Hermione stood in awe as she stared at the bustling street in front of her. A woman passed nearby, scolding her son and dragging him by his ear, drawing the attention of many passersby. The boy looked about her age with brilliant red hair and a messy attire.

"Ronald Billius Weasley," His mother, whom she guessed to be Mrs. Weasley, said sharply. "How many times must I tell you to not try out spells on your sister? Look at her!" She pointed towards a girl Hermione hadn't noticed before, with the same hair as her brother, though her face was weirdly shaped. When Hermione got a closer look, she couldn't help but let out a small giggle. Her face was pinched and she had a pure white pig snout, her eyes squinted in either anger or embarrassment. Judging by how red her cheeks were, she guessed both.

She was about to investigate the peculiar situation closer when the woman behind her spoke. "Well, we must be getting your supplies now. No time to waste." Hermione nodded, still slightly intimidated by the witch.

They had arrived through this small, almost unnoticeable pub called the Leaky Cauldron. She even wondered if there was a charm that disabled any muggles for seeing it for they acted like it didn't exist. Once inside, the professor led her outside to a small unmaintained courtyard, where she tapped a brick on the wall. To the girl's utter astonishment, the wall had slowly opened up to reveal the hidden street, which was apparently called Diagon Alley.

"You do have your supply list?" Professor McGonagall asked, her eyebrow arching in question.

Hermione nodded quickly. "Right here, professor." She took out the list which she had folded neatly and placed in her jean pocket. She had taken it out after the professor had left their house and had gaped at the contents, which were full of stuff she hadn't even known existed outside of her imagination. Hermione took it out carefully, not wanting to damage it, deciding to read it one more time.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

wand cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set

glass or crystal phials

telescope set

brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

She couldn't believe that half those things even actually existed, let alone the fact that she was to get her very own.

"Let's get the wand first, shall we?" Hermione nodded in excitement and the witch lead her to a shop which was narrow and shabby with peeling gold letters. They read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. The shop's display consisted of a solitary wand lying on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. She peeked inside from behind Professor McGonagall as the older witch opened the door and walked inside confidently. The shop was tiny, the front empty except for a single, spindly chair and a tiny desk which was overflowing with tools in the corner.

"New student here, Ollivander," Professor McGonagall said smoothly to someone Hermione couldn't see from her position. "Hermione Granger. She needs a wand." Judging by a jingle of coins, Hermione guessed that the professor had just paid with some of the coins in the complementary bag of money the school had given, since apparently wizarding currency was different from that of muggles.

"Of course, Minerva," a voice sounded out. Hermione stepped out from behind her place and found an old looking man with wise eyes studying her.

"Perhaps this one," he mused to himself, swiftly picking out a long black box from the shelves behind him, "Try this. Sandalwood, 11 inches, unicorn hair core." He opened the box and handed a long, lightly colored wand to Hermione, who took it awestruck. "Wave it, will you?"

Hermione tilted her head and flicked her wrist, holding the wand upright. A bolt of red shot out and burned through a shelf, somehow not causing too much havoc. Hermione stared at the wand in her hand in wonder, excitement coursing through her. But Ollivander snatched it from her hand.

"That's not it," he muttered. The same routine was repeated multiple times until he stared at her, curiosity blooming in his eyes. Professor McGonagall had already left, with the reason being that solitude was to be better for a wand to choose her. "Maybe, just maybe... but the chances! So rare, but it could be possible..." Hermione expected him to pull out another box from the near-to-collapsing shelves, but he bent over and picked out a silver box that was unlike the others. His hand shook as he handed it to Hermione, who stared at it in awe.

It was a long, elegant wand, with thin vines coursing up the length of the wood, perhaps about 11 inches. A dark color with a silver sheen, it was thin and looked flexible but also had a certain strength and support to it. As soon as Hermione touched the enchanted wood, a rush, far more powerful than the wands before, coursed through her. When she breathed in, it felt like her lungs were inhaling fresh air for the first time. She lifted her hand, and by either instinct or this deep, hidden knowledge inside of her, she knew exactly what to do. Hermione gently caressed the wand with her long fingers and raised it upward. Without a command, the wand lit up a glowing halo around the two, which then shrunk to only encapture her. It returned to the wand, which lit up for a few seconds before humming softly in her hand. She didn't need Ollivander to tell her what she already knew.

"It chose you." Ollivander said in wonder. "It was nothing more than an experiment." He returned to his seat behind his desk, his legs unable to support him. His eyes studied Hermione with a newfound interest. "It has not one core, but three. Unicorn hair, dragon heartstring and phoenix feather. The unicorn hair makes it extremely faithful. The dragon heartstring installs a spirit of deep loyalty and great power and the phoenix feather, the most rare, has the greatest magic."

"But, I thought there could only be one core," Hermione said slowly, recalling a line from the History of Magic.

