Chapter 1:
"Hogwarts?!" Aimee Thomas exclaimed, following her brother Sky as he walked down the blue-striped wallpapered hallway of their San Francisco house. "That's all the way in Europe!"
Sky was a 16-year-old student wizard, currently on summer vacation from Yosemite Valley School of Magic. He had brown eyes, and his blonde hair was sticking in all directions because he doesn't comb his hair on lazy summer days. He was wearing simple summer clothes to stay cool.
Aimee was a small 14-year-old Asian girl, with long black hair that was slightly wavy and dark brown eyes. Aimee looks much different than Sky because his parents adopted her when she was 2 years old. Since then, she has grown up rather attached to Sky, following almost all of his footsteps. She was dressed rather Muggle-ish, a summer outfit that let her tan skin get some sun, showing she was Mandarin Chinese.
"I know, that's what makes it so exciting! Don't you think?" replied Sky, entering his bedroom. The room had light blue carpet and off-white paint on the walls. A few YVSM Qudditch banners and Cross-Country Broom Marathon trophies decorated the room. He also had a large drawing desk where he spent a lot of time drawing. Sky carried a seemingly official envelope with the Hogwarts seal and placed it on his desk. "Anyway, Katie has been an intern there for a year already, so it's not like I'm too far away from family."
"But I'm just entering wizarding school, and I can't be separated from you during this transition," Aimee pleaded, stomping her foot lightly. Sky sat down to open the letter, taking out a few letters. "Are you even listening to me?"
"Look, you can take care of yourself at Yosemite Valley School of Magic without your older brother. You have your friends at school to help you with the transition when summer ends. You can do what I'm doing and spend a few years there, then come to Hogwarts if you don't like it there," Sky said, putting his hand on Aimee's shoulder.
Aimee pouted for a moment, then looked at the letters Sky had in his hands. "That's the application, right?" she asked, pointing to the letter.
"Yeah, why?" Sky replied. Suddenly, Aimee snatched the papers out of his hands and stomped out of the room.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Sky shouted, leaping out of his chair and ran out of his room after her. Aimee stomped down the staircase with Sky chasing her all the way down to their parent's office. Their parents, who both worked in the Ministry of Magic, had decorated their office with a mix of Muggle and Magic inspired decorations, along with many office tools from both societies. Aimee went to the photocopying machine and put the paper into it to start a copy.
Sky caught up to her and asked, "What are you doing!?"
"I'm going with you to Hogwarts," Aimee said sternly.
"What!?" he replied.
"I'm going with you to Hogwarts!" Aimee said again, crossing her arms and pouting, a determined look on her face.
"Why? Don't you think you'll be better off here with your friends?" Sky pleaded.
"I just want to be with my big brother..." Aimee said, changing to a sincere face.
"But... well... I guess it can't be helped ..." Sky replied, scratching his head. The copy of the application slid out onto the paper tray. Aimee took her copy and dropped his copy in his hands while walking past, a satisfied smirk on her face.
(A few weeks later, after they both got accepted)
"K-Mart?" Aimee said with a questionable expression as she got out of the car. Aimee, Sky, and their parents walked to the front door.
"Yes, that's where I got all my school supplies." Sky replied, closing the door.
"But isn't this a muggle store?" Aimee asked as they walked towards the entrance, still surprised at the somewhat uncanny storefront.
"You'd be surprised. Many of the more unique items you see at K-Mart are magical, but Muggles can't use them. They're there for wizards like us to window shop. And those blue lights that start those muggle sales are actually gateways to the other side of the store where they sell the magical items." Sky explained.
There were many people inside shopping. All of them looked like muggles, but there were most likely a few wizards walking about. Sky, Aimee, and their parents went near the middle of the store, where a blue light stand was located. A clerk stood at the stand. Mr. Thomas nodded to a clerk and the clerk nodded back. He flipped on the blue light, and instantly a horde of muggles surrounded the stand. In the confusion, Sky took Aimee's hand and touched the blue light along with their parents. They were instantly zapped inside, but none of the surrounding muggles noticed in the pandemonium.
Aimee opened her eyes to what seemed like a store much larger than the K-mart they were in previously. There were no longer any traces of Muggle society anywhere in the store. Many wizards and witches walked about, using magic to push their shopping carts around. Robes and hats on clothing racks, magic books on stands where the bargain DVD's would be. A "Magical Ingredients" sign was in the place where the "Frozen Foods" section should have been. Almost every section of the store turned into a magical version of it.
"Mom, we're going to look at the pets. Can you get these books for me and Aimee?" Sky said as he handed his mom a list.
Him and Aimee went in the opposite direction to the pet section, where they kept magical companions to accompany young wizards and witches. They walked down the aisles of the pet section as owls of all sizes and shapes hooted from inside their cages and flapped their wings. Rats scurried around from inside their cages. Frogs hopped about and croaked from their tanks. Aimee looked around, deciding on which pet she would want.
