The Princess of Hogwarts
Okay. So I wrote this story in '02, and I have now, as of 8/26 (although I keep continuing to tweak, haha! It's now the summer of '11 and I'm still adding huge parts!), completely updated, added, rewrote, reworked, and redid every chapter, as well as added two new ones. Anyway, this was my first "huge" story. I still am very fond of it, which is why I felt like I had to update it and its bad grammar and gaping plotholes. I feel like I did pretty well.
Please read the sentence again that says "wrote in '02." I was eleven/twelve then, and now I'm nineteen. I have done my best to fix all the weird errors that pre-teen writers make, but I could not change every little thing. So please don't write me a comment saying that the plot is weird and wonky and rushed, or that something doesn't really happen like that, there's not enough Harry, or something else. Trust me, I know, I'm my worst critic. I see a billion faults with this and I've tried to clear up half of them so others will enjoy this as well.
Eh, did that sound too harsh? Sorry. Heehee.
I should note that this story takes place in Harry's fifth year and does not follow book canon at all, because book five was not out when this was written. Please excuse the bad pairings that may come, this was due to me being young and silly, and I could not edit them out in their entirety until the sequel.
For the Sailor Moon part, this follows the mangaverse heavily, with hints of animeverse.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy! Please do review!
"Open your eyes." The gentle voice of Queen Serenity instructed. Her fifteen-year old daughter, Princess Serenity, took her hands off her face and was immediately blinded by a myriad of pleasing lights and colors, scents and sounds.
"T-thank you!" The young girl exclaimed, her smile a mile wide. Before her in the grand ballroom of the Moon Palace was all her mother's court and people, her fellow warriors and of course, her beloved Endymion. There were roses of all colors everywhere against the gold-encrusted wall, and against one wall sat a table piled with gifts. In the center of the room there was a white cake that looked like it reached to the sky. When Serenity was finally able to blink and take a step further inside, everyone shouted "Happy Birthday!" It was the best party in her honor she had ever seen!
"Thank you, everyone!" Serenity exclaimed to those before her. She hoped that she wouldn't cry as she usually did when she got even a bit emotional. The fact that her mother had put all of this together while keeping it a surprise from her was simply amazing!
The small orchestra had begun playing and, gentleman he was, Endymion extended a gloved hand and asked her to dance. Serenity took his hand and gazed up at him, the faintest of blushes creeping over her face. Endymion's generals, one by one, asked Serenity's four closest warriors and friends to dance as well; Mercury with the witty Zoisite, Mars with the handsome Jadeite, Jupiter with the thoughtful Nephrite, and Venus with the strongest of the four, Kunzite. Uranus and Neptune danced together, and little Saturn didn't really want to dance so she just sat, refusing any offers. She wasn't there on her own will anyway. Pluto stood smiling next to the queen, making light conversation with the lavender-haired woman.
"Setsuna, you don't have to protect me here," The queen smiled. "Go, don't you want to dance with someone?"
"No, my queen," The green-haired girl shook her head. "Especially not when you aren't."
"You know I wouldn't dance with anyone but Osiris," Serenity said fondly.
"Well," Pluto smiled, "I'd rather be here."
The princess and Endymion were practically inseparable the whole night. It was so rare that they could be together in such a setting. It was generally forbidden for people of the moon and of Earth to fall in love, but they had indeed fallen in love. It was six months ago that the Earth's royal army, led by Endymion's father, had come to the moon in an effort to form an alliance against the rising threat of the Dark Kingdom. There had slowly been an easing of tensions between the two parties, but Serenity knew her mother probably did not want Endymion or his four generals there on a night reserved usually for family and close friends.
"This is all so nice!" Serenity told him as they shared yet another dance. "How long have you known?"
"Your mother told me a few days ago," Endymion smiled. "This is really what I needed right now."
"Things aren't going so well, are they?" Serenity said, smile fading a bit. Although her friends liked to try and shield her from all the cruelty that had been going on, she knew that the war against darkness was not going as planned.
"The dark queen keeps corrupting more and more people," Endymion said quietly. "I fear she may have her connections in our very armies."
"Please stay safe," Serenity begged him. "Above everything...please."
"I do my best," Endymion smiled kindly. "But my main objective is to keep you safe."
Serenity smiled and the two continued to dance.
The party began to wind down after about two hours, after many dances, cheers, tears, and laughs had been shared. The cake had been eaten, the presents had been opened, and slowly the room emptied itself. Saturn was the first to leave, and Uranus and Neptune eventually said goodbye and left to return to their respective planets. Sometime during the night, Pluto had stepped out. It was then just the princess and the queen, the four inner warriors, Endymion, and his four warriors. The queen was conversing with Endymion about something quietly, while the princess and her friends were giggling about things that had gone on during the party.
