Olivander's Got the Best ((Skyler))

[Andrew Thornton G6]

Drew stepped lightly through the entrance to Diagon Alley, watching in amusement and still reverence as the magical entrance closed behind him. It didn't matter how many times he went through that entrance it still intrigued him to watch it close again. Life's simple amusements, especially in the wizarding world. Drew grinned to himself as he waited to see if it would open again for someone new, but it didn't. How unfortunate. He'd stand there all day just to watch it open and close, although that would get rather boring after a couple minutes. Drew turned on his heels and started off down the street, looking for his parents who seemed to be off on their own checking out all the crazy things that were around them like usual. Drew loved bringing his family to Diagon Alley, it was the one thing that he could share with them right now. Being underage there wasn't much else he could do. His brother had begged him to show him magic, but Drew had been unable to even do the slightest of trick due to the law. He wanted to graduate from Hogwarts and he wasn't about to sacrifice his graduation into the wizarding world by doing one lame trick with his wand. Speaking of his wand that's what he was there for. His last one had been accidentally crushed into a mere powder after his father ran it over with his car.

Drew winced at the thought. He'd never seen anything quite so depressing in his life. A spark emanated from the wand just before it became nothing but a soft powder, the magic shooting out into the air. Drew had gotten reamed for that when his dad got out of the car, yelling at him about leaving his precious items strewn about, but really it hadn't been Drew's fault. Jacob had ran off with his wand after he told him not to and had obviously dropped it. What was more disconcerting was the fact that the explosion of the magic had caused his father's car tire to go flat. So with that in the works Drew was forced to get his parents to take him to Diagon Alley before the new year started. He'd have to have a new wand, it was required. He hated the fact that his parents were going to have to pay for a new one, but there was little else he could do, besides he knew he'd be making up for it in the coming month as house work piled up and he having to owe his parents for his carelessness.

So that's why Drew was here, wandering around Diagon Alley in search of Olivander's, the best wand shop in the world. Drew's feet padded across the cobblestone walk in a soft thud...thud...thud, his eyes scanning the shop signs every few feet in his search to find the shop. He recognized a few students here and there, but no one he really cared to stop and chat with. Drew was a social butterfly in all meanings of the word, but on occasion he preferred shutting his motor mouth and walking in silence, especially when he was trying to just shut everything out for a few moments and take in the world that he had still not grown use to over the last four and a half years. He stopped short as the sign came into view and he quickly dashed into the shop, grateful to have a wand back in his hands. Eyes fell across the wall to wall wands that stacked up to the ceiling. The small bell sounding behind him as he entered the small shop to only find Olivander out of site and a shorter boy standing near the counter.

[phantomlynx]

Skyler was in shock. A wall, that appeared to made out of brick, just opened and he and his mother were in another world. Of course, Skyler knew it could not be another world. His mother told him that they were still in London. But really! An alley full of shops and people that seemed to come straight from the Dark Ages right in the backyard of London streets. How could people not notice?

"All right, today all we have time for is to get your wand." His mother's voice snapped him out of his trance. "Oh yes, we need to go to Olivander's. That's the best wand shop. Give me your hand so we don't get separated," she said while offering her hand to Skyler. He didn't want to take it. He was not going to take her hand in front of a group of strangers. He was eleven now. Almost eleven and a half. He was too old to hold hands with his mother like a baby. "Either give me your hand or I'll bring you by force," she continued brandishing her wand. Skyler didn't really know what that meant but he didn't want to find out.

It was actually a short distance to the store but Skyler didn't pay any attention to that. He had to experience everything with his senses. Everyone looked different, everyone spoke differently, even the air smelled differently. This was wonderful! But all too soon they were at the shop and his mother was talking again. "Now be good and go in there and talk to the shopkeep. I've got to go exchange this blasted muggle money for real money." And with that she was off.

When Skyler went in the first thing he noticed were the shelves. It appeared that the shelves were filled with hundreds if not thousands of little boxes. "Name?" Came a voice which Skyler quickly realized was the shopkeep.

"Skyler Willis."

"Ah, a Willis boy, eh? So your mother did get married. I didn't think it would happen she was so wild at your age." Skyler had trouble imagining his mother blowing bubbles in her milk much less being "wild." "Let me see, hm, I think I know just the one. Won't be a moment." As he said this he disappeared into the madness which was the shelves.

As Skyler was standing near the counter a boy a little bit taller than him came into the store. Skyler glanced at him but said nothing. Not wanting to seem rude he quickly looked away and pretended to be interested in a poster behind the counter. Please don't try to make small talk, thought Skyler.

[Andrew Thornton G6]

Drew looked the kid over with a smirk on his face. He was definitely a new kid heading off to Hogwart's next year. Though he looked a tad out of place, which only meant that he wasn't pureblood, probably was more like Drew himself, though he seemed to know a tad bit more about magic than Drew had at that age, so his guess was that he was a half. Maybe his father was the wizard and his mum a muggle, however it didn't really matter to Drew which way it was, really all that mattered was getting a new wand and finding out what house the kid would most likely end up in the next year. For some reason he liked taking bets on that sorta thing. of course he won 8 sickles last year for his ability to guess such matters at a first glance, but he'd be one up this year if he got to talk to this kid before hand. So Drew moved quickly up to the counter next to the kid and looked around for Olivander. Of course he was off somewhere trying to find the kid a wand, which was probably good since Olivander would undoubtedly find something to say about Drew like he always did.

