CHAPTER 1
Aileen had always been small and skinny for her age. She had black hair and emerald green snake eyes. The other kids did not like her, she was a freak to them. She could not speak English only a language no one knew of, but she could write English and understand it properly. She wore Edgar glasses that she took extra care off. She lived in Wool's orphanage. The orphanage was poor so the rooms were small, there was enough space for a bed, a small closet and a writing table. Today is her birthday and the caretaker Mrs. Graywood promised to take her to the Reptile house in Zoo.
Half an hour later, Aileen, who couldn't believe her luck, was sitting in the back of Mrs. Graywood's car, on the way to the Zoo for the first time in her life. As they arrived Aileen looked around and saw that the zoo was crowded with families making her a little sad, but she soon erased the feeling and smiled a toothy smile. Mrs. Graywood bought her a large chocolate ice cream at the stand near the entrance. They went to watch all kinds of animals, Aileen was careful to walk near Mrs. Graywood so she would not get lost.
After nearly three hours off looking around the Zoo they sat down in the zoo restaurant and ordered something to eat. After lunch they went to the reptile house. As they entered Aileen took in her surroundings. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Aileen was excited to see all sorts of lizards and snakes that were crawling and slithering over things behind the glass. She spent most of her time looking at the snakes.
''You look beautiful'' Aileen whispered to the python snake that lied on a piece of wood under a big leaf.
''Thanksss'' The pythons said to her and looked straight at her slowly raising its head until its eyes were on a level with Aileen's. Aileen's eyes grew wide in disbelief.
''Can you understand me?'' Aileen asked her.
''Of course! You are speaking my language after all'' The snake said back at her.
''So is that the reason other people cannot understand me?'' Aileen asked again and the snake nodded. Before Aileen could ask the snake anything more she heard someone fall. As she turned around she saw a boy with messy dark brown hair rubbing his head on the floor. She made her way to him and as she stood above him she offered him her hand. He took it and she helped him stand up.
''Thanks'' He said.
''You're welcome'' Aileen said clasping her hands over her mouth.
''I'm Harry. Harry Potter.'' He said offering his hand and she accepted shaking it, wondering if he could understand her.
''I'm A-Aileen. Aileen Elric'' She said shyly and blushed a bit.
Before Harry could say something more people started screaming and a big, beefy man with hardly any neck and a large mustache came to them. Aileen looked around to see why were the people panicking as she saw a big snake on the floor thanking Harry. She looked up and saw the boy who pushed Harry to the floor inside the snakes exhibit and a thin blonde woman screaming in shock as she saw the boy. Harry's smile brought her back to reality and she felt a hand on her shoulder. As she looked up she saw Mrs. Graywoods pale face.
''Are you alright?'' She asked Aileen and she nodded to show her she was fine. Mrs. Graywood took her hand and started to pull her away.
''Bye Harry! Hope to see you soon'' She said and waved to him in goodbye.
''Bye'' He managed to say back, before Vermont pulled him up and dragged him outside.
The next day Aileen slowly opened her eyes as she heard knocking on her door. She stood up and went to open them and looked up. Mrs. Graywood was standing there with a man. He had long white hair and beard.
''Good morning Aileen. You have a visitor'' Mrs. Graywood said and walked back downstairs leaving them alone.
Aileen looked at the man confused as whom he was and what did he want. She went to the table and picked up some paper and a pencil to write down her question, but before she could he interrupted her.
''There won't be need for that'' Dumbledore said to her walking forward and holding out his hand. She hesitated, but then took it and they shook hands. Dumbledore drew up the chair and Aileen sat down on her bed.
''I am professor Dumbledore.'' He said to her and she looked up from her hands into his eyes.
''Aren't you a doctor? Many tried to understand what I'm saying but no one succeeded'' She said to him pulling up the paper and pencil again as she was sure he would not understand her. To her surprise he did.
''No, no. I can understand you.'' said Dumbledore, smiling. Her eyes had widened and she was looking at Dumbledore in disbelief. After the shock wore off she smiled at him.
''Then why are you here?'' she asked him.
"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I am the headmaster at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school. Your new school, if you would like to come. Hogwarts, is a school for people with special abilities —"
"I'm not mad!" she defended herself.
"I know that you are not mad. Hogwarts is not a school for mad people. It is a school of magic." He said looking Aileen direct in her eyes. There was silence.
''Magic?'' she asked.
''That's right'' said Dumbledore.
''So…It's magic?...That's why I can talk this language? And—'' she started saying but stopped.
"What is it that you can do besides speaking another language?" Dumbledore asked her.
"All sorts" Aileen answered "I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want them to do, without training them.''
"I knew I was different," she whispered.