"That was so much fun!" Jupiter said. She leaned in close to the group, "I didn't know Nephrite was such a good dancer!"
"Yeah." Venus agreed, blushing. "I couldn't stop staring into Kunzite's eyes!"
"Oh, hush, we don't want to hear that," Mars teased.
"Like you weren't all over Jadeite!" Venus exclaimed. Mars's eyes widened and she turned her head to look at where the generals stood; it looked like they hadn't heard them.
Just then Pluto, accompanied by Luna, cat and guardian, came in through the grand doors, both of their faces full of worry.
"Queen Serenity!" The cat exclaimed, bowing her head before the queen, Pluto doing the same.
"Luna, what's wrong?" Queen Serenity asked, bending down to be closer to Luna but looking up at Pluto.
"About an hour ago I sensed something was wrong with the normal stream of time," Luna explained.
"But there was nothing wrong with the Time Gate. No one was trying to get through." Pluto continued. "It might have had something to do with all the recent disturbances in the Cauldron, but that is definitely not my area of expertise. The two of us have been investigating..."
"It seems like a force from the future has joined with the Dark Kingdom," Luna went on. "Though it appears more like they are trying to bring this evil to the future, not come to the past themselves, but this could always change."
"There, unfortunately, are no forces at that time who can wipe out the darkness." Pluto said. She gave the queen a look that only the two of them really knew the meaning of. "They do not know it yet, but the people of that time need our help."
"If they need people to fight for them-" Kunzite started. Endymion held up a hand.
"This does not concern us," Endymion told his comrade kindly. "People of Earth don't have the powers needed."
"The future?" The queen raised an eyebrow. She looked somewhere distant, then nodded. "Where is it?" she asked.
"England. Hogwarts." Luna told her.
"Hogwarts?" Serenity pondered. "Really? How far in the future?"
"The very end of the twentieth century," Pluto said.
"That's quite close to when I visited," The queen said. "And isn't that...when the so called Dark Lord comes to power?"
"If I remember correctly," Pluto said, a little ashamed that she knew so much of the future.
"You've visited the future?" The younger Serenity asked, eyes wide with amazement. "What's a Hogwarts?"
"Hogwarts is a school for young witches and wizards," The queen explained. "I visited, yes, about forty years before the end of the twentieth century."
"That's quite a while in the future." Mercury said quietly.
"Do you need us to fight?" Mars asked the queen.
"The future..." Jupiter said to herself. "But, aren't we needed here?"
"But the forces have darkness have spread to another time, it's our responsibility to end them!" Venus spoke up as leader of the four inner warriors. "My queen, we will go wherever we are needed."
The queen looked at her daughter, who was remaining quite calm though this. The older Serenity did not know exactly what lay in store for the future of their kingdom, but, though she remained optimistic in the long term of things, at the moment things were not safe. There were attacks weekly; it was surprising there was not one that night, when so many members of royalty were in one location. Her daughter, the most important thing to her...she worried constantly for her.
"Serenity?" The queen asked her daughter. "How would you like to go on your first mission without me?"
"Ah!" The princess's face lit up. "It's a little scary to think about, but I would love to help in any way I could!"
"We'd protect her of course!" Mars spoke up.
"My queen..." Pluto said softly, she had a feeling of what the queen was planning.
"Yes, that will work nicely. Setsuna, Luna?" The queen asked.
"Yes, My Lady?" Luna asked.
"If it wouldn't be a problem, could you go to that time and tell them were coming?" She asked gently. "I shall give you something for the headmaster."
"I'm sure he remembers you well, my queen." Luna said.
"It would be no trouble," Pluto said, giving a short bow and picking up Luna in her arms. "We will be back as early as possible."
"Be safe," The queen called after the two as they left the ballroom.
"They know of us down there?" asked the younger Serenity.
"The Moon Kingdom isn't a secret to those of our types." Queen Serenity said, smiling slightly.
Professor McGonagall was in her office, hunched over her desk. The light was low and her back did hurt, but she was so close to being done with the last of the letters assigning who was to be that year's head boy, head girl, and prefects. Everything was oddly quiet, as it normally was during the summer months when only a few of the professors were there. Suddenly, from beneath the crack of her door, there was a flash, a shining sort of noise, and then it settled as soon as it came. McGonagall got up just as the door opened to Sailor Pluto, time staff in one hand and Luna in her other, clutched safely to her chest.
