Chapter Two - Cassidy's POV
A cough wracked my throat as I hurriedly set the potion lid back down, therefore cutting off the disgusting smell. The moment I had let the fumes escape the cauldron, my nostrils had burned with the foul, acidic scent of what seemed like a really dangerous potion. Katrina noticed my situation, and I could hear her giggle.
"How did it smell?" She asked, her lips turned up into a coy smile. "That was a type of herbicide potion, it's used to kill or damage plants, but, since it's in Diagon Alley, it's probably enchanted to smell horribly to the smeller."
"It smelled like cow manure with a hint of chicken coops," I answer, my nose wrinkling up in disgust.
"Here, we'll make it even," before I could stop her, Katrina yanked the cauldron lid away and stuck her face into the rising fumes. Just seeing the tendrils of green covered smoke was enough to make me gag. I think I'll stay away from Great Grandpa's homemade gillyweed pie from now on. After a few seconds, the girl pulled away, her face slightly green.
"Huh, it smells kinda like rotten garbage and cat vomit" She said.
"Anyways," I say, trying to turn the topic back to shopping. "I think all we need from here is the pewter cauldron right? Because I just need to pay for it, then we can move onto the next thing on our lists." In my arms, I already clutched a dull grey wizarding brewing pot that I'd found on the half-off rack.
"Oh! I'll grab one too, then we can head to Madam Malkin's?" Katrina asked, her eyes lighting up a bit at the thought of getting our Hogwarts uniforms. I have to admit, I was pretty excited for it as well. I had felt quite jealous when Lysander and Lorcan had been old enough to receive theirs a few years before. It was a big part of finally going to Hogwarts.
"Sure!" I say, smiling happily. "Then we can head to Ollivander's for our wands!" If it were possible, I could feel my cheeks getting wider. Wands were even more important than bits of fabric! Anticipation drove me to almost prod Katrina to the counter, bouncing up and down in excitement.
"A little excited, are we?" She teased, poking me gently in the side. I squirmed internally - my fatal flaw was tickling. I was ticklish pretty much everywhere. My feet, armpits, ribs, you name it! In return to her jab, I stuck out my tongue in her direction.
My hands reached into my worn pocket and brought up the two Galleons that I owed the shopkeeper. After the exchange, I tucked the packaged cauldron under my arm and ducked out of the store to meet up with Katrina again, who was waiting for me beneath the striped shop window. Together, we walked down the cobblestone street towards Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. On the outside of the shop was a window displaying a male mannequin wearing Slytherin attire, and a female mannequin dressed up to look like a normal everyday witch, despite the fact that both of the figure's faces were blank and white. However, the interior of the shop was decorated to have a warm, cozy feel to it. Even though it was the middle of August, the owner had a fire running heartily in the fireplace, magically enchanted to slowly shift into different colors every few seconds.
"I'll be there in a moment! Take a look around if you like!" A feminine voice echoed from the back of the shop, and I began to wander around the rows of robes. I could hear Katrina walking around also, although her form was obscured by the layers of fabric. I was just gently fingering the hem of a plain black Hogwarts uniform when short, quick footsteps sounded overhead, then continued down the staircase stuffed in the corner of the room. I looked up to meet the twinkling eyes of a squat, little witch dressed in all purple robes. Her hair was greying and curly, and her back stooped over a bit with age, but the way she walked certainly gave us the fact that she hadn't lost her youthful vigor.
"Now, what can I help you with?" She asked, a warm smile on her face as she beckoned us towards the pedestals in the back. I crossed the worn hardwood floor of the store and met up with Katrina, who was also nearing the witch.
"We're looking for some robes? It's our first year at Hogwarts," Katrina said, smiling back at the older woman.
"Well, I can certainly help you with that. Take a seat on the pedestal while I grab some robes from the back. I'll need to alter them since I'm expecting a new shipment next week, but they'll be as good as new when I'm done with them!" The witch, who I suspected was Madam Malkin, bustled back behind the counter and through a door I hadn't noticed before, which must lead to the backroom. As I sat down, I craned my neck to get a glimpse of the storage room but I had only a few seconds before Madam Malkin returned, carrying an overflowing pile of fabric.
"Now, who's first?"
About half an hour later, Katrina and I exited Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, carrying yet another packaged bundle along with our cauldrons. My rib was a bit sore from where she'd poked me accidentally with a pin, but other than that there was no harm done. It had barely broke the skin, too. Now, our next destination in mind was Ollivander's, to get wands!
