Another Tuesday has come along! I'm so excited. I'm also looking for a beta reader, because right now I just caught a ton of mistakes after looking over it for the third or fourth time. (thats why its updated like six times or whatever, sorry!)

The Potters were dressed and waiting near the door at eight twenty-five the next morning. They were dressed in their best casual clothes, as they didn't go out very often, and also because it was their birthday. The twins were chatting excitedly about all the things they'd have to buy when Sage realized they had a fairly large problem.

"Oh no," she said, her face crestfallen. "Harry. Uncle Vernon doesn't want us to go. We won't have money to pay for anything."

Harry seemed at a loss for words as the doorbell rang. "I guess we'll have to tell her then. That we can't go."

When the door opened, Professor McGonagall greeted them. "Well, hello there, Potters. I'd say happy birthday, but you don't seem to be so. What has you both so upset on your birthday?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but we can't go shopping with you today," said Harry glumly.

"And why is that? I believe you said just last night that you hadn't any prior arrangements."

"We hadn't, ma'am, and we still don't but you see... Our Aunt and Uncle don't want us to go, and we won't have any money to pay for our things." Sage Potter was trying to keep from crying as she shared the problem, but a tear made its way down her face regardless. Quickly, she wiped away the tear and tilted her head down, covering her face with her hair. Harry squeezed her hand comfortingly.

"Oh dear," muttered the woman before she kneeled down. "Please look at me, Ms. Potter."

Sage didn't frequently look people in the eye, it made it far too easy to read their emotions, and even their thoughts, but Sage found she couldn't disobey this woman. Professor McGonagall took the young girl's face in her hands as she said "Now listen here, both of you." At this the professor glanced at Harry. "I'd firstly like to let you know that your parents left you with quite a large inheritance, enough to fund for your school days at the very least. And even if they hadn't, Hogwarts has its own funds for orphaned or disadvantaged students. You needn't worry about paying for anything today, is that understood?"

Sage sniffled, and nodded. "I do believe that's enough crying, then." The professor smiled as she gently wiped the tears away from Sage's freckled cheeks before standing. "Now then, I need to have a short discussion with your aunt before our departure."

The twins stepped aside to let her in, directing her towards the kitchen.

As Professor McGonagall discussed whatever the matter was, the Potter siblings rejoiced. Just a moment later, Professor McGonagall returned. "Are you both ready to leave?" The twins nodded. "Take my hands. This is a style of transportation called apparition. I warn you, the first time can be a bit uncomfortable."

Sage felt as though she was being squeezed through a straw for a moment before it all stopped and she was suddenly standing on pavement. She nearly lost her balance for a moment and struggled to pull in a breath of air.

"Come along," said the professor, letting go of their hands. "The bank shall be our first stop."

Sage took a puff from her inhaler before following. She grasped Harry's hand tightly when she caught up, trying her best not to panic at everything going on and all the people around her. There were sure to be more people as the day went on.

Distracting herself wasn't difficult when Harry was rambling on excitedly. "Sage! Look over there! A potions shop! Look at all the cauldrons. Did you see the gold one? And look, that place is advertising expandable trunks. And that place looks like a joke shop, Sage! Magical pranks, doesn't that sound exciting?" Harry gasped as he saw a rather interesting shop selling brooms. "And look over there! Actual flying brooms!"

"Come along now, Potters, it'd be best not to dawdle." Professor McGonagall gave them both a light push forward. "First years aren't allowed their own brooms, as you'll see it reads on the bottom of your list, Mr. Potter. If we have time, I suppose we could make a go around the alley. Mr. Filch would easily have you in detention for prank products, so I suggest you not buy any for Hogwarts."

"We wouldn't, ma'am, they'd be for Dudley," Harry explained. "He's a right bully. It'd be nice to get him back."