"You're-" McGonagall looked at her clothes and the mark on her head. "One of the warriors from the Silver Millennium?"
"I am the guardian of time, Sailor Pluto," the green-haired warrior nodded, "And this is Queen Serenity the third's guardian, Luna. I do hope we're not intruding? We need to speak to the headmaster."
"No, not at all," The professor said. "Dumbledore is actually expecting you,"
"Oh?" Pluto said. "Well, it is the great Albus Dumbledore, after all..."
"Yes, he does have his ways," McGonagall muttered, half bemused and half annoyed.
The deputy headmistress led the warrior and the cat up two flights of stairs, to a grand statue where she muttered a phrase that made no sense to the two, and then finally led them up the newly-revealed staircase.
Most of the things in Dumbledore's grand office were foreign to the two from the past. Though they were usually composed (especially when conducting business), they had to stop and stare at all of the various gadgets whizzing and whirring, the numerous shining things adorning the office, the portraits that followed their movements and whispered to one another about their appearance, and finally their eyes shifted to the tall man standing before the great desk, his beard and hair long and silver and his robes grand. On one side of him was a birdcage, where a grand red phoenix sat. On his other stood a man all in black, his glare casting an obvious judgement on the two newcomers.
"Ah, Lady Pluto! And Luna!" Dumbledore greeted them with a smile. "It is good to see you again!"
"And you as well," Luna said, jumping from Pluto's arm and walking towards the old wizard.
"We have something for you, from Queen Serenity...she has a request of sorts..." Pluto said, retrieving the letter the queen had written and giving it to Dumbledore.
As he skimmed it, Pluto couldn't help but be bothered by the way the man in black was staring. She had not seen him before, but he was in some ways familiar. But his harsh glare...it was more then unsettling. She gripped her staff even tighter.
"...come to Hogwarts," Dumbledore finished quietly. He stared at the letter a bit more before placing it on his desk.
"Who is to come to Hogwarts?" The man in black asked Dumbledore sharply.
"Apparently some of the great forces of evil from the Silver Millennium have been forced into our own time, Severus." Dumbledore told him. "This isn't something you would know about, is it?"
"It is not," The man called Severus said. He looked almost taken back at this news. "The mark has been acting up more then usual, of course, but...I don't think anyone knew about this..."
"The mark, headmaster?" Pluto asked.
"I am very sure who would bring your dark forces to this time. It is foolish, just as he is. He goes by Lord Voldemort, and I am not sure how much you know of him, being the guardian of time."
"Not much," Pluto said. "Only that he is the most evil wizard of this time."
"Indeed," Dumbledore continued. "And – forgive me for not introducing you earlier – this is Professor Severus Snape. He was once one of Voldemort's followers, but has now turned spy for us."
Once being a follower of a dark wizard, that would explain his appearance, Pluto thought.
"Now, the Queen has volunteered her own warriors to come to this time, as well as her daughter, heir to the throne." Dumbledore explained to Snape and McGonagall. "They are to stay within the school as students, as she believes it will be safest for both her daughter and the students here. They will be learning our magic, as well as investigating and ridding our time of an enemy who should not be here."
"That cannot happen!" Snape shouted so suddenly that even the calm phoenix was startled. "She-they cannot come here!"
"Severus, what ever is the matter?" McGonagall asked, half concerned and half annoyed.
Even he seemed to be stumped for a good reason for a moment, as he said nothing and merely stared at Luna. "Those people, coming into this school, disturbing the classes-"
"I hardly see how we will be a disturbance," Pluto said, quite confused.
"If their enemy is not supposed to be in this time then neither are they!" Snape finished. Pluto honestly felt a bit offended. Then again, in the time where she and Luna came from people of Earth seemed to hate them just the same. Had times not changed?
"Severus," Dumbledore turned to the man, and the two seemed to share a glance that only the two men could understand. Snape sighed, straightened up, and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. Dumbledore turned back to address Luna and Sailor Pluto. "I will do everything I can where security and secrecy is concerned. However, there is a very good chance that it will be made known that the warriors – the great princesses of the past – will be attending Hogwarts."
"Yes, about that..." Luna started. The cat gave a look to Pluto before continuing. "Maybe...this is a long shot, but...well, we know that, in this time, the Moon Kingdom does not exist."
"That is correct," Professor McGonagall said after a moment.
"However," Pluto continued. "As of now, only myself, Luna, and the Queen know of this fact. It was an accident that we found out, Queen Serenity was reading some texts when she visited here and found this information. Maybe this is impossible, but it is imperative that the others who come here do not find out."
