p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The Cursed Wand/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"By/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Boston/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The house that was famous for producing evil Wizards and Witches, Slytherin. Or at least that was the rumor amongst the new students, including Aaron J. Lestrange, one of the newest attendees of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Aaron was no fool. He knew the stigma his last name carried, and that any mistake or accident he made would immediately be classified as "his true nature" coming to pass. You see Aaron is one of the first American students to be accepted into Hogwarts. To understand why though, we must go back. Back to the night Aaron had been brought to Hogwarts, for it was an interesting affair, all the way down to the decision to bring him or not to bring him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"New headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall stood before the Wizard Council arguing the case for this students' enrollment. "I implore the ministry to allow this student the same opportunity every young wizard is afforded." Head Ministress Potter, what if this same issue befell your husband?" Head Ministress Ginny Potter stood up a tad insulted. "Head Master McGonagall, this is an entirely different situation all together. My husband was the victim of circumstance." McGonagall interrupted "And this is not a circumstantial victim? It is but a last name that holds him back." The entire ministry was abound with whispers, some good and some not so good. Professor McGonagall pressed forward. "Ministress Potter, I say this to you. If we deny this student a true chance based solely on a surname, then that says unequivocally that Hogwarts is slipping into a tone of judge mentalism and exclusion, and that is not a Hogwarts I choose to see forward. So, deny him if you must, but in doing so, you will also be seeing my resignation within the hour of your disproval." The entire ministry was now awash with gasps and hushed discussion, causing Ministress Ginny to stand up and quiet the room with "Shut it!" The ministry fell silent. "Very well Head Master. On the matter of the enrollment of one Aaron James Lestrange, I leave the decision to ministry vote. All those opposed to the enrollment?" A few hands shot up, but not nearly enough. The Ministress then said "All those in favor?" More hands for the enrollment than against it were shown, causing Ministress Potter to yield. "Very well Head Master, but not without condition. If he is to be brought forth to London from the states, then he will be escorted to London by your choice of Auror." Head Master agreed to the terms, picking her Auror to be Casterus Jodicine Moody, or C.J. Moody for short. The ministry had one last order of business with Head Master McGonagall. "Head master, regarding the second piece of business that brought you here today. The Magic Exchange Program initiative is an incredible idea, and we will approve it, on a minimal and trial basis. You will have a select few students that are exchanged between the schools in question in the coming years. I expect this to be a breakthrough in magical unity and fellowship. Meeting adjourned." Head Master McGonagall thanked the Ministress who simply said "Please don't let me regret this decision."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
p style="text-align: center;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In the streets of Athens, Georgia stood a boy of 12. His hair was scruffy and black, covered by a greyish green military garrison cap. He wore black military style boots that had dirt all on them, maybe a little blood as well. His black cargo pants stored food that he got from various locations. His black tank top was covered up with a damaged black hoodie which would cover his eyes, which were of an interesting color. They were silver, not grey, but silver. As he walked into the house he now lived in with his Great Aunt and Uncle, he was unsettled by the stranger in the living room as well as the tears coming from his Aunts eyes. Aaron pulled open the broom closet where his equalizer was housed. A wooden baseball bat, Louisville slugger to be a tad more specific. He took the bat in both hands and ran around to where this stranger was. Aaron got a good look at this stranger, and thought his appearance odd. His face was a bit scarred up, but that could only be noticed by someone staring intently at him as Aaron was doing now. The man had duel colored eyes, one green and the other blue. He had the making of a beard, but not quite. His hair was a decent length and brown. Aaron also noticed this man had a walkin stick and then began to put the pieces together in his head, but all this was going on within a fraction of a second in the brain of young Aaron wo asked the man in a rather threatening tone "Who are you and what are you doing here?! Why is my Aunt crying? I promise to the stars in the sky and the fire in the ground if you hurt her, I will break this bat over your head!" Aaron's Uncle ran in the room and calmed him down. "Nephew, please put the bat down. This man poses no threat. I promise. Now go in the kitchen, grab yourself some of that lemonade and iced tea and come on back and we will explain everything." Aaron, not looking away from this man for one minute, slowly lowered the bat and placed it by his Aunt, telling her she could use it if she needed to. He walked off in the kitchen and grabbed his mason jar, the one that always seemed to be filled