Drew's gray/blue eyes turned on the kid and he coughed slightly to try to get the kid's attention who seemed like he didn't want to talk at all, which gave Drew a slight advantage in saying the kid would be put in Ravenclaw, but he wasn't going to make the bet until later. so he just stuck out his hand in an attempt to greet the little fellow next to him. "Drew Thornton's the name. My guess is you're going to be a new student at Hogwart's this coming year am I right? Well I'm going to be a Gryffindor 5th year. Been at Hogwart's for nearly 5 years now. you'll love it there, especially since I'm assuming you just found out about magic and all recently, since you're not in any sort of robe that most of these wizards and witches wear around here. Of course not that I blame you if you are. The trend does need to go out, makes them look like they're from the 18th century or something like that. Anyway, now that I've babbled on for a bit what's your name?" Drew grinned at the kid. His motor mouth taking off without him knowing it once again. Sometimes it was a wonder he even shut up at all. It was also a wonder if he didn't frighten this kid away, but Drew didn't care. Like he said earlier he was just wanting to get a head start on the betting for new students this year. He definitely wanted to beat out his roommates like he had last year.

[phantomlynx]

Not looking at the boy did not seem to deter him from coming closer and opening his mouth. When he was closer Skyler noticed that he was actually almost a foot taller than Skyler. What did he say his name was? Drew Thornton. Skyler thought he talked too much but he did like the comment about the out-of-date clothes. He seemed friendly enough. And what was that that he said about Hogwarts? He was a fifth year.

Had he just discovered magic? Yes, I have. Was it that obvious? Was there a sign over his heard that read in bright neon letters "Not of the wizarding world"? This entire world was brand new to him. But he didn't mind. It was like opening a present on Christmas morning. You don't really know what's inside and sometimes the box holds something that you don't expect. For instance, one year he came down to see a huge box with his name on it. He thought perhaps that it was that new bicycle that he wanted and could not wait to open it. When opened the box contained hundreds of packing peanuts which Skyler loved and inside the box was C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia the complete series. Skyler loved books and was so happy about all the packing peanuts that he forgot his disappointment that it was not a bicycle.

"Skyler Willis," he answered the boy. But one thing bothered him but Skyler knew that if he asked it would be invoking a conversation. Gryffindor. "What exactly is a Gryffindor?" asked Skyler.

[Andrew Thornton G6]

Drew grinned brightly at the kid as he introduced himself as Skyler and then asked Drew the wrong sort of question. It was wrong mainly for the reason that the kid really didn't know what he was getting himself into. A conversation about Gryffindor with a crazy, adventurous motor mouth was a bad idea. Of course Drew thought it was hilarious. Then again he always thought everything was hilarious. Why, no one knew, but he did. Drew took a deep breath as he clapped his hands together, ready to teach the kid everything he knew about the four houses of Hogwarts. "You don't know what Gryffindor is? Well don't worry I'll educate you real quick like. You might need to take notes if you can't keep it straight by the end, besides this will be on the test at the end," Drew grinned. "Now then let's start with the fact that long ago four people came together to form Hogwarts, a school for wizards and witches. Their names were Salazar Slytherin, Rowena Ravenclaw, Godric Gryffindor, and Helga Hufflepuff. With those four people they created four houses for the wizard and witch students to be divided into based on their personalities. Slytherin was the house dedicated to only those that were pure of blood, to ones that desired power and the means to succeed. Ravenclaw was the house dedicated to knowledge. They wanted students who loved to learn and was eager to read about everything. Gryffindor was the house dedicated to the students that were the most heroic. The ones good and pure of heart who wanted to see justice prevail. That would be my house. And then there was Hufflepuff, the house dedicated to kindness and worth. The house that wanted those who helped others and loved to be kind."

Drew nodded his head at the end of his lecture as he looked at the kid. There was so much more he could go on about, but he didn't want the kid to take off before he told Drew what house he'd probably fit into. There was only so many choices and right off Drew was thinking that the kid was probably going to be a little Ravenclaw. He just seemed way to reserved for Gryffindor or Hufflepuff, granted the infamous Hermione Granger had made Gryffindor and she was obsessed with her studies and for lecturing Drew when he'd try get into trouble, but she was a Prefect after all. Drew looked the kid over quietly before shrugging. "That's pretty much it. So what house do you think you'll be in?" he asked nonchalantly, trying not to appear as if he was being to pushy or nosy.

[phantomlynx]

As soon as the words left his mouth Skyler knew that he had made a mistake. He didn't mean to ask Drew a question but his curiosity got the best of him. But he knew it was a mistake by the big grin on Drew's face. Notes! They couldn't even make me take notes in school, thought Skyler. He glanced towards the back hoping to glimpse the shopkeep but with no luck. What was Drew talking about? Four people coming together to form a school. Skyler could tell that the person in front of him loved to talk, "The ones good and pure of heart who wanted to see justice prevail. That would be my house," especially about himself. All Skyler wanted was his wand and his mother to come back from exchanging currency so that they could be on their way and back to the world where it made sense. Where is that man with my wand? I think he is purposely taking his time.

When Drew finally finished talking he nodded as if he was the smartest person on the entire planet and explaining the most obvious thing in the world. Then Drew asked Skyler a question. No one said it was easy making a conversation with Skyler. Most people thought it so difficult that they did not even try. Drew was new though. One side of Skyler's mouth curled into a smile. Drew had assumed. "What makes you think I'm going there?" Skyler asked Drew. "What if I am getting my wand and going to be trained at home?" Skyler liked being difficult. He hoped that Drew would be taken aback if not a little bit.