The professor hummed thoughtfully and they kept walking for a moment. A part in the crowd let the twins see up the whole street and look directly at a snowy white building that towered over the rest of the shops. "Come along now, you two, this is our first stop. Gringotts Bank."

The twins followed the Professor up the stairs when Sage got an odd feeling that made the hairs on her neck stand on end. "Professor? What's the road over there?"

The professor paused for a moment and looked to where Sage had gestured. "That's Knockturn Alley and you'd best never go there if you can avoid it, and certainly not until you're much older. If I find either of you trying to sneak down that way, you'll have detention for your entire first year at Hogwarts. And I'll be sure Hagrid knows that too."

"Yes, ma'am," the twins responded dutifully.

"Are we meeting Hagrid at the Bank?" Harry inquired.

"We'll be meeting him near the bookstore," the professor answered.

By that time, they had reached the doors to Gringotts, where a rather captivating poem was inscribed:

Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay most dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.

"That's not at all offsetting," Sage muttered sarcastically as Professor McGonagall lead them to a teller.

For a moment, Harry and Sage paused, staring at the creatures milling about until Professor McGonagall pushed them lightly. "Don't stare, it's rude. Gringotts is run by goblins. They take very good care of their gold. This bank is has some of the best security you'll be able to find."

Sage glanced back at the poem, wondering what traps lay beneath her feet.

"The Potters would like to visit their vault," Professor McGonagall declared calmly when it was their turn at the counter. She presented a key from her robe pocket. "And I have a letter here from Professor Dumbledore regarding the contents of vault seven hundred and thirteen."

The goblin closely inspected the key before moving onto the letter. "This looks to be in order," he announced. "I will have someone take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"

Another goblin approached them and, once McGonagall had their key back in her pocket, the group followed him towards one of the doors leading off the hall.

"One moment, sir," said Sage to Griphook, running back to the teller who helped them.

The teller stared at the young girl when she arrived in front of him. "Have you forgotten something, Ms. Potter?"

"Yes, sir, I forgot to say thank you," she smiled. "For helping us."

"You are welcome, Ms. Potter. I do believe your group is waiting." With that dismissal, she ran back to the group.

"What was that about?" Harry questioned as they finally went through the doors.

"We didn't thank him. I didn't want to be rude." Sage explained."He seemed like he had a bad day."

The twins, who had expected more marble, were surprised. The doorway led out to a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks towards them. Once the four had climbed in, they were off.

Sage grabbed Harry's hand and shut her eyes as the cart started zooming and turning too quickly for her to comprehend.

"Sage, you have to look at this," he laughed. "It's amazing."

She risked opening her eyes and immediately regretted it as she saw the stalagmites thousands of feet below them.

"What's the difference between a stalagmite and stalactite?" asked Harry.

"Stalagmites are the ones below us," Sage squeaked, pulling him back from the edge of the cart.

Sage was glad when the cart had stopped, however sudden it was. She took a steadying breath as her feet were placed on solid ground.

Griphook unlocked the door and Sage stood back as a lot of green smoke came billowing out. As it cleared, the twins gaped at the contents. Inside were mounds of coins in gold, silver, and bronze.

"This is your trust vault, Potters. As I said, it should easily last you through your school years," the Professor told them.

"What's the monetary system here, professor? How much do you think we'll need?" Sage questioned.

"I suggest you both get a few handfuls from each pile. There are gold galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts. There are twenty-nine knuts to a sickle and seventeen sickles to a galleon," she explained, holding up each coin as she spoke of them.

When the Potters were done at their vault, the group returned to the cart and rode further down to vault seven hundred and thirteen, Sage shutting her eyes tightly as she gripped onto Harry's arm.

"I suggest you don't touch the water, Mr. Potter," said Griphook as Harry leaned to touch an underground ravine. Sage had a bad feeling about the way he had said it. As if the water itself led to some sort of trap.

Quickly enough after that, the ride came to a halt. Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole. Instead, Griphook stroked the door gently with on of his long fingers and it simply melted away.