with his favorite drink and walked into the living room, placing the jar down on the table and standing next to his aunt and uncle and that is when the man finally spoke, his Scottish accent very prominent. "Aye, you would be one to have a fire for confrontation in your heart wouldn't ya?" The man stood up to introduce himself when Aaron grabbed for his bat, his uncle placing a hand on his, asking him to relax. Slow down now. My name is CJ Moody and I'm here on a special assignment." Aaron heard that name and thought he had read about that name somewhere else. Aaron was asked to sit, and he obliged his Aunt and Uncles request. "Aaron, listen to what the man has to say. He is here from London."Aaron had an idea of what that meant but let the man speak. "Aaron, I'm sure your guardians here have informed you of what you are, so how about you tell me what you know about yourself, and I shall take the fillin in of the blank space. And before you try to lie, observe." CJ waved his hand over the lamp and shut the light off, and then snapped his finger at it, bringing the lamp back to life. Aaron saw this and figured it was okay to say what he tried to keep hidden from people. "I think I'm a wizard. I mean my Aunt and Uncle always told me I was, but I figured it was just them making me feel better about my mom and dad not being around. They even said that they sent my application to some school called Ilvermorny for gifted people like me. I figured it was because I was smart." CJ nodded and listened to him speak. "I always tried to control it, the weird things I can do. But every once in a while, my temper would get away from me and I would…. Do things." CJ interrupted. "What kind of things?" Aaron told him "Well once we were all walking down the street and my neighbor made fun of my Aunt and I got really mad, and when I looked over at him, I thought how funny it would be if his coffee blew up in his face… then it did! Little stuff like that. So what exactly is the truth?" CJ asked his guardians what they told him about his family. Aaron answered for them. "They told me my last name was famous in certain parts of the world. They told me my Aunt Bellatrix was in prison, escaped and was killed in a castle. They told me that my parents were killed too, my Uncle Sirius that I never met. Apparently, my family had a bit of a bad history." CJ shook his head and began talking with Aaron and his guardians about the truth about his family, how his Aunt Bellatrix was in cahoots with Lord Voldemort, to which Aaron replied, "Those books are real?" CJ asked what Aaron meant by books. "I have a bunch of books in my room about the Black family, about a series of wizard wars, and about someone named Voldemort." CJ listened to the boy talk and talk about all these things he thought were fairytales told to make him feel better. "I can tell you a few things. One, all these stories are indeed true. Two, you are an extraordinary wizard with extraordinary talent. Thirdly, your name is not famous, but infamous." Aaron didn't know what he meant and his guardians explained. "Aaron, please don't be angry with us, but we haven't been entirely truthful about your past. You see, your father was a dark wizard, and your mom when she had you…. Her dad was unhappy. He felt you would be a distraction to the greater evil and wanted you killed. Your Aunt Tonks demanded otherwise. They had a serious debate and in the arguing, your mom slipped you away and to us. We were visiting and she made it seem like an emergency. So we brought you here. We received a letter every now and then letting us know what was going on, that your Aunt Bellatrix escaped, that your mother and father both were murdered at the hands of dark wizards, believing that your parents were traitors to the dark lord. Your Aunt Tonks loved you ya know. She stayed with us, raised you up." Aaron remembered his Aunt Tonks, always playing with him and she even gave him pictures to keep her memory alive inis head. He asked what happened to her. CJ took over this one. "The one they called Voldemort and his army. They killed her, and many others, including your Uncle Sirius and your Uncle Remus." CJ informed Aaron on everything the dark lord had done, and how he had been defeated by Harry Potter, who Aaron knew from different places, some stories from his Aunt and some from reading books and articles he would receive every now and then. His Aunt and Uncle were saddened that they kept this from Aaron but thought it was for the best. "We hope you understand my boy?" Aaron was a bit upset but figured he understood. "You were both just trying to protect me. This makes a lot of sense. Why you always told me to be careful who I trusted. Always walked me home from school. And it definitely explains all those weird things I can do. But what it doesn't answer is why you are here." Aaron looked over at CJ who said "I have been sent here by Head Mistress Mcgonagall and The Ministress of Magic Ginerva Weasley. They asked me to hand deliver you your letter but I seem to have misplaced…." CJ reached up waved his hand, Aarons letter appearing in his hands. He handed Aaron the letter and Aaron read it as if it would change his whole life. "So I've been accepted into the London school for wizards. What about Ilvermorny?" CJ mentioned that when they got your name, they sent a strongly worded letter saying you were not going to be admitted. We believe that there reasoning is if you are not taught magic, then you will not end up becoming like…" Aaron finished it for him. "Like Aunt Bellatrix. I understand, but why did Hogwarts not have that same issue?" CJ mentioned