Hey y'all!
I'm so excited to finally post this chapter! I had so much fun working on it- especially developing the relationship between the Potter siblings. In other news, keep an eye out for the next chapter of Mia Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, as I should be updating soon! Now buckle up, because this chapter is a long one. As always, sit back, relax, enjoy, and on with the chapter!
- Sav
July 22, 1971
Hermione awoke to the sun blaring in through her bay window. After a year of sleeping on a cot in a tent, she had to admit that being back in a real bed was a nice change, however, it was entirely too hot. She supposed part of this was due to the body curled around her- James Potter was a furnace.
She tried to twist out from the protective clutch of her brother, but cried out as she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder and ankle. She also noticed that something was once again wrong with her vocal cords. She reasoned that whilst in the throws of her nightmare last night, she must have undone some of Madam Pomfrey's hard work. Her cry of pain caused her brother to stir, and James woke with a start.
"Mia? What is it? What's wrong?"
Hermione tried to speak, but only managed a few whimpers and some choking noises.
"Was it another nightmare?"
She shook her head.
"Are you in pain?"
She nodded and clawed at her throat. James's eyebrows furrowed. He did not like the fact that his baby sister was in pain, and he definitely didn't like that she couldn't seem to speak. She must have done something to her vocal cords before coming here, and she must have re-injured them last night.
"Does anywhere else apart from your throat hurt?"
She nodded, and used her good arm to point to her shoulder and ankle. James sighed, and gave a sad look towards his sister. He raised his voice a little, and called out.
"Rocky, Tinky!" The two elves popped into the room a second later.
"Hi guys. Mia re-injured some of her injuries, and she isn't able to speak at the moment. I know Madam Pomfrey is going to come by to check on her today, but I don't know when. Are you guys able to give her something for the pain?"
Rocky answered James, and Tinky popped out of the room.
"Of course, Young Master James. Tinky be getting Missy Mia potion now. Healer be coming in half an hour."
Tinky reappeared in the room a few seconds later with a vial of a purple potion. She hopped onto the bed and proceeded to walk around so she was standing next to Hermione's head. She slipped her arm under Mia and handed her the potion, which Mia swallowed with some difficulty. Mia gave Tinky a look of gratitude as she felt the pain instantly decrease a little. She still hurt, but now it was less noticeable.
"Does Young Miss want to change before healer arrives?"
Mia shook her head and gave a small smile to her elf. She almost snorted. She never thought she would see the day she had a house elf. Harry and Ron would be in shock. Tears welled in her eyes and she shoved the thoughts of her brother and best friend to the back of her mind. Tinky smiled back at her before bowing low and popping out of the room with Rocky.
"Is that a little better, Mia?"
Hermione nodded and made to sit up. James caught on and helped her up, propping her against the stack of pillows. Mia then tapped her brother's shoulder and pointed to her beaded bag which was sitting on the cushion of the window seat. James sprang out of Mia's bed and retrieved her bag, handing it back to her.
Hermione opened her bag and James's eyes widened as he watched his sister's arm disappear within it. After a couple seconds of digging around, Hermione gave up and cast a wandless and nonverbal Accio. She pulled a notepad and pen out of her bag, and smiled at James's dumbstruck expression. Of course he had seen magical trunks and things with expansion charms, but he had never seen anything quite like the tiny beaded bag. Mia clicked the pen, and jotted down a short note before showing her brother.
"Thank you, Jamie. I'm sorry I woke you up last night, I should've had Tinky put a silencing charm on my room. I don't want to try talking again in case I botch my vocal cords up more, but the potion is helping quite a bit."
James read the note, and looked up at his sister.
"You're welcome, Mia, however you have nothing to be sorry for. No matter what time it is or what I'm doing, if you're scared or having nightmares, I want you to come get me, or at least send Tinky, okay? If I find out that you're doing otherwise, I will drag my things in here and camp out in your bedroom, and then you'll never be able to get rid of me. Am I clear?"
Mia snorted, then nodded, and kissed her brother's cheek.
"Now, where in Merlin's name did you get that awesome bag? What's in it? How does it work?"
Mia smiled, and wrote down her answer: "I had a friend charm it. It has an extension charm on it. It has a lot of things, books, clothes, and the like."
"That's so cool! Do you have food in there too?"
Mia held up a finger to signal for James to wait, then turned back to her bag, stuck her hand in, and Accioed a chocolate bar. She turned back to James and held it out to him. He grinned. "Is this muggle chocolate? I haven't seen this brand before."
Hermione nodded.
"How'd you get it? I've never been to muggle London before, but Dad goes there for work sometimes."
Hermione passed another note to her brother while he busied himself with the chocolate bar.
"My parents were muggles, but I had friends that were magical."
James nodded, then hesitated before asking another question.
"Was your brother magical too?"
A look of pain washed over Mia's face, but it was gone as quick as it came, and was replaced with confusion. Hermione hadn't remembered talking about Harry. James answered her unasked question.
"You were screaming last night. Look… Mia, I-I um, I know that I can't replace him, but I want you to know that I'll always be your brother too. No matter what."
Mia looked at her brother with tears in her eyes and reached out to him with her good arm. Being careful not to jostle her shoulder, James wrapped his baby sister into a hug. When they pulled apart, Mia could tell that there was more on her brother's mind. She tapped his shoulder and passed him her note.
"What is it, Jamie?"
James sighed.
"I don't want to upset you."
"It's okay, just tell me."
James gave Mia a hesitant look before asking his question.
"You don't have to answer, but I was wondering. Your scars- somebody did that to you because of your heritage, didn't they?"
Mia took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After a long minute, she opened her eyes and wrote down her response.
"Yes, Jamie, some of them were inflicted on me because my parents were muggles. Jamie, I have a lot of them, and I think you should probably see the worst of them sooner rather than later. I don't want to accidentally shock you again, especially because Madam Pomfrey is coming to check me out in a few minutes, and they're going to be visible anyway. Something you should know is that most of them are curse scars, meaning that they can't be healed or glamored. Could you help me out from under the blankets please?"
James nodded his head and carefully pulled the blankets off his sister. He gasped. He thought he had seen a lot of scars last night, but compared to the rest, those were minor. He felt his eyes water.
"I'm so sorry, Mia."
From what James could tell, there were seven major scars. The most recent scars were on her ankle and shoulder, both creating a shattered pattern on her skin, as well as a deep slash across her right thigh, and a jagged cut trailing close to Mia's hairline from her forehead down to her cheekbone. The rest of the major ones were older. There was a slice across her neck, as though someone had held a knife to her throat, and a wide cut jetting out past the neckline of Mia's shirt. On her calf, and most likely the oldest, was a thick v-shaped scar, and James noticed several smaller scars that were paler and sprinkled all over her body, as well as quite a few burn scars on her arms and legs.
"Please tell me this is all of them."
Mia shook her head and passed James another note.
"There are two more really bad ones. One of them is on my ribs and some of my back. I got hit with a curse a while back."
James inhaled and nodded.
"And the other?"
James watched as Mia's eyes filled with tears.
"Mia?"
