Chapter 2: Shopping
"It was a strange feeling", she thought. She was awake but didn't want to open her eyes yet.
She had dreamt that she was in the Potterverse and was actually a Queen and all. Just like the stuff from 'King of Kings, Ruling over Rulers'.
"Funny" she thought to herself with very less amusement and a lot of confused horror that yelled in her mind, "I AM HELGA HUFFLEPUFF'S HEIR! JUST IMAGINE!"
She let out a breath and opened her eyes. She was shocked to find herself lying on one of the couches from the office of Lord Barchoke, similar to those that she had seen in her 'dreams'. She started to tense and bright, altogether, with the feeling that the 'dream' might not be a dream actually.
"Are you alright Your Majesty?" asked Barchoke to her, with genuine concern over his face. She could not help but think herself as Hermione from 'Harry Crow' at that moment, before wincing at the realization that he had just called her 'Your Majesty', making it clear that the 'dream' was actually a real thing.
But before the look of concern on Lord Barchoke's face could go any deeper, she told him, "Please call me just Isabella. Give me a minute to collect myself. It isn't every day that one comes to know that they are royalty and are also owner of the first magical school to be built on European soil."
Nodding and chuckling, the goblin helped her sit up properly before sitting himself on an armchair of his size nearby.
After sitting and drinking the glass of chilled water from the table, Isabella asked Barchoke, "Lord Barchoke, how is it possible that I'm related to all those families and own Hogwarts and is a Queen? I mean, I thought Hogwarts was under Ministry control? Surely there must be other people being more worthy to take my place?"
"Please call me Barchoke, Just Isabella." Said the goblin with an amused smile, earning a smile from the girl, no, young Queen sitting opposite him. "First of all, the test you took was designed by Her Highness, Princess Rowena Ravenclaw's Great Grandmother, Her Highness, Princess-Consort Isolt Ravenclaw herself, and is so, very truly, perfectly right in its results. And as the results showed, you have no other relatives than those mentioned in the results. If you wish, you can abduct your claims to the titles which will then go to your closest blood relative, who is, Mr. Harry James Potter. It's nothing about being worthy or not, well it is when the ring chooses but apart from that, it's mainly about blood."
She winced again. Harry was her relative. Will she then be able to convince Dumbledore to let him stay with her than Durskaban? But wait, what if she changed the real story a lot and the outcome changed to something completely else, like Voldemort rebirths as an extremely powerful demon-lord type something and calls the demons of hell on earth to cause havoc, if it was possible that is, but she didn't know, yet.
She thought to think about it later as Barchoke was again looking concerned while waiting for her answer. She did not make him wait anymore.
"No, I do not wish to abduct my claim to any of the titles. I was just curious and a bit worried. But I don't understand my ownership of Hogwarts"
"That is acceptable but you don't own it completely as the results showed. You own only 25% of Hogwarts and specifically only that stuff as mentioned in the Test Results. The castle was originally the Holiday Home of the Gryffindors but Late Duke Godric Gryffindor the 1st thought to make a better use of it, transforming it into a school, with help of course. Late Countess Helga Hufflepuff was given her share because she was one of the founding members of Hogwarts, just like Late Princess Rowena of Ravenclaw (ancient name of Azkaban, Ravenclaw I mean) and Late Sir Salazar Slytherin. Mr. Potter will be owner of 75% of the castle and all its grounds, including the Forest, when he takes his Inheritance. The claim of Slytherin was abolished by Duke Godric Gryffindor the 1st after Slytherin left the castle, a broken and lost man. Thus making Countess of Hufflepuff and Princess of Ravenclaw the owner of 25% of the castle, each, earlier it was 17%" explained the ancient-faced-modern-goblin to her.
She did notice how much he mentioned the complete titles and all. "Fascinating" she thought.
"So, I don't own it completely and stuff?" after seeing his nod, Isabella continued, "I see. But, I don't understand the Navarre stuff. Last I checked, it was an extinct nation or was included in Spain or something."
"I see that you are aware of some of the European History even after living in America all your life." Seeing her blush, Barchoke laughed and continued, "But that's true only for the mundane world and not Wizarding, the inclusion of Navarre in Spain part I mean.
