Chapter 1: Rain Rain Go Away
Rain. A horrible thing, to say the least. It prevents young children to venture outdoors and play. It makes all young girls and boys quite sullen. Especially if the young girl had limits in mingling with other children in the first place, rain or not.
One of these sulking children lay miserably on her bed, listening to the droplets of water hit her window pane with a soft pit pat. If you took a first glance at the girl, you would think no different of her than any other child. With her reddish orange hair, vivid green eyes, and olive skin, she looked as normal as any other girl in Cambridge.
However, Julianna Blakewood was far from normal. Julianna, or Julie, just so happened to be a witch. No, she was not a warty, evil hag with green skin. Julie was a normal human being, except with magic flowing through her veins. She was a daughter in a wizarding family that had existed for centuries. Julie was soon to be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the finest school of magic in all of the United Kingdom.
Julie sighed. She had really been looking forward to going to the park. Even though the other children were not magical, but in fact regular Muggles, Julie nevertheless still enjoyed playing tag or hanging on the climbing frames with them. Unfortunately, because of her magical status, Julie was rarely allowed to play with Muggles, in case she revealed some of her magical powers.
Both of her parents were high officials in the Ministry of Magic, and imagine all of the chiding the couple would get if the Ministry got into a hassle because Julie jinxed another child (unintentionally, of course) in front of dozens of Muggles.
"It would be such an embarrassment, especially since we are such brilliant parents." Her mother had replied when Julie asked why she had restrictions in playing with other children.
"Besides," Julie's father added, "they're Muggles."
Julie didn't find anything wrong with being a Muggle.
Julie scanned her surroundings gloomily, looking for something that might entertain her for at least a little while. Walls of baby blue enclosed a room with furniture and accessories in an assortment of pastel colours. Several photos of Julie and her family, as well as a Holyhead Harpies poster hung on the walls.
Julie's eyes latched onto a pack of Exploding Snap cards. Although she knew this would keep her occupied for only a few minutes, Julie snatched up the deck anyway and walked out of her room.
She found herself in the recreation room, where a house-elf, Walby, was cleaning the table where Julie's last deck of Exploding Snap cards had blown up. Julie, abashed, looked down at her deck of cards.
"Walby," Julie said quietly.
The house elf jumped, as he clearly had assumed that he was alone.
"Mistress Julie!" Walby exclaimed, "Walby was just cleaning up, but Walby will be finished very, very soon!"
"Walby, no need to rush on my account." Julie replied.
Walby sheepishly grinned. "Mistress Julie is most kind, but Walby wish not disturb her card game."
"I mean, Walby," Julie began, stifling a smile, "that I don't want to play Exploding Snap anymore. Perhaps I shall find something else that may amuse me."
"Of course, Mistress Julie." Walby bowed.
Julie set the deck of Exploding Snap cards on a table, and looked around the room. There were several wizards chess and checkers boards, and a set of Gobstones. There also was a doorway to a swimming pool and a sauna. Though the games and activities were fun, Julie disliked the idea of playing them by herself. In the corner of the room was a broom cupboard, but since it was raining Julie could not even fly around on her broomstick.
Julie groaned in boredom.
Blakewood Manor was a massive building, so along with a mammoth recreation room, there was also a very large library. Julie was an intellectual girl, thus she had a strong passion for reading. Quickly she found herself entranced in Quidditch Through the Ages, a book Julie found most intriguing.
Just as Julie finished chapter four, she was interrupted by two loud cracking sounds. Immediately Julie placed a bookmark in her book, and rushed to the library entrance. Pressing her ear to the door, Julie strained to hear what was being said beyond the oak barriers.
"Walby, Mixi, Jasper, please take the gifts that are outdoors into the storage room. Genevieve has just wrapped them." A deep voice spoke. "And remember to put the security enchantments on the doors." Julie heard footsteps coming towards the library. "We don't want little spies," the footsteps stopped directly in front of the doors, "knowing what we bought her!" Suddenly, the door flung open, revealing a handsome, tall figure, grinning broadly.
