Summary:
Adalyn Sharp was adopted when she was nine months old. She's never met her birth parents and has spent her whole life believing she's a normal, if accident prone, muggle. When Addie receives a letter inviting her to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry her whole life is flipped upside down.
Legal Stuffs: I do not own any of this. It all belongs to the wonderfully talented J.K. Rowling. I am not profiting from this. And again for clarity, I do not OWN anything HP related.
Authors Note:
This is my first HP fanfic. It will sort of span all the books. I'm trying to keep it as cannon as possible up through Deathly Hallows and then it will probably be a little AU, because I like to pretend that the epilogue didn't happen.
Chapter 1:
Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England
June 30,1992
Mr. and Mrs. Sharp, of number 6425, Primack Road, had never considered whether they were perfectly normal or happily unusual. They did not have the time to entertain such thoughts. They were the sort that are always surrounded, but that friends and neighbors seem to know very little about.
Mr. Sharp was one of three chemists in the moderately sized town of Bury St Edmunds. He was a small stocky man with deep laugh lines around his eyes and thick-ish wavy salt and pepper hair. Mrs. Sharp worked as a teacher at a nearby primary school. She was a slim angular woman who smiled frequently and always wore her cocoa colored hair in a tight chignon on the back of her head. They had two young daughters, Addie and Mia, whom they both adored. Their biggest family secret, which was really no secret at all, was that they had adopted their eldest daughter, Addie, before she'd turned a year old.
The Tuesday morning our story starts began like any other morning. It was a clear bright summer morning with nothing to distinguish it from the morning before. Mr. Sharp rose promptly at seven and set about preparing for the day. He kissed his wife awake, put the kettle on for tea, and read the morning paper. Mrs. Sharp joined him promptly a half an hour later; she fixed his tea, made his toast, and sat with him in the early morning silence. She discussed with him her plans to take their daughters to the park and the market and a book shop in town. They agreed that it would be a lovely day for them to join him on his lunch break. At eight, Mr. Sharp gathered his lab coat, kissed his wife on the top of her head, and hurried out the door for work. Mrs. Sharp set about rousing her daughters; eight-year-old Mia blinked the sleep away quickly and clattered downstairs to breakfast and eleven-year-old Addie clung to her pillows and begged for five more minutes before finally crawling out of bed and trudging heavily to the kitchen.
Mr. Sharp had a perfectly normal morning. He opened the shop, helped elderly Mrs. Daugherty select the right cream for her arthritis and filled the prescription for Mrs. Rabbaniwicz's colicky newborn son. He signed for a delivery of antibiotics and greeted the assistant chemist, Sarah, with a jovial smile. He had no reason to believe today would be any different than yesterday.
Mrs. Sharp shepherded her daughters to the market and took them to the park. As it was a favorite place of both her daughters, she saved the book shop for just before lunch. The book shop, a brightly lit cramped little store, was crowded with mothers trying to entertain their children and avoid the summer heat. The bell over the door chimed as they entered and the girls both raced through the store to the reading corner in the back. She could hear them giggling as she greeted a few of the other mothers. She chatted politely about the weather and the upcoming street festival.
A shriek of pain was the first indication that anything would go wrong that day. Mrs. Sharp and the other mothers raced towards the back of the store. Mia was lying on the floor crying with a pile of books scattered around her, while Addie crouched next to her sister speaking to her soothingly. Mrs. Sharp pushed through the other mothers and knelt next to her daughters.
"What happened?" she questioned softly. Hiccoughing, Mia sat up and launcher her arms around her mother's middle. Mrs. Sharp ran her hand tenderly over her youngest daughter's chestnut curls and repeated her question. Addie narrowed her eyes as she glared across the room.
"He" she pointed emphatically as a blonde haired boy on the other side of the room, "Pushed Mia," she continued to glare at the boy who appeared to be a few years older and wore a smug smile.
"William Gaines!" a small blonde woman stepped forward and grabbed the boy by the shoulder, "Apologize to that girl," she commanded grabbing the boy sharply by the shoulder.
"I'm sorry or whatever," he rolled his eyes at them.