that the Head Mistress Mcgonagall went up against the ministry of magic for your inclusion in Hogwarts." Aaron thought that would be great, to learn how to control these abilities of his, but had second thoughts when he saw his family crying. "You guys don't want me going? Then that's that. I wont be going." His Aunt went over and said the opposite. "No dear, we are not crying because you are leaving. We are happy that you are happy. You have te prettiest smile, just like your mother. If you would like to go, we encourage it." Aaron hugged his family and went over to CJ. "So if everyting my family say really is true, and I really am going to Hogwarts, then shouldn't we get going? The closest airport is a good drive away." CJ chuckled saying "Dear child, driving is for Muggles." Aaron didn't know what that meant and CJ looked at his guardians for the reason why. "He means No-mags Aaron." Aaron then had a thought. "How come you guys didn't teach me magic? Like real magic?" CJ stepped up and said "Your family here are squibs, or folks that are born of wizardkind and yet can't do any sort of magic. Shame really, id like to see what you knew if they could teach you." Aaron got offended. "Just because they can't do magic doesn't mean I didn't learn. For example, I can see the dust on your coat and the vaguely green flame remains in our fireplace, so I know you came here via floo powder network. I can tell you that considering your eyes, you have Heterochromia, a symptom of having increased pigmentation in one iris. I can also tell you that my Aunt Tonks is what is called a Metamorphmagus, meaning she can transform her physical appearance at will without requiring the use of Polyjuice potion or a spell of any other sort. Now I would appreciate it if you apologized to my family for the offensive use of the word squib." CJ apologized, seeing quickly that Aaron was easily set off at the insult of his family, even if it was meant a joke. "My apologies Aaron, but we must be off." Aaron said goodbye to his guardians and then turned to CJ. "Alright so we have to get to Hogwarts, but how are we getting there? Are we taking the floo network? Are we taking a port key? Maybe a broom ride?" CJ chuckled and said "Ahh dear boy, you are going to Hogwarts yes, but not before a stop ahead of Hogwarts. First, we must get you supplies, and there remains no better place to retrieve supplies than…" CJ turned and grabbed Aaron by the collar, apparating the pair to a place Aaron had heard of but never seen. A huge place filled with many shops that sold different magical items; broomsticks, pets, wands, cauldrons and everything else a starting wizard needs. Aaron looked astounded, even if he knew his fair share about the wizarding world, and asked CJ "What is that place?" CJ took this one and simply replied "Aaron, welcome to Diagon alley."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"By/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Boston/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The house that was famous for producing evil Wizards and Witches, Slytherin. Or at least that was the rumor amongst the new students, including Aaron J. Lestrange, one of the newest attendees of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Aaron was no fool. He knew the stigma his last name carried, and that any mistake or accident he made would immediately be classified as "his true nature" coming to pass. You see Aaron is one of the first American students to be accepted into Hogwarts. To understand why though, we must go back. Back to the night Aaron had been brought to Hogwarts, for it was an interesting affair, all the way down to the decision to bring him or not to bring him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"New headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor McGonagall stood before the Wizard Council arguing the case for this students' enrollment. "I implore the ministry to allow this student the same opportunity every young wizard is afforded." Head Ministress Potter, what if this same issue befell your husband?" Head Ministress Ginny Potter stood up a tad insulted. "Head Master McGonagall, this is an entirely different situation all together. My husband was the victim of circumstance." McGonagall interrupted "And this is not a circumstantial victim? It is but a last name that holds him back." The entire ministry was abound with whispers, some good and some not so good. Professor McGonagall pressed forward. "Ministress Potter, I say this to you. If we deny this student a true chance based solely on a surname, then that says unequivocally that Hogwarts is slipping into a tone of judge mentalism and exclusion, and that is not a Hogwarts I choose to see forward. So, deny him if you must, but in doing so, you will also be seeing my resignation within the hour of your disproval." The entire ministry was now awash with gasps and hushed discussion, causing Ministress Ginny to stand up and quiet the room with "Shut it!" The ministry fell silent. "Very well Head Master. On the matter of the enrollment of one Aaron James Lestrange, I leave the decision to ministry vote. All those opposed to the enrollment?" A few hands shot up, but not nearly enough. The Ministress then said "All those in favor?" More hands for the enrollment than against it were shown, causing Ministress Potter to yield. "Very well Head Master, but not without condition. If he is to be brought forth to London from the states, then he will be escorted to London by your choice of Auror." Head Master agreed to the terms, picking her Auror to be Casterus Jodicine Moody, or C.J. Moody for short. The ministry had one last order of business with Head Master McGonagall. "Head master, regarding the second piece of business that brought you here today. The Magic Exchange Program initiative is an incredible idea, and we will approve it, on a minimal and trial basis. You will have a select few students that are exchanged between the schools in question in the coming years. I expect this to be a breakthrough in magical unity and fellowship. Meeting adjourned." Head Master McGonagall thanked the Ministress who simply said "Please don't let me regret this decision."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