I remember being so jealous of Lysander and Lorcan once again, when they returned home with Dad and their matching boxes of wands (along with a few fake joke ones from Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes - they love that shop). Now, I would be able to get my own!
I was only just able to make out the peeling gold letters on the sign above the shop that read: Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands Since 382 B.C. The moment I stepped into the tiny, narrow shop, the smell of dust and mold bombarded my nose. I looked over at Katrina to see her reaction as I tried not to cough too loudly. Her face was indifferent, giving no sign that said she was bothered by the smell of the shop. Usually, I'm not bothered by these kind of fumes because a book shop can carry the smell too, but this was overpowering. The floor was covered in the same, ancient hardwood that had been in Madam Malkin's, but it seemed like it hadn't been swept in ages, for a thick layer of dust covered it, disturbed only in places where customers must have walked through every day. Funnily enough, it reminded me of my own home in some manners. My house was filled clutter from Grandpa's expeditions across Africa and Asia, and this shop had piles of wands stalked almost all the way up to the ceiling.
It was almost like the shop was empty and there was no one home, but there was no closed sign outside, so I assumed that Mr. Ollivander was just preoccupied elsewhere. My curiosity got the better of me, so I walked over to a small pile of wand boxes and picked it up. Pulling the wand out of the box gave me an immediate unpleasant shock up the arm, like if someone was pumping volts of electricity into it. As fast as I could, I set the wand and box back down.
A loud thump from behind the desk startled me, and I must have jumped a mile.
"I'm fine!" A wheezing voice echoed out from the back room. "Just dropped a pile of boxes! No harm done!" Katrina and I waited, hesitant to go back there and see what happened. Then, an elderly, stooping man shuffled out from the room and met our eyes. At the sight of Katrina beside me, his mouth opened wide to reveal a warm smile.
"Ah, hello, Katrina," He paused before glancing over at me, his eyes scrutinizing my appearance. "And you must be Luna's daughter… Ah, Cassidy. You look just like your mother." Something flashed across his face, as if a pleasant memory was replaying itself in his head. I realized what he was talking about. During the Second Wizarding War, him and my mother were imprisoned by the Malfoy's in the Malfoy Manor.
"You're here for your wands, aren't you? Well, let me see what I have," He said, his eyes twinkling slightly as he shuffled back up onto the sliding ladder and pushed himself off. The wheels at the top of the ladder squeaked - they needed a good oiling - and I winced, the high-pitched noise attacking my eardrums fiercely.
I was tempted to pick up the opened box at the end of his desk just to pass the time, but I remembered the unpleasant jolt that the former wand had given me, and I restrained myself politely. Who knew what could happen this time? Perhaps it turned my hair green, or turned my nose into that of a pig's. Just the thought was enough to giggle quietly, and it caught Katrina's attention.
"What's so funny?" She asked, smiling politely back at me - she didn't understand what I thought was so funny.
"I was picturing my hair turning green or transforming my nose into a pig's because of picking up the wrong wand," I laughed. Now that I said it aloud, it didn't seem as funny as it had in my head, but I was still laughing from the absurdity of the thought. Right as I said it, the squeaking wheels returned overhead, and then Mr. Ollivander was right there, holding two boxes in his hands. Turning to me, he handed the bottom one to me and leaned in to tell me something while simultaneously handing Katrina the other one.
"This wand has the same unicorn hair that also contributed to your mother's wand when she came here all that time ago. I'm positive that it will fit!" He finally relinquished his hold on the yellowing box before turning to tell Katrina something. I wasn't listening, I had already gotten the top off of the box and was pulling the wand out of the wrappings. The moment my fingertips grazed across the solid wood surface, a shimmer of warmth shot up through my hand. When I was grasping firmly onto the handle, a soft noise passed my halfway parted lips when everything went white. A fleeting glimpse of an equine head flashed in my vision before my sight returned to my eyes. Wow. I glanced over at Katrina and Mr. Ollivander, but they didn't give any sign that something had happened presently. It must have all been in my head. But surely, this had to be my wand. I'd never heard of anything happening like this before.
I cleared my throat quietly and placed the wand back into the indent, as I reached into my pocket and pulled out the ten Galleons to pay for my wand. I caught Mr. Ollivander's eye and set the money onto his desktop. Then, I walked closer to Katrina and waved my hands in front of her face. Her hypnotizingly, colour-changing eyes were unfocused and staring off into the distance.
