Chapter One
Letters and Lodgings
Highland Academy of Magic
Professor Algernon Allerdyce, Headmaster
Archmage, Legion of Honor
Mugwump, International Confederation of Wizards
Dear Miss Sorena,
Congratulations! You have been accepted to the Highland Academy of Magic, the most prestigious center of Mystic Learning in the United States. Before you arrive for the Start of Term Feast on August 21, you will need to purchase all of your school equipment, which can be found on the attached sheet of parchment.
We are also pleased to inform you that you have been placed in Rookery Hall, which will remain your dormitory for the rest of you scholastic career with us. Be sure to have all your personal items ready to be moved in upon your arrival.
Yours Sincerely,
Sylvia Archer
Prof. Sylvia Archer
Deputy Headmistress
UNIFORM
1. Several Sets of black robes with school emblem (Purple and Gold Eagle)
2. One Pair of dragon-hide work gloves
3. One heavy winter cloak with Purple and Gold scarf
4. One set of Dress Robes of the Student's Choice
COURSE BOOKS
1. The Dark Arts: A Beginner's Guide to Practical Defense
by Adelfried Smith
2. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
3. Preliminary Potions: Drafts, Poisons, and Antidotes
by Amanda Brewster
4. The Enchanter: First Year Spells, Charms, and Incantations
by Arien Warick
6. A History of American Magic, Vol. I
by Wulfirc Pravat
6. Your First Book of Transfiguration
by Francine Modifa
OTHER ITEMS
1 Magic Wand
1 set of scales
1 Potions Starter Kit (with pewter cauldron or similar)
1 Harmless Family Familiar (Cat, Owl, Rat, or similar)
Sonia Sorena read the letter that came to her via Owl Post over and over, to be sure it was hers. She had seen the letter twice before when her elder siblings had attended (and graduated) from the very same school. Now, she was going...she was going to become a full-fledged witch.
Sonia, like many other children, was not a normal person. She was born to a witch mother and a Muggle father, and was raised around the wizarding world her entire life. And for as long as she could remember, she had wanted to go to Highland Academy, arguably the best place to study co-educational magic in this country. Everyone knew that, and everyone wanted in.
Sonia, a young girl at the tender age of eleven, ran to her mother to show her the letter, her long dark hair bouncing behind her as she ran. On the inside, her home looked just like any other Muggle home in Denver, Colorado. There were photos and electronic equipment, but on high shelves were various magical objects, including a Sneakoscope, various old books, family heirlooms, a two-way mirror, and in the coat closet, a Foe Glass. She found her mother in the kitchen with her father, at the table having coffee.
"Mom! Dad! It got here!" Sonia said, waving the letter around like mad, "I got in!"
"That's fantastic news," her mother said, beaming at Sonia, "Isn't it, Jaleel?"
"Fantastic...and amazing! My little girl heading off to magic school."
"Does this mean I get a wand!" Sonia asked, eagerly.
"And much more," her mother replied, "But like we already told you, this is a big step, and when you get your wand, you have to be responsible with it."
"I know, I know..." Sonia said, looking down at her feet, "So when can we get our stuff!"
Her father looked at the calendar on the wall, his brow furrowed. After a moment, he turned back to his wife and said, "I know this is short notice, but what about tomorrow? I mean, there's only a week before term starts, and it be best if we got it all early."
"Then it's settled," said Sonia's mother, "Tomorrow, we'll go to Aspenvale and get all your supplies."
Sonia let out something between a scream and squeal and ran off to her room. She knew that Aspenvale was the only all magical settlement in the entire Intermountain Province, and had only been there on a handful of occasions a few years previously. But tomorrow, she was headed there for a better reason than those before; to take her first steps in becoming a full witch.
That night, Sonia did little sleeping, for the following days event held so much promise. She rose early with her parents, dressed at top speed, and met them downstairs at their fireplace. When she saw them, her parents had packed luggage and brought down her trunk.
"What's with all the bags?" Sonia asked her parents.