"And how exactly are we supposed to do that?" Snape asked her, nothing but bitterness in his voice. "Take every book about the Moon Kingdom from the library? Put a spell on any new book written so that those of the royal lines can't read them? Bewitch all of our students to forget what they are saying if they try to discuss it?"
"I know it's a lot to ask, and probably something that cannot happen." Pluto said.
"We'll see what can be done." Dumbledore assured the two.
"Thank you, headmaster." Luna said.
"I have to admit, I find myself a little excited at this news," Dumbledore chuckled.
"As do we," Luna smiled. "And we'll do everything possible to be as prepared as possible."
"The princesses of the inner solar system from one thousand years ago at Hogwarts..." McGonagall mused. "If this does get out, I imagine they'll be more talked about then Harry Potter."
"Harry Potter?" asked Luna.
"When he was only a baby, his parents were killed by You-Know-Who. But when he tried to kill him, he survived and caused Voldemort to disappear up until last year when he was revived." McGonagall explained. "He's the boy who lived!"
"Hmm. Interesting, I shall have to research this person." Pluto murmured. "Now, I do believe we've taken up more time then we should have, so we shall be taking our leave."
"You're welcome anytime," Dumbledore smiled.
"We will see you soon, then." Luna smiled back at the old wizard as she jumped onto Pluto's shoulder. Pluto tapped her staff three times on the ground and then the two were gone.
"Severus, what do you have against those girls coming here?" McGonagall asked. "They can only help the Order, and the world they live in now must be constantly plagued by wars."
Snape did not answer, he merely sighed and left Dumbledore's office quickly, boots clicking on the stone floor.
The younger Serenity was more then pleased when her mother confirmed the news. The two were strolling through the gardens when Luna found them and said the man named Dumbledore was happy to allow them to stay. Not only was she going to Earth, but going into the future to study a type of magic that she normally would not have been able to learn.
"Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Pluto will be going with you, and be in your class at Hogwarts." The queen told her.
"Pluto? Isn't she a little too old?" The princess asked.
"I'm sure people will believe she's just tall." The Queen said with a gentle smile. "She'll just be there to keep another eye on you and whatever the Dark Kingdom is planing, and to report back to me."
"What about Endymion?" Serenity asked suddenly, even though she knew she shouldn't. The one thing that had bothered her, been at the back, front, sides, top, bottom, and every crevice of her mind...Endymion. Her lover. Her life. If she couldn't see him…
"Endymion and yourself won't be able to…see each other as much." Serenity said trying to say it in a tone that would not sound too saddening. She had tried her best to accept that her only daughter was in love with an Earthling, but in no way would she ask him to go as well. "You can still write him letters, however. They can travel through time with a certain spell. And you will return for Christmas, I'm sure."
"I guess as long as I can know what he says and that he loves me...It's all right with me." The younger Serenity said to herself, staring off into the fields of flowers. She knew she had a mission, her first mission. She had to put her feelings aside, and start looking towards the day she would one day be queen and would need to go to places and be apart from the people she loved for a while.
"You'll probably need to study so you won't be behind." The Queen said with a slight smile. "I have a stash of books in my room, books from the future. They can tell you about things that exist there, so you won't be so surprised."
"Mama, you've been to the future...how different is it?" The blonde asked.
"Well..." The queen thought. "I went about forty years before the time you'll be going, and a lot of advances have been made since then. But...the world is not so green as the Earth you look down at now. There are more buildings and so many more people. Witches and wizards do not tell people without magic – they call them muggles – about their powers. People are a bit more greedy, and do not appreciate the small things."
"It sounds a little scary," Serenity noted.
"But you're going to have so much fun," The queen smiled. "You're going to meet so many people, see things, learn spells. I promise you will enjoy it."
The princess smiled, eager again to take on whatever was going to be thrown at her. She kissed her mother on the cheek and announced that she was going to study with Makoto.
One quick trip thought the Interplanetary Transport System (ITS for short, an invention of Pluto's) and Serenity was on the large planet of Jupiter. At the royal palace, she was instantly greeted by many and safely escorted to the princess of Jupiter who had made a lot of snacks for no one in particular and offered them to Serenity. As with the other princesses of the inner solar system, Serenity could act a bit differently around Makoto. When safely in her friend's bedroom, away from the ever-watching eyes of society, she ate like there was no tomorrow, in a very un-princess like manner. She was exited, she couldn't help it. It was only once she was out of the public eye, anyways, and Makoto would not judge her.
