Chapter 2: The Letter Arrives
I don't own Digimon or Harry Potter
Daisuke looked up from her desk in her bedroom when she heard tapping on her window. Curious, she looked up and saw a large tawny owl sitting on the ledge holding an envelope in its beak, it flapped its wings and tapped its beak against the window again. "Alright, I'm coming." She said with a smile, opening the window she ducked as the owl flew into the room and perched itself on her desk beside her D-3 and D-Terminal while Demi-Veemon looked at the owl curiously.
"What's that?" he asked, pointing to the owl and the letter it held.
"It's an owl, but I thought they were nocturnal or something." Daisuke answered, she approached the owl, she took the letter from its beak and the owl hooted before flying off out of the window again.
She then turned the envelope over and saw it held shut by a wax seal that she did not recognise, on the front of the envelope was writing in emerald green ink.
Daisuke Ainsworth
Odaiba Japan
Apartment 32
"It's addressed to me…I wonder how they knew where I lived. Given how we've moved from where we were when Jun got her letter after the Bakemon attacked us last time." She asked, looking to Demi-Veemon who shrugged as he jumped onto the desk and sniffed the envelope.
"It doesn't smell dangerous." He chirped making his partner giggle, she opened the envelope and took out the letter and read the first page.
"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The words on the top of the first page read.
"Dear Ms Ainsworth,"
"We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment."
"Term begins September 1st; we await your owl no later than the 31st of July."
"What does that mean?" Demi-Veemon asked curiously.
"It means that I need to send a reply letter via owl so that they know I will be attending school this year." Daisuke answered with a smile. "Now I've got to tell my parents about this, I think mama's still in the kitchen cooking."
Demi-Veemon nodded and jumped onto her shoulder as she walked out of her bedroom holding the letter in her hand. "Mama, can I talk to you for a sec?" She asked, noticing her mother was baking something in the oven.
"Sure, thing sweetie. The cookies will be ready in a few minutes." Natsumi said.
"Oh cookies!" Demi-Veemon cheered, making both women chuckle at his excitement before Natsumi noticed the letter in her daughter's hand and her eyes widened.
"Dai, where did you get that letter?" She asked gently.
"An owl brought it just now mama." She answered, her mother nodded and took the letter and began reading through it a smile coming to her face. "It's just like the one that Jun got when she first started going to school, does this mean I get to go?"
"Of course, it does. Let us go and tell your father. He'll take you to get your school supplies with Jun in a few weeks." Natsumi said with a smile.
"Can I tell my friends?" Daisuke asked softly.
"Your friends?" her mother asked.
Daisuke nodded and smiled. "Yeah, the other Digidestined in Japan, surely I can let them know where I'm going. That way they don't get worried about me." She explained.
Her mother frowned slightly and thought about it. "Sweetheart, you know there are rules about the magical world that we must abide by, don't you?" she asked.
"I know mama, we're not meant to use our magic in public unless it's a case of life or death or if we're surrounded by others who can use magic like us, that way we don't put people at risk." Daisuke answered. "But my friends and I have been through so much together, we've saved the Digital World, if anyone would understand surely it would be them right."
Natsumi looked at her daughter and smiled. "You make a good point sweetie; I'll speak to your father about it. He's sure to find a solution."
"Thank you." Daisuke said, hugging her mother around the waist as the oven went off with a ding.
"Cookies are done!" Demi-Veemon cheered jumping up and down on Daisuke's shoulder making her giggle into her hands while her mother smiled and took the cookies out and soon Daisuke and Demi-Veemon were sharing a plate of cookies as Natsumi and Alexander talked in the kitchen quietly.
"So, her Hogwarts letter arrived, and she wants to tell her friends about it, am I right?" Alexander asked softly.
"Yes, I think we should allow her to do it. She does make a good point about her friends being able to understand her having magical abilities. They did keep the Digimon and Digital World a secret for a time and Daisuke only told us because she felt she could trust us." Natsumi reasoned.
"I know." Her husband replied with a smile, looking over at Daisuke and he chuckled seeing the girl now had a milk moustache as did Demi-Veemon after they both drank their milk. "I'll take her to the Ministry tomorrow, I've got business there anyway. I can arrange a meeting with a few people so we can ask for permission."
"Thank you." Natsumi said with a smile before she looked to her youngest daughter. "They grow up so fast."
"Of course, they do, but they'll always be our kids." Her husband comforted kissing her cheek gently, as they watched Demi-Veemon and Daisuke laughing at each other's milk-covered upper lip.
The next morning, Daisuke and Alexander were standing in a train as it sped along the tracks through the city of Tokyo. "Wow look at all the people." Demi-Veemon, who was held snugly in Daisuke's arms said with wide eyes.
