Buying a Wand

I'm assuming I just put this here!

Blood Status: Pureblood
Expected Hogwarts House (Which house do YOU think you'll be sorted into): Ravenclaw
Your current height and age: 4'9'', 11 years
Are you a quick-learner?: Yes!
Are you attracted to the Dark Arts?: Equally as attracted as he is to all other aspects of magic. Which is to say, perhaps.
What would you like to use your wand for (dueling, charms, transfiguration, playing, excitement and fun, etc): Versatile! All areas of magic are important.
Do you have a special ability (skilled flyer, seer, legilimens, etc? Horrifyingly normal. Does that count?


Caleb entered the shop slowly, as though he was the first man to set foot in a newly discovered ruin. His face simply exuded pure awe as he set his eyes on the shelves of wands - so much magical potential, in such a small store. He could hardly believe his eyes. As he walked further into the store, the reality of what was about to happen struck him, and he stopped for a moment to contemplate the thought that he was about to get his own wand. Not hold his mothers, or look at his grandfathers from afar, no, this wand would be his.

At that moment, Caleb's grandmother chose to walk in quickly behind him, and nudge him towards the counter. "Don't be rude, dear, walk inside and find the nice man behind the counter." she said, her voice clearly just as joy-filled as Caleb's face.

At that, Caleb decided it was time to actually face the music. Taking one last moment to wonder why they hadn't come and gotten him a wand sooner, for all the excitement it was worth, he walked up to the counter. In the deepest voice he could muster, he spoke.

"I am in need of a wand, sir. I believe that you can assist me!" And with that, the grin he had been holding back swept cleanly over his face.

Alek was bent over the many wand boxes that needed to be cleaned and repaired. He'd gotten quite good t handling thge devices, as it was a necessary skill at Ollivander's. Kids would come in all the time, asking for their first wand, and their clumsy hands would often snap them in half. His eyes were bloodshot, deep bags under his eyes decorated his face. Now that Miranda worked with him, he worked extra hard just to impress her. It was all pointless in the end, though, but it was worth it. In the middle of his work, as he sat on a woodden stool behibd the counter, trying to repair a Holly wand, Alek heard a very excited voice.

Looking up, Alek faced yet another grinning child. "I may be ble to help you, yes!" Alek returned the grin, because that stupid review of the store that was going around on the Quibbler had gotten to some people. He was trying to be friendly, but sometimes his mother tongue didn't allow him to make himself clear in English. He was very smart in Russian, but quite stupid in English. Of course, after his time in England he'd gotten better, but not enough to sound normal. Looking at the kid, he thought about the wand he could suggest, taking in as much as he could tell from the little boy's eyes.

"Okay. One second, kid." He put the broken wamd down and walked towards the back of the shop, where more and more shelves hid. Birch.....Oak.....Cypress..... "Got it!" Alek yelled from where he was, rushing over to the kid. "Let's try this first. Hawthorn wood, 11 inches long, rather felxible if you ask me." He described as he took out the wand from its box, giving it a quick wave to demonstrate for the kid how to do it for the first time before handing it to him. "It is Serpent Scale for core, more common than you may think. But quite good, personally." Alek's own wand contained Serpent Scale, so he could easily give reviews on it as a wand core.

With, admittedly, some initial trepidation, Caleb reached forward to grasp the stick from the man. His hand shook heavily as he grasped the smooth Hawthorn, and he immediately knew that this wand was meant for him. The wood seemed to mend into his hand without falter, and his arm stilled as he held it. It felt good to hold, and he couldn't help but run his hands over the surface, admiring it's elegance.

After she gave him a couple moments to bask over the wood in his hand, Caleb's grandmother poked him in the shoulder, nudging him to try it. He had all but forgotten that the wand had not yet officially chosen him, however he was sure to his core that this wand and him were perfect for each other. Clearing his throat, he raised his hand with confidence, and flicked the wand up and down quickly. A bout of blue sparks shot quickly from the end, soaring through the air in the shop with grace.

He lowered his hand to the side slowly, grasping the wand firmly as he spoke, "How much do I owe you, sir? I believe you are quite proficient at your job." Perhaps he jumped the gun there - he didn't know for sure if the wand had chosen him. He frowned slightly, his joyful exterior cracking momentarily as he realized it was quite presumptuous to do the man's job for him. He, quite sadly, placed the wand back onto the countertop, his eyes staying fixed on it at all times. It looked as though he was afraid it would run away.

