Introduction

Shira's P.O.V

"Happy birthday to you!" sang my family. I closed my eyes and groaned.

"Too early." I said.

"Come on, Shira! Wake up!" said my younger brother, Roey.

"Never. Let me sleep forever." I put my pillow over my face.

"You have cake…" my older brother, Omer, said. I immediately perked up.

"You have my attention." I grinned. My father helped me out of bed and everyone hugged. We all laughed and walked downstairs to the kitchen. I pet my dog on my way to the 'Birthday Chair', made especially for me today. It was positioned in front of the calendar, so I could clearly see that today was indeed February 12th, and I was indeed 11 today. My party, however, was scheduled for tomorrow: Friday, February 13th. It was a horror themed party, which was organized by my older sister, Omer's twin, Or. She was a skilled artist, and her wand was used mainly as a paint-and-brush creator. She had drawn skeletons, pumpkins, witches (the evil kind), and popular muggle-movie murderers, such as Freddy Crooger, Jason something, and the Scream figure. My father, from whom she inherited her drawing skills, and helped sketch some outlines for the figures, and Or colored and shaded. It was very lifelike. I smiled and sat in my chair, between Mother, Father, and Nikka (my dog). We ate pancakes and cake. Since it was Winter Break in New Jersey, we didn't have to rush. So we ate silently and contentedly. After we cleared the table, everyone sat down, and we watched Father's favorite muggle movie- Star Wars. (Obviously the originals. The prequels are rubbish.) Everyone sighed and settled on the couch.

Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Shira Shamir. I am a Half Blood. Mother was a wizard. A Hufflepuff, to be exact. Father was a muggle, but he knew of the wizarding world. Omer was a Ravenclaw. Or was a Hufflepuff, like Mother. I was yet sorted. I might even go to Ilvermony, since I live in New Jersey, for the time being. But I had always wanted to go to Hogwarts. I'd been studying Potions since I could read, meaning since I was 2.5 years old. My eyes were set on becoming a Slytherin Prefect and a Head Prefect too. But if I were to go to Ilvermony, I wanted to be in Thunderbird. Today I was meant to get my letter. And I was very, very excited. I could barely wait for tonight. The night I was meant to become a witch (the good kind). Of course, I was nervous as well. Being a witch meant fulfilling my destiny. I wasn't sure if I was ready. Wait, no. I was sure I was ready. At least, I hoped I was.

23:30.

.

.

.

23:40.

.

.

.

23:50.

.

.

.

23:55.

"Any minute…" I rocked back and forth on my bed. "The letter will come any minute."

It hadn't come all day.

.

.

.

23:59.

I looked out my window in expectation.

"Come on…" I murmured. "Any minute now."

.

.

.

00:00.

I was horrified. No letter on my 11th birthday meant no acceptance to Hogwarts or Ilvermony. Heck, I'd settle for Durmstrang or Beauxbaton at this rate. But no letter. No magical powers. Out of my entire family (excluding Father), I was the one without magical powers. A squib. That's my definition now. A filthy squib. I started sobbing. I rocked myself to sleep. After all, I was a squib. Squibs don't have happy endings. Maybe I was an obscurus. Those never get happy endings. Finally, I fell asleep.

The next morning, Mother hugged me. Father hugged me. Or hugged me. Omer hugged me. Roey hugged me. Even Nikka curled up next to us. We were all silent. The tears kept streaming down my face. I was a squib. I was a squib. I was a squib. Suddenly, we heard a loud thump. We all looked simultaneously at my bedroom window. The wingspan of an owl had left a mark there. Curious, I rushed downstairs to see what an owl was doing here, and in the daylight. I scurried out the door to help the fallen creature, but to my surprise it wasn't there. There was a letter on our lawn, addressed to me.

Shira Shamir

232 Riveredge Road, 07670, Tenafly, New Jersey, USA.

2nd Floor, First Room On The Left. Yes, Blue Curtains.

I opened the red wax seal, and nearly fainted of happiness. It read:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmistress: Minerva McGonagall

We are very happy to inform you that a spot has been reserved for you in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We apologize for the delay. Unfortunately, the owl sent for you is not in its best shape and failed to fly across the Atlantic at first.

