Muggle Year
by Virgi Ca
Chapter 3: The Cursed Necklace
A/N: Okay, I sort of gave it out in the summary, but, oh well, here goes!
The normal version without any weird signs (if any) and pictures drawn:
http://muggleyear.wildimagination.net/index
'I've been waiting for you Virginia Weasley.'
Virginia stared up at the man, feeling uncomfortable with his oily voice. She stood up and stared at him, 'where am I? How did I come in?' She looked around and saw that she was in a very dark shop with show glasses containing all sorts of instruments and ornaments. Human bones, evil masks and rusty dark swords hung on the marble walls. She winced when her eyes fell on a human skeleton that was hung at the far end of the shop, ants crawling into its eye sockets.
'Borgin and Burkes.' The man said promptly, 'the best shop selling ornaments of Dark Arts.'
Shit, I'm in Knockturn Alley! Virginia's mind screamed.
The man turned and went to a glass that was isolated from all the others, hung alone on the wall. He opened the glass and gestured Virginia to come forward. Out of curiosity, Virginia stood up and heaved her heavy shopping bag and bag of money up, absently dropping the book into the bag and slowly approached the glass. There sat a magnificent necklace of opals that were diamond shaped, hanging from a black string that seemed to be knitted coarsely. 'Caution, Do not touch. Cursed, has claimed the lives of nineteen muggle owners to date.' She read slowly, widening her eyes, 'why are you showing me this?'
'It summons you.' The man smirked, lifting it from its cushion, 'fine opals that possess powers only to the destined owner.' Virginia gasped when it suddenly floated up into the air and unclasped itself, circling it around her neck. She looked down and saw that the pear shaped stones started to merge together and form only one at the bottom. She lifted it up and stared at it.
'How did it – '
'It summons you, you will be its mistress and possessor from now on.' The man said in his oily voice, making Virginia shudder.
'Why are you – ' Virginia stared, but stopped when a voice rang behind her.
'If it's not a Weasley, can recognize that hair anywhere.' A low voice drawled. Virginia quickly tucked the necklace into her shirt and looked sideways. Draco Malfoy was walking into the shop, his sandy hair unusually loose and was wearing dark robes.
'Ah, if it isn't the young master Malfoy.' The man greeted, putting on a false smile.
'Mr. Borgin.' Draco smirked, turning to Virginia, 'so, what's a Weasley doing in Knockturn Alley, wouldn't Mommy be afraid that a little girl like you would come to a place so dark and mysterious.' He eyed the money bag and smirked again, 'or are you selling your things so as to make ends meet?'
Virginia glared at him, not even questioning his presents, 'That's none of your business Mr. Malfoy, and if you'll excuse me.' She heaved her bags and stomped out of the shop, feeling the unfamiliar feeling of anger rise up into her chest, oh how she hated the git.
'Watch where your going, you won't want to run into a witch and make her drop all the human fingers onto you.' Draco called.
Virginia turned, but saw that Draco already had his back to her, pointing at a withered hand that was sitting on a Velvet cushion. She turned and walked up the Alley, ignoring the empty stares that followed her.
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'Virginia Weasley, you should be more punctual next time.' Mrs. Weasley said sternly, looking at her daughter.
'Sorry,' Virginia panted, heaving her new cauldron and books. She had just come from Collapsible where she got her silver cauldron and set of brass scales. She had also stopped by the Apothecary to buy some ingredients that she had seen in the potions textbooks, went to the stationary shop to buy some parchment and quills and also stopped by Flourish and Blotts to buy her new textsbooks, and also bought a medical and another potions reference. Her money bag was considerably light and she only had ten galleons left.
'You should bewitch those Gin.' Charlie said warily, pointing his wand at her things and muttering a spell.
'Thanks.' Virginia grinned sheepishly.
'Hey, what are those?' Ron asked, looking at the paper bag from the dance shop. Virginia snatched it away from his reach and glared at him.
'A present from me.' Lesley smiled.
'Why does she get a present when we don't?' Fred complained, walking towards them.
'And you two, mind the time.' Mrs. Weasley added, glaring at the twins.
