ONE
~The First Encounter~
"Liona, come on!" A lanky redhead called to her supposed sister. The
identical girl was pulling an unruly-looking bunch of small faerie-like
creatures.
"Then come take your own Djinni!" She shouted back.
"Fine! Luff, Breeze, Daina, come!" The two light blue and one silver
Djinni flittered out of Liona's grasp and over to her sister.
Consequently, Liona fell over from the sudden lack of strain.
"Owww..." She muttered. One of her own silver Djinn flew over to make
sure she was alright. "Yes, I'm okay. Sorry about that."
"Come ON, Liona!" She called again.
"I know, I'm coming already, Prism." Far ahead, a redhead boy tapped his
foot impatiently.
"You two are going to make me late for the sale if you don't hurry up!"
He yelled to them. Not too far away, another redhead boy did the same
thing.
"Harry! Harry, are you almost done over there? You have the fastest broom
there is anyway!"
"Just a second, Ron!"
"Waiting for someone?" The first redhead asked the other wryly.
"Ha! It's like waiting on a snail." He extended his hand. "Ron Weasley."
"Lance Coldflame. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
"Who you waiting for?"
"My friend Harry. He's impossible to drag away from that broom shop even
with school supplies to find."
"Hogwarts?" Lance asked interestedly.
"Yeah. Where do you go?"
"I'm just transferring into Hogwarts. Me and my sisters-" he motioned at
the two slowly approaching girls, "-just moved here from America and were
accepted right away."
"Impressive. I've never known anyone to enter in their later years." He
paused. "How old are you, anyway?"
"Fifteen."
"And your sisters?"
"The same. We're triplets." Ron gaped.
"You're kidding! Wow. Say, if you're from America, why don't you have
that aweful hilbilly accent?" Lance just laughed and never got a chance to
answer.
"Because we picked this one up fast. Auditory learning and perfect recall
is just one of those gifts passed in our family, I guess." One of the
girls said. "Liona Coldflame."
"Ron Weasley."
"Did I miss anything?" Prism called. "Oh hi! I'm Prism. Sorry about all
that." Liona gave Prism a cold stare which Prism either didn't notice or
decided to ignore. It appeared that a thought occurred to Lance.
"Say Ron, if you're shopping for Hogwarts, would you mind if we came
along? We don't exactly know where anything is."
"Sure! That sounds great, that is, if you can help me get Harry away from
the shop." A light shone in Liona's eyes and she walked up next to Ron.
"Harry Potter, you say?" She asked. Ron sighed in return.
"Yes, please don't make a big deal out of it. He's really tired of being
famous." A smile tugged at a corner of her mouth and she winked.
"No problem."
"Thanks." Then, louder, "Harry! Come on! You're making our new friends
wait!" Harry finally looked over and saw Liona. Her predominant
characteristic was her wavy, red, pigtailed hair; but long-lashed amethyst
eyes were a close second. Third was most likely the strangely-shaped tatoo
on the corner of her right cheekbone.
"Our new friends?" Ron nodded.
"Liona, Prism, and Lance Coldflame. They're transferring into Hogwarts
and in our year." Harry quickly composed himself.
"Well, let's go then I guess." The group headed down Diagon Alley and
into Flourish and Blotts, as usual.
"Welcome, what can I do for you?" The shopkeep asked.
"We need the books on this list, kindly. A set for each of us." Harry
replied. The man looked it over.
"Hogwarts students, eh? You need quite a bunch this year. I'll be right
back." There was a long pause as soon as he left. Such peace, however, was
not to be found for long.
"Potter!" All heads turned to see Draco Malfoy. "Weasley, surprised to
see you in here. Got the money to buy books this year, have you?" Liona
noted amusedly that Ron's ears turned red.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked through partially-clenched teeth.
"Just to say hello to my 'favorite' Gryffindors and..." He looked at the
triplets. "...you three?" Liona pushed her way in front of Ron and Harry,
extending her hand.
"Liona Coldflame, Prism and Lance. I can tell it's supposed to be a real
pleasure meeting you." A twitch of annoyance or pleasure... Harry couldn't
tell which... flicked at Malfoy's nose. He shook hands with Liona,
appearing slightly bemused.
"Algiz and Dagaz?"
"And Sowulo." The partial smile flicked once again. "On my left hand."