"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.

"How often do you check to see if anyone is inside?" Harry asked.

"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.

If either of the twins were expecting something spectacular, they were sorely disappointed. Professor McGonagall picked up a small package wrapped in brown paper and tucked it inside her cloak before they were ushered back into the cart.

A wild cart ride later, Harry and Sage stood blinking in the sunlight, unsure of where to go first. Harry seemed ecstatic about the bag in his hands, but Sage was waiting to get all her school things before she would allow her excitement to overtake her. After all, she didn't know how much money she'd have left when this trip came to an end.

"Now then," said the professor. "Our first stop is Madam Malkin's for your robes."

A bell announced their entrance to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

"Hello, Minerva," greeted Madam Malkin warmly. "These dears here for their Hogwarts robes?"

Professor McGonagall maneuvered the twins in front of her. Sage was staring fixedly at the floor, trying to avoid eye contact. "Indeed they are," the professor responded.

"Well, come along, children." Madam Malkin led them towards the back of the shop. "I'll try and finish up with the boys and then we can get you fitted, dear."

Sage nodded. "May I look around the shop, madam?"

"Of course," she smiled, before directing Harry to a footstool next to the blond boy who was currently being fitted.

Sage left the back room and glanced around the rest of the shop. It would do her well to get some new clothes for her and Harry, and she began looking around for a shopping basket. She found them stacked in the front corners and picked one up.

Skirting around Professor McGonagall, who was browsing through robes in the women's section, Sage found herself at the children's section near the back of the store. She went to the boy's section first, selecting long sleeve and short sleeve shirts in a variety of colors and styles. Then, she moved towards the jeans and dress pants. Sage folded two pairs of jeans and one pair of dress pants, placing them into the basket before moving to the girl's section.

Here, she browsed for a little longer. She already had the clothes Aunt Petunia had taken from her friend Yvonne, and she planned to take them along with her to Hogwarts. Her clothes fit her well enough, so she decided that she needn't buy much extra. Sage settled for a nice sweater that was on sale and a couple new shirts that she thought went well with her eyes and hair.

She was mentally calculating the price of everything when she heard Harry calling for her. Him and Madam Malkin were waiting by the back room. "Would you like to buy those too, dear?"

"Yes, madam."

"Here, I'll have them wait for you by the register." And with a wave of her wand, the basket was sent floating away. Sage blinked in amazement. "Come along then."

The blond boy was still getting fitted, and looked up from picking at a loose thread on the cuff of his shirt sleeve.

"He seems like a real prat," Harry whispered behind her, and she looked back before stepping into the footstool.

"So, you're going to Hogwarts too?" Said the boy, glancing between them. "Are you related?"

Sage nodded, not making eye contact. The boy held himself with an air of self-importance and she wasn't very tempted to see what he thought of them.

"What are your names? I'm Draco Malfoy." He was still staring at Sage, as if he was expecting her to answer him.

"I'm Harry and that's Sage. We're twins."

Sage didn't need to see him to know he was surprised. "You're the Potters, aren't you? The boy-who-lived and his sister?"

Madam Malkin paused her pinning for a moment so short it was barely noticeable. "Stand up straight, please, and don't fidget," she requested of Sage.

Harry was equally uncomfortable as he responded "Yes, I suppose."

Draco Malfoy suddenly seemed unsure of himself, but quickly recovered. "Why doesn't your sister ever say anything?" he demanded.

A bright pink blush coated Sage's cheeks as she said "I just don't like talking much, and Harry answered your questions well enough, didn't he?"

"Oh. Yes. Sorry," he apologized abashedly, looking away from her. He seemed relieved when his fitting was done and he was dismissed. The blond ran out of the shop, nearly bumping into Hagrid.

"Harry, look!" Sage nodded to the window happily. "It's Hagrid!"

