It was about two months since the two of them were together when she showed up in the beginning of June, and they were getting along quite nicely. Severus was able to get Claudia's birthday gifts into the house without her finding out. He talked with Minerva and told her about the quill set that she was looking at and she was able to retrieve it for him and send the book and the quill to her. Tomorrow was a big day for the small house hold seeing as how it was to be her birthday. Claudia had no idea about the surprise that was to be held for her. She however did the same tradition that she did every night for her birthday, she stayed up until midnight and waited for the clock to struggle indicating it was the next day. When the great grandfather clock chimed for the time, she wished herself a happy birthday not really caring if Severus knew or not that it was her birthday.
The next morning followed in the same way. She got up at six, made her bed, got dressed, and then head downstairs to the kitchen. Severus was already down there as usual making breakfast as he did every morning, but when he turned around with a plate of stacked pancakes in his hands that was surprising, but the candles in the cakes forming the number eleven was even more surprising. He set the plate in front of her and pulled out his wand lighting each candle a different color.
"Happy birthday, Claudia." He said as he pulled out the two wrapped packages in emerald green paper with silver ribbons holding the paper closed.
He pushed the stack closer to her and whispered, "Make a wish." She closed her eyes and thought really hard about what she wanted. When she opened her eyes up again, she blew the candles out in one blow.
"What did you wish for?" He asked.
"I can't tell or else it won't come true." She said with a smile.
"Well whatever it was, it will come true since you blew out all of the candles in one blow. That's good luck for your wish to come true." He told her all serious like and then he smiled at her.
She smiled back at him, "So what kind of pancakes did you make?" She asked as she handed her plate over to him when he held his hand out for it.
"Apple pancakes, they were your mother's favorite." He said as he took the plate from her.
"There mine too. Whenever I would make them, what batter was left was mine to make and apple was always my favorite."
Severus handed her plate back to her with three of them on there with the homemade maple syrup. They went to their eating and Severus sat there thinking about what she could have wished for. Out of all the things he couldn't think of what her wish could be. This was going to bother him until he found out to see if maybe he could make it possible for her to get her wish. He wanted to do whatever she wanted and not just because she was Lily's daughter, but because he started to grow to care for her as well. He always wanted to help children just like his mother did and he also wanted children himself, but the only person he loved turned away from him and married the only person that hated him.
He sighed a silent sigh and went back to eating as he thought to himself, "This is the only way I can repay Lily."
After the two of them finished eating, Severus sent the dishes to clean themselves and then grabbed the two boxes. He took Claudia's hand and led her to the sitting room. He sat down in his chair and then pulled Claudia up into his lap. She was still very small even though he was giving her nutrient and vitamin potions and making sure she was eating right, but she was still little as ever. She did grow a few inches so there was still hope that she would get to her height and weight that matched her age.
Severus handed her the book first to her and looked into her eyes. She smiled up at him and then back down at the gift. She slowly pulled the ribbon undone and let the paper fall away. There her eyes met the book that she saw in the store. She looked up at him and him down at her.
"It's a magic diary. Whatever you write, it will store in and it can even write back to you. So if you need advice on anything or just want someone to talk to, it can write back to you. It can also answer any question you want, like if you want to know where I am, it can tell you and even show you." He told her.
She looked up at him in amazement and then back down at the book. Severus then handed her the other package and she opened it as well. When the paper fell away she saw the wooden box that was wrapped. She opened it to reveal the quill set that she saw in the window of the writing store.
"I had Professor McGonagall get it for me. She also got the book as well so really they're from the both of us, but I do have something for you that is just from me." He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a little sliver locket with an emerald center that had silver leaves on the right side of the emerald and a little silver bird that could move freely on the chain.
She took it in her hands and looked into the emerald for a while, "It was my mothers." He said. "I charmed it so that way we can talk to each other through our minds. It doesn't matter how far away we are, we'll still be able to hear each other if anything happens. The way to activate it is to say Grá. The thing that I have that I can use is my ring." He showed her is hand that had a silver snake that was wrapped around his finger with a little emerald in the top of its head. It wasn't scary, but more like cute.
