded and repeated “Diagon Alley” when he was supposed too, not really sure what was going on, and when Flitwick seemed to finish, Victor blinked a few times before responding.

“I…wait what? You’re going way too fast.” He looked bewildered with all the new terminology being thrown at him. Plus, the guy just lit the building on fire…he was very confused.

“All I caught was ‘Diagon Alley’, and the fact that this isn’t a fireplace, it’s a pile of wood that you just set on fire. You’re gonna make the fire alarm go off ya know.” He looked up at Marcus, tilted his head to one side, and raised a single eyebrow. Curiosity radiated from the boy as the wheels in the head started to turn a little faster.

“…So…” he looked at what Flitwick was holding, “I take a pinch of this” he points to the powder, “and I say ‘Diagon Alley’? Is that all?”

[marcus_flitwick]

"That's entirely correct, Victorious. Then you step into the fire- which will feel tickly but cool- and be whisked away to your destination. And yes, I imagine the fire alarms will go off. I rather forgot to take them into consideration, you see. So if you could move with some alacrity, that would be rather good."

Marcus gestured to the happy little blaze in the corner, and shook the bag meaningfully.

[v_snape]

Victor looked a little unsure. Being asked to walk into fire was a bit much, but he took a small handful of Floo Powder anyway and threw it into the fire. When the flames cooled and turned an odd sort of green, Victor became a little more confidant. He carefully climbed onto the surprisingly sturdy pile of wood.

“Diagon Alley!”

Suddenly the world spun wildly and passing images of living rooms and offices passed him by rapidly. When the spinning stopped, Victor found himself in what looked to him like a completely different city, and he stood there in the public fireplace and gaped at it all.

[marcus_flitwick]

Marcus watched as Victorious managed to use the floo powder correctly; with a nod, he himself picked a pinch of the powder out, firmly sealed the bag, and activated the flames.

"Diagon Alley!" He stated, firmly and clearly. Striding out of the fireplace in Diagon Alley, he chivvied Victor along. "Come on now, Victorious. We're standing in the way!"

Once they'd got round the corner, Marcus checked the list quickly. "Hmm. I think it would be fastest if I picked up most of your things for you. Tell you what- first things first- let's get you a wand. Can't be a wizard without one now, can we?" He smiled, genially. "While you're finding a wand that fits- follow me-" He started moving along the street with deceptive quickness, ducking in and out of crowds- "I'll pick up everything that's a little dull, and then we can sort out your books and get you an owl. Non-wizard born wizards are allowed one from the fund now, y'know, which is of course as it should be, and here we are! Ollivanders!"

Marcus gestured at the little shop. "Let's get you in and sort you out, then. Come along!" Marcus strode indoors, the little bell on the shop door tinkling as they entered.

[v_snape]

Victor jogged along side Marcus as they weaved through the other shoppers and couldn’t help but smile. Flitwick just seemed so jolly, so happy to be here despite the fact that he probably had to do this all the time for his students, and his mood was infectious.

Once inside Ollivanders, Victor had to pause. It was miraculous how it all fit in the little shop he saw outside, but there it was. Rows upon rows of what looked like little shoe boxes behind an empty counter. Victor peeked around curiously when an ancient looking man emerged from the shadows.

“Welcome to Ollivanders.” Mr. Ollivander approached slowly, his old age catching up with him as he made his way to the counter. “Good afternoon Professor Flitwick, and what brings you-, ah. I see.” His smile faded a bit when he saw Victor, and he leaned over with a look of wonder. He spoke painfully slow.

“Good heavens. The resemblance is remarkable. You wouldn’t happen to be…oh no, no, no. You’re far too young.” His smile returned again. “Forgive me child, but you look a great deal like another student I sold a wand too, quite some time ago. 15”, Birch with Phoenix feather.” He took out a small measuring tape. “If you please, which is your wand hand?”

“Umm…either? I’m ambidextrous.”

“That’s nice.” Ollivander measured the length of both forearms then walked away. The tape, however, continued to measure the length of his nose and the circumference of his head. Victor looked around with wide, shifty eyes, and batted at the thing. It spun and crumpled menacingly at him for a moment, causing Victor to retreat a bit, then disappeared back into one of Ollivander’s pants pockets.

Ollivander returned with a single small box and set it carefully on the counter. He smiled down at Victor.

“I’ve got a hunch about this one; a strong, gut feeling. Why don’t you try it out, give it a good flick, eh?” The old man beamed at his work, and at the boy who would wield it.

As soon as Victor drew the wand from it’s box, it instantly felt as though it were apart of him, like it had been there all along, but only now as something he could touch; something he could hold onto.

“I knew it!” The sudden out burst startled Victor. Ollivander glowed with delight. “I just knew it. 14 6/8”, Vine and phoenix. Tell me child, do you have the other one?” The sudden speed to his speech was a vast contrast to his earlier, sluggish domineer.

Victor didn’t know what to say. “Other one?”