The man was holding a large bowl of ice cream in one hand and a cone in the other, gesturing to show that he couldn't come in.

After Sage's fitting, she and Harry paid for their things. Sage watched as the professor shrunk the bags and tucked them into her pocket.

They found a table to sit at and eat just outside the shop. Harry and Sage passed the bowl back and forth until Harry was so absorbed with asking questions that Sage decided to just eat her half of the ice cream. There were two flavors in the bowl: a lemon basil sorbet swirled with strawberry that Sage was delighted by, and a chocolate and raspberry one with chopped walnuts that Harry seemed to favor. Sage noticed that the ice cream didn't seem to melt at all, and so she took her time as she listened to the adults explain the Hogwarts houses and what Hogwarts was like. The twins learned that there were four houses, none particularly good or bad, that Professor McGonagall was the head of Gryffindor house (but had nearly been a Ravenclaw), and that their parents had both been Gryffindors.

Eventually, when they were finished with their ice cream, Professor McGonagall suggested that they split up to get shopping done more quickly and meet up again at Ollivanders. Hagrid agreed and the twins hugged each other before parting, Sage whispering a warning to Harry to stay out of trouble.

Sage went with the professor as Harry left with Hagrid. She was led to the potions shop, where she purchased pewter cauldrons, dragonhide gloves, a set of scales, and a collapsible telescope for her brother and herself. After that, they went next door to the apothecary. The professor went up to the counter to request two basic potions kits as Sage looked around.

Not watching her step, she bumped into a tall figure in black robes. He tried to grab her arm and steady her, but she quickly flinched away as his hand came into contact with the bruises that Uncle Vernon had left. She landed on the floor, staring into the man's black eyes.

"S- Sorry, sir," she stammered, scrambling up.

"Apology accepted. Are you alright?" He asked. His face was blank but Sage could tell his concern was genuine.

"Yes, sir, I'm fine," she answered, subconsciously covering her arm with her hand. "I was just caught off guard."

"I see." The man continued staring at her for a moment, glancing at the hand over her arm. "A young girl like yourself shouldn't be wandering around the alley alone," he commented disapprovingly.

"She's with me, Severus," Professor McGonagall spoke from behind him. "Miss Potter, this Professor Snape, the potions master of Hogwarts and head of the Slytherin house."

Sage looked up at this. "Pleasure to meet you, sir, I'm looking forward to your classes."

"Are you really? And how much do you know about potions, Miss Potter?" He asked, seemingly judging her.

She bit her lip and looked away. With worried brows she said "Er... Not much, sir. I've only learned about the magical world yesterday. But I enjoy cooking and I imagine potion making must be similar."

"I would appreciate it if you looked at me while we are speaking, Miss Potter."

Sage steeled herself to face his disapproving thoughts as she looked into his eyes, but was surprised to be unable to read anything but his emotions. Frightened by this new development, she pushed for information, but was met with a strong barricade and then forced out entirely.

Sage stumbled back with a small gasp. However much he had blocked her, she could still tell he was upset. Mild curiosity poked through his anger, but Sage couldn't tell what exactly had caused him to feel like that.

"Potions making is indeed similar to cooking, Miss Potter," he confirmed, carefully inspecting her. "Could we have a word, Minerva?"

"Perhaps on our way to Ollivanders, if you're done with your shopping here?" She suggested. "We're on a tight schedule, and expecting to meet Mr. Potter and Hagrid to get the Potters their wands."

Sage had backed herself against a shelf and was staring up the only person she had met that she hadn't been able to read. Even the headmaster, who exuded power, hadn't felt so... empty when Sage had looked at him.

"That works for me. Come, Miss Potter. I do believe you should look forward to getting your first wand."

Sage stared at the man mutely, wondering how on Earth he had thrown her out of his mind and what his true intentions were.

"Miss Potter? I assure you I have everything you and your brother would need for a first year potions class," said Professor McGonagall.

