A Tale of Covert Magical Reconnaissance Chapter 4
"Words" Normal Speech
Words Telepathy
Words Thoughts
Chapter 4
Earth - Diagon Alley
August 11, 1991
12:30 PM
Nanoha was impressed; Diagon Alley was amazing. What was just moments ago, a normal brick wall, was now an entrance into a bustling shopping district. Buildings towered on either side, although some were defying the laws of physics and were seemingly held up by nothing. The narrow alley was crowded with people wearing robes, mostly black, of various styles. There were even a few people wearing pointed witch's hats!
Professor Sinistra allowed the group a few moments to take in Diagon Alley for the first time before ushering them along. Nanoha, Fate and Lindy ended up at the back of the group as they made their way through the alley. Soon, the group came upon an imposing white multistoried marble building. It towered over the neighbouring shops and it seemed like the alley split around it like a boulder would split a river. The group stopped just short of the main silver doors near the twin columns supporting the upper balcony. Engraved on the main doors was the inscription:
Enter, stranger, but take heed
Of what awaits the sin of greed
For those who take, but do not earn,
Must pay dearly in their turn.
So if you seek beneath our floors
A treasure that was never yours,
Thief, you have been warned, beware
Of finding more than treasure there.[1]
Nanoha looked to Fate and Lindy, and was about to point out the inscription when she was interrupted by Professor Sinistra.
"Welcome everyone, to Gringrotts Bank!" Professor Sinistra announced. "Here is where we will be exchanging funds. This is also the location where we will meet if anyone gets lost. Now I recommend receiving at least 80 galleons. That will get you all your required supplies and some pocket money. If you want a pet to accompany you to Hogwarts, some extra books or other trinkets, I recommend getting 100 galleons. And remember! Goblins run the bank, so please try to avoid staring."
With that, she turned and entered the bank. Nanoha and Fate exchanged a glance at the mention of goblins, but nevertheless continued towards the bank with the others.
The inside of the bank was just as majestic as the exterior. Giant chandeliers hung from the high ceilings in the middle of the hall. While the torches that lined the hall provided the majority of the light, there was still some natural light coming in through the giant oval windows on the upper section of the walls. Long counters on each side stretched along the length of the hall, with numerous goblins behind them. Behind the counters were doors leading to unknown locations. At each door, two security personnel could be seen guarding them. Even though they had been warned not to stare, most of the children couldn't help themselves. They looked more professional than Nanoha expected.
Professor Sinistra approached the first free goblin with her charges trailing behind her. She cleared her throat before addressing the goblin, who still hadn't looked up from his desk.
"I have the new muggleborn students with me. They wish to exchange muggle money for wizarding money." She said clearly.
The goblin looked up from his work and ran his eyes over the group in front of him. "Very well. I am Blordak. The current exchange rate is one galleon per £4.93. How many galleons do you wish to purchase?"
The group looked around at each other, hoping that someone else would go first. After a few moments, Lindy stepped forward. "I'd like to purchase 50 galleons please."
"That will be two hundred and forty-six pounds and fifty cents." the goblin responded slowly. Lindy nodded and brought out her credit card to pay. Just as she was about to hand it to him, he spoke again. "Cash only."
Lindy frowned, but put the card away and pulled out some cash. She quickly counted up two hundred and fifty pounds and handed it over to the goblin. Blordak recounted the money before depositing it in the desk. He then counted 50 galleons and pushed the pile towards Lindy, who then dumped them into her purse with a grimace. Finally, Blordak pushed Lindy's change towards her and then turned to his attention to the next customer.
Obviously, the other parents had been warned to bring a large amount of cash, as they had counted and taken bills out as Lindy was purchasing her galleons. Nanoha and Fate stuck close to Lindy as the other families purchased their galleons, but paid close attention to how the goblins did business. The goblins seemed to have an infinite number of galleons at their desk, as Blordak didn't have to get more galleons even as both the Grangers and Finch-Fletchley purchased 100 each. They also eavesdropped, quite obviously from the dirty looks they were getting from Justin, on the Finch-Fletchleys as they spoke to Professor Sinistra about opening a vault. Unfortunately, they didn't hear anything useful, as Professor Sinistra told them to ask her at the end of the day. Apparently opening a vault was quite a lengthy affair.
