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Felixir · 08-15-2023, 02:30 AM

SPOILER!!: SilverTiger

One more customer dealt with, and again Zeke stopped to take a quick few gulps of coffee before he moved on - the mug was enchanted so that its contents would lose no more than a couple of degrees of heat, a gift from his husband and one which turned out to get used most. He plucked the parchment out of the air as it flew across to him with its measurements, scanning through the information before giving a nod, and releasing it to go and record the next batch.

Stowing away his mug of coffee again, Zeke disappeared off into the back shelves, but reappeared and approached this next customer within a couple of minutes.

"Hello there," he greeted her, bearing a friendly smile and a few wand boxes. "Big day, eh?" He set the boxes down on the counter, but kept hold of the one on top of the stack, and removed the lid. "Let's try a few wands out, shall we? Just take this and give it a wave, and we'll see what happens. Tell me if it feels right, or if you'd like to try another."

With that, Zeke held the box out to offer its contents to the girl, handle-first, smiling encouragingly.

SPOILER!!: kayquilz

In no time at all - well... not no time... there were plenty of customers to tend to and Zeke was determined to give each their due attention, and avoid rushing their special moment - the wandmaker himself had appeared.

"Hello, young man," he said rather kindly, setting a small clutch of boxes to one side and plucking one decisively from the mix. He'd seen the measurements, and immediately gone on the hunt for the best candidates. Perhaps optimistically, but then again, he wasn't above going on the hunt for one or two different options if one of these wands indicated he was way off base. "Ready to get started? If you'll just take this wand, give it a wave..." Zeke opened up the box, and held it out to offer the wand that was nestled inside of it. "... and let me know what you think."

SPOILER!!: Lissy Longbottom

No fire... no fire please. A lot of wood in this place; and those spontaneous fires that occasionally occurred did not do wonders for Zeke's blood pressure. Fortunately, he had quick reflexes.

... Not that quick though - wand down! wand down! - but he had been lulled into a false sense of security by the initial lack of response from the wand.

"Hm, I'm of the opinion that's not the one. No matter," Zeke said bracingly, stooping to pick up both the rejected wand and the still-boxed one that had briefly taken issue with the lad. Both he set aside, to be checked and/or cleaned later, before he considering the other candidates he had collected, ruling out a couple. Perhaps a matter of the core... "Let's try this one," he went on, picking up another box and, again, holding it out for the boy to take the wand inside. "Same again, sir, if you please."

SPOILER!!: Lottiepot

If Zeke was fazed by this young man's apparent lack of enthusiasm, it didn't show - but it was very unlikely, as there had yet to be a child to pass through the shop who could truly take the wind out of his sails. Instead, he adjusted his energy accordingly, albeit slightly. Just part of the process.

Upon the first trial, Zeke noted the faintness of that glimmer, and kept his very witty observation - about the aptness of a wand reluctant to respond - very much to himself. It didn't really work like that with wands (and the few times it did, it was always accompanied by the wand owner knowing that said wand was the right one), and in any case, he had the sneaking suspicion this boy was not the type to appreciate his brand of (excellent) humour.

"Right you are," he said instead, giving a slight nod and taking the wand back, and setting it to one side. He considered their options, based on that performance, and picked up another, again offering its contents to the boy without lifting it from the box instead. "Perhaps this one will be more receptive."

SPOILER!!: FearlessLeader19

Goodness gracious. For a moment there was no small amount of confusion, and the wandmaker himself was to exception to that. There came the muffled clatter of a box set on the counter, and then, a moment later, that fetid smoke cleared again. Zeke was stood, one hand holding his pocket handkerchief over his mouth and nose, the other holding his own hawthorn and unicorn hair wand aloft, having just dispensed with that strange smog.

"Not that one, I think," he said lightly, uncovering his nose and mouth again, so that the boy could see his smile, just as friendly as it had been before. He took the first wand back, placed it back into its box, and stowed his own away again. "But that's helpful nevertheless, so..."

After a few seconds considering the other options, Zeke picked out a second, and again offered the wand inside the box to his young customer. "Same drill. Let's see if you get on a little better with this one."

SPOILER!!: Chelliephone

"Not to worry," Zeke said to the boy, while acknowledging privately to himself that he seemed exactly the type to worry regardless. Still. It was always better to reassure, even if he suspected it would be in vain. "Perfectly alright. I've seen much worse."