When Sage still didn't move, Professor Snape said something to her lowly. Whatever he had told her had sent her away, causing Sage to be even more frightened than before. She pressed herself further into the shelf as the man took a step forward.

"I don't plan to harm you, Miss Potter. I simply sent Professor McGonagall ahead. She's waiting for us outside the store." He took another step forward and knelt down on a knee, meeting her eyes. Sage tried her hardest not to press against his mind again and furiously shut her eyes. "I don't make a habit of this, but I apologize for scaring you, Miss Potter. Professor McGonagall and I can have our conversation on a later date if you'd rather I don't accompany you on your outing."

Sage, whose eyes were still shut, could tell he meant what he was saying. She shook her head slowly.

"No to what, Miss Potter? Would you like me to accompany you?"

Sage still didn't trust her voice, so she nodded. After all, Professor McGonagall seemed like she trusted him, and if she trusted him, surely Sage could too?

"Very well. Professor McGonagall is waiting for us." He stood up and gestured for her to precede him out the shop. She was practically walking backwards as she left, checking over her shoulder to see how close her really was to her.

On the walk to Ollivanders, the two professors were talking with low voices, sparing glances at Sage every once in a while. She wasn't particularly comfortable with it, but had decided it was best to stay out of anything to do with the mysterious professor. When Sage could see Hagrid and Harry at shop, she ran to them. She practically tackled Harry as she hugged him, feeling the need for his comfort after her confrontation with the potions master.

"Sage!" Harry exclaimed. "It's barely been a few hours. Surely you didn't miss me that much."

She stepped back while shaking her head and finally noticed a cage in Hagrid's hand. It contained a snowy white owl.

"Oh, what a beauty," Sage praised. "What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one yet, I plan to name her when we get home. We can name her together."

Sage smiled at him before turning towards the shop. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

"I don't believe you'll be able to buy a wand by simply standing outside the shop, Potters."

Sage and Harry spun around to face Professor Snape. "Good afternoon, Hagrid," the professor greeted.

"Good afternoon, Professor Snape," Hagrid returned. "What brings you here?"

"I needed to have a word with Professor McGonagall, so I accompanied her and Miss Potter here."

"Ah. Alright then. Professor Snape is right, Potters, best get yer wands and then get to lunch."

Upon entering the store, the twins felt strangely as though they had entered a very strict library. They glanced around curiously. There was a lone spindly chair where Hagrid sat and thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly behind a counter. Looking up, Sage spotted windows and a crystal chandelier. For some reason, the back of her neck prickled, and she could see Harry's hair was equally on end. The very dust and silence seemed to tingle with some secret magic.

"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry, having been used to Sage, and Sage, having been used to herself, turned to look at the speaker. In contrast, Hagrid must have jumped, because there was a loud crunching noise and Hagrid quickly rose from the chair.

An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Ollivander," Sage responded, her voice just as soft.

"Ah, yes," said the man. "Yes, yes, I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Potters. Seems like only yesterday your mother was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of Willow. Nice for charm work. Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I say your father favored it - it's really the wand that chooses the wizard, of course."

He had moved closer to Harry, touching the lighting bolt scar with a long, white finger. "And that's where..." He pulled his hand back. "I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it. Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in the wrong hands... Well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into the world to do..."

He shook his head and then spotted Hagrid. "Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"

"It was sir, yes," said Hagrid gruffly.

"Good wand that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.

"Er- yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid. "Still got the pieces, though!" He added brightly.

"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.

"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. The twins noticed him gripping his pink umbrella rather tightly.

Ollivander eyed him suspiciously before turning back to the twins. "Well, now, let us see, Potters, which wands best suit you." He pulled a tape measure with silver markings from his pocket. "Mr. Potter first, if you please. Which is your wand arm?"

"Er- well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.

"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to finger, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round his head.

"Every Ollivander wand has a core of a very powerful magical substance," Mr. Ollivander began to explain. "We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are quite the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand. Including each others," he warned them.

Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring between his nostrils, was doing so on its own, and pulled at Sage's arm to grab her attention. Mr. Ollivander was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.

"That will do," he said. The tape measure rolled itself back up and zoomed back into Mr. Ollivander's pocket.

Harry was busy trying out wands while Sage watched curiously, wondering what it would be like when it was her turn. Wands piled up on the counter after Harry tried them out. While Harry was getting more nervous, Mr. Ollivander was getting more excited. "Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find you the perfect match here somewhere- I wonder, now- yes, why not- unusual combination- Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."

Harry raised the wand above his head and brought it down with a dramatic swoosh. Red and gold sparks shot out the end like a firework, bringing an applause from the others. "Bravo!" cried Mr. Ollivander. "Now, I believe I have a few ideas of what might suit you, Miss Potter, but let's get you measured first."

The tape measure floated about and waited. "Please raise your wand arm, Miss Potter."

Sage stared for a moment, unsure of what to do. "I'm ambidextrous, sir."

He looked slightly surprised, but smiled at her. "Very well. Raise both your arms then. Perfect."

He watched for a moment before heading to the back and calling off the measuring tape.

He returned with a small stack of three boxes.

"Eleven inches, Rowan, dragon heartstring core, unyielding." He opened the first box to a wand that looked similar to Harry's, but for the handle. Sage took it hesitantly and gave it a short flick. She quickly put it back as she heard a stack of boxes fall over and windows crack.

"No, no, of course not..." He closed the box and moved onto a second one. "Twelve inches. Acacia. Unicorn hair core. Slightly springy." Sage took this one with more caution, but felt nothing as she picked it up and immediately placed it back, shaking her head at the wand seller.

"Hmm. Alright, well, perhaps third time is the charm, but there are plenty of options if not. A little peculiar, this one. Very difficult to make, it is the only one of its kind. Eleven and a half inches. Silver lime and pear. Phoenix feather. Nice and supple."

Sage felt drawn to this wand. The wand itself was silvery grey, but the handle was a beautiful golden brown color with intricate carvings. Sage felt complete as she picked it up, even though she hadn't previously felt that anything had been missing. She spun her wrist elegantly and silver and gold sparks rained down from the end. The shop tidied itself up: boxes stacking themselves nicely, the dust sweeping away, the windows mending and allowing light in. The spindly chair straightened and fixed. The chandelier above them shined. A glance at the door showed her that it, too, had been repaired and clean. The shop looked new.

A laugh bubbled up from Sage as she looked around. "I think I've found my wand, Mr. Ollivander."

"Yes, Miss Potter, I do agree," he smiled. "This must be the best the store has looked since it first opened"

"Wow, Sage!" Harry gaped. "All that and you haven't even learned any magic yet. Imagine what you'll be able to do once we get to school!"

"Indeed." Mr. Ollivander stared for a moment before saying. "Very curious those wands should pick the two of you."

"Curious, sir?" asked Sage absently, still in awe from the magic around her.

"Why, yes, Miss Potter. You see, I remember every wand I've ever sold. It just so happens that the phoenix whose feathers resides within your wands gave only three feathers. The third feather resides in the wand that gave your brother that scar." That snapped Sage out of her musings as she took in what the shopkeeper was saying.

Harry swallowed, fingering the lightning bolt on his forehead. Sage just stared.

"Thirteen and a half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember. I think we must expect great things from the both of you, Potters. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, yes, but great."

The twins, slightly disturbed, paid fourteen galleons for the two wands, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his shop.

The two professors were waiting for them outside, sitting at a table across the street. "Both found your wands, I see?" commented Professor Snape as the twins approached.

"Yes, sir," responded Harry politely.

"And have you a proper place to store those wands?" the professor eyed them sternly.

"Proper... Er..." Harry seemed lost for words. Couldn't they just keep them in their pockets?