"Demi-Veemon we said you could come along if you acted like a stuffed toy, remember?" Daisuke whispered. "We don't want people to hear you."
Demi-Veemon gulped and covered his mouth with his tiny arms. "Sorry." He said with a muffled voice.
Daisuke smiled at her partner and kissed his forehead before looking up at her father. "How much longer until we're there papa?"
"Not long now sweetie. Look there's our stop." He said pointing at an upcoming station, he held his daughter's hand gently as the train came to a stop. The doors of the compartment slid open and Alexander led his daughter out of the train and through the large crowds in the station, at first the people were ordinary looking, on their way to work or to whatever other business they had in the city. Alexander weaved through the crowds easily, Daisuke keeping a tight hold of his hand and Demi-Veemon in her other arm, soon he pulled her towards a staircase.
Daisuke took notice of the red sign hanging above it and she tugged on his hand. "Dad, that sign says the staircase is out of order." She told him, pointing up at the sign and her father hummed thoughtfully though she saw a glint in his eyes.
"Does it, I never noticed." He whispered, winking at her she blinked before her eyes widened and she let her father guide her towards the small staircase, it led down into a deeper level of the station before they reached a large wooden door.
It was painted decoratively, two rows of buildings either side of a long-paved road, numerous tall buildings in the distance, a few small creatures captured mid-flight along with people standing around perusing the numerous shops. "Here we are sweetie."
"This is the entrance to the magical district mama told me about?" Daisuke asked.
"One of them, yes. There are more…discreet ways of entering the district." Alexander answered. "But this is the way your mother and Jun first came here, think of it as a family tradition of sorts." He told her.
He then walked closer to the door and took out his wand, he gently traced it along wood before tapping it three times, once on the upper left corner, once above the keyhole, and once in the centre of the door. The entire edge of the door hissed, shimmering with gold before they heard a click and the door swung open. "Daisuke, Demi-Veemon, welcome to the Mahō no chiku."
"Whoa…" both whispered, Daisuke stepping through the door with her father, the door shutting behind them silently as the father and daughter walked down the paved path.
Demi-Veemon's eyes were wide as he looked every which way around them, they walked by a large store where several elderly witches were chatting like old friends, comparing the large bushels of herbs they had bought from the building they just walked out of.
Another building made Daisuke's eyes go wide as she saw several magical creatures which she had believed to only be myths walking around, some conversing with witches or wizards or plying their crafts and selling their wares.
She looked down a small alley which led to a bathhouse, which she could guess from the steam rising into the air, she saw the door slide open and watched as a plump humanoid creature waddled out, wearing a large, tattered towel around its waist with water dripping down its body and it snorted and shook the excess water off its body, drenching a small man as he walked past.
The man cried out in shock and began shouting up at the creature which looked down at him and let out a loud bellowing laugh before walking off leaving the man to his mutterings as he stomped off leaving a trail of wet footprints.
Daisuke heard Demi-Veemon giggling at what they saw, and she smiled. "Hush you." She said gently before her father pulled her to the side avoiding a few large people as they all walked past hurriedly.
"So, what do you think so far?" Alexander asked.
"This is amazing, can we go and explore more of this place?" Daisuke asked, making her father chuckle at the awe and wonder in her eyes.
"We can later, for now we've got an appointment to keep." He told her. He took her hand and led her off the main street towards a large, towering building. Large lanterns hung from the beams stretching out from the windows, two tall spires rose into the sky and a pair of large midnight blue doors greeted the duo along with two tall, cloaked figures, their robes were golden and red, a sash draped over their shoulders and the hoods covered their heads.
Alexander nodded to both figures who remained motionless before parting and letting them enter the building as the doors swung open slowly.
"Who were they?" Demi-Veemon asked.
"Two of the guards the Ministry have, they're well trained and would give their lives to protect the innocent no matter if they were muggle or magical." Alexander answered with a smile, soon the trio arrived in a large circular atrium with a large cherry blossom tree in full bloom, the petals blowing gently in a breeze through an opening in the wall.
"It's so beautiful." Daisuke whispered, looking up at the large tree before noticing her father walking ahead and she ran off to catch up with him weaving through the crowds inside the large building, she soon reached her father who was waiting beside a flight of stairs.
"The Minster is upstairs, he's expecting us." He told her.
"Great, let's go." Daisuke chirped as she walked up the stairs followed by her father. After climbing three flights of steps, they reached the office of the one they were going to meet.
Alexander knocked on the door a few times and they waited for a response, soon the door clicked and swung open on its own. "Enter."
