Harry potter - Next generation - Chapter II - Crossroads

Pretty much just diagon alley bs. Wasn't much fun to write.

CHAPTER TWO

Crossroads

Jamie rubbed her eyes with her knuckles and then opened them again, she was in bed covered by a thin white sheet, which looked far to much like a death-blanket to be of any comfort to her, the sun was shining through the curtains directly on her face.

After Mr. Finnigan had Apparated to the leaky cauldron with her, he had explained a lot of things to her.

The leaky cauldron was an Inn, a wizard Inn, also the most popular in London since it was a direct way to Diagon Alley, which was as Mr. Finnigan had explained comparable to a shopping mall in the Muggle world.

He had explained to her about magic community, hiding from normal human beings, which he had called Muggles. How they used owls as messengers and so on and so forth. He explained a lot of things that a muggle-born might find interesting, somewhere along the way he had said that he too was a muggle-born so it was easier for him to bring important things across.

He had explained to her about Hogwarts, that she was supposed to get her letter for her eleventh birthday, but since the incident with Jeremy happened he would bring it to her personally in a couple of day's, since she didn't have any money he would come with her and buy her school-supplies.

Jamie had been very interested in Magical healing, but Mr. Finnigan anticipating where her train of thought would end, had told her "Jamie, do you think we are heartless? If there would be a cure for you even in the magical world do you think we would have let you believe that you are dying for the last seven years? I'm very sorry, I don't want to de-motivate you, I just don't want you to get your hopes up just to be disappointed" He had looked genuinely regretful.

"well" she had answered "that there isn't a cure yet doesn't mean there won't be one ever"

Mr. Finnigan had seemed surprised at her unfaltering determination, then he had smiled oddly, as if saying "perhaps there was no need to worry after all"

It had been two days ago that Mr. Finnigan had left her in the Leaky cauldron, she hadn't left her room once, where would she go? Tom the owner had brought her dinner smiling indulgently at her, while she frowned at him, what was she? a freak show? a roadside attraction? Damn Toothless B*****d.

There wasn't even a window in her room and she was growing very restless, she couldn't even walk around in circles since it tired her legs out too fast. She was missing her books something fierce.

Just then she heard a muffled pop from outside her room, which was almost immediately followed by a knock on her door.

"come in" she cried.

Mr. Finnigan opened the door and stepped inside with a great flourish of his robes, he seemed to like making an entrance, it was only slightly ruined by the broad grin on his face.

"Guess what!" he said still grinning.

"no" she said not feeling like indulging a grown man.

His smile withered a little, but was quickly replaced by a mischievous expression "oh, okay it's fine if you don't want to have it" he moved as if to walk out again.

"What" Jamie said tersely.

Grinning again like a kitten fallen in a bowl of cream, he drew something from his robes. A Letter.

Jamie stretched out her hand to take the yellowish envelope, on the front stood in emerald green Letters, to Mrs. James Saunders, Room 13, Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, London.

She pulled out the letter and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of

WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Minerva McGonagall (Order of Merlin, second Class, Winner of Transfiguration tournament, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mrs. Saunders,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Harry "James" Potter,

Deputy Headmaster

Well since Her birthday was on July 20. she had less then two weeks to reply, Talking about peer pressure Jamie thought.

Then she noticed a second piece of paper and unfolded it as well.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of

WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

Three sets of plain work robes (black),

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear,

One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar),

One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings),

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk,

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot,

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling,

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch,

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore,

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger,

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander,

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

Wand,

cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set,

glass or crystal phials,

telescope set,

brass scales.

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

Parents are reminded that first years are not allowed their own Broomsticks.

Why would anyone bring a broomstick to a boarding school? it didn't make any sense, not that she cared enough to ask, it was just irritating.

She looked at Finnigan "So when do we go shopping?" She asked.

He began grinning like a small boy again, pulled a leather purse from his robes and jingled it a little, producing a tingling of coins.

She couldn't resist Smiling herself.

* * *

Jamie didn't care much for a wand and all other equipment could be bought later, at the moment she was far more interested in books and their juicy promise of knowledge or what it essentially was for wizards and witches, power.

When She spotted “Flourish and Blots”, Jamie changed direction towards it forcing Finnigan to follow like a lapdog.

When Jamie entered she was impressed, never had she seen such a giant collection of books. The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all. Apart from her and the Employees only a few other people where shopping.