She looked away as her tears started to fall, and slowly offered her left arm, flipping it over so her forearm was bared. She heard James's breath catch. Mudblood. Hermione turned back around when she heard James starting to hyperventilate. She swallowed hard and wiped her tears before trying to calm down her brother, momentarily forgetting in her haste that she had vocal cord damage.
"Jamie," she croaked. She squeezed her eyes shut at the pain in her throat, but she had caught her brother's attention.
"Mia."
His voice cracked, and she could see tears welling in his hazel eyes. He looked broken. His mouth was slightly agape, and through his tormented expression he was studying his sister. How did she survive this? Who could possibly do such a thing? Who would dare do this to his baby sister? He could not ask any of these questions- the words would not come out.
Mia grabbed her notepad, and wrote down one word, before holding it up so her brother could see. She looked him in the eyes, a pained expression on her face, forming from the guilt of upsetting her brother.
"Hug."
It was less of a question, and more of a demand, but James did not mind. He immediately pulled her into a protective embrace. She burrowed into his chest, and he held her as tight and as close as possible without hurting her.
This was how they were found when their parents and Madam Pomfrey walked into Mia's room a while later.
"James? Hermione?" Charlus asked. "Is everything alright? Madam Pomfrey is here to check on Hermione."
Without letting go, James answered their father's question.
"Mia's re-injured her shoulder and ankle. She moved around a bit while she was sleeping last night. Something is also wrong with her vocal cords, she's having issues speaking without pain. I had Tinky give her a pain potion."
Hermione appreciated James covering up her nightmares— she was a bit embarrassed, all though she knew it was perfectly normal to have nightmares after all she had been through, she didn't want a ton of people to know and worry about her.
Madam Pomfrey grumbled at the fact that Mia had re-injured herself, but sighed and started to lay out her medical bag. "All right, Miss Potter, let's fix you up again. Mr. Potter, could you please move off your sister?"
"No, thank you."
Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows. "I can't work on Miss Potter until you move."
"Is there no way to work around me?"
Hermione could see Madam Pomfrey fighting an amused, half-frustrated smile.
"No, Mr. Potter, there is not."
"Do I have to?"
"I'm afraid so."
James sighed, and moved off of his sister. Mia gave him a half smile before they heard the shocked gasps of their parents. When they finally regained the ability to speak, Charlus questioned his daughter. "I'm guessing this is what you meant by 'quite a few' last night?"
Hermione looked away and nodded.
"Please tell me there's no more."
Mia shook her head and looked at James, silently asking him to explain. James nodded at his sister.
"No, Dad, there's two other bad ones. She told me that there is one on her ribs and back from a curse, and the worst is on her left forearm. Is it okay if I show them, Mia?" Hermione nodded, resigned. James took a deep breath and turned back to face their parents.
"Try not to freak out, okay?"
Charlus and Dorea furrowed their eyebrows, and both had matching expressions of concern on their faces. Gently, James took his sister's arm and flipped it over so their parents could see.
Dorea gasped and her hands flew up to cover her mouth as silent tears rolled down her face. Charlus looked a little green, and spoke through clenched teeth.
"I'll kill them."
Hermione shook her head. After all, she couldn't let him go after someone who hadn't done anything yet, no matter how vile the act was. She wrote down a note and showed it to her father.
"Thank you, but no murder, please. It happened a while ago, and it's been taken care of."
Charlus looked pained. "Isn't there any way to heal or glamor them?"
Hermione shook her head, and let Madam Pomfrey explain.
"I healed the ones that could be healed. The ones you see are here to stay. They were all caused by either dark magic or, in the case of her forearm, neck, and hairline, a cursed knife, meaning that there isn't a way to glamor them."
Before Charlus could get himself worked up further, Mia held out a note for him:
"It's ok, Daddy, really. And when it's not ok, I've got you, Mum, and Jamie to back me up."
Hermione gave her father a small smile as he sighed and nodded.
"I'm still never letting anyone near you ever again."
"Don't worry Dad," James said, with a hard look on his face, "they'll have to get through me first."
August 24, 1971
The past month at Potter Manor had been quite pleasant for Hermione. She was finally able to walk and use her shoulder again, and she had spent many hours exploring the property (mainly the family library). She had grown close to her mother and father, and even closer to James, who had immediately wormed his way into her heart. The two siblings were almost never seen apart.
In the days following her arrival, James had been very overprotective of his sister, not leaving her side unless absolutely necessary, and not letting her get up or move around when she needed something. Rather, if whatever Hermione needed was in sight, he would get it for her, and if it was out of sight, he would call upon one of the elves to fetch it instead- much to Hermione's objection.
Once Hermione had regained her mobility, he would follow her around, asking questions about her opinions and sharing things about his. He quickly learned that Hermione's life before arriving was not a subject to be broached. He never asked any direct questions about her past, as he noticed that Mia would occasionally start a story about her life, and then abruptly cut off as she realized what she was saying. Her eyes would fill with tears, and the haunted look that never seemed to leave her face deepened. He would always try extra hard to cheer her up on days when that happened.
James also noticed other little things about his sister's mannerisms. She was always on guard and would never fully relax. She would stiffen at small noises and reach for something at her left hip, even though nothing was there. Once, he woke her up too abruptly, and she ended up kicking his legs out from under him, flipping him onto his back, and baring her fists in his face. Needless to say, now when he wakes her, he does it slowly.
And then there was the fact that she just knew things. James was half convinced that she was a seer. She somehow knew that James played both chaser and seeker in Quidditch, even though he had never told her. She knew about the invisibility cloak their dad had gifted him, and that it had been passed down the Potter line since Ignotus Peverell was alive. She even knew how to make their mum's famous hot chocolate, even though Dorea had never shown her the recipe. (The secret ingredient is a little bit of chili powder). Whenever James asked his sister how she knew, she always said the same thing:
"I just know."
Mia's nightmares, however, were the worst. They terrified James, and his heart broke every time he heard his sister's screams. He never asked her what they were about, and he wasn't sure he even wanted to know. He did know that she didn't want to talk about them, and he respected her decision. After the third night of waking up to her screams and sprinting to her room to calm her down, he started sleeping in her bedroom instead of his own.
Over the past month, James and Mia had developed a nightly routine. Every night, they would get ready for bed in their separate rooms. Once their parents had said goodnight to both kids, James would hop off his bed and head across the hall to Mia's bedroom, where she would be waiting for him with the covers drawn. He would slip into her bed and wrap his arms around her until both siblings would eventually fall asleep. When her screams and cries woke him, he would pull her back into his arms and stroke her hair. He would quietly tell Mia that she was safe and that she was just dreaming, until she woke up, whereupon she would snuggle close and cry into his chest. It was in this position-Mia and James in each other's arms- that they awoke.
"Jamie?"
"Morning, Mia."
"Did Mum and Dad say what we're doing today?"
At this, James shot up with wide eyes, startling Mia who, like usual, shot her hand across her body to reach for the non-existent object at her left hip.
