The Tragedy of a Hero
Year One: Tragic Curiosity
Chapter One: The Tragedy of Tricks
Diagon Alley is the center of the Wizarding World in England. It's the place where witches and wizards go to buy anything they need so it was only natural that this was the place the Darlington family would go for the twin's school supplies. Now, the last time the family went to Diagon Alley there were hardly ten witches walking its streets, but this time the streets were packed with hundreds of them all bustling about to get the things they need. It was a curious sight to watch all of them running to and fro in their brightly colored robes. Some of them looked familiar while others looked completely foreign and it was hard to see the nearby shops through the massive crowd. Sure, the tops of the tightly packed buildings were easy to see, but you couldn't tell what building was by the top of it.
So, once the rest of her family had arrived through one of the many fireplace entrances to the alley, Skylar pushed her way through a group of gossiping witches to discover that they were near one of her favorite shops.
Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop was one of the few shops where she could stock up on the things she would need to prank her family so she couldn't resist the wide smile that spread across her face.
"I need some more No-Heat Fireworks and my worm hole stickers are losing their power." She said absentmindedly as her feet pulled her in the direction of the shop and only stopped when a warm hand wrapped around her shoulder.
"I don't think so missy." Mrs. Darlington said as she pulled her daughter back towards their family. "If we have time I'll let you stop by, but only if you are good today." She narrowed her brown eyes, "That means no running off and no pranks on your sister."
Skylar sighed and looked at the joke shop longingly until it vanished behind the sea of people. She then turned to the rest of her family to find that they were discussing where everyone was to go. "I can pick up the girls' things for their potions class while I restock on our own supplies." Mr. Darlington said as he glanced at the Hogwarts list of supplies.
"And the girls can come with me to Twilfitt and Tatting's to get their robes while I get a new dress robe for that dinner party next month." Mrs. Darlington added with a smile at just the thought of dressing up. "We can meet back at Ollivander's in twenty minutes to get their wands."
"What about pets?" Skylar piped in remembering that her Hogwarts letter had said she would be able to bring a cat and she had always wanted a cat.
"We'll decide where to go after we meet up at Ollivander's." Mr. Darlington said with a smile before giving his wife a peck on the cheek and patting his girls on the head and disappearing into the ocean of bright colored robes. Within seconds his navy blue robes were absorbed by lime green, yellow, red, black, and all of the other colors known to the Wizarding World.
"Alright, come on girls." Mrs. Darlington ordered as she grabbed both of their hands resulting in a groan of disapproval from them which their mother ignored, "Twilfitt and Tatting's is this way." She said before pulling her young daughters through the crowded streets.
Twilfitt and Tatting's was a two story shop on the south side of Diagon Alley. The outside of it was a pale red brick that was kept cleaner than most of the other shops around it, and inside seemed quite the same way. The shop was one large room with walls covered in robes of all shapes and sizes for all different occasions. The floor was a pastel blue and looked as though it had just been put down and in the far corner stood a long counter with high pedestals behind it.
A young witch wearing bright pink robes stood behind the counter quietly sewing a green cloth with her wand, but, aside from her, the shop was empty. Most witches and wizards could not afford the more eloquent clothes of Twilfitt and Tatting's so they bought there robes from Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, but due to the high status of the Darlington family in the Wizarding World they could easily afford everything in the shop and more.
Skylar wrinkled her nose at the smell of rose extract that was much too strong as it started to give her quite the headache while Claire moved to look at a beautiful black gown. Mrs. Darlington walked over to the young witch and struck up a conversation, but Skylar suddenly found herself more interested in another witch who had just entered the shop.
The witch was tall and slim with pale skin that seemed to draw out her gleaming blue eyes. She was beautiful, really, and her long blonde hair flowed out around her black and gold robes which screamed that she had money. Of course she wouldn't be in Twilfitt and Tatting's if she didn't.
"Merlin would you look at that hair?!" Came Claire's hushed voice as she too watched the witch flutter about the shop. "I've never seen hair quite so beautiful before. I feel ashamed to even be in the room with hair that great! It's like I'm not worthy!" Claire continued.
Skylar's eyes drifted back to the door, as the bell that signaled it opening rung again. In entered a rather cold looking man with a pointed face and grey eyes that held little emotion. His skin was so pale that Skylar didn't notice where his hair started and his face ended for a moment. He too wore black and gold robes that screamed he was very rich and carried a walking stick with a snake head. He was flanked by a young boy with looked remarkably similar to him.