"That's NOT AN APOLOGY," Addie shouted standing and stepping towards the boy, "You made my sister cry." Mrs. Sharp grabbed Addie by her elbow, but Addie shook her off and took another step towards the older boy. Her hands were on her hips. "He should still have to apologize," she seethed. She continued to stare at the blonde young man. It happened so quickly that no one else in the store could ever really stay what happened. One moment the two children were standing across the room from one another in a stare-off and the next every book in the shop was off its shelf and on the floor. Everyone looked around bewildered and Mrs. Sharp grabbed both her daughters and ushered them quickly out into the midday sun.
She hurried them down the block and into Mr. Sharp's pharmacy, "Henry!" she called to her husband. She shooed the girls into a waiting area in the corner of the pharmacy. The girls sat quietly and watched their mother as she called for their father again. Mr. Sharp came out of the stock room smiling, but his face fell when he saw the panicked look on his wife's face.
"What's wrong?" Henry Sharp asked his frazzled wife.
"It happened again, Henry," she hissed worriedly at him, "It's getting worse. She nearly made the whole book shop explode this time." Henry wrapped his arms around his wife and rest his head on her shoulder.
"Maybe we should consider it…" he started quietly.
"No!" she answered back emphatically as she glanced over at their daughters. "I can't…I can't just send her away."
"Gen…." he pleaded. "Maybe they'll teach her to control it….whatever it is…."
"No!" they both turned when Addie shouted from across the room. "You c-c-can't…you can't give me away."
"Oh, baby," Henry sighed as he strode over to his daughter and scooped her up, "We're not giving you away," he told her and kissed the top of her head. "You are ours and there is nothing you can do to change it."
Mrs. Sharp made her way over to them and lifted Mia up to join the family hug, "We're a family and you're not going anywhere." She sent a pointed look at her husband.
They ate a quiet lunch in the park and the two girls went to play on a nearby playground. Mr. and Mrs. Sharp sat on a bench and watched their daughters laughing, the difficult morning a mere memory.
"We have to do something, Genevieve," he told his wife, "You said yourself that it's getting worse…more intense, more frequent."
"I'm not sending her away!"
"It's just to school, Gen, she'll be back on holidays and in the summers."
"Henry…"
"She would've probably gone to a boarding school this year or next anyway," he reasoned, "This is just not a school we'd have picked on our own."
"Henry… I just… How can you be so calm about send our daughter to an entirely different country," she finally burst.
"The little man told us that her parents were probably…like her…"
"He said her mother was a witch,"
"Yes, he did. I think we should let her go…learn about where she comes from," he sighed heavily, "She'll still come back to us…"
"Fine…okay," she nodded her head and blinked back tears. "How do we tell her?"
The Leaky Cauldron, London, England
July 15, 1992
Addie Sharp glanced warily at the abandon shop front bearing the signage of The Leaky Cauldron; it looked shabby at best and possibly long abandoned at worst. She'd travelled to London with her parents and younger sister, Mia. According to her parent's they were here to do some school shopping, though since they'd never come up to London before she wasn't sure she believed them. Addie took the hand her father extended to her and they hurried across bustling Charing Cross Road. Her father shouldered open the door and waited for her mother and sister to enter before practically dragging her inside.
Addie blinked rapidly to adjust to the dimness of pub. She realized quickly she was in the oddest restaurant she'd ever seen. There was a burly man with very red round cheeks at the bar speaking loudly with the bar keep and several men all with very long beards clustered around a small table, they appeared to be playing chess and Addie thought she saw one of the chess pieces moved on its own.
Her father guided them to a table. Her mum wiped frantically at the sticky table top with a napkin and looked around anxiously. When they'd been sitting only a few moments a thin, dark-haired woman with a thin vulture-ish quality approached the table.
"Mr. and Mrs. Sharp?" she clipped.
"Yes," her father nodded enthusiastically and her mother nodded just slightly.
"My name is Madam Irma Pince," she explained with a tight smile, "The librarian at Hogwarts School."
Addie looked between her parents as the bird-like woman sat down at their table. Similarly to her mum the woman cleaned the table, but rather than swiping uselessly at the table with a napkin, the woman flicked a long taper of wood at the table and muttered something under her breath; with a snap and a slight draining sound the table was clean.
"Wooow…"Mia breathed next to her as Addie's eyes snapped to the woman's face.
"That was…"Addie stammered.
