Nine years old wasn't considered an unusual age to begin studying at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry back in the 17th century, the letter explained and Astoria smiled nervously setting the letter careful back down oh her desk and sat on the edge of her bed, feet dangling limply over the edge. She had always been small for her age she thought staring blankly out of her window. The news seemed like some sort of joke orchestrated by her parents if they had ever had a sense of humor, but that thought was quickly cast aside when she had read on into the strangely specific nature of the letter. Elaborating briefly on the impossible occurrences that had been happening to her from as early on as she could remember, something they referred to as 'accidental magic' and the reason why she was to be enrolled into this mysterious school two years earlier than normal. The letter had also instructed that the upcoming Friday a witch or wizard would come to collect her and take her to purchase the items listed on the back of the parchment she had found on her mirror this morning. Her eyes drifted over to her door and Astoria stood quickly smoothing out her t-shirt nervously and opening her door to retreat downstairs and tell her parents the news, the calmness that the shock had provided began to fade as she began
walking out the door, casting a glance back into the small simply furnished room she hastily reached back inside grabbing the letter into a clenched fist and hurried downstairs. The small staircase opened up into a bare, well worn sitting room a familiar sight that gave Astoria no peace of mind as she strode out into the center of the room in front of the fire,her parents both looked up in synchronization from their places at each side of the room in each allotted armchair, Her mother was not considered a pretty woman but arguably could be described as handsome with a plain face a pale tan color with similarly colored hair and lips contrasted by brown eyes set within a slightly wrinkled face predominantly around the edges of her mouth and forehead, Her father alternatively was more babyfaced with a pair of wide brown eyes and a balding head snapping from her observations. She took a deep breath and clenched her hands before thrusting the crumpled letter out towards her mother who's piercing gaze immediately fixed upon the paper and her hand froze in an outreached position. Her eyebrows scrunched together and she quickly grabbed the note not even bothering to read the letter before looking over to Astoria's father knowingly, who's eyes widened slightly before making a grumbled noise in his throat and focused in on her again with a slight frown leaning forward slightly on chubby arms. Her mother's voice came out smarmier than usual as she cast her eyes down to the letter "Hogwarts is it? their earlier than they should be" she mumbled looking up and Astoria's mouth gaped. "You knew about this?!" she rushed snatching the letter back and holding it tightly with both hands. Her mother scowled and stood rising above her placing her hands on each hip "yes" she snapped tightly leaning backwards and looking over at her father who looked uneasy by the topic and continued looking into the fire behind her "they don't adopt magical children out to any old muggle's, especially after the war" she said wearily and Astoria's gaze sharpened looking up at the woman "your both like me?" she mumbled relaxing her shoulders marginally swinging her head towards both adults on the room and her father sighed warily stepping
over to stand beside her mother "no… no we're not. were squibs something you will probably learn about in school, but my parents were wizards. and your mother's grandparents were" he said, voice changing into something akin to sadness as he talked. "squibs?"she questioned and he mother quickly elaborated "non-magical people" she muttered. Astoria nodded thoughtfully he head still reeling from the revelation, "so my parents were magical?" she said quietly, and her heart thudded for an answer, the knowledge she was adopted was always rather, cruelly in her opinion, available but any questions were always met with the same response. "we still don't know anything about them, Astoria that much is still true… and we haven't even been members of the wizarding community since we were teenagers really, it was unusual that were ever allowed to adopt you." Her mother mumbled emotion devoid from her voice. Her chest thudded and she blinked quickly trying to prevent the tears she could feel stinging her eyes, her mother smiled tightly upon seeing this and squeezed her shoulder in a comforting manner that eased the ache but she could still feel it swirling in her chest.
It was finally Friday and Astoria was excited to escape the stuffy atmosphere filling the house, the feeling of being an intruder wouldn't leave her the days leading up to the shopping trip. This was why she was currently seated on the step outside, it was a sunny day and she was content looking at the bees flitting around the bushes near her house pulling at the leaves she could reach with one hand and throwing them on the floor, she was wearing a white sundress and sandals and had tied her black hair up into a ponytail as neatly as she could, however, curls still stuck out around her face a pair of black sunglasses keeping them out of her eyes. Despite the letter indicating that she wouldn't need any money, her father had presented her with three galleons from under his bed and she had taken them gratefully. exited to see anything this new world had to offer, she held them from inside her pocket the cold metal keeping her hands cool as she ran her hands over each strange ridge or bump. When she heard a car around the corner she stood up slowly the leaves forgotten in a pile at her feet and walked up towards the gate in her garden shyly, the door opened and a woman stepped out with a small smile on her face. She looked around 30 with long brown hair neatly pinned back, she was wearing a strange burgundy coat that resembled a smart looking dressing gown and a back dress underneath, Astoria blushed when she realized she had been gaping and quickly jumped inside the car the woman was pointing her towards shutting the door
and turning to face the woman as she too climbed inside. She smiled faintly and extend her hand looking down at her with a slightly sad facial expression, Hello I'm miss Patel but you may call me Pavarti, i think your the youngest student I've ever seen enrolled at Hogwarts, your nine are you not" she said and Astoria blushed nodding as well as shaking the woman hand. "Do you know why I'm being enrolled early my letter just said it was more common in the 17th century?" she asked quietly removing her sunglasses and putting them in her pocket as Pavarti looked through as strange book she held in her hand with symbols glowing along the spine moving up and down the page like a departures board at the airport. "as far as i can guess your magical ability must have begun to manifest early, back in the 17th century older magical families were more common in Britain and their members tended to need schooling on control earlier than others, their aren't many left any more after…" she said trailing off at the end looking up from her book a dark look in her eyes that widened when meeting hers. Astoria frowned at the thought of being different in this world too that faded nervously when Pavarti grabbed her chin lightly thrusting her face in hers and staring at her eyes, they had always been a great source of anxiety for her as they were something else that stood out eyerises the same jet black color as her pupils that seemed larger than usual she often avoided her own gaze in the mirror as she found herself quite frightened by the person looking back. Pavarti let go of her chin senses returning "I'm sorry for that… but you're a. no it can't be what did you say you're the last name was?" me fumbled staring at her strangely and she felt slightly uncomfortable "i don't know." she said softly and Pavarti's eyes softened smiling lightly once again and stepping out of the car she had even noticed had stopped moving the journey seemed strangely short to be traveling from Manchester to London. As if sensing her train of though the driver leaned back in the seat smiling wolfishly at her and winking with strange amber colored eyes. Astoria blushed once again and hurried out hurrying after Parvarti who was heading towards a grimy looking pub. she stopped outside suddenly causing her to bump into the woman legs who grabbed her shoulders, she crouched down in front of her not far from of the doorway and lean forward "don't listen to everything people tell you about them, i know that doesn't make sense right now but you will understand eventually" she said her face set in a serious expression before smiling and straightening up waving her forward. Astoria blinked confused but the words were quickly forgotten when they reached a brick wall excitement brimming when Pavarti produced a wand from her cloak and tapped the bricks in a certain order, the wall shuffled and transformed into a tunnel leading to a bustling street full of people dressed as oddly as Pavarti.