One year later

July 31st.

Both Neville and Harry woke up in joy, now 11 years old boys. Upon they went downstairs their parents came over and hugged them. In addition, Alice kissed both of them in the cheek.

"Happy birthday Harry, Neville!" said both Frank and Alice. 

"I hope today we got our letters!" Neville stated. Harry smirked. Then a knock in the door; Remus and Sirius erupting around the room, both were yelling, "Happy Birthday Harry and Neville!"

Harry and Neville along with Marianne greeted their uncles, "Morning Moony, morning Padfoot."

Harry, Neville, and Marianne then embraced Sirius and Remus cheerfully, and they took their designated seats at the table, while breakfast was being served by the Alice with the assistance of the family's elf, Andrew. Marianne spoke to Sirius excitedly, "Where is Aunt Emma, Padfoot?"

Sirius barely looked up as he began devouring his meal, "She went into work this morning for a little bit, she promised to be in later, but duty calls. Also, before you all asked, Uncle Gideon had also told me that he has to be in his office in Diagon Alley for some important meetings, but promised to drop in here as well."

With the help of Remus, Gideon, Joseph, and Frank along with Andromeda, Sirius Black has finally married with a fellow member of the Order and an Unspeakable named Emmeline "Emma" Vance, currently six months pregnant and she was also designated as Marianne's godmother, whom she was close with. Harry turned to Remus, "Are you two going to Diagon Alley with us?"

They were eating their breakfasts together as two owls flew in the open kitchen window and landed on the table. As expected, after both Harry and Neville opened their envelopes with their names, they burst in joy.

"What's going on, Harry, Neville?" Frank was the first to get into the kitchen followed by Marianne and Alice.

"Our Hogwarts letters!" Both Harry and Neville showed their acceptance letters and supplies lists, each in separate parchments.  

This caused the adults at the table to cheer. Alice smiled at her sons, "Looks like Diagon Alley will be a hot spot for us."

The adults around the table conversed easily, while Marianne and Harry spoke of the coming year, "You know you and Neville are going to write to me all the time right? It's not fair that you and Neville get to go off without me, and two years feels very long!" 

"Well, Marianne, you won't be alone.. you can still play with Luna, Ginny, Edmund, Alex, David, or Tory," Neville reassured his sister.

"Neville is right, Marianne, you will have your time," added Harry. 

"By the way, boys, after breakfast, get ready, as we are going to Diagon Alley today," Alice told them. "Both of you should got your own owl to write to me and Dad." she grinned.

"Brilliant, Mum!" The boys grinned back. For Harry especially, his heart went up high as he will soon be able to get closer to a certain Scottish lass...

...

"Frank, Alice, how are you?" 

The Longbottoms, with Aunt Petunia and now-reformed Uncle Vernon accompanying them with Dudley, weren't expected to meet Hagrid as they went out from the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron.

"As fine as always, Hagrid," replied Frank.

The Weasleys, the Greengrasses, the Davises, and the Boneses arrived shortly after that. They all wished Harry and Neville a happy birthday, even though Neville had a small party for his birthday yesterday.

The last who arrive was the Changs. Without hesitation, and the surge of magic inside him caused him to went to Cho with his dear life, just like they had not seen each other for a while.

"Harry!"

"Cho!"

"Happy Birthday Harry!" she said. "And Neville as well!"

"Yes, and thank you so much, Cho". Meanwhile Joseph and Min then greeted the rest of the adults and wished for Harry and Neville's birthday.

Hagrid soon presented Harry and Neville with his gifts, a beautiful snowy owl for Harry and a handsome brown owl for Neville. "Looks like we don't need to get you an owl after all, Harry, Neville," said Alice. "We were going to let you pick out an owl today as an additional present, but Hagrid beat us to it."

"Thank you, Hagrid" both boys thanked the Hogwarts' Keeper of the Grounds. "By the way my owl's name will be Hedwig," said Harry, while Neville proclaimed. "I named mine Perseus."

"Good names" Sirius said in agreement.

