Chapter 5 Diagon Alley
1892
It has been a long wait, but it is finally time. This year, I will be turning eleven and finally go to Hogwarts. Throughout the years, more and more children at the orphanage avoided me like the plague, especially after Anna.
I suppose I should feel more guilty for being mean to kids, but I leant the hard way that any leniency on bullies is an invitation for them to do something worse, a lifetime ago. Whenever the nuns or patrons chance upon a commotion, I would magically be in my room. I have a feeling that seeing the future is not normal, even in the magical world, but hey, it helps. They always claimed the wild tales around me to be nothing but jealous slander, while shivering and making the holy cross in my direction every time they saw me. No doubt thinking about the incident with Anna.
Speaking of which, Anna and her gang…Well they were severely injured. At least none of them died. After hurting them, I panicked, wishing to be in the library, as far from this as possible. For the first time in years, I performed uncontrolled accidental magic. I apparated to my corner in the empty library. The girl Anna had stabbed, unfortunately died. They tried to blame me, but it was pretty difficult when I was found in the arms of the librarian directly after the incident, apparently crying over the death of Romeo and Juliet.
I got lucky. The librarian gave the perfect alibi, she also forbade the constaples from talking to me, claiming me to be too emotionally distressed. Having witnessed the death of a character for the first time. So they took a different approach, asking the victim of the crime.
By then, Anna was already nothing but an incoherent mess who could not speak her own name. So she was sent to an asylum, after being diagnosed as insane…with severe nerve damage after being testified as the stabber by the others. They did not even try to mention me, except for the second guard, but it did not work, since the librarian saw me enter and did not see me leave for the entire duration of the incident. There was no evidence against me. So the incident was put down as a crazy bawl. It helped that the gang were all holding knives which were heavy enough to break bones.
Life went semi-normal after that. I still played the violin to the best of my abilities, but kept a secret pouch, collecting up to half the money per performance. I had wanted to earn my money the normal way, waiting for the nuns to split my share to me, but I seriously couldn't care less about anyone in the orphanage anymore. My dorm is now empty, seeing how all the girls refused to share one with me. I got nightmares, where I turned into a monster and slaughtered entire towns for trying to burn kids like me. But they slowly stopped, as I realised that I would never encounter a situation like that. There is no way entire towns would condone murders, right?
Sometimes, I will catch the nuns grabbing their rosary beads after running into me, some of the more superstitious ones even going as far to mutter Devil child, if I looked like anything else, I am pretty sure it would have caught on to everyone else outside of the orphanage, but luckily, I won the genetic lottery.
One afternoon in late July, I was practising my violin, playing a beautiful tune stuck in my head when the matron led a woman in robes to my room. So deeply consumed by my song, I did not notice their intrusion. I was channelling all my pure emotion into my song, my fear, sadness, and excitement. It was a good thing that I finally had a chance to learn to play instruments. I had always admired musicians from afar in a past life, spending more time coding and building machines than talking to people. When I finally finished my song, a sharp crack caught my attention and I spun around to face any potential attacks, instead, I was faced with the slack jaw of a woman in robes, who was stumbling to collect herself after slamming into the door in surprise at my playing. I flushed a light pink as I stared at her and curtseyed shyly, as taught by the tutors.
"Good afternoon," I greeted, "How may I help you?" I asked while tilting my head slightly, the perfect impression of innocent ignorance. While my heart fluttered in excitement at the view of who was clearly a witch in front of me.
Merrythought POV
I walked into the orphanage confidently, it was the time of the year where Hogwarts letters are sent once more. To my surprise, the nuns were not even surprised by my visit when I mentioned "Seraphina Astrum" they just smiled weakly or grimaced and led me halfway down a hall, and stopped, telling me to walk down the rest by myself towards the last door. As I walked my heart fluttered in trepidation, how bad can a child be for the nuns to not be surprised at visits? As I walked, I noticed an eerie music drifting through the air. It was so mournful, so sad, that my heart clenched and tears began gathering in my eyes.