Jamie went looking around a bit and came upon the “Hogwarts section” all books required for each year of Hogwarts were strictly organized for each year and subject. Jamie went to the small part that was labelled “first year”, there were no sub-categories in the first year part since all classes were obligatory. Unfolding her list again Jamie checked the books and was happy to see that they were all there.

- The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk.

- A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.

- Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling.

- A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch.

- One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore.

- Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger.

- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.

- The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.

After she had thrown each one of those into her shopping cart, or whatever the wizard equivalent of a shopping cart was called, she asked Finnigan to pay for them and told him that she would take a look around, he agreed telling her he'd buy her other things, so she strolled around for anything more interesting that wasn't in the first year syllabus. She went ahead and Started to read: Smaller curses & jinxes by Alfred Ransoff.

What she was most intrigued by where “Magical Drafts and Potions”, “One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi” and most of all “First steps on the way to a medical career” although the last one was harder to understand. She read about Plants that had healing properties by being in the same room with them, Drafts that could boost memory, improve concentration and increase the physical strength. But she was most amazed by the First aid spells she read about, even if they were unlikely to help her at all, they were the first step towards her independent research. Jamie lost herself in The books working herself into a fever of study, every word burning itself into her memory as if her life depended on it and for her it would, in a few years at least. Everyone needed to start small, getting the basics wrong would be a catastrophe especially on a more advanced stage.

“hey your supposed to be buying those not reading them” Said a loud and angry voice just behind her.

Jamie turned around and stared at the man who dared to get in the way of her research.

Unforgivable. Still staring unblinkingly at him, Jamie noticed beads of sweat forming on his forehead, her eyes drifted from him to the window towards the alley. The alley-light was already dimming with the approaching evening, how long had she read? Where was Finnigan? Had he already collected her stuff?. She hurriedly put back the book she had been reading and left the snippy Employee after one final glare who exhaled relieved and thought that, that had been one heck of a scary girl.

“what's the Matter ted? You look like you've seen the grim” his fellow employee said.

“something like that” Still shocked from his encounter he could only whisper weakly “the girl who just left was really giving me the creeps. She looked like she'd attack me any moment”

The other man only laughed “listen te yerself ted, it was only a small girl”

Ted swallowed, He had NOT imagined the ice-cold girl and he had not imagined her icy and

determined stare, that girl had been ready to kill him. Ted shivered with the after image of the cold creature and went back to work.

* * *

Jamie ran across Diagon Alley, finding Finnigan had been a piece of work, he had indeed bought her remaining things except for her cloths and wand but when she found him he was chatting up young witches, he seemed surprised that she was even there.

At least she had had the satisfaction of ruining his date, she came to his table and the young witch he was trying to entice and had asked him "Daddy who are you talking to? where's mommy?" that had made the witch jump faster then a cat sitting in a tub of water.

She had to wash up after that because her nose had started to bleed again, she was all to happy that she hadn't bleed all over the books. After Finnigan had stopped pouting he had taken her to Madam Malkins and bought her school-uniform. He had already collected the cauldron, the set of crystal phials, the telescope set and brass scales.

Finally standing in front of Ollivanders panting, she was relieved that it had still open. Keeping herself from fainting with pure will she entered the shop Finnigan tailing her, but not actually speaking with her, he was still a little bit put out.

A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair. Jamie felt strangely as though she had entered a very strict library. For some reason, the back of Her neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

“Good afternoon,” said a soft voice. Jamie turned around.

An old man was standing before her, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop. “you are Mr. Ollivander?”

“that is indeed who I am. I was also informed about you my dear. Muggle-born witch they said, to bad. You see I enjoy seeing what Materials in a wand appeal to different family-trees, so I'm always a little disappointed to be denied the excitement. Come right over here”

Mr. Ollivander pointed in the direction of a more vacant space with a small podium “Hold out your arm. That's it.”

He measured Jamie from shoulder to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head. As he measured, he said, “Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get as good results with another wizard's wand then your own.” Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes. “That will do,” he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor.

“Right then, Miss Saunders try this one. Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. just take it and give it a wave.”

Jamie took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once.

“No, no -here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out.”

She tried another dozen and was growing impatient, she was only moment's away from shouting at at the old fool to stick his stupid wands in any of his bodily orifices and just sell her one that worked. Mr. Ollivander however oblivious to the silent insults thrown at him in Jamie's head, snatched away another wand she had tried out and said.