p style="text-align: center;" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In the streets of Athens, Georgia stood a boy of 12. His hair was scruffy and black, covered by a greyish green military garrison cap. He wore black military style boots that had dirt all on them, maybe a little blood as well. His black cargo pants stored food that he got from various locations. His black tank top was covered up with a damaged black hoodie which would cover his eyes, which were of an interesting color. They were silver, not grey, but silver. As he walked into the house he now lived in with his Great Aunt and Uncle, he was unsettled by the stranger in the living room as well as the tears coming from his Aunts eyes. Aaron pulled open the broom closet where his equalizer was housed. A wooden baseball bat, Louisville slugger to be a tad more specific. He took the bat in both hands and ran around to where this stranger was. Aaron got a good look at this stranger, and thought his appearance odd. His face was a bit scarred up, but that could only be noticed by someone staring intently at him as Aaron was doing now. The man had duel colored eyes, one green and the other blue. He had the making of a beard, but not quite. His hair was a decent length and brown. Aaron also noticed this man had a walkin stick and then began to put the pieces together in his head, but all this was going on within a fraction of a second in the brain of young Aaron wo asked the man in a rather threatening tone "Who are you and what are you doing here?! Why is my Aunt crying? I promise to the stars in the sky and the fire in the ground if you hurt her, I will break this bat over your head!" Aaron's Uncle ran in the room and calmed him down. "Nephew, please put the bat down. This man poses no threat. I promise. Now go in the kitchen, grab yourself some of that lemonade and iced tea and come on back and we will explain everything." Aaron, not looking away from this man for one minute, slowly lowered the bat and placed it by his Aunt, telling her she could use it if she needed to. He walked off in the kitchen and grabbed his mason jar, the one that always seemed to be filled with his favorite drink and walked into the living room, placing the jar down on the table and standing next to his aunt and uncle and that is when the man finally spoke, his Scottish accent very prominent. "Aye, you would be one to have a fire for confrontation in your heart wouldn't ya?" The man stood up to introduce himself when Aaron grabbed for his bat, his uncle placing a hand on his, asking him to relax. Slow down now. My name is CJ Moody and I'm here on a special assignment." Aaron heard that name and thought he had read about that name somewhere else. Aaron was asked to sit, and he obliged his Aunt and Uncles request. "Aaron, listen to what the man has to say. He is here from London."Aaron had an idea of what that meant but let the man speak. "Aaron, I'm sure your guardians here have informed you of what you are, so how about you tell me what you know about yourself, and I shall take the fillin in of the blank space. And before you try to lie, observe." CJ waved his hand over the lamp and shut the light off, and then snapped his finger at it, bringing the lamp back to life. Aaron saw this and figured it was okay to say what he tried to keep hidden from people. "I think I'm a wizard. I mean my Aunt and Uncle always told me I was, but I figured it was just them making me feel better about my mom and dad not being around. They even said that they sent my application to some school called Ilvermorny for gifted people like me. I figured it was because I was smart." CJ nodded and listened to him speak. "I always tried to control it, the weird things I can do. But every once in a while, my temper would get away from me and I would…. Do things." CJ interrupted. "What kind of things?" Aaron told him "Well once we were all walking down the street and my neighbor made fun of my Aunt and I got really mad, and when I looked over at him, I thought how funny it would be if his coffee blew up in his face… then it did! Little stuff like that. So what exactly is the truth?" CJ asked his guardians what they told him about his family. Aaron answered for them. "They told me my last name was famous in certain parts of the world. They told me my Aunt Bellatrix was in prison, escaped and was killed in a castle. They told me that my parents were killed too, my Uncle Sirius that I never met. Apparently, my family had a bit of a bad history." CJ shook his head and began talking with Aaron and his guardians about the truth about his family, how his Aunt Bellatrix was in cahoots with Lord Voldemort, to which Aaron replied, "Those books are real?" CJ asked what Aaron meant by books. "I have a bunch of books in my room about the Black family, about a series of wizard wars, and about someone named Voldemort." CJ listened to the boy talk and talk about all these things he thought were fairytales told to make him feel better. "I can tell