Kingdom of Navarre, as it's called now, is a number of islands situated in the Bay of Biscay.
It was geographically separated from Spain's southern land in 300 BC by Navarrese Mages on the command of the King of Navarre, after the 2nd Magus War as a punishment to the Spanish Monarchs for witch-burnings that almost made the Navarrese and Spanish witch population to go below 10%.
Chartered Community of Navarre is a part of Spain, the muggle version of Navarre, but, Kingdom of Navarre is a completely magical nation surrounded by waters on all sides; though there are a few villages for those muggles who happen to be blood relatives of the citizens of the Kingdom.
It's like Caer Azkaban but just the people are all respectable ones and not dark; like that of Azkabanians."
She was shell shocked! She had her own nation to rule! WOW yet horrifying!
"But you won't be able to just start ruling over the nation, as you still have to take your OWLs to do that. It's the law of Navarre, made 800 years ago by Queen Celeste, that to rule the nation, the King or Queen has to at least pass 5 OWL level subjects." explained Barchoke.
Her face fell. "Who knows if I'm even gonna be here for next years." She thought to herself, sarcastically.
Seeing her fallen face, Barchoke tried to cheer her up by telling her the next bit, "But you'll be able to grant other people noble titles and awards and also be able to demote anyone from any post in the Government or promote 'em and do all the other stuff that a Crown Princess has the right to do. You'll be the highest ranking living being in all of Navarre."
Her face lightened up. "It'll be soooo much awesome. It was all like 'Princess Diaries'!" she thought to herself.
"So, would you like to claim your titles now?" asked Barchoke to the again-happy young queen.
"I would've liked to claim them all today, if it had been possible. But as you see, I'm a minor. I don't think it will be possible, right?" She asked the goblin curiously and a bit worried as Barchoke was grinning at her.
"Of course you can! If you had any adult relative with the last name 'Peverell' or 'Eaglebeak' or 'Hufflepuff' or 'Bourbon', then you'd have been made to wait till the age of majority to claim your titles. But as it's not the case here, you can claim them all, like, NOW." explained Barchoke with humor in his eyes and being just a bit more loud at the last word. She seriously, for a sec, thought that he was paranoid, acting all that childish; even though she liked it.
He got up and went to his desk. After retrieving three wooden boxes from atop his desk, which looked very simple with just the crests of her (HER!) houses on 'em, he came back and sat down on his previously vacated armchair, after keeping the boxes on the table in front of her.
She picked one, Peverell, she thought as it had a crest in which a thestral's wings were open (which she noted in her mind, was exactly similar to the ones from the movies, just more healthy and not all boney) with a shield on its back which had a wand and a sword crossed on it. "What are these?" She asked the goblin while studying the boxes. Secretly thinking that it was all going like the Super!Powerful!Noble!Harry stories.
"These are the Headship Rings of all your houses. They appeared on my desk just after you fainted." Barchoke told her.
"THERE!" she thought to herself. "JUST LIKE THOSE STORIES!"
"Is this the Peverell one?" she asked him, holding up the one she was studying. "Yes. I see your magic recognizes your Family Crests. Interesting." told her the goblin.
After taking his permission, which Barchoke laughingly told her that she didn't need as it was her own property and he was just a mere protector of it, she opened the Peverell Ring Box –as she was told that it was called- she found a very, rich (for the lack of any word), ring in it. It was plain mythril band (as Barchoke told her the metal was) that had a diamond in a circle of gold surrounded by small black diamonds on it (very rare, as again, Barchoke told her). She found it beautiful.
On Barchoke's nod, she wore it on her right middle finger, where it resized itself to fit properly after flashing a brilliant white color.
She picked up the other box which had a simple crest of an eagle, whose back was turned, with open wings and a shield on its back. There was an open book on the shield with 'Knowledge is Power' written on its top in English and in 6 more different languages below it; it was completed with 7 gold stars in a row below the book. She opened it to find a ring made up of platinum with 3 small diamonds surrounding a pearl.
She wore it on the same finger as the previous ring. The ring flashed a grey color and resized to fit her.