"So, princess, are you going to choose a new name?" Jupiter asked.
"What?" asked the princess with a mouth full of cookies. No, that's bad, she said to herself. She looked at the food in front of her and pushed it aside.
"A new name. Didn't the queen tell you? Our names sound a little weird to them in England."
"No..." Serenity blinked. "So instead of Makoto your name is..."
"Lita. Sounds kinda strong, don't you think?" Makoto asked as she flexed her bicep and laughed.
"Hmm...Lita...I like that one." Serenity smiled.
"Actually, I think yours should stay Serenity." Lita said. "It's not as foreign sounding, and it would be a shame to hide your claim to the stars and planets."
"It would be something else to take with me from home…" Serenity nodded. "Though I don't think we're supposed to tell anyone that we're, you know, not from that time."
"Ami was just going to change a letter to make it A-M-Y," Makoto continued, "Rei would respell her make to Raye, Minako was just going to take off the "ko" of her name to make Mina." The Jupiter Princess said.
"I wonder what Setsuna is going to be," Serenity thought. She realized it was rare for her to call the guardian of time "Setsuna," the two of them were not so close. Serenity picked up a few books Makoto had on the table. They were all bound in an odd sort of way.
"These were given to me by Rita," Makoto said, speaking of the girls' personal tutor. "Apparently she got to go with Serenity when she went to the future, and brought back a ton of books."
"A History of Magic..." Serenity read. "Hogwarts: A History...definitely looking forward to reading this one."
"She also bought some textbooks as well. People our age would normally be in fifth year, so I figure we should start learning all these basic spells."
"Wait, we're going to be in fifth year?" Serenity said picking up Standard Book of Spells off the table. "But we don't even have wands! Witches and wizards need their wands! How can we practice without them?"
"Well, that's why we're studying really, really hard." Makoto said with a laugh. Serenity laughed as well, but ceased quickly. Bad thoughts crept into Serenity's mind, as bad thoughts normally do when one is trying to avoid them.
"Hey, you okay princess?" Makoto asked.
"Are you sad?" Serenity asked. "About leaving both your home and the guy you like-"
"I don't like Nephrite that much!" Makoto exclaimed, her face red. After a pause, they both laughed. "Yeah, I am kind of sad, but…"
"We just need to do it, don't we?" Serenity finished.
"Everything will be fine!" Makoto assured the blonde. "We'll make a ton of friends and learn a whole lot of spells, taking care of this bad guy will be a breeze, and then we can return home."
"It does sound like a lot of fun," Serenity smiled. "Maybe, for once, I can fight!"
It was about a month later when, after many goodbyes, countless hugs and one banquet, the six girls and their two cats were sitting in the Leaky Cauldron wearing robes in the color of their home planets. They had arrived the day before, trunks and all, and had already made the rounds window shopping through both Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley – though they only stayed in the latter for a grand total of ten minutes. Everything was new to them and amazing.
The girls were sipping their breakfast tea, Amy and Setsuna reading the wizarding paper, the Daily Prophet. Mina and Raye were people watching. Lita was going over the list of things that remained to be purchased, and Serenity was finishing a letter off to Endymion.
"We don't want to waste the day," Setsuna said, folding up her paper. "We have to finish up the rest of our shopping before tomorrow."
"Oh, Setsuna, you never told us what your name was going to be." Said Luna, who was on the table next to Serenity.
"I haven't decided yet." The older woman said simply, standing up, prompting the others to do the same.
"But...but people are going to ask what your name is, and when were sorted into houses, there going to ask for your name!" Mina said.
"Let's not worry about that now. Let's just get our things." She said. Setsuna led the way out to the enchanted stone wall which opened in front of them, revealing Diagon Alley in all of its busy, bustling glory. Both Setsuna and Serenity had most of their things, so the two parted from the rest of the group, who still had to buy most of the things off of their lists.
"All that's left for you is a wand, yes?" Setsuna asked the moon princess. "I have been told to let you buy and owl and a broom, and all the books you want while we are here."
"A broom?" Serenity exclaimed. She had always wondered what it would be like to ride one. "Do they let students have them?"
"To play Quiddich." Setsuna supplied.
"Oh yes!" Exclaimed the princess, clapping her hands together softly as she recalled what she had read of the sport. Serenity was currently in something of a wonderful, whimsical daze. She had books of potions, spells, and beasts swarming in her head, along with the fact that she was overwhelmed by the place buzzing with people. Never before had she been in a city with so much color and noise. It was truly amazing.
"Come on, let's go get wands." Setsuna said, leading Serenity toward the very old shop. Luna jumped off of Serenity's shoulder and told the two she would wait outside.