"Magic," the woman stated tightly, "Something you will become intimately familiar with at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The woman handed her an envelope. It was made of thick yellowish parchment, the expensive kind her cousin Marjorie had printed her wedding invitations on last year, and the address was written in bright emerald ink. Addie traced the address with her fingertip:
Miss A. McKinnon
Fourth Table on the Left
The Leaky Cauldron, London
Addie wrinkled her nose and looked up at the woman, "I think you have the wrong person," she said pushing the envelope back towards Madam Pince. "My last name isn't McKinnon…"
"We're pretty sure it was your birth mother's family name," her mom answered quietly.
"The school didn't realize…"Madam Pince stated delicately, "We'll have it corrected by the time you come for classes."
"My birth mother attended this school," she flipped the envelope over and noticed a purple wax seal with a large 'H' and four animals on it. She peered more closely at the seal and saw the animals were a lion, a badger, a raven, and a snake.
"Indeed," the woman nodded.
Addie carefully lifted the wax seal and pulled out two sheets of parchment written in the same emerald ink. The first read:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. McKinnon,
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,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"Witchcraft and wizardry?" Addie looked up at her parents and then a Madam Pince.
"Yes, dear," Madam Pince smiled tightly again, "You are a witch."
Addie looked at her parents again; her father nodded in encouragement, but her mum looked to be near tears. She glanced over at Mia who looked stunned. "I guess it explains all the…" Addie paused and raised her hands and shook them slightly,
"Weird stuff…" Mia interjected with a giggle. "Am I a witch to Mum?" she asked laughing.
"Probably not," Madam Pince answered. Mia laughed again and stood to look over Addie's shoulder.
Addie unfolded the second parchment:
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 pupils' 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
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart
Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart
Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart
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,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
Addie looked up after reading the list and blinked before sitting back in her chair stunned. Mia snatched up the paper and read it, "It's a school supply list, but I've never heard of some of this stuff. Where's she supposed to get a cauldron?"
"Diagon Alley is where the majority of Hogwarts students get their supplies," Madam Pince answered, "The entrance is just behind The Leaky Cauldron."
Addie looked at her parents again and at Mia and at Madam Pince. "I…"
"Addie," her mum finally said, "I love you," Addie nodded in acknowledgement, "And I know this seems really scary. It was scary for your Dad and me too…when they first told us."
"You knew!?" she question.
"Someone from the school came to speak with us just before your birthday," her father said calmly, "We didn't take it seriously at the time…but after the last incident in the bookstore…"
Addie nodded quietly and looked back at her mum, "I know it's scary, baby," her mum said and rested a hand on her back, "But it's just school…which you're like," her mum smiled when Addie nodded in agreement, "And the other students will all have special gifts like yours…"
"Mum, you're making her sound like an x-man," Mia joked and Addie laughed. Madam Pince just looked confused.
"Okay," Addie nodded, "I mean its magic school, right?"
Madam Pince led them out of The Leaky Cauldron and onto a damp enclosed back patio. She raised the long taper, which she had explained was her wand, and tapped several bricks in what appeared to be a counter-clockwise pattern. Once completed the brick wall seemed to fold in on itself, the bricks sliding and folding until the wall opened to reveal a bustling street that seemed to wind and weave its way through the shops. The street was cobbled and narrow with shops and restaurants and oddities piled in a mishmashed sort of way down both sides.
Addie felt Mia grab the upper part of her arm and try to pull herself up higher. Addie knew the feeling, she wished that she could take in all the people and the stores and well…everything. They stepped through the opening in the brick wall and Addie saw the large white columned building at the farthest end of the street. "What's that?" she asked stunned.
"Gringotts Wizarding Bank," Madam Pince answered, "We'll have to go there first," she told Addie's parents before launching into a detailed explanation of wizarding currency and it's exchange rate to muggle pounds.
"Stay right here," her mother told Addie and Mia when reached Gringotts and prepared to enter the bank. "We will be back in ten minutes."
Both girls nodded and moved to the side of the wide marble staircase to wait. Addie sat and pulled Mia down next to her. She gripped her little sister's hand tightly and looked back down the street. They'd passed all kinds of shops; shops that sold telescopes and star charts and globes of the moon, shops that sold books and quills and ink in every color known to man, a whole shop dedicated to something called quidditch that had Madam Pince rolling her eyes, there'd been an ice cream shop with towering sundaes, and an apothecary with glistening jars of strange ingredients like bat's eyes and lizard snouts and freshly scrubbed cauldrons. Addie was overwhelmed by the sheer vastness.