Then she picked up the third box which had the crest of Hufflepuff-Bourbon that was made up of a Crown-wearing-Badger with a Crown-Wearing-Ryuda around its shoulders (The Japanese Snake-Dragon); the badger was holding a shield in its paws that had a wand passing through the meeting-point of two crossed daggers on it.
Upon opening it, she found a beautiful ring that practically screamed richness. It was made up of mythril band that was studded with small rubies on its circumference. It had a huge diamond on top surrounded by small sapphires. She wore it and it also resized on her middle finger after flashing a brilliant golden light.
All the rings merged together and only one ring, the Hufflepuff-Bourbon Ring was able to be seen.
"Aha! The Family Magic of all your Houses has accepted you as their Head of House. Congratulations. You are thus, The Queen of Navarre from now on, though you'll have to wait just till your OWL results to come to get all of the power that the title holds. But let me be the first being to congratulate you, Your Majesty on acclaiming of your titles. Long live the Queen." explained Barchoke happily after kissing her ring and bowing deeply. "Now, you might be worried that the rings might fall off or get stolen or something." Upon seeing her nod, he told her, "But it won't. As all the Headship Rings are charmed by their Family Magic to never get stolen, fallen, loosen or destroyed because of climatic conditions."
"Thanks and that's some good kind of magic. I would've really been very sad if these rings had gone missing" Isabella exclaimed, surprised to know that all this Family Magic stuff was real, well as real as this all could get.
"And I just have one last bit of work from you before you leave off, well two if I would be honest." requested Barchoke, "I just want your signatures on these papers. They say that you are the Legal Head of all your Houses and thus the rightful Queen of Navarre. And ya! Your titles are both – muggle and magical, well, except the Navarre one, as according to muggles, it does not exist." He said before he winked at her.
After signing the papers, which Isabella was compelled by a strange-power-that-is-unknown-to-her-that-also-made-her-say-all-those-things-earlier to sign with all her titles; Barchoke gave her a gold colored card of sorts and told her, "This, Isabella, is the Royals' Card. Each Royal wizard and witch has one, even the heirs of the royals has these. It works exactly like a muggle debit card. You'll be able to remove any amount of money from it, which will come directly from your vaults. And of course, Gringotts gets a little commission of 5 Galleons a month for its possession."
After taking the card, Isabella asked the old goblin, "Barchoke, my properties. I barely know where they are or how to get to 'em? And who are the secret keepers of those that are under the Fidelius Charm?"
Understanding dawning on his face, Barchoke explained to the newly acclaimed Queen, "My apologies. I forgot about that tidbit. As you are the Head of House, you are the current secret keeper of all the properties that you own, which are under Fidelius. And your rings will act as portkey for you if you want to go to 'em. Just say the name of the property you wish to go while holding your ring hand to your heart. You'll be standing on the porch of the property the next instant, or near it in some cases."
"Oh! But isn't it illegal to use non-ministry-approved portkeys?" asked the girl curiously.
Seeing the girl was intelligent enough to know the laws of the nation, Barchoke answered her, well, after laughing like hell that is, "Definitely yes but all the portkeys belonging to The Queen of a Nation are legal, of course. So you won't get caught if you used your rings as one. And anyway, you are the supreme head of your nation, how could they put you in jail? And unlike British Wizarding Public, those of Navarre care and love their royal family a lot.
The portkeys will be automatically updated to include any new property that you buy or are gifted with."
With that, Isabella thanked the goblin and left the building, just after inviting the goblin and his family to have dinner with her tomorrow, if he was available to that is, in the Hufflepuff-Bourbon Palace, where she thought to pay a visit first. The goblin was surprised that a witch, a Queen of a Nation at that, would want to invite him at dinner, a goblin and with his family too! He quickly accepted the Royal Invitation after telling her that his family contained only 2 people, he himself and his wife, who'd be pleased to have dinner with her.
Upon entering the Alley, again, she took in the view from standing at the steps of Gringotts.
She thought it must have been hours since she entered the Bank as it was almost evening now even though there were buyers hurrying about the alley for buying school stuff or anything else.