Soon enough, the group was out of Gringrotts and headed to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Since Nanoha and Fate weren't getting measured, they spent their time looking at the different materials in the shop. Most of the robes appeared to made from silk, cotton or wool but there were some materials that Nanoha didn't recognize. While the girls explored the store, Lindy made small talk with the children's parents.
Once they had all been measured, and paid for the robes and gloves, the group left for Ollivanders. The children skipped excitedly behind Sinistra, talking rapidly to each other. Nanoha and Fate didn't even have to pretend to be excited – they were genuinely excited to get wands. While it was still uncertain if Fate and Nanoha would be attending Hogwarts, Professor Sinistra had explained that they'd need wands regardless of where they ended up.
Ollivanders was a tall but narrow shop. While the lower third of the building was well kept, and the dark green and gold sign was welcoming, the upper half of the shop was worse for wear. Despite this, the group entered the shop without hesitation. The inside of wand shop was homey, but messy and small. Madam Malkin's and Gringrotts had no trouble accommodating the group of twelve, but here they had to squish in here. The five children were at the front with Professor Sinistra and the adults found space wherever the could near the windows. Everyone was quietly taking in the interior, almost afraid to break the almost stifling silence. The shop keeper appeared from behind one of the many shelves and approached the group. He was an old man with silver eyes, white hair and violet robes, but he moved gracefully through the shop.
"Mr. Ollivander. Here are the new muggleborn students bound for Hogwarts this year." Sinistra broke the silence a smile, and presented the children with her hand.
"Ahh yes. That time of the year then?" Mr. Ollivander responded. "Well then, let's get started. Who would like to go first?"
All the children immediately raised their hands. With a smile, Ollivander pointed at one randomly and said, "you first then. Step forward and tell me your name."
He had pointed at Nanoha, who immediately stepped forward and responded, "Nanoha Takamachi, sir."
"Well, Ms. Takamachi, which is your wand arm?"
Nanoha frowned, was he talking about her dominant hand? "Well I write with my left hand."
"That will do. Now hold out your arm." She did, and a tape measurer began to gather her measurements by itself. She had seen it happen to Hermione in Madam Malkins, but it was still weird to have it happen to her. As the tape measurer took her measurements, Mr. Ollivander began to talk. "Every Ollivander wand has a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with another wizard's wand [1]. The wand chooses the wizard after all."
Mr. Ollivander turned and began search among the shelves of wands. The group watched him with interest, though Nanoha was a bit distracted by the measuring tape measuring the distance between her eyes.
"Right then, Ms. Takamachi. Yew and unicorn hair, eleven inches. Very flexible." He said, bringing the wand towards her. The tape measurer abruptly stopped its actions and dropped to the floor in a heap. She took the wand and looked at it expectantly. Nothing happened. "Well don't just stand there, give it a wave!"
Immediately after she began to wave it, half a dozen wand case burst off the shelf.
"Definitely not!" Ollivander exclaimed as he snatched the wand out of her hand. He returned to the shelves, muttering to himself and not bothering to pick up the fallen wands.
And so, Ollivander spent the next fifteen minutes attempting to find a wand suited for Nanoha. She tried wand after wand, and more often than not, Ollivander would snatch it out of her hands before she was able to give it a wave. Still, the store was a complete mess now. A glass on the counter had been shattered. The front window cracked twice, and discreetly repaired by Professor Sinistra. All the while, Mr. Ollivander continued is muttering, apparently seeing things no one else could see as he handed wand after wand to Nanoha.
Eventually he went far into the back of the store and returned minutes later hold a plain white box. He opened it, and carefully handed the wand to Nanoha. "Cherry and dragon heartstring. Twelve and quarter inches. Very rigid."