He took the necklace and placed it around her neck and hooked it. "Now only you and I can take off the necklace or the ring. If anyone else tries, they wouldn't be able to. The reason why, is because it's connected to us. This can also help us find each other because not only can we hear each other's thoughts, but we can also see, hear, feels, smell, and taste what the other is. This is supposed to keep you safe from danger as long as you are with me." She looked up at him and then wrapped her arms around his neck.
"No one has ever cared for me like this. No one has ever cared for me ever."
Severus was shocked a little and then wrapped his arms around her back. Just as the mood could last any longer, an owl flew through the room and landed on the arm of the chair that they were sitting in. It wasn't as scary as some of the owls that Claudia has seen since this was a regular brown barn owl that flew in. In its beak was a letter with green writing on the front of it. On the front was addressed to Claudia Potter with Severus's address on the front. She took the letter from the owl and it few away. She turned over to see the seal that was on the front of her book that she had been rereading. She opened the envelope and pulled out the letter that was inside,
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT AND WISARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc. Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
Claudia pulled out the other paper that came with the letter and saw that it was the list.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT AND WISARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, sliver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalberta Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herds and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsemius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARTENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWS THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
"A toad, why in the word would someone bring a toad?" Claudia asked while scrunching up her nose.
Severus chuckled at her and answered, "You would be surprised about what people would do and bring with them."
"Personally, I would get the owl. A day with Miss Figgs and her twenty million cats is enough for me."
"Miss Figgs?" Severus asked.
"Ya, she was one of my neighbors." She answered.
"She's also a Squib." Severus told her.
"A what?" Claudia asked.
"A Squib, it's someone from a magical family that can't do magic." Severus explained.
"I never knew that. Ironic that she was living down the street from me and that she would take me in whenever the Dursleys went out and had to leave me." Claudia said deep in thought.
"Truthfully I think she was placed there by Albus to watch over you. Now that you're not there, she has no job no more and she can live on with her life and not have to worry about the dangers of this war." Severus said.
Claudia nodded her head and then looked back at the list in her hand. "So when and where can we get all of this?" She was really excited to start school at this place and she couldn't wait to actually be able to start learning magic like her family.
"We can go today and we can get it all at Diagon Alley which is hidden in Muggle London."
Claudia looked up at him confused. "So there are magical placed hidden in the Muggle world?" Claudia asked while trying to wrap it around her mind as the thought of the Muggles finding the wizards and what they would do to them.
"Exactly, we hide in plain sight so that the Muggles can't find us."
"That sounds like a story I read from a Sherlock Holmes book." Severus looked at her confused like.
"I would sneak off to the library when I was little to read and get away from Dudley." She explained. "Sherlock Holmes was my personal favorite to read because I liked the mysteries. They never really came out like I thought they would when I first started, but after rereading them a million times, I soon figured out how everything came to be in place." Severus nodded his head at that, but was still wondering what she meant that the idea of hiding magical places in plain sight.
"What did you mean about the whole plain in sight thing reminded you of Sherlock Holmes?"
"One of the stories was about the queen had a letter that she didn't was her husband finding out and this one person had taken it and was using it as black mail so she hired Sherlock to find it since none of her people could find it on him. When Sherlock went in, he found it and the reason no one could find it was because it was in plain sight only turn inside out." She answered him.
Severus understood what she meant by the story and while he thought of it, it did sound like what they were doing. At lunch time, the two of them flooed to the Leaky Cauldron. Severus gracefully landed and stepped out of the fireplace and was then followed by Claudia stumbling out and lading on her backside. Severus helped her up and brushed the soot off of each other.
He led them into the main room of the dining room that was filled with loud chattering, "Tom, do you think I can get a shot of Fire Whiskey?" Severus asked as he walked to the counter at the front of the room.
The older man behind the counter turned to look at Severus and smiled showing off the few teeth that he had. "Sure thing, Professor Snape." The man said as he turned to get the drink.
"And a glass of milk as well for my accompanist." Severus said as he sat at one of the stools and lifted Claudia up to the one next to him. When Tom turned around to place the drinks on the counter he leaned in close to Claudia and saw the lightning bolt scar on her fore head.
