The group approaches their final shopping stop of the night, an ancient-looking place with minimal embellishment. In one front window lies a wand laying on a dusty purple pillow while over the door read lettering proclaiming Ollivander’s to have been making fine wands since 382 BC.
The group enters the tiny shop, which somehow seems to expand to accompany them all. A small bell rings somewhere in the back as they approach the desk.
Some of the more adventurous members of their group are about to go looking through the shop when they hear a stumble and crash as something trips behind them. Turning around, they see an old man with wide pale eyes quickly standing up and pointing his wand at Princess Celestia. “You’re Dead!”
Princess Celestia chuckles as she raises her hands in the air. “Reports of my death were greatly exaggerated by misinformed people who didn’t know some things.”
Ollivander looks disbelievingly at her before turning to a sighing Professor McGonagall for answers. “She, along with Lightning Sunrise here, was trapped elsewhere, unable to return to Britain until the past Summer Solstice. Lightning is here for his wand just like his parents were twenty years ago.”
Ollivander moves to somewhat creepily peer into Lightning’s eyes at learning that before smiling at what he sees, his wand conjures images of three wands as they are brought up. “I remember the day I sold your mother and father their wands, Harry, no, Lightning Sunrise. I never thought I’d be able to sell you yours.
“Your mother, Lily, had a swishy wand perfect for Charm work. It was ten and a quarter inches long, made of willow, and had a unicorn hair at its core.
“Your father, James, had a pliable wand excellent for transfiguration. It was eleven inches long, mahogany, and had a dragon heartstring as its core.
“Lastly, I regretfully sold the wand that I suspect gave you your scar on your forehead. It was a powerful yew wand of thirteen and a half inches with a phoenix feather core.”
Ollivander then takes a step back thankfully and pulls out a silver tape measure. “Now, which hand is your writing hand, Lightning? The wand chooses the wizard, and no two wands are alike.”
Lightning meekly holds out his right hand. “Why are no two wands alike?”
Ollivander starts measuring various things on Lightning, like arm length and his head circumference. “Ollivander’s normally uses unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, or dragon heartstrings. No two phoenixes, unicorns, or dragons are identical, nor are two pieces of wood ever identical. With another wizard’s wand, you’ll never get as good a result.”
Ollivander starts rummaging through nearby boxes as Lightning stands there concerned while the tape measure continues measuring him on its own. “I really hope I don’t end up with one containing dragon heartstring given what my younger honorary brother is.”
Ollivander pulls out a drooping holly wand and offers it to Lightning with one hand while snapping his fingers on the other, causing the tape measure to drop. “I source mine from dead dragons. Now, I want you to try this rather unusual wand.”
Lightning gingerly takes the wand and waves it around, causing an aura of light and breeze to lift up from where he stands. “Is this supposed to happen!?”
Ollivander points to the now straight wand and looks at Lightning and it with an odd look. “Curious. How very curious. That wand’s core, a phoenix feather, almost died the night the wizarding world thought Aletia had died. It has also been slowly coming back to life since the Summer Solstice. The strange part is phoenix cores seldom die unless their perfect match is dead. The stranger part is the phoenix, who gave your wand its core, only ever donated two feathers. Your wand’s brother belonged to the one who gave you your scar.”
Lightning hurriedly tries to shove the wand back into Ollivander’s hand at learning that. “I don’t want it then.”
Ollivander takes the wand and puts it back in its box before handing it to Lightning. “It has chosen you, Mr. Sunrise. Take it and use it well, for it will take you far and protect you.”
Princess Celestia coughs as Lightning reluctantly takes the wand. “I know you don’t usually do custom wands, but we brought some cores that might prove to your satisfaction.” She then opens her hand to reveal a plastic bag containing a dark green pegasus feather and moon lily strand of hair. Lightning hurriedly pulls out the coreless, solid willow replica of Lily’s wand when he sees what Princess Celestia has done.
Ollivander walks over and takes the samples, examining them. “Hmm…, you are right in that I do not, but these twice-loved items scream to be used by Mr. Sunrise. I hope her spirit rests easier now, knowing that she is helping you heal and protect others. Now about the rest of you…?”
He is mildly surprised to see Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle each holding a bag containing a hair with Apple Bloom additionally holding a piece of wood while Scootaloo has a feather. Sighing, he inspects them one by one as Philomena looks like she is pondering something. “These will do much as I dislike doing so. Firstly, that hair and apple-pine wood work together beautifully and will serve you well. May you find wisdom and honesty in speaking with others of all kinds.
