ELEVENTH BIRTHDAY
31st July, 1991
There were few places where one could find peace and quiet in Vandeviere Palace. Regardless of whether it was night or day, the noise never ceased. Throughout the day, it would be filled with the sound of people going about their duties, endless chatter, and the subtle tones of the children arguing or thundering down the hallways. Even at night, you could hear the thudding footsteps of guards patrolling the halls, the shrill mewls of the palace cats fighting, and the odd hoot from the owlery.
The turrets of the bell towers were one of the more peaceful places in the palace. Early in the morning, it was perfect; The city was slowly beginning to wake, with a flock of early birds already beginning to prepare for the big day. At the docks, the waves were rolling in, and crashing against the cliffs while gulls circled above, squawking and hunting for fish. The sight was picturesque, and the ambience serene. At least, it was, until a certain Princess and her Dracanis' arrived.
Mira squealed gleefully as she dodged an attack from Koda, the two of them racing one another around the turrets and through the towers. They leapt from step to step, and skilfully balanced on the stone walls - something which would've earned them the scolding of a lifetime had they been caught doing it.
The bell towers were known about by few, and visited by even less, but they had become one of Mira's favourite places to play since her arrival at the palace a month prior.
Life at Vandeviere Palace was immensely different to what she'd grown used to at Wiltshire Castle; There had been fewer rules, to be truthful, but now she had to follow the rules of her Mother, and they were far stricter than anything Miss Ali had come up with. And everyone was much steelier than what she'd grown used to. There weren't many people whom had time to speak with her, she'd been all but banned from the kitchens, and she no longer received her favourite flower everyday, as there were no blue lilies planted in the gardens, and Old Winston remained a world away at Wiltshire Castle.
Most of the castle staff either remained there, or had been moved on to a more frequented royal household, and Mira missed them terribly. She missed seeing a familiar face every day, she missed sitting in the kitchens and watching Eliza prepare the meals of the day, she missed the shouts of Old Winston to keep off his flowers, and she missed hearing Anton and Elias bickering about something ridiculous in the stables. She missed them all, and the move to somewhere as vast and different as Vandeviere Palace had been rather difficult for her. She was just glad that Miss Ali and their guards had come with them.
Mira halted on the steps of the tower and clamped her hands over her ears as the bells tolled loudly. Birds took off from their perches in fright, but soon landed back down once the sound faded. They immediately caught Koda's attention, and the Dracanis wasted no time in chasing after the birds, barking fiercely. Mira chuckled at his antics, and followed after him, calling for him to slow down some.
She ducked under the huge bells, and hurried down the dozens of steps, but Koda was already several flights away, and clearly had no intention of stopping anytime soon. Huffing, Mira returned to the very top of the tower, and found Tala sitting alone, gazing out at the ocean.
Mira frowned at her demeanour, but came to sit by her side, gently stroking her head. "Are you okay?" she wondered.
Tala hummed softly, never taking her eyes off the beautiful blue water. "I'm fine," she muttered, pausing for a moment. "I'm just - I just wonder where he is...What he's doing today."
Mira sucked in a sharp breath at the mention of Torren, and she felt her heart shatter for what felt like the hundredth time that morning; Birthdays were always difficult, but this one was the hardest one yet. It was their eleventh birthday, and they would soon be attending Hogwarts for the very first time, and Torren should've been with them. He should've been coming with them to Diagon Alley so they could get all their books and robes, and finally get their wands. They should've been able to experience it all together. It had been her one wish for as long as she could remember. All she'd ever wanted was to be back with her twin, and experience one of their most important birthdays together.
There wasn't a day that Mira wouldn't think of her Brother, and the pain of being apart from him was always there, but she knew that she could never understand how Tala felt. While Mira was Torren's twin, the mirror of him, Tala was his other half. She was supposed to be his closest friend and his protector, but that was all stolen from her the moment Torren had been taken. She couldn't protect him or be there for him when he needed her most, and that left a hole that no one but Torren himself could fix. It was difficult for Mira and Koda to be away from one another for more than an hour, so she couldn't imagine what 10 years would feel like. She only wished she could fix it for her.
