Chapter 1: The wand

My dad insisted on driving to Diagon Alley. I would have preferred to take the underground but he said people stared at him too much on the underground. It makes him nervous or something. So, here we are Dad, Lily, and I driving through London trying to find a place to park.

"Dad, honestly I know you never got a proper license because you were at Hogwarts and all but you could have at least taken some driver's ed. when you graduated. I mean this is ridiculous," I complained.

"Riley, shut up while I'm driving," He growled back.

I must point out at this time that we were in bumper to bumper traffic and no one was really driving. You couldn't move.

"There's one!" my sister called from the back seat, "Right there!"

My dad quickly maneuvered into the parking space. I jumped out as fast as possible. I hated when he drove. At least mom could drive.

"Why couldn't we have used floo powder?" I asked, "It's so much better than your driving!"

We walked up to the Leaky Cauldron and went inside. Instantly the whole room was silent. Everyone was staring at my dad.

NOT AGAIN! I thought WHY CAN'T EVERY ONE STOP STARING!

The silence was broken by a creaky old voice, "Hello Harry. Good to see you again. I was expecting to see you in here soon. You must be buying your daughters things," It was Old Tom the innkeeper.

"It's good to see you too Tom. Yes, I'm off to buy my girl's school supplies. It's their first year you know." My father responded.

As we walked through the building there were whispers of "Is that Harry Potter?" and "His daughter looks like his mother did."

With that comment they were referring to me. People who had seen Grandmother Lily, in pictures or before she died, comment on how I look exactly like her. I was the "spitting image" or something like that.

As we proceeded to Gringrotts to get our money, the crowd parted to let us through. There were whispers all around us. It spooked me out but dad was used to it, after all he was Harry Potter.

After getting our money from Gringrotts we split into two groups. Lily and dad went off together. I proceeded in the other direction. Wherever I went I was followed by stares and whispers. While purchasing my owl in Eeylops Owl Eporium, I saw a boy about my age staring at me with his mouth wide open.

Annoyed at his rudeness I told him, "Take a picture it'll last longer!" and walked out. I had to get my wand now. I went to Ollivander's and met my dad and Lily. We went inside to buy our wands.

"Well, well, well. Mr. Potter I do presume. Are you keeping that wand in good shape?" A creaky voice floated from the depths of the shop. "What can I do for you today? Oh… two daughters mean two wands. Am I correct?" Without waiting for an answer he started pulling wands off shelves while a tape measure started measuring us.

Shooting a look at my dad, I noticed he looked a little nervous. Mr. Ollivander just kept right on talking. He was oblivious to all that was going on around him. "Holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple. Am I correct? Of course I am. I remember every wand I've ever sold….." And on he went, "Right, you first." he said pointing to Lily. "Only can do one at a time you know."

Lily picked up the first wand and waved it. It didn't do anything. She waved the next wand around and there was a loud bang and sparks flew out the wand's end.

"Oh, well done," Mr. Ollivander praised her, "and now for you."

Lily got bored pretty fast as I waved more and more wands around. I'm sorry to say so did my dad. After sitting for a while in a spindly chair he got bored and took my sister to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

"Ah, yes. Another tricky customer, just like your father," Mr. Ollivander was saying. "I do love a challenge!"

But it turned out that I was THE trickiest customer he'd had yet because as I waved more and more wands there were fewer and fewer left to try. Finally there were no wands left besides one on display in the corner.

"Strange," he muttered to himself, "This has certainly never happened before." Then, looking over at the wand on display, he said, "No, no. Not possible. Not possible at all. It couldn't be THAT one!" But he still walked over and picked it up, "Now THAT would be curious."

"What would be curious?" I asked confusedly, "What's strange about it?" but he just ignored my questions.

"Here try it," he said quietly. As I reached for it, it did a strange thing. The wand…..

"It jumped into your hand!" Mr. Ollivander whispered hoarsely sinking into the chair, "No, but The Prophesy did say… but so soon? Has the time already come? The Great Evil arisen already? Is The Protector born and ready to be trained?"

Then to me he said, "Oh wonderful child, what is your name again? Do you know whose wand you hold?"

"Um…" I stuttered surprised, "I'm Riley, Riley Potter. Whose wand is it? And if someone already owns it why did you let me try it?"

"Oh dear, dear Riley that wand you hold once belonged to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. It was placed in my care until…. Well, until it could be given to its rightful owner. It is my gift to you," He said bowing. "Thirteen inches, yew. I'm sorry to say its last owner gave your father his scar. But, I will tell you the same thing I told your father. The phoenix feather that wand contains was given by Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes. Fawkes gave one other feather. That feather is contained in your father's wand. I can only say this to you Miss Potter…" He leaned in closer to whisper, "I think it is very safe to assume that we can expect great things from you, very great indeed."

Chapter 2: Polaroid Boy

As I walked towards The Leaky Cauldron I was very preoccupied. Well if someone had just behaved towards you the way Mr. Ollivander had towards me, you would be preoccupied too! So, anyway, not paying attention to where I was going I ran straight into someone. The next thing I knew I was on the ground with my stuff all over the place.

"Oops! I'm sorry I…" but as I turned to apologize to whomever I had run down I saw that it was the guy from Eeylops Owl Eporium. Oops! I swallowed and tried to start again, maybe if I got out of there fast enough….

