The Power of Magic
Chapter One: The Boy who Lived and Diagon Alley
"The Boy who Lived" was one of the best stories told to children in the wizard world. The idea that a young boy named Harry Potter, defeating the most powerful dark wizard, was a magnificent tall tale. Much of the story was stretched and reworded. Some had forgotten about the two friends on the young boy's side, some forgot his age, and some say that he was the only one that faced Voldemort's entire army. This story may be presented in several ways, but the name Potter was a gift to have, all except for Emma Lee Potter, the only grandchild of Harry Potter and daughter of Albus Potter.
Emma Lee Potter lived with her muggle grandparents, in the muggle world, until the age of three. For whatever reason, her parents believed it would be fit for her to be accustomed to muggles before entering the wizard world. Emma Lee had never met her grandfather, or remembered. She had heard his story countless times, but the best was from an old grey man, who had a bitter sound every time he said the name, "Harry Potter". His interpretation of the story was more realistic and different from others.
"Mr. Malfoy," Her father approached them as his figure appeared out of the crowd in Flourish and Blott's. The store was usually crowded at this time, because of the school year coming around quickly. The Potter family had entered the store to find some children books for Emma, but with the crowd, Albus and his wife had separated from Emma. The old grey man had frowned at the father and ended his story there. Emma was so amazed by this tale that she didn't notice the winkles in his face as he stood upright from his friendly slouch from before. "I'd like to thank you for finding my daughter but we will be going now." Albus had hoisted Emma out of the lap of the stranger and Emma had begun to burst into tears. She wanted to know the story, the "truth" about her grandfather.
"Now," He scolded her as he put her down on the sidewalk, outside the magical book store, "If you want to hear the real story, you'll get to meet grand-daddy someday and he'll tell you the whole thing." The explanation was convincing and Emma had recovered, with an ice cream from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour in her hand.
For the next three months, Emma Lee would ask her father every day when she was going to meet her famous grandfather. The moment they went to an unknown destination, her mouth would open with questions on how he is, if he was nice, and why couldn't she meet him. Her father and mother had ignored her questions usually but one day, she had asked a rather different question.
"Why doesn't granddaddy love me?"
The question astonished the young parents and the dining room had grown silent. The two glanced at each other with serious faces, unsure about the answer they should give her because the words could affect the four year old drastically. "Sweetheart," Her mother answered, "Granddaddy's just been busy, that's all." The child pouted and crossed her arms. The answer was not what she was looking for and wanted more, but the parents ignored the child once again, having her answer her own question in a way she thought was fit.
By the age of eight, little Emma Lee Potter had decayed from a curious growing steam to a flower bud, refusing to open. She had grew tired of being, "Potter's grandchild", and was bored with her family tree. She had no uncles , aunts, or cousins –alive. Her father had a brother and sister named James and Lily, after Harry's own parents, but their existence had perished before Emma had met them. Throughout the house, she could find the moving pictures of the two family members, with grinning eyes and open mouths of laughter. They contained the similar features that Emma was forced to see every day in the bathroom mirror.
She had seen the strange "Malfoy" man several times at Diagon Alley but never spoke to him after the incident at Flourish and Bott's. His body declined as the years went by; she hoped and prayed that he would complete his story one day, unlike her grandfather that never gave her presents for Christmas.
It was the last week of August where the Malfoy senior had contacted her. She was at Diagon Alley for the first real important time. It was her mission to buy all her school supplies for her first year at the old Hogwarts School. Her father had generated a list of twenty books and items for her first year at the wizard school. Hogwarts had seemed to keep the same book list as they did when Albus attended, but it was recommended to contain the latest update of the books.
- The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 by Miranda Goshawk (4th edition)
- A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch IV
- A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshott (Rewritten by Samual S. Wipter)
- One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi and more! by Petersen Spore III (3rd edition)
- Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, Revised by Randolf Plummets (5th edition)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
- The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble (revised)
The young incoming first year had faced Diagon Alley several times alone that year, and it had become natural for her to be there without parental guidance. The elder man had come to her and spoke in a hushed voice, "Young lady, I have no control over your curiosity but I plead that you stay away from the truth." And without another word, the man had given her a ratty old book, compacted with papers. He had lunged in towards her with a warm strange embrace before he detached and disappeared into the dark gap between the buildings. Emma Lee Potter was still stunned by the man's smooth voice and followed the fading shadow of the man.
"Hol' up there young lass," A deep voice stopped her with a wooden cane. She looked over at the holder, "No girl of yer age would want to enter Knockturn Alley. Even t'e older witches wants business in there." The cane holder was a young man, around the middle term of his life. He had a clean face with curled blond hair. His features gleamed compared to the dark entrance. Emma had nodded, astonished by the man's concern and by the harsh accent he contained.
"I-I'm sorry sure!" She exclaimed as she turned red from the embarrassment. She had known that Knockturn Alley was for "bad" wizards and she would have been punished by her parents if they had seen the whole ordeal.
"Ay," He grinned as he stooped down to her height, "Yer the great Harry Potter's gran' daughter, ain't you?" His eyes glittered like many others had before. Emma Lee Potter was their way to a good name. She nodded and told him to excuse her for she had limited time to purchase her things. She had told a white lie like this many times, all for the same situation, because she was related to Harry Potter, the boy who lived. Emma Lee had threw herself into the crowd near them, where she lost the man.