'It was his fault, if it weren't for Fred bargaining with that shopkeeper at the joke shop.' George protested.
'Shut up.' Fred muttered.
'Well, you were!' George argued.
Everybody laughed and Virginia forgot about Knockturn Alley, the necklace, the leather bound book and her encounter with Draco Malfoy.
Almost.
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'Good Morning.' Virginia greeted, walking down the stairs.
'Morning Gin.' Ron, Hermione and Harry greeted.
Virginia sat herself beside Ron and helped herself with scrambled eggs and bacon.
'Morning honey.' Mrs. Weasley said, placing orange juice and milk beside her plate, 'sleep well?'
Virginia nodded. She greeted Charlie and Lesley when she spotted them come down the stairs. It was the first of September and they were all boarding the Hogwarts Express at eleven. For once they weren't in a rush because there were only four of them going to Hogwarts this year, and Mr. Weasley had taken a day off from the ministry.
'What's on the newspaper Dad?' Bill asked, bringing in a dish of ham from the kitchen, he peered over his Father's shoulder and scanned the headlines of the Daily Prophet.
'A prisoner of Azkaban is being released.' Mr. Weasley replied.
'Who is it?' Ron asked.
'His name is Adrian Bradley, the youngest person to get thrown into Azkaban in history. Was sentenced 3 years.' Mr. Weasley said, turning the page.
'How old is this guy?' Hermione asked.
'Sixteen.'
'Huh? But that's…' Harry counted his fingers, 'he was thrown into jail at thirteen?'
Mr. Weasley nodded solemly.
'But why?' Virginia asked.
'Unknown reasons.' Mr. Weasley grumbled, 'wasn't the first one. Barty Crouch just loved sending people into jail for no particular reason, or reasons he wanted to hide.'
'I see…' Virginia leaned sideways and looked at the black and white photo of the young boy. He had shoulder length hair and was thin with stubble on his chin. His eyes were sharp and he was glaring in the photo, 'seems angry to me.'
'Wouldn't all prisoners in Azkaban be mad?' Percy muttered.
'So, guys packed all your things?' Charlie asked, plopping onto the couch and pulled Lesley onto his lap.
Ron, Hermione and Harry nodded but Virginia shook her head, 'not yet, still have to pack my books, got an awful lot.' She said with her mouth full. She gulped down the last of her milk and then stood up, picking up the plates, 'gotta go pack the last of my remains.'
Virginia pushed the small door to her room open and looked at the books laid on her bed, along with her new cauldron which was seated at the side of her bed. She heaved all her books into her book trunk, which consisted her new ones and all the old textbooks from George, including grade seven. Guess I'll have to do some preparation, since it's going to be a long year. Virginia thought.
Next she folded her new dancing gear into the cauldron, including her CD player and a few CDs. She put it beside her books when a black leathered book caught her eyes. She knelt down and picked it up. It was the book from that spooky book store that was connected to Borgin and Burkes.
'Dark Medical Skills.' She read, sitting down onto her bed. She was about to open the book when Hermione opened the door.
'Hey Ginny, got everything ready? Mrs. Weasley said we're leaving in half an hours time.' Hermione said, 'what's that?'
Virginia looked down at the book and shrugged, 'just a book I picked up at this muggle bookshop.' She carelessly stuffed it into her trunk and slammed it shut. 'Anything you need to help pack with?'
Hermione shook her head, 'nothing, well, maybe Crookshanks.'
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'Goodbye Mom.' Ron said, hugging her mother, then his father.
'Goodbye Ron, make sure you take care of your sister!' Mrs. Weasley said sternly, but a little sad that she had to separate with her son for at least half a year.
'Goodbye Virginia.' Charlie smiled. Virginia looked at her feet dejectedly, she didn't want to leave home so soon, she was having a great time with Charlie and Lesley and she didn't want to go back to school that fast.
'Have a great school year Gin.' Lesley said, hugging Virginia.
'Goodbye.' Virginia said, hugging her tightly, 'I'm going to miss you.'
'I'm going to too.' Lesley said softly, pulling back to look at her, 'promise to write?'