"Blimey, it's Claudia Potter!" He exclaimed. The loud room fell silent when Tom said her name. Everyone in the room turned to look at her and Claudia tried to make herself as small as possible.
Severus saw this and pulled her over into his lap, "Now don't you all think about coming over here and start swarming her or else I will hex you all. If you want to see her, then you can all walk up here and have a decent conversation with her and not one praising her for something she doesn't even remember." Severus hissed at them all.
Everyone looked at them in fear and only one man walked up to them with a top hat on top of his head that he took off and was starting to wring it nervously in his hands, "Miss Potter, I don't know if you remember me, but the name is Dedalus Diggle."
Claudia pulled her face farther away from Severus's shirt and she looked over that the man. She looked at him for a while before answering, "You bowed to me once in a shop."
The man soon had tears in his eyes and he soon started to cry. "She remembers me!" He exclaimed. The other soon got up and made their way over to her and shook her hand telling her about how it was a pleasure to finally meet her. She was a little freaked out about the whole thing and kind of confused about what she did to please the people. Soon, one man walked up to her looking pale and he was very nervous.
Severus sighed annoyingly at that man, "Professor Quirrell, what a surprise." He said in a dead pan voice.
"P-P-Professor S-S-Snape." He said nodding his head. He then turned to Claudia, "M-M-Miss P-P-Potter," he stammered out, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."
"Hello, Professor, what kind of magic do you teach?" She asked.
"I t-teach,"
"He teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts." Severus interrupted while staring daggers at the man. Claudia saw the look in Severus's eyes and was wondering what was wrong. She would ask him later when a lot of people weren't looking at them.
Severus pulled Claudia closer to him and said to the crowd, "We better get going to get your school supplies." He got up from the stool and placed her on the ground where he proceeded to lead her out the back. There they came to a stone wall where Severus pulled out his wand and tapped on the wall in two placed.
The wall fell away to show an area that was filled with different buildings, "Welcome to Diagon Alley." Severus said and pushed her inside so that none of the people from inside of the building could come and follow them into the place. If everyone in that alley knew that she was back, it would be a mass mob and who knew what followers would be there that belonged to the Dark Lord. Severus pushed her inside and let her look around at all of the different things in the. She saw all different wonders in the place before she was let to one of the store where she found out that it was another book store. This one was a little bit bigger than the last one that she was at, and she was thrilled about the idea of more books.
"We're here for your books for school, but if you see anything else," She was soon gone into the store in a flash that Severus didn't even see what direction she went in. "We can get it." He finished and then sighed.
He wasn't going to have enough to get the rest of her things if she kept this up with books. Severus went to look for her, but he soon gave up and went looking for new books for himself since he just finished the two that he got last time. As he was walking to the Potion and Dark Arts sections, he passed the Muggle section and he soon walked back over to them.
He looked around to make sure no one was there and walked into the isle. He looked through the section and found a book with the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes. He grabbed the book and started to make his way out of the isle when he ran into someone with a lot of books. The person fell to the floor and all of the books fell around them. Severus looked down and saw that it was Claudia.
"Really?" He asked while raising one eyebrow at her.
She smiled at him a sheepish smile as she started to blush. He shook his head with a smile as he gave her his hand to take so he could help her off of the grown. He then used his wand to collect all of her books that she picked up. As they flew into his arms one at a time he looked at all the titles to see what she was getting. Not only did she get her school books for the year, but she also got more books advanced in all of her courses along with more history books. He noticed that she had found books on the four Hogwarts Founders.
"Is there some reason that you got all of these books?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, but an amused smile on his face.
"The shelves in my room look empty." She said looking small and innocent, but with a mischievous smile on her face.
Severus smirked down at her and said, "We can fill them with more than just books you know. Think of all of the items you will find here like little figurines and a jewelry box to place all of your treasures in from all of the adventures that you will go on, and I know you will have some; all students do when they go to Hogwarts." He summoned a basket and placed the books in it when it flew over to them. He took her hand and they walked around the book store some more looking for more books that they could get. She was so much like her mother when it came down to books.
The two of them made their way out of the book store after paying for the books and Severus pushed her over to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, "Next is your school robes."