It was so…beautiful.
I followed the tune to the door at the end, where a girl with straight, midnight hair was dragging a bow across the violin, playing the song so wonderfully. I couldn't help but stare, as the girl slowly swayed to her tune, turning towards me subconsciously. I closed my eyes, savouring the notes, such hope, such excitement! Then the song slowed down, becoming more calm, and mournful once more. My eyes snapped open at the player, then my jaw dropped.
The girl was beautiful.
Not just her song, there was no way around the fact that the girl was simply beautiful. Her long black hair was held in a half up half down do, framing her delicate face, with high cheekbones, and a small, slightly upturned nose, her lips were small and delicate, her eyes were a beautiful shape, slightly angled, her long eyelashes framed them perfectly, her slow confident pose gave her a regal air that most purebloods try to train their heirs to replicate, and the way her skin glowed! She looked simply ethereal, angelic.
She continued swaying and turning to face the wall as she played the last notes, I tried to lean towards the wall, it was too much of a surprise, after all. The wall turned out to be a door, and I almost crashed into the ground, loudly stomping as I stumbled to catch myself. At the noise, the girl spun around, her eyes flying open, almost glowing gold as they met mine, it was like she was staring into my soul.
Then the second passed, and she looked down, and curtseyed, how polite!
And asked, "Good afternoon, how may I help you?"
I snapped out of my shock, and stared at her. Right, letter, explain, lead her to Hogwarts.
"Well met, Miss Astrum, my name is Professor Galatea Merrythought, and I am here to congratulate you on your acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." I intoned solemnly, trying to regain my dignity as quickly as possible after almost crashing into the ground as I handed over the thick envelope with a H imprinted on its big red wax seal. A slight smile flitted across the girl's face, then just as quickly, it disappeared, as if it was nothing but a trick of the light. Her face morphed into one of deep concentration and confusion.
"Magic? I thought that's not real?"
I smiled, "Of course it's real, my dear, have you ever experienced something which you cannot explain?"
Her brows furrowed, then she asked, "Is that what it is that I can do?"
"What is it that you can do, my dear?"
"I…well, I can lift things by simply willing it to come to me, and if I truly desire, flower buds will be in full bloom if I simply stare at it." The girl answered, shyly tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ears, and looking at the ground. I am literally floored. Controlled accidental magic? That is truly rare. But I schooled my expression to a calm mask. Afterall, it would not do to make this girl scared of her own power.
"That is lovely, dear, well, yes, those are examples of accidental magic. There are many branches of magic taught at Hogwarts, for example, I am the teacher for Defence Against the Dark Arts. You are what is known as a muggleborn, a magical child born to magical parents. Now, we will be going shopping to get your school supplies, if you accept the offer?" I asked, as I gently waved my wand, demonstrating the lumos charm.
Seraphina POV
"Yes! That seems to be an amazing opportunity! But what will you tell the nuns?" I asked. I slipped earlier, too excited about the prospect of Hogwarts to school my expression to the one appropriate of an 'ignorant muggleborn'.
"Don't worry, the nuns will be told that you have earned a scholarship to a prestigious school for gifted children, which reminds me, here is a sack of galleons, hold on to that, as it is from the muggleborn orphans fund, it is for your school supplies, come, we shall now head to Diagon Alley."
With that, she handed me a small pouch, then beckoned for me to follow her out of the orphanage. After talking to the nuns, we were off to Diagon Alley!
Unsurprisingly, the entrance was behind the Leaky Cauldron, the place which had cued me in to the world I was born in all those years ago. Seriously though, what happened in the next century that made wizards lose all of their fashion sense? What they wear now is so much cooler! Sure, they are still robes, but they seriously look more elegant. Wait, that reminds me, I have zero knowledge of what happens during this time from cannon. Oh well, I know there are going to be a few Dark Lords springing up and failing, but seriously, I may as well just completely ignore cannon and do what I want, afterall, how badly can I mess it all up, right?
