Lysander Scamander had always been –differentâ€, and he knew it. His mother knew how it felt to be made fun of, but she never seemed to let it bother her. His twin brother, Lorcan, was also quite strange, but at least people seemed to generally like him. People didn’t like talking to Lysander. They called him ‘loony’ and ‘off his rocker.’ Lysander didn’t seem to mind it too much, he usually just responded to his attackers with: –my reality is just different than yours.†But recently he’d been thinking a lot. He would be starting his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in just a week, and he was a strange mixture of excited and nervous. His father kept telling him he’d do great, but Lysander wasn’t so sure.
* * * * *
Lysander awoke to a silent house. His father had probably already gone to work, his brother was most likely still asleep, and who knew what his mother was doing? He swung his legs out of bed and stood, stretching. He looked over at his alarm clock, which told him it was 8:45. He yawned and headed down the stairs and into the den. Lysander looked over at his mother, Luna, who was doing that strange muggle thing she liked to do. He thought it was called ‘mediritating’ or something.
–Mum? Are we going to Diagon Alley today?†Lysander walked past her and into the kitchen. Luna sighed and stood.
–Yes, darling. Your father wanted to come, but he has a lot of...things...going on at work.â€
She pulled out her wand from her back pocket and tapped it against the rim of her teacup, magically refilling it. Lysander nodded, his father worked a lot, but he cared. He got two slices of bread from the bread box and pushed the lever of the toaster down. He got the jam out just as the toast popped up. He spread the jam on and took a bite, sitting down at the bar. Lorcan groggily walked into the room a few minutes later.
–Hello...†Lorcan croaked, yawning. Lysander nodded in greeting. Luna smiled at her son.
–Good morning, sweetie. Sleep well?â€
She took a sip of her tea. Lorcan shrugged and poured himself some orange juice. Lysander chewed his toast and jam.
–We should be getting going in a half an hour. Considering we already got your cauldrons and weights, and you have Rowena," she gestured to the family's owl. "We just need your books, wands, and robes today. That should be easy enough.†Luna sighed wistfully.
Lysander smiled. He was very excited to find out what kind of wand would choose him. Ollivander’s had always fascinated him.
* * * * *
As they exited Flourish and Blott’s with their schoolbooks, Lysander groaned. He shifted his large pile of books and looked over at Lorcan, who was doing the same. Luna looked at them both, then with a flick of her wand, she sent the books home, flapping their pages like wings. Lysander watched them fade from sight before running to catch up with his mother and brother, who were heading to Ollivander’s. Lysander stepped through the doorway, looking around at all the wands and boxes strewn across the floor and shelves. He had just been eyeing an oak wand when a small man came scuttling from what looked like a back room.
–Hello, welcome, welcome, you there, the tall one, what’s your name?†Lorcan blinked and looked around, as if to confirm the man was talking to him.
–Lorcan Scamander.†The man grinned and looked at Luna.
–Ah, Luna Lovegood! Or is it Scamander now? Quite the inquisitive one in your day!â€
Luna smiled and gently pushed Lorcan towards Mr. Ollivander.
–Now let’s see...â€
Mr. Ollivander pulled out a quite worn tape measure and started measuring Lorcan all over. Lorcan’s eyes widened as the man scuttled over the shelf, and the tape measure continued to measure him on its own. Mr. Ollivander came back a few seconds later with a box.
–Elderberry, 12 ½ inches, unicorn core, slightly springy. Here.â€
He handed it to Lorcan, but when he waved it around, nothing happened. The man snatched it away and searched around for a moment before grabbing another box.
–Cherry, 11 inches, phoenix core, unyielding.â€
Lysander looked at Lorcan, his eyes wide when he raised the wand and green sparks sizzled as they flew out. The man took the wand and packed it in the box and handed it back to him.
–Now, your turn. What’s your name?†Lysander looked up.
–Lysander Scamander.†The man smiled.
–Quite a mouthful, eh?â€
Mr. Ollivander started to measure him. Lysander sighed.
–You have no idea.â€
Lysander’s full name was Lysander Xenophilius Scamander. His name was so long, sometimes even he forgot how to spell it. His middle name was after his grandfather, his mother’s father, so he knew it was special. Lysander’s brother’s name was a bit easier, it being Lorcan Xavier Scamander. Xavier was his uncle on his father’s side.
–Oak, 13 ½ inches, phoenix core, strong. Try it.â€
Mr. Ollivander handed him the wand he had been admiring earlier. Lysander waved it around, but nothing happened. Lysander frowned, but was soon given another wand.
–Birch, 12 inches, unicorn core, springy.â€
Lysander waved it, but yet again, nothing happened. He sighed, what if he wasn’t meant to be a wizard? But then the man handed him another wand.
–Redwood, 11 ½ inches, dragon heartstring core, flexible.â€
As soon as the wand touched him, and before he knew it, he had raised the wand and purple sparks flew out. He looked at his brother, who was grinning widely, and smiled. Mr. Ollivander packed up the wand and mumbled to himself.
–Curious...very curious indeed...â€
–Excuse me...what?†Lysander’s smile faded and he raised an eyebrow.
–Oh, oh, nothing, it’s just, well, I think you should know...that the heartstring in your wand is from the dragon your father defeated when he was your age.â€
Lysander’s eyes widened and he looked down at the box in his hands.
–It’s nothing to worry about, my boy!â€
As his mother paid for their wands with 14 Galleons, Lysander couldn’t stop wondering about what power this wand held. His mother had told him about his father as a boy, and how he had been awarded a medal for protecting his school from an evil demon, and Lysander assumed that was the dragon. His father had gone to Durmstrang. They left Ollivander’s quickly, and headed to their last stop, Madam Malkin’s, to buy their robes. Lorcan went first, but then he wasn’t feeling too well, so Luna took him away to get him something to settle his stomach. As Lysander was being measured, a pale boy with almost white, sort of spiky, hair swaggered in. The boy smirked at Lysander,
–You must be that loony Ravenclaw’s son.†He sneered.
–Scorpius. It’s been long. And my mother isn’t loony.†Lysander sighed. Scorpius snorted.
–Right. And I’m not a pure blood.â€
He snickered and proceeded to be measured. Lysander couldn’t stand him. Lorcan enjoyed calling him a little git. Lysander ignored him the entire time until his mother came back, and when her back was turned, Scorpius twirled his finger to the side of his head and mouthed the word –loony.†Lysander couldn’t take it anymore. He dropped his robes and wand and jumped on Scorpius, knocking him to the ground. He could hear Scorpius grunt and Luna gasp. Lysander clenched his jaw and punched Scorpius in the stomach before he felt cold hands pull him off. Lysander looked up and was face to face with Draco Malfoy. Mr. Malfoy’s breath was hot and his expression displeased.
–What is going on here?!†Draco demanded. Lysander’s eyes widened and he stuttered,
–I-I..n-nothing, s-sir.â€
But Draco didn’t stay to hear his response. He was already pulling Scorpius up from the floor and berating him. They left in a hurry, but not before Scorpius could shoot a murderous glare at Lysander. Lysander turned around, quite pleased with himself, but all that changed once he saw the look on Luna’s face.
Inconceivable Me by Kreacher Feacher
Chapter Endnotes: Please review, this is my first story! I need criticism! Thanks for reading! Thanks to my awesome beta, Theloonyhermione! Check out her stories!