Below is a list of the equipment and books you are required to bring on you first day: September 1st, 2015. Please send an owl no later than July 31st, 2015.

Sincerely,

Filius Flitwick

Vice Principal

I was ecstatic. I kept reading my list of equipment:

Uniform

First Years are required to bring the following clothing:

Three simple cloaks for work (black)

One pointy hat (black) for daily use

A pair of gloves (Dragon Skin)

A winter cloak (black, silver buckles

Please make sure all clothes have name tags.

Books

All students are required to bring at least one copy of the following books:

Basic Spells (Level A)- Miranda Gosley

A History of Magic- Bathilda Bagshot

The Theory of Magic- Adlbert Roch

The Transfiguration Guide For Begginers- Americk Switcher

1000 Magic Weeds and Fungi- Fillida Root

The Guide To Herbology- Neville Longbottom

Magic Potions- Arsenius Milliliter

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them- Newt Scamander

The Dark Arts: A Defensive Guide- Quentin Tremblin

Equipment

1 wand

1 cauldron (iron, size 2)

1 bottle system (glass or crystal)

1 telescope

1 bronze scale

In addition, the students may bring an owl, a cat or a toad.

Reminder: First Years are not allowed to bring their own brooms.

I shrieked.

"Mother! Father! Omer! Or! Roey! Nikka! I've been accepted to Hogwarts!" I yelled. I hugged the sheet of paper to my chest and refused to let go. I couldn't wait. Diagon Alley, here I come!

Chapter Three

Shira's P.O.V

"Or, come on. I need to get my pet." I nudged my sister, who was looking at a new fashion magazine.

"Yeah, coming." She muttered and took my hand. She had already gone to Gringotts with Mother, and bought her Fourth Year books. Omer had already bought everything, and agreed to lend me his books. So all I had to do was get my wand, a cauldron, adopt a pet Nikka wouldn't accidentally kill, get my cloaks, my telescope, and… well, I had a lot left to do. But at least I didn't have to wait the long line for books.

It was already four months and four days after my birthday. I was soon to go to Hogwarts. In about two months, I'd be on the Hogwarts Express, in a compartment, with Omer and Or. It would be amazing. Or pointed me in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. We bought my cauldron. The seller wasn't particularly nice. I blew raspberry at him as we left the store. Or laughed.

"Come on." She giggled. "Let's go find the rest."

My cloaks were brand new. They were also very nice and clean. I especially loved my silver buckles. They were rather shiny. On our way out of the cloak shop, I tripped over my shoelace. Or was too busy reading her magazine. She didn't notice. But luckily, someone caught me. I looked up.

"Thanks." I said. "I bet you wouldn't have had to go through all that trouble if someone-" I glared at Or, who looked at the stranger strangely- "had been paying attention to her little sister."

Or shrugged, and quickly said:

"Sorry, Professor Longbottom. I should have been more careful."

I snickered.

"I can't wait to have you in my class, uh, what's your name?" he asked me.

"Shira. Shira Shamir. Pleasure to meet you, sir." I beamed. He smiled and continued walking towards a boy around my age, who looked like a combination between John Lennon and Paul McCartney, just a lot shorter. I reckoned he was a First Year like me. He seemed nice. Or snapped me back to reality.

"Come on, Shira. We want to make it in time for supper." She said. We bought the rest of my equipment, but my wand and my pet (which I insisted on adopting. Buying animals was a horrifying thought to me). We entered Ollivander's. Surprisingly, it was empty. The clerk smiled at us.

"Hello, welcome to Ollivander's. I'm Josh, and I will help you today. I'm assuming you don't need another wand, Miss Shamir. I reckon you are accompanying your little sister?" he asked.

"Yes." Said Or. She told me she would wait outside, and left.

"Well, what's your name?" asked Josh as he brought a measuring tape to my right arm.

"Shira. Shira Shamir." I said.

"And what is your strong arm, Shira?" he continued measuring my body.

"I write with my right hand and do everything else with my left." I answered. It was true.

"Hmm. I'll go with an ambidextrous wand, then. No problem at all." He smiled and went on the back of the store. I waited patiently.

"So which house do you wish to be sorted in?" Josh yelled from the back of the store.

"Slytherin!" I immediately replied.