He'd have picked the wand up himself, but the lad was quick off the mark with that. Zeke considered his question thoughtfully. "Well... some do describe a sort of warm, tingly feeling, from their fingers all the way up to their shoulder, when a wand has chosen them. If it's uncomfortable or unpleasant, it might not be the one - it's likely you'll just know if it's the right one." After another pause, he picked up another of the boxes and opened it up, just in case. "Do you think that one feels right, or would you like to try this one, and see how they compare?" He held the box out, offering the second for him to take if he felt so inclined. "You're very welcome to do so, if you have any doubts." The most important thing, after all, was to ensure his customers felt confident, happy, or comfortable with the wand they left the shop with.

SPOILER!!: Kimothy

"Why, thank you," Zeke replied to the girl with a warm smile (warm, maybe, but nothing on that coffee of his. "Not quite; it's enchanted to prepare itself, so there's a few little charms at play there." And plenty of fine-tuning to get the process right, though he decided not to expand on that.

Because they had a wand to- Oh, not quite yet.

"Many people, yes, but not everyone. For each measurement it takes, it decides which other measurements it needs, and which it doesn't. As to the precise why, well... the tape measure works in mysterious ways." That is to say, trade secrets and all. The kind of thing that varied between establishments, in terms of exact approach. But Zeke, eyes twinkling, grinned so that the child would at least know he was not bother by her curiosity.

Now they had a wand to get to.

But, evidently, this wand was not the one.

"Not to worry. Plenty of other options for us to try," Zeke replied, nodding and meeting the sheepish smile with a more encouraging one of his own. He held out the wand for it to be placed back inside, then turned and, after a moment's consideration of the options, picked up a second box. "Maybe you'll get on a little better with this one," he said, removing the lid and again offering the wand inside.

SPOILER!!: Harron Peasley

Unless Zeke was very much mistaken - and he might be, he could be mistaken sometimes... not about wands though, thank you very much - this young lady and the girl ~~glued to her hip~~ who had entered just behind her were twins. Made him think of his own girls, as this eventuality often did, and Zeke allowed himself a moment to wonder what they were up to (including a quick scan of the shop, as they could occasionally be found right here) before consulting with the measurements that flew his way.

After a couple of minutes - if that - Zeke emerged from the back shelves with wand boxes stacked in his hands. He didn't really think he'd need so many, but it was always good to plan ahead, in case a wand's reaction sent him down a completely new avenue.

So. This young lady first, though Zeke intended to get both wands fitted at more or less the same time. "Hello there," he greeted the one who had entered first, smiling broadly. "I have some wands for you to try." Or just the one. Sometimes it was just the one. Zeke took up the first wand, one of the more likely candidates, and offered the wand inside it to the girl. "Here you are; give this a wave, and tell me if it feels like the one." And perhaps they would see. It... it was likely that they would see.

SPOILER!!: Daemon

... and, with the first wand tested by the first possibly-twin-possibly-sister, Zeke turned to the possibly-twin-possibly-sister who had accompanied here. Again, he smiled - and hopefully it was as warm and inviting as the rest of Diagon Alley.

"And for you as well," he said, choosing not to intrude and address their earlier comment about the measuring tape and the toes. Oh, Zeke knew the measuring tape predated him in terms of the shop by many years, but that was where his knowledge of the matter stopped. Also, it wasn't a question directed at him. Anyway. Wand.

He plucked a box from the stack he'd brought over, double checked the label to ensure it was the one he'd eyed first, and opened it up to offered the wand inside of it to the girl. "Same again. Give this a wave, and tell me what you think."

SPOILER!!: astrocat

It would have been easy to get lost in all the measurements and mixing up customers during this busy period - especially on the particularly busy days - but Zeke was perfectly at his ease. Oh, how his husband liked to mock him for the time he devoted to order and cleanliness - obsession was the word he used. Zeke didn't actually mind that, but all the same, those habits of his meant he could easily stay on top of things.

So he was still in that easy breezy mood (or at least, whatever his version of that was) when he checked the next lot of measurements with only a break break to take a single sip of coffee, and did his usual tour of the shelves for the most likely candidate.

"You next, my dear," he said now, setting the wand boxes down on the counter and sending an encouraging smile her way. Yes, yes, come on over. "I think we'll try this one first." Zeke took up a wand box and opened it up, presenting the wand inside to the young girl. "You know what to do? Give it a wave, and we'll see what happens. Tell me what you think, if it feels like the right one."

And they would go from there.