"Gotcha, you little tyke!" The dark haired man lifted Julie up in his arms.
Julie giggled. "Dad! How did you know I was here?"
A beautiful voice with a French accent answered. "We've known you for ten years. The library is like your home." A gorgeous redhead laughed.
"Nearly eleven years, actually. In one day!"Julie's father corrected with a smile.
"Oh, you grow up too fast." Julie grinned at her mother when she spoke.
"Julie, dear, how about we go play that game of Wizard Chess you suggested this morning?" Her father clearly did not want her to glimpse the presents they had bought her. Even though the elves would presumably be Apparating the gifts into the storage closet, he probably still didn't want to take the chance.
Even though Julie easily discerned the actual reason of her father's wanting to play, she nevertheless was eager to spend time doing something entertaining after an excruciatingly dull morning. They headed to the recreation room, where they played a rather competitive game.
"Rook to E5." Julie commanded her white chess piece. "Checkmate,"
Her father laughed as his king grudgingly removed his crown and slid it to the feet of Julie's rook. "You have a talent for this. Very clever of how you can think so far ahead in the game." Julie blushed a light pink at her father's compliment.
"Thank you, Daddy." Julie replied happily.
With a flick of his wand, Julie's father cleaned up the chess board. Julie enviously eyed the wand, wishing she had her own.
Julie's mother joined the father and daughter, and together they played several games of Gobstones. Soon enough, Mixi called the family for dinner. She looked rather startled at the goop on the family's faces.
Julie's mother laughed and vanished the mess from her husband and daughter's face.
"This steak is extraordinarily delicious." Julie's father commented in obvious delight. "Medium rare, just how I like it."
"Yes, the steak is very nice. Cooked for each of our desires." Julie's mother seconded.
"Er, yeah," Julie said awkwardly, "good food."
The house elves beamed.
After wolfing down an exceptionally large slice of apple pie, Julie excused herself from the table where her parents were being served sweet wine.
Julie tiredly lay on her bed. She was always drowsy after dinner, as if the house elves had put a sleeping draught in her food. Suddenly, there was a tapping sound. A large eagle owl was pecking on Julie's window.
"Zeus!" Julie jumped up and hurriedly opened her window, all tiredness gone. The owl flew gratefully into the bedroom and settled himself onto her desk chair. Julie excitedly took the message and package from the owl. Julie grinned when she saw who the sender was.
To Julie Blakewood, From Alex Blakewood.
Alex was Julie's brother. He had just graduated Hogwarts last year, but had already secured a job in Greece studying Ancient Greek magic. Julie opened the letter.
Dear Julie,
First, I have to apologize profusely for not being able to come home for your birthday. I would Apparate, but apparently appearing 10 miles south from where I was supposed to go and landing in a crocodile-infested lake doesn't pass you the test.
Julie rolled her eyes.
I can't Floo over either, since I don't know where to buy the powder. Even in Greece, you can't ask a Muggle where you can buy Floo powder. Even if I asked a wizard or witch, they wouldn't understand me. How do you say "Floo" in Greek?! Plus, I don't think our parents would be the most, say, pleased at my arrival.
Anyway, I want to wish you a very happy birthday. I have enclosed a gift and I hope you like it very much. I won't be able to see you off on the Hogwarts Express, but I think I might be able to manage to come home for Christmas. I wish you best of luck on your first year to Hogwarts! I hope you get into Gryffindor, like me, or at least Ravenclaw like our father.
If you are wondering what you have to do to be sorted, you have to go through a labyrinth with loads of complicated obstacles and magical tests. I had to fight off fifty dementors, battle a herd of centaurs, unravel a riddle from a sphinx, and wrestle a troll. Of course, the challenges might be different. Don't worry about classes-they don't start until a week after the Sorting because of all the first years' injuries.
Well, best of luck!
Love,
Alex
P.S.
Can you feed Zeus? He probably is craving a nice, juicy vole, but doesn't have the energy to go hunt. And please let him rest before you send him out. Who knows if he even rested on the journey? Thanks!