"Katrina? Katrina…?" I let out a huff of breath. "Hey, Katrina!" Finally, that got her attention and she started quietly.
"Huh? Oh! Sorry, I was daydreaming!" She laughed nervously, and her hand gently rubbed the back of her neck. I would've asked her what she was thinking about, but instead she mimicked me by pulling out her own ten Galleons and handing it over to Mr. Ollivander. Together, we walked out of the store, and I was already down the stairs when she was still waving good-bye to the shopkeeper.
"Let's go get our animals now!" I urge. "It's the last on the list, and I want pudding." I smile sheepishly, pudding was a specialty in my family. Mum loved the food, and so it kind of rubbed off on Lysander and me. Lorcan wasn't a huge fan of it, but he would eat Grandpa's pudding on special occasions just to be polite.
"Okay, okay," She said, "let's go."
The moment I walked into Magical Menagerie, I was assaulted by the smell of cats, rats, and owl droppings. While it wasn't exactly pleasant to my nose, I had gotten used to the smell of animals early on. Great-Grandpa Scamander had kept many different kinds of animals roaming about his house and massive grounds. I glanced around for a while before a tawny coat of feathers caught my eye. I walked over to the caged owl, and gently rapped the side of the cage to catch the animal's attention. Her flashy eyes were a reflective amber-orange color, and they were as intelligent as any other humans. I decided then and there that I would get her, and her name would be Serena, after Serena Catapano, a famous wizarding philosophist.
I hooked my fingers onto the top of the gold-gilded cage and carried her over to the wizard working at the cashier. The boy was only about 15 years old, a bored look in his eye as he took in the 7 galleons for Serena. As I was passing the money over, a creature stuck his extended snout out between the bars of the cage, reaching for the shiny new buckle that was holding my traveling cloak up.
"Oooh, Katrina!" I squealed. "Look at this! It's a baby niffler! Do you think I would be allowed two pets at Hogwarts? They're so cute, and they are very good at finding treasure! Great-Grandpa used to have one, but it ran away." My smile is wide. I love Serena, but after hearing so much about these animals from my author of a great-grandfather, I would die to have one of them.
"I don't know, I think that would be alright," She shrugged. "They say cats, rats, or owls, but Neville had a toad so I think they're pretty lenient on that rule." And that, is how I ended up with two cages in each hand as we walked out the door of Magical Menagerie, along with feed for both species. Me, being the animal-spoiler I am, decided to also purchase treats for Serena, and a few less-shiny toys for Archie, my niffler, to play with. Along with the cages and parcels for Serena and Archie's supplies, I also had my potions, my robes, my textbooks, and my wand. My arms were starting to get a bit sore.
Finally, we ended up outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop; Katrina licking a spoonful of ice cream from her cup of butterbeer ice cream, and me with a small bowl of chilled rice pudding. Being that the original Florean Fortescue had died during the Second World War, his shop was now run by his daughter, Fathia. She had gotten an odd look when I'd asked for rice pudding, but had still conjured a bowl of it for me. Before me or her knew it, it was 3:00 in the afternoon, and my mother, followed by the twins, rounded the corner to floo me home.
I was sad to leave Katrina, but we promised to sit with each other on the Hogwarts Express. September First couldn't come sooner!
Katrina's POV
Before I could warn her, Cassidy opened the jar of herbicide, inhaling a large amount. Coughing, she quickly placed the lid down, taking a breath of fresh air.
"How did it smell?" I said with a giggle
"That was a type of herbicide potion, it's used to kill or damage plants, but, since it's in Diagon Alley it's probably enchanted to smell horribly to the smeller " I said sagely.
"It smelled like cow manure with a hint of chicken coops," she said with distaste.
"Here, we'll make it even," I said quickly pulling the top of the jar, sniffing slightly. Gagging
slightly.
"Huh, it smells kinda like, rotten garbage and cat vomit." I said a little woozy from the smell.
"Anyways, I think all we need from here is the pewter cauldron right? Because I just need to pay for it, then we can move onto the next thing on our lists" She said with a pale grey wizarding brewing pot, I suspect she found on the sale rack.
" Oh! I'll grab one too, then we can head to Madam Malkin's? I asked Cassidy excited, my sunshine yellow eyes brighten.