"That's what makes it so special," he said softly, peering at her. "I have no doubt that you will become a great witch." Then, Ollivander straightened. "But this wand is completely experimental, and it will also cause unnecessary attention if announced." He searched his desk for something and handed her a plain, empty black box which Hermione took, confused. "No, no one can know of this. To the outside world, your wand is nothing more than vine wood with a Dragon heartstring core." He gently took the wand from her hand and put it in the plain box, placing it carefully in her bag. "I have no doubt that you will be a great witch and I look forward to the day when your name will be written in all the history books."

A few minutes later, Hermione stood outside of Ollivander's shop, still a bit confused from the whole ordeal. Her usually fast brain couldn't seem to process what just happened and her head was spinning a little. Professor McGonagall stood beside her, scanning the list. Her finger stopped on the list of course books.

"Those are next," she told the young witch beside her. "They'll take the shortest amount of time and the store is closer."

Hermione nodded, still in a daze. But she was broken out of the trance when they entered a polished shop with a shiny sign reading Flourish and Blotts in big silver cursive letters. When she entered, her jaw dropped at the sight of what the tiny store held. There were shelves on shelves leaning with the weight of countless books, each different colors and sizes. Some were the size of pocket watches with cream silk as the cover and others were as big as a train wheel with rusty, faded leather sheathings. The view made Hermione's breath catch and her eyes widened to the size of baseballs. All thoughts of her wand evaporated and her mind was only caught on one thing; books!

She started to rush towards a leaning tower to get some books, but remembered after a few steps of the presence of the professor behind her. She looked at her with uncertainty, but the witch simply nodded and a hint of a smile danced on her thin lips.

"There's more than enough money in this bag for you to buy extra books. Go on then; I'll deal with the coursebooks." Professor McGonagall watched as a bright smile came upon the young witch's face, brightening her features and giving off a childish glow. The adult-like maturity and stress lining her youthful face instantly vanished as she breathed in the fresh smell of books and her long fingers trailed across the spines, bumping up and down with every crevice. As the elder witch watched her, a small smile gave way to her as she remembered how her younger self had done quite the same thing.

Hermione had always loved books and being near so many was exhilarating and took her breath away. Back at home, she'd read the same books from their school library over and over again. Her parents had a love for books and kept many at home, but she'd read all of them, even the medical ones. All it did was increase her thirst for books, and no number would be able to quench it. But now, as Hermione's eyes drank up the sight of so many stories and information, she finally felt warm inside. She felt home.

Hermione grabbed 2 large books for far more advanced levels, just for some extra reading, and continued her search for something a bit less informational. Her fingers slowed down on a specific book, a book she had always wanted to read, but had never come to her hometown in the libraries. Ella Enchanted, by Gail Carson Levine. It was a brand new copy, with elegant gold lettering and a shiny cover, not to mention the new book smell that made Hermione once more wish there was a perfume of.

But as she readjusted her grip to bring it out of the shelves, another hand closed on the spine, a paler one than hers. Hermione looked beside her to find a boy about her height with white blond hair, gray eyes and a tight lipped frown that seemed to be glaring at her.

"I want this book," he proclaimed, quite haughtily.

"I got it first, so it is only fair that it is mine," Hermione told him, not believing his nerve and barely keeping her calm.

"But, I want it," he emphasized.

Hermione put her free hand on her hip. "And am I supposed to know who you are? Cause if anything, you just look like a spoiled brat."

He narrowed his eyes and took a step closer. "My name is Draco Malfoy. And I am part of the Malfoy line, descendants of Salazar Slytherin."

"Actually, Salazar Slytherin has no descendants." Hermione informed him. "Neither does Rowena Ravenclaw, for your information. You would know that if you ever actually kept anything in that small brain of yours." She didn't know Draco enough to say that, but it still felt good to tell him that.

His face reddened and he opened his mouth, but then closed it. Speechless with no snarky answer, he stomped away, shouting curses back at her. Hermione shrugged, not caring about whoever that kid was and swiftly picked the book off the shelf and put it carefully inside her bag, next to her wand and other chosen books. When she emerged from the shelves, she found Professor McGonagall waiting outside for her, at the checkout area. Hermione took out her chosen book and kept it with the others. When she looked up, she found the Professor smiling at her.

"Good choice of book." She noted. "It's a very good one with quite a few plot twists." Hermione beamed and her ears perked at what the professor said next. "I have a feeling you'll like the library at Hogwarts; it is quite larger than this."

Hermione's eyes widened again. "Really? There's a library?" Her voice became high-pitched, excitement coursing through her. Fantasies of reading for long hours in a magical school filled her mind.

"Of course." As the young witch grinned with happiness, Professor McGonagall knew right away that she would be a wonderful student, and made a mental note to keep an eye on her. If this day had proven anything to her, it was that Hermione Granger would be someone she could never forget.