"What all do we need to get from here?" Claudia asked as she was shoved through the door into the building. "Well we need to get you three sets of plain black work robes; one plain black pointed hat; and one black winter cloak with a silver fastening." Severus said as he pulled out the list and started to read off all of the necessary things that she would need.
"Why Severus, how are you?" A squat, smiling woman made her way over to them.
"Hello, Madam Malkin, I am doing well, and yourself?"
"Oh cheerful as ever." She answered him.
"And who do we have here, Hogwarts, dear?"
"Yes, ma'am." Claudia answered with a short nod.
"Got the lot here—another young man being fitted up just now, in fact." She said as she led Claudia to the back, "You stay here Severus." Madam Malkin called over her shoulder.
Severus sat down in the window seat and pulled out one of the new books that he bought for himself and the first one he pulled out was the Sherlock Holmes book. He ran his fingers down the front of it before opening and started to read. In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on a footstool while a second woman pinned up his long black robes. Madam Malkin stood Claudia on a stool next to the boy while she slipped on a long robe over her head, and also began to pin it to the right length.
"Hello," He said, "Hogwarts, too?"
"Yes." Claudia told him.
"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street looking at wands," he said. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then I'm going to drag them off to look at racing brooms. I don't see why first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow." This boy was starting to remind her of Dudley and it was starting to bring on some bad memories. "Have you got your own broom?" He continued.
"No." Claudia said with an uneasy smile.
"Play Quidditch at all?" He continued even more.
"Well no." She answered locking that piece of information away to ask Severus later.
"I do—Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?" He asked once he finished talking about himself.
"No, but I do hope for either Slytherin or Gryffindor, but Severus says that I'll probably be in Ravenclaw from how much I read." She answered glad that she knows something to not sound like a complete idiot.
"You know Severus?" The boy asked.
"Yes, why?"
"It's nothing. Anyways, no one really knows what house they will be in until they get there, do they, but I know I'll be in Slytherin, all our family has been—imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" He asked as his eyes got wide and he leaned in some.
"Well, I don't think it would be all that bad." Claudia said.
"Really?" He asked as if she insulted him.
Claudia was about to answer when he interrupted her, "Well anyways, you're staying with Severus?" Claudia nodded her head.
"What happened to your parents, I know he doesn't have kids because he was only in love once and that was with a Mudblood and she died?" He said.
"They passed a long time ago." She said a little sad.
"Oh, sorry." He said not sounding like he really meant it. "But they were our kind, weren't they?"
"They were a witch and a wizard if that's what you mean." She answered him really not liking him.
"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're just not really the same, they've never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter, imagine. I think they should keep it in the old Wizarding families. What's your surname, anyways?" He asked.
Before Claudia could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my dear." Claudia hopped down from the stool glad that she could end the conversation.
"Well see you at Hogwarts, I suppose." The boy said in a drawling voice. Claudia went to the front with the woman to meet up with Severus. He looked up at them as they entered.
"Done all ready?" He asked as he marked his place and put the book back in the bag.
"Yep." Claudia said as she bounced over to Severus happy to see him seeing as how that was the longest she has ever been away from him since she came to live with him besides sleeping of course.
"The robes should be ready in a few days and then I can owl them to you. If you would leave your address with us I can put it with the others."
Severus did and they soon walked out of the place with the bags of books shrunken down. Severus looked down at his quiet, small girl and could tell something was bothering her.
"You hungry?"
She looked up at him and nodded a little. He smiled a soft smile and led her over to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour where he proceeded to order a turtle sundae for the two of them and grabbed the two silver spoons. As they sat down at one of the tables, Claudia only really played with her side of the food.
Severus watched as he took one bite and then asked, "Alright, what's bothering you?"
"It's nothing really, just a boy from the last shop. What's a Mudblood?" Severus dropped his spoon at the name.
"Where did you learn that?" He asked a little harsher than necessary.
Claudia flinched back a little at the tone, but answered, "The boy from the shop. I'm sorry, I didn't know it was a bad word." She said as tears started to form in her eyes.
"It's fine." Severus said as he softened his features, "It's another word for a Muggle-born, but it's a bad word. It's supposed to be saying that they have dirty blood because they have muggle parents. How did that come up? He didn't call you that, did he?"
