The Black Wizard

Diagon Alley was always very busy, especially on Saturday. Dozens of colorful figures made their way through the winding street. I was just looking for an owl, since mine had decided to fly out of the window and never return again. Eeylops Owl Empire was close to Oliviander's shop, the best wand shop of the entire world if you ask me. In Eeylops shop I would find the perfect replacement for Sheila, my eagle-owl that had never been tamed. Sometimes I had wished for an owl like Hedwig, stubborn yet loyal and beautiful with white feathers. Sheila had never given a notion of affection, only when she was hungry. Then she would pull my hair or scratch her cage making an annoying rattling sound.

I stood at the window watching the birds. Most were snowy owls, popular since Harry Potter. But I immediately noticed a barn owl. She sat near the window, her head erect, her beige and white feathers gleaming in the afternoon sun. I had never seen such a wonderful owl before.

The bell on the door jingled as I entered the store. The room was fairly dark and small, with every step I took I bumped against an iron cage attached to the ceiling. But I did everything I could to get this owl.

"Good afternoon."

A raspy voice came from somewhere in the back of the shop. I was startled and looked at an old man, he had some tufts of hair scattered over his balding head and a pointy noise. He seemed to be very small; his head stuck only a few feet above the counter. A few owl cookies and candies were ranked according to price in a rack on the wall, dead ferrets hung on strings from the ceiling. I shuddered. It wasn't a pleasant sight to see.

"Good afternoon." I wobbled and halted just in front of the counter. "I would like to buy the barn owl if it's still possible."

"The one at the window?"

"Yeah. Is she still for sale?"

"It's a he. And yes, he's still for sale."

The man stepped from behind the counter and waddled to the cages. He was barely 5 feet and had a hunched back. In his wrinkled hand he held a gnarled staff with which he whirled around enthusiastically to get the cage from the ceiling. For a moment I thought a piece of ceiling would fall to pieces, but the damage was limited; the owl just swung back and forth in its cage and made a shocked, scratchy sound. Then it was pleasantly quiet in the shop.

"What do you need this owl for?" the man asked surly. He walked back to the counter, the cage floating beside him in the air.

I followed. "Erm... Mail delivery and just a friend? I need it for school. Hogwarts."

The man nodded and pulled out parchment, ink and a quill from a drawer. "Name and age?"

"Lilly Goldbloom. Sixteen years old."

"Year of schooling?"

I wiggled back and forth nervously before replying: "Fifth year."

"That'll be ten galleons."

I rummaged in my purse and pulled out ten shining galleons. This owl was worth these coins. Proudly I put them down.

"You know how to take care of an owl?" the man asked eyeing me suspiciously.

"Yes. I have had an owl. He has always been well cared for."

"There you go."

He put the cage down right in front of me. The owl immediately looked me right in the eyes, the darkest color I had ever seen. Oh my, he was stunning. I felt a connection right away.

"Thank you very much."

I went from the store back into the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. A watery sun shone through the clouds and stated that summer was almost over. That meant that I would return to Hogwarts in exactly three days and start my fifth year. It mean that I could finally learn my lessons again and enjoy the magic the school carried along. And my precious owl would acompany in my journey.

I was finally going home again.