"Well," said her mother, "Your father and I discussed it, and we thought we'd stay there the whole week, as a kind of celebration of your departure for school!"
Sonia's face lit up and she ran up to bother her parents, hugging them at the same time. Taking it as a sign of gratitude, her father handed them each a bit of Floo Powder, he stepped in first, and shouted, "APSENVALE!" and vanished in a flourish of green flames.
Sonia was next, clutching her Floo Powder tightly in her right hand, and a suitcase in her left. In once swift motion, she threw the powder at her feet and shouted, "ASPENVALE!"
In a flourish of flame and a whoosh of wind, Sonia was swirling around quickly, fireplaces flying past her in the process, getting only the slightest glimpse of other wizarding homes. Then, suddenly, her feet hit solid earth, and she stumbled out of a large fireplace and into a busy pedestrian street. Her father grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the fireplace, dusting off her ash. In another moment, her mother appeared right behind her with the rest of the bags. They had all just arrived at Aspenvale via one of the seven public Floo Terminals in the town. Together, all three of them walked confidently up Main Road.
Sonia was in awe at what she saw. Dozens of shops on this street alone, and up on the surrounding hills and mountains, actual homes. It was almost like walking into a Norman Rockwell painting, or a fantastic Alpine Village. She was anxious to take in all this colorful and exotic city had to offer.
Her father directed them all to a beautiful white building with gold trimming. It's windows were clean and clear, and the front doors were solid oak with gold fastenings. On the facade of the building, there were handsome, golden letters that read:
The Hearthstone Inn
They walked in, carrying their luggage, to a beautiful lobby. It had a marvelous golden chandelier hanging from it, and under their feet, and ornate rug on hardwood floors. There was a table directly under the chandelier with a vase of the most unusual flowers Sonia had ever seen. Her father walked up to the front desk and checked them in. After receiving their keys for room 304, he led them away to the stairs.
"Locomotor Luggage!" Sonia's mother said as she pointed her wand at the bags. As they ascended, Sonia caught a glimpse of the small bar opposite the Lobby they just exited, and was eager to have a meal there.
The Sorena Family walked up the stairs, their floating luggage paving the way, they soon arrived to the third floor, passing a number of simple white doors on the way to their own rooms. After taking a right down the corridor, and passing an irritated hag who imperturbed herself out of her own room, they all arrived at a room with a brass plaque that read 'Room 304.' All three crossed the threshold to view a modest room with two beds, a writing desk, a small kitchenette, and a view overlooking LaSalle Park.
"So where can we go first?" Sonia asked her mother as her father began to unpack.
Her mother consulted the clock on the wall, and said to her daughter, "I will go to The Apothecary and pick up your potions things, and your father can take you to Madam Aradia's to get your wand."
Sonia's face lit up the sound of getting her first wand. She had watched her mother for years, casting spells, making food, and various other tasks with her wand, and soon, Sonia would emulate her mother's behavior. It was after her parents completed the unpacking that they set off and were on Main Road again. The street was buzzing with other withes and wizards doing their daily shopping, and other wizarding families here for the same reason the Sorenas were.
Her mother closed her traveling cloak around her and set of for The Apothecary while her father lead the way to the wand maker. On the way, Sonia passed a number of shops that she decided she absolutely had to visit; among them High Flyers Broom Emporium, Gobtwergs Bank, and Hammerhorn's Quadpot and Quidditch Supplies. In a few moments' time, Sonia and her father were outside a very old shop. In fact, it looked practically ancient. It had dusty, grimy windows, a door rotting away at the bottom, and a sign above the windows that had clearly seen better days. It read:
Madam Aradia's
There was another sign beneath that had many letters missing, but Sonia guessed that had they all been there it would have read, 'Expert Wand Makers.' She was not at all impressed by this hovel of a shop, and with great hesitation, extended her arm to open the door so she and her father could enter.