After some catching up the group head to Gringotts, with Hagrid accompanying them for a Hogwarts affair involving a "You-Know-What" in the vault 713 while the Grangers, with Molly and Arthur accompanying them exchanging their Pounds into Galleons.

Since this trip was a birthday treat for Harry and Neville, Ron and Ginny were allowed to stay with the group while the rest of their family went off to do their own shopping. Harry knew Percy had been appointed one of Gryffindor's prefects that year, and he looked very proud as he strode off.

"Congratulations, Percy," said Alice. To Harry's somewhat annoyance, Percy is his adopted mother's favorite, and being a disciplined former Auror, Alice had an easier time with him over the year.

The first stop was Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. 

Unfortunately, when Harry was getting measured for his robes, he had to stand next to a blond boy with a pale, pointed face, who was rather haughty and both Harry and Neville know that he is a Malfoy, thanks to Sirius.

"Hello," said the boy, who had a bored, drawling voice. "Hogwarts too?" Harry nodded.

"My father's next door buying my books and Mother's up there looking at wands," said the boy.

"The wand chooses the wizard," Harry pointed out. "So unless she's getting a new one for herself, why would she be looking at them when you're the one that need the suitable wand?"

The other boy's face turned slightly reddish before he replied, "Yes, but there's no harm in looking, you know. Anyway, I'm going to make them to look at racing brooms when I'm done here. Listen, I don't understand why first years can't have their own. I think I'll "persuade" father into getting me one and I'll get it. Have you got your own broom?" His tone of voice implied he thought the answer was 'no'.

The blond annoyed him and Neville so much that instead of just saying a simple 'yes', Harry decided to reply differently, "In fact, my godfather got me a Nimbus Two Thousand much earlier for my birthday, to replace the Comet Two Eighty I had originally. I'm very good at Quidditch and flying in general, and I plan on trying out for my House team next year, probably as a Chaser or Seeker."

"While I got myself a Cleansweep Nine last year, as I planned to either be Chaser or Beater, my father was a Beater once," Neville added confidently.

A disgruntled look crossed the boy's face and then he said, "I play Quidditch too, Seeker. Father says it'll be a crime if I'm not picked to play for my House, and I must say, I agree. Know what House you'll be in?"

"No," responded Neville, not wanting to reveal his, and Harry, and his friend's plan.

"Well, nobody really knows until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family has been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

"You have to know that two of my uncles were there, Joseph and Gideon" Neville replied. "Uncle Gideon is a good warder and curse breaker while Uncle Joseph was excellent in Herbology and Potions."

"And we have friends with her family in Hufflepuff. Susan Bones. And if you read more.. you will know that such a house has it's share of famous and well-known wizards and witches, as well. For example, Dilys Derwent." added Harry.

The other boy looked taken aback. "Oh sorry," he apologized, but he didn't sound sincere at all. "I didn't mean to insult Hufflepuff. But as far as I know, Dilys Derwent was a Gryffindor." He said the word Gryffindor with the mocking tone.

Harry laughed.

"Do you ever read, or told by your parents, at all?" Harry asked. "Come on, she's once the head of St. Mungo's Hospital and Headmaster of Hogwarts, and her biography clearly showed what house she was in Sorted in. I did, and I know for a fact that she was in Hufflepuff."

"I have better things to do than reading biographies about useless Hufflepuffs," the blonde snapped.

"That's a pity," said Neville. "You should read more. Think of all that knowledge you'll miss out on."

"I think I know what House you'll be in," said the boy. "You'll be one of the bookworm Ravenclaws." From the way he said 'bookworm', he made it sound like it was some horrible things to be.

"Actually, I think I will accept anything other than Slytherin," said Harry smugly. "No offense to my friends, Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis which I know will be fit there. In fact, I planned to befriend people from all four houses, just like my friends."

The other boy's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to retort, but before he could say anything, Madam Malkin said to Harry, "That's you done, my dear." Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy, hopped down from the footstool and walked away, making a face of disgust and annoyance.