SPOILER!!: Shanners

Was it just him, or did this girl look familiar? Zeke was good with names and faces, though that mostly applied to those he had personally seen or interacted with. A man of popular culture, he could not honestly claim to be, though he scanned through newspapers and Mathias' gossip magazines often enough ... and yet not enough for him to make the connection here. Glancing at the family (or so he assumed) through the window, in search of a face he might recognise from a past wand fitting, didn't help him riddle things out either.

Well, not to worry. The important thing was the wand. The name would come later, when the records wrote themselves up; maybe he'd refresh his memory then.

"Hello!" Zeke's cheery voice preceded him as he joined the girl, carrying with him a clutch of wand boxes. "Ready to get started? You can pop those up on the counter, if you'd like," he added, nodding towards the sandals that the girl seemed reluctant to wear (again, something nagged at his memory). Better to avoid having them be a trip hazard with possible unexpected magical effects on the horizon.

Aaand without further ado, the wandmaker presented the first wand, still inside its unlidded box, for the girl to take. "Give this a wave, and we'll go from there. Sound good?"

SPOILER!!: Waddles

Zeke would surely clutch his pearls to hear anyone call his organisation system chaotic, though he was aware it could seem exactly that way to the untrained eye. But a system, there was. Zeke was a man of systems.

He also could not read minds or hear unspoken thoughts, and so would continue being none the wiser. Having consulted the last set of measurements, Zeke had traversed the shelves on the shop floor, going up a ladder or two to find what he was looking for, and now finally stopped to call this young man forward.

"Your turn, my good sir. Let's see if we can't find you a wand." With that, and a smile, he took up one of the most likely candidates and removed the lid from the box, holding it out to present the wand inside it to the boy. "You'll need to take the wand and give it a wave, and we'll see how it responds. If it feels right - or wrong - just let me know."

