Intuition - Chapter One
"Justine! I would greatly appreciate it if you would, for once, pay attention in class and answer my question on the animal at the end of this food chain?"
Mrs. Taylor's voice jerked a drowsy, Asian girl out of her fantasy.
"Wha.? Uh. dragons?" she offered lamely the first animal that popped into her mind. The moment she said it, she knew it was a mistake. A few of Justine's good friends sniggered behind cupped hands.
Mrs. Taylor looked as if she would have rather jumped to her death than teach such a difficult girl. "You," said Mrs. Taylor icily, "Will see me after class."
Justine sighed exasperatedly; it was not the first time she had acted without thinking. Many times, her teachers have caught her drawing, writing and even reading during their monotonous lessons. The only teachers not complaining to her mother was her English teacher and Literature teacher. At least they knew how to appreciate my being on this planet, thought Justine bitterly.
*
"Now Justine," hissed Mrs. Taylor outside the classroom, "I don't know who you think you are, and I don't care who you are, but you have absolutely no right whatsoever to humiliate me like that in class! I don't understand what your English teachers see in you," she added coldly.
Justine fought back a smirk and pretended to look innocent and angelic. Her friends watched out of the classroom windows.
"I tell you, you must have them under some kind of spell.you. You are not stupid. You have potential. But you aren't using it. And I have no idea what inspired you to tell me 'dragons' like it was the most ordinary creature in the world. Because it most certainly isn't!" she spat.
"To you, it's not," whispered Justine under her breath, soft enough for only herself to hear only.
"Well I suppose you would like to see yourself turn into Harry Potter wouldn't you, you fantasy fan?" drawled Mrs. Taylor. She said it like it was a bad thing.
"I wouldn't mind!" yelled Justine suddenly. "I wouldn't mind going 'Accio quill!' for once during lessons instead of learning of food whatits in your class!"
Mrs. Taylor looked wearily at Justine through her owl-like spectacles. "I give up," she murmured, to no one in particular, and strolled away.
Justine shrugged and walked back into the cheering roar of the convent girls in her class. They were so loud she didn't notice a long feather zooming past her ear and falling gently to the floor where she once stood.
*
She sat uncomfortably in the back of her mother's car, not listening to a single word a mother was saying.
"Your teacher called me today!" fumed Mrs. Lee. "She wanted to know what was on your mind during lessons today! She said you gave 'Dragons' as an answer to her question!"
Justine tried desperately to fight back a grin. "I was worried about the exam, mum."
Just saying it was making her tummy flip. She had her final Grade Eight music exam that afternoon, the only reason she was in a car. She hated vehicles and anything that worked on batteries. And her mother reprimanding her in a car was not helping things. She felt as though she was going to throw up.
"You yelled at her! What were you doing!" screeched her mother, narrowly missing a pedestrian crossing the road, who in turn made a rude sign at her. "Oh sod off you," she said in reply to the pedestrian.
"Mum," Justine said, with a tired expression on her face, "I don't think it's very wise to get someone emotional and guilty before his or her piano exam."
Mrs. Lee glared back at her, but said no more.
*
"Good morning Mrs. McLeod," Justine said politely to her examiner, her face blank of any nervousness and panic.
"Good morning, dear. Now would you please, take a seat," The kindly looking Mrs. McLeod gestured to the piano bench. She sat down gingerly but was about to take out her pieces when she heard a voice in her head.
Okay. New one. She doesn't look like wizarding material though. but she is quite cute, in a button-nosed kind of way.
Justine froze. What did she just hear?
Oh damn I can't see her from where I am. Ron, would you mind getting up and shifting the books at the corner? came a deeper voice. Sure. Oww. this telepathy thing that Dumbledore made us wear! It's giving me a permanent headache!
"Now would you like to play your scales or pieces first?" came the examiner's motherly voice.
"Pieces, please," Justine replied, her voice shaking slightly. It wasn't good to hear voices, even in the wizarding world, as J.K. Rowling had mentioned in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Right then. I think I see her side view now. thanks again for shifting the books. It's hard to sit under a table wearing an Invisibility Cloak practically all the time! Oooh. great view.
Justine suddenly looked constipated.
She looks constipated. Came the first voice.
And then she looked even more.
Even more now, added his companion.
Justine suddenly couldn't stand it anymore. She spun around and looked at the examiner in the eye.
"Hello Ronald Weasley," she said, hoping against hope that she sounded cool and that she had made the right guess.