Daisuke took a deep breath, holding Demi-Veemon tightly to her chest as she followed her father into the office, ducking her head as a large stack of letters whizzed past her over to a shelf in the corner. Sitting at the desk was a man wearing a cloak over a purple suit, his aged features crinkling as he narrowed his eyes behind his glasses as he read a document on the desk before he placed the paper to one side and stood up when he saw the father and daughter.
"Mr Ainsworth…you're late." He said with narrowed eyes and Alexander sheepishly smiled.
"Apologies sir, we got side-tracked."
"Is that so?" He asked, he then sat down in his chair and with a snap of his fingers two comfy armchairs appeared behind Daisuke and her father. "Sit." He told them and they did so. "Now let us get down to the matter of your meeting with me today."
"Yes sir." Alexander said softly. "My daughter received her Hogwarts acceptance letter recently, just like her cousin Jun did when she was her age. And Daisuke wishes to tell her friends that she is a witch and will be attending a magical school in another country."
The Minster raised an eyebrow and looked to Daisuke. "Young Ainsworth, these friends of yours, might I ask who they are?"
"Oh well they're the other Digidestined. You know when all the Digimon were appearing a few months ago?" Daisuke asked.
"I do." He replied softly with a nod. "I had thought that after the incident in Odaiba where the city was sealed off via magical fog and the sky tore open showing another world, we were done with them. But when more showed up months ago all over the world, I feared the worst."
"Well, my friends and I stopped them, along with the ones behind it all. I figured that if anyone deserved to know what I was going to be doing while in another country, it would be them. They won't tell a soul; I know they wouldn't" Daisuke said softly.
"You ask a great deal Ms Ainsworth." The minster said sternly, looking down at the young girl who gulped under his intense gaze. He then turned to Alexander who stiffened under the intense look. "Do you vouch for her friends?" he questioned.
"Yes sir, I've met them before many times. And I know that they've a habit of getting into and out of tricky situations." Alexander said with a smile. "If it helps, I am sure they'd be willing to swear to never tell anyone about what they would be told."
The Minister was silent for several moments, standing up from his chair and pacing back and forth, rubbing his eyes he finally let out a tired sigh. "I'm too old for this." He muttered before looking out the window of his office, overlooking the people down below mewling about the lower levels. "Would you be willing to have them swear an oath of secrecy if you were to tell them?"
"Huh?" Daisuke and Demi-Veemon asked, looking at Alexander.
"Basically, they'd swear to never divulge what you tell them." He explained.
"And what happens if they did tell someone?" Demi-Veemon asked.
"Then their memories would be altered." The Minister answered sternly. "I am sorry to say it, but to protect the magical community of Japan I would do it myself should the need arise."
Daisuke and Demi-Veemon gulped while Alexander had a frown on his face. "Very well Minister, thank you for your time." He said standing up and bowing to the man and Daisuke did the same and both left the office quietly.
"Well, that went as well as I expected." Alexander muttered, once he and Daisuke had walked out of the building returning to the district. "I knew Fujin was a stubborn old owl, but at least we reached a suitable compromise."
"Would you really have to alter the memories of the others if they told anyone?" Daisuke asked softly, holding her father's hand, and looking up at him and he sighed before nodding.
"Yes, but I know your friends. They won't tell anyone if you asked them not to, I know it." He told her as he got to one knee to hug her gently.
"Can we go home now?" Demi-Veemon asked softly.
"Not just yet, we still need to get you an ice cream." Alexander told the young dragon who perked up at the mention of ice cream and Daisuke pouted. "And for you my starlight, we're getting you a birthday present."
"Present?" both Daisuke and Demi-Veemon asked in confusion, he grinned and led them off through the district before finding one shop in question. Alexander opened the door and led them inside, Daisuke's eyes widening as she took in the large shelves behind the counter which towered into the ceiling out of eyesight.
"Hello, is anyone here?" Alexander called out, ringing the bell on the counter before hearing a noise.
"Ah customers." A voice said, a ladder sliding along one of the shelves and into view, a short elderly woman hanging on to the ladder before she slid down it with a laugh and jumped onto a stool behind the counter and looked at Alexander and Daisuke, both of which were off put by her sudden appearance.
"Um hello, we're here to buy…" Alexander began before the woman slapped his hand with a walking stick, one which she pulled out of who knows where. "Ow!" he yelped, jumping back, rubbing his hand gingerly.
"You do not buy; I craft and give." The elderly woman told him before she suddenly plucked a hair out of Daisuke's head making her yelp in shock and pout. "Now what can you tell me about her, my lovely?" She asked, slipping on a pair of large bug-eyed glasses she hummed examining the strand of hair.
"What the heck is her…" Demi-Veemon began before Daisuke covered his mouth with her hand to silence him, thankfully the woman was muttering to herself too much to notice the outburst.