“Mahogany and dragon heart string. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Try...”

Jamie took the wand exasperated. She felt a sudden warmth in her fingers. She raised the wand above her head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework, throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Mr. Ollivander nodded approvingly.

"Dragon heart and Mahogany, Temperamental and elegant an interesting combination" He seemed a little lost in thought.

“does this always take so long?”.

Mr. Ollivander smiled a little out of breath “most of the time it takes even longer”

With nothing to do any more Mr. Ollivander was all business again "that will be nine Galleons and seven sickles"

Finnigan moved in her stead paying Mr. Ollivander.

Without saying goodbye she exited the shop only half noticing the annoying tinkling of the bell she felt very exhausted.

Jamie slowly made her way to the leaky cauldron struggling against the weakness that was rapidly spreading through her body with each step Ignoring Finnigan when he asked her whenever or not she was all-right. Feeling like she might faint, she made it up the stairs and into her room. Quickly succumbing she dropped her wand to the floor and fell on the bed, to weak to pull a blanket over herself she stopped fighting and let the exhaustion roll over her with a sight.

* * *

Lily appeared in the fire of the leaky cauldron and coughed violently, it was the first time she had

ever used the floo-network to travel and she had made the mistake of opening her mouth again when she was spinning along the grates, for which she received a mouthful of ash and dust. It was definitely not her favourite method to travel.

The barkeeper grimaced in sympathy and handed her a glass of water. She didn't drink any of it, she only sipped and spit out the grime again repeatedly while waiting for her parents to appear.

Lily's father was first to appear -in a much more graceful way then his daughter had- he merely brushed of a little dust from his shoulders. Like everywhere public her Father went he now drew in the attention of everyone in the pub. Lily knew he was somewhat famous but she didn't really understand why people had the irresistible urge to stare, for her he was just her dad.

“everything went all-right, Lil's?” He asked her.

Lily just nodded, to embarrassed to tell him that she was cleaning out her mouth until a minute ago.

But he seemed to notice the smudge around her mouth and a twinkle appeared in his emerald-green eyes.

He patted her shoulder and whispered “do you know what happened to me the first time I used floopowder?”

Lily shook her head, this story she had not heard before.

“it was right before my second year, I was with your mothers family and had never heard of travelling via fire before. I didn't even manage to say the destination properly and I landed in a shop, a street away from where I intended to go and had no idea where I was”

Lily laughed, she enjoyed these story's from her father's youth as a small boy with no idea that he was a wizard, it always made her feel better. She wished most people would see that he wasn't only a famous wizard, but also very human.

With a “whoosh” her mother appeared and walked over to them. When she saw Lily she frowned and took out a handkerchief and started to clean her face, While Lily struggled to get away embarrassed.

“I told you she shouldn't have gone first” Her mother nagged

Harry just smiled and kissed her on the cheek “your right, I'm sorry”

Lily snorted and thought Slick move dad I guess twelve years of marriage taught you something.

Deflated Ginny just sighted, she had never been able to defend herself against a simple apology from her Husband so far.

“so shall we move on? We don't want to stay here all day do we?” Lily asked.

She would never admit it -she didn't want people to think of her as a little girl- but she was actually very exited to get her first wand, Lily's parents smiled indulgently at her that made her think they knew exactly what was going on inside her head.

“where do you want to go first?” her mother asked her.

Lily thought for a second then answered “doesn't really Matter but let's go to the wand-store last you told me it takes ages for Mr. Ollivander to find the right wand”

“then let's split up, you” he pointed at Lily “can go to Madam Malkin's, and me and your mother can buy everything and then we can meet up at Flourish and Blots in an hour or so”

“okay but then I'll need money for the uniform” Lily replied.

Her father gave her what he thought must be enough money to buy decent robes these day's and they waved goodbye. Lily was fascinated by the diversity of stores, there seemed to be everything from pet- to book-stores, form boo-k to sweet-shops, shops selling Quidditch equipment and stores selling magical artefacts. In front of the Quidditch store was a boy approxiMately her age who seemed to be glued to the window with his nose. Walking over to the shop she looked over his shoulder, he was fixedly staring at the most recently developed broom the "Thunderbolt".