"This is so neat, Ad" Mia smiled and rest her head on Addie's shoulder.
"It's pretty scary too…I don't know anything about this stuff…"
"So you'll learn…you've got months before the start of term. You'll have read every book twice by then…"
"There are a lot of them…I'll probably only have time for once each."
"I was joking," Mia giggled, "Plus," she said more seriously, "She…Madam Pince…she said there are other kids from families like ours…non-magic families…so you won't be alone." Addie just nodded silently and rest her head on top of her sisters.
After the bank Madam Pince led them directly to Ollivander's Wand Shop. The shop was dark and lit by only a few sconces that were turned low. Her parents hung awkwardly near the door when Madam Pince dragged her before the man behind the counter. He was clearly about a hundred years old, in Addie's opinion, and had a mass of white hair that stood off his head at odd angles. She felt Mia grab her hand and she smiled at the man.
"Adalyn," Madam Pince intoned, "Meet Mr. Ollivander, he will fit you for your wand."
"Who've we here," Mr. Ollivander asked, his voice hoarse like when her grandfather put too much tobacco in his pipe.
"Addie Sharp, sir," Addie answered quickly. Mr. Ollivander removed a tape measure from around his neck and tapped it with his wand. It began zipping around her taking measurements in odd places like from her nose to her hairline and her elbow to her knee.
"A muggleborn, then," he asked Madam Pince and indicated her parents.
"No," was all the hawkwish woman said.
Finally the measuring tape dropped into his hand and Mr. Ollivander moved behind the counter, "Which is your wand hand, dearie?" he asked. Addie looked at Madam Pince helplessly.
"Which hand do you write with?"
"Oh, my right," she answered.
"Very well," Ollivander nodded and turned to the boxes on the wall behind him. Addie noticed for the first time that the wall behind him had the narrow boxes jammed into it at all angles from floor to ceiling; some of the boxes were covered in a thick layer of dust while others were clearly new. Mr. Ollivander selected approximately six boxes and placed them on the counter between them.
"How do I choose?" she asked eyes wide.
"Ah, the wand choose the witch, my dear," Mr. Ollivander said seriously. "This one first," he handed her a long intricately carved wand, "Ebony, dragon heartstring, twelve inches, rather firm," he handed the wand to her and she looked up at him, "Give it a swish he encouraged." Addie swished the wand and nothing happened. She raised her hand and brought it down in a sharp striking motion and still nothing. She shrugged and handed the wand back to Ollivander.
"Hmmm…" he opened another box and handed her the wand, "Hazel, unicorn hair, ten and half inches, nice and swishy," he told her and handed her the wand. As soon as it was in her hand she knew it would be different. The wand felt warm in her and almost as if some part of it and reached within and connected with something hidden inside of her. She swished the wand gently through the air and the scones on the walls brightened before gold sparks filled the room. "Another satisfied customer," Mr. Ollivander smiled. Addie grinned back at him and looked at Mia who laughed and hugged her. Her parents paid Mr. Ollivander with a stack of gold coins and the exited back into the waning afternoon sun.
Madam Pince led them through Diagon Alley and they finished the rest of their shopping in short order. When she left them back at The Leaky Cauldron they were laden down with bags and boxes full of books and robes and quills and sweaters and rolls of parchment. Addie had nearly talked her parents into a pet owl, but her mum had finally put her foot down and said no. They'd also bought one large trunk for Addie to pack all her things in, but it was being shipped to their home.
Before parting ways, Madam Pince had imparted a train ticket and another letter of instruction to her parents. "I'll see you in September, Adalyn," the austere woman stated with what Addie assumed was a smile.
"Yes, Ma'am," Addie said, "And thank you so much for everything."
Madam Pince disappeared with a loud pop. Addie looked at Mia who looked stunned and shrugged.
King's Cross Station, London, England
September 1, 1992
Addie awoke at six o'clock on train day as Mia had taken to calling it. She felt to excited and nervous to try and sleep any longer. She dressed carefully, well for her anyway, in a pair of jeans and a soft gray jumper. She slipped into the bathroom and peered at her reflection. She was an exceedingly plain looking girl of medium size and height for her age. Her hair was medium length, stick straight, and the color of wet sand. The only not medium thing about her were her eyes, which were the deep sapphire blue of the night sky. Rolling her eyes she pulled her hair into a puffy bun on top of her head and ent back to her room.