Serenity and Setsuna went in the small shop and waited for Mr. Olivander to show up. Serenity sat on a small chair looking at the wand in the window. It was rather dusty. She looked to the counter to see if Mr. Olivander was there. Confirming he wasn't, she looked back to the wand to find that, somehow, it was no longer dusty. She reached to it and when her hand had almost touched it...
"Hello, there!" A bright voice called. Serenity nearly fell off the chair.
"Are you alright?" Setsuna asked quietly to her charge. Serenity looked at her to see that she was not startled by Mr. Olivander's presence.
"Here to get wands? Of course you are! So, what's your name?" He asked Setsuna.
"Trista." She said calmly. Serenity blinked, the name was foreign to her but it kind of fit Setsuna.
"Alright, try this." The older man took out a long box and opened it slowly. "10 inches, ebony and phoenix feather. Good for Transfiguration." Trista picked up the wand and gave it an eloquent swish. A hazy purple beam shot out of it and surrounded her, like a cat wrapping its tail around its master.
"Wow! Se- Trista, that was amazing!" Serenity said from the chair. She had looked so right when she waved the wand. The blonde suddenly wondered if her wand waving would look unprofessional. She had never even been allowed to hold a scepter.
"Well, I say, you must be one of the quickest customers I've ever had." Olivander said happily. "I was pretty sure about it though. Usually I'd have to do the measurements, you know, arm length, height, shoulder to elbow and such…" He prattled on while Trista paid him and then sat on the chair as Serenity approached him. Her wand was more difficult to find than Trista's. Numerous tries of useless swishing led Serenity to thinking.
"Um, excuse me, but is that wand in the window for sale?" The princess asked. "It looks quite nice."
"Well...yes it is...but I don't suggest you try it." Olivander said, the spark in his eye suddenly dimmer. "Though..." He walked from behind the counter, clamoring over the pile of wands that had not chosen Serenity. He picked up the long wand gently, as if it were made of glass, and seemed to notice that it had somehow become spotless, as if it had not been sitting in the window for decades. "...Curious..." He muttered. "It seems this wand has chosen you without it even meeting your touch."
"It has?" Serenity asked, quite happy at the thought that her search would be over. "But, why did you tell me not to try it?"
"Because...that wand was only half made by me...the other half was made by someone very powerful. In the past I had tried to sell it, but it injured most anyone who would even touch it, so I just set it in the window, as it is most beautiful. But then..." Olivander stared at the blonde, a look that made the girl more then slightly uncomfortable. "...It's you. Of course it chose you! You're Serenity, aren't you?"
"You know me?" Serenity asked, quite shocked.
"This wand was one of few made by Queen Serenity when she came to this place...many years ago..." Olivander said fondly. "She said she she wished one day she could give her daughter a wand of her own...she must have made this wand just for you."
"Mama did?" Serenity said, taken aback. Had her mother known one day she would be coming to this time? Olivander was holding out the long wand to her. Serenity took it just as gently, and with that one touch she knew her search was over. It was warm, she felt something, almost like what one felt when giddy in love. Serenity gripped it lightly between her thumb, middle finger, and ring finger, and watch as she was surrounded by a sort of whiteness, a pureness. Olivander let out a laugh of marvel.
"You know, you look like her." He said. "Queen Serenity, I mean…just like she used to."
"She came down about forty years ago, was it not?" Trista asked.
"Oh, when I was just starting in this shop, my old one had been burned down thanks to an explosion from the apothecary..." Ollivander turned his head towards the wall and his eyes became distant, a small smile on his lips. "She was here for some other reason, but once she realized what was going on in the world, she joined Dumbledore in his search for You-Know-Who, you know. Came in here to get a wand, and said none of mine were good enough! So, together, we created two wands…the prototype of her own is the one you hold. Fourteen Inches. Cherrywood, with a fusion of dragon heartstring and phoenix feather." He added. "She stayed for quite some time…came back again and again, and we made a few more wands, the search for You-Know-Who was not very fruitful at that time of course…" His smile grew wider, and the two girls knew that the old man must have had, at the least, a crush on the queen.
"I'm so glad to have this wand," Serenity smiled earnestly. "It's like she really did make this just for me."
"I am sorry for what the press is saying," Olivander said offhand, still thinking of the past as he started to straighten up.
"The press?" Trista repeated, her voice so sharp that it snapped Olivander out of his reverie.
