Diagon Alley was as always a riot of color and action. Everywhere you looked witches and wizards in forest greens, royal purples, and brilliant reds moved across the packed street on some business or other. There were lines in front of bookstores and a packed crowd with faces pressed against the window of a shop selling the finest of brooms. None of these were of particular interest to the three moving through though, the two witches and their elf, only brought on to carry purchases, moved straight forwards towards the biggest building in sight.
Gringotts Wizarding Bank was the most imposing structure, made all the more impressive if you knew just how extensive the below ground sections were. It stood overlooking the shops as if it ruled over them, proud and bright against the skyline. If you knew where to look though, you could see the marks of battle.
All those years ago one of the darkest wizards in history had come here to slaughter, and afterwards the goblins had seen fit to make small changes in honor of their fallen kin. Stones had shining veins in a handful of places, where powerful spells had shattered them to dust, only for the goblin smiths to fill the broken bits with silvery metal. There were also barriers, not a part of the original design, but added to slow any attack, and give those inside time to flee or organize a hasty defence.
While Nincy stayed outside to wait Eudora and her aunt entered. They'd been through this particular process many a time and while both felt quite green by the end of the cart ride it was mostly normal. There stood vault 430, it had been Eudora's family for generations, and could only be opened with her presence. For now her aunt held the key, which was passed over to the goblin escorting them.
"Stand back please," he said from his place beside the keyhole.
The doors opened upon a room of generous size. Here and there were a few heirlooms, pieces in gold or silver that had been collected over the generations, or otherwise valuable objects. There were pile of galleons, sickles, and knuts on platforms and tables stacked high. While many would have thought this wealth incredible, Eudora saw only decay.
She could remember how this place looked when her brother had been the one in charge. How barely four years ago the stacks had been so much larger, the room so much more full. Year by year she'd seen the amount of money stored here siphoned away bit by bit. It would last, it had to, but it still grated. More so because Nincy had shown her the finances for the house at the insistence of her grandfather's portrait, to 'teach her proper math and household management' he'd said. Eudora was no genius at math, but the numbers didn't add up even to her.
But she said nothing, putting on a fake golden smile as she did so often. There was a time and a place for a fight and this wasn't it, mostly because she couldn't win. Once she could she would act, and with certainty, but for now, she'd have to bite her tongue and feign ignorance. Her aunt thought her a dedicated, compliant child, her aunt was quite wrong.
As the older woman went to sweep an absolute pile of gold into her bag though Eudora did speak. "Goodness auntie, what in the world are you planning on buying?" There was a limit, and what she'd tried to take now was enough to fund the house for several years if used properly.
"Well, you need a broom Dora, and an owl," she tried to explain.
"I can't take a broom auntie, first years aren't allowed one. I don't want an owl either, honestly I don't think they'll let me have what I would, but I'll try for next year." That was all true enough.
"Oh, I suppose you're right there," she said, lowering the amount significantly and sweeping it into her purse.
As her aunt busied herself she didn't notice Eudora palming a few galleons behind her back. The goblin did, but responded only with a raised eyebrow. He understood well enough that this was her vault, and she could take her own money if she really wanted to.
Once they'd left they made their way straight to the wand shop that all wise wizards used. The building, like many around it, was newer. The sign indicated that it had been established so very long ago, but the shop itself was updated. Sights like that were not uncommon, most businesses in magical London were ancient, but so many were damaged or destroyed in the previous wizarding war that you could pick them out by the evidence of rebuilding alone.
As they entered a small bell over the door filled the shop with the tinkling, it carried far louder than it had any right to, and seemed to almost slink its way around shelves and deep into the back of the store.
A young man in his thirties with wild hair and a slightly receding hairline quickly appeared. "Good morning ladies, and welcome to Ollivanders." His bright eyes twinkled as he gave them a quick look.
"But you're... what happened to..." Aunt Jenny tried, looking surprised at the shopkeeper.
"Grandfather, well, he's gotten to the point he just can't keep going like he used to. I mean, he's well over a hundred now, and the years are finally catching up. Still comes in to build a wand or help a customer every now and then. Frankly, I think he just doesn't know what to do with himself without it." He shrugged, but you could tell he found the interruptions to his normal day a bright point rather than an irritant.
"Oh, I see. Well, Eudora here is off to Hogwarts and needs a proper wand."
"Hello sir," Eudora offered, giving a small smile and wave.
"Well let's see what we can do. Though if my eyes don't deceive me, you already seem to have a wand." He motioned her over to the counter while a few measuring tools floated up of their own accord. He must have seen the little holder sewn into her dress. "May I?"
"I don't mind, but it's not really..." as Eudora spoke a boy around her age poked his head out from the shelves, looking about. In her distraction she barely noted the tape measure that was zipping around her and taking every number one might think of.
Mr. Ollivander had taken her wand and was looking it over with a keen eye. "Gawain is my son and assistant, and will be starting this year with you miss Eudora." He motioned the boy over. "Tell me what you think of this son."
The boy looked at the wand with eyes like a falcon, slowly turning it over in his hand. "Not bad, but not great either, and definitely not one of ours. Rough spots in a few places and the handle is quite off. Ten-and-a-half inches, chestnut and... what's the core?" He looked genuinely confused at that last question.
"Dittany if I'm not mistaken. Not something we use anymore in our shop." At Eudora's nod he continued. "Homemade? By whom?"
Eudora could feel the heat making it's way up into her cheeks and cursed herself. There was no way she could have known professionals would have examined the little wand she'd made.
