Chapter 1
Gingers and Spirits
The two witches, once out of sight, Minerva told Anna to hold onto her tight, which Anna obeyed holding on tightly to the older witches waist and she then felt her feet lift from the ground in a dizzying second, before hitting the ground hard once again, still holding on tight, the young girl gasped for breath, that had been terrifying. Minerva chuckled at the young girl's grip. "You can let go now Annie we're here." Minerva's voice chased Anna's demons of the past few seconds away, before she opened her eyes and found them somewhere in London.
"H-how did we- we were just at my house? How did we get here so fast Minnie?" The young girl said with a gasp, putting her hand to her mouth at the nickname she'd given her teacher-to-be. "You don't mind if I call you that? Do you?" She said after a few moments, after pulling her hand away from her mouth to look up at her Professor.
"No I don't mind Annie. Out of school, you may call me Minnie, but in school, I'm to be known as Professor McGonagall, alright dear?"
Anna nodded, than took a closer look at their surroundings. She turned to look at the building they'd landed in front of an old building and a sign appeared, The Leaky Cauldron the sign read with a witch stirring a cauldron. "Oh! That sign! It just appeared!" Anna exclaimed quietly not wanting to draw the attention of by passers, to their—very recent and very real—appearance out of thin air.
"Yes dear, that is the power of magic," Minnie said, looking up at the sign herself, with a small smile she took the young girls hand and brought her inside, where an extremely large family of redheads were walking towards the back. Annie pointed this out, finding it suspicious. Minnie just smiled at the young girl and told her that was where they were going. Minnie said hello to the innkeeper, who's name was Tom, and he shook Anna's hand with a smile and told her she could visit anytime during the summer. He said hello to Minnie, calling her Minerva, than told them the back was now open.
Minerva brought Annie to the back room, where there was nothing but a brick wall. Anna looked at Minnie confused, until Minnie pulled out a beautiful stick that just had to have been her wand and tapped a few of the bricks in a special order, to Anna's surprise the wall started to open; until it turned into a giant archway and an entrance to an Alley. Her eyes flashed violet once again for the fourth time that day, in less then an hour at that, and she dragged Minnie inside eager to explore the giant Alley.
"Where are we Minnie?" The little curly black haired witch asked.
"Well, Annie, welcome to Diagon Alley. This is where we will be getting your supplies for school, I have the list right here," the older witch said pulling a piece of parchment from her black and emerald robes, she fixed her glasses and opened the parchment, letting Anna's hand go for only a moment to read.
Anna once again saw the family of gingers making their way through the crowd, she spotted two in particular play-fighting and looked to be teasing their younger brother. The youngest boy laughed as did the rest of the family and Anna could hear the laughter as clear as day, like she was standing right next to them. She couldn't help but smile.
"Come along dear, we'll get your books first, then your robes, then cauldron, then finally we'll get your wand. And if you behave I'll buy you whatever pet you'd like, maybe another owl?" Anna shook her head. "Hmmm... how 'bout a kitty?" Anna's eyes lit up and she looked at Minnie, her eyes flashing violet in front of the older witch, which Minnie then gave a full and real smile to the young witch once more at her enthusiasm towards the smallest things.
She's going to be a Hufflepuff for sure, this one, with her enthusiasm towards everything. Minerva thought with a smile, thinking of the four Houses the students were divided in once they started term.
"Minnie? How am I going to pay for all this? I haven't got any money, and I'm pretty sure they don't take money where I'm from, I mean Muggle money." Annie corrected herself looking at the older witch.
"Once we're done shopping, we'll go and set up an account for you at Gringotts," she pointed to the largest and newest looking building in the small alley. A large marble building with marble pillars and giant shining bronze doors. "I'll pay for your things this time around, next year you'll have to pay for it yourself, alright?"
Anna nodded and took her hand. "Where's the book store?" She asked, back to her overly enthusiastic self once again.
Books, cauldron, potions ingredients, new robes and on their way to get Anna's wand. Anna stopped mid-step in front of The Magical Menagerie pet store, where she spotted the most adorable kitten she had ever layed eyes on. A full black, green eyed kitten sat in the window of the pet shop, her hand was being tugged at, "Come along Annie... oh I see. If you behave I'll buy her for you okay?" Anna nodded vigorously, telling the kitten that she'd have a home soon and that she'd be extra good. The cat seemed to understand her, because it layed down and went to sleep when Anna told the small kitten not to go anywhere. Minnie chuckled and said. "Must be part Kneazle. You stay right here, alright? I'll go on inside and get her since you've already been such a good girl." Anna beamed at Minerva with the brightest smile the older witch had ever seen the young girl have.
The older witch returned the young witch's smile and disappeared inside the shop to retrieve the small kitten. Anna watched as the kitten was grabbed from the window display and disappear, the kitten seemed to put up a fight, Anna looked at the little kitten and gave her a nod, meaning that she was about to get a home, the young kitten immediately stopped struggling against her holder and was lifted from the small display.
"Looks like the little one's finally gettin' a good home, been there fer ages, she has." A rough voice said. Anna turned to look where it had come from and found a half-giant standing behind the small witch. He looked down at her and said in a kind voice. "You taking 'er home little one?" Anna looked around and found that he was talking to her, she nodded with a beaming smile. He returned that smile and held out his hand to introduce himself. 'Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. You going to Hogwarts child?"
Anna shook his big hand with her little one, scared that he would accidentally crush her hand but he shook her small hand gently and softly and she nodded. "I'm Tassiyanna Cloud, and I'm starting this year. I'm Muggle-born, just waiting for Minnie, Professor McGonagall, she says I've been good and she saw me looking at the poor thing and said if I was good she'd buy her for me. When I told the kitten I'd be back, it seemed to understand, so Minnie went inside and bought her, saying that it must be part Kneazle, whatever that is, and that I'd already been such a good girl." She said with a big smile as their hands left one another, each smiling brightly at the other.
"Hello Hagrid, didn't expect to see you here, I see you've met our young Anna, she'll be attending this year." Minnie said from behind Annie. Anna turned around and saw the little black kitten with green eyes in her arms and she smiled and held back a loud squeal of joy. "Before we leave, Annie, you need to name her. That way it'll be on her papers."
"Spirit." Anna said immediately, having already thought of the perfect name for the kitten and the young feline seemed to love it, as she jumped from Minnie arms to the ground and into Annie's arms a second later. The three laughed and Spirit purred loudly in Anna's arms as Anna held her tight in her arms not to lose her.
"Well Hagrid we shall see you later on, she will be attending earlier than the rest, seeing as she'll be staying with me... I've already sent an owl to Dumbledore and he has no problem with it. We shall see you at Hogwarts." Minnie said saying goodbye to Hagrid, Anna doing the same, but not before setting Spirit down to hug the half-giant, which he immediately hugged her back gently, trying not to crush the small witch. Once the hug was over, the small feline jumped back into Anna's arms and layed across her shoulders seeming extremely comfortable with her new-found sleeping spot.
They parted ways, the two witches in one direction and the half-giant in the other, towards the Leaky. The witches stopped once more in front of an old shop the peeling gold sign read; Ollivander's: Maker of Fine Wands since 382BC. Anna's ocean blue eyes flashed once more -Spirit sensed the magic from the young witch, opening her green eyes and purring loudly also looking at the old building- Minnie smiled at the young feline and witch and mumbled to herself smiling. "Definitely part Kneazle."
"Come along you two, lets go get your wand Annie." Minnie said holding her hand out to the young girl, which Anna took immediately as if on instinct.
Hello everyone, here's Chapter 1. I hope you all enjoyed it; there's more to come. ~ T. T. Zoldy