After buying secondhand books to save for quite a few extracurricular books, to the bemusement of Merrythought, we were finally off to the wand shop. Merrythought left me in front of the shop and told me to go in alone. As I pushed open the door, a gust of cool air hit me in the face, the shop was dusty, but not unwelcoming, the scent of old books filled the air like an ancient library. I spun around in awe and delight, the humming symphony of life seems much louder here. And almost crashed directly into an old man with glittering silver eyes. I jumped out of my skin.
"Hello Miss Astrum, it has been quite a while since I served a member of your family. I remember your mother's wand quite clearly, English Oak with dragon heartstring, thirteen inches."
Wait, my mother in this world was a witch? Does that mean my father was a muggle? Why else would I not be claimed by a pureblood wizard? Oh well, that is interesting. Before I knew what was happening, Olivander had already asked for my wand arm, to which I replied right, I may be ambidextrous, but why should I reveal all my secrets to the old man? So after the measuring tape enthusiastically flew around taking what I am certain is unnecessary measurements, the tedious process of matching me to a wand. After a dozen or so tries, I am truly fed up. Seemingly sensing my mood, Ollivander went deep inside his shop and brought forth a box, coated in dust.
"I wonder…" he muttered.
"Walnut and Dark Phoenix feather, thirteen and a half inches, unyielding, good for duelling. Particularly suited for innovators. But uniquely suited for…revolutionaries." Olivander intoned.
I grabbed the wand, instantly, a cold flame seemed to run up my arm, rushing to meet my magic. The two then seem to battle for dominance briefly, then the wand, seemingly satisfied, retreated its magic back to its core, pulling mine along with it, the instant my magic entered the wand, a much more fierce but welcoming sensation flooded through my entire being, similar to soaking in a hot tub after a long day, or breathing air after staying underwater for too long. A fountain of bright blue-green, white and black sparks shot out of my new wand.
"Interesting, yes, very interesting." Ollivander murmured.
"Excuse me, if you don't mind, can you please tell me what is so interesting?" I asked.
I know this is a trick he uses to create interesting foreshadowing, probably the same stuff for each customer, but I can't resist, it's like getting your palm read, you know it's probably fake, but I'm still curious.
"The feather in your wand is the only one given by the Dark Phoenix." Ollivander began, his silver eyes shining disconcertingly.
"Of all phoenixes, the Dark Phoenix is unique, being the only phoenix whose first rebirth is not triggered by a bonding, but through pain and near death, giving them their close bond with death. Every Phoenix feather core has to be freely given, Miss Astrum. Each feather gathered is passed from generation to generation, until they bond with a wood. My ancestor received the feather for your core the day our shop almost burnt down…A thousand years ago. It never bonded with any wood until ten years ago, with the piece of the walnut tree struck down by lightning, yet still alive, growing. Your wand, Miss Astrum, is the only walnut wand in the world that I would say is suited for revolutionaries."
He stared at me, as if looking right through my soul.
"I believe we can expect an interesting future from you, Miss Astrum. That will be three galleons."
And the moment was broken. I quickly paid and left the shop with Merrythought. We finished our shopping trip by buying the potions equipment from the apothecary, and a magically expanded and password locked trunk. There is no way my stuff will fit in otherwise. I spent the rest of the trip pondering Ollivander's words. I have considered taking the dark lord route, but I am really not that big of a fan for torturing innocents. Shuddering at the thought of the Anna incident, I mean, they are still people, it's not like I can just…kill them.
We passed by Knockturn Alley without even the briefest of introductions. I may be very curious about Knockturn Alley, but I am an eleven year old girl in the 1890s, I am not suicidal. Seriously. Looking at you, SIs who jump into Knockturn Alley the minute you get into this world.