Virginia nodded, 'I think I'll come back for Christmas.'
'Or you might not.' Charlie said mischeviously. Virginia cocked her head, but Charlie didn't give her a chance to ask. 'Better get on the red snake, or you're going to miss the train.' He pushed her forward. And with one last look, she stepped on the train and stuck her head out from one of the compartments.
'Goodbye!' she shouted, along with Ron and Harry.
'Thank you Mrs. Weasley!' Hermione said as the train whistled.
'See you next year, or maybe at Christmas!' Harry yelled over the noise.
'Goodbye!' Mr. Weasley shouted as the train started to move.
'Well, another year at Hogwarts.' Harry sighed, sitting back onto his side of the cart.
'I think I'm going to meet the prefects first, I'll come back in a minute.' Hermione said, sitting up.
'You sound like Percy.' Ron muttered. Hermione glared at him and closed the door. 'Glad that I'm not Prefect.' He smirked at Virginia, 'I thought they'd make you prefect.'
Virginia made a face at him and pulled a book out from the bag she carried. Her mother hadn't been surprised when she wasn't made prefect, was rather expected because she didn't show herself at all in school. She stood up and picked up her bag, 'I guess I'll go find another cart, don't want to listen to you guys talking about Quidditch.' She slid the door open and went out before Ron and Harry could say anything.
'What's wrong with her?' Harry asked.
Ron shrugged and opened a chocolate frog, 'don't know, but she's always like this when school starts, normal to her.'
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Virginia sighed and swung her bag over her shoulder, tucking her book under her arm. She walked down the isle to the back of the train, where she found an empty cart, but when she was about to open the door, another person rushed out from the opposite cart and crashed into her.
'Watch where your going!' a high pitched voice screeched. Virginia looked and saw that it was Pansy Parkinson, the rumor girlfriend of Draco Malfoy from Slytherin, the one who hated all Gryffindors especially Hermione.
'Sorry.' Virginia mumbled, picking up her Potions book.
'Yeah right.' Pansy muttered.
'What's going on?' another voice said from behind.
Draco Malfoy came out and eye Virginia briefly, before turning to Pansy, 'what's going on? I thought you wanted to find Blaise.'
'This Weasley wasn't watching her way.' Pansy replied.
Draco sneered and took Pansy's hand, 'let's go, won't want her hair to blind your eyes.' Pansy snickered and Draco pulled her down the train.
Virginia looked at them silently, then eased into the cart and sighed. What a way to start a school year, I wouldn't be surprised if they snogged right then and there. She thought in disgust. She sat down and suddenly thought of something.
'The laptop! Oh dear, I think I put it in the trunk.' Virginia sighed. Oh well, at least she could work on it over the school year, it wasn't as if her Father needed it anyway, he just wanted it for a collection. She propped her feet on the chair opposite her and opened her Potions textbook. Although no one knew, not even her brother and parents, she really did enjoy Potions, and she did agree that with Professor Snape, which no one else in the school did, that potion-making was a beauty of science in the magical world. She admired the way potions could do to the wizarding world, and she was most interesting in furthering her studies in this field.
It had been a year, a full year and nothing special had really happened at Hogswart, which was unusual, considering Harry Potter as one of its students. But when Dumbledore had told her to take medical studies, she was sure that something was going on behind those kind eyes, but she didn't ask anything.
'What a second,' Virginia looked up from her book, 'I thought Draco Malfoy had requested to stay at Hogwarts over the summer, why is he on the train, or, why was he in Knockturn Alley?' She reached into her shirt and took out the opal that Mr. Borgin had given her at the shop. 'What is this thing anyway?' she wondered out loud. She jumped when she heard something knock on the window and looked out, but saw nothing. Must be my imagination.
Suddenly tired of reading she closed her book. Taking one last look she stuffed the opal into her shirt again and rummaged through her bag and took out her uniform and robe. She pulled it on quickly and sighed, sitting back.
'It's going to be another long and dreadful year at Hogwarts.' Virginia whispered, closing her eyes, 'back to being the Weasley who no one knows.'
Alone again, all alone.
End of Chapter 3
A/N: Be kind and review!