"Human, female, both parents are magical. Eleven years old, has already tapped into her magic several times in her short life. Living at home with a cousin, mother, and father, also has been on many adventures and made many friends." The old woman then licked the strand of hair and smiled. "Oh, Natsumi's daughter…and daughter of Alexander as well." She said, narrowing her eyes like daggers at Alexander who chuckled.
"It's nice to meet you again Madame Ro." He said, bowing to the elderly woman.
"Yes yes, pleasantries aside. I've work to do with your daughter." She spoke, snapping a finger, a role of measuring tape unfurled and floated over to Daisuke. "Hold out your dominant hand," she instructed the young girl who did so, holding out her right arm as the tape measured her arm before it began measuring every part of her body.
"Whoa." She whispered in amazement before Madame Ro clapped her hands and the tape flew back into her hand.
"Now then, let us begin." She said with a bright smile.
"Begin what?" Daisuke asked, she approached the counter as Madame Ro jumped off her stool and rushed off to the shelves and began grabbing several things before returning.
"Wave your hand over these items, they'll respond to your magic differently and I shall be able to craft the perfect wand for you." She instructed placing several jars holding strips of wood, small boxes along with an assortment of gemstones on the countertop.
Daisuke was hesitant and looked at Alexander who smiled reassuringly. "Go right ahead starlight." He told her softly.
She nodded and took a breath, slowly she held her hand over the jars of wood first as she held it over one jar, the wood inside hummed and glowed a soft blue hue. "Ah the wood from a cherry blossom tree, with some of the petals in the wood." Madame Ro said, taking the wand out of the jar showing the dashes of pink lining the wood.
Daisuke smiled softly before she held her hand over the small boxes next, oddly two of the boxes began glowing the same blue hue as she moved her hand over them. "My my, you are certainly an interesting one."
"Why? Did I do something wrong?' Daisuke asked, looking at the two glowing boxes.
"Not at all, though it is quite rare a witch or wizard would have two wand cores react to them equally as strong." Madame Ro said, opening both boxes to show the wand cores that had reacted to Daisuke. "Unicorn Hair, taken from the fowl of the queen Unicorn from England, and the whisker from an Ice Kitsune, both rare and amazing creatures." She explained taking the two boxes and placing them beside the chosen wand wood.
"And now for these gemstones?" Daisuke asked, looking at the small pile of gemstones.
"Indeed, I always imbue my wands with a gemstone, to give them that special flair and added power should their master be skilled enough to master them." Madame Ro said.
Daisuke nodded, and held her hand over the gemstones, at first nothing seemed to happen bringing a frown to Madame Ro's face before one gemstone suddenly shone brightly and lifted into the air sparkles of light shooting off everyone. "Oh wow." Demi-Veemon gasped softly in awe.
"Splendid!" Madame Ro cheered with a bright smile. "Oh, what wonderful colors. You my dear are quite unique indeed. Nobody has selected a Labradorite gemstone for decades, not since when I was a child myself selecting my first wand pieces." She then picked up the items that had not been chosen and she put them away.
"How long will it take to craft the wand?" Alexander asked.
"Not long, I should be done in five minutes." Madame Ro chirped, cracking her fingers she adjusted her glasses and nodded. "Watch and be amazed kiddies."
Daisuke and Demi-Veemon did so while Alexander sat in a chair by the door and he watched on with a small smile. Soon Madame Ro lifted the completed wand with a smile. "Here you are dearie." She said to Daisuke, handing her the wand who looked at it. "Well give it a wave." She said with a slight impatience.
Daisuke sheepishly nodded and quickly flicked her wand creating a large shower of sparkles that flew into the air, her eyes widened in childlike wonder and awe as Demi-Veemon smiled brightly and cheered.
"11 and ¾ inches long. You'll find it to be a very loyal wand that will bring about exceptional magic." Madame Ro told the young girl. "And also, a little parting gift of mine I added for you." She said gesturing to the ribbon wrapped around the length of the wand.
Daisuke looked at the ribbon to see a saying on it written in kanji. "Even a thousand-mile journey begins with the first step." She read softly.
"Indeed, best of luck to you. Make sure to come back if you meet new friends who need a wand." The old wand maker cackled as she pushed both Alexander and Daisuke out of the shop.
"She was nice." Demi-Veemon said and Daisuke nodded in agreement.
"Alright, time to head home and show your mother and cousin your wand." Alexander told them. "Oh and before I forget, ice cream for both of you. My treat."
"Wahoo!" both Daisuke and Demi-Veemon cheered, Daisuke rushing off after her father happily.
The end of the chapter
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