Julie, instead of feeling happy about getting a letter, was feeling panicky. How on earth was she going to wrestle a troll? And how do you fight off a dementor? The sphinx didn't seem too bad-she was rather good at riddles. But centaurs? Julie didn't consider herself adequate to fight one centaur, nevertheless a whole herd.
Julie couldn't help but panic a little.
She brushed the thought away, and decided to get some food for Zeus. Julie's brother's choice of his owl's name wasn't unexpected. Even from an early age, her parents had said, Alex had been fascinated by Ancient Greek magic. Now, 18 years of age, he continued to be entranced by the Greeks, and Zeus being his favorite god, Alex named the eagle owl after him.
"Come here, Zeus." Julie extended her arm for the owl to rest on her arm. In one graceful movement, the massive bird flew from the chair and onto Julie's arm. With a viselike grip Zeus secured a position on her arm. Julie winced. Zeus' talons were sharp. The owl seemed to notice her expression and loosened his grip on the girl.
Julie set out to the kitchens, and found the house elves tidying up after the meal. Mixi noticed Julie first.
"Mistress Julie!" The house elf exclaimed delightedly. "How can Mixi be of service?"
"Er, well, I kind of need a vole. You know, not for me of course, I just ate... Not that I would eat one in the first place... I-I need one for Zeus here." Julie awkwardly gestured to the giant owl on her arm. Julie was usually very good at asking favors of the house elves, but one does not typically ask for a vole.
Luckily, though, the house elves got the main gist of Julie's stammering. "One raw vole, coming right up!"
The house elves had a small store of voles and mice, because there was a small owlery in the manor. With about 10 owls, the Blakewood Owls sometimes were injured on their flights, leading to incapability of hunting. The Blakewoods sent owls to witches and wizards all over the world, since they were both high ministry officials. Also, like Zeus, the owls would be exhausted from their journeys and too tired to hunt. Harsh winter weather also caused prey to be scarce.
Mixi came back with a plain white plate with an owl design. The dead vole was placed in the middle of the plate (Julie wanted to throw up), and and an elegant water lily flower next to it.
"A fresh vole for Sir Zeus, and a lily flower, Mistress Julie's most favoured flower, for herself to keep!" Mixi happily presented the plate.
"Thank you, Mixi! I love this flower! It's beautiful." Julie admired the light pink flower for a moment.
Julie then took Zeus up to the owlery, where only four owls were present, three of them slightly injured. Zeus flew to a nest labelled with his name, then gobbled up the vole Julie presented to him.
Julie headed back downstairs to her bedroom. She sat on her bed, but felt a large lump under her. Julie found the package Alex sent. Chuckling about how she had forgotten the gift, Julie slowly opened the parcel.
She gasped in delight. A book titled Ancient Greek Magical Spells and Potions by Marcus Grands stared up at her. Of course Alex would get Julie something Greek-related. He was in Greece, after all. And knowing she was going to Hogwarts soon, he bought her a book of spells and potions! Julie goggled over the gift in delight. Another box lay in the parcel, and Julie grinned happily when she discovered the contents. A large box of Dancing Gummy Bears were now in her possession. The candies were her favourite. Julie grabbed a handful and munched on them as she went downstairs to show her parents what Alex gave her.
Julie's parents seemed oddly awkward when she showed them her presents. They merely nodded at the book, and frowned at the candy. Julie assumed it was because the last time she had them the gummy bears had danced out of the box and were all over the house for a day.
Julie skipped up to her room, but as she left she caught snippets of her parents conversing in low tones.
"Of course he would send those… such irrespons-..."
"Yes, he never was right in the head…"
Julie mulled over these words, but couldn't make sense of who they could be talking so badly about. She shook her head, ridding her mind of the thoughts as she entered her room. Julie sat down at her desk, snatching up a quill and writing a letter in reply to Alex, expressing her gratuity of the presents, and how she was excited to see him during the holidays. Julie also added a short note of her worries in getting through the maze.
Yawning, Julie folded up the letter and placed it on her vanity to be sent the next morning. After brushing her teeth and taking a quick shower, Julie changed into her pyjamas and went to bed.