The inside was not much better. There was a small space in the center of the shop flanked on either side by towering rows of long, thin boxes. In front of her, there sat a small, dusty desk with a small silver bell resting on it. This place looked as though it had not been used in several decades, and gave the scent of moldy books. Her father, on the other hand, completely oblivious to the state of disrepair that met them, strode over to the desk and rang the bell. From the back room emerged a witch, who did not reflect the store around her. He hair was a clean and glistening white, with glasses resting on her wrinkled face. She wore deep red robes with gold trimmings, and on her fingers were many rings.
"May I help you?" came Madam Aradia's friendly voice.
"Yes, my daughter is here to buy her first wand," Mr. Sorena replied, indicating Sonia.
Madam Aradia looked over to Sonia from behind her thin-rimmed glasses wearing an unreadable expression. Then, finally, she grinned a little.
"First-Year Higlander?" she asked.
"Yes," Sonia said in a small voice.
"There's no need to be afraid, dear, no need. We will get you a fine medium to channel your talent, and you will become a fine witch."
Sonia gave what she hoped was an appreciative giggle, though it was obvious she was a little nervous. At this point, Madam Aradia walked dramatically over to Sonia, withdrawing a green tape-measure.
"Which is your wanding arm?" Madam Aradia asked.
Sonia held up her right hand.
Then, as though held up by invisible strings, the tape-measure began taking measurements of Sonia's left arm, measuring from her wrist to her shoulder, elbow to her shoulder, wrist to her finger tips, and other minute, seemingly inconsequential dimensions.
"Is all this necessary?" Sonia asked.
"Oh yes," replied Madam Aradia rather nonchalantly, who was not even looking at the measurements taken, but instead was already retrieving wands, "All aspects are considered to find you the ideal wand."
Sonia looked a little impatient at all that was happening, as the tape-measure was now measuring the length of her fingernails and the pile of wands before her grew. After seven more minutes of this, the tape-measure fell to the floor, and Madam Aradia stood between Sonia and the rather large pile.
"Now we begin," Madam Aradia said, "It is the wand that chooses the witch, Sonia, so let us see which one will call you master..."
She reached over and opened a long burgundy box and withdrew a brilliantly white wand, "Try this, Hazel, unicorn hair, 15 1/4","
Sonia reached out and gave it a wave, and knocked over the nearest row of wands.
"Hmm, no, defiantly not for you," Madam Aradia said, snatching the wand from Sonia, "Hmm, lets try this one instead, Ebony, phoenix feather, 13"..."
Sonia grasped the handle of a deeply black wand, and pointed it at the ancient desk where the bell sat. The desk, quite suddenly, burst into flames.
Acting as though that happened all the time, Madam Aradia withdrew her own wand and extinguished the flames, "Again, a miss. Hmm, a difficult sale, but we will find you one."
Sonia was inside the shop for a little over an hour, having tried dozens of wands. During this time, Sonia managed to knock over another row of wands, transfigure the silver bell into a blast-ended skrewt, cause the floor boards to shake and grow hands, and enlarge a rat that almost devoured her father's right leg. At last, Madam Aradia was holding the last wand in the pile.
"Now, my dear, let us try this last one; Holly, phoenix feather, 13 ½"."
Sonia, begrudgingly, took the shimmering, golden-brown wand from Madam Aradia. The second Sonia touched the handle, her fingertips felt a gentle warming sensation. She firmly grasped the wand, pointed it above her, and the tip began to glow softly, then brighter and brighter and brighter until...
"Excellent!" exclaimed Madam Aradia, who clapped her hands together, "I told you, a wand for everyone, and yours just wanted to wait a little longer than most."
"How much will that be?" her father asked, as Madam Aradia lead him to the desk.
While her father and the proprietress took care of the business end of the deal, Sonia examined her new wand. A large smile crept across her face as Madam Aradia returned to box up her wand. Then, Sonia and her father proceeded out of the shop, wand in hand, where they found her mother waiting outside.
"Well, lets see it!" her mother said happily, and Sonia opened the box to reveal her wand, "Very nice, Sonia!"
"It took for bloody ever!" Sonia said, closing the box.
