Ariana: A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter Twelve

At first, Aberforth wasn’t sure how to react. The long cobbled street was lined with a breathtaking assortment of magical shops and stands. The cauldron shop, the first store to see in the alley, with its cauldrons hanging from the ceiling and sitting in stacks on the wooden flooring and another stack outside so it could shine stunningly in the sunlight. Slug & Jiggers Apothecary was across the way, with barrels of the slimiest, most repellent substances lined up on the floor and jars of powders and herbs on shelves on the walls and bundles of feathers and fangs and claws hanging from the ceiling, reeking the worst smell Aberforth could ever remember smelling. Magical instruments that sparkled and spun and did all sorts of things, owls of various shapes and sizes and colors, and Quidditch supplies galore.

Albus, who’d already seen the Alley a number of times, simply said, “Let’s get over to Flourish & Blotts before all the good books are gone—”

“You may head over if you like, Albus, but Aberforth and I must go to Ollivander’s first,” Kendra said, letting go of Albus but keeping hold of Aberforth.

Albus smiled at his brother and mouthed the words “good luck” before maneuvering his way through the crowded alley to the bookshop, while Kendra led Aberforth all through the alley, to one of the very last shops.

Ollivander’s was a narrow little shop, very simple with a single wand on display in the window. Kendra held open the door for Aberforth, and he gasped in wonder at the sight inside.

The store’s walls were lined with thousands of boxes of wands, aisles of shelves of wands and boxes on the floor and everywhere he looked. A middle-aged man stood behind the counter, apparently mending a broken wand. His hair was a sandy blonde mixed with grays and his eyes, focused on the wand, were covered by a set of half-moon spectacles.

“Gerbold?”Kendra asked, stepping closer to the counter.

The man looked up from his work, studied her for a moment, and broke out into a dazzling smile. “Kendra Dumbledore. I remember giving you your first wand.”

“Silver lime,” Kendra responded with a slight grin, “Fourteen inches.”

“And a dragon heartstring core,” Gerbold said, standing. “It’s a pleasure to see you again. I do believe last we saw each other was when getting your eldest son his first wand.”

“Yes, that was Albus,” she said, “And this is my second child, Aberforth. Aberforth, this is Gerbold Ollivander, the wandmaker.”

Gerbold stepped around the counter and crouched to look Aberforth in the eyes. Holding his hand out, he said, “The pleasure is mine, Aberforth.”

Aberforth shook his hand excitedly.

“Now, then,” Gerbold said, standing again. “Let’s find you a wand, shall we?”

“Aberforth, I’m going to go get your other supplies,” Kendra said, giving him a little pat on the shoulder. “This usually takes some time.” She nodded to Mr. Ollivander and left the shop quickly.

Out in the alley felt like home to Kendra. Around other wizards, in an air that practically smelled of magic; it was more right to her than the home they’d created in Godric’s Hollow. Of course, she could never truly go back to this world, not when she had so much at stake; not when she was barely welcome. It wasn’t as if she didn’t notice the passing glances from others as they noticed the Dumbledore woman walking out in public for once. They all thought she was ashamed, that she locked herself away to be free from their judgment. If only you knew, she thought when a pair of witches walking past her did nothing to hide their gazes.

People like Gerbold Ollivander understood her, or at least were kind enough to not care about the past.

Kendra ignored the stares as best as she could as she gathered all the supplies the boys needed. Within the hour, she’d sorted out all of Aberforth’s supplies into his new cauldron, and everything Albus needed in his new cauldron, since the old one had melted through when a Potions class the previous year went horribly wrong.