"What's wrong, Harry?" asked Sirius, spotting the annoyed and disgusted look.

"I had a conversation with a boy that I think is Draco Malfoy," answered Harry. "He had the blond hair and said that all his family had been in Slytherin. Anyway, he was annoying and insulted Hufflepuff. This means he insults the Boneses, Uncle Joseph, Uncle Gideon, and Tonks. As well as other houses other than Slytherin."

Sirius scowled. "Well, what do you expect of the scion of Lucius Malfoy? now, how about I get you and your friends some ice cream to cheer you up, Harry? Cho wants it so bad!" 

Frank and Alice, as well as Joseph, nodded in agreement.

"That's a great idea," said Harry, and the group went across the street to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, where Sirius bought them all large ice cream cones.

Once they were done eating, with Harry and Cho sat very close to each other while talking mostly about Quidditch, they went to Flourish and Blotts for the school books. Hermione feels that she's in heaven at the bookstore, and bought six extra books, one of which was Hogwarts, a History, even though she had read the copy that once owned by Alice. 

Speaking of Quidditch Harry is a fan of Pride of Portree while Cho prefers Tutshill Tornadoes.

Ron had to buy his books secondhand, and he would have looked rather awkward about it if his friendships hadn't surpassed such material related things long ago.

After they have done in the Apothecary and bought the needed parchment, quills, ink, cauldrons, scales, and telescopes they set out for Ollivanders, before they head together to the wandmaker's shop. 

As the group entered the building Moony stood by the door in order to make sure no unwanted attention to Harry, especially the media which wants him for an interview or some other rubbish like that. When Harry head over to the counter he spotted an old man with the widest eyes he had ever seen along with another much younger balding man.

Garrick Ollivander took a big smell as if he could smell the magic in the room, "Ah Mr. Potter I was wondering when you would be coming to buy a wand from me. Let me see what I can do for you. Ah Mr. Longbottom Sr... eleven inches English oak, Unicorn hair, I trust that it has served you well? Mrs. Longbottom, eleven and a half inch Willow, with a Swedish short-snout dragon heartstring?"

Both adults nodded in amazement before Ollivander turned to Sirius and Remus, "Ah Mr. Black, you were using the Mahogany, supple, with a Thestral hair, had been returned to you after your stay in Azkaban before you turned up as innocent.. and Mr. Lupin, ah yes the Cypress, and the unicorn tail's hair, very good combination indeed.

After more recounts for the present adults' wand, the children began to try their wands.

After about two wands, one of vine wood, ten and three-quarter inches, with dragon heartstring core, chose Hermione. Then a willow wand, fourteen inches, with unicorn hair core chose Ron, an English oak wand, fourteen inches, and thestral's hair chose Dudley, and a cherry wand, thirteen inches, unicorn hair core chose Neville. Three wands later, a cedar wand, ten inches, with dragon heartstring core chose Susan, while Daphne obtained a fifteen inches elm with unicorn's mane and Tracey got a thirteen inches walnut, unyielding, with heartstring of an English white dragon.

Then it's time for Cho.

Twenty-one wands that she had tried, but nothing suitable for her. Until she tried an elder wood, eleven inches, with a strand of hair from griffin's tail. From its tip, there's a powerful surge with a very bright red, blue, yellow, and green light. All inside were both blown back at the force of the blow and was amazed by the light's display.

"What's the meaning of this, Mr. Ollivander?" Cho asked.

"Elder wand is the rarest wand wood, and mastering it will be very hard. But it seems that this wand finally has its pair after fifty years.."

"Fifty years?" Min Chang was taken aback by the statement.

"...This wand had chosen Ms. Chang, this means that she's marked, just like the boy who is close to her, for a great and special destiny awaits her... Now for Mr. Harry Potter, I do believe I have just the wand for you."

After another one hour with bad results, Harry can see both Mr. Ollivander and his son, Joshua, were looking pale as Joshua handed Harry the box. A slim looking wand from Holly. When he grabbed it, a similar surge like the one that occurred to Cho's wand. 

