Toriel turned to stare at her son. "What?" she asked, "But I thought." She looked at Asriel, then at Asgore, then at Asriel again. "How?"
Frisk was equally dumbfounded. But Chara was excited, and it was possibly the happiest Frisk had ever seen her. "Can I see it, Asriel?" she asked. Mutely, Asriel pulled the letter from the envelope and handed it over. "It is, it's just like mine," Chara said, her eyes shining, and above all, Chara sounded relieved.
"Frisk... I get to go with you, with Chara, to Hogwarts!" Asriel exclaimed, it still sinking in.
"Is this real?" asked Toriel.
"It is," Asgore confirmed. "We've just received an invitation to the ministry for an acknowledgment of our heroics during the Quidditch World Cup. Afterwards, it will be announced that Asriel will be allowed to attend Hogwarts on a provisional status." His eyes traveled down the paper. "Oh," he said, and looked up at the rest of the table. "We need to prepare, ah, now," he continued. "The ceremony is this afternoon."
"What?" Toriel asked again, shocked back into action. She stood, "If there's to be a ceremony at the ministry, we need to get you kids presentable!"
Frisk felt herself pulled to her feet by a very excited Asriel. "We'll go get ready right now, Mom!"
The next hour was spent finding appropriate clothes and getting absolutely clean. Hair and fur was fully washed, blown dry, and brushed down. Frisk and Chara were both put into purple dresses that matched Toriel's own, while Asgore and Asriel wore nice suits of a similar shade. The overall effect, in Frisk's opinion, was the impression that the Dreemurrs were a collectable set.
"When did you get these, Mom?" Frisk asked. Her dress was somewhat uncomfortable, it was just so slightly small, and it pinched across her shoulders.
"Beginning of the summer," Toriel told her, "I had Ms. Malkin size them. Looks like you've grown a bit since then." Chara looked uncomfortable too, but didn't say anything.
There was time for a quick lunch before it was time to go. Food choices were limited, though. Anything Asgore thought had the remotest chance to stain was vetoed. "We want to present our best face to the ministry," he told them. So they were pretty much limited to toast, unmelted cheese, and an apple.
They traveled by Floo powder again, directly into the ministry of magic. Frisk had never been there before and took in the whole spectacle with wide eyes. A few of the wizards crossing the atrium looked startled at the Dreemurrs appearances, but most of them merely nodded at Asgore in acknowledgment.
To Frisk's surprise, there was another monster in the atrium. Woshua was there, merrily cleaning up some sort of spill. With Toriel's permission, Frisk went over to say hello.
The little bird chirped as Frisk approached, causing Woshua to look up at her, smiling. "Gleam means clean!" Frisk was told, as Woshua finished rubbing out the stain on the floor.
"I'm glad to see you're enjoying yourself," Frisk said, "And that you're working well with the ministry." Toriel called out for her, and Frisk was forced to hurry back and join her parents at the security desk. Frisk got there just in time to be prompted for her wand, which she handed up to the wizard manning the desk.
He turned the unpolished wand over in his hands. "Just the one wand?" he asked, placing Frisk's wand in a brass scale.
"Just the one, Eric," Asgore said.
"The other two haven't started school yet," Toriel said, beaming. "They start this fall."
"Other two?" Eric said in surprise, looking down at Chara and Asriel. He raised an eyebrow as he turned back to Asgore. "Is something going on, Asgore?"
"There is," Asgore said, smiling as well. "But I'd hate to steal Fudge's thunder. It's not a good strategy, is it, Eric?"
"Heh," Eric said, "No, I reckon it isn't," he pulled a slip, reading it over. "Pear, nine inches, core of..." he looked up in surprise. "Monster fur? Yours?" he asked. Asgore pointed at Toriel. "I didn't know Ollivander did wands like that."
"He did for us," Toriel said. "But we need to get upstairs, or we'll be late, Eric."
Eric stabbed the piece of paper onto a spindle with a number of other papers, and handed Frisk her wand back. "Right then, take care Asgore, Toriel." Asgore and Toriel nodded at him, and led the group down the hall to bank of golden elevators.
Asriel nudged Chara, "This place is amazing, did you see the fountain? I thought they were going to move, they look so lifelike."
"Wait until you see Hogwarts," Frisk said.
"I can't wait!" Asriel said.
Frisk glanced over at Chara. She was back to looking withdrawn and slightly sad. Unsure what was bothering her sister, Frisk nudged her. "Are you okay, Chara?"
