It's Magical

Erin shook her mum’s hand off of her own as she entered the Wizarding World. It was strange to her, the warm tingle that spread instantly through her nerves the second her foot stepped through the large ‘Hogsmeade’ arch. The flying boar above twinkled in the warm sunlight as Erin removed her sunglasses.

“Darling, I don’t want you to get lost. Please stay close to me.” Erin’s mother ordered over the loud buzz of the crowds but Erin wasn’t listening; she was in shock.

“This is brilliant.” She whispered at the sight of kids waving wands around, adults sipping refreshing Butterbeer under the hot sun and families pointing at the various wizard shops that displayed crazy pranks that defied all acts of nature.

“Erin, dear, please listen to me!” Her mum shouted as Erin just stared at everything with her mouth wide open. How could one place be this amazing?

“Mum, can we go get my wand first?” Erin asked with a grin and her mother rolled her eyes but a smile appeared shortly afterwards.

“Of course.”

The mother and daughter walked towards the rather crowded shop called ‘Ollivanders’. The queue was very long, each and every one of the participants groaned lightly at the rising temperature. Erin jumped in at the back with the permanent smile plastered on her rosy face – this was it, she was actually here!

“I’m going to get a drink in the pub, meet me in there afterwards.” Her mum whispered an hour later just as Erin was called to enter the shop. She nodded fiercely at her parent before running into the cooler, dark room of the wand shop.

Erin watched from the side lines as some braver and quite ruder children her age pushed to the front hoping to get chosen for wand choosing. Brats, Erin thought bitterly as one girl pushed her friend down onto the floor as the wand maker walked past the group silently.

“You, my dear... what’s your name?” The old man stopped as he reached the corner with a gentle smile. Erin looked up to see the man was staring at her.

“Me?” The other kids scowled bitterly at her as she stood there awkwardly avoiding the man’s gaze.

“What’s your name?” The man repeated and Erin gulped, dodging the bright spotlight with nervousness.

“E-Erin Harrison,” She answered quietly and the wand maker nodded, a gentle smile playing round his soft lips, “but I think the other kids should go first... I d-don’t mind.” She whispered but the man shook his head.

“Oh no my dear Erin. It is only your turn.” Failing to avoid the attention and the glares of the other children, Erin ineptly walked to the space in front of his desk.

“I believe you came here with your mother?” He asked, his back turned to the crowd as he searched through heaps of dusty wand boxes.

“Y-Yeah, how do you k-know?” She stuttered, the watching crowd muttering lightly at his correct assumption.

“Ah, a wizard never reveals his secrets Miss Harrison. Ok, try this wand?” He handed her a very heavy, dark brown wand that instantly made her a little faint. Before she even tried to wave it, must have been a product malfunction, the wand maker whipped it out of her grip.

“No, no, no! Try this!” The wand maker handed her a smaller, lightly and rather prettier wand that spread gentle warmth through her hand.

“Now, ring that bell!” He smiled at Erin and she flicked the wand towards the copper bell above. Presumably controlled by the effects team, the copper bell swung side to side to emit the most beautiful ring that ricocheted off of all the walls in the shop. The audience clapped while the wand maker grinned widely.

“Congratulations Erin Harrison! Here is your wand; unicorn hair and hazel.” The wand maker then sent the whole room into the official shop to purchase their own wands. A particularly sour faced girl barged past Erin hitting her shoulder quite hard. Erin stayed silent as she watched the girl be bought 3 different wands because of the tantrum she threw because Ollivander didn’t choose her.

It was kinda funny to watch, Erin did offer for someone else to go instead but the man insisted. Shrugging to herself at the pointless argument, she went to go pay for her wand.

“It’s okay dear, it’s all yours.” A kind faced lady grinned as Erin’s face lit up.

“Are you sure? I mean, I have some money on me? I don’t deserve something for free.” Her mother raised her with those ideas and she stuck to them. Nothing is free in this world unless it’s been earned through hard work.

“No, all yours. Good day!” She smiled and ushered Erin out of the shop before she could protest anymore. Confused at her attitude, Erin turned to walk towards the Three Broomsticks when a rather bold lady with intertwined hands stopped her in her path.

“Miss Harrison, may I have a word with you?” She asked, leading her towards the pub. Erin frowned at the thought of a complete stranger knowing her name.

“I’m sorry but my mother-,”

“-is this way. This is very important but you must believe me.” The lady informed significantly and Erin bit her lip with a nod.

“Okay, what?”

“You’re a witch. This is all real.”