"Sorry, Mi, I didn't mean to startle you, I just got excited. We're going school shopping in Diagon Alley! I can't wait to get my wand! Maybe Mum and Dad will let us get new brooms… I bet I could convince them, I mean, who could say no to a face like this?" As if to prove his point, James pointed to his face, grinned, and waggled his eyebrows.
Hermione snorted.
"I hate to break it to you, but I'm sure quite a few people could say no to you, Mr. My-Hair-Constantly-Defies-Gravity, but that's beside the point. There is absolutely no way that I'm getting a broom. Sorry, Jamie, but I will keep my feet firmly on the ground at all times, thank you very much."
James pouted. "But Mia," he whined, dragging out her name, "how are we supposed to be on our house Quidditch team together if you don't fly? Also, at least my hair is better than yours, Miss Birds-Mistake-My-Hair-For-A-Nest."
"My hair isn't that bad-"
"Trust me, Mia, it is. You're just in denial."
"- besides, Jamie, I've already told you, I'm not trying out for the Quidditch team. Plus, first years aren't even allowed their own brooms."
James gave Hermione a mischievous grin. "They can't confiscate something they don't know we have."
Shaking her head at her brother's antics, Hermione hauled herself out of bed, hugged her brother as he stood up to head back to his bedroom, ruffled his hair, and started to get ready for the day. Mia was looking forward to their trip to Diagon Alley. She couldn't wait to have a wand back in her possession. She felt unprotected without one on her, and often found herself reaching to her left hip, where she normally holstered her wand. She was interested to see what wand ended up choosing her this time. Although she loved her vinewood and dragon heartstring wand, she doubted it would choose her again- she didn't even know if it existed yet. In her original timeline, her wand never gave her any problems, as it grew and adjusted to her magic as she did, but she understood that she was a very different person now than when she started Hogwarts for the first time.
Clipping her beaded bag to her right hip, she walked out of her bedroom and headed towards the kitchen of Potter Manor. She didn't usually carry her bag around the Manor, but she still didn't feel safe in public without it. Mia had been outside the Manor a few times, mainly to sort out her adoption, but this would be the first time she was going to a place that was open to the general public since she landed in 1971. She knew that Jamie had noticed some of her war habits, her need to carry her bag being one of them, and she was happy that he never asked her about them.
After breakfast was finished, the Potter family stood gathered at the fireplace.
"Ok," said Dorea, "Mia and James, why don't you two floo first. Go together, and once you're in Diagon, you both can go wander around. Your father and I have to pick up some money from Gringotts. We'll meet at Ollivander's in half an hour, and we'll pick up your school supplies after that."
Nodding their assent, the Potter siblings stepped into the fireplace.
"Ready, Mia?"
"Let's go, Jamie," said Hermione as she hugged her brother tightly and shut her eyes. It wouldn't do to come out the wrong grate if her grip slipped. She heard James yell out their destination, and with a whoosh, they were gone. Seconds later, James and Mia were spit out of the fireplace and into The Leaky Cauldron, where they headed for the entrance to the Alley in the back of the pub.
Diagon Alley was vastly different from how it was in 1998. It was not boarded up and falling apart from the war, nor was it empty by any means. It looked very much like it did when Hermione had first visited, except perhaps more crowded, a fact that set Mia on edge. After almost a year of just Harry, Ron, and a few occasional Order members for company, Hermione did not feel safe in big crowds. It didn't help that the last time she saw this many people was at the Battle of Hogwarts. Even the Ministry was relatively uncrowded when they went to get her adoption forms signed. James noticed that his little sister was feeling uncomfortable, so he took her hand in his.
"Don't worry, Mia, I won't let anything happen to you."
Hermione smiled at her brother and squeezed his hand.
"Thank you, Jamie. Come on, I know you're dying to get a look at the newest Nimbus broom."
James grinned as they started heading toward Quality Quidditch Supplies. Once inside the store, James immediately dragged Mia over to the Nimbus display, where they saw another black-haired boy ogling the brooms.
"Aren't they amazing," asked the boy, who hadn't turned his head from the display. Something about him seemed familiar to Mia, but she couldn't place the feeling.
James looked in awe at the brooms. "I heard that Puddlemere United uses these brooms."
"You're a Puddlemere fan? Me too," said the boy enthusiastically as he turned to face the two siblings.
"I'm-" That's when it hit Mia. The boy seemed familiar because she had already met him. Hermione gasped, cutting off his introduction.
"Sirius!"
Sirius raised his eyebrows and smiled roguishly at Hermione. "Have we met, Kitten?"
"Don't call me 'Kitten', Sirius Black, and no, we haven't met. I just know."
James smiled and shrugged. "It's sorta her thing. She just knows. I think she's part seer," he said matter-of-factly, holding his hand out to Sirius. "James Potter. This is my sister, Mia."
"Nice to meet you both. Are you guys going to be first years too?"
"Yep! I can't wait," said James. "I heard that we have to fight a dragon to be sorted!"
Sirius's eyes lit up in excitement. "Awesome!"
Hermione, however, looked less than impressed. "Jamie, I've already told you that we don't have to fight a dragon. The Sorting Hat sorts us."
"Don't worry, James, I've got a better way to figure out our houses than asking a stinky old hat." He shot a glance towards Mia, then looked back at James. "You said your sister just knows things, right?"
James gasped and turned to his sister. "Hermione Jean! Have you known all this time what house I'll be in and not told me?!"
Mia huffed and crossed her arms. "I wanted it to be a surprise."
"Mia, because I'm the best big brother in the entire world, and because I love you so very much, I'll offer my forgiveness in exchange for an answer."
Mia rolled her eyes. "You're impossible, Jamie."
"Please, Mia?" asked Sirius with a grin. "I'm very happy with my house not being a surprise, although I know I'm probably going to be in Slytherin like the rest of my family. It's not like I want to be with the snakes, but it's what's expected of me."
James grinned at Sirius before feigning a disappointed look. "And I thought you seemed all right…"
"Jamie!" Mia glared at her brother.
"What? It's not like many good snakes have come out of Slytherin." Sirius nodded at James's comment.
"Really, Jamie? What about Mum? She was in Slytherin. Sirius, what about Andromeda, and your uncle Alphard? Narcissa isn't half bad either, and what about Dra-"
Hermione cut herself off and squeezed her eyes shut. Draco's death had hit her hard. He was just like her: a scared kid growing up in a war, fighting for survival. The only difference between them was the roles they were expected to play. A gentle pressure on her hand dragged her back to the present, where James and Sirius were looking at her with concerned expressions.
"Sorry, I got lost for a second there. Anyway, my point is that you should not judge a person based on their house."
Sirius, in a subtle effort to cheer Mia up, redirected the conversation back to their original topic. "I noticed that my name did not appear on the Decent Slytherin List. That means that I'm either going to be a not-decent-Slytherin, or I'm not going to be in Slytherin at all. Right?"
"Dear Merlin, Sirius, all right, fine. You'll be in Gryffindor with me and Jamie. Happy?"
Sirius and James both let out loud whoops and pumped their fists in the air, before high-fiving each other. After a minute Sirius and James turned back to look at Mia, both grinning madly.