"I have a cat already. They're good companions, but they like to go off on their own and do their own thing. Frogs are nasty things that get everything slimy. Owls are far too common. Everyone has those. A rat might be a good pet for you, but they don't live very long…" Sky rambled on, looking at each of the pets and commenting about them. Aimee paid no attention and looked other pets. An iguana yawned; a Chihuahua wagged its tail and gave a tiny bark. Aimee passed on, until she came upon a bat's cage.
"Wow! He's so cute!" Aimee exclaimed, looking closer at the bat. The bat looked asleep, his wings covering his body. His almost puppy-dog-like face looked sound asleep.
"Oh a bat! You don't see those very often. Just as efficient as owls, and can deliver things at night too." Sky said about the bat.
Aimee tapped on the cage a bit to get the bats attention. The bat slowly opened his big, beady, black eyes and blinked a couple of times at Aimee. "It's so adorable!" Aimee exclaimed.
"May I help you with anything?" the store clerk asked them.
"Yeah, I think my sister wants to hold that bat" Sky replied. The clerk looked at Aimee, and then gave a puzzled look at Sky. "She's my adopted sister," Sky said, seeing that the clerk noticed the obviously different racial appearance of Aimee. She kept tapping the bat's cage as it flapped its wings and gave cute faces.
The store clerk promptly opened the cage and took the bat out, placing it on Aimee's hands. It immediately crawled up her arm and rested on her shoulder, rubbing his head against her neck affectionately.
Awestruck by raw cuteness, Aimee exclaimed, "I'll buy it!!!"
Sky took Aimee to the wands section next. All the wands were neatly placed on finely lined tables sealed by glass, showing off their materials and price, much like a muggle jewelry store. Sky walked up to one of the tables and looked at one of the wands, indicating it with his finger.
"This is the same model as I have. Its pretty tough, not that flexible, but has power when it counts…" Sky rambled on. Aimee looked around at the other wands. She noticed what seemed like a muggle gun rack, except it held larger wands.
"What's over there?" she asked Sky, pointing at the wand rack.
"Oh those? Those are mini-staffs. Not many people have staffs nowadays. The larger ones used to be really popular. They're harder to cast expelliarmus on, but they're just too big to keep in your pocket. They're good for casting the heavy-duty spells, like expecto patronum. They also add more power to the smaller spells too, but its large size also makes casting time slower. It's probably best for hitting people over the head with, however, the invention of the mini-staff got rid of enough of the staff's drawbacks to make it as practical as a wand."
Aimee went to the counter and asked the clerk to take out one of the mini-staffs. The clerk unlocked the glass window protecting them and took out a staff, about three and a half to four feet tall. It looked like a twisted branch of a tree that grew straight up in a spiral motion. The bottom of the staff was about half an inch in diameter, and gradually increased to about an inch and a half three quarters to the top, which at the top had sort of a bulge, which looked like it was swirling around the center. It was somewhat light and a curve one fourth of the way down for a good grip.
"This is one of the newer mini-staff models. It's made out of ash wood and has a black pearl in the center," said the clerk, pointing to the spiral center at its top. "It's a very good model for casting powerful spells."
Holding it in her hands, Aimee looked at it with a sort of glee expression on her face.
"This is the one I want, Sky!" said Aimee.
"Staffs aren't that good for beginners, Aimee" said Sky, "I think you should get a wand first."
Aimee made an adorable puppy-dog face.
"Fine… just test it out before buying it," Sky said, sighing heavily.
"The testing room is this way," said the clerk, pointing to a doorway.
Aimee and Sky followed him to what looked like a firing range, where a few wizards were casting spells using wands. Aimee stepped up to one of the booths and pointed the staff down the range, holding it with both hands.
"Hocus pocus!" she shouted, closing her eyes tight and swinging the staff forward as far as she could. Sky burst out laughing. "I don't know any spells yet…" Aimee said blushing and shifting her feet.
The clerk came up beside her and showed her the proper stance to use a staff. Staffs are very different than wands, because instead of being pointed at the target, the staff is simply raised in the direction of the opponent. Accuracy is very dependent on the wizard or witch's will power.
With the correct stance now, and Sky wiping away tears of laughter, Aimee got ready and raised the staff up, closing her eyes and full of determination.
As soon as she did that, a white light came out from the top of the staff. A ray then shot out of it, going down the length of the range. Awestruck, Sky applauded.
"That is a good model for you," the clerk said, "You'll be good at elemental magic."
Unaware of what the clerk was saying, Aimee held the staff in her hands with a bright look on her face. She ran over to Sky and gave him a hug.
"I did it! I just cast my first spell!" Aimee said, smiling.
"Heh, good job," Sky said scratching his head, knowing that that didn't really count as a spell.
"This is what I love about muggles! With my new electronic pocket organizer, I won't miss anymore classes anymore!" Sky exclaimed, oogling at the unopened box while walking back to the car.