"Well, you were quite right," said Dumbledore, who was no longer smiling, but watching Aileen intently. "You know you are a witch" Aileen looked up at him ''Are you a wizard too?'' she asked him.
"Yes, I am."
"Can you prove it," she asked in a whisper.
Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "If, as I take it, you are accepting your place at Hogwarts, then you will address me as 'Professor' or 'sir.' " Dumbledore said to her and she nodded. He drew his wand from an inside pocket of his suit jacket, pointed it at the small closet in the corner, and gave the wand a casual flick. The wardrobe burst into flames and Aileen jumped to her feet running to her wardrobe and the fire stopped. She inspected it for any kind of damage but there wasn't any.
"Will I get one too?" she asked pointing at the wand.
"All in good time," said Dumbledore and she nodded smiling a toothy smile at him.
Dumbledore was calmly, putting his wand back into his jacket and pulling out a letter. Aileen opened it and read it.
"But sir, I haven't got any money." She said looking up from the letter her eyes growing sad.
"That not true Aileen" said Dumbledore, drawing an old key from his jacket giving it to her. She looked back at the letter and the key.
''What should I do with the key and where can I buy this stuff, professor?'' She asked looking confused.
"In Diagon Alley," said Dumbledore. "If you want I can help you find everything —"
"You're coming with me?" asked Aileen, looking up.
"Certainly, if you —"
"Yes!" said Aileen. "I would probably get lost if I would be going alone so please, sir'' Dumbledore smiled at her.
''So when can we go?'' she asked with a smile.
''I'll be back in two days. I will be here early as we will need to hurry if you want to catch the train to school latter on. Have all your clothes and stuff packed.'' He said to her and she smiled up to him nodding her head once in agreement.
''Well… I have to go now. I will see you in two days Aileen. Oh…and don't lose the key and the letter, okay?''
''Okay, sir'' she said waving at him as he left.
Two days passed and Aileen waited for Dumbledore to come and get her. She packed all her stuff in her shoulder bag as a knock was heard. She ran to the door and saw professor Dumbledore standing in front of them with Mrs. Graywood.
''Are you ready Aileen?'' Dumbledore asked her and she nodded showing him her shoulder bag. Aileen followed Dumbledore outside the orphanage and into an alley as Dumbledore stopped making her bump into him.
''I'm sorry, sir'' She said looking up at him as he stretched his hand for her to hold on to.
''Grab my hand and don't let go. We are going to apparate to Diagon Alley, take a deep breath and don't let go.'' He said to her. Aileen felt Dumbledore's arm twist away from her and she hold on tighter to his hand, the next thing she knew, everything went black and she was being pressed together from all directions; she could not breathe, there were iron bands tightening around her chest and her eyeballs were being forced back into her head. Her eardrums were being pushed deeper into her skull and then she suddenly gulped great amount of cold night air and opened her eyes. It took her a few seconds before she realized that the alley they were on before had vanished and they stood under a sign on Diagon Alley.
"Are you all right?" asked Dumbledore, looking down at her solicitously.
"The sensation does take some getting used to, but I feel fine." She said smiling up at him.
Dumbledore smiled and said "This way." He set off at a brisk pace, past some shops and stopped before a big snow-white multistoried marble building, that towered over the neighboring shops. On the building was written GRINGOTTS BANK with big golden letters.
''So Aileen, you have the key?'' Dumbledore asked her and she pulled it out showing it to him.
''Good'' He said and he went inside with Aileen following him through two big doors.
A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in a vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a really long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. Dumbledore and Aileen went to the counter.
"Good morning," said Dumbledore to a goblin. "We've come to take some money out of Mrs. Aileen Elric's safe."
"Do you have the key?" The goblin asked leaning over the counter looking at Aileen.
She nodded reaching into her pocket and she pulled out a tiny golden key and gave it to the goblin. The goblin looked at it closely.
"Very well. I will have someone take you down to the vault. Griphook!"
Griphook was yet another goblin. Dumbledore and Aileen followed Griphook toward one of the doors leading off the hall. Griphook held the door open for them. They stepped in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward
and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in and were off.
At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages and too soon for Aileen's liking they stopped at the vault no. 721. Griphook unlocked the door and a lot of green smoke came billowing out, and as it cleared, Aileen gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns of silver.
"This is…mine?" Aileen asked Dumbledore with big eyes and he nodded.
''It all belonged to the Elric family and it's all yours. The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's
easy enough.'' Dumbledore explained to her and helped her put the money into her bag.
''This should be enough'' He said and turned to the goblin, telling him they are done and to head back. One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside Gringotts. Aileen didn't know where to go first now that she had a bag full of money, so she pulled out the letter and opened it.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Uniform
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
Course books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
Other equipment
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
"Might as well get the uniform first." Said Aileen, nodding toward
Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, that she spotted in front of them.