"Very. Thanks, Kitten!"
"Don't call me 'Kitten', Sirius Black! "
Sirius smirked, looking very much like he would be wagging his tail if he had one.
"Kitten's got claws."
Hermione grit her teeth. "The minute I get my wand, Sirius Orion, I'll hex you into oblivion."
Although Mia's words should have terrified him, his grin only grew wider.
"See? You just proved my point! You've got claws, Kitten."
Mia glared at Sirius before looking over at James for help. James shrugged his shoulders and gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, little sis, but you have to admit, he's not wrong. You can be right scary when you want to be."
Turning her glare to her brother, she said, "Just for that, Jamie, I'm dragging you to Flourish and Blotts."
James whined. "No, Mia, if you treat the bookstore like you treat the library, we'll be in there forever."
"Then it serves you right. Plus we won't be in there that long, Mum and Dad will be meeting up with us in a few minutes." Turning to Sirius she added, "You're welcome to join us if you like."
At James's pleading look, Sirius agreed, and together the trio walked towards Flourish and Blotts. They were only in the store for a couple minutes before Mia gasped, grabbed the wrists of James and Sirius, and dragged them over to a sandy-haired boy reading a book by one of the shelves.
"Hello, I'm Mia Potter. This is my brother James, and our friend, Sirius. You're going to Hogwarts for the first time too, right?"
The boy looked up from his book and around the room, checking to see if she was talking to him. Upon seeing nobody else in their vicinity, the boy looked back at Mia and took a deep breath. "Y-Yeah," he muttered shyly, "I'm Remus Lupin."
Mia smiled. She had to physically restrain herself from crushing him in a hug- she had missed him, and now, here he was alive and well. Her smile faded a bit as the memory of his death flooded her mind.
"The Mudblood wants to play? I was getting bored with those two anyway." Tonks and Remus were already battling two other masked death eaters, their backs towards Hermione and Bellatrix. Before Hermione had time to shout, Bellatrix shot two Avadas towards Lupin and Tonks, each hitting their targets. Hermione's heart shattered yet again as their bodies crumpled to the ground.
She was pulled out of her memories once more by James, who was rubbing calming circles on her back. She saw her brother and Sirius looking at her worriedly, while Remus watched her nervously. She shook her head slightly and furiously blinked back a few stubborn tears before speaking.
"Sorry, I got lost again. You reminded me of someone I was close to. It's wonderful to see you though, Remus. Are you shopping for school or for fun?"
"Um… I'm doing a bit of both… I like to read a lot."
Mia grinned as James groaned. "Oh no, not you too. Mia only leaves the library when I drag her out of it. Otherwise, I swear to Merlin it'd become her bedroom. Do you like Quidditch?"
Mia scowled at her brother. "Really, Jamie?"
"What? It's true." He grinned, then feigned a pout. "If you didn't look human, I'd say that the books were your brothers and not me."
"Jamie, you can't be serious-"
"Of course he's not serious, I'm Sirius." At Mia's glare, Sirius held up his hands in surrender. "Sorry, Kitten."
"Don't call me Kitten, Sirius Black! And Jamie, are you honestly telling me that you're jealous of some books? You have to be kidding me!"
James's pout broke into a grin and he wrapped his arms around his sister, resting his head on the top of hers. "Don't worry, Mia, I'm only joking, I know you like me better than books."
Mia narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "You're absolutely infuriating, Jamie, you know that?"
"I know, but you'll forgive me, I'm your brother- you love me too much not to. Plus, I'm too good-looking to not forgive."
"Jamie, are we really going down this road again? I swear, if you didn't look human, I'd say your sister was the bathroom mirror and not me."
"Aw, come on, baby sister, you can't tell me you're jealous of Eunice."
"Who in Merlin's name is Eunice?"
"The mirror, silly."
"Sweet Circe, Jamie, you actually named the mirror? "
The laughter of Sirius and Remus at the siblings' antics drew James and Mia's attention away from their debate. Mia blushed in embarrassment, but James merely grinned, still hugging his sister. When Sirius and Remus calmed down enough to talk, Remus answered James's question.
"I do like Quidditch, but I don't really play. I enjoy watching though. Do you like Puddlemere United?"
"Yes! Another Puddlemere fan! I knew I liked you!"
"No," groaned Mia, "I'm outnumbered."
"Sorry, Kitten, but Quidditch is awesome."
"Don't call me Kitten, Sirius Orion Black! "
"Sorry, Mia," said Remus, smiling a little guiltily, "but Sirius is right on this one. Quidditch is awesome."
"I don't see how anyone could watch, let alone play, a game that takes place hundreds of feet in the air with giant metal balls hurtling at you." She shook her head, sending her curls flying with the movement, and in an effort to change the subject, she asked Remus about the book he was reading.
"Oh… um… It's Lupine Lawlessness: Why Lycanthropes Don't Deserve to Live by Emerett Picardy," he said quietly, looking at the ground. "He's a professor."
Mia saw red.
The boys watched in shock as all at once, her eyes flashed with anger, her hair sparked, and the book burst into flames, causing Remus to jump and drop it. As the three boys frantically tried to put out the fire before the clerk noticed, Mia just stood there, glaring at the book, which was now reduced to a pile of ash. The three future-Marauders looked up at Mia in shock.
"That vile book is a load of rubbish written by a small-minded, biased, and uninformed, cowardly idiot that is too blinded by fear to even learn the basics about the lycanthropic process, rather he just spreads the hate, fear, and prejudice that was ingrained in him since birth. It is because of people like him that lycanthropes are shunned from society based on something they cannot control, it is because of people like him that lycanthropes are not allowed basic medical treatments and human rights. It is because of people like him that people hear 'werewolf' and think 'monster.' It's disgusting!"
James and Sirius were staring at Mia. James was shocked because he had never seen his sister this angry. He supposed this had something to do with her past, but like usual, he wasn't going to ask Mia about it. He just wanted his baby sister to feel safe and happy. Sirius was impressed and slightly intimidated, and Remus was looking at her slack-jawed.
"B-But Mia," said Remus hesitantly, not willing to believe that someone didn't hate werewolves, and confused as to how she could think that way. He was a monster. Could she really not see that? Of course, there was no way she could know she was actually talking to a werewolf, but his point remained the same. "Werewolves are monsters."
He was taken aback as Mia glared furiously at him and the little bolts of energy running through her hair sparked brighter and louder. Looking him in the eyes, she spoke through gritted teeth, her voice gradually getting louder as her fury grew.
"Remus Lupin, if I ever hear that sentence come out of your mouth again, it will be you I set on fire, and not the book. Werewolves are not monsters. Fenrir Greyback was- is a monster, but just because he is a monster does not mean all werewolves are. One of the best and kindest men I ever had the privilege of knowing was a werewolf. He was also one of the most self-deprecating men I had ever met. He had a lot of trouble getting it through his stubborn head that we didn't give a bloody damn about his lycanthropy!"
The trio took a small step back as the wooden bookshelves started to smoke, but Mia continued unfazed.