"Sure! Then we can head to Ollivanders for our wands." she quickly ushered me the the cashier.
"A little excited, are we?" I remarked poking her side gently, giggling slightly as she jumped slightly. She must be really ticklish. She looked at me and stuck her tongue out. After we bought our brewing utensils, we headed over to Madam Malkin's to get our robes.
Walking up to the dressing store, I caught Cassidy looking at the mannequins in the shop windows. I glanced up at the white faceless people in a Slytherin uniform and the other, a normally dressed witch attire. I shivered at their emotionless faces. Quickly moving Cassidy into the store, evading the eyeless gaze. The inside, on the other hand, felt comfortable, like a cozy home. The first thing that drawed my eye was the mountains of fabric, until Cassidy pointed out the colour changing fire.
"I'll be there in a moment! Take a look around if you like!" shouted an anonymous voice from beyond the fabric. Doing as the ominous voice suggested, we split up, going down separate aisles, fabrics shrouded of vision of each other briefly. I stopped for a second looking happily at the fabric, until I a series of footsteps above, then coming down what sounded like a heard a voice coming from the direction that Cassidy went. As I neared where she had went, I saw she was talking to a short, plump woman who was dressed fashionably in all purple robes. Nearing her, I noticed her back was slightly hunched over from age, as paired with her greying curly I finally reached Cassidy's side I noticed her bright, shining eyes that showed as much youth and passion for what she does.
"-Hat can I help you with?" I heard the tail-end of the lady's question.
"We're looking for some robes? It's our first year at Hogwarts," I asked politely, looking at the older lady.
"Well, I can certainly help you with that. Take a seat on the pedestal while I grab some robes from the back. I'll need to alter them since I'm expecting a new shipment next week, but they'll be as good as new when I'm done with them!" She exclaimed happily. Quickly scurrying behind the counter, through a door that Cassidy didn't seem to notice. Her wide eyes in amazement gave it away. We sat down on a bench, probably for parents who were waiting for their child's robes to be finished altering. Cassidy craned her neck to look in towards the back room for a few seconds before the witch, who I believed to be Madam Malkin, walked through the threshold with an armful of fabrics beaming away.
"Now, who's first?" She asked, gesturing towards the fabric in her arms.
Half an hour later, we walked out of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasion. Waving goodbye to Madam Malkin's before she was swept away by another customer in need of robes. Cassidy was rubbing her side where Madam Malkin's poked her with a pin accidentally. She did tell Cassidy stop moving while she was altering her robes. But, I guess she was too intrigued by Madam Malkin's adjusting her robes that she didn't take notice. She wasn't upset at all though, she understood and apologized herself. I stifled a laugh as we headed to our next destination: Ollivander's Wands.
The sign above the shop is one I've seen multiple times but, it was gorgeous in it's gold letters were barely hanging onto the sign that read Ollivanders: Maker of Fine Wands since 382 BC. Cassidy was obviously ecstatic about getting her wands and suddenly pulled me into the store.
The sudden stench of old boxes and dust filled my nostrils. Cassidy coughed lightly though, I know she was holding back a hacking storm from all the dust. I visited Ollivander regularly, so the smell didn't bother me after a long-time exposure to it. The shop appeared empty as usual, only first years get their wands around this time and they usually collect them in the morning before the afternoon rush comes in. As I was about to call out for Ollivander, Cassidy went over to a box and held the wand in her hand and gave it a quick flick. Immediately she placed the box and it's contents down. The wand mustn't have liked her.
A loud thump of sound came from the back disrupting the silence of the shop and in turn startling Cassidy so much she jumped two feet in the air. I held back the urge to laugh as Ollivanders voice rang out from the opposite end of the store.
"I'm fine, just dropped a pile of boxes. No harm done!" Silence followed as Cassidy and I waited. We were both hesitant to go see if he was alright. But, a few moments later Ollivander emerged from the back,disheveled as always and smiled brightly as soon as he saw us.
"Hello Katrina. He said smiling widely at me, he glanced at Cassidy and seem to be looking over her appearance.
"And you must be Luna's daughter… Ah. Cassidy. You look just like your mother." He spoke, glancing up. As if he was remembering something pleasant. I remember him
as she finished her sentence.
"You're here for your wands aren't you? Well, let me see what I have." he said climbing onto a ladder and slid away. The ladder let out a high pitched squeal as the wheels that much needed oiling. Cassidy flinched when they did. I saw her glance down towards the open box on Ollivander's desk, holding her hand as if to grab it, she pulled her hand back and laughed.