Her [or his, in a manner of speaking] ears turned bright pink, proving Justine's theory.
"And you, Mister Potter," she said lightly, pulling the Cloak off him, who was sitting under the glass table. She gasped.
She had her first glimpse of Harry Potter. Not the one in her dreams or in her imagination, but the real Harry. She had always believed that everything was real, and now she saw it for herself.
The scar was not, as in the movies, inclined to the right of Harry's forehead. It was in fact, slightly to the left, and a bit more jagged looking. His hair, like Rowling had described it, was undoubtedly messy, but she hadn't expected it to be this untidy. But the thing that interested her most, were his eyes. They were greener than jade, smoother than emerald and brighter than diamonds. And they were currently darting around the room.
"How." a raspy sound escaped from his mouth. He cleared his throat and begun again. "How did you know?"
"Well I'm not stupid you know. I could hear the both of you talking in my head. And that, isn't a good thing, even in the wizarding world," Justine grinned, sitting back on the piano bench. "I do believe the both of you are here for a very good reason, which might so remotely be me?" she finished, last words heavy with sarcasm.
"She's the one, Ron, she's the one!" added Harry unnecessarily but excitedly.
"What? Who am I? Why are you looking for me?"
"Sit down, Alex, no need to get over-excited," said Harry, pushing her down again.
"Now, we would explain, but I suppose you would like to complete your exam first." trailed Ron.
"Er. I can't concentrate. Can't you just fake my marks or something?" asked Justine hopefully.
Ron looked into her pleading eyes and sighed. "Okay, okay." Justine squealed and began plunking her fingers on the piano keys, pretending to play.
Harry peered at the Diviner he and Ron were sent to retrieve, the girl who had lived her fifteen years of life as a muggle, his eyes lighting up with curiosity. How could Dumbledore have missed her out while choosing students? He saw Ron scribbling furiously on Justine's grade slip.
"Er Harry? I'm done. What should we do now?" said Justine. "Portkey?"
"Absolutely right," replied Harry, pulling a box out of his robes and tapping the box with his wand lightly. The lid sprang open and Ron put the grades into a file, leaving it on the table. A few strands of red hair were beginning to sprout from Ron's scalp. Harry got to his feet, which were numb from sitting under the table, falling face forwards into Justine.
"Sorry," he said, blushing very hard.
"'S okay," answered Justine, reddening as well and helping Harry gently regain his balance.
Ron rolled his eyes. "If you two have completed falling over each other, do you mind proceeding back to Hogwarts?"
The both of them went even redder and remained quiet. "On the count of three now, "ordered Ron, freckles appearing on his face as he took off the examiner's spectacles. "One. two. three!" Justine felt a sudden jerk near her navel as the world slowly disappeared in a whirl of colours.
*
She finally felt her feet hid a cold, solid stone floor and she found herself in a round circular room, all which seemed vaguely familiar.
Déjà vu? She thought silently.
"Hello Justine," said an old but firm voice cheerily. Justine spun around, although she already knew who was the speaker. She saw Harry and Ron grinning, standing by the side of an ancient man who was peering interestedly at her through a pair of silver half-moon spectacles.
"Professor Dumbledore!" breathed Justine.
"Guilty," answered Dumbledore, blue eyes twinkling. "Now Justine, I suppose the three of you have had enough fun. I believe you would like some answers?" He looked pointedly at Harry and Ron.
"Er. We'll just be leaving now, sir," said Harry, taking the hint although his expression clearly stated that he longed for answers as well. Ron looked terribly disappointed that he was not to stay back. Harry had to drag him away by the elbow.
"Have a seat," Professor Dumbledore gestured toward a comfy-looking armchair as he settled behind his desk. Justine obeyed and sank nervously into the chair. Behind her, Fawkes the phoenix gave a loud squawk.
"You are a Diviner. You have powers to See. You are powerful," clipped Dumbledore seriously.
Justine spluttered. "W- what?"
"You are born with the gift to see! You are a powerful weapon! You can control." Seeing the blank look on Alex's face, Dumbledore continued. "Very few wizards are born with this special Gift. Some use it wisely, most others don't. You see, Diviners show their wizarding powers later than normal young wizards, which is why we overlooked you while choosing students to attend Hogwarts."
"You thought." stammered Justine, "You thought I was a Squib?"
