All right. This story is not mine. It belongs to a very rich person in
England who has no idea of my existence, which is probably for the better,
anyway. But I want to claim Koraleigh. I like her.
Thanks so much to RandiWeasley and No Name LOL for reviewing. You have no idea how much reviews make my day and I wish got more, but I'm thankful for
the ones I have.
CHAPTER TWO
"Happy Birthday dear Koraleigh, Happy Birthday to you!" sang Koraleigh's family and friends. Koraleigh took a deep breath, made a wish, and blew out all eleven candles in one puff of air. It was an extra-- special birthday for her. Not only was everyone there that she cared for, her mom, her little sister, her dad, who wasn't around much and was missing a staff meeting and a tutorial session at school to be here for Koraleigh's birthday, her aunt, uncle, and cousins, who had flooed in from America, and several of her school friends, but her eleventh birthday also signified an important date for a young witch or wizard. The beginning of magical schooling.
Samilie, Koraleigh's young cousin, who was five and extremely hyper- active, started banging her fork against her glass of milk and crying out, "CAKE, CAKE, CAKE!" repetitively, which completely ruined Koraleigh's reflective mood. Aunt Dorunia, Sami's mom, quickly grabbed her daughter's wrist, but not soon enough. Astonishing enough, Sami's twin sister, Tabitha, who was normally quiet and reserved, especially around strangers, began the chant and Kinelli, Koraleigh's eight year old sister joined in, while Koraleigh and her friends began to laugh helplessly.
"Enough, enough!" said Mrs. Snape with a smile. "You'll get your cake, if you're good." She brought a large knife from the kitchen and began slicing pieces off. She presented one to Koraleigh. "The first for the birthday girl!" she said with a smile.
"So, what did you wish for?" asked Jenni, Koraleigh's best friend, over cake.
"She can't tell you!" said Annie, another friend, indignantly. "Then it won't come true!"
Koraleigh smiled. She knew full well that she couldn't tell them what she had wished for, regardless of the superstitions behind the practice. How could she tell her muggle friends she'd wished to be prefect and Quidditch captain at Hogwarts someday? She'd be put in Azkaban before she ever got to Hogwarts.
"I'm not telling." she merely replied.
Jenni shrugged, as Koraleigh knew she would, and went back to eating her cake.
After cake came presents. There were only a few in the pile, from her friends. Koraleigh was well-aware of why her family's presents were not in the stack. They were most likely things that Muggles had never seen before. Koraleigh sometimes wondered why exactly her parents had chosen to enroll her and her sister in Muggle schools for their primary education when most wizarding children were home-schooled. Especially in lieu of the fact that her father was the head of the Slytherin house, the house widely known for being in favor of pure-blooded wizards and thinking that Muggles were below them.
Koraleigh shrugged to herself. Her thoughts were focused more on the presents in front of her and the ones she knew she would get to open later.
After presents were opened, and Jenni, Annie, Kasie, Elaine, Darell, and Blaine had all left, Koraleigh turned to her family expectantly. "Well?" she asked with a grin.
Snape looked genuinely baffled. "What?" he asked. He looked around at the people gathered around. "Do any of you know what she's talking about?"
Koraleigh rolled her eyes. "Oh Dad! C'mon!" Koraleigh was well aware of her dad's uncanny ability to show any emotion, regardless of what he was actually thinking or feeling.
Snape sighed. "Well, if you insist." he said, and left the room.
Koraleigh grinned. Not only was her father present, he was in a much better mood then Koraleigh had seen him in a long time.
Koraleigh's father returned, carrying only a miniscule box, smaller even then a Muggle jewelry box. Trying to hide her disappointment at not receiving a new broomstick as she had hoped for, she opened the little box and dropped it in surprise.
Fireworks soared above her, in a multitude of colors, which turned into bits of confetti, which, upon hitting the ground, turned into brightly wrapped gifts. With a huge grin, Koraleigh noted one that looked just as if it contained her badly wanted broomstick.
After opening all the presents, including the desired Nimbus 2005, Koraleigh stood up, and hugged everyone, murmuring her thanks.