"My brother showed me how, and we have this portrait which pitches an absolute fit if everyone isn't carrying one, even if they can't do anything with it..."
"You made it?" The boy asked, eyebrows on both him and his father rising a bit. "Cool."
"Cool indeed, but if you're measurements are anything to go by, this doesn't seem well suited to you." The proprietor said.
"It isn't really, but it's what I could do..." Eudora wanted to sink into the floor and disappear, but the eyes on her seemed keen that she should stick around just a bit longer.
The wandmaker smiled. "Well, let's see if we can't find you something a bit better then." He snatched the tape out of the air and looked it over for a moment. "Gawain, grab me... the ebony and unicorn hair from shelf four, column three, and... there should be a pine and phoenix feather one on the same shelf."
The elder Ollivander began pulling a few wands out too, and passing them over to Eudora. She gave each a light swing, but none really felt quite right in her hands. Some were better, some felt like they were just unhappy at her touch. One particular laurel wand even issued a small shock when she tried to touch it.
After around a dozen attempts the younger Ollivander looked at his father. "What about the cherry one in the case?" He pointed at a beautiful looking slightly red-tinted wand sitting upon a small pillow in one of the displays.
At his father's nod Gawain took the wand out and held it forward. As soon as Eudora's fingers touched it she knew which wand she wanted. It felt like taking hold of an close friend's hand before it sent a warm wave of power drifting through her skin. The smallest wave left a bright, but fully controlled path of fire burning in the air behind it.
"Looks like the wand has indeed chosen. Cherry and dragon heartstring twelve-and-a-quarter inches and unyielding, nice isn't it? But be aware that that combination can often give more power than you expect, plan for it to cast spells a lot stronger than your previous wand." Mr. Ollivander gave her a hard look as he spoke, seeming worried what she might do with such an implement.
"I'll be careful sir," she responded.
Aunt Jenny moved back forward, having taken a back seat to watch what was for so many young witches and wizards one of the most important moments of their lives. Bubbling with happiness she paid the shopkeeper and her niece stowed the new wand right in the little pocket she'd kept her previous one in, right beside its predecessor.
As they left Aunt Jenny frowned. "Good time, but looks like it took us longer than I thought..."
"I can go get my robes while you pick other things up," Eudora offered, happy to have an excuse to split up.
"And leave you all alone?"
"I'll have Nincy and she can get me away should anything go wrong. It's just going to be me standing around mostly anyway."
"Oh... very well, but you two stay together, and keep well away from Knockturn Alley."
"Of course, nothing down there I'd be interested in," Eudora easily agreed.
"I'll meet you at Madam Malkin's when I'm done." With that Aunt Jenny turned and began making her way towards the potion supply shop.
Once she was well away Eudora spoke. "She's sober."
"Yes miss, she had me throw all her... 'drinks' out last night," the small, high pitched voice behind her responded.
"Did you do with them as I told you?"
"Of course miss. They'll be repackaged and sold back to her from your supplies should she ask me to buy her more." That had been one of Eudora's better ideas, something she was proud of, and not a bad source of pocket money.
"Good work Nincy," she said, genuinely pleased with the elf's actions. "I'd give her until I board the train, maybe a few days longer at best."
"I know how you hate her wasting money miss."
"It's not just that, if it were I wouldn't be so unhappy. It's that she's letting everything just fall apart. The house's protections need work, our potion supplies are lower than they should be if we were gathering everything properly, she's not working and not refilling the money she takes, and I'm dreading what the garden will look like when I get back from school. She even got rid of many of grandfather's pets and best plants, claiming they were 'dangerous' not even thinking that they were there for a reason." Eudora frowned, it was all vexing her to no end. "And I can barely do anything about it at all. I hate it, I hate being powerless."
"I'm sorry miss," Nincy said, sounding pained.
"Don't be, without you I don't know what I'd do." Eudora really did care for the little creature.
Eudora knew she was using the elf, having her do things she probably shouldn't, but that was okay. Nincy had first come to the family just a few years before her grandfather passed, since then she'd done nothing but try her hardest, and most of the time succeeded.
Eudora gave the house-elf another smile before turning and walking down the street. It was still packed, and that alone limited her speed.
"Miss... the robe shop is back there isn't it?" Nincy asked as they passed Madam Malkin's.
"We're going to get my cloak first. The joke shop a bit further on have the most interesting cloaks; they have a shield charm on them! I've wanted one ever since I saw their advertisement in the paper, and a few of their trick sweets too. I doubt the shield will be all that strong, but it will be a good bit better than what I've got now." Eudora smiled as she headed towards the shop, one of the biggest around.
"But you don't have a shield charm do you miss?" The elf questioned.
"Exactly."
A couple hours later found Eudora sitting in The Leaky Cauldron happily munching on some stew, her new cloak thrown around her shoulders. It was hard to not play with a new toy, even if she didn't have a good way to test it right now. Nincy was a bit away, keeping well hidden as they'd had to take a place near the exit to muggle London, it being the only place left to sit right now.
As for her aunt... she was in the lavatory. Potions or not, it was likely she'd be feeling ill off and on for the next few days. Her own bad decisions were coming home to roost and while her niece would feign pity for her self-inflicted condition, it would be just that, fake.
As Eudora finished using a piece of bread to mop up the last of her meal, a dish titled Soup, Soup, Soup she heard the strangest noise. There was a sound like yelling, followed closely by some kind of roar. Everyone in the pub froze, looking towards the back, the side where Diagon Alley lay, and the source of the commotion.
A wizard ran through the back door, face painted with panic. "RUN DR-"
And then the back wall of the pub shattered.
