Mariella Willows and The Willow Wand
Chapter One
Dollis Hill
Mariella Willows was a witch. She possessed the gift of magic - a rare ability given to a fraction of humankind. Despite this, Mariella refused to accept her magical heritage. She had become accustomed to life as a Muggle, normal and free from strife being a witch might bring. Sighing, Mariella sent a sorrowful look at her air-conditioner. "I'll miss you." She said, looking straight at it.
Eccentric as it may seem, Mariella's parents, who too were 'wizards' decided to settle down in a Muggle-inhabited community. Her father thought it would be a good decision, he was a Hit-Wizard. He needed to be informed about events concerning Muggles, and what better way to accomplish this than living like a Muggle. Mariella's mother was also Head of the Improper Use of Magic Office. Both saw Dollis Hill as a good place to settle down, it wasn't far from their work and they could raise their children in a safe environment. Mariella felt so far from the Wizarding World. In fact, her insides would boil when she was called a witch by her parents or her sibling, Zyren.
Everything felt like a lie. Her parents claimed she was 'magical' yet Mariella doesn't recall any instances where she performed a spell or conjured something. Mariella wasn't discouraged by this, she wanted to be away from the Wizarding World. To have a decent job, maybe settle down and have a family. That was what her mind was telling her. She was still a tad excited, it brought that burning flame inside that encouraged her to learn about the Wizarding World and magic. Incantations, lore, new topics she had yet to read up on.
Besides that, nothing else really interested her about Hogwarts. Yes, the whole place was enchanted, but that would soon become mundane to her. She would be blasé about magic. Albeit it seemed like a bad thing, it meant Mariella could transition to the world of magic, much to her displeasure. Mariella yawned, her eyes started to water and close. She plopped down on her bed, adjusting the covers. Mariella pulled her blanket over her head, she wanted to sob. The raven-haired girl shook her head. "No." She told herself, Mariella's head sunk into her pillow.
Her eyelids dropped, Mariella groaned and fell into a deep slumber. She opened her eyes, only to find herself in Hogwarts. The Sorting Hat sat on her head, ready to pry into her innermost thoughts. "So, you think you don't belong here?" It asked her. "Yes," Mariella replied, she looked at the tables. Most students had already been sorted. As a matter of fact, she was the last one to be sorted. "What a shame. You have potential as an Occulumens." Mariella squinted at the Gryffindors, who were scrutinizing her. "I'm sorry you can't pry into my thoughts. It's I shut down most of my happiness." She looked down at the floor. "I really don't want to be here." The sorting hat broke into laughter, "Clever little thing, aren't you?" Mariella began to fidget with her hands. "Err, thanks." She said.
"What house do you want to be sorted in?" The hat asked. Mariella placed a finger under her chin. "I dunno, Slytherin would be pretty nice though." She said. Mariella eyed Slytherin's table. It was large and painted a dark shade of brown. "Why Slytherin?" Mariella chuckled, "Aren't you supposed to be reading my thoughts?" She asked, "I would but you won't allow it, isn't that right, Miss Willows?" Mariella smiled. The hat finished the conversation which Mariella assumed lasted for seven minutes by putting her in Slytherin. "I hope they don't think I'm a nutter," Mariella said under her breath, she walked across the great hall, admiring the candles and the ceiling which was bewitched in order for it to look like the sky outside. One of the Slytherins smiled at her, they opened their mouth. "Breakfast is ready!"
Mariella shrieked, she woke from her dream. Mariella looked around the room and saw her mother and father. "Mum, please don't tap into my subconscious like that." Crossing her arms, Mariella sat up straight on her bed. "Also, did you use an unlocking charm on my door?" She glanced at her bedroom door, now wide open. "Yes, I did, dear." She smiled at her daughter, Mariella kept a straight face. "Your acceptance letter has arrived." A lump formed in her throat. It was today. Mariella would start a new expedition to the Wizarding World.
"Go on. Go ahead and open it." Her mother handed her a white envelope with Hogwarts' signature red seal.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Filius Flitwick
(Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
4596
Dollis Hill Avenue
London
Greater London
NW2 6QF
Dear Ms. Willows,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Lisa Turpin
Deputy Headmistress
The second part was a list of requirements.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory
by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,
Araminta Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
Mariella stored the letter inside her backpack's front pocket. "When are we heading to Diagon Alley?" She blinked. Her mother's head turned to her father, "What do you think, dear?" Mariella's father smiled and gave the two a small nod. "I'll get the car ready."
She was suspicious of her parents' actions. They never got worked up about going out and buying things. Mariella shrugged it off knowing going to Hogwarts was an honor. She tried to imagine the gleeful looks on their faces when they got their acceptance letters. Mariella sighed, she didn't feel as excited as other students. But Mariella didn't have much of a choice, she was a witch. Being a Muggle would be extremely difficult for her.
