An old man stepped out from the shadows, his pale, light eyes shining like two bright moons in the dim shop.
"It's good to see you, Mr. Snape..." Ollivander's voice was soft and gentle. "I remember your wand: thirteen and a half inches, birch, with a phoenix feather core."
"Yes, Mr. Ollivander."
"Oh, and I still remember Miss Evans, who came with you before—her wand was ten and a quarter inches, willow, with a dragon heartstring core." Ollivander kept muttering as he reminisced about the past.
Hearing this, Allie turned to look at Professor Snape, who had frozen once again.
Ollivander leaned over to look at Allie. "Oh, could this child be..."
"Child, tell me your name." Ollivander reached out a hand.
Allie shook Ollivander's hand in return. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Ollivander. My name is Allie Evans."
"I know you, child. Your brother, Harry Potter, is very famous."
Allie remembered the clippings in Ginny's room... "Has sir seen my brother? Has he ever been to your shop?"
It seemed everyone knew Harry, yet she, his own sister, had never even seen him. This left her feeling a little down.
"No, he hasn't been to my shop yet. If he comes, I will certainly remember." Ollivander pulled a long box out from behind him. "Try this one: eleven and a quarter inches, poplar, with an earth dragon scale core. Excellent for defense."
Allie took it and gave it a wave, sending sparks flying all over Professor Snape's robes. Startled, Allie hurriedly handed the wand back.
"No, not that one." Ollivander went off to search the other side for a suitable wand.
Professor Snape expressionlessly extinguished the sparks with his wand.
"Sorry, Professor, I didn't mean to." Allie thought Ollivander must have gotten the core wrong; that should have been a firedragon...
"Ah! Found it, found it. It has to be this one. Come, try this." Ollivander handed over another box.
Allie deliberately stood a bit further away from the two of them before waving the wand, afraid she might set fire to their robes again.
Fortunately, this wand was wonderful. As she waved it, the hem of her skirt gently lifted, and the breeze felt like a pair of gentle hands stroking her cheeks.
Ollivander clapped excitedly. "That's it, that's it! This wand has chosen you, child. It's alder, twelve and a third inches, with a mermaid's tear core—though I'm not entirely certain, this wand has been here a very long time."
Ollivander leaned close to Allie's ear and whispered, "You know, child, mermaids are very rare in this world. This wand can guide the soul; it is very powerful."
For some reason, Allie felt her heart beating a little fast—probably because the wand had chosen her, and she had chosen the wand.
After Ollivander promised to send her regards to her brother if he happened to meet him, she and Professor Snape left the wand shop.
"Professor, did you know my mother? Did you often play together? What kind of person was she?" Allie decided to talk more with Professor Snape, having noticed that the professor was prone to spacing out.
"I knew her..."
"Professor, why hasn't my brother come yet? Today is already the twenty-fifth. Could Aunt's family not find the way here?" Allie felt a bit resentful; she had asked so many questions, yet the professor had only answered one.
"Hagrid will go get him..." Finding Allie's questions a bit too much to bear, Professor Snape grabbed Allie by the collar and strode toward Eeyops Owl Emporium.
This was the last stop of the day. The child simply asked too many questions, some of which he honestly didn't know how to answer.
As soon as she was set down, Allie heard a witch complaining to a wizard, "Darling, toads are out of fashion. This toad has been in the shop for far too long."
The wizard replied, "We can't just throw it out, that would be too pitiful. Let's see in a bit; if no one wants it, I'll give it away."
Allie looked at the toad they were talking about—a golden toad with golden skin, greenish-blue eyelids, and plum-colored markings on its back. It was about the size of three fingers, sitting quietly in its box. Actually, it wasn't ugly at all—
"How about this one, sir? Its wingtips are quite long, so its flying skills should be rather good." The wizard in the shop brought out a small, gray-black owl that looked only seven or eight months old.
"Hoot—" The little owl suddenly flew from the wizard's hand toward Allie, rubbing its head against her cheek.
"Do you want this one?" asked Professor Snape.
Allie felt the little owl's joy, but she also felt the golden toad's sadness.
This put her in a bit of a dilemma. Why couldn't a school keep two pets? She must have been influenced by Hagrid; she couldn't bear to leave these little creatures unhappy.
After pondering for a while, she still decided to take the golden toad. Everyone loved owls, and this little fellow could find a better master.
Reluctantly, Allie stroked the little owl's head. "Professor, I want that toad!"
The little owl looked at her with a betrayed expression, as if it couldn't believe someone could stroke it one second and reject it the next.
Professor Snape also saw Allie's hesitation. "Please get me that toad... and this owl as well."
Allie looked at Professor Snape in confusion. "But Professor, you can only keep one pet at school."
"The other one is mine... I happen to need one to deliver mail."
So that was it. That way, she would still be able to see the little owl in the future.
The wizard was thrilled to have sold two pets at once, including a toad that had lingered in the shop for a very long time!
Allie walked into the shop to pick out some food for the toad and the owl.
The witch had already packed the pets into a birdcage and a breathable box.
However, when she came out, Professor Snape was nowhere to be seen.
Allie waited by the shop entrance for a little while before she saw Professor Snape walking over, carrying some cakes and drinks.
"Professor? These are...?" Could the business the professor had to take care of actually be buying food?
Professor Snape signaled for Allie to follow him, leading her to the area with public red telephone booths.
They were going back through a telephone booth.
"This belongs to the Weasley family. You stayed at their house for a long time." These were gifts to show appreciation, though still not enough.
Professor Snape dropped five sickles into the telephone booth and picked up the receiver. "Ottery St. Catchpole."
Wizarding homes generally had magical barriers set up; no one could Apparate directly into a house at will, but one could stop in the surrounding area.
Traveling by telephone booth was much better than using a fireplace—at least there was no need to swallow soot.
Carrying the box in one hand and holding the little owl in the other, Allie followed behind Professor Snape, while the professor carried the cakes, drinks, and the small toad. Before long, they arrived at the Weasley family's doorstep.
Ron and the others had all returned, standing in a line in the yard—evidently having been rounded up by Molly with her flying broomstick.
After each of them greeted the professor, they went inside.
Professor Snape didn't go in either; after bidding farewell to Mrs. Weasley, he mounted his flying broomstick and left with the little owl.