| Notes - Is it just me or does this whole idea seem weird? I'm continuing this fic but I'm worried about where it is heading. I hope everyone who is reading this likes it at the moment. I haven't said this before but if you have any questions or comments feedback is welcome at [email protected]. As I can't recall any of the shop names, my sis is borrowing my book so I can't find out neither, I'm not naming them up, The robe shop is just that. Soz guys! Chapter Three Duo gasped as he and Howard entered the brightly lit, very long, crowded street. Everywhere Duo looked were people pushing into shop after shop spending money in shop after shop. Waves of multicoloured robes surrounded Duo and he found that in order to stay with Howard and not get lost he had to jog as the crowds parted before Howard. "First stop is the bank. Over here." After a few minutes of quick jogging a crowd of kids caught Duo's eyes. He paused to look. There were five kids pressing against the window of a shop that was called 'Broomsticks Supplies'. "That's the new modal!" "DeathScythe (1). 'Pose to be the faster broom on sale ever!" "It is! Only the best get to fly a Deathscythe." "It's amazing!" One of the kids swooned. Duo wanted to take a closer look but felt a hand pull him away. "No good looking. First years ain't allowed broomsticks." And Duo let Howard drag him off. Moments later Duo was entering the large white wizard bank located at the very end of Diagon Alley. Howard went the nearest free desk and the goblin that was working there. Duo's violet eyes blinked as he took in the marble room that could fit the Dursleys house ten fold. The gold numbers that stood out clearly above the many doors leading to who knows where. "I would like to take money out of Mr Duo Maxwell's vault please. I gave his key here somewhere." Duo winced. Everyone was calling him that today. Mr Duo Maxwell. Why not just plain old Duo? Howard was searching his pockets and finally pulled out a battered old key, which he handed to the goblin and also a letter. "It involves the you-know-what is Vault 718. Professor Khushrenada's business." The goblin scanned the letter before nodding and leading the way over to one of the large marble doors. "What's the you-know-what is vault 718?" Duo asked. "That's top information. Professor Khushrenada trusts me to keep to safe until I next see him and telling you is now of your business." Duo pouted and then cheered up as he sow what awaited them. A stone tunnel and a cart and rails. Howard turned green. "Can't stand these carts." He groaned sliding into the back. Duo joined him while the goblin climbed into the front. Duo flashed Howard a grin. "It'll be fun!" Howard shook his head as the cart started up and speeded down the tunnel. Duo let loose a loud cry of joy as the wind pushed his hand away from his face and whipped it around him. The cart jumped at neck breaking speed and where as Howard was looking paler by the minute, while the wild bumpy ride was making Duo hypo! Howard reached out and pinned Duo to the seat easier. Duo bent his head over the side to look down the wide cavern they were crossing. As they passed into the next tunnel Duo thought he sow a brief flicker of fire and asked Howard if dragons did exist or not? "Yeah. Love to have a dragon. Now don't talk to me, I think I'm going be sick." Duo grimaced as Howard heaved heavily but nothing came up. Finally the cart stopped. "Duo Maxwell's Vault." The goblin announced and Duo bounced from his seat to the door as the goblin opened it with the key. "Shit!" Duo hissed as the piles of gold, silver and bronze met his eyes. "DUO!" Howard warned. "Now listen closely. The bronze are Knuts. Silver are Sickles. Seven Knuts to a Sickle. And Gold are Gallons. Seventeen Sickles to a Gallon (2). Understood?" "Understood Sir!" Duo snapped off a salute and gathered up a couple of handfuls of each. "What are I'm supposed to carry this in?" "Here sir." The goblin handed Duo a leather purse and Duo dropped his money into it. "That should last you a few terms." The vault door shut and Duo took the offered key. "Now to vault 718. Can we go a little slowly this time?" "One speed only." "Oh no." This time the ride was faster and even Duo began to feel a little sick. When it finally ended Duo was shivering from the cold air and Howard was leaning over the edge bring up his breakfast. The goblin wrinkled his nose at Howard but turn to the door in question. "There's no lock!" Duo pointed out. "Cause not. Only a goblin can open this door. Anyone and they get sucked in." "How offered do you check?" The goblin grinned at Duo. "About every 100 years." Duo swallowed and stepped away as the goblin stroked the door gently with his forefinger. It vanished under his touch and Duo leaned forward expecting to see riches and diamonds. The goblin smirked at the disappointed look on Duo's face and picked up the only thing in the room. A dirty packet, about the size of a fist wrapped in brown paper. He