Lily marvelled at the broom, she had been a Quidditch fan ever since her father had gotten her a

experimental broom when she was smaller, Lily let out a long appreciative whistle. The boy turned around suddenly, he hadn't realised someone was standing behind him, but he seemed to relax when he saw her.

“mighty fine broom ain't it” he had a weird accent that she couldn't quite place.

“yeah” She answered still staring at the broom “I wish I could ride one of those sometime”

His smile slowly disappeared “Me too, but I only have a Nimbus two-thousand, I mean they were good, around what? Fifteen years ago?”

“more like twenty, but it's still a good broom, much better handling then the Firebolt 2 or the new Comet-series even if it doesn't have the speed”

The boy certainly looked impressed and grinned “ye know you brooms” she grinned back at him when he suddenly asked her “what's your favourite Team?”

Lily's smile vanished, she enjoyed playing Quidditch more then most people, but she had no idea of Professional players. She had never liked how emotional, irresponsible and aggressive people became over a game that should be fun, so instead she turned it around and asked him “what's yours?”

He grimaced “well after my favourite player left the team I didn't like it so much any more, but they won the world-cup two years ago” He said proudly.

Two year? uh-oh he's talking about uncle Ronald Lily thought.

The last time she had seen her uncle was a few weeks after he had won the world-cup two years ago, she was supposed to be asleep but she had awoken from her fathers raised voice and made her way silently to the stairs to listen. Through the wooden planks of the stairs she was able to see her father, the Red-orange hair of her uncle and another scalp that she couldn't associate with someone she had met before; it was very long white hair.

Her father seemed very agitated and there was a strain in his voice Lily had never heard before “it's insane Dumbledore, you can't let him do this, everyone knows how close he is to me, it's suicide”

“it wasn't my idea Harry, I already tried to talk him out of it, to no avail I'm afraid. he is determined to see this through” The voice of the white-haired man sounded deep and grave.

“Ron”- her father now said to her Uncle- “please, don't do this, I can't lose you now. What will I tell Ginny? You can't do this to our family not now so soon after Hermione...” His voice trailed of.

Aunt Hermione? Lily thought. What are they talking about?

Her Uncle said with more determined and hard voice then she had ever heard “I have to do this Harry, for her. What would you have done if this happened to Ginny?”

Her Dad was quite for a minute before he answered “before Lily...? The same. Now? I don't know.”

“I'll have to go underground for a long time till they trust me enough but I"will"have"my"revenge.” He paused a moment and when he talked again his voice was much softer. “take care of my sister and my niece Harry”

Lily's father gave a short sad laugh and replied just as softly “as if you even need to tell me”

“true enough” Lily could hear the smile in her Uncles words.

After a few minutes of silence Lily heard her Uncle say “Goodbye Harry, we probably won't see each other again”

She could see the dark frame of her dad pull Her Uncle close to him in a Hug “Take care of yourself and don't do anything stupid, well don't do anything stupider then usual”

“we have to go Ronald” the white-haired man said “we need to take care of everything”

Uncle Ron's head bobbed and he moved out of sight.

With a loud Thump the Front door closed, but her father didn't move, rooted to the spot he still gazed at the closed door. Slowly he turned for the stairs, Lily moved out of sight with a close-mouthed squeal and ran for her room. She heard his footsteps on the stairs and on the corridor, he entered her room silently, and approached her bed. Lily tried her best to appear in a deep coMatose-like sleep and was relieved when he started to tuck the blanket more securely around her and kissed her on the forehead. She completely enjoyed these small moments when she was tugged in, or carried to bed. It made her feel completely carefree and loved.

“I love you Lily” He Whispered before he moved away with a very tired sigh. Lily fell asleep before he had even quietly closed the door.

She still didn't know what her Uncle was doing but she knew his motivation at least, Aunt Hermione's funeral had been a week later.

Before the Sunburned boy could unlock any more memories, or made her slip anything that no-one outside the family was supposed to know Lily quickly made an excuse.

“er... Oh, damn I was supposed to get my robes, sorry I need to run”

The Boy seemed genuinely regretful of her departure and seemed almost to pout “well see you

around sometime” he shouted after her.

She waved goodbye while she ran, suddenly regretting her departure, he seemed like a good enough sort. When she entered Madam Malkin's she was a little winded and pressed her hand on a slight stitch in her left side.

“how may I help you?” came the voice of an elderly woman behind the counter, who wasn't looking up but scribbled something onto a document.