Claire gasped as she noticed the new additions to the shop. "It's like hair heaven in here!" She exclaimed to her sister. "Who do I have to kill to get hair as great as theirs? All of them… Merlin that hair!"
Skylar's eyes seemed to pop out of her head as she recognized the man before them. She quickly turned to her sister and smiled, "That's Lucius Malfoy! He works at the Ministry with dad, only he's got more influence. I've seen him in the papers that dad leaves around. He's one of the Governors for Hogwarts."
Claire gasped again as the man approached the woman and they began to talk quietly while the boy aimlessly walked around the shop. "Then that means that she is Narcissa Malfoy! Merlin I've always wanted to meet her! She's one of the top most fashionable people in the Wizarding World and who can blame her with hair and clothes like that?"
Suddenly, Mrs. Darlington appeared behind her daughters, "Come on girls we've got the things we need. Time to go and get your wands." She said cheerfully before once again grabbing the hands of her daughters while her purchases floated magically behind her. She began to lead them from the shop, but before she would take two steps Mrs. Malfoy stepped out in front of her.
"Isabelle, it's nice to see you again." The blonde woman said with a smile that didn't reach her cold eyes.
"Merlin, mum knows her!" Claire whispered to Skylar in excitement as she looked up at the woman with great admiration.
Mrs. Darlington smiled in response t the blonde, "Oh, hello Narcissa, I didn't see you enter the shop." She said kindly, though it was a fake kindness… that much Skylar could tell. "How've you been?
Skylar sighed and turned away from her mother as another conversation grabbed her interest.
"Yes Draco, we'll get your racing broom soon. We have a few more things to take care of first." Mr. Malfoy was saying to his son.
Skylar looked at the boy. He was no doubt the son of Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy. He glanced around the shop, looking at various items curiously while a bored look rested on his face. He simply sighed in response to his father and moved to the other side of the stop.
Skylar shook her head and turned back to her mother. "Are these your girls?" Mrs. Malfoy was saying and Skylar sighed. She just wanted to get out of there, get her cat, restock on her supplies for her pranks, and go back home to wait for September 1st.
"What d'you say we leave mum to her old lady chatting and go explore?" She whispered to Claire who had yet to take her eyes off of what she no doubt deemed the fabulous woman in front of her.
Claire's admiration didn't stop her from shooting her sister a harsh look, "No. Mum said we're s'possed to stay with her." She said as defiantly as always before going back to her admiration of the blonde woman in front of her.
Skylar rolled her eyes. She should have expected as much from her sister. Claire always wanted to play by the rules. It drove Skylar mad. Well, if Claire didn't want to sneak away, that was fine. It wouldn't stop Skylar who quickly and quietly left the clothes shop behind and used the crowded streets to vanish quickly. She knew that her sister would tell on her and that her mother would be furious, but she didn't care. She hardly ever did.
It seemed like hours that she walked the familiar streets of Diagon Alley before finally making it to her favorite shop and slipping inside. It was quiet inside as everyone on the street seemed to be passing it by. Not even the old shopkeeper was at the counter.
Skylar walked around the shop until low voices at the back caught her attention. She stopped an isle before where the voices were coming from and listened.
"Come on Lee, it'll be fantastic!" A male voice said in an excited hush that made Skylar curious about what was going on.
"I said o Fred. We'll get banned from the shop for sure." A different male voice answered in a scared sort of hush that only increased Skylar's curiosity.
"He does have a point Fred. We don't want to get banned…" A third voice joined in.
There was a soft sigh before the first voice, Fred, answered. "Alright."
"Thank you!" The second voice, Lee, said with great relief.
"But he can do it on the street." Came the third voice.
"Have I ever told you two that I hate you?" Lee replied, his relief gone.
Skylar could hear them shuffling about before they rounded the aisle and entered the one she was on. The first thing she noticed was the identical twins with mischievous smiles on their faces, followed closely by another boy.
Skylar had never seen another pair of identical twins before, so she watched them closely. They were both tall and lanky, though they couldn't have been too much older than Skylar herself. They had stringy red hair, pale skin, and faces covered with freckles. They wore clothes that were obviously old which made Skylar feel out of place in her new sundress.
Behind them, the other boy looked nervous. No doubt he was Lee. He too was tall with dark skin and black hair that was in a strange fashion Skylar had never seen before.
One of the twins caught Skylar's eye and winked at her, "Enjoy the show." He said as the trio walked past her.
Skylar flushed. How long had he known she was listening to them? Still, she was curious about what they were planning to do and felt her feet moving to follow them. The streets outside the shop were still very crowded and already she had lost the boys. "Figures." She said with a sigh before making her way through the crowd to the potions shop she knew her father was at.