Mira pulled the Dracanis into her lap and held her close, gently stroking her back. There was little she could say to make her feel any better. She couldn't conjure her Brother no matter how much she wished she could. She only hoped that they would be reunited soon, perhaps he would even attend Hogwarts with them, which could make him easier to find.
"I miss him." whispered Tala.
Tears stung at Mira's eyes as she rested her head against Tala's. "Me too."
The two of them sat like that for what felt like hours, the silence comfortable as they looked out at the sea. Ships were beginning to dock at the port, and their crews began unloading whatever cargo they had brought. In the streets, it was already bustling with people whom were flocking to the markets and the palace walls, eager to catch a glimpse of anyone within, and dozens of organisers were putting up the final few flags and barriers for her birthday parade later that day. It would be her first time seeing the city and the people, and Mira could hardly wait.
Below them, the bells tolled once again, and then Tala's ears perked. "They're calling for you." she said worriedly.
Mira's eyes bugged and she immediately jumped to her feet and called for Koda as they rushed down the steps of the tower. They found him perched on a bannister attempting to fly his way up to a flock of birds, but was failing miserably.
"Koda!"
"Just give me five more minutes...I've almost got them." he grunted, once again flapping his tiny wings. He succeeded in raising off the bannister for a few moments before dropping back down with a huff.
"We've got to go!"
Koda yelped in protest as Mira plucked him from his perch as she sprinted for the door at the base of the tower. As they reached the wall outside the door, Koda and Tala clambered onto her back as Mira began to climb down the wall back towards the drawing room window. Once they reached it, Tala and Koda leapt onto the windowsill and waited for her to climb through. She quickly shut the window behind her before they rushed out of the drawing room and down the hallway towards her bedroom.
They were sure they'd evaded capture, but as they turned the corner to reach her bedroom, someone called out to them.
"Not so fast, Mirella..."
Mira winced at the voice, and turned slowly towards her Father who stood at the other end of the hallway, eyeing her suspiciously with Aeris at his side. As if sharing a mind, the three of them immediately stood taller and beamed at the King with the brightest and most innocent smiles they could muster. Mira immediately hid her hands behind her back, praying that her Father hadn't caught sight of the dirt and dust coating her palms.
"Where have you been?" he sighed, approaching his daughter. "Aleena has been looking for you for half an hour!"
"Us?" Mira asked innocently. "Well we just went for a walk...Stretch our legs a little."
Oryn cocked his eyebrow, his eyes flickering over her from head to toe. As he did, Aeris glared dangerously at her younger siblings. Koda laughed nervously and hid behind Mira's legs as Oryn stepped up to them, looking down at his daughter.
"Oh really?" he hummed. "Is that why your pantaloons are covered in dirt?"
Mira's eyes bugged and she glanced down, finding that her pantaloons were, indeed, filthy. She groaned in frustration, but thankfully, her Father seemed more amused than angry.
He plucked a feather from her wild hair, a smirk gracing his lips. "Nice try. Now, hurry and get washed up before your Mother sees you."
Mira beamed and rushed to her room with Koda and Tala close behind. "And Mirella-"
She popped her head back out of her room, confusion on her face. "Yes, Baba?"
"Happy birthday, Sweetheart."
After her little escapade that morning, Mira was immediately dragged into her bathroom and scrubbed of all the filth. Her lady in waiting, Arabella, had been appalled, but not entirely shocked by her appearance and had simply gestured for her to let her fix it all. Arabella had quickly become one of her favourite people at the palace; She was kind to her, and smiled more than anyone she'd ever met. She was a native Vanderlian, with beautiful black skin and onyx coloured eyes. She always covered her hair in a brightly coloured head wrap which fascinated Mira. She'd asked several times to wear one similar, but her Mother had refused.
Mira had learnt a great deal from Arabella in their short time together; When she wasn't busy trying to keep Mira still, she would tell her all about Vanderlia and its people. She gushed about the beautiful food, and the traditions, of which Mira knew a little about. She would often help Mira practice their native language, and it had helped a great deal. Arabella was truly one of the kindest people she'd ever met, and Mira was grateful that she'd been assigned to her.