08-15-2023, 02:30 AM	#108 (permalink)
Felixir Banshee Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Posts: 50,229 Hogwarts RPG Name: Charlie Upstead Gryffindor Seventh Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Aurelio Kaiser Slytherin Fifth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Alexei Petrov Slytherin Third Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Typhon Prince Slytherin Fifth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Achilles Zacharias Ravenclaw Fifth Year x12 x12	Lovely™ \| Captain Hurted \| Ariana's Bane \| Resident Antagonist \| Unparalleled Delight SPOILER!!: SilverTiger Quote: Originally Posted by SilverTiger Being in Diagon Alley wasn’t entirely exciting for one Arienne Morgenstern. She’d been there lots when she was littler, when Grandma Elizabeth had run the bookshop and she’d begged away from going to the Ministry daycare. But…getting all her things for Hogwarts was very exciting, and Ari had been bouncing on her toes a bit while she’d been waiting in line for her wand. Bouncing on her toes and occasionally checking to see if Mum and Grandma Elizabeth were still waiting outside the windows. That Grandma Elizabeth hadn’t stolen away to check on the bookshop now that she wasn’t running it anymore. It was basically a girls’ day, except for it to really be a girls’ day they’d need Grandma Theia, Aunt Arabella and the others, and Aunt Bella and Chris. It was a mum-grandma-Ari girls’ day. That was good enough. That and she could tell Aramis and Ainsley what to expect once they could get their wands too! All the thoughts were zooming through her dark blonde head, as she’d also waved at a few others in the shop she knew. All the people! And now it was her turn. She tried to stand still as the tape whooshed around her, measuring all sorts of things, but it was especially hard when it got to her nose. “That tickles!”, she said with a giggle, fighting back a sneeze. Instead, she crept a hand over to her pocket to make sure the little bag of coins she’d been given for the wand adventure was still there. Not that she thought the measuring tape would’ve taken it. Just to distract herself from the tickling. One more customer dealt with, and again Zeke stopped to take a quick few gulps of coffee before he moved on - the mug was enchanted so that its contents would lose no more than a couple of degrees of heat, a gift from his husband and one which turned out to get used most. He plucked the parchment out of the air as it flew across to him with its measurements, scanning through the information before giving a nod, and releasing it to go and record the next batch. Stowing away his mug of coffee again, Zeke disappeared off into the back shelves, but reappeared and approached this next customer within a couple of minutes. "Hello there," he greeted her, bearing a friendly smile and a few wand boxes. "Big day, eh?" He set the boxes down on the counter, but kept hold of the one on top of the stack, and removed the lid. "Let's try a few wands out, shall we? Just take this and give it a wave, and we'll see what happens. Tell me if it feels right, or if you'd like to try another." With that, Zeke held the box out to offer its contents to the girl, handle-first, smiling encouragingly. SPOILER!!: kayquilz Quote: Originally Posted by kayquilz The twins were accompanied by their father and Victoria, who wanted to be present for the wand fitting just to see how her little siblings faired with the whole ordeal. Roman was nervous but would refuse to tell anyone but his sister that he was. Only she knew all of his secrets. Despite how loud Regina could be, and how cruel she could seem, she knew when to keep something Roman told her to herself. Today, she was being especially sweet to him. Roman's arms were hooked with hers, and she had insisted they wore coordinated outfits. She was wearing a grey pleated skirt with an olive green top, a matching bow in her hair. She looked their age, and quite fashionably so, but Roman had made sure his outfit looked nice, too. He liked his style, and he always had. He had a white shirt, a grey sweater over it, and olive pants. Coordinated without being those CREEPY twins, as Regina had put it. It helped his confidence, at least. Regina had started the measuring process without much thought, but he felt a little more timid. Eventually he stretched out his arms and sighed, letting the tape do its thing. This was kind of awkward. His cheeks were bright red. In no time at all - well... not no time... there were plenty of customers to tend to and Zeke was determined to give each their due attention, and avoid rushing their special moment - the wandmaker himself had appeared. "Hello, young man," he said rather kindly, setting a small clutch of boxes to one side and plucking one decisively from the mix. He'd seen the measurements, and immediately gone on the hunt for the best candidates. Perhaps optimistically, but then again, he wasn't above going on the hunt for one or two different options if one of these wands indicated he was way off base. "Ready to get started? If you'll just take this wand, give it a wave..." Zeke opened up the box, and held it out to offer the wand that was nestled inside of it. "... and let me know what you think." SPOILER!!: Lissy Longbottom Quote: Originally Posted by Lissy Longbottom As Sammy waited patiently for the measuring tape to finish up, he looked around and spotted some familiar faces in the crowd behind him. First, that snooty boy he'd met earlier in the year - he gave him a smile regardless, before waving at his sister. HAHA! He got here first! He also spotted Sohrin behind her, so he waved at him too. Gosh, he already had so many friends. Things were going so swimmingly already and he hadn't even gotten to school! "Hi!" he greeted the shopkeeper with a grin. He appreciated that the man wasted no time getting straight to the point, handing him a box to get started. EEEP! This