"Ah." He looked her up and down once more before walking away and calling
one comment behind. "I'll be seeing you in Slytherin!" Harry gaped at her
in some combination of awe and horror. Her violet eyes were narrowed to
slits, following Malfoy away from the building.
"Does she seem like a Slytherin to you?" Ron whispered to Harry.
"She wouldn't apparently qualify for anything else but Gryffindor with
all that determination and courage."
"Your books!" The shopkeep called, surprising everybody out of their
trances. "That's nine galleons and five sickles apeice... thank you." The
company all paid (Harry secretly slipping a couple galleons into Ron's
bag) and set off for the rest of the shops. Everything proved uneventful
until they headed to Ollivanders for wands for the triplets.
"Mister Ollivander!" Harry called into the back of the shop.
"Hello Harry, Ron." The farmiliar, quiet voice said, startling Lance and
Prism. "Leading these three to their new wands, are you?"
"Yessir, Mr. Ollivander." Ron replied somewhat sheepishly.
"How about I start with this young lady here?" He asked, and put a white
hand on Prism's shoulder. "What's your name, dearie?"
"P-Prism Coldflame."
"And your wand arm?"
"Right."
"Very good, very good." His magical tape measure went straight to work,
measuring all sorts of appendages on the frightened girl. Mr. Ollivander
himself went looking through the wands. "Let's try this first." He pulled
out one of the skinny boxes and the measure dropped to the ground.
"Redwood with a dragon heartstring, 14 inches. Very firm." She took an
awkward hold of the long thing and gave it an experimental swish. "No, no.
Afraid not. It is the wand that chooses the wizard though. We'll just keep
trying." He looked for a moment longer. "How about this... maple and a
unicorn horn, 9 and three-quarters inches. Rather bent in the middle." At
her wave, boxes from one side of the room flew everywhere and he snatched
the wand back. "DEFINITELY not!" He pulled another from the shelf and
handed it to her. "This one is nice and whippy... willow, unicorn hair, 10
and a quarter inches." A blush spread across her cheeks and silver sparks
flew from the new wand. Harry was trying to recall where he had heard that
particular phrase before, staring at the ponytailed redhead.
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander." Prism said quietly.
"My pleasure, dearie." He motioned for another to come.
"Lance Coldflame, sir." He introduced himself. Mr. Ollivander's eyes
flicked from Harry to Lance and back.
"I beleive I know just what wand you could do with." He reached for a
high-up box. "Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and
flexible." Lance had hardly had any fun and ice blue sparks flew from the
wand. This time Harry was absolutely confounded until...
"Mr. Ollivander, didn't I try that wand?"
"Yes I beleive you did, Harry." His smile was unreadable. "Now you,
Liona. Come here." Prism exchanged glances with Lance.
"How does he know her name?" She asked.
"I have my ways, Prism." Ollivander answered.
"What's your wand hand?"
"My left." He smiled.
"Rare, that. Now let me see here... ah! Apple, unicorn hair, seven and a
half inches. Rather firm." Nothing was produced from that and he gave her
an odd look. "Hmm... you looked accustomed to apple wood. Perhaps...
cherry, dragon heartstring, fifteen inches. Bendable." The flower vase
blew up on account of that attempt. "Goodness, not that. Perchance this
though. Ash, pheonix feather, fourteen and a quarter inches. Somewhat
pliable." His record book flew away. "Dear me." The pile of used wands
heaped up further and further until suddenly it seemed an idea struck him
and he grabbed one of the boxes off the floor that Prism had knocked over
with her wand mishaps. "This one. Oak, pheonix feather, thirteen and a
half inches. Strong and powerful." Liona whipped it around her left side
and a ranbow erupted, flying out the window at it's first chance. There
was a moment of silence. "Bravo! Well done indeed!"
"Good show there, Liona!" Ron congratulated her.
"Yes, I've never seen anything like that before." Prism added.
"Thanks, everybody." Liona said, blushing scarlet. "Here's your money,
Mr. Ollivander."
"Yes, thank you. I do hope it lasts a long while."
"Me as well." The others filtered out of the shop.
"Good luck there, Mistress Blackfire. Try not to cause too much havoc."
Liona smiled slyly.
"I'll try. Good day."
"Good day."