"Hey, you're the girl who told me to take a picture it would last longer!" said the boy.

"Um, yes that WAS me," I said, "Sorry… I was in a bad mood. And I'm sorry for running into you too. I was a little, well, out of it."

Spying my new wand laying about three feet away I reached for it. But, unfortunately it didn't wait for me to pick it up. It jumped three feet into my outstretched hand.

"That was wicked awesome! I'm Spencer Wood by the way. What's your name?" The boy asked me, "It's my first year at Hogwarts this year. Dad was awfully proud."

"Riley Potter," I said shaking his outstretched hand, "It's my first year too. Not a big surprise though. My name's been down for ages. Well, my sister's has at least. I think they thought I wasn't good enough or something."

"It's nice to meet you. I'll see you on the train, if you don't mind that is. I have to get my wand now. That's all that's left," Spencer said excitedly.

"Oh, um… you may want to wait on that one, "I said, "Mr. Ollivander didn't look so great when I left. Sorry about that too. I think it's my fault. But I'll look for you on the train."

And so Spencer and I parted ways. Not that it would be that long before I saw him again. The train only left in a few days.

"Oh good," my dad said as I walked in, "We can go now. Did you get your wand?"

"Yes. It was the very last one in the shop, but I got it." I replied. Then I looked down and saw a picture sticking out the end of my Polaroid camera. I picked it up and saw it was a picture Spencer. I showed it to my dad.

"Does that look like one of your old pals?" I asked.

"Where did you get this? It looks exactly like him!" He asked me breathless.

"I just 'ran into' his son," I informed him, "That's who that is. The picture must have taken when I dropped my camera."

As I walked to the car I had a new thing to think about. This one came in the form of the cute son of a famous Quidditch player, Oliver Wood.

Chapter 3: Kodak Moment Reactions

We got home and walked into our house. My mother was nowhere to be seen. She was probably out back in the garden. She loved that garden, maybe even more than me but not more than my sister, no never Lily. LILY never messed up or broke anything. LILY was a genius. SHE could cast spells and hadn't even walked onto Hogwarts grounds yet. LILY would never have gone to Muggle School. LILY was never considered a squib by her parents. Unfortunately I was. Until I got my letter my parents feared I was a squib. They sent me to Muggle School so I would "at least have a chance in the world." I was not a genius… or so they thought. Secretly I was ten times better than Lily. And I could fly! Lily should never go near a broomstick again. In fact they should pass a law requiring her to stay at least twenty feet away from one.

"Girls I'm outside if you want to show me your things!" my mother called, "I would really like to hear about your day Lily. Was it good? Did you get everything?"

As usual my presence was overshadowed by that of my sister. So I went upstairs and poured my stuff on the bed. I looked at the broomstick leaned up against the wall behind the door. Sighing I picked it up and started to leave my room. Seeing my dad coming I ran back inside and laid it back in place. He wanted me to study so I could at least perform simple spells.

"Riley," he started, "I know how much you like to fly but you shouldn't go out for the house Quidditch team, at least not this year. Sure, you fly better than I ever did and we sure could stand to win the cup again. You need to concentrate on your studies and…."

His face went ghostly white, "Riley Spencer Potter what is that?" he pointed to my wand.

"It's my wand…" I started. But he was already out the door screaming for my mother. "And you obviously don't care about my explanation." I muttered.

"Harry, dear, what is it?" mum asked. Then seeing me on my bed she added, "What did she do this time?"

I started to say something when my dad yanked me by the arm and dragged me off in the direction of his room. After slamming the door and putting an impenetrable charm on it to prevent my sister from listening ("Not that Lily ever would!" mum insisted) he started interrogating me. (He never left any room for me to answer his questions either.)

"Is that what I think it is? Where did you get it? Why do you have it? WHY AREN'T YOU ANSWERING MY QUESTIONS?"

Having been yelled at for doing nothing, I wasn't in the best mood. However, I learned that when my dad starts yelling like this it's best not to lose my temper. (I, most unfortunately, seem to have inherited his temper to. I have been working very hard to keep this temper in check though.)

"It just so happens to be MY wand," I spoke very slowly so he would understand easier. "It used to be someone else's wand. I'm sorry to say he didn't use it very well now did he? I, however, plan to use it very well and for GOOD only." I stressed this point so he wouldn't miss it, even in his blinding rage.

"I know, I know. You could have told me sooner though," he said sinking down onto a chair. "I didn't mean to blow up like that but you haven't exhibited perfect behavior too often."

"It was a class 4 on the blow-up scale." I pointed out, "And this time I didn't 'climb' the school roof."

"Wait, you climbed the school roof? Oh wait, yes, I remember that." He replied.

As I got up to leave I called back, "As I've told you before I did not 'CLIMB' the school roof. That was a random act of magic you failed to recognize. Did you honestly think I was a squib?"

The look on their face was truly a Kodak Moment Reaction. In fact I get a lot of those from them. I even bring my camera to the yelling matches for the purpose of getting a picture of their reactions. But this one, this one was a truly fine example of their reactions. I mean mum's mouth was wide open and my dad's, well, he looked like he had just been made the Minister of Magic. His eyes were sort of bulging out and his tongue was lolling out of his mouth.