"He means to ask if you both bought wand holsters," Professor McGonagall clarified.

The twins blinked, and the male professor got up with a sigh, excusing himself as he entered the shop.

A moment later he returned with two slim boxes in his hands. He glanced around for a moment before returning to the table, but not without a subtle flick of his wand first. "Consider this a birthday gift, Potters."

Sage looked at the identical boxes, labelled as adjustable dragonhide arm holsters. One was in black, another was a deep red the color of Sage's hair. She wondered for a moment if this was intentional.

"If you would allow Professor McGonagall and I, we can show you the proper way to secure these." Professor Snape was looking at her for permission. Harry had acquiesced almost immediately, thanking the man and turning to the other professor to request her assistance.

After a moment Sage timidly held out her left arm, looking directly at it. She was wearing a long sleeve to cover her bruises, but she would be able to come up with a lie for those easily enough.

Surely enough, when the professor rolled up her sleeve, he asked about them. "I had gotten between my cousin and Harry while they were fighting," she said timidly. "Dudley, my cousin, didn't realize it at first."

The professor continued as if this was a totally normal response and showed her how to fasten the straps and laces, careful not to tighten them too much. He then showed her how to slide her wand into it. "Now, if your left hand is your wand hand, you can flick your wrist like so," he moved his wrist and his own wand appeared in his hand. "If not..." He adjusted her wand and the straps for a moment. "You can simply reach for it to retrieve it."

Sage practiced both ways, trying to get used to the feeling of her wand in her hand. She discovered it was easier and faster to retrieve her wand when she had simply flicked her wrist. She made sure that she'd keep it in mind for the future.

"Thank you, professors," said Harry enthusiastically as he finally got the hang of things. Sage nodded in agreement, pulling her sleeve back down to cover the holster. Looking around, she was suddenly dizzy as she realized how many people were around her and just how busy the alley had gotten since the morning. Their emotions slammed into her like a brick wall, and once again she was forced to try and distract herself.

"Will you be joining us for lunch, Professor Snape?" she asked shyly. He had, after all, just gotten her her first real birthday present.

"No. I have matters to attend to at Hogwarts and have spent more time here than I originally planned," he explained.

Sage's mood fell. "Oh."

The dour man seemed to let out a quiet sigh before saying "But perhaps I can accompany you to your next location."

Professor McGonagall guided them to an empty booth as Hagrid went to request some menus from the owner of the pub. They had walked through a brick wall from the alley, and according to Professor McGonagall it was a sort of gateway between the magical and muggle worlds. The place they had entered was called The Leaky Cauldron and had exits to both Diagon Alley and muggle London.

"Platform nine and three quarters is similar. Mind you, there's no special pattern to that one. You simply run straight into the column and it leads you onto the platform."

The twins, who were listening raptly as they walked through the pub, were startled by an exclamation of "The Potter twins?" from the counter. Professor Snape seemed highly displeased with this sudden occurrence. Sage quickly learned why.

The shout had seemed to catch everyone's attention and soon people were bustling around the twins in an attempt to introduce themselves. Sage panicked. She was separated from her brother and the professors by the crowd, she was overwhelmed by the emotions pressing against her and the people pressing against her. They were all introducing themselves, shaking her hands, making it impossible for her reach her inhaler. All too quickly, she found herself entrapped by an asthma attack and instinctively reached out to Harry's connection and gave it a desperate yank.

This spurred Harry into action as he pushed past people, moving around them as he shouted his sister's name. "Get away from her!" He shouted at the crowd as he pushed through, "Let me get to my sister! Give her some space!"