was it! Sammy had heard from all his siblings to not get too disappointed if this wasn't the right fit on the first go. He was pretty sure Moe had taken at least a dozen wands to get his right. He hoped he wouldn't have to go through THAT many, but here goes nothing! He gave the wand a wave, waiting to see if sparks came out of the end of it or something, or possibly even FIRE - that would be kind of cool, no lie - but...nothing. He waved it again. Uhhh. Nothing was ALSO not a good sign right? Suddenly, one of the boxes on the shelf next to him SHOT out of the shelf at lightning speed, hitting him in the arm. He blinked and dropped the wand in panic. YEEEESH. Delayed reaction much?! No fire... no fire please. A lot of wood in this place; and those spontaneous fires that occasionally occurred did not do wonders for Zeke's blood pressure. Fortunately, he had quick reflexes. ... Not that quick though - wand down! wand down! - but he had been lulled into a false sense of security by the initial lack of response from the wand. *"Hm, I'm of the opinion that's not* the one. No matter," Zeke said bracingly, stooping to pick up both the rejected wand and the still-boxed one that had briefly taken issue with the lad. Both he set aside, to be checked and/or cleaned later, before he considering the other candidates he had collected, ruling out a couple. Perhaps a matter of the core... "Let's try this one," he went on, picking up another box and, again, holding it out for the boy to take the wand inside. "Same again, sir, if you please." SPOILER!!*: Lottiepot* Quote: Originally Posted by Lottiepot If an eye roll could be audible, the one that Elias just gave the back of Sammy’s head would be absolutely screaming right now. Of course he would be incompetent already, he had just seemed the type the second he had met him. If being hit by the wand box wasn’t evidence of that then he didn’t know what else could be. You see Eli had a habit of judging everyone before he met them and no one was safe from his opinions. His brother had always told him that he needed to act his age once in a while and realise he was still just a child but interactions with those of his own age just made him cringe. They were so immature. Before he could make any further passing comments Elias was called up to the counter and greeted by the wandmaker who received a straight-faced expression back. “Good.” he merely answered. Was that not what he was supposed to be doing? He’d appreciate less chit chat so they could get on with it. The sooner he was able to leave the better. With about as much enthusiasm as he could muster considering that he WAS secretly quite excited to have a wand of his own, the eleven year old picked up the first wand and gave it a quick wave. There was very little response, barely even a glimmer resulting in the most unimpressed expression on Elias’ face. “Next.” He thought this man was supposed to be one of the best in his field. If Zeke was fazed by this young man's apparent lack of enthusiasm, it didn't show - but it was very unlikely, as there had yet to be a child to pass through the shop who could truly take the wind out of his sails. Instead, he adjusted his energy accordingly, albeit slightly. Just part of the process. Upon the first trial, Zeke noted the faintness of that glimmer, and kept his very witty observation - about the aptness of a wand reluctant to respond - very much to himself. It didn't really work like that with wands (and the few times it did, it was always accompanied by the wand owner knowing that said wand was the right one), and in any case, he had the sneaking suspicion this boy was not the type to appreciate his brand of (excellent) humour. "Right you are," he said instead, giving a slight nod and taking the wand back, and setting it to one side. He considered their options, based on that performance, and picked up another, again offering its contents to the boy without lifting it from the box instead. "Perhaps this one will be more receptive." SPOILER!!: FearlessLeader19 Quote: Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19 At the same point that Ary finished his creation, the shopkeeper stepped into view. Oh, this little boy was up first? He handed the now finished paperclip dragon off to Bry. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a Hungarian Horntail. With his hands free, he reached over to Drake to give his shoulder a pat. Just a little reassurance and maybe the contact would help Drake borrow some of Ary’s calmness. Gilly got a smile then Ary had his fixed fully on the shopkeeper. “Hi.” As usual, to make up for his lack of speaking much, the eleven year old gave the man a small smile. Ary carefully lifted the wand in his left hand. The first thing he observed was that it felt like lead. Wands were not supposed to feel so heavy, were they? Instinctively, he knew this wasn’t the wand for him, yet it was given a timid wave. BANG! With a sound as loud as a cannon, the air was suddenly filled with thick, black, foul smelling smoke. Ary began coughing and fanning the air before him with his free hand. He had been right; this wand was not for him. It was blindly {since he couldn’t see an inch in any direction} pushed back towards the shopkeeper. Gosh, could this smoke clear now, please? Goodness gracious. For a moment there was no small amount of confusion, and the wandmaker himself was to exception to that. There came the muffled clatter of a box set on the counter, and then, a moment later, that fetid smoke cleared again. Zeke was stood, one hand holding his pocket handkerchief over his mouth and nose, the other holding his own hawthorn and unicorn hair wand aloft, having just dispensed with that strange smog. "Not that one, I think," he said lightly, uncovering his nose and mouth again, so that the boy could see his smile, just as friendly as it had been before. He took the first wand back, placed it back into its box, and