Witches and wizards with either parents or friends were running about the alley and having fun. Some wizards had their Hogwarts Letter in their hands and were quite pleasantly showing it off to anyone who'd see. She smiled, everyone loved that letter.
At that time she remembered that she also had a letter, Hogwarts' letter to be specific, addressed to her.
She immediately opened her purse and retrieved it. She was amazed to see that it was addressed to 'Queen Isabella Mary the 1st of Houses Peverell, Eaglebeak and Hufflepuff-Bourbon' along with her titles.
She opened it and read,
"
Dear Miss Isabella,
I am pleased to inform you that your request to be transferred to Hogwarts has been accepted.
I think you will be fit, as your age, for the coming fourth year at Hogwarts.
Please come and meet me after the Starting Feast to discuss regarding your electives.
You may find the list of books, along with the electives, enclosed in the other parchment.
Her Grace,
Archduchess Minerva McGonagall
Archduchess of Ross
Countess of Mac's Den
Head of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Clan of Ross and the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"
She was soooooooooo happy. Isabella 'too-many-names-to-remember-except-Hufflepuff-and-Peverell' was extremely happy!
Here was her REAL HOGWARTS LETTER!
Though the name wasn't hers but still it was for 'her'!
She, like many other potterheads, had her photoshoped copy of Hogwarts letter, but, this was different. This was real!
After a complete 5 minutes of her happy-time, she went on to explore the alley.
She first went to a counter where a boy was selling newspapers. She bought a copy of all that he had, which at the time were – Daily Prophet, The Quibbler, Witch Weekly and The Phoenix Times.
She immediately opened the Prophet and was almost in tears to see the moving pictures!
It was just an awe-inspiring moment for a potterhead like her, to experience this all.
She was feeling sad and pity for all the other potterheads who were not able to experience it. She thought of writing a story about her adventures as a self-insert fic and posting it on or any other site, even Facebook, if nothing else was available; that was if she were able to get out of this universe, even though she didn't want to.
She thought briefly about if Rowling existed or if all the fanfics that she'd read, were there on the various sites from which she read 'em or even if some of those sites like the ' ' even existed. She thought to check it later when she can even if she knew that it wasn't possible for them to exist.
Going back to shopping in Diagon Alley (which she hadn't got over being shocked to see everything was actually there, like Quality Quidditch Supplies!); she first went to the Apothecary and bought 2 scoops of each ingredient and all the materials needed for a potions lab though she knew that at least one of her properties might have a potions lab. The owner, like the newspaper-guy looked at her curiously but didn't say a thing after she told him that she was making a personal potions lab.
She next went to Madam Malkin's and signed her to make a complete wardrobe, dress robes I mean, not the actual place where she'd store 'em.
She tried a few and could not get the feeling of being in the HP Movies out of her mind. Every time she wore a dress robe, she thought of trying to walk like Snape, making her robe to billow while walking and all. She also bought a few clothes for temporary use. All of which were of the upper-higher/royal-class. Madam Malkin was curious to know about her but didn't ask a thing after Isabella told her that she had just inherited a fortune from her parents which she didn't know about a few hours ago.
Madam Malkin felt bad for the girl and so gifted a new type of dress to her that she had made after being inspired by an American Designer. It was a very beautiful dress, a copy of Vera Vang but not a wedding gown.
Next she went to 'Simpsons Magic Makers: Jewelry and Furniture' which she knew wasn't mentioned in canon. There she bought a semi-sentient watch for her that also showed the date and worked as a reminder and an alarm. She liked the alarm part too much. There would be a women's voice which would first speak very fondly, "Wake up dear, it's time to get up". Then after 3 minutes, it will yell like a she-banshee/Molly Weasley to wake up the person it was owned by. It almost seemed to her like Siri, almost.
She also bought a trunk for her from the same shop. It was a multi-dimensional trunk (Oh how she loved it when the shopkeeper told her that he had those!).
But all her hopes were lost when she came to know that the trunk was nothing like the one from 'Harry Potter and the Manipulator of Destiny'. This one was just something that could store many things at a time. Almost like Hermione's Bottomless Bag, again, almost.