"Very well then.'' Dumbledore said as they went inside. As Aileen looked around she saw Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.
"Hogwarts, dear?" she asked Aileen and she nodded. She followed Madam Malkin in the back of the shop and Madam Malkin stood her on a stool and slipped a long black robe over her head, and began to pin it to the right length. As she finished Aileen paid her and went out of the shop with Dumbledore. She followed Dumbledore to a shop called Flourish and Blotts. As she entered she saw that the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather, books the size of postage stamps, books with nothing in them at all. She bought all the books from the list and a few more with spells in them.
After they bought the books they visited the Apothecary, which smelled horrible, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. She bought fast the things she needed and went outside the Apothecary where she checked the list again.
"Just the wand and a pet left'' she said to Dumbledore.
''The pet shop is on the way to Ollivanders so we can stop there first.'' Dumbledore said pointing at the pet shop and Aileen nodded in agreement.
''Very well then, follow me'' He said and they went to the pet shop. As she entered the shop she saw many kinds of animals she didn't see before but most of them were cats, toads and owls. As she went deeper into the shop she saw a small python in a cage. She knelt down and looked at her list and a sigh escaped her lips. Dumbledore saw her looking at the snake and thought things through.
''Why aren't snakes allowed, sir?'' She asked him still looking at the python.
''They are dangerous'' Dumbledore answered her.
''But they are kind to me. Is there a chance to have one since I can talk to them?'' She asked looking up at Dumbledore with big pleading eyes.
''Very well, you can have one. But…If she behaves'' Dumbledore said pointing at the snake. As Aileen heard him her eyes lit up and she picked up the cage with the snake in it and put it on the counter.
''This one? Are you sure? We have many other animals, perhaps a cat or an owl?'' The shopkeeper said. Aileen looked at the snake and up to the shopkeeper and nodded. She paid for the snake and for a new cage which was larger and the snake liked it too.
As she and Dumbledore stepped out of the shop she followed him to Ollivanders. But before they went in she saw a shop with quills.
''Sir? Is there a quill that could write English words if I speak parseltongue? '' She asked Dumbledore
''No Aileen. Parseltongue is really rare and is not a good omen to speak it'' He said turning to her.
''So it's better if I don't talk to anyone?'' She asked raising her head.
''Yes. It would be easier for you to make friends. Many young wizards and witches are afraid of parseltongue.'' Dumbledore answered.
''I see'' Aileen said and made her way to Ollivanders shop. She went in with Dumbledore.
A magic wand, this was what Aileen had been really looking forward to since the day she met Dumbledore. As they stepped inside a tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair that Dumbledore sat on to wait. Aileen looked around to see many narrowed boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling.
"Good afternoon," said a soft voice and Aileen jumped, because there was a loud crunching noise. An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.
"Hello," said Dumbledore and Aileen nodded.
"First wand my dear?" said the man and Aileen nodded
Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Aileen. Those silvery eyes were a bit creepy.
''We are in a hurry Ollivander'' Dumbledore said to him.
''Albus! Albus! How nice to see you again.'' He said
"Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful,
and in the wrong hands . . . well, if I'd known what that wand was
going out into the world to do. . . ."
"Well, now — Miss. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure
with silver markings out of his pocket.
"Which is your wandarm?"
Aileen pointed at her right arm.
"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Aileen from shoulder
to finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit
and round his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two
unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course,
you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand." As he finished he was flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.
"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on the floor. "Right then, Miss. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Ten inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave."
Aileen took the wand and waved it around a bit, but Mr. Ollivander snatched it out of her hand almost at once.
"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try —"
Aileen tried — but she had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.
"No, no — here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a halfinches, springy. Go on, go on, try it out." Aileen tried. And tried. She had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was
waiting for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher.
"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match
here somewhere, let's try holly and phoenix feather, twelve inches, nice and
supple." As Aileen took the wand. She felt a sudden warmth in her fingers.
She raised the wand swishing down and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from
the end throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls.
"Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. This wand is similar to the wand that You-know-who used.''
He put Aileen's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper. She paid seven gold Galleons for her wand, and went out from his shop. It was getting late and Dumbledore apparated them to an Alley near the King's Cross station.
''Here is the ticked for Hogwarts. It's all on your ticket'' He said and apparated who knows where. I made my way to the station.
''Wait...is there a platform 9 and 3/4?'' Aileen asked herself as she looked at the ticket.
Authors note: And that is it for the first chapter. Let me know what you think :) Oh and before you say anything about Dumbledore not beeing parselmouth... No he isn't one but I did read somewhere that he did understand it.
Will try and update as soon as I can. Have exams comming up...DUN-DUN-DUN-DUUUN...