Mr. Darlington had just come out of the shop when Skylar broke through the crowd. He smiled warmly at his green eyed daughter, "What are you doing?" He asked before looking around behind her. "You didn't sneak off again did you?" He added with a curious but stern voice.
Skylar beamed up at her father, "Mum was talking to Mrs. Malfoy and I got bored so I decided to come find you." With any luck Mr. Darlington wouldn't be too upset and would defend her when Mrs. Darlington got upset.
"Narcissa Malfoy?" Mr. Darlington questioned with a grim look that made Skylar feel as though she shouldn't have said anything at all. She nodded. "Well come on, I'm sure she's waiting at Ollivander's for us." He said before grabbing Skylar's hand and leading her in the direction of the wand shop.
Just as they reached the shop the sky suddenly lit with rainbow colored fireworks that caused the crowds to stop and watch. Skylar managed to get a view between the crowd and saw the three boys from the joke shop dancing about with several other people and laughing loudly. No doubt this was the show they had been speaking about.
Mr. Darlington shook his head in disapproval, "Those kids shouldn't be allowed in public." He said as Mrs. Darlington and Claire joined them outside of the shop.
Mrs. Darlington look furious, "Skylar Darlington! What did you do?" She hissed as she motioned to the fireworks. "Playing pranks on your sister is one thing, but to sneak away and set off massive fireworks in the middle of Diagon –"
"Isabelle, relax." Mr. Darlington said as he gently grabbed his wife's shoulder, "Skylar had nothing to with this. She's been with me. She came to tell me you were talking to Narcissa. The fireworks are put on by some of the Weasleys'."
Mrs. Darlington's anger seemed to dissipate as she looked down at her green eyed daughter, "Forgive me Skylar, I jumped to conclusions, but you should not have run off without telling me." She apologized before ushering her family into the wand shop.
The shop was dimly lit and filled ith many rows of small boxes and shelves. "Good afternoon Mister Ollivander." Isabelle said with a smile.
Skylar wrinkled her nose as they walked closer to a man and the smell of moth balls became strong. It was coming from the old man. "I remember you." He said in a kind voice that reminded her of her granddad Stevie before he passed away the year before. "Twelve inches, oak with unicorn hair core." He added before smiling at Skylar and Claire. "I'm assuming these young girls are your daughters?" He asked, still talking to Mrs. Darlington.
Skylar sighed, ignoring the small talk between Mister Ollivander and her parents. She slowly walked over to a shelf filled with loose wands and was just about to pick one up when the row behind her suddenly exploded out. She ducked down and let out a small yelp of surprise.
"It won't be that one then." She heard Mister Ollivander say before turning to see him take a wand from Claire. She ran back to her family so not to miss anymore of the excitement. "I'll go and get another." The elder man said as he put the previous wand back in its box and disappeared behind a row of wands.
He came back a moment later holding another box, "This one is nine and three quarter's inch, sycamore wood with a Thestral tail hair core. It's springy and excellent for charms." He held the box out to Cliare.
Expectantly, Skylar watched as her sister flicked the wand. There seemed to be a wind that came from nowhere and circled Claire. A smile spread across the brown eyed girl's face. "Totally awesome!" she said in a singsong voice.
"Very well." Mister Ollivander said, drawing Skylar's attention back to him. "I believe I know the exact wand for you." He said kindly before walking over to the shelf of loose wands she had been looking at earlier.
He quickly returned, holding out the very wand Skylar was going to pick up. "I haven't sold a wand like this in quite a while." He said softly as he held it out to her. "It's made of walnut at thirteen inches long with a dragon heartstring core." He informed.
Hesitantly, Skylar reached out and took the wand. She didn't want to blow the entire shop up if something went wrong. "Go on and give it a nice flick." Mister Ollivander encouraged with a slight smile inclining the corners of his lips.
Skylar bit her bottom lip and reluctantly flicked the wand, making sure to point it away from anyone just in case. She felt an odd sensation where the smooth wood touched her and a warm wind circled around her. "Whoa!" She breathed in amazement.
After their parents paid for the wands, the family made its way through the other shops getting everything that was needed for their first year at school. On their way out of Diagon Alley, Mr. Darlington ducked into the pet shop and came out with a solid black cat for Skylar (She named him Orion) and a ferret for Claire (She named him Bouncer).
Once they had everything, the Darlington family returned to their manor to await the first of September.
Author's Note: Fifty points to the person who can guess who has a wand similar to Skylar's!