"His friends became animagi to help him through the full moons! He was so self-sacrificing that he even tried to reject his mate because he didn't want her to be tied to someone with his condition! He said he was too old, poor, and dangerous for her to be around- never mind that he had never hurt anyone in his life! It was partially due to these books that he truly believed himself to be a monster, and that he couldn't see what we saw. He was living proof that not all werewolves are monsters, and I'll be lucky if I am even half the person he was!"
In a move nobody expected after her tirade, she stepped forward and hugged Remus. It took Remus a few seconds to overcome his shock, both at her rant and for being hugged. He went out of his way to not come into physical contact with people. He didn't want to accidentally hurt anyone. But this felt nice. Carefully, he slowly wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm terribly sorry for ranting at you, I just really hate all that prejudiced crap. Do not believe a word of what that abhorrent book says, you are so much better than that. You should know for the future that I don't take kindly to comments like those from anyone, and especially not from you. "
The last part of her sentence was spoken so quietly that he wouldn't have been able to hear it, if not for his enhanced hearing. Even so, he almost didn't catch it. He stiffened slightly. Did she know? How could she possibly know? Even though she knew a werewolf in the past, they had only been talking for a few minutes- she couldn't identify him that fast, nobody could. He relaxed a little as he decided that he must have misheard her.
In an effort to break the tension as Mia stepped away from Remus, Sirius asked Remus what house he wanted to be in. Grateful for the subject change, Remus answered Sirius's question.
"I'm hoping for Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. What about you guys?"
"Mia said that she, James, and I are going to be in Gryffindor together! Apparently Mia just knows things."
"You just know things?" Remus felt his throat tighten. Maybe she did know about him.
"Yes," she nodded, "small things and such."
"It's so cool," said James. "Mia, what house is Remus going to be in?"
Mia sighed, but smiled indulgently at her ridiculously enthusiastic big brother, before turning to face Remus. "Would you like me to ruin the surprise, or would you rather find out for yourself?"
James and Sirius both looked at Mia and Remus pleadingly. Remus smiled at his new friends. It felt nice to have friends.
"Could you tell me?"
She rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "I'm going to put the Sorting Hat out of a job. You'll be roommates with Jamie and Sirius."
Cries of "Yes!" were heard throughout the store as the three boys high-fived each other. When they had settled down, Mia turned to James.
"Jamie, we have to go meet Mum and Dad, it's been half an hour."
"Ok, Mia. Sirius, Remus, we've got to go, but do you guys want to sit with us on the train?" Remus and Sirius grinned.
"That sounds awesome!"
"Count me in!"
"See you on the train then!" James replied as he and Mia turned to leave the shop.
"Bye, James, see you later, Kitten!"
"Don't call me Kitten, Sirius Black! "
Sirius's laughter followed them out the door. They crossed the Alley to find their parents waiting outside of Ollivander's. As they approached the shop, Mia paused for a moment when she realized that the last time she had seen Mr. Ollivander was at Shell Cottage, right before she, Harry, and Ron broke into Gringotts.
Shaking off the memories, she smiled at her parents and hoped that James didn't notice her hesitation. She knew he worried about her, especially after her flashbacks in the Quidditch shop and Flourish and Blotts, not to mention her nightmares, or her reaction to Remus reading that revolting book. He didn't comment because he didn't want to upset her or make her uncomfortable, but James was just as bad at hiding his emotions as Harry was. James worried about her, and Mia didn't want to add to that, she wanted her brother to be happy.
"Are you kids excited to get your wands," asked Charlus.
"I can't wait! Although I think Sirius better run once Mia gets hers…"
"Who's Sirius, and why should he run?"
Mia blew a wayward curl out of her face in frustration. "Sirius is our new friend, and he should run because I'm going to hex him. He thinks it's fun to call me kitten. I warned him that I would hex him, but he didn't listen. Oh well, it's his face."
Charlus laughed as Mia pleasantly smiled.
"Oh, that reminds me," said Mia, looking at her parents, "could I please get a hip holster to go with my wand?"
"Anything you want, Princess."
"Thank you!"
Mia had lost her holster sometime whilst she was on the run, and she needed to feel protected again. For the last month she had been without a wand, and even though she knew she was safe in Potter Manor, she never felt completely protected. Every time that she found herself startled and reaching towards her hip, only to find that her wand and holster were not there, she would feel a flash of panic run through her, and only when she looked around and realized where she was, did she calm down.
They stepped into the small and dusty shop, and it was about a minute before Mr. Ollivander popped out from the back of the shop. James had taken Mia's hand and was practically bouncing with anticipation.
"Ah, Charlus and Dorea Potter, how wonderful it is to see you again. Charlus, redwood, eleven and a half inches, and phoenix feather, quite good for defensive spells, correct? Dorea, ebony, twelve inches, dragon heartstring, and slightly swishy, also good for defensive magic, as well as potions."
Dorea laughed. "You know you're right, Mr. Ollivander. Have you met our kids? This is our son, James, and our daughter, Hermione. They'll be starting Hogwarts next week."
"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. and Miss. Potter. Let's start with you, Mr. Potter, I have a feeling you'll be easier to match than your sister."
Mr. Ollivander left the room to go look for wands, and as the measuring tape started whirring around James, taking measurements of his wand arm, his height, the length of his legs, and the size of his head (which Mia thought would be a rather large measurement if his ego was anything to go by). James looked over to his sister in excitement.
"It's happening, Mi," he loudly whispered, "I'm actually getting my wand!"
Mia rolled her eyes and laughed as Mr. Ollivander came back into the front of the shop, with numerous boxes of wands stacked precariously in his arms.
"Here we go, Mr. Potter," said Ollivander, handing a long wand to James, "thirteen inches, Applewood, and phoenix feather. Give it a wave." As James waved the wand, numerous boxes suddenly exploded, startling Mia, who as usual, reached across her body to draw her wand, tensing when she didn't feel it there. After a few seconds, she relaxed, remembering where she was, but her reaction did not go unnoticed by anyone in the room.
"Sorry, Mi," said James, looking guilty.
Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she smiled at her brother. "It's ok, Jamie. It's not your fault, I should have expected it." James smiled at Mia, but she could still see the worry he was trying to hide. As James continued trying different wands, Mia pretended that she didn't feel the penetrating gaze of Mr. Ollivander. Finally, after a few more minutes passed, James gasped as red and gold sparks happily shot out from the tip of the wand he was holding. When the sparks died down, James was grinning wildly.
"A nice match, Mr. Potter," said Mr. Ollivander in approval. "Let's see… ah, yes. Mahogany and unicorn tail hair, eleven inches, and rather pliable. It will be very good for defensive magic and transfigurations. The unicorn hair suggests that you are light-hearted, while mahogany wands tend to prefer owners who are fiercely protective, especially of friends and family. Am I right in saying that you would do anything for your family?"
James nodded seriously, and looked Mr. Ollivander in the eyes.
"I would happily give my life for theirs in a heartbeat."