“Secondly, your rainbow hair and pegasus feather feel like they will go well with the rare Redwood. If luck is with you, neither your speed nor loyalty will be tested in a dire situation.
“Thirdly, miss, your purple unicorn hair seems like it belongs in alder. May its firmness help you generously spread your sweet cheer onto others.
“Lastly, I can fit your unicorn hair and pegasus feather into some beautiful cloud pine I have in the back. I think it suits you, a happy, kind stranger who must always juggle being alone and part of the group’s fringes. Now, are there any other surprises I should know about?”
The Grangers, Weasleys, and Dursleys all shake their head before Dudley steps up and offers his right arm. Lightning mumbles to Princess Celestia as Dudley has his measurements taken that it is good they didn’t show up as ponies; otherwise, there would have been several more readings taken.
Princess Celestia mumbles that he may be right as Dudley finds his match, a silver truncheon briefly forming over top of his new sturdy poplar wand with a unicorn hair. “A perfect match for one who wants to see honorable justice done. May it carry you far, Mr. Dursley.”
Dudley just inclines his head back before taking his wand in its box. Hermoine is up next and receives her vine wood wand with a dragon heartstring core as per canon. Lastly, thanks to Sunset’s wealth that she shared with the Weasleys, Ronald steps up and receives a wand he usually receives two years later.
“Now then, that will be 10 Galleons per wand. Expect your custom wands to be ready in about a week.” Ollivander steps back behind his counter and starts ringing them up when Philomena leaves her perch and lands on the counter. He starts and looks up. “Yes, you are a pretty eagle. Now if you woul-”
He is interrupted by a loud chirp from her before she plucks, with a visible wince, one of her tail feathers free. He opens his mouth as if to ask something but loses his words when the plucked feather bursts into flames to reveal its true nature as a phoenix feather.
Philomena then transfers the feather to one of her claws in order to chuckle at his expression. She then more seriously points a wing directly at Sunset, who starts crying slightly at realizing what this means, and the feather at Ollivander.
His mind finally seems to start working. “You want me to make Sunny a wand using your tail feather? Did something happen to your Beech and unicorn hair wand, Sunny?”
A still crying Sunset walks over and gives Philomena a hug, who drops the feather on the desk before returning the hug. “I...I have spent the past three years separated from my dear Philomena here by circumstances none of us could have predicted. She only just found her way back to me this morning.”
Ollivander nods gravely. “I see the Weasleys will be regaining their seat on the Wizengamot then. I would be honored to place this feather in a wand. Black Walnut seems like an appropriate wood for it. It will help one as talented as yourself reach your full potential, provided you stay true to yourself and others. Yours will be 3 Galleons.”
Sunset bows her head to him in acknowledgment as she cuddles Philomena. Princess Celestia pays 63 Galleons, ten each for the CMC’s custom wands and Lightning and Dudley’s more traditional wands, with Sunset’s only costing 3 Galleons. The Grangers next step up and pay 10 Galleons for Hermoine’s wand with the Weasley’s following suit for Ron’s wand and lastly,.
The group afterward exits Ollivander’s and starts sorting their purchases out amongst themselves, so everyone has what they need. While they are doing this, Sunset turns to the Weasleys. “What did he mean by you will soon have a Wizengamot seat?”
Molly turns to Sunset with a soft smile. “Phoenix-bonded always get a seat, even if they aren’t of age or, with the changes that I suspect will soon be happening, human. That ancient law doesn’t care if one is a British citizen either. He suspected you’d place me as your regent because you are underage, and the regent does have to be a British Citizen and of age.”
Sunset ahhs in understanding at learning those facts before emphatically nodding. “In that case, I definitely want you to be my regent. My having a seat makes little sense to me, but it can’t hurt the equality problem.”
The rest of the walk is relatively quiet, with just some idle small talk. However, it isn’t long before it is all done, and Princess Celestia starts walking towards the Leaky Cauldron. “There’s an alley nearby the leaky cauldron that’s warded, so non-magicals don’t notice magical transportation. When we get there, Professor, would you mind apparating with Philomena to the warded alley between Wisteria Walk and Magnolia Crescent so she can then transport the rest of us?”