"Are you excited about going to Diagon Alley?" wondered Arabella as she zipped up Mira's dress and checked over her appearance.
"Oh, I can't wait!" she exclaimed, bouncing excitedly on the stool. "There's so much to get. I have no idea where to start!"
"We should definitely leave your wand until last." said Koda. Mira nodded in agreement. "That's the most important thing."
Mira opened her mouth to respond, but she was suddenly interrupted by a pounding on her door. "Sister, Dearest! Are you awake?" Theron called through the door.
She laughed lightly at his silliness and gestured for the doors to open. "Of course! You know I'm not allowed to sleep in, no matter how much I plead!"
Her doors suddenly burst open, and three of her Brothers stood in the doorway, beaming at her. Theron stepped in first, his arms spread wide in greeting. At sixteen, he was the tallest out of them all, towering nearly two heads above her. He had grown into his chiselled features looks, his striking looks and styled curls inspiring both desire and envy throughout the Kingdom. He was nearly a man now, and had more duties than any of them as their Father's heir, but that didn't prevent his infamous Gryffindor recklessness from getting him into trouble every now and again.
Behind Theron was Xander and Lorenzo, the former was just as handsome as their older brother, albeit with softer features. His hair much shorter than it had once been, but his freckles were much more prominent, as were the dimples in his cheeks. Lorenzo, on the other hand, had yet to grow into his features; His cheeks were full, and he had yet to shake his baby fat, so he still looked like an innocent cherub, matching his sweet and gentle personality.
"There she is! There's the birthday girl!" Theron called, approaching his little sister. She grinned back at him before squealing as he lifted her from the stool and spun her around making her giggle endlessly. "Oh you're getting so big! My poor heart can't take it!"
Mira rolled her eyes at his dramatics, but never ceased her giggles. Xander and Lorenzo joined the embrace, crushing her in a tight hug as they wished her a happy birthday over and over again. Mira couldn't stop smiling as she leant into them, savouring the moment with them. Today was the day that everything was going to change for them; With Mira turning eleven, she would finally be allowed more freedom than she'd been given for the past few years. She would be expected to make public appearances, and go on tours as and when her parents required her to. And she would be going to Hogwarts along with Theron and Xander, whereas Lorenzo would be left at the palace, for only a year at least.
It was finally time for her to experience so much more of the world, and she could hardly wait, but she would admit that she was a little nervous to go about her day-to-day life without at least one of her Brothers with her most of the time. They spent nearly every hour of every day together, but she knew that once they were at Hogwarts, it would be different. She already knew that they couldn't all be in the same house, as Theron and Xander were already in differing houses, with the former in Gryffindor and the latter in Ravenclaw. Even if they were, they were in different years, and they'd have different friends, and timetables. Their lives would be entirely different to what she was used to, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. Anxious? Nervous? She truly wasn't sure.
"I hope you haven't destroyed her hair, Your Highnesses. I spent a great deal of time perfecting those curls." Arabella playfully warned the boys, whom immediately released their Sister and backed away from her. Xander chuckled nervously when a stray piece of hair fell into her eyes, and tried to quickly tuck it behind her ear before Arabella noticed. She only chuckled at them and turned away to tidy up the dressing table.
Mira thanked her for her help and wished her a good day as she fixed the clasp of her favourite necklace around her neck. Koda hurried to her side as Mira smiled innocently at her Brothers as she stepped closer to the door. "Well, my dear Brothers...I think you'll find that we will be winning today."
Without a word of warning, she and Koda disappeared out the door, leaving the boys and their Dracanis' staring at the empty doorway in stunned silence until Mira's twinkling laughter knocked them out of their shock, and the seven of them went charging after her.
Awkward silence filled the air between King Oryn and Queen Carina in the breakfast room. The silence was broken by the occasional clink of china as they took a sip of their morning teas, and the rustling of the paper as Oryn flicked through the pages. Little to no conversation was ever made between them in the mornings, and today seemed to be no different.