"Hmm. Ambitious. Powerful. Okay, then. Here are some options." He came back carrying multiple wands. "Wand number one: Unicorn hair, pine wood, 11.75 inches long, high flexibility. Try swishing it." He handed me the wand. It was light brown, with some markings carved in it. When I swished it, the lights went out, and the windows shattered.

"Repairo. Lumos." Josh said. "Okay, then. Maybe number two will fit you: Phoenix feather, oak wood, 12 inches long, very, very flexible."

The wand was red and rather rubbery. I swished it. Josh flew backwards.

"Sorry!" I squeaked.

"Not that one either," Josh mumbled and stood up. "How about number three: Unicorn hair, 15 inches long, redwood, not very flexible."

He handed me a wand. Reddish-brown, firm, and very long. I liked this one, and had a good feeling about it. But when I swished it, it simply drenched me. I handed the wand back to Josh.

"I don't think so…" I said sheepishly. My clothes were practically invisible. I took my drenched cloak and wrapped it around me. We tried several other wands, but none worked. Josh seemed hopeless. Suddenly, he perked up.

"I know which one you need! Thirteenth time's the charm!" he exclaimed cheerfully and ran to the back room. He brought back a wand in a dark green case with black and silver lining.

"This wand was meant to be your father's. However, since he chose to extract his magical abilities, it belongs to no one. It's a fine wand." He huffed.

"And you think it might match me?" I asked hopefully.

"Nothing else does, so what have we to lose?" Josh shrugged. He opened the box to reveal a very fine wand: its wood resembled ivory, and it was very firm. Its handle was ivory as well, but with silver and black linings. I loved it.

"Aspen wood, 13 inches long, Dragon heartstring core, unbending flexibility. Intended for the powerful ones, and has a talent for Defense Against the Dark Arts and the Dark Arts themselves. This wand will not be easily won over by an opponent, but if you indeed are its rightful owner, it will succumb to your wishes in no time." Josh explained.

He handed it over, and I swished it. Sparks flew in mesmerizing shapes all over the room. When I willed them to become flowers, they did. And then they turned into the face of a boy. A boy I didn't know. I had never seen him, yet he smiled at me. Then, he disappeared. My initials were carved in silver onto the wand, right near my dad's. It now read D.S. and under it S.S.

"I believe we have found your wand." Josh chuckled. "And no worries, free of charge. After all, it is your father's wand."

I smiled.

"Thank you, Josh. And I'm sorry about the damage." I said.

"Ah, don't worry." Josh smiled. "Repairo." And the room reorganized itself. I picked up all my things and left the store. I thought about the smiling boy, and realized that my upper lest back, near my shoulder but not quite, was really hurting. It was stinging. A burning sting. My face twisted in agony.

"Shira!" Or rushed to me. "I was so worried. You took a very long time! I thought you might have bee- hey, are you okay?"

"Yeah." I managed. My clothes were suddenly dry. I removed my cloak and stayed with a tank top. We continued to the pet adoption center. Suddenly, Or stopped and gazed at my back.

"Uh, Shira?" she asked. "Since when do you have a soulmark?"

"A what now?" I asked.

"A soulmark. A mark that states your soulmate." Or explained. I looked in a mirror at my back. The mark consisted of initials and a frame. The initials were framed in flames and they read: "Z.Z.". I didn't know anyone who's name began with a Z. Although it was one of my favorite letter: S and Z. I guess I now have a soulmate.

"Oh." I said. "But it's no biggie, right?"

"Well…" Or started. "It's kind of like an unbreakable vow. You will meet your soulmate, and will have to be with him. Or her."

"And if I want to be with someone else?" I replied.

"Well, you die." Or said simply. "But don't worry. Soulmates are chosen especially, through a long process, which includes Amorentia and help from upper forces. You and whoever that person is are meant to be. And you will love him. That's how it works."

"Oh. Great." I said worriedly. "With my luck, it's a tarantula or a cockroach or something like that. Or even worse. Justin Bieber."

Or laughed. She put her arm around me and we headed inside the adoption center. I adopted a black cat and named it Merlin. Merlin immediately liked me, and purred as she rubbed her back against my leg. I bought her a nice bed and Or and I headed home.