Later that night, as Koraleigh reflected on the day, she decided that it had been the most perfect day of her life. The only thing she regretted was that her oldest cousin, Merendie, was away at her magic school, Wallthorn, which was in America, and wasn't able to come to Koraleigh's celebration. But she had gotten her broomstick, along with many other great things and had had a lot of fun with her friends and her family. With that happy thought, Koraleigh fell asleep.
On a normal Tuesday in mid-July, Koraleigh climbed out of her bed and padded downstairs to the smell of a delicious breakfast cooking.
"You got mail, Koraleigh." said Kinelli, handing over a brown envelope. Koraleigh took the letter, wondering who it could be from. She turned it over, preparing to open it, when she saw it. The Hogwarts Crest. It was the moment Koraleigh had always dreamed of. Though Koraleigh and her parents had been positive that Koraleigh was going, it seemed...unreal to finally have the letter in hand. She quickly opened it and read the acceptance letter, then turned to the second page. Darn her over-prepared relatives. She already had all her school things, well, except for...a wand.
Koraleigh grinned in anticipation. Finally. Her own wand. And the sooner she got it, the sooner she could begin practicing magic. It was generally allowed that students before their first year were allowed to use magic, as long as they didn't break any of the major rules that applied to everyone, such as performing magic in front of Muggles, and the such. It was assumed that they wouldn't know enough magic to do any harm.
"Mum! I got it! I got my Hogwarts letter!" said Koraleigh excitedly.
"Congratulations, honey." replied her mother distractedly from the stove.
"Can we go get my wand today?" she asked hopefully.
"I'm really too busy today, Koraleigh but perhaps your father could. Why don't you ask him."
Hiding her disappointment, Koraleigh hurried upstairs. "Dad, I got my letter today. Will you take me to get my wand?" she asked of her father, who was coming out of the bedroom.
Koraleigh started as the weirdest expression passed over her father's face just briefly, so briefly that she wasn't sure if she had just imagined it. He paused, the strange look gone, and his normal expressionless look on his face present, but Koraleigh could tell something was troubling him. She just didn't know what it was.
Finally he nodded. "All right, Koraleigh. We'll go right after breakfast."
"Yes!" called out Koraleigh triumphantly, hurrying down to her room to get dressed.
At breakfast, Koraleigh was jumping up and down in her seat in excitement, which was very unusual for her. Though she wasn't as reserved around her family as she was around everyone else, she had never been thought of as the over-active type.
"Calm down, Koraleigh." said Mrs. Snape with a smile. "You'll never make it to Diagon Alley in one piece if you continue with that."
"Koraleigh gets to go to Diagon Alley!" protested Kinelli shrilly. "I want to go too!"
Koraleigh groaned softly to herself, but Mrs. Snape heard. "Koraleigh, it would be the polite thing to allow your sister to come along, but as it is your trip, and since I'm not going, I can't force you. Besides, you're growing up. I think you should be able to start making some decisions for yourself."
Koraleigh grinned at that.
Mrs. Snape held up a warning hand. "I said some, Koraleigh. And one of the harsh realities in life is that more freedom leads to more responsibility."
Koraleigh sighed to herself. But she wanted to make her parents proud of her. "I guess you can come, Kinelli."
"Yay!" cried Kinelli, celebrating by shoving the rest of her breakfast down her throat in her hurry to not be left behind.
A few moments later, the three Snapes were ready to leave for Diagon Alley. Snape retrieved the jar of floo powder from the post that was charmed to only allow him or Mrs. Snape access. They had had a close encounter when Kinelli was a toddler and toddled her way through the fireplace to Rome. It had been a quite interesting experience to Koraleigh, who was six at the time. Ever since then, neither girl was allowed to come close to the floo powder
Snape first took a pinch of the powder and disappeared. After a few seconds, Mrs. Snape handed Kinelli her supply of floo powder and Kinelli too disappeared.
Mrs. Snape turned to face Koraleigh. "I'm proud of you." she said simply, before handing Koraleigh the powder.