Mia fought back the shiver that coursed through her bones. She knew all too well that her brother's words were no exaggeration. An image flashed through her mind at the thought. It was an older Harry with hazel eyes- no, not Harry, Jamie- pale, cold, unmoving, and sprawled across the floor at the foot of the stairs, in the broken house that had not changed since October 31st, 1981.
She felt scared. She was terrified that she would that she would fail- that the future would remain unchanged, and that she would lose the only brother she had left. And she was angry, angry beyond belief. She was furious that her family was in danger. She was livid at the fact that children had been and would be fighting in a war. The many scars that littered her body itched and burned painfully, serving as a reminder of Madam Pomfrey's words: "These are the scars of the future. That future will never happen. Never again."
Never again, Mia vowed. Never again.
"Mia?"
Her brother's voice drew her attention back to the dusty front room of Mr. Ollivander's wand shop.
"Jamie?"
"It's your turn," James said, trying to keep the worry from his tone.
"My turn… right, wands…" As Mia shook off the confusion from her wandering mind, she took her place in the center of the small little room. Mr. Ollivander stepped up to her and stared into her eyes, searchingly. Although Mia did not feel any Legilimency probes in her mind, she strengthened her Occlumency barriers anyway- constant vigilance. When the staring had started to get uncomfortable, Mr. Ollivander took a step back.
"You've used a wand before, haven't you, Miss Potter?"
Mia's mouth popped open and she shot a panicked look over at her father, who smiled at his daughter in understanding.
"Relax, Mia. I'm not about to take you in for underage magic."
Mia nodded, and turned back to Mr. Ollivander. "Yes, I have. My b-brother and I were on the run from some bad people a while back. He thought it wise that I learn to protect myself."
Mr. Ollivander looked at James. "Your brother's not used a wand before."
"No, Jamie hasn't," she agreed, taking James's hand in the process. James responded immediately, squeezing his sister's hand in comfort, but letting Mia do the talking. "I'm adopted."
"Ah, I see. Would you happen to know what type of wand you used? If you could also explain how it reacted to you, it would be helpful in narrowing down where to start first. The wands are tricky around you, Miss Potter."
Mia took a deep breath. "I've used three, Mr. Ollivander. The first was vinewood and dragon heartstring. It really liked me, and I never had any problems with resistance. It worked so well for me that it might as well have chosen me. The results with that wand were very consistent, and it seemed to enjoy the harder spells."
Mr. Ollivander nodded, looking pensive, and Mia continued.
"The second was my brother's wand, which was made of holly and phoenix feather. That wand chose my brother when he was eleven, but it reacted to me just as well as it reacted to him. My brother was also able to use the vinewood and dragon heartstring wand without issue, and both wands liked being in the same proximity as my brother and I, as well as the opposite wand. Although I used the vinewood wand more frequently, and the same with my brother and the holly wand, it didn't matter who used what because they liked us both equally."
"Curious," Mr. Ollivander remarked, "I've not seen many wands act like that, especially not with holly or vinewood wands. Both woods are very loyal to their users, and are usually temperamental around other woods. Am I correct in saying that you are extremely close to your brother? I'd wager you'd have to be for those wands to react like that."
Mia swallowed and forced herself not to cry. She felt James squeezing her hand, and she gripped him tighter.
"Yes, we were very close. He was my best friend."
"Was, Miss Potter?"
"He was killed."
Mr. Ollivander blinked, then tipped his head towards Mia. "My condolences, Miss Potter."
"Thank you," said Mia, with a choked voice. "The final wand I've used was walnut and dragon heartstring. I hated that thing, and it hated me. I wouldn't have come within a thirty mile radius of that thing if I had any other option."
"Do you know of any reasons why you and this wand might have been so incompatible?"
"That wand was responsible for the deaths and tortures of many people, most of whom I do not know the names of. It was the wand that tortured my friend's parents into insanity. It killed Sir- my brother's godfather. It was the wand that was used when I was held under the Cruciatus Curse."
She took a deep breath, ignoring the looks of horror coming from her family members.
"The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Ollivander, and like its owner, that wand is evil and unhinged. Apart from the crimes I've already listed, its owner also killed four of my friends. She killed one of the bravest house-elves I've ever met. He was our friend too, he died helping us escape. She's partially responsible for my... for my brother's death."
Mia squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to cry. As she opened them, she took a deep breath and rubbed her left arm, where her scar was itching painfully- a motion nobody in her family missed. "A-And… well, the wand's owner- she's… particularly fond of knives."
Gasps sounded from Charlus and Dorea, and James looked at his sister with sadness and horror.
"You had to use her wand? The person that- that did that to you?" James asked, gesturing to his sister's arm, which was still covered by her sleeve. Mia nodded, a shiver running down her spine as she remembered the feeling of the evil piece of wood.
"It was horrible, Jamie," she said quietly, as her brother wrapped her in his arms. "It was like- like she was there with me, all the time, I… I couldn't escape it."
James hugged Mia tighter, and Charlus and Dorea looked to each other, both at a loss for what to do. They didn't know how they could help their daughter. Charlus was stuck between hunting down the monsters that tortured Mia, and listening to her assurances that it was all taken care of- that the people who hurt her didn't get away with it. Dorea, however, was ready to charge, attack with wand and spells blazing. Mia's attackers would feel the full wrath of both the House of Potter and the House of Black.
As James stepped away from his sister, but not letting of her hand, Mr. Ollivander cleared his throat.
"Thank you for sharing your experience with the other wands you've used, Miss Potter, you've been very helpful. I shall be back momentarily with a few wands for you to try."
Mia nodded and turned to her dad as Ollivander left the room.
"Dad?"
"Yes, Princess?" Charlus's voice was strained- he was still trying to contain his anger over what had happened to his daughter.
"Am I correct in assuming that the trace for underage magic usage is ineffective in areas with more magical output, because the trace is on magic used in a certain location, rather than on the wand itself?"
"Yes… " Charlus replied, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion. What could his daughter be getting at?
"So if someone underage were to perform a spell in here, the trace would not be triggered because we are in Diagon Alley- an area with extremely high levels of magical output?"
"That is correct… are you planning on doing magic?"
"I figured we could use some cheering up. Are we allowed to do magic in here?"
Charlus and Dorea shared a look, silently having a conversation between themselves. After a few seconds, they both looked back to James and Mia.
"This goes for both of you," said Charlus. "You are allowed to do magic outside of school, as long as you ask us first, and at least one of us is there to supervise. If we find out that you have been doing otherwise, you will lose the privilege. Am I clear?"
They both nodded, and James was grinning mischievously. Mia realized now that the magic pass from their parents might have been a bad idea- she remembered the stories Sirius would tell about James...
"Can I show you all something while we wait?" Charlus nodded at his daughter, and Mia turned to James.
"Jamie, do you trust me?"
"Always, Mia."
Mia smiled at her brother. "Ok, Jamie. Take out your wand. Hold it out in front of you, but keep it pointed away from Mum and Dad. Make sure your grip is comfortable— hold it too tight or too loose and it won't work properly."
"I'm going to do magic?" James looked excited, but also a bit nervous. Again, Mia smiled at him— she still hadn't released his hand, but James didn't seem to mind.