“ehm...” Lily replied slightly nervous “I need Hogwarts gear for first year”

With a sigh the witch said “Hogwarts, for a hundred years the school had the same, plain, old, boring robes and still the headmistress is not letting me design new one's” She looked up after filing the document into a map that disappeared beneath the counter, and looked at Lily confused “haven't I seen you before dear? Your one of the Weasly's aren't you?”

“em, no. I'm Related to them but I'm not a Weasly, I have my fathers surname” Lily Explained.

“ahh, right. I think remember your mother dear, she looked exactly like you. The poor thing always bought second-hand robes, with that huge family of hers. Come right over here.” she pointed at a small podium.

They didn't talk much after Madam Malkin's started to work on her and so the time crawled along, threatening to continue endlessly.

A racked at the front of the shop startled Madam Malkin's so much that she poked Lily in the side with a Needle.

“OW!, Watch out, would you please”

“oh, sorry dear. Please wait, while I see what that racket is all about” said Madam Malkin's.

She moved into the direction of the -through a curtain- separated part of the shop, but she wouldn't have needed to bother since right that instant the curtain was drawn aside and the image of a furious small witch was revealed. Dragging someone behind her by his ear.

“Mum, ow, mum! really I was only standing there for like a minute 'till you appeared, I swear!” The boy shouted.

“your a lazy, lying Layabout Matthew Branstone, I send you to get your robes on your own and then I have to discover that you have been standing in front of a broom all day.” His mother screamed.

Mat tried to make an excuse “I wasn't standing in front of the Thunderbolt all day, I also went ahead and had something to ea- OW” his mother effectively shut him up by tugging his ear sharply.

“I assume that means the young man needs a set of Hogwarts robes” Madam Malkin's Said with a humorous twinkle in her eyes.

“What?” The Mrs. Branstone shouted at first, but then seemed to realise where she was “oh, excuse me, yes indeed Hogwarts robes”

Mat's Mother forcefully pushed him onto the podium next to Lily as thought he would have escaped and left -huffing and puffing- for the waiting/entrance room. Madam Malkin's followed in her wake saying something about her assistant.

Lily looked at him but Mat, red-faced, wouldn't meet her eyes instead he seemed very interested with his shoes. Lily bit her lower lip to refrain from laughing.

“so” she said her Voice quivering “we meet again and if I might say in a most dignified way”

Mat's head was so red it seemed just short of exploding. Lily couldn't hold it in any more and laughed out loud. Mat scowled at her still very red but when he saw her laughing he chuckled, while insisting it wasn't funny.

“I take it your mum doesn't like Quidditch then?” Lily asked him with a grin.

Mat sighted “She hates it and she hates when I spend any time at all near brooms, she says it's dangerous and imMature. 'cept when it's to clean my room”

“well it can be dangerous I give her that, but imMature? There are plenty of adults who are fascinated by Quidditch and brooms” Lily frowned.

“I told 'er the same thing” Mat replied excitedly “but she says since they all behave like kids it doesn't count” he sighted again and apparently decided to change the topic “so you're going' to Hogwarts as well?”

“yeah Both my parents teach there so it probably won't be any different then usual” Lily told him

feeling a little disappoint.

“oh, I wouldn't say that, Hogwarts is beautiful, I live in Hogsmede so I have seen the castle. I wanted to go there my entire life, because of the Quidditch tournaments between the houses”

Is everything this guy thinks about Quidditch? Lily thought irritably.

Just when Lily wanted to ask him which house he wanted to be in Madam Malkin's returned with her assistant -who promptly began to work on Mat- making further conversation between them impossible, because the tailors required their attention.

Just when Lily's mind began to drift away again Madam Malkin's said “there you go, all finished. all that we need now is the name-tag, what did you say was your surname again?”

“uhm, I didn't. It's Potter” To Lily's great relief Madam Malkin's didn't make a big deal out of it like most people whenever they heard the name Potter. But Lily didn't like how big Madam Malkin's assistants eyes had become, while Mat didn't seem to know what the name Potter meant.

Of course he doesn't know who dad is. Since he doesn't have anything to do with Quidditch she

thought exasperated.

“okay dear that will be all, you can come to the counter with me” Madam Malkin's said.

So She said goodbye to Mat. Again. Paid for her cloths and left the shop in the direction of Flourish and Blotts. Her Parents where already waiting for her in front of the bookshop.