Eying him doubtfully, Nanoha gave the wand a quick wave and braced herself for something to explode. Instead, a stream of pink sparks shot from the end and light up the room like fireworks. She could feel heat coming from the wand and before Mr. Ollivander could say anything, she knew she had found her wand.
"Aha!" Ollivander cheered. "Excellent, excellent! We can expect great things from you!"
Nanoha looked up from her wand, "what do you mean?"
"Cherry is known as a very powerful wand wood; very good a conducting magic you see. And combined with a dragon heartstring core! You must be very powerful indeed, with exceptional self-control."
Fate snickered quietly behind her, but Nanoha ignored her. While her friends liked to joke about her tendency to overkill at times, she knew that they all understood the control and focus required to cast spells like Starlight Breaker. It seemed like the wand would be a good match for her.
Nanoha stepped back towards Lindy, and Mr. Ollivander motioned for Fate to step up. Fate lifted her right hand, anticipating what Mr. Ollivander was about to ask. The tape measurer lifted itself from the floor as the shop keeper looked through his wands.
Fate, it seems, was just as difficult a customer as Nanoha was. She went through wand after wand, adding to the already messy store. Mr. Ollivander didn't seem concerned about the difficulty, in fact he seemed to be enjoying the challenge. Eventually, he brought a wand down from the very top of the middle shelf.
"Ebony with dragon heartstring. Ten and half inches. Unyielding." He stated as he handed the wand over. Fate immediately felt the heat from the wand. As she waved it through the air, yellow sparks trailed behind. "Oh, bravo! You are very much like your friend here I see. Not someone who will be swayed easily from their chosen path. This wand will definitely help you complete your goals."
She stepped back, staring at her wand, to allow Hermione to find her wand. Fate smiled as Nanoha grabbed her hand, and then looked up at Lindy when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Lindy quietly paid Mr. Ollivander fourteen galleons for the wands then led Fate and Nanoha out of the crowded store.
Excellent work you two, Lindy sent as she leaned on the store front. We'll discuss the wands first thing when we get back to the… hotel.
The girls nodded, then returned to examining their wands. Nanoha's was light pink and straight. There was a knot about a hand length from the larger end, indicating the handle area. It was sleek and simple. Fate's on the other hand was a deep black. The wand had a slight curve, and the handle area was engraved with some sort of swirling design. Just as Mr. Ollivander had said, both wands were difficult to bend.
By the time they had finished examining their wands, Hermione and her parents had joined them outside. Like Nanoha and Fate, Hermione was thoroughly examining her wand with a small smile on her face. They made light conversation as they waited for the boys to get their wand. A short time later, Dean Thomas emerged from the shop, the last to get a wand, and the group was off to their next stop.
They went to Scribbulus Writing Instruments to get their quills, parchment and ink – although Nanoha and Fate decided against buying anything. After that, they took a short break at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Then finally, after visiting Wiscreacre's Wizarding Equipment and Potage's Cauldron Shop, they made it to Flourish and Blotts.
"This is Flourish and Blotts, the most popular bookstore in Diagon Alley," Professor Sinistra explained as she entered the store. "You should be able to go to the front and ask for the first-year books. Mr. Stolyn prepares the book packages ahead of time. If you want some extra reading material, I suggest Hogwarts: A History by Bathilda Bagshot and Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century by Ajax Samorn."
Professor Sinistra turned to Lindy, Fate and Nanoha while the others approached the front desk. "I wouldn't get the first-year books before you know where you will be attending. Feel free to browse the aisles for anything of interest. In addition to the extra books I already mentioned, Modern Magical History is very informative and An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe is a good source of information about the magical schooling system here."
Lindy thanked her, then headed down the middle aisle. Fate quietly headed down the left aisle while Nanoha took the one on the right. While the couldn't pick up the first-year textbooks yet, Lindy did manage to find all the recommended books. Fate and Nanoha also found some interesting books. Turns out Fate wandered down the Magical Law aisle. Looking at the large selection of books, she decided on Extraordinary Trails in History and the Legislative Guide to the Proper Use of Magic. Nanoha ended up down the self-help aisle. She picked out The Healer's Helpmate and Where There's a Wand, There's a Way.