stowed his own away again. "But that's helpful nevertheless, so..." After a few seconds considering the other options, Zeke picked out a second, and again offered the wand inside the box to his young customer. "Same drill. Let's see if you get on a little better with this one." SPOILER!!: Chelliephone Quote: Originally Posted by Chelliephone It seemed like the time was way too short until the wandmaker (who truly looked kind which should have made Drake feel better, instead of further causing him to wonder if he was about to waste this man’s time) was offering the young boy a wand to try out. Moving away from his sister, reluctantly, he eyed the piece of wood suspiciously before glancing at the growing line behind him and realizing how rude it would be to dally. With a deeeeep breath, he reached into the box - grasping the handle and pulling it out. Just… holding it. He didn’t really DO anything with it, but hearing the instruction that one was supposed to give it a whirl (which he was taking literally and not as the expression it was probably meant as), Drake took an intake of breath and did just that. The wand grew warm in his hand, which surprised him before he could determine if that was a good thing or not, and he found himself releasing his grip on it. Before then ultra PANICING that he just dropped a wand that he wasn’t even sure belonged to him and he dove for it with his free hand catching it once again. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He rushed out, giving wide eyes at the man. “I uh… is it supposed to be really warm to the touch?” He tended to be timid by nature so he would take the man’s expertise on this. "Not to worry," Zeke said to the boy, while acknowledging privately to himself that he seemed exactly the type to worry regardless. Still. It was always better to reassure, even if he suspected it would be in vain. "Perfectly alright. I've seen much worse." He'd have picked the wand up himself, but the lad was quick off the mark with that. Zeke considered his question thoughtfully. "Well... some do describe a sort of warm, tingly feeling, from their fingers all the way up to their shoulder, when a wand has chosen them. If it's uncomfortable or unpleasant, it might not be the one - it's likely you'll just know if it's the right one." After another pause, he picked up another of the boxes and opened it up, just in case. "Do you think that one feels right, or would you like to try this one, and see how they compare?" He held the box out, offering the second for him to take if he felt so inclined. "You're very welcome to do so, if you have any doubts." The most important thing, after all, was to ensure his customers felt confident, happy, or comfortable with the wand they left the shop with. SPOILER!!: Kimothy Quote: Originally Posted by Kimothy Ascella didn't mind having to wait a few more minutes. It was very busy here, she figured, even more so during the summer. Wand maker man deserved a break too! Even if she was eager to have ice cream with Rosie already, it could wait. "Hello, sir. That was very cool," the eleven year old said, smiling at him. She'd seen him levitate the cup of coffee from the back room, seen the entire thing happen before her eyes while she waited for him. "*Did you use Wingardium Leviosa* for it?*" That was the most basic levitating charm she knew, and probably a very easy and reliable one for all wizards. And yes, sir, she was absolutely that* kid who asked questions, which hopefully he wouldn't mind. Oh! And before she forgets her first question. "Why did the tape measure my head? Does it measure everyone else's head too?" It didn't seem to have measured Rosie's, but Ascella wasn't sure. She hadn't paid all her attention there, having been distracted briefly by the wand maker's floating coffee. Anyway! "Yes, I'm ready." Ascella nodded as she carefully took the wand from the man. She marveled at the sight and feel of it for a moment. The first wand she's ever held! Well, aside from Dad's wand. Could it be? Could this be it? The eldest Archer kid gave it a wave, and a sudden burst of air came out of the wand's tip, surprising even herself. Hmm. "It's...it's alright, but I think not for me." The first wand wasn't a match, but that's okay! There's still time! She offered the wand back to the man, smiling a bit sheepishly. "Why, thank you," Zeke replied to the girl with a warm smile (warm, maybe, but nothing on that coffee of his. "Not quite; it's enchanted to prepare itself, so there's a few little charms at play there." And plenty of fine-tuning to get the process right, though he decided not to expand on that. Because they had a wand to- Oh, not quite yet. "Many people, yes, but not everyone. For each measurement it takes, it decides which other measurements it needs, and which it doesn't. As to the precise why, well... the tape measure works in mysterious ways." That is to say, trade secrets and all. The kind of thing that varied between establishments, in terms of exact approach. But Zeke, eyes twinkling, grinned so that the child would at least know he was not bother by her curiosity. Now they had a wand to get to. But, evidently, this wand was not the one. "Not to worry. Plenty of other options for us to try," Zeke replied, nodding and meeting the sheepish smile with a more encouraging one of his own. He held out the wand for it to be placed back inside, then turned and, after a moment's consideration of the options, picked up a second box. "Maybe you'll get on a little better with this one," he said, removing the lid and again offering the wand inside. SPOILER!!: Harron Peasley Quote: Originally Posted by Harron Peasley If she was old enough to have a wand, she was old enough to go and get it herself. That was how Billie felt, and it was exactly what she had told her parents who were now impatiently waiting outside. The eleven ~~and three quarters!