"Well, yes. I have spoken with your mother about it. She is a witch as well, it's just that she never told you. She said you were fine as a muggle and you need not have any other worries," said Dumbledore. "But, in the past week, you have been doing magic. something with surprised the entire Ministry. Nothing serious, just some summoning charms and a few others."
"I have?" Justine's eyes widened with happiness and surprise.
"Yes you have. You managed to summon a quill right out of a Grade Three student's hand. She was so shocked when it flew out the window you know and."
Justine cleared her throat gently.
"Ah yes I'm sorry, got carried away. So now that you have performed magic without a wand, you are considered a highly powerful wizard."
"Why?"
"Usual wizards need a wand to perform magic. But you don't. That's a feat. Very few wizards are capable of doing such a thing and most only do so when they are very, very angry. Putting it simply, you can kill someone at will," said Dumbledore sternly.
He watched carefully as her eyes widened even more, dark irises reflecting the candlelight.
"Naturally, we cannot allow that to happen," Dumbledore continued lightly, "So you have been accepted into this school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have already owled your mother about your whereabouts."
At this sentence, Justine's eyes widened so much that Dumbledore thought they would fall out of their sockets and roll on the floor in delight.
"Thank you Professor!" said Justine happily, still looking as if she could kiss the hem of his robes.
"No, no, it's fine. We do need to educate you to control your powers, so that you don't accidentally kill someone when you are angry with them, you see?"
She nodded, obviously too happy to care. Dumbledore stood and reached for the Sorting Hat sitting on a shelf in his office. He placed the Hat gently on Justine's head and waited.
Gryffindor please! Gryffindor. Gryffindor. prayed Justine.
Well, so we have a Diviner in school now. With great potential as well. murmured the hat. Where should you go? Plenty of bravery, yet still smart and sometimes sly. You belong everywhere. But, since you insist. let it be.
"GRYFFINDOR!" screeched the hat suddenly and fell off Justine's head onto the floor. "Right then," said Dumbledore, "It is the summer holidays so no one is to stay at Hogwarts. But some people are here to help me with the Order. I think you can guess why Harry and Ron were getting you today. Labour shortage," smiled Dumbledore. "Would you like to join them in your common room now?"
Justine nodded and said another final thank you before speeding out of the office.
*
"Justine! I would greatly appreciate it if you would, for once, pay attention in class and answer my question on the animal at the end of this food chain?"
Mrs. Taylor's voice jerked a drowsy, Asian girl out of her fantasy.
"Wha.? Uh. dragons?" she offered lamely the first animal that popped into her mind. The moment she said it, she knew it was a mistake. A few of Justine's good friends sniggered behind cupped hands.
Mrs. Taylor looked as if she would have rather jumped to her death than teach such a difficult girl. "You," said Mrs. Taylor icily, "Will see me after class."
Justine sighed exasperatedly; it was not the first time she had acted without thinking. Many times, her teachers have caught her drawing, writing and even reading during their monotonous lessons. The only teachers not complaining to her mother was her English teacher and Literature teacher. At least they knew how to appreciate my being on this planet, thought Justine bitterly.
*
"Now Justine," hissed Mrs. Taylor outside the classroom, "I don't know who you think you are, and I don't care who you are, but you have absolutely no right whatsoever to humiliate me like that in class! I don't understand what your English teachers see in you," she added coldly.
Justine fought back a smirk and pretended to look innocent and angelic. Her friends watched out of the classroom windows.
"I tell you, you must have them under some kind of spell.you. You are not stupid. You have potential. But you aren't using it. And I have no idea what inspired you to tell me 'dragons' like it was the most ordinary creature in the world. Because it most certainly isn't!" she spat.
"To you, it's not," whispered Justine under her breath, soft enough for only herself to hear only.
"Well I suppose you would like to see yourself turn into Harry Potter wouldn't you, you fantasy fan?" drawled Mrs. Taylor. She said it like it was a bad thing.
"I wouldn't mind!" yelled Justine suddenly. "I wouldn't mind going 'Accio quill!' for once during lessons instead of learning of food whatits in your class!"
Mrs. Taylor looked wearily at Justine through her owl-like spectacles. "I give up," she murmured, to no one in particular, and strolled away.
Justine shrugged and walked back into the cheering roar of the convent girls in her class. They were so loud she didn't notice a long feather zooming past her ear and falling gently to the floor where she once stood.
*
She sat uncomfortably in the back of her mother's car, not listening to a single word a mother was saying.