The two of them had ideally been a perfect match; He was the handsome and powerful heir to the throne, and she was the beautiful and intelligent daughter of the Duke of Italy. Their families knew each other well, their Father's dear friends to one another. It seemed only logical that they should join their houses to ensure a bright future for both families. The only problem was that they couldn't stand one another. While Oryn was a great King, and as handsome as they came, Carina found him unbearable, and far too lenient with their children. And while Carina was a perfect Queen, Oryn found her hateful and cruel.
It took all the strength they could muster to appear as though they adored one another when in public, and for the most part, they'd played their roles well, but behind closed doors, it was clear that their marriage was born out of nothing more than a duty to their respective houses.
Carina gritted her teeth in irritation as she glanced at the clock as it struck eight-thirty. Her children were supposed to have joined them at the table fifteen minutes ago, but they'd yet to make an appearance. Oryn, as usual, couldn't care any less, but she was silently fuming. She was already less than pleased with the decision for all four children to go to Diagon Alley, and their tardiness didn't do anything to quell her anger.
"What's wrong?" sighed Oryn as he turned another page of his paper. "You've been fidgeting none-stop for the last ten minutes."
"You know damn well what's wrong!" she hissed, glaring over at her husband who had yet to even glance her way. "You're perfectly happy for this ridiculous day to go ahead, and they haven't even bothered to come down for breakfast on time!"
Oryn rolled his eyes and finally put down his paper. "It's Mira's birthday, Carina! Let her enjoy the day a little bit! As for Diagon Alley, I will not change my mind on it."
"You are putting everything at risk by going through with it!" Carina snapped, her dark eyes storming with fury. "You are opening this family up to vulnerability! There is no possible reason why they need to go to Diagon Alley. They can remain here and we can have servants fetch their things."
"It is necessary." Oryn shot back, completely facing his wife now. "They are children. They have little time before they spend the rest of their lives in servitude to the crown. The least I can do is let them enjoy their childhood, which includes being able to do what every other child does!"
Carina scoffed at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "But they're not like every other child! They're your heirs! They're your legacy and you're letting them flounce around Diagon Alley as if someone couldn't wipe out the entire future of this family within seconds!"
"They'll only be there for a few hours, and they'll be protected. They've been locked away for long enough."
Carina clenched her fists so hard that her nails began digging into her skin. "I won't allow Lorenzo to go. Send the rest if you must, but not Lorenzo."
The air seemed to be stripped of all warmth as Carina spoke those words. Oryn's expression hardened, his nose flaring with rage. "It's not happening. They've never been without each other, and Lorenzo is about to spend a year without all his older siblings. He wants to spend as much time with them as possible before they have to go, and I'll allow that."
"He'll have Juniper."
"It is not the same, Carina!" he snarled. "He's going, and that's final. I won't discuss this again."
"Bu-"
"I said I won't discuss it again, Carina!" Oryn roared, slamming his hand down on the arm of the chair. Beside him, Aeris growled lowly in warning, and while Carina knew the Dracanis would never harm her, she backed down and remained quiet.
Silence once again consumed the room as Oryn returned to reading his paper and Carina focused her glare on the door. The silence remained for a few moments before they heard the thundering steps and gleeful shouts of their children as they came storming down the staircase and down the hallway. The doors opened in time for them to witness a scuffle between Theron and Mira, with the latter ending up in a head lock within her elder Brother's arms. Theron practically dragged his struggling Sister through the doors in a headlock while Xander and Lorenzo followed behind, laughing at the two of them.
"That's what you get for cheating!" cackled Lorenzo.
He earned a light kick from his Sister who couldn't get close enough to him to land a harder kick. Horrified at the sight of their behaviour, Carina stood from her seat. "What on earth are you doing?" she demanded, making the four of them freeze. "Let go of her, Theron!"
Theron immediately did as his Mother asked and released Mira, who looked less presentable than she had only five minutes before. Her hair had fallen from her neat style and was now ruffled and wild, and her dress no longer sat as neatly as Arabella had fixed it. After sending her the boys to their seats, Mira remained frozen in place as Carina approached her. She swallowed deeply and kept her eyes to the floor, but she could still feel her Mother's glare burning into her head.