"You are, Jamie. I'm going to walk you through one of the spells I learned. Are you ready?"
James took a deep breath and set his features into a look of determination.
"Yes."
"Ok. Close your eyes." As he did so, Mia squeezed his hand. "Search through your memories, Jamie. Find a strong memory, a powerful one- your happiest memory. Keep your eyes closed, but allow the memory to fill you up. Let it warm every part of you, get lost in it. Focus only on your memory and my voice. Nothing else matters right now."
She gave him a moment to find his memory, and shot a look over at her parents. They looked curious and intrigued, but they kept quiet so as to not distract James.
"Do you have a memory, Jamie?"
"Yes."
"Good." She then leaned in to whisper in his ear. "When you're ready, push all your energy and emotion from that memory into your wand, and speak the words 'Expecto Patronum.' You have to really feel it, though, or else it won't work."
James nodded, and smiled as he focused on the memory.
It was a few weeks after Mia had arrived at the Manor, sometime in early August.
Mia.
His baby sister.
He had a sister now- he was a brother!
He had been nervous when his parents had called him down to talk one day in late July. They had been floo-called earlier in the day by Albus Dumbledore, asking if they could talk with him in his office. James was left home alone, curious as to what Albus Dumbledore could have possibly wanted to discuss with his parents. However, when his parents returned, they sat him down and explained that Dumbledore had found a girl in need of a family, and had asked if they would be willing to adopt her.
After that, James was ecstatic. He had always wanted a sibling, but he never thought that it would happen- he was the miracle child. His parents had tried for years to have children, but it never worked. It got to the point where the healers believed that his Mum might never have children, that is, until a couple weeks later when they found out that his Mum was pregnant with him. It came as no surprise to James that he had been rubbish at following the rules, even before birth.
He was James Potter, after all.
James had given up on the idea of having a sibling long ago, but now, hearing that he would be a brother, well, he couldn't be happier.
And then Mia arrived. From the moment he saw their dad carrying her into the Manor, she was his. His Mia- his sister. And then he saw her scars. He saw the sadness that lingered underneath the surface, he heard her screams, her nightmares, and he vowed that he would do everything he could to help her- to make her happy again. She was his sister.
I n the past few weeks since Mia had arrived, James noticed that she was at her happiest when she was distracted from her thoughts. This was one of the reasons James had refused to leave her side whilst she was healing from her injuries- if he was always there, she wouldn't really have time to dwell on her past. If she did happen to slip into her thoughts, James would be there to pull her out, hence why he was currently aiming a small throw pillow at his sister's head. He took a breath and tossed the pillow, watching as it sailed across the room and bounced off the side of her head, knocking her back into the present.
" Jamie!"
"Yes, Mia?" He smiled innocently at her. She was mostly healed now, apart from some of her cuts that kept re-opening- the ones Madam Pomfrey had said were caused by a cursed knife. She was able to move around on her own now, which was something he really should have thought about before launching a pillow at her. He had no idea what he'd just started.
"What in Merlin's name was that for!"
"What in Merlin's name was what for?"
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"You threw a pillow at my head!"
James gasped dramatically, throwing a hand over his heart. "I would never, dear sister! It must have been Robert, the scoundrel! He's the Manor Ghost- he was terribly sad that he died without ever having participated in a pillow fight, you see, and now he goes around the manor throwing pillows at unsuspecting children."
Mia raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
"Oh yes," said James, nodding seriously, "it happens all the time."
"I see," said Mia, and quicker than he would have thought possible, she picked the pillow off the couch and threw it back at James, grinning victoriously as it hit him in the face.
"Mia!"
"Yes, Jamie?"
"You threw a pillow at my head!"
"I would never, dear brother! It must have been Robert." She tried to look serious, but the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth ruined the almost-perfect facade.
"Oh, it's on!" James jumped off the couch, grabbing the pillows on either side of him, watching as Mia did the same. Before he could even take his first shot, Mia had already hit him again in the face with another pillow.
"Careful, Jamie," she cautioned, "I don't lose. Ever."
"Oh really? We'll see about that…"
They spent the rest of the evening chasing each other around the large manor, armed with numerous pillows, until finally James had to concede to his sister's declaration. She most certainly did not lose.
"Thank you, Jamie," said Mia, as James crawled into her bed later that night.
"What for?"
"For earlier today. I don't think I actually remember the last time I had that much fun- so, thank you, for making it better. For making me better, happier. You make me really happy. It's nice to feel happy again, without all the other emotions clouding it up."
"You're happy?"
"I really am, Jamie," she replied, snuggling close to him and closing her eyes. James watched as his sister's breathing slowed, and just before she drifted off to sleep, he heard her quietly mumble: "Goodnight, Jamie. I love you."
"Expecto Patronum!"
James grinned as a silvery-blue light erupted from his wand, forming a large shield and lighting up the small wand shop. James looked around at his family. Mia was smiling proudly, and there was something else in her expression that he couldn't quite decipher- longing, maybe? But also like she had seen this before, or like she was being reminded of something. His parents, on the other hand, looked astounded. Both of them stood staring at him with wide eyes and mouths gaping, and his mother had dropped her purse in shock, but she made no move to pick it back up. The light faded as he lost focus, and he turned to his parents.
"What?" James was confused as to why they looked so shocked- he'd only performed a simple spell.
"James, darling," Dorea started, "do you know what spell you just cast?"
"No, why?"
"It's called the Patronus Charm, Jamie," said Mia, taking over for their mother. "It's known for being a rather advanced bit of magic.'
Charlus snorted. "Rather advanced? Mia, Princess, I do believe you may be underselling it a bit." He turned back to face James. "Most of my aurors can't even get the charm to work, much less produce a shield or a fully corporeal patronus; and look at you, son! The first spell you ever cast is one of the hardest ones known to wizard kind!"
"B-But- it was pretty easy… how could that be one of the hardest spells in the world?"
"It's because the Patronus Charm is based on emotion and force of mind," Mia explained. "It would naturally be easier for a younger person to cast because they are more prone to magical outbursts. Accidental magic happens due to strong emotions and will power- when a magical child feels strongly about something and wants something to happen, it often does. The Patronus Charm is harder for adults because they learn to control their emotions and channel their magic through other means. Since most people hear about how difficult the charm is, they often wait to try it until they are adults, not knowing that it makes it harder. When they have issues producing the charm, they say that it's a hard charm to master, and it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle."
"That makes a lot of sense, actually," commented Charlus as Mr. Ollivander returned with a few wands. Despite Charlus's admission, both Charlus and Dorea still looked like they were having issues processing what had just happened. James, on the other hand, was grinning. Mia sighed. Her brother's head was big enough- she really didn't need to inflate his ego more than it already was, and teaching him the Patronus Charm had, very obviously, done just that. Oh well, she'd find other ways to take his ego down a notch- she could have fun pulverizing him in another pillow fight…
"Here we go, Miss Potter," said Ollivander, holding out a wand to her. "This is vinewood and phoenix feather, eleven inches. I reckon that staying in the same family of the wood and cores that reacted well to you might work best for you."
