MetaFic

“But I don’t want her to come with me,” he whined. “It’s my wand we’re buying not hers!”

Ginny bit her lip as her eleven year old son, Zachary, folded his arms and scowled at his six year old sister. Standing behind her increasingly exasperated mother, the girl peered out from behind Ginny’s robes and stuck her tongue out in triumph at her unhappy brother.

“Magali is coming with us, and if you don’t behave yourself, young man, you will not be going to Florean Fortescue’s afterwards. And you,” she declared to her startled daughter as she pulled out from behind her, “will behave yourself, as well.”

Why, today of all days when her period had started, had Harry decided that buying Zak his wand was a good idea. She took a deep breath and counted to ten. The last thing she wanted to do was hex her unruly offspring but she was coming very close to it. And if Harry so much as looked at her the wrong way he was in trouble too. She took a last look around the untidy kitchen before tossing the Floo powder into the grate and ushering her squabbling brood into the emerald flames.

A few moments later she was standing in the back room of the twin’s shop brushing the soot and ashes from the children under the watchful eye of her husband. Harry was holding their wriggling toddler, Toby, in his arms wearing an expression that mirrored her own mood.

“Down! Down!” the tot demanded, kicking wildly and raising his arms in an attempt to slip out of Harry’s grasp.

“You are not going anywhere, you monster, unless you apologise to your Uncle George now.”

“Sharn’t!” he declared continuing his struggle but failing to secure his freedom. Harry spun his son around and held him out in front of him.

“If you don’t start behaving, mister, then you will not be going to the Magical Menagerie and your missing spider will not be replaced. Do you understand?”

The child pouted but the threat appeared to have worked and slowly the he calmed down. Satisfied that the tantrum was over, Harry lowered him to the ground much to the annoyance of his brother.

“He’s not coming either,” howled Zak pointing to Toby whilst fending off his sister.

“Are you sure we couldn’t find someone to look after the others?” asked Ginny wearily as she tried to stop her eldest two from hitting each other.

“Well, I did suggest that one of us stay at home whilst Zak got his wand, but neither of us wanted to miss out on the moment.”

Cherished childhood memories seemed a long way away to Ginny as she stood amidst her bickering family. “Magali,” Ginny shouted pulling her daughter away from her youngest, “If I see you do that again I will let your Uncles test everything they have on you for the next month.” She looked to her husband for help and saw that he’d gathered the two boys together and was gradually ushering them out of the shop and into Diagon Alley.

The short trip from number Ninety Three to Ollivander’s was completed without mishap and the Potter family filed into the dark interior without incident. Half an hour latter a beaming young man led his family out of the shop and into the bright summer sunshine. He waved his wand in front of him, sending showers of green sparks into the air.

“Zachary Ieuan Potter, put that wand away now before the Ministry owl arrives and we have to break it in two.”

“Calm down, Mum. They don’t break wands in two for sending sparks into the air. Besides which who is going to do that to one of dads kids?”

“That’s as maybe,” said Harry his disproval palpable, “but if you don’t put it away soon, mahogany, eleven inches, dragon heart string good for transfiguration will become match wood and good for nothing.”

Reluctantly Zachary Potter put his wand back in its box and handed it over to his father.

“Thank you,” said Harry with exaggerated kindness. The short trip had become a major trial and it wasn’t over yet. “Now let’s go to Florean Fortescue's and buy your mother a double helping of Death by Chocolate before she kills us all.”

Harry drew his wand and deflected the Bat Bogey Hex that was sent his way before scooping up his youngest and charging past the startled shoppers before Ginny could catch him.

“You come back here Harry James Potter,” she shouted before grabbing the remaining children by the hand and taking off after their father.