Harry got to her right as her legs gave out, holding her against him as he reached for her inhaler. Professor McGonagall and Hagrid dismissed the crowd around them, and Professor Snape muttered something under his breath that allowed Sage to take quick breath. Harry helped her with a few doses of medicine before she weakly pushed his arm away, tiredly curling against him. She could hear Harry and the adults talking around her in low voices before she was picked up by strong arms. These arms were comforting and their owner smelled pleasantly of sandalwood and herbs. Whoever was carrying her was deeply concerned for her, a feeling that wrapped around her similarly to how she imagined a warm blanket to feel like. She relaxed comfortably and fell into an easy slumber.

It was far later when Sage awoke with a pounding headache and a sore chest. She moaned quietly before looking around. It would appear she had gotten back to Private Drive, but she wasn't sure how.

"Sage?" She heard Harry ask from the desk. "Sage, are you up?"

She groaned. Whatever he was reading, he closed it and put down. "Professor Snape told me to give you these when you woke up." She looked at him to see he was holding two vials, one bright blue and the other a pale purple.

"Potions," he said with a grin. "One's for headaches, the other's for coughs and sore throats. He says they'll work faster than muggle medicine. A swallow from each."

Sage sat up and took the blue one first. It smelled fresh, like mint, but it tasted bitter. When she swallowed, the potion went down her throat with a cooling feeling, easing away the pain rather quickly after that. Corking it, she gave the vial to Harry, who handed her the red one. This one smelled of chamomile but she swallowed it quickly in case its smell was as deceiving as the last potion's.

Within minutes that she was almost entirely pain free. Her throat and chest still hurt a little bit, but nowhere near as much as they had when she had first woken.

"I've got to learn how to make those," she told Harry.

"I'm sure we will eventually," he told her. "I tried to find them in our potions textbook but they aren't in there. Maybe they're for the older years."

"Maybe," Sage responded. "Harry?"

"Yes, Sage?"

"How'd I get home?"

"Professor Snape brought you. He and Professor McGonagall spent a really long time talking to Aunt Petunia, but I couldn't hear what they were talking about," he shrugged.

"Oh," Sage responded. "Interesting. I suppose I'll have to thank him."

"Felix came back, by the way. He had letter from Dumbledore with him. I think he's sitting on the tree in the backyard right now, but I have the letter if you want to read it." Harry went back to the desk to retrieve the letter to give to Sage.

This time, the letter was sealed with copper colored wax and addressed to her in rainbow ink, making her smile.

Dear Miss Potter,

First, I hope you and your brother enjoyed your birthday. I've heard quite a number of stories about it. Mr. Ollivander is quite pleased with his shop, and Professors McGonagall and Snape had nothing but good words about your behavior.

Unfortunately, they have also alerted me to an odd series of events that simply must be addressed.

Sage's heart fell, but she continued reading.

Firstly, we've been alerted by your family that you have a condition called asthma. While most wizards are immune to muggle conditions, it is not unheard of for one to have them. Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey, our school healer, are working together in case of a repeated event like today's. While there are no magical cures for this condition, there are ways we can help you manage it. It is also good for us to be prepared, should an emergency occur.

Professor Snape has also shared the events that occurred in the apothecary. I assure you that you are not in any trouble, but this is an important matter which we shall be meeting about on your first day at Hogwarts. Upon your sorting, I will alert your head of house to this.

I wish you the very best for the rest of your summer, and look forward to seeing you on September first.

Professor Dumbledore

When Sage finished reading it, she handed it to her brother.

"What happened in the potions shop?" He asked when he was finished.

"Professor Snape's mind was empty so I tried to get into it. But he noticed and kicked me out. It was rather odd," Sage recounted. "I've never met anyone whose mind was so... guarded. I could still sense his emotions, but that was it."

"Really? Well... That's different."

Sage agreed, before turning to the snowy white owl resting in her cage on the desk. "Have you gotten a name for her yet?" she asked Harry as she regarded the white owl thoughtfully.

"Hedwig," he told her proudly. "I found it in the history textbook. Seemed fitting."

Hedwig hooted at her as though she agreed.

"A pleasure to be formally acquainted, Hedwig," Sage smiled.