"You haven't heard?" He asked. "Spreading nasty rumors, aren't they? Treating people from other planets as if they were not humans! All thanks to that damned Rita Skeeter's additions to the book-"
"There's a book, too?" Trista was clearly exasperated. "I guess it was too much to ask, that news of our arrival would get out."
"It has gotten out, it's quite the event!" The old man said. "The book is called "The Legend of the Moon Kingdom," it's supposed to be a complete history from the very beginning of the Silver Millenium but...around the era you girls are from, the book starts getting a little inaccurate and gossipy. They're selling it at Flourish and Blotts if you'd like a look." Ollivander told them.
"I suppose we should have expected this," Trista sighed. "It matters not. We just can't work undercover now. Serenity, we need to be going."
"Um," Serenity had, for the last few minutes been trying to pay Mr. Olivander.
"No, no charge for you." He smiled. "That wand is something that has always been yours."
"Oh...thank you so much!" Serenity exclaimed. "Would you like me to tell my mother you said hello?"
"Y-yes, please!" Ollivander smiled as he rushed up to her to shake her hand. "And tell her she's welcome any time!"
"He was really nice!" Serenity said when she and Trista were back on the street, Luna back in Serenity's arms to avoid being stepped on.
"Very nice…I wonder if he and your mother ever-"
"Setsuna!" Serenity was shocked and laughing at the same time.
"Well, the way he talked about her was very devoted…" Trista laughed as well. "Not that I can blame him since I really am devoted to her, but…perhaps he's your real father?"
"No way!" Serenity exclaimed, giggling. The two walked in silence for a minute, ogling the stores and unfamiliar items.
"Serenity?" Trista asked in a more serious tone. "Have you heard from the king lately? Perhaps, before we left?"
"Father? I actually saw him a few months ago!" Serenity smiled fondly. "He seemed well. He brought me some gifts from all the places he's been!"
"How is that going for him?" Trista asked.
"Alright, I guess." Serenity shrugged. Trista did not ask any more, she did not want to make the princess sad. The blonde stopped walking and looked around her. "So, they wrote a book about us? I thought no one was supposed to know we were coming."
"That was the plan but...six princesses from one thousand years ago, attending Hogwarts? No doubt the information just got in the wrong hands and spread." Trista sighed. "Someone must have let it slip, and someone seems to be spreading some nasty lies."
"Someone?" Serenity nodded her head.
"When I find whoever that is..." Trista started. Serenity's eyes widened; Pluto was a very intimidating warrior.
"We gotta go find this book!" Serenity supplied happily, distracting the older woman. "Now where is that Blott place...? I bet not many people know, you know...it's probably not a big of a deal as he made it seem."
They found the bookstore after a few more minutes, and were taken aback by not one, but two huge displays advertising the tome. Serenity purchased a copy, along with a few other books that looked interesting, then set off to look for owls. Serenity skimmed the pages while they walked.
"Some of this stuff isn't right at all!" Serenity complained. "I know these dates are wrong...and my grandmother never outright launched an attack against Earth!" She flipped to the inside cover to see the authors and interviews that had been done in the many years of the book's production. "Miranda Goshawk: 1992, Suiri Contexts: 1993, Julie Biro: 1994, Rita Skeeter: 1995."
"I am not haughty!" Serenity gasped, becoming more enraged as she read the introduction more carefully. "Am I?"
"Of course not!" Luna asked. "A bit scatterbrained at times, but…"
"I'm really trying not to be." Serenity said, now a bit put out.
"I'm sorry, Princess." Luna apologized, rubbing her face against Serenity's. "I was kidding. You really have become much more ladylike and regal in the past few years."
"Like your mother." Trista added. Hearing that made the moon princess glow, her mother was her greatest idol. Serenity started blindly skimming through pages, stopping at an illustration here or there, until she reached the last few chapters. The page numbers were the only thing on those pages; the rest were completely blank. Trista noticed this and gave a sigh of relief; it seemed something, albeit something small, had been done, and Serenity would not find out about the end of the Silver Millennium just yet.
In the owl shop, Trista picked out a small tawny owl for the moon princess, surprising her with it as she exited the shop. "Her name is Rini." Trista told her, watching Serenity smile at the little owl. "It sounds a little like your name, don't you think?"
"Oh hello there, Rini…" Serenity cooed to the bird. Luna looked at the bird, a bit jealous. "Is she already trained? Can I let her out?" Serenity didn't even have to ask, Rini perked up and eagerly began fluttering about in her cage. The latch must not have been properly shut, as her wing somehow managed to get the door open. The owl fluttered about, staring at Serenity for a moment before flying off.