She then went in Flourish and Blotts. She bought all the books from year 1 to 7 that were needed in Hogwarts for all the subjects. The shopkeeper did ask her about her weird shopping; to which she answered that she was going to make a new library for which she needed 'em.
She thought if any of her properties had a library. She believed they might, as all of the families were at least Most Ancient ones and Navarre's a big nation, why won't it have a library then?
She next went to the Owl Emporium. There was a lot of noise in the shop, coming from many animals, even at this time of the day.
She bought a beautiful black kneazle that was staring at her with those beautiful blue eyes. She named her Rowena. She bought all the necessary supplies needed to take care of a kneazle and went for her next shop exploring.
The reason she bought the black kneazle was because the shopkeeper had told her not to go near "that one" as she's said it doesn't like people and had actually ran away from all the previous owners' homes. And that the kneazle was unique kind of kneazle because it was from an old line of kneazles that had either worked in Wars or had been Familiars of powerful people, many a times even Royalties. The shopkeeper also said that she wasn't exactly sure what breed/type of kneazle it was, as it surely wasn't a normal kneazle.
Isabella had chuckled when he had said the kneazle won't go near her because it was actually looking for a Pureblood Royal.
Then the kneazle, now named Rowena, had shocked everyone when she had "apparated" out of her enclosure and started licking Isabella's toes and then purring.
Isabella had bought it thus.
It was 7 in the evening but Ollivander's was still open. She wanted to buy herself a holster and see if her wand really was the same from Pottermore.
After a few minutes of studying the wand, Garrick Ollivander said, "I must say, young lady, that this wand is one of the very best kinds. I have never seen a wand like this one for many years. Though I believe that a phoenix feather core would've been nice for the alder wood but I clearly see that this wand is in complete devotion to you. You are very lucky to have this wand miss. May I ask where you got it?"
"I... uh… um…" Isabella was unable to say anything. What to tell him? I got it on Pottermore and a strange-unknown-power-to-me gave it to me?
But it seemed like Ollivander did not listen her stuttering, as he said, "Alder Wood and Thestral Tail hair core. Is it a family heirloom? I remember a certain Peverell having a similar wand, no, exactly same wand. Who are you, miss? Your name I mean?"
"Oh! I'm sorry to not introduce myself. I am Isabella Mary Peverell" answered Isabella, trying to keep the fact that she's a Queen quiet for the moment.
The look on Ollivander's face immediately changed from that of curiosity to shock.
"Ah! It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Grace! Why didn't you tell me your name earlier?" choked Ollivander.
"Sorry, I was just overwhelmed with Diagon Alley. It's my first time here you see." Isabella explained, relieved to see that he didn't know about any other titles of her than that of being the Duchess of Hogsmeade. At that very moment, Rowena climbed up the desk in front of where Ollivander was standing and rubbed her mouth against her hand, almost like telling her to leave the place.
"I used to live in USA before coming here. By the way, how did you know that I was a noble, and a duchess at that?" she asked him curious about how he knew it. Did the whole of Diagon Alley know? No, then all of the shopkeepers might've asked.
"Everybody knows, or at least that's what is expected of every British Wizard and Witch; to know about the Noble Families that is" answered Ollivander. At her nod, he continued, "Then, your wand just told it completely. As the only 11 year old to have not bought a wand but had hand crafted one in the year of 1910 was a Peverell, whose wand you are currently holding."
"So this was a wand of a Peverell, who hand crafted it! I see" thought Isabella to herself.
"Oh! I see. That's nice, right? I mean it's not every day one comes to know that they are related to a wand-maker, one who made a great wand at the age of 11?" she asked him half-rhetorically and half-jokingly.
After that she took two holsters, one as an extra, and left the shop.
After getting out of the shop she realized that it was night; Rowena, like her name, was a very smart cat; and that she didn't even get the copy of her Blood Test Result. She thought to talk to Barchoke about it tomorrow.
When she was about to portkey away, she realized that she'd need some books to understand about Navarre, its culture and stuff.
She remembered a story in which Hermione buys this book about the ways of the Wizarding Nobles to help teach Harry all the 'manners'. Thinking that she might find a book, she took off to Flourish and Blotts, again.