"Your teacher called me today!" fumed Mrs. Lee. "She wanted to know what was on your mind during lessons today! She said you gave 'Dragons' as an answer to her question!"
Justine tried desperately to fight back a grin. "I was worried about the exam, mum."
Just saying it was making her tummy flip. She had her final Grade Eight music exam that afternoon, the only reason she was in a car. She hated vehicles and anything that worked on batteries. And her mother reprimanding her in a car was not helping things. She felt as though she was going to throw up.
"You yelled at her! What were you doing!" screeched her mother, narrowly missing a pedestrian crossing the road, who in turn made a rude sign at her. "Oh sod off you," she said in reply to the pedestrian.
"Mum," Justine said, with a tired expression on her face, "I don't think it's very wise to get someone emotional and guilty before his or her piano exam."
Mrs. Lee glared back at her, but said no more.
*
"Good morning Mrs. McLeod," Justine said politely to her examiner, her face blank of any nervousness and panic.
"Good morning, dear. Now would you please, take a seat," The kindly looking Mrs. McLeod gestured to the piano bench. She sat down gingerly but was about to take out her pieces when she heard a voice in her head.
Okay. New one. She doesn't look like wizarding material though. but she is quite cute, in a button-nosed kind of way.
Justine froze. What did she just hear?
Oh damn I can't see her from where I am. Ron, would you mind getting up and shifting the books at the corner? came a deeper voice. Sure. Oww. this telepathy thing that Dumbledore made us wear! It's giving me a permanent headache!
"Now would you like to play your scales or pieces first?" came the examiner's motherly voice.
"Pieces, please," Justine replied, her voice shaking slightly. It wasn't good to hear voices, even in the wizarding world, as J.K. Rowling had mentioned in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Right then. I think I see her side view now. thanks again for shifting the books. It's hard to sit under a table wearing an Invisibility Cloak practically all the time! Oooh. great view.
Justine suddenly looked constipated.
She looks constipated. Came the first voice.
And then she looked even more.
Even more now, added his companion.
Justine suddenly couldn't stand it anymore. She spun around and looked at the examiner in the eye.
"Hello Ronald Weasley," she said, hoping against hope that she sounded cool and that she had made the right guess.
Her [or his, in a manner of speaking] ears turned bright pink, proving Justine's theory.
"And you, Mister Potter," she said lightly, pulling the Cloak off him, who was sitting under the glass table. She gasped.
She had her first glimpse of Harry Potter. Not the one in her dreams or in her imagination, but the real Harry. She had always believed that everything was real, and now she saw it for herself.
The scar was not, as in the movies, inclined to the right of Harry's forehead. It was in fact, slightly to the left, and a bit more jagged looking. His hair, like Rowling had described it, was undoubtedly messy, but she hadn't expected it to be this untidy. But the thing that interested her most, were his eyes. They were greener than jade, smoother than emerald and brighter than diamonds. And they were currently darting around the room.
"How." a raspy sound escaped from his mouth. He cleared his throat and begun again. "How did you know?"
"Well I'm not stupid you know. I could hear the both of you talking in my head. And that, isn't a good thing, even in the wizarding world," Justine grinned, sitting back on the piano bench. "I do believe the both of you are here for a very good reason, which might so remotely be me?" she finished, last words heavy with sarcasm.
"She's the one, Ron, she's the one!" added Harry unnecessarily but excitedly.
"What? Who am I? Why are you looking for me?"
"Sit down, Alex, no need to get over-excited," said Harry, pushing her down again.
"Now, we would explain, but I suppose you would like to complete your exam first." trailed Ron.
"Er. I can't concentrate. Can't you just fake my marks or something?" asked Justine hopefully.
Ron looked into her pleading eyes and sighed. "Okay, okay." Justine squealed and began plunking her fingers on the piano keys, pretending to play.
Harry peered at the Diviner he and Ron were sent to retrieve, the girl who had lived her fifteen years of life as a muggle, his eyes lighting up with curiosity. How could Dumbledore have missed her out while choosing students? He saw Ron scribbling furiously on Justine's grade slip.
"Er Harry? I'm done. What should we do now?" said Justine. "Portkey?"
"Absolutely right," replied Harry, pulling a box out of his robes and tapping the box with his wand lightly. The lid sprang open and Ron put the grades into a file, leaving it on the table. A few strands of red hair were beginning to sprout from Ron's scalp. Harry got to his feet, which were numb from sitting under the table, falling face forwards into Justine.