Chapter 4

Shira's P.O.V

"Just run into the wall. I'll show you how." Omer instructed me. He took his cart and dashed into the wall. He disappeared. Mother, Father and Roey had already gone home. Mother kissed us all goodbye and apparated Father, Roey and herself back home. Or encouraged me.

"You can do it. It's not that scary." She said. I gripped my cart and aimed towards the wall. I ran at full speed, not slowing down or closing my eyes for a second. I made it to Platform 9 . It was very impressive. The train was enormous. Or appeared behind me a few seconds later.

"Come on. Let's find Omer." She said, wheeling her cart towards the train.

"Omer! Omer!" we yelled. He appeared behind us.

"Hey. Let's get the good seats up front." He said, getting into the third car. I followed him and Or followed me. We sat in the front compartment of the third car. We had come rather early, so the train was mainly empty. Our bags were loaded onto the racks above us, except for Omer and Or's uniforms and my formal wear. About five minutes later, a boy my age with black hair and wearing glasses came and asked,

"Can I sit here?"

"Yeah, sure." Or welcomed him.

"Thanks." He said, and put his luggage on the racks as well.

"What's your name?" asked Omer.

"Rotem. Rotem Moses." He shook Omer's hand.

"So you're a First Year too?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said. " I'm hoping to be a Gryffindor. You?"

"Slytherin." I proudly stated. He smiled. Not long after, just when the train started moving, Or's best friend, Gili, came into our compartment.

"Lucky for me, I'm not late." She huffed, put her luggage on the racks and sat next to Or. They started talking about hot guys and stuff like that. I looked at Rotem and we rolled our eyes. Gili lived near us in New Jersey. I knew her very well. Rotem and I then continued talking. I found out many things: he was very good at arithmetic, while I preferred chemistry. He was good with computers, I was good with animals. But overall, he seemed like a nice guy. Two hours passed. Three hours. I went to change into my formal clothing. When I came back, the candy cart was at our compartment. I bought some hazelnut flavored chocolate frogs and devoured them. When the train finally arrived, Omer, Or, and Gili headed toward the carriages while Rotem and I were greeted by a giant I knew to be Hagrid from Omer and Or's stories. He led the First Years to boats and gave each boat a lantern. Rotem and I were on the same boat as the Beatles boy I had seen in Diagon Alley. He didn't speak, and neither did we. We were mesmerized by the huge building in front of us. It was enormous. I was amazed at the structure. It was so precise and delicate, yet firm and solid. All First Years were led through the Dining Hall doors and the Sorting Ceremony began.

[Insert Song]

"Omerjon, Bill!" called Flitwick, the vice principal.

"Gryffindor!" shouted the Sorting Hat.

"Erwell, Sally!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Bowren, Michael!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Ido Benba-Benben-Benbenishti Shpoka! Uh, sorry. Ido Benbenishti Shpilka!"

The Beatles boy came up.

"Ravenclaw!"

"Herna, Oliver!"

"Slytherin!"

"Herna, Veronica!"

"Gryffindor!"

"Wern, Susan!"

"Ravenclaw!"

A few other names were called.

"Moses, Rotem!"

"Good luck." I whispered. He smiled.

"Gryffindor!"

Rotem smiled a huge smile.

"Shamir, Shira!"

I stepped up nervously.

"Hmm. Very intelligent. But not a Ravenclaw. Not very friendly, so not Hufflepuff. Very cunning. Resourceful. A leader. Ambitious. I think you're a Gryffi- no, kidding. You are most definitely a Slytherin!" called the hat.

I sat down in the Slytherin table. The prefects welcomed me and smiled.

"The tour begins tomorrow at 9:00 AM, don't forget." Said the female prefect, Kara. I nodded and went on to talk to some other First Years. I met a girl named Luca. She was very nice. When the feast began, I caught Rotem's eye and smiled. He smiled back and we proceeded to eat. I later on went to hug my siblings and wish them goodnight. The prefects led us to the common room. The door was locked. Kara then recited the password: Which witch would watch which watch? The door opened. All First Years were sorted into dorms. My dorm was the furthest one from the common room, meaning it was the quietest. I had a window to the lake, and could see many creatures. The dorm was small, so I had one roommate. Gladly, it was Luca. All of our luggage was unpacked and sorted into our cupboards. I quickly changed into pajamas, wished Luca a good night, and fell asleep.