"No, he asked me about my parents and why I was staying with you because he said he knew that you never married so you couldn't have kids because the only person you loved was a Muggle-born and she passed away." Severus looked down and answered, "It's true, I was in love with your mother." Claudia looked shocked at him.
When she was about to ask more questions, he held up his hand for her to be silent, "We will talk about this later; for right now eat." He told her as he picked up his own spoon.
After a few more minutes of silence, Claudia spoke up, "You should really get some real dishes and silver where." She said never looking up at him. He stopped with his spoon half way up to his mouth.
"Is there a problem with what I already have?" He asked with a raised eyebrow and placed his spoon down.
"Well seeing as how there made of wood, it will soak up the water and expand it and make it soft." She said looking at him through her eyelashes.
"Well they were supposed to just be temporary, but it seems since where here, I think I should get some new ones." He said. "I've been meaning to get a new set." He said as he brought a spoonful of the ice cream up to his mouth.
Claudia smiled and shook her head as she also went back to the ice cream. After they finished the ice cream, they made their way to Gregory's House Hold Magical Furniture and Other Necessary Items.
"Talk about a long name, but at least it gets the point across." Claudia said looking up at the sign that was shown on a silver platter.
"Well he gets his point across." He said as he shuffled her inside. Once they were inside, Claudia was met with a very fit man with blondish brown hair and bright, happy blue eyes. He flashed them a smile that showed off his perfect white teeth. He didn't seem like the person who thought highly of himself, but rather it was a more warm welcoming type of smile.
"Severus, nice to see you again." The man said.
"The same to you as well, Gregory." Severus said as he gave the man a nodded of his head with a small smile.
"Who would this lovely lady be?" He asked as he came around from his counter to welcome them.
"This is Claudia as in Lily's daughter." The man looked at her a little shocked and then looked sadly at her.
"Hello, my lady. My you look like her." He told.
"You knew my mother?" She asked as she looked up at the man.
"Yes, yes I did. I went to school with her and Severus here." She looked up at Severus as for an explanation.
"Gregory was in my grade at Hogwarts yet he was in Ravenclaw. We use to study together in the library while we were at school. Just because we were in different houses didn't mean that we had to not be friends." Claudia nodded her head as to tell him that she understood.
"So, what can I help you with?" He asked Severus as his smile came back to his face.
"Were here for new plates and silver." He told him.
"And possibly some new glasses and mugs." Claudia put in.
Severus looked down at her, "What's wrong with them?" He asked sounding a little insulted.
"Well they are kind of chipped and some are even broken." She said as she shrugged her shoulders.
He sighed and turned back to look at him, "That to." Severus said.
"Man, you've really were holding back on getting new things. Sounds like you need new everything in your kitchen."
"Well when you don't have time, you don't have time." Gregory shook his head at the man and then led them over to the kitchen supplies.
"I think I have just the set for you." He said as he led them over to a cabinet that held the complete set. Inside showed four plate with one representing one of the four houses of Hogwarts. The silver were decorated with the head of the mascot of each house and the eyes were gems with the color of each house. The wine glasses were etched with the house crest and then painted to the colors. "There are four plates, forks, spoons, knives, and glasses, but seeing as how this is a magical world, they can multiply, clean themselves, and go back to their original number for easy storage."
"I think I would use them more for special occasions, but I'll take them. Do you have anything more casual?" He asked.
Gregory nodded and he steered them over to a display that held about four dark green plates and four sets of silver silverware. There were four tall glasses and the coffee mugs were a dark green like the plates and were also a set of four.
"Do these fit your taste?" He asked with a smile. Severus smirked and then nodded his head.
"Alright so you now have two new sets of dishes. Anything else?" Gregory asked as he gathered the two sets together.
"No, that's everything." Gregory nodded and then checked them out. The two sets weren't as much as he thought they were going to be and he and Claudia walked out of the store with two new sets of dinning ware.
"So, are you ready for your wand?" He asked her as they made their direction to Ollivanders.