"Head up, Mirella." she snapped. Mira immediately did what she said and reluctantly straightened up, meeting her Mother's furious gaze. Carina brandished her wand and wordlessly spelled Mira's hair and dress back into place. Once her daughter looked appropriate, Carina sneered down at her and gestured to her empty seat. "Go and sit down."
Mira nodded quickly and rushed towards her seat, but before she could reach it, she was caught in her Father's arms and lifted up. "Baba!" she squealed, laughing heartily as he spun her around before holding her in his arms.
"I see there's no more feathers in your hair." he whispered, chuckling quietly at her sheepish expression. He pressed a loving kiss to her forehead before setting her back down and nodding for her to go to her seat. "Happy birthday."
Mira grinned brightly as she took her place beside Theron. The family tucked into their breakfast as it was served by the butlers, and Mira only just managed to control her excitement when she saw that her favourite had been prepared; scrambled eggs, bacon, and a small bowl of fresh fruit. While Carina remained silent throughout the meal, Oryn and his children chatted endlessly about what the day was going to entail. They'd gone over the schedule of Mira's birthday parade and ball about a hundred times in the days leading up to it, but they loved to see the look of excitement on her face whenever they spoke of it. Oryn told her about everyone that would be coming to the ball, and how he'd heard that the whole of Vanderlia and the rest of the Wizarding world were beside themselves to catch their first glimpse of her. Mira felt just the same about seeing all of their people for the first time.
As the discussion steered away from the birthday celebrations and towards their trip to Diagon Alley, Carina's expression darkened, but she held her tongue. Mira and Lorenzo had already decided that they wanted to go around together, as both Theron and Xander were meeting up with their friends. It was universally agreed that her very last purchase would be her wand, and while they only needed to visit a few shops to get everything on her list, they both agreed that they would go into every shop they could. Lorenzo especially didn't care where they went, so long as they took a brief stop at the ice cream parlour (though they didn't want to admit that potential trip to their Mother).
As Xander was telling them about everything inside the Quidditch shop, it appeared that Carina could take no more as she placed down her cutlery and cleared her throat to gain everyone's attention. "I don't think you should go." she said seriously, making everyone pause. "It's dangerous enough that you'll be out in the open during the parade, but to go to Diagon Alley...It would put us in a vulnerable position."
Oryn glowered at his wife, but she paid him no mind as she focused her gaze on Mira who looked like a kicked puppy. "But...But we've been planning it for so long." she whispered, her voice breaking a little. "How will I get all my things? My wand?"
"You can go, Sweetheart. Nothing has changed." Oryn said, giving her a reassuring smile.
"No, she can't, Oryn!" Carina hissed. "She is a Princess! Your only daughter! What do you think the Kingdom would think of you if she was killed? What ties we would lose with significant families - powerful families - if she could no longer marry their sons? There is too much at-"
"CARINA!" Oryn snarled, bringing an end to her tangent. "I will hear no more of this! They are going, and that is final!"
Carina glowered at her husband, her nostril flaring before she abruptly stood from her chair, throwing her napkin onto her place before she stormed out of the room without another word, leaving her children watching her go in stunned silence. Theron raised his eyebrows as he glanced at Xander as he took a long sip of his tea.
Mira's shoulders sunk slightly, her head dizzy with confusion and disappointment. She had hoped that her Mother would be happy for her to finally be exploring the world as she'd always wanted to, but it appeared that she'd been naive to think so. Looking away from the doors, she glanced over at her Father and found him pinching the bridge of his nose while taking a few breaths. "Baba...Am I - Are we..." Mira wasn't sure she wanted to finish her sentence, fearing that her Mother's actions may have swayed his decision.
Oryn dropped his hand and met her eyes. She was gazing at him with such hope, silently pleading that he wouldn't change his mind. He knew how much she'd been looking forward to this day, how excited she was to finally see something other than wherever she was living. It had been hard for her to be so secluded, and while he'd done it for her own protection, he knew that she was just as curious and eager to explore as he had been at her age, and she'd hadn't had much of a chance up until that point. He had no doubt that there would always be people who would wish to bring harm to him and the rest of his family, but he couldn't hide them away forever.
