Diagon Alley buzzed with late summer energy. My mother and I had been juggling our lives – her muggle job, my muggle school. Now, with the last day of August upon us, I'd withdrawn from school, and we were finally heading to Diagon Alley. I’d traded my school uniform for a black hoodie and a patterned skirt, slipping on my Doc Martens and grabbing my bag before we stepped through the Leaky Cauldron’s hidden entrance.
The scent of old paper and ink drew me to Flourish and Blots, while my mother was already browsing for a pet. As I pushed open the door, my attention snagged on another first-year student. He was all perfect angles and bleached blonde hair, slicked back with gel, paired with a green tee and ripped black jeans. He moved with an assuredness that didn’t quite fit a boy our age. He walked directly to the counter, positioning himself in front of me and said, “Hello, I’m Draco Malfoy. And you are?”
Politeness, ingrained by my mother, nudged me to respond. “Hello Draco. I’m [y/n] Gore.” I offered a small smile. “How do you do?”
~*~
I emerged from Flourish and Blots clutching my textbooks, my mother having finally settled on an Eastern Screech Owl for me. Uniforms had been fitted, and now we were headed to Ollivanders. As I pushed open the door, a familiar structure caught my eye. Draco, again. He was testing a long, brown wand, flicking it with casual confidence. A shard of china exploded from the wand’s tip, hurtling straight toward me. I reacted instinctively, dodging the projectile as it shattered inches from my eye.
“What the bloody hell was that?” I demanded, adrenaline surging.
“I guess that wand isn’t for you, Draco,” Ollivander said, his voice a cheerful chirp.
“Ah, [y/n] [l/n] Gore! Nice to meet you. I’ve been waiting for you,” Draco said, his eyes lingering on mine.
“Not creepy at all,” I retorted, a wry smile tugging at my lips. Draco chuckled, and I returned the smile.
Ollivander handed Draco a black, straight wand. As Draco gripped it, a ray of sunlight pierced the dusty shop, illuminating him as the wand chose him. He turned to leave, and I was handed my own wand – dark walnut, spiderweb wand. I watched as Draco stepped away. I swished it, and a cascade of wands tumbled from the shelves. I slowly set it down, and a chuckle reached my ears. It was a light, pleasant sound. I turned to see Draco standing in the doorway.
“What are you still doing here?” I questioned, still holding the wand.
“Watching the sh—” he started, but a vase shattered beside him, interrupting his sentence.
“Well, it’s not that one…” Ollivander said slowly, his gaze moving to a section draped in purple. He carefully retrieved a beautiful amethyst case and handed it to me.
I swished the wand, and a beam of light enveloped me. My [h/l] [h/c] hair seemed to sparkle, and I caught my reflection in Draco’s grey-blue eyes.
It was white birch, basilsk fang. Liquid silver swirled around the handle. I walked toward Draco and said, “Excuse me.” He winked, stepping aside.
~*~
Finally, with everything purchased, we prepared to return home. I placed an enchantment on my bag to lighten the load, ensuring everything was carried securely except my owl, who perched on my shoulder for the journey. The scent of magic lingered in the air as we stepped back into the muggle world, ready for a new chapter.