"Yes, but I am a little nervous." She said making sure that she used correct language seeing as how Severus didn't like it when she used improper words as he puts it, saying that was never how her mother talked and she wanted to be like her. As they made their way over to the narrow, shabby store with peeling gold letters over the door and they read, Ollivanders: Maker of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. with a single wand laying in a faded purple cushion in the dusty window. A bell tinkled as they opened the door to step inside the tiny place that seemed empty except for a single, spindly chair by the counted which Severus sat in and pulled Claudia up into his lap. She felt like she was in some strict library from the silence of the room that she pushed herself in closer to Severus. She looked around at the thousands of narrow boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. The back of her heck soon started to prickle for some unknown reason. The dust and the silence in the room seemed to tingle with some secret magic.
"Good afternoon," someone said with a soft voice.
Both Claudia and Severus jumped at the sound of the voice, and Severus stood from the chair as he placed Claudia down on the ground. An old man was standing in front of them with wide, pale eyes that shined like moons through the gloomy looking shop.
"Hello." Claudia said softly and quietly.
"Ah yes," the man said. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Claudia Potter even though somehow it's not really the name that was given to you." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes and some of her looks along with your father's to be the perfect blend. It seems only yesterday that they were both here. Your mother a ten and a quarter inch long, swishy, made of willow. Nice for charm work. While James was a mahogany wand. Eleven inches. Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. He favored it—it's really the wand that choses the wizard of course. Now Severus here was a special case. "Ebony, eleven inches, sturdy, and a very unusually combination of cores. I made it never thinking someone would buy it, but his has phoenix feather to learn most varied magic, dragon heartstring to be powerful and learn spells easily, and unicorn hair to make it easy to attach to the owner. The combination is hard to adapt together and his is the only one I could ever create perfectly, and on my first try. I guess that's what happens when you play with magic drunk on fire whiskey. It came out to be a very powerful wand possibly more powerful than the Elder Wand itself. Well enough of that, let's find you your wand." He said as he started to pull down boxes from the shelf.
Severus was shocked to hear what Ollivander had said about his wand being more powerful than the Elder Wand and the only one that had all three cores inside. He sat back down on the chair and Ollivander pulled wands out and started handing them over to Claudia. He watched numbly as she was given wand after wand after wand to try, after she was measured, to only have then snatched out of her hand. He saw her start to panic as the wands started to pile up and Ollivander excited to see the many wands piled on top of each other.
"Very trick we seem to be, not to worry though I think I have an idea. It's an unusual combination—holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." She took the wand from him and a sudden warmth in her fingers formed. She raised the wand above her head and brought it swishing down through the dusty air and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like fireworks, throwing dancing spots of light on to the wall. Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very good. Well, well, well…how curious…how very curious…" He put her wand back into its box and wrapped it brown paper, still muttering, "Curious…curious…"
"Sorry," Claudia spoke up, "but what's curious?"
Mr. Ollivander turned to fix her with his pale stare. "I remember every wand I've ever sold, Miss Potter. Every single wand. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather—just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother—why, its brother gave you that scar." He said as he placed a boney finger over her scar as he spoke the words.
"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inch. Yew. Curious indeed how these things happened. The wand chooses the wizard, remember….I think we must expect great things from you, Miss Potter….After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things—terrible, yes, but great."
She soon started to tremble a little for she didn't know how much she liked him now. Severus paid the seven gold Galleons for the wand, and Ollivander bowed then from his shop. They made their way down the street to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary where Severus bought all of her things that she was going to need. They didn't stay for very long because Claudia didn't really like the place. They were finally done with all of the school shopping for the year. Just as they were walking out of the shop, they ran into a very large man. Just as they were falling, two big hand flew out and caught them before they fell.
"Professor Snape, sorry 'bout that. Didn' see ya there."
"Hagrid." Severus said with a nod of his head.
"I see that ya got Claudia." The tall man with the bushy black hair and black warm eyes said.
"Yes, so it seems." He said dryly. "So what are you doing here?" He asked the giant.
"Here on Hogwarts business."
"You mean for the…" He trailed off as he looked over at Claudia.
"Yes, sir. Albus sent me."
"Well then be careful. Lucky for me, I didn't have to take her to Gringotts. I didn't want her around the goblins." Severus said as a matter of factly.
