Author's Note: This chapter is kinda short, but its got a lot of information in it. Also, if you want to know more about the fanfic, read my bio. I always include some more detail than usual.
Chapter Two
"Evie, isn't the entry deadline date for the contest tomorrow?" Amrie asked in her usual energetic voice.
"Yes, Amrie. How many times are you going to ask me that today?" Evie replied as patiently as possible, but Amrie had already stopped walking down the hall of The Salem Institute of Magic to talk to someone. "I swear, the girl's as smart as a book but doesn't remember what she said on the last page," Evie murmured.
"What, Evie? Sorry, I stopped to talk to Jake," Amrie asked as the two walked into the cafeteria.
"Nothing at all," Evie said innocently, getting into the salad line. She looked around, wondering to herself if she'd be the one to become a foreign exchange student. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sounded like a whole new adventure to her. They had studied all of the European magic schools in their History of Magic class.
From her understanding, the European schools were also very medieval; the schools themselves were castles. The Salem Institute did not look particularly medieval, since it was a fairly new school. It was made up of two large stone and brick buildings, situated facing each other. Two glass-covered hallways ran along the ground connecting the two buildings and forming a large courtyard in the center. The larger building was the main school where classes were held. The other was the dormitory and cafeteria.
Evie got her salad and sat down with Amrie who had a hamburger.
"Do you know when the winner is supposed to be announced?" The red-headed girl asked, her vibrant hair clashing against her cerulean eyes and wings. Yes, wings. Amrie was a fairy of sorts everyone thought, but no one really knew for sure, not even Amrie herself. Amrie was just bouncy, energetic, everyone's-best-friend Amrie, plain and simple.
"Couldn't tell you," Evelynn said through her bite of tomato.
"I'm going to harass your dad until he tells me," Amrie said without missing a beat, half to her hamburger.
The next two weeks slugged by with an over-enthusiastic Amrie asking poor Headmaster Whittaker, Evie's father, who the winner of the contest was every time she saw him.
Finally, exactly two weeks after the entry deadline, Headmaster Whittaker stood at breakfast and raise his hands to get everyone's attention. "The winner of the Hogwarts contest has been confirmed. It has been a difficult choice, but I think all of the faculty agree fully. The winner is... Mr. Dominick Chase!"
A dead silence fell over the crowd and all eyes darted to the black-haired boy sitting by himself who glances around nervously, sinking back into his chair.
"Congratulations!" The Headmaster said with a forced chuckle.
Everyone started complaining loudly and angrily to their friends. The people at the tables around Dom were sure to elaborate on how much of a freak he was and how he did not deserve such a spectacular prize as a trip to Europe.
"Dominick's entry," the Headmaster said upon hearing the protests, "was an original potion. The potion he created rejuvenates owls' strength after long flights, and also allows them to talk for a short amount of time. We tested this on eleven owls, every one of which flew straight from the owl-post in San Francisco all the way here in Salem, Massachusetts. The potion worked on every single owl without fail. One even asked me for vodka instead of water!"
The initial reaction the Headmaster received was a blank stare before people started looking around and began muttering, "That is kind of cool, but its still Dominick..." and "That could help the owl-posts all over the world, but I spent over fifteen hours in all working on my report on the enchantment on Chocolate Frogs!"
Evelynn was certainly disappointed but she wasn't angry at Dominick. She could not understand why people were so mean and were such sore losers. She only wondered if he would find a better social status at Hogwarts than he'd achieved at Salem. He certainly deserved something for that potion.
The day of the Halloween Bash arrived, but all the morning of that day offered to Evelynn was a long visit to the library to work on her Charms and Transfiguration papers. She also had "Find fifteen ways to kill and repel vampires" for Defense Against the Dark Arts on her list of things to do.
Her studying was, of course, interrupted by her father coming in. "Evie, sunshine," He said, "Could you see Dominick off tomorrow, then welcome this new fellow when he arrives?"
"I may be able to, Dad, but I'm loaded with homework," Evie said, not looking up from her book.
"I just thought it would be best since you are the Student Body President," He said, faking a pathetic sadness.
She looked up at his kind, middle-aged face. "Okay, I'll do it," She caved, "but if I don't get my homework done, you get to explain the reason to Professor Bronswell and Professor Carter."
"Consider it done," He winked at her and left, his blue, green, and cream-swirled robed flowing behind him.
Evelynn looked down at her book again but did not resume studying. Would life be different for me if Mom didn't disappear? She thought to herself. Would I be here? Would this school even be here? But her questions went unanswered.
Everyone in the school showed up to the Halloween Bash. Even Dom was there though we was sitting by himself. The entire cafeteria was decorated for the holiday, and a long table sat on one side of the room cluttered with Halloween sweets and punch. Spooky music played from jack-o-lanterns, setting the moon.
At one point, the jack-o-lanterns started singing, which was Evie's queue to tell the news of the evening. Toward the end of the song, she stood on top of the table to get everyone's attention.
"...By the pricking of me thumbs, something wicked this way comes," The pumpkin quartet sang and the crowd clapped.
"We are proud to announce that large amounts of Dominick's potion have been made and sent to owl posts all over the world. Congratulations, Dominick," Evelynn smiled at him and he hesitantly nodded back at her. "Dom is leaving for Hogwarts tomorrow so everyone give him a fond farewell. And if I or one of the faculty hear any harassment, the harasser will receive detention. Have fun tonight everyone!"
Evelynn noticed a few people walk over and talk to Dom, shaking his hand, including Amrie.
The next morning, Evelynn went to Dominick's dorm room to make sure he was packed. She knocked politely and he opened the door wearing his black school robes.
"Good morning," Evie said. "I came to see if you needed any help with anything."
"I'm fine," Dom said in his deep voice, sounding clearly as though he never used it enough, then added a quick and quiet, "Thank you."
"Are you sure? I'll help you carry your luggage downstairs when you're done. May I come in?" She asked as friendly as possible.
Dom stepped aside to let her in before closing the door and walking back over to her trunk. Evelynn noticed that it was full of books.
"Do you like to read?" Evie asked, picking up Hogwarts, A History and looking at it.
"When you have no friends, you tend to keep company elsewhere," he replied, not looking up from his trunk.
"Why are you so alone, Dom? I don't understand it," Evelynn said, concerned.
"Because I am alone. No one does understand it or ever will unless they've been there too," He replied in a very monotonous speech, making him sound almost as if he were reading a script. Evie didn't quite understand what he meant, but she didn't push the subject.
Dominick finished packing, and Evelynn carried his owl downstairs as he got his trunk. They exited to the courtyard where the Headmaster waited.
"All packed up then?" He asked and Dom nodded.
Professor Carter was there also and casted a float and follow charm on Dominick's trunk.
"You're in charge, sunshine," the Headmaster said, winking at Evie as he always did. He and Dom mounted their brooms and after double checking the charms on the trunk, the two were off.