Chapter Three: The Fight at Florean Fortescue's.
The weeks before Mirabella's departure were long and sad. Arabella had begged her parents to write to the headmaster and ask him to accept her into the school, but when the reply arrived, it had not contained information that she had wanted to hear - Hogwarts could not accept a squib. She would have to attend a school for non-magic children.
Don't worry, her mother had said, patting her on the shoulder. Maybe someday there will be a way for you to do magic. But these word were of no comfort to her - she wanted to go to Hogwarts, to learn how to perform spells and charms, to look into a crystal ball and see her future, perhaps even to play Quidditch for a house team. She tried not to think about these things she'd never do, for they brought tears to her eyes, and she did not want to appear as if she was unhappy for her sister.
Mirabella was very excited about attending Hogwarts. She had been counting down the days until her visit to Diagon Alley, where she had purchased all of her school things. The entire family had all gone together, and for a few moments, everything had seemed as it had been before Mirabella had received her letter from Hogwarts. Everyone had been laughing and smiling. Arabella had even purchased her very own kitten at the Magical Menagerie, which she called Mrs. Lilly.
But the happiness came to an abrupt end when the family had run into an old friend while enjoying ice cream sundaes at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
Ah, buying school supplies, are we?
their mother had replied.
said the man, looking at their bags of purchases. Looks like you've only got one of everything in here. You two girls planning on sharing your wands? he chuckled loudly, obviously under the impression that his little joke would have the same effect on his company. Either that, or one of the little girls is a squib! He laughed louder and louder, until all of the customers had turned their heads, wondering what could have possibly been so amusing.
Arabella could not take it any longer. She scooped up Mrs. Lilly and ran outside, tears streaming down her face. Her sister tagged along after her.
Arabella, he didn't know, she began. How could he have known?
That doesn't give him a right to joke about it. Arabella snapped.
You shouldn't take it so personally. He doesn't mean it. You know how he is, always makings jokes and things. I'm sure he's forgotten all about it. Come on, let's go in and finish our sundaes.
Arabella replied. No. I don't want him to forget it! Do you think I'm proud to be a squib? I want to go to Hogwarts more than anything, and I don't...I just...I don't understand why you're magic and I'm not! We're sisters! We're twins! Shouldn't our magic be equal?
Maybe the magic was, I don't know, not divided evenly.
Or not divided at all, Arabella muttered. You got all of it.
Well, I didn't intend for that to happen, so don't get snippy with me. All I did was get a letter.
Arabella had not wanted to fight with her sister - if anything, she wanted to be closer to her, especially since their days were numbered. But she could not help but feel brutal stabs of jealousy. She didn't understand why her sister had everything, and she received nothing.
I said I was sorry, Mirabella said coldly. It wasn't like I meant for this to happen.
But Arabella did not respond, nor would she respond to anything her sister said to her - jealousy was a very poweful poison. The day that Mirabella boarded the Hogwarts Express, Arabella could not even bring herself to say goodbye.