Ollivander stared with a tear in his eye, "Forgive me, Mr. Potter, it seems I have made a grave error. The wand has connected with you, I wish it could be different, but, The wand chooses the wizard. That much has always been clear to those of us who have studied wand lore. These connections are complex. An initial attraction, and then a mutual quest for experience, the wand learning from the wizard, the wizard from the wand. For better or for worse the wand is now yours. I dare not try to give you another, while that wand remains intact."

Harry asked quietly as his adopted parents, his uncles, and Cho's family stared at him in awe and worry, "What is so special about this wand Mr. Ollivander?"

Putting a hand on Harry's shoulder he spoke gently, "Eleven inches, phoenix feather, Holly wood. It is certainly an unusual combination, but it is powerful, for the only one who wielded it did great things, terrible, but great. The phoenix whose feather created that wand, gave another feather, just one other feather. The one who wields the other wand gave you that scar."

The room seemed to drop several degrees at that, while Joseph Chang immediately intervened, "Wait.. do you mean he has something like.. a connection with the Dark Lord?"

Mr. Ollivander sighed, "Well, Mr. Chang, with all due respect to your interest in Mr. Potter's welfare, as I can feel that your daughter is close to him, we should not fear the dead, only remembering and acknowledging things they accomplished. The Dark Lord did great feats of magic with the brother of this wand. I expect great things from Mr. Potter as long as he wields that wand. I fear if he were to try a different one, it would come at a great cost to his magic. Especially in light of the same thing that we saw from this wand, and Ms. Chang's one, despite if we talk elder, the most compatible person with the holder of an elder wand is a rowan, but yes, this is quite an unusual case.."

Frank asked, "Back to Harry, what kind of cost?"

"He would never accomplish his optimum potential without this wand at his side," Ollivander spoke cryptically.

Sirius was at Harry's side in an instant, "Mr. Ollivander is right, and we forge our own paths. This could be a sign, and not necessarily a bad one. Please, Mr. Ollivander, we will take this one." As the Changs, the Longbottoms, Sirius, and Remus went off Ollivander called out one last time, "Treat your wands well Mr. Potter, Ms. Chang, is it a partner for life, and it will bring you great power."

The group returned to the Leaky Cauldron, where they met up with the rest of the Weasley family for lunch in a private room. And during that time Gideon also dropped by and gave Harry and Neville his birthday wishes. When they were done eating, Alice left the room and returned a couple of minutes later with the cake for both Harry and Neville, the gathering then sung 'Happy Birthday', and then both Harry and Neville cut out slices for them all to enjoy. The cake itself was a marble one of both chocolate and vanilla.

When they finished the cake, Harry opened the rest of his gifts. His friends including Cho had gotten together and bought him a Broomstick Servicing Kit, along with a book on Quidditch maneuvers and general flying tips and a pair of Quidditch gloves. Harry gratefully appreciated it thanks to his old gloves are a bit too small now and his kit was all but ran out thanks to Harry's extensive use of his brooms in playing with his friends.

"Thank you everyone!" he exclaimed.

Uncle Gideon gave him a book about Defense, the Dursleys gave him a book about etiquettes, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him some nut brittle and a red and gold striped scarf, and Ginny gave him a matching hat. Since Luna hadn't been able to come, she had sent her gift with Ginny, which was a series of nice and rich in color, non-magical painting of Harry and his friends flying on their brooms. Fred and George gifted a box of Zonko's prank items, and Percy's present was a Charms book, Worldwide Almanac of Charms. the Boneses gave Harry a box of sweets and some supplies for his new owl, the Greengrasses presented him with a Potions book, the Davises with a leather wand holster, the Changs gave him the newest Pride of Portree's jersey, and Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom's present was a journal book.

The large group of people sat around for a few minutes to discuss their morning, and after that, gathered up their things and prepared to leave.

...

A/N: What do you think about my choice of an Elder wand for Cho? This elder wand, anyway, is different than Dumbledore's one.