Emma had curved through the magical people until she saw the building, "Flourish and Blott's". She quickly threw her way into the store and read the big sale signs. She remembered her father explaining the rips from these "sales" and encouraged her to only buy what she needs, even when "deals" looked interesting. As she obtained the books, she felt the glares of the workers on her.
"Dear, why don't you get the bundle?" The cashier forced a grin. Emma had stumbled around her words, making things sound like gibberish. The cashier seemed nodded, trying to listen to the girl. The crowd began to form and the cashier seemed to become nervous when the older man have her a quick glare. The younger worker had demanded the right total and the exchange was swift. Emma Lee Potter had defeated the corrupt bargains for the first time by herself.
She had looked at her list once more and crossed off "Buy Books" from the parchment. She had one more stop to go, "Buy an Owl at Eeylops Owl Emporium". She had thought it was peculiar that the list did ask for a wand. Emma Lee Potter had wanted her own wand since she entered the wizarding word. What's a witch without a wand?
She shrugged, knowing that her parents had made the list for a certain purpose. She had gotten to her destination and was thrown into awe by the sketches and hoots of the owls in the cages. Their magnificent colored feathers and their giant eyes. Other children were purchasing owls as well and it seemed like many had picked by color and beauty. Emma Lee was standing at the main cages and searched for one that caught her eye. The owls were flying round and round, as if they knew that if they were not purchased this week, they would have to wait until the next school year.
A pair of beady eyes had stared at Emma Lee. She had not cared for them until the filthy bird was inches away from her. The owl was ashed-colored and seem to want Emma's attention. Emma had heard a hoot as she glanced down. The bird took it as a time to "show off" and took off into the air, showing the lack of speed as the others. The first year had walked away from this odd show.
"May I have the black one?" She had came back to her spot with a store worker. "The slow one." She admitted to the man, even though it was wrong for her to describe the animal that way.
"We've have that owl for years," The worker tried to explain without a smile, "You should get the brown ones."
"I just want THAT one." She argued as the worker agreed without another word. The work had difficulties capturing the bird, it began to peck at the man after a while before it gave up, and stayed in the silver cage silently.
"That's such an ugly owl." Voices scoffed behind Emma. "I can't believe anyone would buy it."
"Thank you so much young lady!" A mid-aged woman, probably the owner, exclaimed in excitement. "This owl is rather picky with people. This is the first time it's ever been in a purchasing cage!" Emma gave the woman the money, cheaper than other owls. Eeylops Owl Emprium must have hated that bird if they sold it off as cheap as the price of ten triple scopes of ice cream from Fortescue's. They gave Emma her "lousy bird" and she was off to the busy streets once again.
"There you are!" Her father's voice chirped from her right. She smiled at him as she showed him her new owl. He leaned in and examined the owl. "Good choice!" He lied as he felt uneasy with the birds slow screech.
"They said that she likes me." Emma Lee informed him.
"He," Her father added as he grabbed the cage from Emma's grasp and took a few books as well. "We need to get home as soon as possible!" He scuffed her head and they walked together to their destination.
"Dad, why didn't I get a wand?" Emma asked him curiously. She couldn't imagine going to the famous Hogwarts without a wand. What horrors would occur if that was destined for her! Her father grinned slyly and avoided answering. Emma had took this as disappointment and didn't ask anymore.
When the two reached the car, for some particular reason they purchased one years ago, Emma Lee's mother smiled the same as her father did. The mother, once named Rachel Vaness, had come to the wizarding world with no clue what to expect. Her parents were both muggles and receiving an acceptance letter the school shocked them all.
The first year forced happiness, still upset with not retrieving a wand. The father had placed the books in the trunk as he placed the owl on the opposite side of Emma's seat. "What a beautiful black owl." Her mother stated as they left Diagon Alley and the strange Knockturn Alley as well.
"We have a surprise for you!" Her mother cheered midway to their home.
"Rachel, you promised you'd keep it a secret until we got home!" Albus had laughed at his wife's impulse to tell their daughter their surprise. She nodded and apologized to Emma for making her wait until they arrived home.
Their home was ten minutes away and it seemed to the longest ten minutes of Rachel and Emma's life. The house seemed to resemble most modern architectural homes. The house was two storied and always lively. The grass had never been seen waters but kept a vibrant green color and the flower bushes were always in the perfect condition. Inside the house contained a collage of moving pictures throughout the entrance and the hallways. The living room had swirls and patterns that resembled autumn.
"Here." Her mother had grabbed a rectangular box from the closet. The box had a red ribbon on top and Emma was sure that it was a wand. What else could it have been?
A necklace. A emerald green necklace of a leaf. Emma had forced another smile and touched the chain that glittered silver.
"It was my mother's," Her mother encourage, "She gave it to me when I was leaving on my first day at Hogwarts. I want you to have it."
"Thanks mom." Emma whispered, now feeling guilty for wanting a wand instead of her grandmother's necklace. She pulled out the soft cushion to take out the necklace properly and there laid a white wand about ten inches long. It was carved just enough to stay out of people's eyes but held great appeal. The first year had stood there in awe.
"It's a gift from your grandfather." Her father stated kindly while Emma's face turned into tears.
Author's Note:
Minor grammar and spelling issues in this. Microsoft Word enjoys doing that to me.