"No!...Rini!" Serenity and Trista ran after the bird, the former almost crying at the thought of losing the defenseless owl that Trista had just given her. Luckily, Trista was much taller and saw her fly into the storeroom of a broom shop. "Rini? Rini?" Serenity called into the near darkness of the room, crowded with hundreds of brooms and accessories. Someone must have heard them, as a burly man came from another door.
"Who are you? Lumos." He asked, the spell illuminating the room. "If you want to buy something, there's a front of the store devoted to that very purpose."
"My owl, she flew back into here...Rini! There you are! Don't do that again!" Serenity tried to get her back on her shoulder, but the owl flew onto one of the brooms on a high shelf. As the two girls tried to get the owl to come to them, the storekeep seemed to be staring at them, no longer annoyed but just in wonder.
"You're her, aren't you?" The man asked as Serenity was carefully closing the latch, owl finally inside of her cage. "You're the moon princess!"
"I...yes?" Serenity said, taken aback that he knew her. Did her mother visit this man as well? Or did that book really sell that many copies?
"You know, too?" Trista snapped, in her defensive mode. The man now looked a bit smaller.
"What's your problem? Everyone knows, of course!" He insisted. "It's all right there, in that book you're holding! The forward."
Serenity opened the book up again, this time flipping through single pages carefully. It was there, one of the first pages even before the index in red ink. The two girls held a side of the book, Luna also climbed to where she could see, and even Rini moved forward in her cage as if she could understand what was happening. It said something about the authenticity, the years spent on the book, the interviews…
"Wait, here-" Trista pointed and read, "This book could not have been published at this time if it were not for Rita Skeeter and her drive to get it done in this year. It is in fact Ms. Skeeter who discovered through inside sources that, yet again, more royals from the kingdom - the last Princess Serenity and some of her guards, to be exact - are coming to the present. This time, however, they are attending Hogwarts as students. Ms. Skeeter not only wanted to provide the real story of the kingdom and its legacy, but educate parents and officials and let them be the judges on whether their children should be allowed near thee sometimes dangerous aliens."
"What?" Serenity exclaimed. "This sound like we're terrible monsters! Is this what Mr. Olivander said was in the press?"
"Princess, calm down." Luna said, though she too was quite mad. Trista wasn't even speaking. "I'm sure no one will believe this."
"So...you are the princess?" The man spoke up.
"Yes, but please don't tell me you believe this book!" Serenity exclaimed. The man stared at her, and then got on his knees and bowed. Serenity flushed red. "Please, please don't do that! I am just a normal witch right now."
The man was smiling as he got up off of the floor and brushed off his robes. "Wait right here!" he instructed. After searching through some of the brooms, he carried one towards her, one Serenity had not seen in the front display. It was made out of light-colored wood with a glossy finish, and in gold lettering it said 'Moonrider' with a crescent moon at the end.
"Moonrider?" Serenity read.
"I want you to be the first to try it!" He said quite happily. "The least I can do is give you your broom for free!" He smiled.
"I can't take it for nothing!" The princess instead. She started to pull her change purse from her robe.
"It's in change for me not bowing." The shopkeep said with a smile. After a moment, Serenity smiled and agreed. Now with broom in one hand and owl cage in the other (and cat on shoulder), Serenity set off behind Trista.
"I cannot believe this." Trista finally said as they drew close to the Leaky Cauldron. "I cannot believe...these lies...and no one has stopped them!"
"Maybe someone tried?" Serenity suggested. "From the tone of this Skeeter woman's writing, she seems like a very catty sort of person. I bet she pulled a lot of strings."
Trista stopped in her tracks and looked at the moon princess. "I...admire how calm you're being right now." She smiled.
"I'm really not calm at all," Serenity admitted. "But, everything will work out. We'll find a way."
Trista had to laugh, she relieved Serenity of her broom and owl, carrying it inside the pub for her.
An hour or so later, the day started to grow dark, and the rest of their party returned. The six returned to their rooms at the Leaky Cauldron, where Serenity and Setsuna recounted their adventures and the passage from the book. Amy and Raye apparently had med some students in Madame Malkins who told them a lot about the school, and Lita and Mina were sharing some of their leftover candy. They compared their wands to one another's, and could not stop talking about all the various little things that had caught their eye, things that to the normal witch or wizard were probably boring and common. It soon because late, and they all climbed into their beds, and slept. Or tried to, as the excitement kept them awake, as excitement usually does.
This chapter was revised as of 7/9/09...and now revised as of 7/6/11 (hah, almost two years later!). I find that this is the chapter I keep editing most...