The group eventually left Flourish and Blotts, although Hermione had to be dragged by her father, and headed to their final destination: Magical Menagerie. Sinistra stopped the group to address them before entering the shop.
"This is Maginal Menagerie, one of the more popular pet shops in Diagon Alley. They sell many types of pets including owls, rats, puffskeins, toads and cats. From your letters, you should know that Hogwarts allows students to bring either an owl, toad or cat as pet to Hogwarts. Personally, I recommend an owl since they're the main method of communicating by letters. Of course, should you decide on a different animal, or no animal, Hogwarts has owls that students can use to send mail. Should you wish for a greater selection of owls, Eeylops Owl Emporium is just down the street."
With that, Sinistra led the group into the small store. Once inside, all Nanoha could see was cages. Every inch of wall was covered by cages, filled with strange and exotic. Out of all the animals there, Nanoha thought she could identify maybe three species. Looking to the muggleborns, she could see that they were similarly overwhelmed. Keeping her eyes on the cages, Nanoha contacted Lindy and Fate.
Who knew such animals existed on Earth without anybody noticing!
They must go to extreme length to keep them secret. Lindy remarked as she continued to scan the walls. Fate only nodded.
It didn't take long for the group to finish in the shop. The Grangers and Thomas' decided against purchasing a pet, and the Finch-Fletchley's left to purchase an owl from the emporium. Nanoha finally left after a sharp tug from Fate drew her away from the Puffskeins. She looked at them longingly as she exited the store.
They waited for a few minutes for the Finch-Fletchley's to return from the emporium, before Sinistra began speaking again.
"Excellent, excellent! Looks like everyone has gotten their supplies!" She paused briefly as the muggleborns nodded. "A very successful shopping trip, if I do say so myself. I'll led you back to the Leaky Cauldron and show you the wand sequence to open the entrance to the alley. After that, you're free to leave, or explore some more. I do recommend avoiding Knockturn Alley, north of here. It's not the friendliest place for newcomers to the Wizarding world. I'll be staying in the Leaky Cauldron for a while and I encourage you to come to me with any questions. Also remember that magic is not allowed to be used outside of Hogwarts, so please refrain from testing any spells on your own when you get home."
It didn't take long to return to the pub as Diagon Alley had emptied considerably as they shopped. The Thomas' and Finch-Fletchley's departed quickly after quietly thanking Sinistra, while the Grangers opted to explore the shops near the pub more. Lindy, Fate and Nanoha lingered near Sinistra as she said goodbye. After the muggleborns dispersed, Sinistra turned to the agents.
"I hope you enjoyed they day?" She asked, smiling.
Nanoha beat Lindy, who had opened her mouth, to respond. "It was amazing! Who knew all this existed, hidden from view!"
"I agree, it was a very eye-opening experience." Lindy added, looking down at Nanoha with a fond smile. She turned her head back to Sinistra and asked, "So what's our next step?"
"Nothing more today. You all look a little overwhelmed, so it will probably be best if you return to where you are staying and talk about all that happened. Usually muggleborns get a few weeks to adjust to the fact that they're magical before being introduced to the magical world. Besides, I need to contact Headmaster Dumbledore about your unique circumstances."
"That sounds like an excellent plan. Here – let me give you our hotel name, number and room number so that you can contact us with further information. We'll stick around until we hear more." Lindy said as she ruffled through her bag to find a pen and paper.
"Thank you." Sinistra said as she took the information from Lindy. "However, we usually send messages with owls. You can expect a message in about 4 days." Sinistra paused briefly before continuing. "Does your room have a balcony or a window that opens?"
"Yes, fortunately." Lindy replied. "Is there anything that we should prepare for?"
"No, everything can be discussed later. Just go to your hotel, relax and maybe read some of your new books?" Sinistra suggested.