Receiving a nod, the group falls into a silence made of idle chit-chat as they walk.
It doesn’t take long for the group to pass through the Leaky Cauldron and out into the warded alley. It takes even less time for Professor McGonagall to apparate over with Philomena, Philomena to flame back, and then return to the alley with all of them.
Once they are all there, Princess Celestia walks to the exit out into Magnolia Crescent and points left, then right. “This street is Magnolia Crescent in Little Whinging of Surrey. You’ll find my house at 11 Magnolia Road to the left and up. To the right is where the Dursleys live.” She then turns to face Sunset. “I presume you’re staying with the Weasleys for now, Sunset?”
Sunset looks between the Weasleys and the Equestrians before giving a firm nod. “I’m not ready to go back yet, and hearing a decade has passed makes returning harder. The fact I’m a big sister is still processing. However, I still have the journal you gave me, Aletia, and will keep in touch.” Sunset then addresses Lightning, “Let mom, dad, and Sunburst know I’m ok, would you? I’m sure I can give them a few candies for Halloween Nightmare Night.”
Lightning smiles at her and gives her a hug. “I’ll let them know, and you feel like you are in a better place than before you vanished.”
Princess Celestia walks over and joins the both of them in the group hug. “I’m sure they’ll love that gesture, my little sun. I’ll help him break the news to them and Starlight. As for the rest of you, Weasleys and Grangers, you’re welcome at my house any time. Just know it is currently in a non-magical area, and only the house is warded.”
Sunset hugs the both of them back while smiling as she basks in the evening moment before realizing something as she lets go. “Starlight!? Did those two finally get back together? Is she going to Ce-Canterlot’s School for Gifted Unicorns with him?”
Princess Celestia gently bows her head. “Indeed they have, and indeed she has. She was a lot like you when she started at CSGU, and I dread what she would have found if she’d fallen further into despair over Sunburst leaving and accidentally forgetting her when he got his Cutie Mark passing his CSGU test.”
Sunset looks out at the sunset as she gives an acknowledging nod. “Well, I’d love to talk all day, but the sun is setting, and we must be getting back. Mrs. and Mr. Granger, would you mind if you took Philomena with you, so she knows where you live? That way, you can come to visit as well.”
The two look at each other before Emma gives their agreement. Both groups then wish each other goodnight before Philomena flames everyone away but the Equestrians, the Dursleys, and Professor McGonagall.
The latter once alone turns on the Equestrians and looks askance at them. “Now, how did you give Dudley here magical capabilities? He should be as anti-magical as they come!”
Princess Celestia turns to her and sighs as she recites from memory. “Your no-magicals suffer from what we know as Void Star Syndrome. Your scanning spells for magic channels all expect the scanned to have an unblocked magic system. The usual treatment is someone using their magic to slowly, gently erode the blockages in the treated’s magic system over the course of months.”
McGonagall points between Princess Celestia and Dudley. “You didn’t have months!?”
Princess Celestia gently but firmly glares at Lightning. “Someone asked if I could speed up the process because they wanted their cousin to attend. Needless to say, no one will ever speed the treatment again if I have anything to say as it would have had lethal results if someone wasn’t there to give the magic an out.”
Lightning looks a little put out by the glare while McGonagall opens her mouth, closes it, then opens it again, “so we have time to figure out how to broach this cure? And to do a test run on Filch and claim him as the original trial?”
Princess Celestia cocks her head as she thinks. “We do indeed, and that is a good suggestion. Might even make him lighten up alongside his weird cat Ms. Norris.”
Twilight quietly interjects. “On a related subject, the goblins claimed Lightning has non-human traces in his blood that have grown stronger.”
McGonagall looks expectantly at Princess Celestia while she embarrassedly explains, “There’s a ritual here known as becoming someone’s blood brother/sister. As Professor McGonagall knows, it is so old, it’s even seeped into non-magical culture and so weak they can perform it. I think we now know what happens when it is performed between a human and non-human, and then the human has a child. Or maybe it’s just the love we both have for you, Lightning.”
Professor McGonagall hums softly before decisively nodding. “That makes as much sense as anything with Lily’s legacy. I have things to report to Dumbledore and the other Heads of House over the evening meal, so I wish you all a goodnight.”
Receiving good nights and well wishes in return, the Equestrians and Dursleys soon also wish each other good night before they head home to their respective households for supper and bed.