“what took you so long?” her father asked her.

“nothing” she mumbled in reply, not feeling like explaining her encounter with “Matthew the Quidditch-loving-layabout”.

“are you sure?” her Mother asked raising one eyebrow.

Ignoring her mothers prodding Lily said “what are we waiting for anyway, lets go in”

Once inside her dad whistled appreciatively and mumbled something along the lines of “way-better-organized-then-to-my-time” under his breath. Lily's Parents left her alone since they were teaching at Hogwarts and had to be familiar with every book of each year and this year there had been a few additional books had been added to the syllabus. Lily went to the first-year Hogwarts section and picked up her books, she didn't mind books but she certainly didn't like them, if there was something interesting in them like in “The standard book of spells Grade one” which was essentially only a long list of simple spells and a few helpful guidelines, but she couldn't fathom how anyone could be interested in “A history of magic” apart from the recent history. Lily reached for the “Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection” when she noticed a person standing in the corner with her face to the wall. Lily hadn't noticed anyone else beside her was in this section, neither did the other person apparently to focused on whatever book she was reading.

Lily frowned the other girl couldn't possibly be a first year, judging from her height she shouldn't be going anywhere without her parents, she was a good head smaller then Lily and very thin.

From behind she looked almost like a magical creature with her almost white hair and pale skin.

The clerk isn't going to like that, reading without buying. Lily thought, but then again she's only a

little girl, she probably doesn't know that book stores frown upon being used as libraries.

So Lily didn't warn the girl, her parents where probably around here somewhere and she was just killing time flipping through books she randomly picked from the shelves.

When Lily emerged from between the towering stacks of books she saw her parents were already at the counter, When Lily joined them she asked “can we go to Ollivander's now?”

Her Mother smiled “of course we can”

* * *

Mat pondered on where he had heard the name Potter before, the name sounded vaguely familiar to him. He wasn't a professional Quidditch player, at least not a British one or a famous foreign, because he knew all of those. But He just knew that he had something to do with Quidditch, it was one of those things that got stuck in your subconscious mind but you could never quite put your finger on it however hard you tried. So he did the only thing that seemed prudent, he let it go.

Sometime it had to come back to him anyway.

Shaking of the name Potter his mind returned to more recent events, it had been almost twenty minutes since the red-haired girl left and he could still hear his mother occasionally grumble something about abuse of trust. In Mat's modest opinion there could be no abuse of trust if there was no trust in the first place, so he never actually bothered to go against his mother's expectations. She expected him to stand in front of the Quidditch shop all day so he did, made it bloody easy to find him too. She would probably throw a fit if he wouldn't have been there about him running of making her worry. His mother had never been very rational and Mat was just tired of trying anything to please her. The reality was she would never be pleased, she would probably drag him around by his ears even if he was the Minister of magic himself.

Something prodded him in the rib's and he looked down alarmed. The stern looking assistant of

madam Malkin's stood beneath him scowling up “asleep are we?” she asked mocking “your finished, now get out of here” and she was gone. Well that wasn't very nice for a clerk, Mat thought perplexed.

In the entrance his mother was already waiting tapping her foot impatiently. After paying for the cloths she grabbed his upper arm and dragged him out, as if he would have run away once she turned her back on him, then again he might have just to spite her but he wasn't very keen on being dragged away from the quidditch shop again.

Mrs. Branstone dragged him along like a dog who always found something interesting in the exact opposite direction of where he was supposed to go, all the while ranting madly about something incoherent.

Mat turned of his Brain.

When he turned on his Brain the next time he was standing in the book-store with a wand already in his pocket, when he tried to figure out how he got it he just got the peculiar sensation of someone taking his arm and waving it vigorously up and down. His father had been very jealous when he heard that Mat could actively ignore his surroundings, but Mat thought it was already to late for him. Over the years of being yelled at, being scared and beaten down with incoherent arguments he was nearly as mad as his wife.

Mat would never get one of those he had decided very early, destroying not only every fun there was to be had but also destroying him. No, Mat would remain a happy bachelor for life.

Turning around to make sure his mother wasn't paying attention, she wasn't, he quickly slipped into the quidditch section. His mother never paid any attention whenever they were near books, she probably thought nothing could happen there. She probably wasn't sure if he even could read, much less make sense of what the contents where about. She was wrong, he enjoyed reading almost as much as Quidditch and he enjoyed reading about Quidditch as much as actually playing it.