Mia nodded, and reached out to take the wand. She had barely held it for five seconds before Ollivander had plucked it out of her hand while shaking his head.
"Nope, not this one. Maybe…"
He pulled out another wand, and this time, it was one Mia recognized. Her breath caught in her throat. It was her brother's wand. Harry's wand. She knew it wouldn't choose her, despite the fact that it worked just as well for her as it had for Harry, it was Harry's wand, and she was not Harry. She knew that the wand would know this as well.
"I happened to have a holly and phoenix wand in the back. I figured it was worth a try, given how well the other holly and phoenix wand worked for you. This particular wand is eleven inches, and it is nice and supple."
Slowly, Mia took the wand in hand, and she knew at once that the wand recognized her- realized that she was in some way deeply connected to its wizard, but as she predicted, the wand opted to wait for Harry. Mr. Ollivander seemed to sense the match was not completely right as well, as he once again shook his head and reached for the wand.
"Close, but not quite," he said, while looking at the holly and phoenix feather wand. "This wand is one of my more curious wands. Not only is the wood and core combination a rare one, but this wand also has both a brother and a sister wand."
"A brother wand is where the cores come from the same animal," said Mia, knowingly.
"That is correct, Miss Potter. A sister wand, on the other hand, is where the wood used in the wands come from the same tree. Now, this wand's brother has already been sold, its sister, however, might just work for you."
He then pulled out a wand that was similar in length to her original vinewood wand, and also rather straight. She noted that, like Harry's, this wand had more of a distinct handle. Looking closer at it, she noticed that little engravings traveled up the shaft of the wand, etched in a subtle gold hue, fading slightly as it got closer to the tip. They almost looked like little lightning bolts, or sparks of electricity. This seemed rather fitting, as before her hand even touched the wand, it emitted sparks of excited energy.
The minute she took the wand into her hand, she felt her magic coursing through her veins, rushing to her fingertips, as if her magic was magnetically attracted to the wand, which was thrumming happily under her touch. Sparks rained down around her illuminating the little shop, making it look like numerous muggle light bulbs had exploded. There was simply no other way to describe it- it was magical.
"Congratulations, Miss Potter. It seems that at long last, this wand has finally chosen its witch, and I must say I've seen few better pairings than this one. I believe we should expect great things from you, Miss Potter. The wand that has chosen you is, as I said before, the sister to the holly and phoenix wand you just tried. Holly wands are very loyal, and that alone can make them very temperamental. In addition to being temperamental around other people and woods, holly wands, like mahogany wands, are fierce protectors. Holly is commonly associated with strength and protection, and its bright red berries symbolize blood, more specifically blood spilt through unconditional love and sacrifice. I believe I would not be mistaken to say that, like your brothers, you would stop at nothing to ensure the safety and well-being of your family."
Mia nodded seriously. She would do anything for her family.
"The dragon heartstring in your wand comes from a particularly feisty Chinese Fireball."
Mia interrupted, remembering a passage from a book on dragons she had read to help Harry with the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Honestly! She still had no idea what they were thinking, bringing dragons to a school! Norberta was bad enough!
"Chinese Fireballs, also known as Liondragons, are known for being one of the more aggressive breeds of dragons, especially the females. They are territorial, family-oriented, clever, and fast, and they can be quick to anger. They are distinguished by their scarlet coloring, golden spikes, and large eyes, along with their mushroom shaped or spherical flames."
"Correct again, Miss Potter. Now, when holly, a very loyal and temperamental wood, is paired with a dragon heartstring core, something that is also extremely temperamental, it is easy to say that the wand will like only a few people. In fact, most of the people who had tried this wand before you often found themselves getting zapped by the sparks your wand is so fond of emitting."
James snorted. Knowing his sister and her fiery temper, he was not surprised in the slightest. The image of Mia in Flourish and Blotts, energy coursing through her hair, glaring at the flaming copy of Lupine Lawlessness on the floor, quickly came to the forefront of his mind. James shivered, a healthy dose of fear running down his spine at the memory of his sister's wrath. He pitied the poor souls stupid enough to invoke Mia's fury. They would be, quite literally, playing with fire.
"You should be proud, Charlus and Dorea," said Mr. Ollivander, turning to their parents, "your children are quite extraordinary. They will grow to be powerful. Very powerful, indeed."
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander," said Dorea, smiling down at both of her children. "We are."
After wands and hip holsters had been purchased- Mia insisted that James get a holster too- the Potters finished up the rest of their shopping in Diagon, ate a lovely dinner prepared by Rocky and Tinky (who had banned Mia from the kitchen), and retired for the night. It was when Mia was nodding off to sleep, that she heard her brother's voice.
"Mia?"
"Mmhm?" The lack of a response from her brother had her drifting further from her sleepy haze. She turned to face him when she still had not received a reply. Through the dim light of the moon shining through her window, she was barely able to make out the tears in her brother's eyes. Her concern grew.
"Jamie? What is it? What's wrong?"
Finally, he spoke.
"Promise… promise me that I'll never have to lose you… please…" His voice broke at the end of his sentence, and the tears started to roll down his face.
Her heart stopped, and she felt a pang of grief and fear tear through her. She knew all too well how her brother was feeling, and she wished she could shield him from it- hide him away where he would be safe, where he would never have to feel the terror and sorrow that comes with war, but she knew she couldn't. Instead, she wrapped him in her arms. James hugged her back tightly- as if he were afraid that the minute he let go, his sister would disappear forever.
"Oh Jamie," she said, trying to hold back her own tears, "what brought this on?"
"Earlier at the wand shop," he sniffled, "some of the things Mr. Ollivander was saying about your wand… fighting a-and sacrifice… it- it just got me thinking… something's coming, Mia, I know it is. Dad's picked up more cases at the auror office, p-people are on edge, and Mia, Mia, it's already happened to you… you've had to- to face s-so much, a-and… and I-I can't lose you, Mia. You're my sister, and I can't lose you… promise me I won't lose you…"
At this, Mia could no longer hold back her tears, and she hugged her brother tighter.
"You're right, Jamie," she said thickly, "something is coming, and you're right that it's already hit me. It won't be here for sometime yet, but when it comes, I'll be ready. I'll make sure you're ready too. I don't want us to have to fight, but I've been fighting a lot longer than you know, and I will stop at nothing to end it."
She took a deep breath.
"I can't promise that you won't lose me, but I can promise that if you do lose me, then it'll have been worth it, because it will mean that you're no longer in danger, that it's over, and I'll be happy- not that I'm gone, but that you're safe. I refuse to rest. Not until I know you're safe. You will be safe. I promise."
"Mia, I don't care if I'm safe! Not if you're gone! I can't lose you, Mia! "
He sounded more terrified than she had ever heard him.
"Jamie, a brilliant man once said that the ones who love us never really leave us, you can always find them… in here." And like Sirius had done to Harry, Mia gently laid her hand over James's heart. Through his tears, James met his sister's eyes.
"I'll never leave you, Jamie. Even if I'm gone-dead- I'll never really leave you. You won't lose me."