The kid sirely seemed to like the wand Alek had suggested. But, he was just staring at it. Just....staring at it. Frowning a bit, unsure of what the kid was doing, or not doing for that matter, Alek was about to speak when an older lady urged the boy to try it out. Like a normal person. Just like that, beautiful blue sparks shot from the tip of the wand, going in everybdirection of the shop, in a manner Alek hadn't seen before. It was like fireworks, of every shade of blue Alek could imagine. Staring at the bright blue lights, Alek almost forgot there was someone in front of him until he heard that voice again.

Nodding, a smile on his lips, Alek replied "Just 10 galleons." And, really, he was quite impressed. Sparks were a common thing, but they were usually all the same color, the same intensity. Not with this kid. There must be a connection between the wamd amd the kid, something deeper than what Alek had expected. But the boy said a word he didn't understand. Confused, he asked, "Sorry, lack of English knowledge makes it difficult for me to understand. What is profiecent mean?" It must be sad, but really his English professors were the kids that came to the store. Miranda said curse words every time she said two normal words, and Rudi was often too sophisticated for Alek's brain, and the girls he slept with from time to time obviously weren't smart.

"That wand right there, it will do you good, kid." Alek noted as the boy's expression changed. Still, Alek took the wand from it's spot I'm the counter and packed it back into its box. "I'd give it to you for fun right now, but magic laws, you know?" He told him, putting the wand box into a bag and handing it over to the kid.

Caleb’s eyes lit up when the man told him what he had to pay. He practically tackled his grandmother for the coins. He placed them onto the counter as though they would break into a thousand pieces and cause him to never get his wand. ”Proficient means… Very good at it. You must be very good at your job, because the first wand you picked for me was so… Perfect.” Caleb said, he voice shaking with excitement.

He picked up the box gently, handing it to his grandmother. He took Alek’s words to heart – thiswand would serve him well. That was his wand, and he would treat it with the utmost respect. Caleb looked back up to the man behind the counter, obviously at a loss for words. What could he say to this man that accurately conveyed the gratitude that he felt toward him? He decided, as is always appropriate, to thank him. ”Thank you, sir. I very much appreciate you finding this treasure for me.”

With that, he took a step back and bowed to the man. Caleb and his grandmother both turned towarfs the door, ready to leave. At the last moment, Caleb turned around and spewed out one last question, ”Sir, if I may ask, why haven’t I heard of Serpent Scale cores before? Are they… good?” Caleb stared at him intently.

Listening to the boy's explanation, Alek nodded. "Aha." That made sense, the context in whcih the boy had used it. Except, Alek wasn't very sure he was any good. He tried, because he needed a job and money to pay for certain addictions, but according to that Evan Williams journalist guy....Alek was too shitty at what he did. Still, he couldn't help but smile at the boy's seeming sincerity.  Waving the kid away in a joking manner, Alek said, "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Go, now." If all kids were like this one, Alek might like them more. Hell, if people were more like this boy Alek would like people a lot more. Obviosly, he had his faults, but the boy was too innocent, less corrupted, to notice them.

Alek chuckled when the kid bowed, because what the hell was that? Still smiling, he returned to his pile of boxes, scattered all over the place. Hearing the boy again, Alek looked up to find him by the doorway, an interesting question leaving his lips. "They are uncommon." Alan replied quickly. Taking out his own wand from his back pocket, and upon noticing a butterfly outside by the glass windows, Alek gave it a wave and the butterfly instantly fell to the ground. He'd turned it to stone, because that was the spell Slap liked most. It was his own version of Medusa. "I suppose Serpent Scale is pretty good." He smiled at the boy. "They are stubborn, maybe, but when they need to do soemthinhg, they do it. No rebellion. You have a bond? Don't break it." Alek warned, because Rudi and Alek shared the Serpent Core, and Rudi's wasn't very good after secrets spilled. "With that core, you can eother heal or wound. Up to you."

Caleb grinned as Alek explained the Serpent Scale. That sounded like the type of wand that he could get behind. Fiercely loyal, but also strong-willed. He was still a bit confused by the whole wands-are-like-alive-or-something thing, but that couldn’t be explained right now. He decided not to take up any more of his time. Caleb quickly nodded, and shouted a quick ”Thank you, sir!” as he walked out the door. His grandmother held his new wand, the first sign that he was in fact, a wizard. He almost exploded with joy. Making sure to wave at Alek as he walked past the front window, the two of them continued through Diagon Alley.