A/N. Hey guys - I decided to have a go at writing some fanfiction. Here it is - thanks to Evan (itsevanffs on AO3) for helping me navigate the world of writing by being my beta! Thanks also to OceanBreeze7, who looked this chapter over before I published it! This story is also on AO3 under the user sh4pe.
The Wand Workshop
Chapter One
Monday, 22 July 1991
Little Whinging, Surrey
It was early morning and the sun was peeking over the roofs of the houses of Privet Drive - all was silent, aside from the mewls of the batty Mrs Figg's cats across the road. Suddenly, two successive cracks resounded. A tall, stern-looking woman and a young girl, no older than 19, strolled around the corner of the street, and started walking towards Number Four, Privet Drive. The younger woman seemed excited, and wouldn't stop chattering to her elder.
"Are you serious, Professor McGonagall? Harry Potter?"
"For the last time, Miss Tonks, yes!" the older woman responded irritably. "I highly doubt it would have changed from the last time I told you!"
As they spoke, they walked up to the front door and knocked on the front door three times sharply. A scrawny, bespectacled boy, with wildly untamed hair obscuring his forehead, answered the door. His eyes widened as he saw Miss Tonks' spiky forest green hair, and he said, "May I help you?"
"Is this the residence of one Harry James Potter?" Professor McGonagall enquired. "We have a very special letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
The boy seemed bewildered at the suggestion of magic possibly existing, and why these two women seemed so keen to meet him. "I'm Harry Potter, miss, but is this some sort of joke? Magic doesn't exist!"
"Oh dear," Professor McGonagall muttered under her breath. "Well, Miss Tonks, I didn't expect this when the headmaster said he may be uninformed…
~#~
The Burrow, Ottery St. Catchpole
Around the same time, young Ronald Weasley was eagerly anticipating the conversation he knew was coming at the breakfast table. He'd already fed the chickens and helped his mother scramble some eggs for his family's breakfast. Finally, as he was beginning to lose his patience, his older brother, Charlie Weasley, yawned as he walked down the stairs.
"Merlin, Ron, it's only nine-thirty, you couldn't have given me another hour?"
"Charlie!" his mother scolded. "You know how excited you were for your wand workshop. Ron's been waiting for this ever since you got home from Hogwarts!"
"Yeah, thanks for that Mum," Charlie groaned. "So. Ron. Big day. Care to tell me everything you know about the wand workshop?"
"Well, I know that you, Bill, Perce and the twins all did this the summer before you started at Hogwarts," Ron said hesitantly. "When you came back after, a week before school started, you all had your wands. But don't you have a new wand now?"
"Spot on. But do you know how we got the wands? How everything was decided, from wand length, to core, to wood? How they were all combined, into a full-fledged, working wand? We, volunteers from the leaving seventh years, work with some of the senior staff from Hogwarts to help all you firsties gather materials, work out all of the specific parts, and we get you to make your first wand!"
~#~
Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire
Draco Malfoy was not happy. "Father!" he petulantly complained."Why was I not informed about this workshop?"
"Well, my dragon," his mother interjected, "it's tradition. Like the sorting ceremony. You understand why we couldn't tell you, don't you?"
Draco pouted, before looking up towards the visitor. "Oh, by the way, what's your name? What house were you in?"
The young woman smirked and thrust her hand forward. "Merula Snyde, Slytherin class of 1981. I hear that you wish to join the noble house in which I was sorted into. However - I'll tell you this. Don't trust anyone there with the important stuff, unless they have gained your absolute confidence. Especially not with your graduating wand."
Hearing this, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy decided to quietly depart the room. Merula noticed, but Draco was completely oblivious. "What do you mean, graduating wand?" he asked. "Don't you keep the same wand forever?"
"No, most people swap wands two or three times," Merula responded. "And that's not including the Hogwarts wands."
"Hogwarts wands?"
"Ah, here's where we get to the interesting part. For your first year, you make a wand with someone who has just graduated. I've taken my NEWTS, so I won't be with you next year when you start. Throughout each year, you take a wandlore class. Some people make a wand every year, but that's expensive, and often is a waste of time - lots of people don't experience dramatic personality changes within the course of one year. Before you take your NEWTS, you craft your graduation wand Your graduating wand is mainly used for displaying, and you buy a wand from a master wandmaker such as Ollivander after graduating. Some less fortunate people, such as the Weasleys, go on to use their graduating wands. It's a good idea in practice, but wands are still sticks - easily broken."
Hearing the name of his father's enemy, Draco sneered. "Weasleys? Of course they couldn't afford a proper wand, the filthy blood trai-"
"Not so fast, Malfoy," Merula warned. You would do well not to underestimate a Weasley. I know the two eldest, and Merlin, they are powerful. The elder is now a curse breaker working for Gringotts, and the second was in my year. Money does not make the wizard - it's what they stand for. And don't call antagonise people by calling them blood traitors - especially not a Weasley. One will be in your year, and you don't want to make enemies too early. Think of building bridges, making alliances."
Draco had a moment of bewilderment, before slowly nodding. "Mudbloods are still lesser though, right?"
"Not necessarily. Some are weak, some are strong. Like any other wizard." Merula advised. "But back to the topic at hand - wands. You don't have enough magic to put in your wand for your entire lifespan - that's why you need a wand which matches you, so you can keep it functional, so it works with you. We have a lot of work set out before us, such as finding out what wood and cores match with you."
Draco, overwhelmed with the wealth of information being supplied to him, eagerly bounced to his feet. "Well? What are we waiting for? Let's get started!"
"Not so fast," said Merula, chuckling at his excitement. "You still have your Hogwarts letter to go through, and supplies to get for when school starts. I think your mother wants to go through all that with you."
~#~
Granger Residence, Hampstead
Hermione Granger was hunting for knowledge, picking Rowan Khanna's brain for every detail she could think of. A few hours before, she and her parents were shocked to realise that she was a witch, and there was a whole society of people like her! Professor Flitwick had travelled with Rowan and delivered her Hogwarts letter.
"The tradition of crafting a wand has been around ever since Hogwarts was founded, over a thousand years ago. Legend has it that Helga Hufflepuff, who valued teamwork, hard work and loyalty, was the one who came up with it. It was in order to join the wizarding world together - both the older and younger generations would work together to establish the future of magic together!"
"How do you know all of this?" Hermione inquired.
"Hogwarts, A History is a brilliant source to learn everything you need to know about Hogwarts, her founding and those who walked in the same halls you will," Rowan responded.
"Yes, and how many pages is it?"
"A voracious reader, I presume?" Flitwick joyfully asked. "I hope to see you in Ravenclaw House in the future, Miss Granger. Ah, but you'll learn about all of that later. Here is your letter, and I will leave Rowan here to talk with you about the workshop. I feel like the two of you will get along just splendidly!"
As Flitwick took his leave, Hermione turned to Rowan. "So, what was your first wand like?"
"Well, I grew up on a tree farm, so I managed to get the wood without any difficulty. I'm glad I got a Muggleborn - it makes the material gathering much more fun…"
~#~
Number Four, Privet Drive, Surrey
After Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had calmed down and accepted that Harry would be going to Hogwarts (with the help of Professor McGonagall, who may or may not have threatened to turn Dudley into a pig). Tonks had introduced herself, and - to the displeasure of the Dursley's - gave a display of her metamorphmagus abilities. Harry was excited - he was famous, he was going to learn magic, and he knew that he had to become the best wizard possible in order to ensure his parents' deaths weren't in vain.