Oops.
He could tell he was in proper trouble - even though nothing had happened, which Jimmy did privately think was quite unfair. Wait until he’d turned Billie into a flobberworm one day and then be angry, y’know? Waste of energy otherwise. But -
But he swallowed his instinct to argue, the threat of being sent home without a wand doing its work to put the fear of Merlin in him. If he didn’t have a wand, he’d be no good at Hogwarts, and everyone would go without him and he would be left with Great-Gran. And Hestia, if she didn’t get tired of him too. Which she probably would, if he grew up to be a stupid wandless wizard.
His face contorted into an expression of silent sheepishness as he waited for Billie to bring the holly wand, not really looking at him or daring to look at Mr. Ollivander in the eye either for a while. Still, he took the holly wand because it would do no good if he couldn’t make up for his mistake, and this time he was tentative enough to wait for a nod from the wandmaker before he so much as flicked it.
When he did - with the smallest, faintest flick! - there came a loud explosive bang, and Jimmy got a faceful of soot and slightly singed hair for his efforts, a cloud of smoke settling in blackish ash around his feet in a small circle. Goddamnit! Wiping his face off valiantly with his sleeve, he winced as he looked at Mr. Ollivander (Billie would be dying of laughter so he couldn’t look there, he just knew it) and squeaked, “...Sorry.” This was it, then. No wand was ever going to choose him.
He could tell he was in proper trouble - even though nothing had happened, which Jimmy did privately think was quite unfair. Wait until he’d turned Billie into a flobberworm one day and then be angry, y’know? Waste of energy otherwise. But -
But he swallowed his instinct to argue, the threat of being sent home without a wand doing its work to put the fear of Merlin in him. If he didn’t have a wand, he’d be no good at Hogwarts, and everyone would go without him and he would be left with Great-Gran. And Hestia, if she didn’t get tired of him too. Which she probably would, if he grew up to be a stupid wandless wizard.
His face contorted into an expression of silent sheepishness as he waited for Billie to bring the holly wand, not really looking at him or daring to look at Mr. Ollivander in the eye either for a while. Still, he took the holly wand because it would do no good if he couldn’t make up for his mistake, and this time he was tentative enough to wait for a nod from the wandmaker before he so much as flicked it.
When he did - with the smallest, faintest flick! - there came a loud explosive bang, and Jimmy got a faceful of soot and slightly singed hair for his efforts, a cloud of smoke settling in blackish ash around his feet in a small circle. Goddamnit! Wiping his face off valiantly with his sleeve, he winced as he looked at Mr. Ollivander (Billie would be dying of laughter so he couldn’t look there, he just knew it) and squeaked, “...Sorry.” This was it, then. No wand was ever going to choose him.