"What?" Chara asked, startled out of some deep thought. "Oh, I'm alright. I was just thinking about Hogwarts. What I know about it, that is."
"You don't look okay," Frisk said. But Chara just gave Frisk a forced smile, and said nothing else. Finally, an elevator dinged open, and the group pressed into the back of one, children first. Other wizards pressed in behind them, many of whom were polishing off some remains of lunch.
"Top floor, please," called Asgore. "We're in a bit of a tight spot here." Someone must have hit some button, though Frisk couldn't see it, because the elevator lurched slightly, then began a smooth upward motion. At each floor, people got out, and a few paper airplanes zoomed in.
"Inner-departmental memos," Asgore said, as Frisk and Asriel looked up in surprise. "Or so I'm told. I generally just work in the monster liaison office, and haven't ever been targeted by one." By the third floor, the only other thing in the elevator was a single airplane, and it departed on the second. When the elevator opened on the first floor, they all exited. "This way," Asgore pointed. "The minister has a reception area that we're supposed to meet him in. As they headed down the hallway, they passed a woman wearing deep magenta robes, with very curly hair. Sharp eyes stared at the monsters through jeweled spectacles. She shook her head, and made to follow them.
When they arrived at the reception room, though, they were waved in by a ministry official. "Ah, Mister and Miss Dreemurr, go on. The minister is waiting for you." But he blocked the woman following them. "I'm sorry, Ms. Skeeter. I've strict orders from the minister, you're not to be allowed in."
"Really? And you're letting that sports reporter Trecus in?" Rita asked, as the door was shut behind the Dreemur's. "Don't think I can't see what the minister is up to..."
The room was about half full with wizards, a few sitting on a raised stage, including Mr. Fudge and Madam Bones. An unoccupied podium stood in the center of that stage. Other wizards were settled in a number of chairs facing the stage. Frisk recognized Trecus, wearing a grin as he chatted with a woman next to him. She also recognized Headmaster Dumbledore, who caught her eye with a smile and a nod, then he waved to Asgore, who stepped over to him.
"Thank you for seeing to my friend Lupin," Dumbledore said quietly. "He is a good man who needs to be made to see that sometimes."
"It's my pleasure," said Asgore. Frisk saw her father look at her and the other children for a moment. "It's also the least I can do."
Dumbledore waved that aside. "I merely facilitated. They did that on their own. But, ah, don't keep the minister waiting." Asgore turned and hurried up to join Toriel and the children on stage.
"I do apologize for the short notice," Fudge said as they approached. "But we wanted the event to still be fresh in people's mind." He paused. "Will you want to say a few words?"
Asgore blinked. "Maybe after the second announcement. Let me have time to think of it."
After about ten minutes, and another few wizards filing in, the minister stepped up to the lectern. "We are gathered today to acknowledge the heroics of the Dreemurr monster family," the minister began. Frisk gave him credit, he was a good speaker, and he held the attention of the gathered wizards.
Most of them. "Who's that?" Asriel asked, as the minister described the Dreemur's charge to free the Muggles, as Madam Bones nodded in agreement. 'That' was a short squat, grim looking woman in a rather bright pink robe. "She looks like a frogitt," Asriel said. Frisk had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing, because Asriel was absolutely right.
"And, with that in mind, the ministry is honored to award both Asgore Dreemurr and Toriel Dreemurr with the Order of Merlin, Second Class," Fudge ended with a flourish, pinning a silver emblem on the robe of first Toriel, then Asgore. There was applause from nearly all of the assembled wizards. Only the frogitt woman made no motions, in fact, she looked even more dark and grim.
"Which brings me to my second announcement today," Fudge continued. "As the Dreemurrs have made strides into integrating into the wizarding community, it is only fair that we do the same. With the agreement of Headmaster Dumbledore," he indicated the professor sitting in the audience, who gave a nod in recognition. "I am pleased to announce that Asriel Dreemurr will be the first monster to enroll at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and wizardry."
A small gasp ran through the assembled wizards. But Dumbledore was the first to applaud the minister's words, and another wave of applause swept over the room. "We hope that this brings relations between monsters and wizards even closer. Together."
Frisk suddenly realized that Toriel was crying. Smiling, but crying at the same time. If Frisk had to guess, it was because she was remembering the day they had come from the barrier: Accosted by wizards, hidden away. But this, this was the wizarding community suggesting they just might belong with them. Frisk felt tears trickle on her own cheeks, and smiling herself, wiped them away.