~The First Encounter~
"Liona, come on!" A lanky redhead called to her supposed sister. The
identical girl was pulling an unruly-looking bunch of small faerie-like
creatures.
"Then come take your own Djinni!" She shouted back.
"Fine! Luff, Breeze, Daina, come!" The two light blue and one silver
Djinni flittered out of Liona's grasp and over to her sister.
Consequently, Liona fell over from the sudden lack of strain.
"Owww..." She muttered. One of her own silver Djinn flew over to make
sure she was alright. "Yes, I'm okay. Sorry about that."
"Come ON, Liona!" She called again.
"I know, I'm coming already, Prism." Far ahead, a redhead boy tapped his
foot impatiently.
"You two are going to make me late for the sale if you don't hurry up!"
He yelled to them. Not too far away, another redhead boy did the same
thing.
"Harry! Harry, are you almost done over there? You have the fastest broom
there is anyway!"
"Just a second, Ron!"
"Waiting for someone?" The first redhead asked the other wryly.
"Ha! It's like waiting on a snail." He extended his hand. "Ron Weasley."
"Lance Coldflame. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise."
"Who you waiting for?"
"My friend Harry. He's impossible to drag away from that broom shop even
with school supplies to find."
"Hogwarts?" Lance asked interestedly.
"Yeah. Where do you go?"
"I'm just transferring into Hogwarts. Me and my sisters-" he motioned at
the two slowly approaching girls, "-just moved here from America and were
accepted right away."
"Impressive. I've never known anyone to enter in their later years." He
paused. "How old are you, anyway?"
"Fifteen."
"And your sisters?"
"The same. We're triplets." Ron gaped.
"You're kidding! Wow. Say, if you're from America, why don't you have
that aweful hilbilly accent?" Lance just laughed and never got a chance to
answer.
"Because we picked this one up fast. Auditory learning and perfect recall
is just one of those gifts passed in our family, I guess." One of the
girls said. "Liona Coldflame."
"Ron Weasley."
"Did I miss anything?" Prism called. "Oh hi! I'm Prism. Sorry about all
that." Liona gave Prism a cold stare which Prism either didn't notice or
decided to ignore. It appeared that a thought occurred to Lance.
"Say Ron, if you're shopping for Hogwarts, would you mind if we came
along? We don't exactly know where anything is."
"Sure! That sounds great, that is, if you can help me get Harry away from
the shop." A light shone in Liona's eyes and she walked up next to Ron.
"Harry Potter, you say?" She asked. Ron sighed in return.
"Yes, please don't make a big deal out of it. He's really tired of being
famous." A smile tugged at a corner of her mouth and she winked.
"No problem."
"Thanks." Then, louder, "Harry! Come on! You're making our new friends
wait!" Harry finally looked over and saw Liona. Her predominant
characteristic was her wavy, red, pigtailed hair; but long-lashed amethyst
eyes were a close second. Third was most likely the strangely-shaped tatoo
on the corner of her right cheekbone.
"Our new friends?" Ron nodded.
"Liona, Prism, and Lance Coldflame. They're transferring into Hogwarts
and in our year." Harry quickly composed himself.
"Well, let's go then I guess." The group headed down Diagon Alley and
into Flourish and Blotts, as usual.
"Welcome, what can I do for you?" The shopkeep asked.
"We need the books on this list, kindly. A set for each of us." Harry
replied. The man looked it over.
"Hogwarts students, eh? You need quite a bunch this year. I'll be right
back." There was a long pause as soon as he left. Such peace, however, was
not to be found for long.
"Potter!" All heads turned to see Draco Malfoy. "Weasley, surprised to
see you in here. Got the money to buy books this year, have you?" Liona
noted amusedly that Ron's ears turned red.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked through partially-clenched teeth.
"Just to say hello to my 'favorite' Gryffindors and..." He looked at the
triplets. "...you three?" Liona pushed her way in front of Ron and Harry,
extending her hand.
"Liona Coldflame, Prism and Lance. I can tell it's supposed to be a real
pleasure meeting you." A twitch of annoyance or pleasure... Harry couldn't
tell which... flicked at Malfoy's nose. He shook hands with Liona,
appearing slightly bemused.
"Algiz and Dagaz?"
"And Sowulo." The partial smile flicked once again. "On my left hand."