~~ year old was impatient herself, and barely glanced behind her to ensure her sister was following her through the door of the shop. "Come on, Brayla," she said, lips pursed together as she joined the queue. This was the best part of starting school, after all. And whilst she was impatient and annoyed, she couldn't do this without her sister - it just wouldn't be right. They did (almost) everything together, even the things they didn't like! How many times had Billie climbed a stupid hill just because Brayla wanted to? Taking her place in the queue, the eleven year old couldn't stop fidgeting, going onto her tip-toes to see how long they had to wait, peering around the people in front of them, rocking on her heels. When she eventually reached the front of the line, it was an effort to stay still as the tape measure whizzed around her, and she giggled as it tickled under her chin. And then she turned to watch it move on to Brayla. Unless Zeke was very much mistaken - and he might be, he could be mistaken sometimes... not about wands though, thank you very much - this young lady and the girl ~~glued to her hip~~ who had entered just behind her were twins. Made him think of his own girls, as this eventuality often did, and Zeke allowed himself a moment to wonder what they were up to (including a quick scan of the shop, as they could occasionally be found right here) before consulting with the measurements that flew his way. After a couple of minutes - if that - Zeke emerged from the back shelves with wand boxes stacked in his hands. He didn't really think he'd need so many, but it was always good to plan ahead, in case a wand's reaction sent him down a completely new avenue. So. This young lady first, though Zeke intended to get both wands fitted at more or less the same time. "Hello there," he greeted the one who had entered first, smiling broadly. "I have some wands for you to try." Or just the one. Sometimes it was just the one. Zeke took up the first wand, one of the more likely candidates, and offered the wand inside it to the girl. "Here you are; give this a wave, and tell me if it feels like the one." And perhaps they would see. It... it was likely that they would see. SPOILER!!: Daemon Quote: Originally Posted by Daemon It's important to Brayla that everyone knows her hills weren't stupid at all, actually. They were great hills, with the best views and excellent picnic spots. Billie doesn't know what she's talking about. Anyway. Despite her best efforts, Brayla was genuinely excited to be here. She was not excited about Hogwarts (really, not at all), because she simply had too much to do. Her calendar was packed, everything was going to be super ruined if she went off to boarding school for the next seven years. What about her ballet classes?? Her swimming tournaments?? Surely, SURELY, she wasn't expected to just not visit her beloved abraxans for a whole year. It was distressing. It was awful. She obviously wanted to see what Hogwarts was all about but was the price really worth it?? She didn't think so. But getting her wand, this part she was excited about. She shuffled in behind Billie (after a final wave to mum n' dad, bye bye) with an *"I'm right here* Bill," and a tired, instinctive eye roll. Bray blinked slowly and took in the shop, a hand on her sister's elbow. Quaint, because it's Diagon Alley and everything is quaint, but also warm and inviting. She liked the mess. Great mess. After stepping back to allow the tape to measure her sister without interruption (that flick to her fingers wholly unnecessary by the way, she'd have let go of Bill's arm if it had just given her a second!!!), Brayla stood obediently as the overeager measuring device measured the most absurd bits of her body. Her toes (nails painted sparkly periwinkle weren't they cute??) had nothing to do with her wand?? Weird. "Do you think this same tape measured dad's toes too?" Brayla asked, resisting the urge to kick it. Because that would be rude. ... and, with the first wand tested by the first possibly-twin-possibly-sister, Zeke turned to the possibly-twin-possibly-sister who had accompanied here. Again, he smiled - and hopefully it was as warm and inviting as the rest of Diagon Alley. "And for you as well," he said, choosing not to intrude and address their earlier comment about the measuring tape and the toes. Oh, Zeke knew the measuring tape predated him in terms of the shop by many years, but that was where his knowledge of the matter stopped. Also, it wasn't a question directed at him. Anyway. Wand. He plucked a box from the stack he'd brought over, double checked the label to ensure it was the one he'd eyed first, and opened it up to offered the wand inside of it to the girl. "Same again. Give this a wave, and tell me what you think." SPOILER!!*: astrocat* Quote: Originally Posted by astrocat This was Phoebe's Very Special Wand Moment. And while she usually preferred to explore on her own, for this store in extra-special-particular she had made sure she had Drewie-her-favorite-Stemp-House-adult present to hold her hand and take pictures for her photo album. Ascella probably could have taken pictures for her, but she was having her OWN Very Special Wand Moment and Phoebe didn't want to get in the way of that. Her eyes lit up as she stepped into the store. It was SO busy and Phoebe immediately felt at home among the chaos. So many people! So many wands! She made her way to the measuring tape, trying not to bump into anyone tall, and then she was there. The measuring tape moved all by itself, measuring her feet(small) and shoulders(small) and arms(short) and legs(extra short). Drewie even got a picture of it measuring across her nose, which she thought was funny because she didn't need glasses. Measurements finished, she retook his hand and went to the wand fitting area to wait for assistance. She was so excited that she almost couldn't- actually couldn't- breathe with the amount of excited words tumbling out of her mouth. Could she get