From his seat, Asgore spoke up, "Minister Fudge has kindly yielded the floor to me, but I have nothing to add, he said it all. I only hope that we continue to build on the trust that we have been shown here today."
"Thank you for coming today," Fudge said, and stepped back from the podium.
The assembled wizards in the audience stood, and made their way out as Asgore and Fudge talked about more mundane manners. When the room cleared, they said their farewells, and headed back to the door.
"Asgore Dreemurr!" came the call as soon as they were clear of the reception area, "Do you have time to answer a few questions?" It was the same magenta robed woman from before. She didn't wait for an answer. "What does it mean to have the first non-human in Hogwarts? What does this mean for relationships between monsters and other non-human races? Do you think monsters are superior to Goblins and Centaurs, for example?"
"That's enough of that," Asgore rumbled. "We are honored that Asriel will be allowed to attend Hogwarts, and that is all that means. We bear no malice for anyone else, and would work toward integrating with the other races." He glared back at her, one of the few times Frisk had seen him visibly upset. When she didn't ask anything else, he walked past her, back to the elevators.
"Ah, minister, minister!" she called as he came out of the reception room himself. But the elevator doors closed and Frisk didn't hear anything else.
"How did she get in, anyway?" Toriel asked. "What an unpleasant human. Suggesting we would think ourselves superior to other races?"
"She turns up every so often," Asgore said, as the elevator glided down to the atrium. "I suspect someone has a deal going with the Daily Prophet. But I have no idea what that is. Anyway, we have time this afternoon, and we're out already, maybe we should just head to Diagon Alley and pick up their school supplies."
"That sounds like a great idea, Asgore," Toriel said.
Toriel had tried three times to get Ms. Oxtoby on her cell phone, but each time had no reception. She finally managed to get a signal out standing in a corner of the Leaky Cauldron, barely. "That sounds good, Sarah, we'll meet you for dinner then, at six? Right. See you then." She disconnected her call. "Maybe I can get Alphys to work on a cell phone that gets reception in magical areas," she complained.
"Where are we going today?" Asgore asked. "I missed this the first time. I'm not missing it again."
Toriel consulted her lists. "Well, same things that we needed last year. Books, robes, including dress robes, materials for potions, and of course, they'll need each need a wand."
"Can we start there?" Asriel asked, his green eyes practically glowing.
"With the wands?" Toriel confirmed. "Let's."
Ollivanders (and Frisk's mind, there still seemed to be an apostrophe missing) was not the largest shop, and as all five of them entered, it started to feel somewhat cramped. Asgore didn't quite have to duck once inside, but it was close.
"Another Hogwarts student?" asked Ollivander from the back room.
"Two of them," called Toriel.
Ollivander came out into the main room of the shop, adding to the cramped feeling. He scanned the room, his eyes resting on Chara for a moment, before they came to Frisk. "Ah, does the young lady need a replacement, so soon? I did think that not polishing the wand may lead it to become fragile, but she was so adamant..."
"Not me," Frisk said, pointing. "Them."
Ollivander's eyes widened as he took in Asriel, and before he could decline them, Asgore spoke up. "It's been permitted, Mr. Ollivander," he said, pulling out his letter from the minister, and handing it over. The wand maker read it, his expression not changing, but he smiled at the end, and handed the letter back to him.
"Well then," he said, rubbing his hands together. "This should prove an excellent challenge. Who shall be first?"
"You can go first, Asriel," Chara said, quietly, looking away from Ollivander's excited gaze.
"Take a seat, and tell me something about yourself, young Asriel," Ollivander said, looking through the shop. "Which, before you do, reminds me, Ms. Dreemurr. I have not found many matches with monster fur at the core, but it leads me to think I need to reconsider the family attachment to the magic. It was something my grandfather Gerbold wrote at length on, but haven't managed to research properly myself. It simply doesn't come up."
"Then maybe these two?" suggested Toriel.
"Quite possibly! It is one of many things to consider," Ollivander agreed. "Now, I apologize, Asriel. Just tell me something you enjoy doing."
"Being with my siblings," Asriel said, indicating Frisk and Chara. "Exploring, playing games, everything."
"Ah, well, being a brother, we should start with a brother, or at least a cousin of your sister's wand," Ollivander said. He selected a stack of wands, climbed a ladder, and pulled from the near the top. "Pear, with a core of monster fur," he opened the box presenting the wand to Asriel. He leaned forward, excited to see what would happen.
