Zachary stared around at all the shops and then darted into the nearest one; a book shop.

"Zachary Braintel, come here! We've got to get to Gringotts. Zachary?" Zachary's mother called.

Wearily, he stepped out of the shop.

"Come on Mom! It's just a joke."

"Joke, shmoke. Do you want to be prepared for Hogwarts?" she asked.

"We don't even know that I'm going yet! For all we know, I could be a Squib!" he said, exasperated.

His mother rolled her eyes.

"Zac, we know you aren't a Squib, you've already preformed magic before, dear. And as for Hogwarts, we'd love for you to get in, but Durmstrang could suit you just fine." she stared sternly at him. "Come on, now."

Zac followed his mother, weaving between people, until he reached the majestic building. It never failed to impress him.

After they had collected their currency, Zac's mother dragged him to stores. He got all second-hand books, he used anything extra his parents had left over, and he even got second-hand robes.

"Mom, are we done yet?" Zac asked after a couple hours.

"Yes," she said, obviously annoyed.

They left the second-hand store and kept walking along Diagon Alley. Zac stared at every new little thing in the windows.

His mother smiled at him sadly.

She pointed to the door of the pet store.

"Last thing."

Zac stared at her, surprised. They didn't have money to spend on any pets, not even a toad.

"Back to school, plus birthday, plus Christmas present. Okay?" she asked.

Zac smiled and followed her in.

He decided on a small owl, who looked decent enough to carry packages and that was a lot cheaper than most of the other owls. He had also added any other present he would've gotten during the year in order to obtain an owl and not a cheaper cat or toad.

The clerk smiled at them.

"That's a nice female owl you got there. What're you gonna call her?"

"Athena."

"Athena?"

"She's the greek goddess of wisdom and her symbol was an owl," Zac explained.

"The who-wannit from whatch-a-mi-call-it?" the clerk asked.

"Um, she's a person some Muggles used to and still do believe in."

"Those crazy Muggles. They should think Merlin's real before 'Athena'," the clerk smiled. "Enjoy your Athena, boy."

They left the shop and Zac's mother looked at him.

"Stop being such a know-it-all Zac," she said. "I do like that you are filled with knowledge, but leave the Muggle stuff behind okay? You're a pureblood, and your dad and I want you to have success in the wizarding world. Without being a know-it-all. No one likes know-it-alls."

"Know-it-alls have the best life. And know-it-alls actually have money to buy things that aren't second-hand because they're so full of success," he muttered under his breath.