"Sorry," he said, blushing very hard.
"'S okay," answered Justine, reddening as well and helping Harry gently regain his balance.
Ron rolled his eyes. "If you two have completed falling over each other, do you mind proceeding back to Hogwarts?"
The both of them went even redder and remained quiet. "On the count of three now, "ordered Ron, freckles appearing on his face as he took off the examiner's spectacles. "One. two. three!" Justine felt a sudden jerk near her navel as the world slowly disappeared in a whirl of colours.
*
She finally felt her feet hid a cold, solid stone floor and she found herself in a round circular room, all which seemed vaguely familiar.
Déjà vu? She thought silently.
"Hello Justine," said an old but firm voice cheerily. Justine spun around, although she already knew who was the speaker. She saw Harry and Ron grinning, standing by the side of an ancient man who was peering interestedly at her through a pair of silver half-moon spectacles.
"Professor Dumbledore!" breathed Justine.
"Guilty," answered Dumbledore, blue eyes twinkling. "Now Justine, I suppose the three of you have had enough fun. I believe you would like some answers?" He looked pointedly at Harry and Ron.
"Er. We'll just be leaving now, sir," said Harry, taking the hint although his expression clearly stated that he longed for answers as well. Ron looked terribly disappointed that he was not to stay back. Harry had to drag him away by the elbow.
"Have a seat," Professor Dumbledore gestured toward a comfy-looking armchair as he settled behind his desk. Justine obeyed and sank nervously into the chair. Behind her, Fawkes the phoenix gave a loud squawk.
"You are a Diviner. You have powers to See. You are powerful," clipped Dumbledore seriously.
Justine spluttered. "W- what?"
"You are born with the gift to see! You are a powerful weapon! You can control." Seeing the blank look on Alex's face, Dumbledore continued. "Very few wizards are born with this special Gift. Some use it wisely, most others don't. You see, Diviners show their wizarding powers later than normal young wizards, which is why we overlooked you while choosing students to attend Hogwarts."
"You thought." stammered Justine, "You thought I was a Squib?"
"Well, yes. I have spoken with your mother about it. She is a witch as well, it's just that she never told you. She said you were fine as a muggle and you need not have any other worries," said Dumbledore. "But, in the past week, you have been doing magic. something with surprised the entire Ministry. Nothing serious, just some summoning charms and a few others."
"I have?" Justine's eyes widened with happiness and surprise.
"Yes you have. You managed to summon a quill right out of a Grade Three student's hand. She was so shocked when it flew out the window you know and."
Justine cleared her throat gently.
"Ah yes I'm sorry, got carried away. So now that you have performed magic without a wand, you are considered a highly powerful wizard."
"Why?"
"Usual wizards need a wand to perform magic. But you don't. That's a feat. Very few wizards are capable of doing such a thing and most only do so when they are very, very angry. Putting it simply, you can kill someone at will," said Dumbledore sternly.
He watched carefully as her eyes widened even more, dark irises reflecting the candlelight.
"Naturally, we cannot allow that to happen," Dumbledore continued lightly, "So you have been accepted into this school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We have already owled your mother about your whereabouts."
At this sentence, Justine's eyes widened so much that Dumbledore thought they would fall out of their sockets and roll on the floor in delight.
"Thank you Professor!" said Justine happily, still looking as if she could kiss the hem of his robes.
"No, no, it's fine. We do need to educate you to control your powers, so that you don't accidentally kill someone when you are angry with them, you see?"
She nodded, obviously too happy to care. Dumbledore stood and reached for the Sorting Hat sitting on a shelf in his office. He placed the Hat gently on Justine's head and waited.
Gryffindor please! Gryffindor. Gryffindor. prayed Justine.
Well, so we have a Diviner in school now. With great potential as well. murmured the hat. Where should you go? Plenty of bravery, yet still smart and sometimes sly. You belong everywhere. But, since you insist. let it be.
"GRYFFINDOR!" screeched the hat suddenly and fell off Justine's head onto the floor. "Right then," said Dumbledore, "It is the summer holidays so no one is to stay at Hogwarts. But some people are here to help me with the Order. I think you can guess why Harry and Ron were getting you today. Labour shortage," smiled Dumbledore. "Would you like to join them in your common room now?"
Justine nodded and said another final thank you before speeding out of the office.
*