Of snakes and lions
Chapter 1 - Of beginnings
Hello, my name is Tabitha Dearheart. I truly loath my first name. It seems that everyone has it for thier name, and I always try to be original in everything, so since my name isn't, I hate it. Why couldn't my mom and dad name me something pretty like 'Arora' or 'Serenity'. Heck, even Serena would have been fine. But noooo, I'm stuck with this dull name, but I digress. Sigh. Mom is calling me downstairs. Mmm. . .she's not usually up so early, wonder what is going on? Ever since Dad died, she's been sleeping much more. Almost too much, as I often complain. It isn't healthy and sometimes it worries me.
Running down the stairs, I see a look of surprise on her pale irish face. Yes, she is Irish, as well as every member on my mother's side. However, I took more after my dad, who was indian. He had light brown hair, but mine is darker and deep brown eyes, which I also inherited. I got the olive color of my skin from both sides blending I guess.The only things I inherited from mom was the shape of my eyes and my button nose. Oh and my height. Damned. Why did I have to inherit the short height from mine instead of my dad's side? However, I wish I had mom's vibrant red hair and beautiful green eyes.
As such, mom's green eyes were opened wide as she was staring at a letter. Had someone died? Why was I needed? Her hands were shaking. Why? Was the letter so bad? She turned her head to look at me and handed me the note, tears in her eyes. I thought something was wrong, but she beamed. Ooookay. Mom was certainly acting strangely today. I looked down and read the note.
Dear Tabitha Dearheart,
Welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
I am Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. I would like to
extend this invitation to join our school on September 1
of this term. Enclosed is a separate sheet, listing all the
things you will need to buy. We look forward to seeing
you then.
Sincerly,
Headmistress Minerva McGonagall
I looked at mom, stunned. Witchcraft? Wasn't that a bad thing? I dropped the note in surprise, but when I looked down to pick it up again, I noticed it had more at the bottom.
P.S. - To get the items for the school term, you will need to go to London to a tavern called the Leaky Cauldron. Go inside and ask Tom to show you the way to Diagon Alley. There you will buy all your items on the list. My condolences to your family. We hope to see you September First.
Strange. "Do you have any idea what these people are talking about?" I asked, not expecting to get the answer I got. I was expecting 'I know, they are out of thier minds. Wizards indeed!' but that was not what I got. "I - I need to talk to you, Tabitha." said Mother, her voice shaking. It was having her slash a bucket of ice water on me. Just what did she have to talk to me about anyways?
"Sit down honey. This is going to be a bit of a shock. I meant to tell you this earlier. Your eleventh birthday is coming up so I shouldn't be so surprised." What? My eleventh birthday? So what? That wasn't such a big thing. Was it? "Your father wasn't an ordinary guy. He was a wizard, Tabitha." she said. I sucked in a vast amount of breath. She didn't mean it! My dad, one of the best sword makers around London, a wizard? Peposterous! Impossible! But. . .mom looked deadly serious and then I saw that she meant it. Then my eyes widened until they were probably the size of dinner plates. "But. . . but that would make me one too!" I said, squeaking the 'me' word. She laughed. "Technically, your not. A wizard I mean. You are a witch." She said, chuckling.
A WHAT?! A witch! "But I thought witches were bad. They hurt people!" I proclaimed. But mom just shook her head. "No, thats only in books. There is good people and there are bad people. That is the only real line between any people of any kind, human, witch, black, white. You see?" she asked and I nodded. There was a lot of sense there. She beamed. "Now, go get dressed. Its time to go shopping! I've actually had a bit of money saved up for this occasion!" Now that was surprising! Mom and I weren't exactly poor, but we certainly weren't rich, now that dad was gone. So this was very strange for me. She laughed and patted my behind and told me to get. Laughing I went up to my room.
Once I was up there, I couldn't decide on what exactly to wear. What does a witch wear? Maybe one of my witch costumes? And what was I? Was I a full witch? Half witch? I wondered how powerful I was when my mom came up. "Come on baby, lets find you something nice to wear." she said and we both looked through my closet. "Mmm. . .something nice and black definantely. Something that muggles won't really look at twice. . . maybe a black dress with long sleeves. That way, the wizards and witches you'll be going to school with will accept you better." she mumbled. It hit me then. A school of witchcraft and wizardry. . .a school! With lots of wizards and witches just like me, some older and perhaps some younger! Some hot guys undoubtily will be there as well, I thought. Oh, that put me to finding the perfect outfit alright!