you a few things. One, all these stories are indeed true. Two, you are an extraordinary wizard with extraordinary talent. Thirdly, your name is not famous, but infamous." Aaron didn't know what he meant and his guardians explained. "Aaron, please don't be angry with us, but we haven't been entirely truthful about your past. You see, your father was a dark wizard, and your mom when she had you…. Her dad was unhappy. He felt you would be a distraction to the greater evil and wanted you killed. Your Aunt Tonks demanded otherwise. They had a serious debate and in the arguing, your mom slipped you away and to us. We were visiting and she made it seem like an emergency. So we brought you here. We received a letter every now and then letting us know what was going on, that your Aunt Bellatrix escaped, that your mother and father both were murdered at the hands of dark wizards, believing that your parents were traitors to the dark lord. Your Aunt Tonks loved you ya know. She stayed with us, raised you up." Aaron remembered his Aunt Tonks, always playing with him and she even gave him pictures to keep her memory alive inis head. He asked what happened to her. CJ took over this one. "The one they called Voldemort and his army. They killed her, and many others, including your Uncle Sirius and your Uncle Remus." CJ informed Aaron on everything the dark lord had done, and how he had been defeated by Harry Potter, who Aaron knew from different places, some stories from his Aunt and some from reading books and articles he would receive every now and then. His Aunt and Uncle were saddened that they kept this from Aaron but thought it was for the best. "We hope you understand my boy?" Aaron was a bit upset but figured he understood. "You were both just trying to protect me. This makes a lot of sense. Why you always told me to be careful who I trusted. Always walked me home from school. And it definitely explains all those weird things I can do. But what it doesn't answer is why you are here." Aaron looked over at CJ who said "I have been sent here by Head Mistress Mcgonagall and The Ministress of Magic Ginerva Weasley. They asked me to hand deliver you your letter but I seem to have misplaced…." CJ reached up waved his hand, Aarons letter appearing in his hands. He handed Aaron the letter and Aaron read it as if it would change his whole life. "So I've been accepted into the London school for wizards. What about Ilvermorny?" CJ mentioned that when they got your name, they sent a strongly worded letter saying you were not going to be admitted. We believe that there reasoning is if you are not taught magic, then you will not end up becoming like…" Aaron finished it for him. "Like Aunt Bellatrix. I understand, but why did Hogwarts not have that same issue?" CJ mentioned that the Head Mistress Mcgonagall went up against the ministry of magic for your inclusion in Hogwarts." Aaron thought that would be great, to learn how to control these abilities of his, but had second thoughts when he saw his family crying. "You guys don't want me going? Then that's that. I wont be going." His Aunt went over and said the opposite. "No dear, we are not crying because you are leaving. We are happy that you are happy. You have te prettiest smile, just like your mother. If you would like to go, we encourage it." Aaron hugged his family and went over to CJ. "So if everyting my family say really is true, and I really am going to Hogwarts, then shouldn't we get going? The closest airport is a good drive away." CJ chuckled saying "Dear child, driving is for Muggles." Aaron didn't know what that meant and CJ looked at his guardians for the reason why. "He means No-mags Aaron." Aaron then had a thought. "How come you guys didn't teach me magic? Like real magic?" CJ stepped up and said "Your family here are squibs, or folks that are born of wizardkind and yet can't do any sort of magic. Shame really, id like to see what you knew if they could teach you." Aaron got offended. "Just because they can't do magic doesn't mean I didn't learn. For example, I can see the dust on your coat and the vaguely green flame remains in our fireplace, so I know you came here via floo powder network. I can tell you that considering your eyes, you have Heterochromia, a symptom of having increased pigmentation in one iris. I can also tell you that my Aunt Tonks is what is called a Metamorphmagus, meaning she can transform her physical appearance at will without requiring the use of Polyjuice potion or a spell of any other sort. Now I would appreciate it if you apologized to my family for the offensive use of the word squib." CJ apologized, seeing quickly that Aaron was easily set off at the insult of his family, even if it was meant a joke. "My apologies Aaron, but we must be off." Aaron said goodbye to his guardians and then turned to CJ. "Alright so we have to get to Hogwarts, but how are we getting there? Are we taking the floo network? Are we taking a port key? Maybe a broom ride?" CJ chuckled and said "Ahh dear boy, you are going to Hogwarts yes, but not before a stop ahead of Hogwarts. First, we must get you supplies, and there remains no better place to retrieve supplies than…" CJ turned and grabbed Aaron by the collar, apparating the pair to a place Aaron had heard of but never seen. A huge place filled with many shops that sold different magical items; broomsticks, pets, wands, cauldrons and everything else a starting wizard needs. Aaron looked astounded, even if he knew his fair share about the wizarding world, and asked CJ "What is that place?" CJ took this one and simply replied "Aaron, welcome to Diagon alley."/span/p