"Ah." He looked her up and down once more before walking away and calling
one comment behind. "I'll be seeing you in Slytherin!" Harry gaped at her
in some combination of awe and horror. Her violet eyes were narrowed to
slits, following Malfoy away from the building.
"Does she seem like a Slytherin to you?" Ron whispered to Harry.
"She wouldn't apparently qualify for anything else but Gryffindor with
all that determination and courage."
"Your books!" The shopkeep called, surprising everybody out of their
trances. "That's nine galleons and five sickles apeice... thank you." The
company all paid (Harry secretly slipping a couple galleons into Ron's
bag) and set off for the rest of the shops. Everything proved uneventful
until they headed to Ollivanders for wands for the triplets.
"Mister Ollivander!" Harry called into the back of the shop.
"Hello Harry, Ron." The farmiliar, quiet voice said, startling Lance and
Prism. "Leading these three to their new wands, are you?"
"Yessir, Mr. Ollivander." Ron replied somewhat sheepishly.
"How about I start with this young lady here?" He asked, and put a white
hand on Prism's shoulder. "What's your name, dearie?"
"P-Prism Coldflame."
"And your wand arm?"
"Right."
"Very good, very good." His magical tape measure went straight to work,
measuring all sorts of appendages on the frightened girl. Mr. Ollivander
himself went looking through the wands. "Let's try this first." He pulled
out one of the skinny boxes and the measure dropped to the ground.
"Redwood with a dragon heartstring, 14 inches. Very firm." She took an
awkward hold of the long thing and gave it an experimental swish. "No, no.
Afraid not. It is the wand that chooses the wizard though. We'll just keep
trying." He looked for a moment longer. "How about this... maple and a
unicorn horn, 9 and three-quarters inches. Rather bent in the middle." At
her wave, boxes from one side of the room flew everywhere and he snatched
the wand back. "DEFINITELY not!" He pulled another from the shelf and
handed it to her. "This one is nice and whippy... willow, unicorn hair, 10
and a quarter inches." A blush spread across her cheeks and silver sparks
flew from the new wand. Harry was trying to recall where he had heard that
particular phrase before, staring at the ponytailed redhead.
"Thank you, Mr. Ollivander." Prism said quietly.
"My pleasure, dearie." He motioned for another to come.
"Lance Coldflame, sir." He introduced himself. Mr. Ollivander's eyes
flicked from Harry to Lance and back.
"I beleive I know just what wand you could do with." He reached for a
high-up box. "Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and
flexible." Lance had hardly had any fun and ice blue sparks flew from the
wand. This time Harry was absolutely confounded until...
"Mr. Ollivander, didn't I try that wand?"
"Yes I beleive you did, Harry." His smile was unreadable. "Now you,
Liona. Come here." Prism exchanged glances with Lance.
"How does he know her name?" She asked.
"I have my ways, Prism." Ollivander answered.
"What's your wand hand?"
"My left." He smiled.
"Rare, that. Now let me see here... ah! Apple, unicorn hair, seven and a
half inches. Rather firm." Nothing was produced from that and he gave her
an odd look. "Hmm... you looked accustomed to apple wood. Perhaps...
cherry, dragon heartstring, fifteen inches. Bendable." The flower vase
blew up on account of that attempt. "Goodness, not that. Perchance this
though. Ash, pheonix feather, fourteen and a quarter inches. Somewhat
pliable." His record book flew away. "Dear me." The pile of used wands
heaped up further and further until suddenly it seemed an idea struck him
and he grabbed one of the boxes off the floor that Prism had knocked over
with her wand mishaps. "This one. Oak, pheonix feather, thirteen and a
half inches. Strong and powerful." Liona whipped it around her left side
and a ranbow erupted, flying out the window at it's first chance. There
was a moment of silence. "Bravo! Well done indeed!"
"Good show there, Liona!" Ron congratulated her.
"Yes, I've never seen anything like that before." Prism added.
"Thanks, everybody." Liona said, blushing scarlet. "Here's your money,
Mr. Ollivander."
"Yes, thank you. I do hope it lasts a long while."
"Me as well." The others filtered out of the shop.
"Good luck there, Mistress Blackfire. Try not to cause too much havoc."
Liona smiled slyly.
"I'll try. Good day."
"Good day."