Koraleigh tossed the dust into the fireplace, shouted "Diagon Alley!" and disappeared just as her family had done right before.
anyway. But I want to claim Koraleigh. I like her.
Thanks so much to RandiWeasley and No Name LOL for reviewing. You have no idea how much reviews make my day and I wish got more, but I'm thankful for
the ones I have.
CHAPTER TWO
"Happy Birthday dear Koraleigh, Happy Birthday to you!" sang Koraleigh's family and friends. Koraleigh took a deep breath, made a wish, and blew out all eleven candles in one puff of air. It was an extra-- special birthday for her. Not only was everyone there that she cared for, her mom, her little sister, her dad, who wasn't around much and was missing a staff meeting and a tutorial session at school to be here for Koraleigh's birthday, her aunt, uncle, and cousins, who had flooed in from America, and several of her school friends, but her eleventh birthday also signified an important date for a young witch or wizard. The beginning of magical schooling.
Samilie, Koraleigh's young cousin, who was five and extremely hyper- active, started banging her fork against her glass of milk and crying out, "CAKE, CAKE, CAKE!" repetitively, which completely ruined Koraleigh's reflective mood. Aunt Dorunia, Sami's mom, quickly grabbed her daughter's wrist, but not soon enough. Astonishing enough, Sami's twin sister, Tabitha, who was normally quiet and reserved, especially around strangers, began the chant and Kinelli, Koraleigh's eight year old sister joined in, while Koraleigh and her friends began to laugh helplessly.
"Enough, enough!" said Mrs. Snape with a smile. "You'll get your cake, if you're good." She brought a large knife from the kitchen and began slicing pieces off. She presented one to Koraleigh. "The first for the birthday girl!" she said with a smile.
"So, what did you wish for?" asked Jenni, Koraleigh's best friend, over cake.
"She can't tell you!" said Annie, another friend, indignantly. "Then it won't come true!"
Koraleigh smiled. She knew full well that she couldn't tell them what she had wished for, regardless of the superstitions behind the practice. How could she tell her muggle friends she'd wished to be prefect and Quidditch captain at Hogwarts someday? She'd be put in Azkaban before she ever got to Hogwarts.
"I'm not telling." she merely replied.
Jenni shrugged, as Koraleigh knew she would, and went back to eating her cake.
After cake came presents. There were only a few in the pile, from her friends. Koraleigh was well-aware of why her family's presents were not in the stack. They were most likely things that Muggles had never seen before. Koraleigh sometimes wondered why exactly her parents had chosen to enroll her and her sister in Muggle schools for their primary education when most wizarding children were home-schooled. Especially in lieu of the fact that her father was the head of the Slytherin house, the house widely known for being in favor of pure-blooded wizards and thinking that Muggles were below them.
Koraleigh shrugged to herself. Her thoughts were focused more on the presents in front of her and the ones she knew she would get to open later.
After presents were opened, and Jenni, Annie, Kasie, Elaine, Darell, and Blaine had all left, Koraleigh turned to her family expectantly. "Well?" she asked with a grin.
Snape looked genuinely baffled. "What?" he asked. He looked around at the people gathered around. "Do any of you know what she's talking about?"
Koraleigh rolled her eyes. "Oh Dad! C'mon!" Koraleigh was well aware of her dad's uncanny ability to show any emotion, regardless of what he was actually thinking or feeling.
Snape sighed. "Well, if you insist." he said, and left the room.
Koraleigh grinned. Not only was her father present, he was in a much better mood then Koraleigh had seen him in a long time.
Koraleigh's father returned, carrying only a miniscule box, smaller even then a Muggle jewelry box. Trying to hide her disappointment at not receiving a new broomstick as she had hoped for, she opened the little box and dropped it in surprise.
Fireworks soared above her, in a multitude of colors, which turned into bits of confetti, which, upon hitting the ground, turned into brightly wrapped gifts. With a huge grin, Koraleigh noted one that looked just as if it contained her badly wanted broomstick.
After opening all the presents, including the desired Nimbus 2005, Koraleigh stood up, and hugged everyone, murmuring her thanks.