"All good things do. When I went to get my own wand, it took me three hours. Went through half the store before I got it."
Sonia laughed at this, her spirits lightening considerably. As they walked back to the inn, Sonia's mother presented her with her potions starter kit, including a cauldron, scales, work gloves, and of course, basic ingredients needed for first year Potions students. After her fascination with the potions kit faded, Sonia looked up in time just to pass a place called i Novak's Novelties. /i Its window displayed a wide array objects that whizzed, walked, shouted, and shape-shifted.
"Can we go in there? Please?" Sonia pleaded with her parents.
"In a minute," her mother said,
"First we need to find somewhere to eat," her father added.
Together, they walked into a charming placed called Café LaSalle. Once inside they deposited their traveling cloaks with the doorman, and entered. It was a modest place, wooden floors beneath their feat, a highly polished oak bar, and equally brilliant tables and booths. They walked in further and took a small round table with four chairs.
"Sonia, go to the bar and get us some drinks will you? And a butterbeer for yourself," her mother requested.
Sonia nodded obediently and took her mother's money purse and strode over to the bar. She ordered the drinks as ordered and waited for the barman to give them to her. In the mean time, she stood idly by, and took notice of a girl sitting next to her. She had violently pink hair and a fair complection, together with light eyes made her look slightly more fanciful that most of the other people in the café. Every the upstart, Sonia turned to face the girl, who was calmly drinking a butterbeer.
"Is that natural?" Sonia asked, obviously implying the girl's hair.
"Natural ingredients if that's what you mean," the girl replied, nonchalantly.
"That so," Sonia said, after laughing. The girl seemed nice, and judging from the bags that lay on the floor from Rundle & Twangs and Madam Aradia's, Sonia presumed that she was here for her school supplies as well, "The name's Sonia. Sonia Sorena."
"Calliope Andrews," the girl said, shaking Sonia's hand, "But everyone calls me CJ."
"Mind if I take a seat?" Sonia asked.
"Go for it, it's a free country," CJ replied.
"Are you here for your school stuff too?" Sonia asked, sitting on a stool.
"Yeah, my mom and I are doing some shopping today. We actually live here in Aspenvale, so I have no idea why she wants to get stuff so early."
"You goin' to Highland?" Sonia asked.
"Where else? Best school in the country, except for the Salem Witches Institute, but Mom says its too far to send me," CJ said, taking a swig of her drink.
This reminded Sonia that her mother had sent her for drinks, which had already arrived. Rising without a word, Sonia ran two drinks back to her parents,
"Sorry," Sonia apologized to her mother after setting the drinks on their table, "Imetthisgirlandshe'sreallyniceandweweretalkingandstillaresoI'mgonnagobackandsitwithher, ok? Bye!" Sonia said in a hurry and sped off again.
"What was all that, Ruth?" Sonia's father asked from behind a newspaper.
"Sonia made a friend," she replied calmly.
When Sonia returned to CJ's side, they continued to talk. They spoke about how they wondered school would be, to which dormitory they would be assigned, about how they both preferred quidditch to quadpot, and their new wands (CJ's had been willow with unicorn hair.) They hit it off quite well, and were sorry to be parted when CJ's mother had arrived to take her away.
"Hey, we have to go back to Rundle & Twang's tomorrow morning and pick up some stuff we missed. Wanna come?" CJ asked as she put on her traveling cloak.
"I have to go there anyway and pick up all of my books, so I guess I'll meet you there!" Sonia responded.
"Cool, see ya tomorrow, Sonia!" CJ called and exited the café.
Sonia returned to her parents, who had ordered her a small dish that was quite cold by now, but she ate it happily. She regaled them with the story of CJ Andrews, her new friend, and was even still talking about her when they left the café. They all retired that evening early, for their day would start even earlier tomorrow. Before going to bed, Sonia had requested that their first stop be the supply store Rundle & Twang's, and from there they could get her new school robes from Peplum's Wizarding Wares. Tomorrow was going to be perfect.