The Perfect Wand

What happened before:

"Can we?" Ruby grinned. "Awesome."

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"Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow…"

"Ruby?"

"Wow...Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

"I'm awesome, just… Wow. I think I really like magic."

"Right, well, can we walk INto Diagon Alley now?"

They had now stood outside the open archway for a minute or more, and people began to look at them strangely.

The stern old woman guided the awestruck child to obtain her items while the girl's face lit up in delight at each new sight.

"Wow."

"Alright, first stop. Madam Malkins sells robes, which you'll need for school."

Ruby entered. "Hello!"

"Hello, dear. Step this way, I'll have you measured in a jiffy."

Ruby received her new clothes in hardly any time, and the two witches moved on to the next shop.

"You're allowed to buy one animal priced under two galleons, so pick wisely. Your familiar can stay at the castle when you go home since you can't keep it at the orphanage with you."

"Castle?"

"Hogwarts is a school, and the school is in a castle."

"Wow."

Ruby soon exited with a sleek black raven, who landed on her the minute she entered. She promptly fell in love with her new familiar.

They picked up a cauldron and scales, moving towards Flourish and Blotts.

Ruby read the sign outside. "Lockhart book signing, 1:00-3:00."

Minerva groaned.

They shoved through the crowd, picking up the necessary books as they passed them before pushing their way out again.

"That was a pain," Ruby commented cheerfully.

"Professor McGonagall!" A girlish voice called from behind them.

"Miss Granger," Minerva introduced. "How did you do last year?"

"I got an "O" in all my subjects!"

"Very good," Minerva complemented.

"Congratulations, I'm Ruby."

"I'm Hermione," Hermione greeted. "Nice to meet you,"

"Hermione! We found Harry!" a voice yelled.

"I've got to go, bye!" Hermione dashed off in the direction of the voice.

"Next is your wand, Miss Ravenwing."

"Cool." Ruby grinned.

Ollivanders was a gloomy shop, with darkened windows and dark lighting, but when Ruby entered the shop, she felt a rush of energy.

"I think this shop is my favorite," Ruby told Minerva, surprising her.

"Is it? Most think it's creepy."

"No, I love it. This once has so much energy."

Minerva looked puzzled.

"Hello." A low voice caused Minerva to jump, even though she expected it.

"Oh, Hi there." Ruby greeted. "Are you Mr. Ollivander?"

"Yes."

"I'm Ruby Ravenwing, and I need a wand for Hogwarts. Do I pick one, or does it pick me?"

"The wand chooses the wizard, Miss Ravenwing. You are very smart, I'll admit."

"Er, Thanks? So how do they choose? Is it like finding a friend? Do you just touch it and know? Or do they fly into your hand when you call it?"

Ollivander laughed for the first time in a long time. "I hand them to you, and the wand will know.

"Try this one, Ashwood and Phoenix feather, nine and a half inches. No, not that one.

"Pine and dragon heartstring, twelve inches, no.

"Birch and griffin feather eleven and three quarters, certainly not.

"Holly and unicorn hair, ten and a half inches, nope.

"Tricky customer, Miss Ravenwing," Ollivander commented, looking delighted.

"Sorry." Ruby smiled back.

"Try this."

Ruby reached for the wand he held out, feeling a rush of energy flowing from it before she'd even touched it. Her hand wrapped around one end of it, sending more energy through it. The warmth spread throughout her entire body, and crystal-like sparks sprouted from the end of the wand.

"Check that, I LOVE magic," Ruby whispered. "What's this one?"

"A unique combination, it almost blew me up the first time I touched it. Ashwood and unicorn hair, eleven inches, and very powerful wand, famed to have once been owned by Rowena Ravenclaw herself. No one has been able to prove it, but there is a large amount of substantial evidence."

"How much?"

"Nine galleons."

Ruby left a very happy witch, with a wand in her hand and a raven on her head, she felt like she could fly on a broomstick. And that's when she saw them.

"Is that really a broom? I thought witches only rode them in books? Wouldn't they be really uncomfortable? I mean, you ARE sitting on a stick."

"Yes, that's a broom. No, they aren't uncomfortable, they have a cushioning charm on them. They are a very common and useful way to travel."

"Still, Ow."

"Are you ready to go back?"

"Nope, let's go."

"What?"

"No, I don't want to go. Yes, I do have to go. So, we should probably go."

"Right." Minerva looked rather confused. "Grab my arm, let's apparate."

"What's that?" Ruby asked as she grabbed her arm.

"A wizard's most common form of travel, it's like a form of teleportation."

Pop.

Pop.

"That was fun!" Ruby grinned.

Minerva was dumbfounded. "Right. Fun. that's what I thought my first time too."

Minerva's first time with a side-along apparition, she vomited the second they arrived. She then spent the next few years avoiding her apparition license until it became a job requirement.

Nowadays, she only appeared when it was necessary, and unfortunately for her, her job required it every year because she had to help Muggleborn students buy their supplies.

"I'll pick you up the morning of September first to bring you to the train. Please be ready by ten-thirty."

"Okay, thank you, Professor!"

"No magic outside of school please!"

Ruby skipped into the orphanage, leaving behind a very confused Minerva McGonagall. In all her days, she had never met such a strange child.

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Ruby sat on her bed, thinking over the last few hours. It was officially the most amazing day she had ever had.