"What's so funny?" I asked smiling politely.
"I was picturing my hair turning green or transforming my nose into a pig's because of picking up the wrong wand," she answered my question with a laugh. Immediately as she finished her sentence Ollivander came swooping in on his squeaking ladder he handed me my wand, which was a 12 and a quarter long willow wood, with the core of a unicorn. As he handed Cassidy her wand, I heard him whisper to her.
"This wand has the same unicorn hair that also contributed to your mother's wand when she came here all that time ago. I'm positive that it will fit!" I smiled gently, Ollivander always knew how to make someone happy in a split is how we became such good friends.
"Here, I made this wand especially for you. It's the perfect one for you. One of a kind too." He told me gently, looking at me with warm fatherly eyes.
I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was about 8 when it happened.I had just got dropped off at Neville's house. We went out for ice cream and i wandered off and got lost. When I realized I had lost the rest of the group I sat down in an empty street and cried. Ollivander happened to pass by that exact same street. He saw little 8 year old me crying ran up to me asked what was wrong. I told him I was lost. He invited me into his shop for tea and cookies. We told jokes and stories to pass the time. About an hour after I went missing. Hannah and Neville bursted in asking Ollivander if he knew where I was. It's safe to say they were shocked to see me biting into a cookie on one of his old dusty chairs. They scolded me and I was grounded for a week. But, they let me go visit Ollivander whenever I wanted. I still visit him regularly. He's always coming up with new jokes when I swing by. We've become great friends over the past three years.
"..rina, Katrina? HEY KATRINA!" I broke away from my daydream to see Cassidy waving her hand in front of my face.
"Huh? OH! Sorry, I was daydreaming," I apologize, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly. Pulling 10 Galleons out of my pocket, I handed it to Ollivander smiling.
"Thank you! I'll see you tomorrow." I said waving goodbye as Cassidy dragged me out of the store mumbling something I didn't quite catch.
"Let's get out animals now! It's the last thing on the list and I want pudding," grumbled Cassidy,
"Ok, ok. Let's go," I said, quickening our pace.
We quickly walked into Magical Menagerie, making a beeline for the owls. After walking around awhile, I saw the perfect owl for me. A below average sized owl, with the brightest green I've ever seen on an owl. He was perfect. A name automatically popped into my mind; Felix, that's the name of my owl. My owl, I love saying that. Cassidy had picked her owl out too, it was a tawny-brown barn owl with alert amber eyes. She named her Serena. She was beautiful. We bought our owls together. As we were giving our money to the clerk, a long snout poked out of a cage and prods at Cassidy's cloak pin.
"Oh, Katrina! Look at this! It's a baby niffler! Do you think I would be allowed two pets at Hogwarts? They're so cute, and they are very good at finding treasure! Great-Grandpa used to have one, but it ran away." She grinned, I'm sure they'd let her in with two animals..
"I don't know, I think that would be alright," I said shrugging "They say cats, rats, or owls, but Neville had a toad so I think they're pretty lenient on that rule." We walk out with our animals; me with Felix and Cassidy with Serena and Archie, and all of us with these bags filled with brewing utensils, books, robes, wands and now, owls… and a niffler. I can't wait to sit down!
We're now heading to Florean Fortescue to have some frozen treats. Walking into the ice cream parlour, I waved to Fathia, the daughter of the late Florean who died in the second wizarding war. She waved back, showing us to a table outside and asked us what we wanted. I asked for my regular, a butterbeer ice cream in a cup. Cassidy, earning a confused look from Fathia, ordered a chilled rice pudding. Nevertheless she gave Cassie her pudding and me my ice cream. We stayed outside until late into the afternoon, I've never been great with time. But, Cassidy's family came around and told her it was time to come home and they disappeared by Floo powder.
It was sad to see Cassidy to leave. But, we promised to sit together on the train. I'm so ecstatic for the first of september.
A/N: What was your favorite part, Katrina? I think mine was getting Serena and Archie! :3 I can't wait for the next chapter, we finally get to Hogwarts! ~ Cassidy
My favorite part was either when I got Felix or Mmmmm that delicious butterbeer ice cream. YUM! I'm so excited for Hogwarts too! ~ Katrina
We'll see you soon! *sticks tongue out* ~ Kat