"Goblins?" Claudia asked a little scared.
"You didn't tell her?" Hagrid asked with his wide eyes.
"I didn't tell her yet. I didn't want to bombard her with everything at once. I was telling her everything as they came up so she could understand it better." He said looking at the giant to dare him to question his choices of the ideas.
"Well it makes sense." Hagrid said.
"Well, I shouldn't keep you from your work." And with that they walked away.
When they were out of ear shot of the man, Claudia asked the question, "Who was that?"
"Hagrid, he's the grounds keeper. He makes sure everything is in order around the school."
"He seems nice." Claudia said taking Severus's hand into her smaller one.
Severus looked down at her and smirked, "He is, just it gets him in trouble sometimes." She nodded her head as to tell him that she understood.
After a few more moments of silence, Claudia spoke up again, "What's the Elder Wand?" Severus stopped dead in his tracks and had that distance look in his eyes.
"I think the story would be better. I'll be back."
He made a beeline for the book store again and went to the children's book section where he picked up the book that he was looking for. He went up to the store clerk and bought the book. When he came back out, Claudia was gone. Severus frantically looked all over the place for his missing girl that he almost didn't see the crowd going into the music store. He made his way over and heard the most beautiful piano music being played. It was the sound of one of the Muggle fantasy movies of a knight on his rescue to save the one he loves with the slow and soft parts and then fast and pounding parts and all of the notes seemed to be in the middle to high pitch range. Soon the one song ended and another began. This one sounded like a knight riding on his horse to his destination well at least that what Severus pictured. He made his way in and pushed his way up to the form of the crowd and there he saw Claudia, his Claudia, sitting at a cherry stained wood piano playing the most beautiful music he has ever heard. While he was dazed by the music, he never heard her stop or saw her make her way over to him until he felt her hand wrapping around his. He looked down at her and saw her looking up at him. Everyone around them started to go their own way when she had stopped playing.
He got down on his knees and looked her in the eyes as he gently grabbed her shoulders, "Where did you learn to play like that?"
"One of the neighbors taught me when the Dursleys were gone. She was an elderly lady that I helped carry her bags into her house for and then I saw her piano and so she taught me how to play for free for years to thank me for helping her and so I would help her around with a lot of thing when my aunt and uncle would leave or kick me out of the house. She knew what was going on at home, but I told her not to tell. She later moved away about five years ago, actually, to Spinners End."
"What's her name?" Severus asked.
"Mrs. McCoy." She answered.
Severus smirked, "I know who she is and she is also a witch, but a neutral one. She probably didn't know who you were at first, but then when you told her she must have known. She lives right down the street from me and we happen to be good friends. I should invite her over for tea." He said more to himself than to Claudia.
"Can we?" She asked excitedly.
"Of course, but first, it looks like I have a piano to buy along with some books." He said with a smile as he made his way to the front not seeing the blond family that was in the crowd watching them. The head of the small family whispered on word as he watched in shock of who he was seeing, "Severus."
Notes:
The songs that Claudia is playing on the piano are by an pianist named Isaac Shepard. The first is Following the Footsteps and the second is A Knight to the Rescue.
The quill has changed: /images/search?q=kool+and+unusual+green+quills&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=kool+and+unusual+green+quills&sc=0-17&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=F910C21E5C5A7582F32AA38AA05DADA5FE5931D1&selectedIndex=3
The notebook is the same: /images/search?q=green+leather+journal+with+celtic+tree+of+life+on+the+front&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=green+leather+journal+with+celtic+tree+of+life+on+the+front&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=9824FD97295FF1731F7C17B10BADC746C8447F08&selectedIndex=3
The Locket: /images/search?q=Silver+and+Emerald+Locket&FORM=HDRSC2&id=8E377C4463FC44877AF559CE8F380F2E530516EC&selectedIndex=0#view=detail&id=8E377C4463FC44877AF559CE8F380F2E530516EC&selectedIndex=0
The Ring: /images/search?q=silver+and+emerald+men%27s+snake+rings&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=silver+and+emerald+men%27s+snake+rings&sc=0-0&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=C3312F670A3EF0033B7CCE96AA51B0663AD032F1&selectedIndex=3