"I'm sure that will be the first thing these two troublemakers will do." Lindy said while ruffling Nanoha and Fate's hair. Lindy continued as the two glared up at her as they readjusted their hair, "Let's head back to the hotel now then, it's been an exciting day."
"It was nice to meet you. Hopefully I'll see those two at Hogwarts!" Sinistra said before the trio left.
Earth – Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts
August 11, 1991
Evening
"What an interesting encounter, Aurora." Dumbledore mused as Aurora Sinistra finished recalling her unusual day.
"Very. I don't think I've ever heard of muggleborns without knowledge of the magical accidentally stumbling into the Leaky Cauldron before!" Aurora exclaimed. "Don't the ministries generally track any muggleborn that has done any sort of magic?"
"Yes, that is correct. You said they were visiting from Japan?" Aurora nodded at Dumbledore's question. "Then they should've started at Mahoutokoro by now. While not unheard of to miss a muggleborn student, it is extremely rare. Although there were those odd magical incidents a few years ago that might have interfered…"
"Sir?" Aurora asked after Dumbledore had been silent for a few moments.
"Sorry Aurora, just lost in my thoughts. It's a very peculiar situation. However, I would like to speak to Lindy Harlaown myself about the future of her daughter's education. Do you know if it would be possible for Nanoha Takamachi's parents to be present as well?"
"I don't know, sorry." Aurora responded with a shake of her head. "Mrs. Harlaown only said that she was taking her daughter and friend on vacation. I assumed that Ms. Takamachi's parents are in Japan at the moment."
"I see. We don't have time to apply for an intercontinental portkey. Perhaps Mrs. Harlaown will be able to speak with them." Dumbledore paused as he thought. "Aurora, please write a message to Ms. Harlaown to inform to meet me in the Leaky Cauldron at noon on August 16 with Fate and Nanoha. I will write to Mahoutokoro to see if they accept late students."
"Very well." Aurora responded before leaving the office.
Albus waited until Aurora left before spinning his chair to face the sleeping portraits on the well. I believe this will be an interesting year.
Earth – The Leaky Cauldron
August 16, 1991
Noon
When Lindy walked into The Leaky Cauldron with Nanoha and Fate for the second time, it looked very much the same as before. She noticed that the pub was busier than before as she scanned the crowd for their contact. It only took a few moments for her to located the elderly man beckoning them over to his table.
"You must be Lindy Harlaown." He said as they approached the table. As he reached to shake her hand, he continued, "I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine." Lindy responded. "This is my daughter Fate, and her best friend Nanoha. It seems like they're more special than I believed."
Dumbledore chuckled softly before gesturing to the empty seats. "Please take a seat. We have much to talk about this afternoon."
"That we do. Where do we even begin?"
"It's best to start with your options. As you can imagine, this is a very unique situation." Dumbledore began.
"It usually is with these girls." Lindy interrupted with a smile. Nanoha and Fate could only pout.
"I can see that," Dumbledore continued. "To help you understand the situation, I'll give you some background on the magical community and its education system. Like the non-magical world, the magical community is governed by local ministries of magic. The Ministry of Magic dictates and enforces our laws, safety standards, education standards, and of course, the day-to-day running of a government. Part of those responsibilities is finding muggleborn witches and wizards within their border. When they find these witches and wizards, who are almost always young children, they inform the local school. We then contact those students to help transition them into the magical world."
"Do muggleborn wizards always have to integrate into the magical world?" Lindy asked, paying close attention to the information that Dumbledore was giving them.
"It's not mandatory, but highly encouraged. While parents do not have to send their children to a magical school, they must have a basic understanding of their magic. Our most important law, the International Statue of Wizarding Secrecy, mandates that each individual Ministry is responsible for hiding the presence of the magical community in their own country [2]. Part of that is teaching muggleborns how to control their magic. To do that, we encourage them to attend the magical school in their country. Failing that, muggle parents will be required to hire a private tutor to teach their child the basics of magical control to avoid incidents of accidental magic that could expose us all."