Mom pulled out a pretty black dress that was made of velvet which was loose on me. It had long sleeves that at the bottom ended in graceful scallop shaped edges. And the jewels still sparkled - they formed small halfcircles around my neckline, revealing a little cleavage. Mom grinned. "Perfect!" she said and clapped. "Now for me." she said and went to her room to change. Going over to the vanity, I brushed my hair. I hate my hair. No matter how much hairspray, I can't seem to keep any curl in it. Nor can I keep it from messing up. Mmm. . .noticing my complexion was a little pale, I put on a little blush and my favorite eyeshadow. A beautiful earthy green with glitter in it, it went perfectly with my other makeup. To finish it off, I added some shiny pink lipgloss. Standing, I admired myself in the mirror before I topsyed my hair. Adding a pretty turquise necklace and earrings, I was ready.
I turned my head at the sound of clapping. My mom was standing there, looking almost radiant in her own black gown. "Well, don't we both look nice." she said and laughed and I laughed with her. It was amazing. . .learning my past and now, now looking at my future. I guess I wouldn't grow up to be a botanist after all. Whatever I would be when I graduated, I wouldn't know until I was done graduating. "Ready sugar?" asked mom and I nodded. We drove to London and pulled into the parking lot of the Leaky Cauldron. It was strange, seeing absolutely no cars there. "Are you sure its open mom?" I asked and she laughed. We got out of the car as a young, vibrant woman with bubblegum pink hair came out, singing happily. Mom laughed. "Nymphadora? Is that you?" she asked, astounded.
Needless to say, I was confused. Who was this Nymphadora? Mom had certainly never mentioned her before. Certainly I had never heard anyone described that fit her. "Its Tonks, silly. Ah! I see you brought Tabitha. Its been a long time little one. On your way to get your stuff for Hogwarts I see. Your mom and I have been friends since our first year." said the pink haired lady. "Really? That's cool!" I said happily, though there must have been some confusement in my voice because she looked at my mom. "Regina? You mean you didn't tell her about us? Ah well," she said with a chuckle and a sparkle in her eyes. "Don't suppose I would tell her much either, with the things we did in Hogwarts." she said. I looked at mom in astonishment. She laughed and patted me on the back. "Well Nymphadora, we really ought to be going." she said. "Tonks!" she called out behind us. "Going to Diagon Alley I see. Want a tour? I'd be happy to tell you everything about Hogwarts. Oh," she said thoughtfully as she looked at me. "Don't you have a brother around your age?" she asked.
I nodded. "Yeah, he's in bed." I said and I giggled. "He normally sleeps till noon." Mom shrugged, but laughed along with me. Her pink hair bobbed as she laughed. "Ah, I see. Pity. I was hoping to meet him too. Ah well. I see you have your book list with you. Did you see the part about swordfighting? Its a pity its only for boys." Swordfighting! My father had taught me everything about swordfighting and making swords that he knew. Constantly we practiced, until I had mastered it and had even beaten him. Not long after, he had gotten killed in the car crash. . .
"Wait!" I said, my brown eyes widening as big as dinner plates. "Then. . .then your a witch too mom?" I asked. Tonks looked at mom in surprise and there was a little amusement in her eyes. "So Regina, hiding things from your daughter are you?" she teased. "Well, yes she is a witch, but you see there are three things you need to know about bloodlines before you get so upset. First, ordinary people are called Muggles, and your mother is one. Second are halfbloods, which you are. Your father was a wizard, and your mother is a muggle, so your half and half. Next comes the purebloods," she said, though Tonks looked bitter. Why? Was something wrong about being a pureblood? You couldn't change the way you were born after all.
"Purebloods, or at least most purebloods, think they are higher than anyone else. They are the purest line of wizardry, having both lines of thier parents pure. You might be called a mudblood." she said and there was an instant response of anger in mom's eyes. "What's a mudblood - ooh I see. Dirty blood." Tonks grinned. "You've got a smart kid, she has an actual head on her shoulders. Heck, even Hermione Granger, one of the most intelligent kids in Hogwarts history, didn't put it together without help. I'm sure that she could have though. If she had actually thought about it, she could have. If they call you that, knock 'em where it hurts." she said with a wink. I felt very shy after that.
"Or you could be higher than they are and ignore it. Its hurtful, but the idiots who say things like that don't really care to understand anything about people but themselves. They are selfish and rude, and you don't want to associate with such people." she said coldly, and then I understood something about Hogwarts. It was not a heal all hurts - it had people and things that could hurt you - just like the real world. I nodded sharply and my eyes were glittering with hatred at the ones that had called Tonks or Mom that. "Will do mom." I said with a sense of deep pride. Tonks grinned. "Well, lets see about getting your school stuff. You guys coming or not?" she asked. Mom shook her head, revealing a pretty smile and laughed, catching hold of my hand. "Lets go Tabbi." she said and jogged into the pub, nearly succeeding dragging me along. This might be fun, or it might be if mom didn't rip my shoes off in her hurry to get to this Diagon Alley, whatever that was.