Sparing herself from any more negative thoughts, Mariella fixed her bed and went to the bathroom holding her soft blue towel. While she was in the shower, the occurrences within her dream played in her mind. "Occulumens." She said, "I've read about them." Mariella washed the shampoo from her hair. She stopped for a moment, trying to figure out what an Occulumens was. As the water fell to the floor, Mariella rubbed her temples. It came back to her. Mariella snapped her fingers. How could she forget that an Occulumens is a person who practices Occulumency which is the art of defending one's mind from Legilimency? Mariella realized that she was using Occulumency against the Sorting Hat, for some odd reason. She laughed and shook her head, Mariella's mother was an adept Legilimens. She always knew that Mariella was the one who ate the last of the ice cream, or that Mariella stayed up for too long.
That's it, she thought. Mariella turned the shower off, she removed her towel from the rack and started to dry her hair. She grinned. Mariella had finally come up with a plan. "Ella? You in there?" She heard her mother's voice from behind the bathroom's white door. "Just a minute, mum." She replied, Mariella wrapped the towel around her and looked in the mirror. Mariella narrowed her eyes at her reflection, "Legilimens." Mariella smiled.
As she turned the doorknob, Mariella greeted her mother with a wide smile. "Mum, could you teach me Occulumency?" Mariella's mother pinched her cheek, "The sorting hat is quite a powerful Legilimens, it'll be hard to try and stop it from entering your mind." Mariella tilted her head at a slight angle. Right. Her mother also saw last night's dream. Dreams were considered as memories. This made Mariella want to kick herself. She felt like the Grey Lady to Rowena Ravenclaw. Mariella felt inferior to her, she may have had a lot to learn, but Mariella knew she couldn't be as intelligent as her mother.
"Mariella?" Her mother called out. Mariella snapped out of the short trance and ran to her room after saying she had to get ready for the trip to Diagon Alley. Her smile morphed into a frown as she shut her bedroom door. She quickly got changed and rested on her bed. Mariella slammed a pillow to her face, she resisted the urge to scream. She took several deep breaths, shedding a few tears. Mariella wiped her eyes with her hoodie's sleeve. "Crying won't help." She said. Mariella looked at a book which stood on her little shelf. It flew to her after a few moments. The book had a smooth landing on her bed.
Mariella opened it cautiously, her lips formed into another smile. The book was full of incantations, jinxes, hexes, curses, Mariella began reading some of them aloud. There was one for petrification, one of them was a stinging hex, and another turned the target into a duck. "It'd be funny to test this on Zyren." She chuckled, Mariella closed the book and stored it in her backpack. She hoisted the bag and checked the contents, "A few more books wouldn't hurt." Mariella's eyes immediately settled on the shelf, she would miss her books. "But maybe I can bring them all." Mariella opened the door again, she called for her mother. "Mum, could you help me please?" Her mother apparated in her room. "Yes?" She asked, Mariella rolled her eyes and chuckled.
"Could you enchant my backpack? I want to fit all my stuff in it. A feather-light charm would be nice too." Mariella absentmindedly looked up at the ceiling. Her mother disappeared. Mariella's neck craned and she looked inside her bag. "Perfect." She took the remaining books off her shelf and stuffed them in the bag. Mariella lifted it again, but it didn't feel heavy. It weighed like a feather, maybe even less. Mariella suppressed a squeal as she grabbed more of her belongings, quickly dropping them in the bag.
Mariella checked the time by taking a quick look at her wall clock. It was 15 minutes until 9 AM. With a brush, she tried to untangle the knots in her wavy black hair. Her eyes rolled and Mariella groaned. "This will take a while." She said, Mariella went on with combing her hair. The brush got stuck and she pulled it out of her hair forcefully. "Ow!" She threw the brush. Mariella rubbed her hand over her hair with a pained expression.
She carried her backpack and placed it on their sofa, "What's for breakfast?" Mariella's brother looked up from his book. Mariella's mother started arranging the table. "Bacon and eggs." Their mother replied. "Can I have toast?" Mariella asked, squinting at the bacon. She didn't like bacon all that well, and eggs seemed too oily. She got up from the sofa and took a small plate, filling it with slices of bread. Her mother handed Mariella a chicken leg; she expected this to happen.
"Thanks mum." Mariella's mother winked at her, Zyren sighed. He never got to ate the leftovers. His sister was a picky eater. Zyren shrugged it off and ate another bacon strip. The smell of toasted bread was heavenly, Mariella carefully extracted the burnt bread from the toaster and sniffed it. "Mum, can I have Mariella's share?" Zyren had finished his plate, his mother chuckled. "Of course, dear."
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