Mia was sitting on the end of Addie's bed rubbing sleep out of her eyes, "You're leaving today," her little sister said quietly.
"Yeah," Addie stated in agreement, "I'll be home at Christmas though." She'd carefully packed the school books and supplies in the bottom of the trunk the night before; she folded her last jumper and laid it inside before dumping the entire contents of her sock drawer on top. She stashed one set of the wizard robes in the school bag she'd begged her parents to buy her, using the argument that she didn't imagine witches carried knapsacks in school. "I'll be able to change on the train right?" she asked Mia, "I mean I can't imagine walking through King's Cross in wizard robes." Mia just shrugged. Addie also tossed in Hogwarts: A History, she was on her third reading and found the book fascinating. "I guess that's it, " she said looking helplessly at her sister. Mia jumped off the end of the bed and linked her arm through Addie's. Together the ambled into the kitchen for breakfast.
Her mother had gone all out for Addie's last breakfast at home. She'd made all Addie's favorites hotcakes, bacon, eggs, roasty potatoes, and large mugs of tea. They ate and talked as if it wasn't the last breakfast they'd have together until Christmas. At promptly seven am her father gathered her trunk and packed it in the car. They all piled in the car and her father handed her the letter Madam Pince had given them. "Dad," she said incredulously, "It says Platform 9 ¾ … that can't be right."
"She explained it to your mother and I," her Dad told her. Mia fell asleep as soon as they were on the motorway, but Addie was to anxious and stared out the window the whole time. They arrived King's Cross at ten AM and her father went to get a trolley while Addie, Mia, and their mum piled out of the car.
"I remember the day you came home with us," her mum said with tears in her eyes, "And you're so grown up now."
"Don't cry, Mum," Addie said throwing her arms around her mum's waist and burying her head. They stayed that way and Addie felt Mia latch onto the hug as well. Her father returned with the trolley and loaded the trunk and her school bag on. Mia scrambled to the top and perched on one end. Addie felt sure her mother would scold her, but she just smiled and linked her fingers with Addie's. Addie leaned against her mum as they walked.
They made their way through the station to the area between platforms 9 and 10, "In Diagon alley, Madam Pince told your mum and I to just walk through the wall there," he gestured to a narrow brick column. "Addie, you and your mum go first, Mia and I will follow." Addie's felt her mum tighten her grip, "She said take it at a slight run," her father supplied helpfully. Addie looked up at her mum, clsed her eyes and they jogged towards the wall.
Addie was sure they would hit the wall in ten seconds, but when they didn't she opened her eyes and found herself standing on a bustling platform in front of a bright cherry red locomotive. She heard more than saw her dad and sister come through the barrier behind her. Her father wandered away with Mia to find a spot for her trunk on the train. Her mum looked at her and straightened her jumper and her hair.
"My sweet girl," her mum breathed and pulled her in for a crushing hug.
"I can't breathe, Mum."
"Right sorry," her mother let her go but kept an arm around her shoulders. Her father came back shortly with Mia riding on his shoulders.
"This place is so cool," Mia exclaimed as a family with bright red hair passed them followed by a girl with very bushy hair.
"Yeah…" Addie's voice trailed off as she watched all the other students greeting each other, "Mum," she panicked, "What if no one likes me? Or I'm not really magic? Or I'm bad at magic? Or…"
"You'll be fine, honey," her dad answered and scooped her up in a crushing hug, "And if you're totally rubbish you can come home at Chrismas," he teased.
"Henry!" her mum scolded, which made Addie laugh.
"You will do wonderfully and you'll make friends and you're not even going to want to come home," her mum kissed the top of her head. "Now on the train with you or you'll miss the whole thing."
Addie nodded and headed towards the train. Her Dad handed her the school bag with her robes and a small blue velvet pouch with a handful of coins. He'd explained wizard money to her three times until she understood how it worked. She hugged her parents and Mia again one more time and watched as they back away to watch the train leave the station.
Turning onto the train she crossed her fingers and headed down the corridor to find a compartment.