Untitled (A witch's journey)
Part One
By: Phoenix Goddess
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Oh, my gosh. I completely forgot about school! Shoot! I'd never make it now, and I don't have a good excuse. Ohh, Mrs. Bullgurt's going to kill me!"
"Calm down, hun. We'll go and talk to her now. I'm sure my husband won't mind. He's bound to be back from his trip to England shortly. What a nice surprise for his welcome-home!"
"He's in England? I've always wanted to go to England."
"Maybe. But first, we have to go through all the muggle... what do you call it? 'Red tape'."
"I can't thank you enough... the orphanage is horrible!"
"I wish I could help some of the others... But, although we're well off, we just don't have that much money."
"That's okay. They're all young, and most people like adoptees that are young."
"Like you're not young?"
"Of course not! I'm 11 years old!"
"Oh, I see. So that makes you queen of the world, does it?" Mrs. Jaime asked teasingly.
Natalia sniffed. "I am most definitely not a child."
"Oh, I see. So you can drive can you? Most talented 11 year-old. Can you apparate too?"
"Just because I cannot do these things does not make me a child."
"You've got a haughty streak there, doll. You'd better watch yourself."
"I'm sorry, I can't help it."
"Well, you're going to have to learn to help it, if you want to live with us. Think you can do that?"
"I'll try."
"Good girl."
~*~*~*~*~*~
Natalia lived with Mrs. Jaime for a month before Mr. Jaime came home, so when he did, she was well adjusted. Mr. Jaime was a burly, jovial man. They "clicked" instantly, and within a few weeks, she was calling him Daddy. His frequent trips to the English Ministry, though, cut short their playtime. It was a rough life, but much better than the one she had at the orphanage. She was learning magic at home, taught by "mom". She was a perfectionist, but that only made her better at her subjects. Potions was her favorite. She found it enchanting, how just the right amount of an ingredient could make a potion powerful enough to kill, or cure. Mom even took her to the pet shop to get a pet. She originally was going to get an owl, but when she saw a small, black, green-eyed kitten, all thoughts of an owl were forgotten. The kitten was immediately bought, and the two became inseparable.
"What should I name you, cutie?" Natalia rhetorically asked.
"I don't know, but I like Altair." a small, male voice answered.
Natalia nearly fell over in shock.
"You can speak English?"
"No."
"But then...?"
"You can speak Ailurin."
"I can?!" She asked, bewildered.
"Well, obviously." Altair answered huffily.
"Wow. So I can talk to any cat?"
"Any member of the cat family. You know, lions, tigers, Persians... You get the point."
"That's so totally awesome!" Natalia shrieked.
"Yeah, it's like, way rad!" Altair added, mockingly. Then he yelped as he tumbled from the bed to the floor.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Natalia kept up her home studies, keeping up with others her age, of four years. She still had a penchant for Potions, and she was quite good at Transfiguration. Mrs. Jaime was training her to become an Animagi. She felt this was a very important tool to self-discovery. Of course, there were other, less painful ways, but why would you want to use them? Mrs. Jaime's form was a cheerful cardinal. As she was not quite that far ahead yet, Natalia did not know what her form was. Natalia was very close to her new family. She had even gotten used to living in Salem, when Mr. Jaime dropped the bombshell on them.
"We're moving to England!" he announced one evening over dinner.
This brought mixed reviews.
"Zach! You're not serious?" Mrs. Jaime cried, worriedly.
"Really? Great!" Natalia exclaimed.
Altair looked bored.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"Oh my god, Altair! I'm so excited! I finally get to go to England, and I get to go to Hogwarts! I hope I'm in the same year as other people my age. Wouldn't it be embarrassing if I went with the first years? Ooh, look at this book I bought, Altair. It's Hogwarts: A History. The summary says it'll tell me everything I need to know about Hogwarts and it's founders. Oh, I can't wait! Did you hear mum and dad arguing? Mom wants to go muggle style- fly by plane!- but dad wants to go by Floo Powder. I think Mom's winning. She usually does. I'm so thankful the English Ministry offered him this job. 100,000 Galleons a year! It must be a really important job. He wouldn't tell me what though." Natalia babbled endlessly as she packed all her belongings in her magically-enhanced trunk.
"Do you ever stop to breathe?" Altair complained.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Writhing with excitement, Natalia clutched her trunk in one hand, a whining Altair under her arm, and some Floo Powder in the other hand. (Mr. Jaime had won.)
"Alright, Zack, you go first. Natalia, you next, then I'll go. Remember: It's 'Jaime's Villa'. Don't screw it up! I don't like going cross-continental with Floo Powder. Be careful!"
"Yes, mother. I'm not a two-year-old anymore! I mean, really!"
"I'm sure she's just worried, dear. Let's go, before you forget the words. Just... say them once, for me."
"Oi. Jaime's Villa. Happy?"
"Couldn't be more."
And with that, Mr. Jaime threw his powder on the fire, dragged his trunk in, and yelled "Jaime's Villa!" He swirled around, a blast of purple flame shot up, and he disappeared.
Next, Natalia completed the same performance.
Finally, with a last look around, and a heavy sigh, Mrs. Jaime followed suit.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When all three arrived safely in the house the Jaimes' had purchased, a collective sigh of relief was heard.