Asriel looked at the wand in the box in awe, then picked it out. There was no obvious reaction, and at Ollivander's request, gave it experimental wave. Small motes of silver light dripped from the wand, but that was all that happened.
"You are not your sister," Ollivander said. Asriel and Frisk laughed at this, even Chara cracked a brief smile. "And I realize that is obvious, but your wand is not her wand either. And yet, it reacted! That itself is a good sign. Perhaps there is too much familial closeness. So, if not pear," he looked at Asriel intently."Perhaps rowan, not dragon heartstring... unicorn hair. Yes." He selected the box, and brought it to Asriel to try.
Once again, the lack of obvious magic upon Asriel taking it up suggested it wasn't the right choice. But there must have been something to it that Ollivander noticed because he became silent and nodded to himself. "The core might be right, but I have stepped in the wrong direction with the wood. Apples and oranges may be different, but pears are somewhat similar. I don't have many apple wands, but I do have some. Let us try a Phoenix feather core."
When Asriel grasped this wand, he gave a low whistle in surprise. "It's warm," he said in wonder. He waved it without prompting, a rainbow of light trailing after the wand's tip.
"That is outstanding, young Asriel! To think I would see a monster given a wand so soon after reaching the surface," he looked up at the adult Dreemurrs. "And that he found such an excellent match! These are exciting times! Come, Asriel, stand, and let young..." he stopped. "My pardon, what is your name?"
"Chara," Frisk barely heard her sister mumble.
"I'm sorry," Ollivander said, "Once again?"
"My name's Chara, Mr. Ollivander," Chara said a bit louder, looking up and meeting his eyes for a moment before looking down again. She moved to the single seat in the store, taking Asriel's place.
"Chin up, young Chara," Olivander told her, "This is a happy day. I certainly have a wand in my shop that will choose you to be its wizard. Tell me something about yourself."
"There isn't much to tell," said Chara. Frisk felt her heart pang. Chara had locked away what happened before she had returned at the end of last year. Her growing up with her real parents, what happened before Frisk had fallen to the underground. "None of that means anything anymore," she said.
"But I must have somewhere to start, Chara," He looked puzzled. "What do you wish to do with your life? Or perhaps, what class you're most looking forward to?"
"I don't know," said Chara.
Asriel stepped forward, putting a paw on Chara's arm. Chara smiled briefly.
"Perhaps," Toriel said, rummaging in her bag, she pulled out a wand that Frisk recognized. It was the wand that she and Hermione Grander had buried with Chara's duplicate, allowing them to take the real Chara to the present. "You could start with this one?" Toriel suggested
"It seems old," Ollivander said, turning it over in his hands. "Holly, Dragon heartstring, which is not where I would have started." Olivander started suddenly, looking at Toriel in astonishment. "I remember this wand, but this isn't possible. I sold this to Dumbledore not two months ago. How did it get so old?"
"Proscribed by the unspeakables," Asgore said. "Sorry, we can't answer that."
"Fascinating, I remember discussing what we knew about what that wand needed to do," Ollivander said, tapping his nose. "Rather than taking the time to put a new core in this one, perhaps a brother wand," Ollivander said, pulling a wand from the bottom of a stack, while teetered dangerously before settling back on it. "Now I see why," Ollivander said, considering Chara. He held out the box.
Hesitantly, Chara picked it up, and while not instantly, a soft silver glow did form around the tip. Ollivander nodded in satisfaction. "It's almost a match. Which tells me, young Chara, that I, and Dumbledore, of course, made a good decision in the first place. Ms. Toriel, I will be happy to place a new dragon heartstring core in the wand you already have. May I?"
Toriel handed the wand over.
"This won't take but a few minutes," Ollivander said. Taking it, he disappeared into the back of his shop for a few minutes, then returned, brandishing the wand. "Here you go, Chara, do try this."
The silver glow this time was instant and pronounced, and Chara stared at the wand. Her grip visibly tightened, and she drew it to her body. For the first time since she'd awoken in the medical wing of Hogwarts, Frisk saw her sister truly smile.
"Excellent work, Mr. Ollivander," Asgore said. "Now for the less enjoyable part," he grinned, pulling out his coin pouch. "How much do we owe you?"
A/N: Hey folks! If you see any editing errors or spelling mistakes, please feel free to smack me over the head via PM until I fix it. In the mean time, thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews. I've seen recommendations for the first story pop up on Reddit (on an Undertale list) on the Harry Potter Amino Site, and TVTropes itself, and that's all incredible to me. As always, thanks for reading!