He walked past row after row looking for a Title he hadn't already read but came up empty-handed except for an expired version of “Quidditch through the Ages”.

Which after looking at the Table of contents was a short history of how it came to be (A few good-for-nothing guy's who where tired of throwing fruit and egg's at Muggle-buildings from brooms instead started to throw at each other), to a detailed description of moves, counter-moves, tactics, players and team's since almost two-thousand years. It also contained a few extras, peculiarities and phenomena such as referee's disappearing during games, a list of creatures and human hybrids that Wanted to play Quidditch put were not allowed to for safety reasons, Mat looked through it quickly and noticed that werewolf's, vampires, half-giants where on that list. Stating a few examples and stories of how the ban came to be.

During 1480 an unregistered werewolf had made it into a team as a beater due to his unnatural strength, but was expelled and terminated as magical beast after killing two people with a Bludger that had the force of a cannonball.

What's the difference? Mat thought remembering his own experiences with the aggressive ball.

Vampires had been Banned because an all-vampire team had tried to suck the blood of their opponents and refused to use broom's instead of constant transforMations of bat to human forms and back. They weren't to insistent to be allowed to continue playing Quidditch however, because it was mostly played in sunlight which lead to several teams being reduced to cinder.

Half-giants were another story, they never even got a chance to play. There was a Broom manufacturer once who wanted to make a broom able to carry the massive bulk of them, but he was forbidden to do so by the Ministry of Magic, who financed his research on new brooms, they demanded that he stop with silly and unrealistic project's as such a broom had to be carved from an entire Tree.

Enjoying the story's of what lead to ban's, which were mostly funny but sometimes included gruesome actions such as eating the judge, Mat flipped through them until he reached the next topic.

"Hogwarts Quidditch cup Winners" it read in golden letters over a list of Photographs of each year.

Mat flipped to the end, there were some good one's but none who had taken up on professional

Quidditch in recent years, Mat went back a couple of years and found it. Ronald Weasly with the Griffindor team he looked at the photograph and frowned, Weasly hadn't been the captain like he always assumed. He held up the cup together with another boy slightly smaller with a lightening shaped scar on his head.

He looked at the list of names beneath the Photograph again and read from left to right: Demelza Robins, Jimmy Peakes, Ritchie Coote, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasly... Potter! Harry 'James' Potter! The red-haired girls father (he assumed). He had been Captain of the Quidditch team that fathered famous Ronald Weasly who was single-handedly responsible for Britain winning the World-cup!

He looked at the previous year but Potter wasn't there even thought Griffindor won and he was

named as the Captain, it explained that he was given detention for almost every night that year, which included the last Quidditch game.

He turned back a Page again and there was the Griffindor team again Potter wasn't there either and someone named Angelina Johnson was Captain, but Weasly was there as keeper, he would of course come to play chaser once he was out of school. It had never occurred to Mat that Weasly could have played another position in school.

The year before that all Quidditch activities had been cancelled for the Tri-wizard tournament.

In Weasly's third year, A guy Named Wood was Captain, Weasly wasn't on the team at all and there was Potter again looking a good deal shorter and younger then in seventh year.

The year before that Quidditch was cancelled but the estiMated winners were Griffindor, it explained that the school had been an inch from closing due to un-explained attacks on students.

It seemed to Mat that every year since Potter joined the team they had either won or there was no Quidditch at all due to peculiar circumstances. Mat wondered what had happened to him, he didn't

start a carrier as Quidditch-player, but the way He and Weasly had held the Cup in their seventh year shoved clearly that they were friends. Normally only the captain holds the cup.

And that was The Girls father he had met in front of the Quidditch shop, no wonder she had acted so strange after he had said Weasly was his favourite player, she probably knew him personally. Mat wondered if she knew what he was doing these day's, nobody else seemed to. It was as if he just fell of the Grid after winning the World-cup.

The next time he saw her he was going to ask her himself he decided, just as his Mother shouted his name. Mat sighted, put the book back (it would do no good if she saw him with it) and trod back to his mother who had started in on a litany of biting comments about his mental health and rant on what a disappointment he was already proving to be.

Mat shut of his Brain.

Author's Note

Do your worst. (unfortunately during the transfer from the original text some of the layout has been affected, fixing it when i feel like it)