Natalia started giggling, Altair meowed loudly to be let down, and Mr. and Mrs. Jaime gave each other looks, then cracked up.
"Do you know how long it's been since I laughed without a reason?" Mr. Jaime exclaimed between snorts of laughter.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Natalia could not remember when she had last been this excited. After four years of being home schooled, she was going to Hogwarts, the most prestigious wizarding school in the world. Not only that, she was in Harry Potter's year! Imagine, possibly having classes with one of the most famous wizards in the world!
But she was also nervous. What if I don't fit in? Am I too Americanized?
August 31, the day before school started, found Natalia in a state of shock. She was in Diagon Alley, and feeling almost- overwhelmed. She had never seen this many wizarding shops in one place before! She had so much stuff to buy, too. She needed- let's see- her uniform, a new cauldron, some more potions ingredients (yay!) and a couple books. Luckily, mom knew her way around, having been here often in the past month. Natalia had been too busy with her muggle friends to come. So now she had to buy everything today.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I really wish you hadn't put this off, Natalia." Mrs. Jaime complained, exasperated.
"Well sor-ry! It's a bit late to complain though."
"Don't start. Where to first?"
"How about Madame Malkin's?"
So Mrs. Jaime and Natalia set off to Madame Malkin's, where in the shop, Natalia met a rather nice guy, who had pale skin and blonde hair.
He introduced himself as, "Draco Malfoy. Nice to meet you. You are pureblooded, correct?"
Natalia was confused. She really wasn't sure, but since the Jaimes' had adopted her...
"Of course."
After making chitchat with Draco, Natalia bought her robes and met Mrs. Jaime outside. She was uncharacteristically quiet for the rest of the shopping expedition, only perking up when they stopped at the Apothecary.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Finally, Mrs. Jaime could take it no more. "What is with you?! You ought to be grateful, all the money we spent on you today!"
"I am grateful. Thank you."
Mrs. Jaime sighed. "What's wrong?"
Natalia couldn't help it. She began to tear up.
AN: that would be tear, as in cry, not tear, as in rip in half...
"I don't know who I am! I don't know who my parents are, or where I inherited the ability to speak Ailurin from. I don't know anything about my past, so how can I know about my future?"
"Ohh, hun. I don't know how I can help. You were left by the road, as you know, so the orphanage couldn't tell me anything. Wait! Your locket! Have you checked it?"
Natalia looked at her mother blankly.
"It's solid."
"Are you sure? Here, let me see." Natalia handed it over. "Nice water-repellent charm, by the way. Let's see... Alohorma? No."
"I told you so!"
Then, once again tapping the locket with her wand, Mrs. Jaime said, "Mrs. Jaime, mother of the owner of this locket, demands you reveal yourself."
Once again, nothing.
"Here. You tap it with your new wand, and say 'Natalia, owner of this locket, demands you reveal your secret.'"
Natalia did so, and the locket opened with a click.
"See? You just need to know how to talk to these things. I'll be in the kitchen- we're having the Weasley's for dinner."
"Who?"
"Some friends of your father's. Pity they have so many children..."
And with that, she left Natalia to investigate her new treasure.
Natalia stuck a manicured fingernail in the exposed slit in the locket, and pried it open. A small piece of parchment fell out.
McFayden vault, Gringotts, Diagon Alley, England.
password- courage.
"Mom! I'll be back before dinner, I promise!"
She grabbed some Floo powder, and transported herself to the public grate at Diagon Alley.
~*~*~*~*~*~
When she arrived, she stepped out at a brisk pace towards Gringotts. When she arrived, she smiled at the goblin at the front desk, and said "McFayden vault, please!"
"Password?" the goblin said irritably.
"Courage."
"He will show you the way." The goblin said, pointing to another.
Natalia followed the other goblin down to the cart, where she rode a considerable distance to the vault. It was high-security, and upon opening, shone with gold and jewels.
"Holy shit!"
Natalia walked in and looked around. Was this hers? Adhered to the wall was a piece of parchment.
Daughter-
I know not your name, as I know not you. You are illegitimate, but a pureblood nonetheless. You were a shame upon my family; therefore I could not keep you. Do not try to contact me. This is a private vault, set up with an assumed name. Its contents are yours. Do with them whatever you please. Money concerns me not anymore. I have provided the best I can for you. Thank you.
-Your mother.
P.S. There is a bag upon the floor. It shall serve your needs.
Natalia looked down. There was a royal blue, velvet handbag upon the floor. Another bit of parchment was attached. A key was beside the bag.
Point to the bag with your wand, and say your name. From then on, only you have access to it.
Whatever. Natalia thought. She pointed at the bag with her wand.
"Natalia... Natalia McFayden."
~*~*~*~*~*~
AN: Heys ppls. Thank you for reviewing my other part, plz keep it up-- It's very encouraging! I try to review every story I read, plz return the favor. Keeps morale high, you know. I'm putting a pic of Natalia in her Hogwarts uniform in my profile.. I felt you should know that. So... do I need more detail? Is this moving too fast? Sorry for the crappy ending!! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I only own everything but Draco and Diagon Alley and such. Some other fantasy writer owns Ailurin... Sorry, I forget who. They're a really good author tho.