Aimee carried all of her school supplies of books, Hogwarts uniforms (they had magical weavers to make special orders), and her bat cage. Her staff and broom were both strapped to her back, adding onto the weight. She had much difficulty trying to catch up with the rest of her family. "Wait for me!" she shouted, panting and her knees giving way.
They arrived at their car and packed all the supplies in the trunk. Aimee sat next to Sky with the bat on her lap.
"Sky, what should I name him?" Aimee asked, looking into the cage and sticking her finger inside. The bat licked her finger friendly.
"Anything you want," Sky replied inattentively, still admiring the electronic organizer.
"I think I'll name him after my real dad," Aimee said, smiling. Sky looked at her momentarily with a rather concerned look on his face. "Jin…" Aimee whispered to the bat. She scratched Jin behind the ears and he gave a playful peep.
"How do I look?" Aimee said, walking into Sky's room in full Hogwarts uniform. She spun around to show off the black robe that was fastened with a brooch that had the Hogwarts' seal on it. Underneath she wore a gray sweater-vest over a white blouse and a gray skirt with white high-socks and black school shoes. She didn't have a tie, which were given after being assigned to a certain house.
"It looks good. I wonder which house we'll be in," Sky said, organizing books and clothes on his bed. His trunk and broom were at the foot of the bed.
"I want to be in the same house as you, big brother!" Aimee said hugging him from behind but nearly making him fall on his neatly organized stacks of clothes.
"Watch it! I just hope I don't get into Slytherin. I heard they're a rough crowd. Especially with such a creepy name…"
Aimee sat down on a clear part of Sky's bed, watching him as he busily packed his stuff away.
"Don't you have to pack, Aimee?" Sky asked noticing her boredom as he started putting his clothes in his trunk.
"Already did. I'm so excited about this! I've never been to a different country before! Well, not that I can remember. I was born in China after all." Aimee said, looking at her feet. Sky looked at her for a moment and then continued packing. "Where's that cat of yours anyway?"
"Skittles is outside right now. I told you, cats like doing their own thing. She'll be back in a few minutes at dinner time." Sky said, wondering how 'China' led to the topic of his cat. Sky continued packing as Aimee paced around the room bored.
"It's getting dark out, maybe I should take Jin out of his cage." Aimee said, walking back to her room.
Sky sighed as he finished putting all his stuff away. He closed the lid of his trunk and sat on it, resting and contemplating. I wonder if she knows anything about her father… Sky thought.
"Dinner time!" Mrs. Thomas shouted at the foot of the stairs. Sky went down the stairs, closely followed by Aimee with her bat on her shoulder. Skittles immediately came through the cat door in the front door and ran past their feet. Skittles had a mix of yellow and orange fur and wore a necklace around her neck with a blue gem hanging from it.
"We have a surprise for you two!" Mr. Thomas said as the two walked in with their pets.
"Katie?!" they both exclaimed as their older sister sitting at the table. Mr. Thomas was sitting at the head while Mrs. Thomas took the seat to the left of him.
"Hello! Long time no see!" Katie said, giving a little wave and smiling.
"What are you doing here?" Sky said.
"I heard you two are coming to Hogwarts, so I came all the way back home to pick you two up!" she replied. Aimee ran over to her and gave her a hug. "My Aimee, you've grown so much in a year!"
"Thanks, I'm so excited about Hogwarts! I can't wait to go there." Aimee said, sitting next to Katie. Sky sat across from her when suddenly Katie gave a mischievous grin.
"So how's widdle brother doing without big sissy wissy?" Katie said, as if talking to an infant.
"Just fine…" Sky said, a little annoyed.
"I have an A in muggle studies!" Aimee said to Katie.
"That's good! You should be in Muggle relations then!" she replied, patting her on the head.
"Now now, the food is getting cold," Mrs. Thomas said.
"Yes mom," the three of them said as they dove into their plates.
"My my, what a cute bat!" Katie said, looking at Aimee's shoulder.
"Isn't he adorable? I named him Jin, after my real dad!" Aimee said with a smile, feeding a baby carrot to Jin. He nibbled on it happily. The other Thomas's looked at each other. Mr. Thomas simply closed his eyes and continued eating.
Airports are the center for both Muggle and Magical international travel. There isn't that many ways to travel overseas other than muggle planes or muggle ships, so Aimee, Sky, and Katie were pretty much stuck riding a plane to London.
"Wow… It's so pretty!" Aimee exclaimed as she looked out the window during take-off. All the lights of the city shrunk as the plane ascended. The three of them sat in the same row.
"Not that many wizards or witches riding planes these days…" Katie said to Sky, looking over the seats. "And you would think that with modern magical knowledge they would have found out a way to get the Floo network to work overseas."
Sky was fast asleep already. And snoring.
"That was quick…" Katie said, poking his nose with no response from him. "Fine, ignore me then." She looked to her left and Aimee's face was plastered to the window.
With Sky snoring to the right and Aimee bouncing off the walls to her left, Katie slumped in her chair and said, "This will be a long flight…"