handed it to the very green Howard who nodded his thanks and pocketed it. Duo itched to know what it was but knew better than to ask. After another hair raising ride back to the surface Duo and Howard stood in the bright sunlight. "Do you mind if I pop into the Black Cauldron for a quick Pick-Me-Up? I can't stand those Carts." Duo nodded. "Go buy your robes and I'll be there in a minute." Howard strolled out and Duo looked round suddenly shy as he walked slowly towards the robe shop. He pushed open the door and was suddenly grabbed by a witch. "New robes?" Duo nodded. "Sanq?" Duo nodded again. "Come this way. A young girl is being fitted as well." She placed Duo on a stool beside a blond haired girl and watched as she began to measure him. "Sanq too?" The girl asked. Duo looked across at her. Mid length blond hair with two strands braided and pulled back, blue eyes and a soft coloured skin. "Yeah." "It's my first year! My brother went there, so did my mum and dad. My whole family have been in Slytherin (3). Do you know what house you will be in?" Duo shook his head, unsure what the girl was talking about. "Well I should be in Slytherin. I would hate to be put in somewhere like Hufflepuff. Wouldn't you?" "Hmmm." Duo suddenly felt very dumb. "Have you got a broomstick? Play Quidditch at all? Whose you favourite team?" "Well I..." "I do say who is that huge man?" Duo looked up out of the window at Howard who was standing there with two ice creams smiling. "That's Howard." Duo said, glad to know something this girl didn't. "I've heard about him. Lives in a hut by the lake on the grounds. Tries to do magic but ends up blowing his house up." "I think he's great." Duo hissed, disliking the girl more and more. "You do? Ah. Why is he with you anyway? Where are your parents?" "They dead." "Really? I am sorry." Duo glared at her. "They were our kind weren't they?" "They were witch and wizard if that's what you mean." "I don't think they should let the other side in. They just don't have the same up bring as us do they?" "Um..." "Who are you anyway?" "That's you done Dear." Duo hopped down, please to have an excuse to get away. He gave the shopkeeper the money. "See you at Sanq then." "Bye." Duo left the shop quickly and took the offered ice cream. He sat in silence as he eat it. "What's wrong Duo?" Duo quickly explained about the girl in the shop. "I don't know anything and I bet I'll be the worst in the class." "Loads of people start like you. Right at the bottom and with the two parents you had Sanq will be easy." Duo smiled at Howard but his words had in truth only made Duo feel worst. Duo finished eating and together him and Howard started to shop. Books, powers and potions, an owl for Duo's birthday, which left Duo blushing red and muttering thank you over and over, and a school bag with hidden pockets. Duo paused by the broomstick supplies and gazed at the DeathScythe Broomstick. To him it looked like a very posh version of a normal cleaning broom but then he wasn't an expect on these things. And the there was the last shop, a wand! Long, narrow, dark and dingy. The smell of rotten wood filled his nose and a bat like man crept forward. "I thought I would see you soon Mr Maxwell." Duo jumped as the silvery eyes of Mr Oliver gazed into his violet ones so close that another cm and their noses would be touching. "Hi?" "After a wand, I would guess." Duo nodded, trying to put distance between him and the old man who keep inching closer. The number of wands that Duo tried again and again piled up until he was handed one that sent a warm shiver through his body and as he raised it a trail of violet and silver stars came out. "Well Done!" Mr Oliver and Howard clapped. "That is very strange." Mr Oliver took the wand from Duo and wrapped it up muttering, "So very strange." Over and over again. "What is?" Duo asked and the silver eyes smiled at him. "That wand is the brother to the wand that gave you that scar." Duo's hands went up to his scar and placed itself over it almost as if he was protecting it. Mr Oliver laughed. "It is the wand that chooses the wizard Mr Maxwell. You will do great things!" And he pushed the stunned boy and overgrown man out of his shop. Later that night Duo laid flat out in his new bedroom. When he told his aunt and uncle he was going to Sanq and there wasn't anything they could do to stop him, his Uncle had ordered Dudley to clean out his room and take Duo's thing to his second room. Duo smiled and clutched the ticket to Sanq. It was his passport out of here! Closing his eyes Duo felt that for once in his life things were going perfectly. TBC... (1) A new name for the Nimbus isn't it? I needed to make more connections to the series so each broomstick will be named after a gundam or suit! (2) I couldn�t remember the correct names or piece thingies! Soz (3) I'm keeping the house names and I know Relena shouldn't really go in here but I really wanna bashing her about a bit! Soz to all the Relena lovers reading! |