another picture as she waited? Pretty please? It would have been easy to get lost in all the measurements and mixing up customers during this busy period - especially on the particularly busy days - but Zeke was perfectly at his ease. Oh, how his husband liked to mock him for the time he devoted to order and cleanliness - obsession was the word he used. Zeke didn't actually mind that, but all the same, those habits of his meant he could easily stay on top of things. So he was still in that easy breezy mood (or at least, whatever his version of that was) when he checked the next lot of measurements with only a break break to take a single sip of coffee, and did his usual tour of the shelves for the most likely candidate. "You next, my dear," he said now, setting the wand boxes down on the counter and sending an encouraging smile her way. Yes, yes, come on over. "I think we'll try this one first." Zeke took up a wand box and opened it up, presenting the wand inside to the young girl. "You know what to do? Give it a wave, and we'll see what happens. Tell me what you think, if it feels like the right one." And they would go from there. SPOILER!!: Shanners Quote: Originally Posted by Shanners One of her siblings had said this was the most important day of her whole life. The day she found out if she really was magical or whether the letter was another joke courtesy of CC, Dia and Striddy. Part of her was worried, and that was why Maebry Grimaldi lingered outside of the door and then shuffled into Gen's side for a cuddle and a pep talk. The other part of her was ridiculously excited -- she had dreamed about getting a wand ever since she saw Win getting hers. Now it was her turn. ~~And Melodia's.~~ With a palm flower squeeze, Maebry took off her wig and sunglasses, putting them into the hand that Larkin had extended toward her and headed inside to join the queue. It was only while she waited that she bent down to slip off her sandals and held them close to her. Her wand needed to be true to her, which meant that she needed to be true to herself. No disguise, no protection, no shoes. She needed to be Maebry. In the time it took her to do that, and to look over her shoulder at the disguised Grimaldi brood outside of the window, it was her turn. The measuring tape moved quickly enough that Maebry mistook it's movements for asking her to twirl. The girl giggled as she gave one full twist and only came to a stop when the tape looped around her ankles to make her stop. "Oops! Heheheh. Sorry!" In an effort to stay as still as possible, she pretended she was Rhapsody staring down the press that waited outside of their gated property. Another quick glance over her shoulder, a GRIN and a big double thumbs up to her most favourite family. Was it just him, or did this girl look familiar? Zeke was good with names and faces, though that mostly applied to those he had personally seen or interacted with. A man of popular culture, he could not honestly claim to be, though he scanned through newspapers and Mathias' gossip magazines often enough ... and yet not enough for him to make the connection here. Glancing at the family (or so he assumed) through the window, in search of a face he might recognise from a past wand fitting, didn't help him riddle things out either. Well, not to worry. The important thing was the wand. The name would come later, when the records wrote themselves up; maybe he'd refresh his memory then. "Hello!" Zeke's cheery voice preceded him as he joined the girl, carrying with him a clutch of wand boxes. "Ready to get started? You can pop those up on the counter, if you'd like," he added, nodding towards the sandals that the girl seemed reluctant to wear (again, something nagged at his memory). Better to avoid having them be a trip hazard with possible unexpected magical effects on the horizon. Aaand without further ado, the wandmaker presented the first wand, still inside its unlidded box, for the girl to take. "Give this a wave, and we'll go from there. Sound good?" SPOILER!!: Waddles Quote: Originally Posted by Waddles Diagon Alley was...overwhelming. They hadn't even been to the book shop yet, only the bank, and the sheer number of people--of witches and wizards--filling the street made Kenneth immediately grateful for the relative calmness of the wand shop. It was a good thing his uncle was directing their day, because Kenneth would have gotten lost or given up before too long. The number of boxes of...wands, he supposed, stacking the walls was a little chaotic, so the short, bespectacled, barely-eleven-year-old boy squeezed his eyes shut while he waited for his turn. When it was his turn and his uncle gently pushed him forward, Kenneth's eyes widened at the sight of the measuring tape zipping about. He instinctively squeezed his eyes shut again, but peeked out of his right eye to...keep an eye on the measuring tape's activities. Zeke would surely clutch his pearls to hear anyone call his organisation system chaotic, though he was aware it could seem exactly that way to the untrained eye. But a system, there was. Zeke was a man of systems. He also could not read minds or hear unspoken thoughts, and so would continue being none the wiser. Having consulted the last set of measurements, Zeke had traversed the shelves on the shop floor, going up a ladder or two to find what he was looking for, and now finally stopped to call this young man forward. "Your turn, my good sir. Let's see if we can't find you a wand." With that, and a smile, he took up one of the most likely candidates and removed the lid from the box, holding it out to present the wand inside it to the boy. "You'll need to take the wand and give it a wave, and we'll see how it responds. If it feels right - or wrong - just let me know." __________________ Days of Potter 2023:___________________________ Which Bertie Botts Flavour Are You? You are Chocolate! Last edited by Felixir; 08-15-2023 at 02:43 AM.