"But why be a secret at all?" Fate asked curiously.
"The International Statue of Wizarding Secrecy has been around since the early fifteenth century. It was enacted when the wizard-muggle relations were at their worst. It has remained largely unchanged since then." Dumbledore paused briefly. "I brought this up because it's very unusual for a child to not be identified as a witch or wizard by the country's Ministry of Magic. Have you received any strange mail that could have come the Japanese Ministry of Magic?"
Lindy shook her head. "No, not that I can think of."
"And you, Ms. Takamachi? Did your parents receive anything?"
"No, Headmaster Dumbledore. If they received anything, they didn't tell me."
"I see. It's a bit concerning that two muggleborn witches haven't been contacted, but that is not your concern." Dumbledore said gently. "On to the next matter then. I took the initiative to contact Mahoutokoro, the Japanese school, about your situation. Unfortunately, they start their schooling at 7 years old and will not accept late students without training. Normally, the only course of action would be to hire private tutors to catch the child up to their peers before reapplying or only using private tutors. However," Dumbledore turned his gaze to Nanoha and Fate. "the two of you were discover by a member of the British magical community. Since our schooling begins at 11, your age, we are willing to enroll you at Hogwarts."
"Really?" Nanoha exclaimed loudly. A few of the nearby patrons turned their head towards the table at the exclamation before returning to their own business. Nanoha blushed and sank into her chair.
"Yes, really." Dumbledore replied gently. "While it's certainly rare for a school to accept foreign students, it's not unheard of in certain circumstances. This is one such circumstance."
"That's certainly very exciting, but I do have some concerns." Lindy said, drawing Dumbledore's attention back to her. At the nod of his head, she continued, "Neither myself, nor Nanoha's parents live in Britain. It's a bit… disconcerting to send 11-year olds half-way across the world for school."
"I can understand that Mrs. Harlaown, but let me assure you that Hogwarts is one of the best magical schools. Hogwarts is a boarding school, and as such, we provide all meals and local transportation. In your case, we can help provide international transportation as well. An international portkey from King's Cross station can provided during the winter and summer holidays."
"That's refreshing to hear. What about communication? Professor Sinistra mentioned that owls are the primary method of communication. I can't imagine an owl being able to deliver letters to and from Japan."
"While it certainly takes time, our owls are able to deliver messages across great distances. There are numerous owl posts offices around the world for them to rest at during the journey – they certainly won't be able to make it in one trip. Alternatively, we have set up a secondary post service that is mostly used by muggleborns. An owl will take the letter to the local owl post office and an officer there will send the letter on by muggle post to its destination. The same goes for sending letters back. However, you will have to provide funds for the postage."
"I see. Thank you, Headmaster Dumbledore." Lindy said pensively. "Was there anything else you wish to discuss with us?"
"Not at the moment, no." The elderly man replied.
"Thank you for meeting us then." Lindy said as she stood from the table, Nanoha and Fate standing as well. "I will need to speak with the Takamachi's about this, as I'm sure the girls will be deciding together. How will I contact you?"
"Just send a letter by owl. There's an owl post office in Diagon Alley – Tom will be able to open the alley for you. If you decide to attend Hogwarts, we will send an acceptance letter with your school supply list and your Hogwarts Express ticket. If you decide not to attend Hogwarts, we will provide information regarding the Japanese Ministry of Magic so you can begin communicating with them.
"Thank you again, Headmaster Dumbledore."
"It was no problem, Mrs. Harlaown." He then addressed the two young mages beside her. "And I hope to see you to come September 1st. Please enjoy the rest of your vacation."
[1] Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
[2] International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy – Harry Potter Wikia
Like all chapters, I'm still unsure about this one. Next chapter will be more exciting, with Hogwarts and the mages analysing everything that the team brought back. Chapters 1 and 2 have also been edited. Mostly grammar, but I did change the reason why Hayate won't be joining Nanoha and Fate. The original reason was pretty weak. I feel like the new one is a bit better at least.