"You're still allowed to go." he said gently, a smile finally lifting the corners of his lips. "All of you."
The smile that broke out on her face was enough to swell his heart. And just like that, everyone seemed to forget about the dramatic exit of the Queen, and they continued their discussion about Diagon Alley until the time neared 10 o'clock. Oryn could do nothing to settle their excitement, so he gladly brought breakfast to a close, and led them to one of the parlours.
The doors swung open, and several guards waited by the fireplace, along with Miss Ali who held several cloaks in her arm. They all bowed gracefully and Mira gasped at the sight of them, and they each met her surprise with a smile, especially Dimitri, who was nearly tackled down by the young Princess.
"Careful, Your Highness." he chuckled, steadying himself before they both fell through the fireplace and floo'ed somewhere they didn't mean to.
"Are you really coming with us?" Mira asked, jumping up and down with glee.
"Of course! Who else is going to keep you out of trouble?"
Mira grinned so wide that Dimitri thought her face may split in two. She looked over at Miss Ali who was fixing Lorenzo's cloak. "Are you coming too, Miss Ali?"
"Absolutely." she said with a nod as she approached her. She placed Mira's black cloak around her shoulders, and fastened it around her neck. "I wouldn't miss this day for the world."
Oryn clapped his sons on the shoulder before he approached Mira and Lorenzo, crouching before his two youngest children. He took their hands into his own and eyed them both seriously. "Now...Aleena, Dimitri and Shin will be with you all day. You can still explore as much as you like, but they will be with you at all times, so don't go running off." The last part was directed more to Mira than Lorenzo, and she only gave him an innocent smile in return. "I wish I could go along with you, but I have serious business to attend to. That being said, I would like to hear all about your day when you return, and I'm sure Aleena wouldn't mind bringing you along to my chambers."
"Of course not, Your Grace." Miss Ali agreed, and Oryn gave her a grateful nod.
"Have a good day, all of you." He pressed a gentle kiss to both their foreheads, before gesturing for the two of them to approach the floo, just as Theron, Xander, Soren and Brina disappeared in the green flames.
Koda and Tala leapt into her arms, with the latter curling around her neck, while Lorenzo held onto Juniper as he cautiously stepped into the flames along with Mira. She took a handful of the powder, and glanced back at her Father who gave her an encouraging nod. Mira's heart began pounding at a million miles an hour at the prospect of what she was about to see. She closed her eyes, loudly declared, "Diagon Alley!", and threw down the powder into the green flames which immediately enveloped them and whisked them away to London.
The feeling of travelling through the floo was not new to Mira, but it didn't prevent the wave of dizziness from crashing over her as it felt as though they were spinning a thousand times before reaching their destination. As the sensation came to an end, Mira opened her eyes, but her sight was blurred as it still felt as though her eyeballs were rolling inside her head. She blinked a few times to focus her vision, but just as it was starting to work, Xander quickly covered her eyes making her huff.
"What are you doing?" she wondered.
"I'm making sure your first glimpse of Diagon Alley is absolutely perfect." he teased. He kept a secure hold over her eyes, and judging by Lorenzo, and her Dracanis' complaining, she wasn't the only one whose vision was being blocked. Xander carefully shifted towards what she assumed was the door before holding her in place.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley."
Mira's jaw nearly dropped to the floor when Xander lifted his hand to reveal the shopping street. It was beyond anything she could've ever imagined; Hundreds of Witches and Wizards were bustling around the busy, cobbled street which twisted out of sight. All sorts of people were chit-chatting to one another about all sorts of things, shop owners were calling out to passersby to come and have a gander at whatever they had to sell, they could even hear the squawks and the rattling of cages from 'Eeylops Owl Emporium'. Even the mouthwatering scent in the air astounded her, which Xander gladly explained was the best bakery to be found on the street. It also happened to be the only one, but Xander thought it was delicious nonetheless.