Later that night, as Koraleigh reflected on the day, she decided that it had been the most perfect day of her life. The only thing she regretted was that her oldest cousin, Merendie, was away at her magic school, Wallthorn, which was in America, and wasn't able to come to Koraleigh's celebration. But she had gotten her broomstick, along with many other great things and had had a lot of fun with her friends and her family. With that happy thought, Koraleigh fell asleep.
On a normal Tuesday in mid-July, Koraleigh climbed out of her bed and padded downstairs to the smell of a delicious breakfast cooking.
"You got mail, Koraleigh." said Kinelli, handing over a brown envelope. Koraleigh took the letter, wondering who it could be from. She turned it over, preparing to open it, when she saw it. The Hogwarts Crest. It was the moment Koraleigh had always dreamed of. Though Koraleigh and her parents had been positive that Koraleigh was going, it seemed...unreal to finally have the letter in hand. She quickly opened it and read the acceptance letter, then turned to the second page. Darn her over-prepared relatives. She already had all her school things, well, except for...a wand.
Koraleigh grinned in anticipation. Finally. Her own wand. And the sooner she got it, the sooner she could begin practicing magic. It was generally allowed that students before their first year were allowed to use magic, as long as they didn't break any of the major rules that applied to everyone, such as performing magic in front of Muggles, and the such. It was assumed that they wouldn't know enough magic to do any harm.
"Mum! I got it! I got my Hogwarts letter!" said Koraleigh excitedly.
"Congratulations, honey." replied her mother distractedly from the stove.
"Can we go get my wand today?" she asked hopefully.
"I'm really too busy today, Koraleigh but perhaps your father could. Why don't you ask him."
Hiding her disappointment, Koraleigh hurried upstairs. "Dad, I got my letter today. Will you take me to get my wand?" she asked of her father, who was coming out of the bedroom.
Koraleigh started as the weirdest expression passed over her father's face just briefly, so briefly that she wasn't sure if she had just imagined it. He paused, the strange look gone, and his normal expressionless look on his face present, but Koraleigh could tell something was troubling him. She just didn't know what it was.
Finally he nodded. "All right, Koraleigh. We'll go right after breakfast."
"Yes!" called out Koraleigh triumphantly, hurrying down to her room to get dressed.
At breakfast, Koraleigh was jumping up and down in her seat in excitement, which was very unusual for her. Though she wasn't as reserved around her family as she was around everyone else, she had never been thought of as the over-active type.
"Calm down, Koraleigh." said Mrs. Snape with a smile. "You'll never make it to Diagon Alley in one piece if you continue with that."
"Koraleigh gets to go to Diagon Alley!" protested Kinelli shrilly. "I want to go too!"
Koraleigh groaned softly to herself, but Mrs. Snape heard. "Koraleigh, it would be the polite thing to allow your sister to come along, but as it is your trip, and since I'm not going, I can't force you. Besides, you're growing up. I think you should be able to start making some decisions for yourself."
Koraleigh grinned at that.
Mrs. Snape held up a warning hand. "I said some, Koraleigh. And one of the harsh realities in life is that more freedom leads to more responsibility."
Koraleigh sighed to herself. But she wanted to make her parents proud of her. "I guess you can come, Kinelli."
"Yay!" cried Kinelli, celebrating by shoving the rest of her breakfast down her throat in her hurry to not be left behind.
A few moments later, the three Snapes were ready to leave for Diagon Alley. Snape retrieved the jar of floo powder from the post that was charmed to only allow him or Mrs. Snape access. They had had a close encounter when Kinelli was a toddler and toddled her way through the fireplace to Rome. It had been a quite interesting experience to Koraleigh, who was six at the time. Ever since then, neither girl was allowed to come close to the floo powder
Snape first took a pinch of the powder and disappeared. After a few seconds, Mrs. Snape handed Kinelli her supply of floo powder and Kinelli too disappeared.
Mrs. Snape turned to face Koraleigh. "I'm proud of you." she said simply, before handing Koraleigh the powder.
Koraleigh tossed the dust into the fireplace, shouted "Diagon Alley!" and disappeared just as her family had done right before.