She asked the man if he had any book on Wizarding etiquettes and history.
He showed her the section of the shop that contained those books, after giving her another curious yet happy-for-more-sale look.
She got 22 books, written by different people of varying blood status and in some cases, species.
She loved to collect and read books, who doesn't?
The books were something like this-
1) 'Ancients' by His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Adityaraj the 1st, Emperor of The Continent of Verbenia – Verbenian Imperial Pureblood Wizard
2) 'Modern Magical Monarchs' by Her Majesty, Queen Shramana of the Verbenian Sub-Nation of Westeros – Verbenian Royal Pureblood Witch
3) 'The Continent of Verbenia – A History' by Her Imperial Highness, Grand Princess V, Grand Princess of the Continent of Verbenia, Queen of the Verbenian Sub-Nation – The Queendom of Maata – Verbenian Imperial Pureblood Witch
4) 'Pretty Little Europeans' by Lord Navneeth Ravikumar – Navarrese Noble Pureblood Wizard
5) '100 Best Signature Styles' by Sir Sabaj Khan – Indian Pureblood Wizard
6) 'Imperial and Royal Nations Of Present Magical World' by Sir Mohsin Kamal – Indian Pureblood Wizard
7) '100 Days In Magical Europe' by Lady Rose Potter – British Noble Pureblood Witch
8) 'Purebloods And Their Ways' by Madame Sam Owen - British Muggleborn Witch
9) '100 Ways To Be A Proper European Witch' by HG, Archduchess Tine Ginerva Potter – British Noble Pureblood Witch
10) 'Animagus: Find Your Inner Animal' by HG, Archduchess Minerva McGonagall – British Noble Halfblood Witch
11) 'The Noble Families' by Lord Barchoke of Clan Bigears – British Noble Pureblood Goblin Male
12) 'History of Witches' by Lady Henrica Hobson – Swedish Noble Pure-Veela Female
13) 'Werewolves Through The Ages' by Sir Remus Lupin – British Lycanthropic Pureblood Wizard
14) 'The Old Ways' by Madam Ruth Yang-Black – Azkabanian Pureblood Witch
15) 'Difficult Life of Helena Ravenclaw' by Geneviève De Medici – French Muggleborn Witch
16) 'Witches in Wonderland' by HSM, Queen Shramana of the Verbenian Sub-Nation of Westeros – Verbenian Royal Pureblood Witch
17) 'Land of Ladies' by Lady Rebekah Mikaelson – Navarrese Noble Pure-Vampire Female
18) '100 Witches That Changed The World' by Lord Laine Woolcock – British Noble Halfblood Wizard
19) 'Werewolf Diaries: Hogwarts Life' by Sir Remus Lupin – British Lycanthropic Pureblood Wizard
20) 'Werewolf Diaries: British Magical War' by Sir Remus Lupin – British Lycanthropic Pureblood Wizard
21) 'Navarre: A Royal History' by Lady Samantha Fromm – Navarrese Noble Halfblood Witch
22) '1000 Difficult Charms' by Filius Flitwick – British Half-Goblin Wizard
She was surprised to see some familiar names of canon/fanfiction characters like Minerva McGonagall, Henrica Hobson and Remus Lupin.
She remembered reading Henrica's name in Harry Crow. She was surprised to see Minerva's and Remus' name. She didn't know if JK ever told or wrote if any of the character authored a book, well, except that of Skeeter or even if Remus was a halfblood or not.
She thought she'd at least be able to meet one or two authors from all the books she'd bought so far.
With that she brought her right hand to her left breast and said, very softly and clearly, "Hufflepuff-Bourbon Palace" and in an instant she was gone with portkey magic.
End of Chapter
A/N: How was it? I hoped you all liked it? Thanks to all those who took the time to review it, it was an immense help.
BTW Thanks for reading and reviewing (If you haven't reviewed, do so! You get a chance to say what you feel like, about the story and what was your experience reading it, so, why to lose it? Huh?).
And ya! Did I tell you that this is gonna be a LOooNnnGgg story if I have anything to do with it?
EeHheheahaha *evil laugh*
Again, bye. Cya later alligators have a nice day/night.