Diagon Alley was truly enchanting, and it only made her excitement to explore it triple.
"Wow..." Tala whispered, earning a nod of agreement from her siblings, Mira, and Lorenzo who were still gazing around with wide eyes.
"We told you is was amazing." chuckled Xander as he nudged her shoulder a little.
"Well, I've got to head off. I'm meeting James in five minutes." Theron announced as he kissed the top of Mira's head and gently squished Lorenzo's cheeks. "Have a good day."
"Don't forget to be back here by 1 o'clock," said Miss Ali, giving Theron a knowing look. "That means exactly 1 o'clock, and not a minute after."
Theron shot her a charming grin. "Of course. I'll see you at 1 o'clock on the dot." He ruffled Lorenzo's hair before wandering off with Soren and his guards.
"I'm meeting Fred, George and Lee, too." Xander agreed, smiling guiltily at his younger siblings.
"We'll see you later." said Lorenzo as he stepped closer to Mira and clasped her hand.
Mira nodded in agreement and waved to Xander as he and Brina took his leave with a few guards. As they disappeared from view, Koda glanced up at Mira, excitement brewing in his eyes. "So where's our first stop?" he wondered.
She blinked at him a few times before rummaging through her pockets, eventually brandishing her crinkled, worn Hogwarts letter. She'd read it about a hundred times since it had been delivered to her, so much so, she could certainly recite it word for word. She scanned over her list of things, before shrugging. "Well equipment and books are the first things to get, but I think we should go shop to shop anyway!"
The others agreed, and with Miss Ali's permission, the five of them immediately rushed into the first shop they came across, and began their exploring. It didn't matter if the shop catered to their interests or not, they looked through every single one of them and got distracted by the simplest contraption. They were beyond fascinated by some of the things they saw, most of which they'd never laid eyes on before. Some were bizarre, some beautiful, but all of them wonderful nonetheless. They'd asked Miss Ali, Dimitri and Shin at least a hundred questions about anything which caught their attention, and became even more intrigued by everything once they received their answer.
For two hours they travelled from shop to shop, buying both Mira's school supplies, and a dozen things they were desperate to have. Mira was awash with books and quills which she thought were too beautiful not to buy. Lorenzo spent his time in the Magical Menagerie buying a great many things for the owls in their owlery, and had even asked for Miss Ali's help in picking out what toys the palace cats would enjoy.
While Miss Ali was trying to prevent Lorenzo from purchasing the whole shop, Mira, Koda and Tala were crowded around a massive cage, giggling as they watched the baby Nifflers scramble over one another to look back at them with just as much interest. She'd opened her mouth very briefly to ask Dimitri if she could get one, but Miss Ali had quickly put a stop to it and ushered them all out, with a whimpering Lorenzo by her side.
Naturally, their next stop was Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour which sat just across the street. Each of the Dracanis' enjoyed a small tub of vanilla ice cream, while Mira chose a particularly delicious apple and raspberry cone, and Lorenzo devoured chocolate and vanilla cone which had very nearly been 17 scoops high, had the young prince had his way. They sat for a good half an hour at one of the more hidden tables outside, basking in the warm sun and looking through their many purchases.
Lorenzo was particularly excited to show them the small figurine of Juniper which a trinket vendor had made for him. He carefully placed it on the palm of his hand, and stroked down its back. The moment his finger left the carved wood, the figurine began to tremble a little, before it seemed to come alive, with the tiny version of Juniper shaking out its fur before running around Lorenzo's hand. They all watched with avid interested as it leapt onto Juniper's nose, yapping excitedly before it fluttered its bronze wings and hovered for a few seconds.
Lorenzo giggled in amazement as the figurine dropped down into his hands, folded its wings back, and returned to its original state. Koda jumped up and down excitedly on Mira's lap, begging her to go and get some figurines made of himself and Tala. She was about to agree before Miss Ali interjected.
"We don't have long before we have to return to the palace," she reminded them. "And you still have things to get."
Mira sighed, knowing that was true. With a promise to try and get the figurines done, she decided that it was best to go and get her robes and wand before their time at Diagon Alley ran out.