A/N: This is my first story written in the Harry Potter world.
Just a few notes.
1. I hope you enjoy this
2. Some characters may not be depicted totally to ones own beliefs. Please accept my own opinions to the characters.
3. Some events may not be totally true to J.K's works and since it is a fan fic I hope you respect them.
4. I don't own the characters that are not my own. They are J.K's and I will not be using her world/terms or characters for my own gain.
5. Please review.
6. This started from a small HC that my friend wrote for me. I dedicate this to her inspiring writing.
Thanks to all who added this to their favourites!
Chapter 2: Wizarding society.
The actual words the woman spoke enlightened the child a few moments after. She stood under the archway between the hall and the lounge with a quizzical expression upon her face. All the time she spent at school or in the community, it never dawned on her, until now, that she was attempting to fit into a society that she never could. She was different and everyone subconsciously rejected her because of that. She looked up, seeing the faces of her mother and her father looking concerned but Miss Hollingberry looked at her curiously.
"You wouldn't be the first to pick up the fact you couldn't and never will fit into the normal world in such a short amount of time" the woman murmured, before she was gestured to take a seat on the spare couch.
Cynthia walked slowly to her couch, feeling uncomfortable as everyone's eyes were locked on her. Yet as soon as she sat, her mother spoke.
"I'm sorry. Miss... Holling..? My husband told me that you have information concerning a letter that my daughter got this afternoon? I'm sorry, it seems a bit far-fetched to me. Yet in the short span of time, you managed to convince Cynthia and Oliver that it could be and is plausible."
Oliver looked at his wife, gave her hand a quick squeeze and whispered "Gretel... hush" into her ear, while their daughter focussed her honey eyes upon the visitor. The woman coughed and straightened up.
"Yes, Mrs Turner. My name is Evelyn Hollingberry and it is entirely true. Your daughter has magical blood flowing through her veins and has been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Most children of non-magical parents are excepted and grasp their powers. Before I continue, I think I shall remove any doubts you have about your child and about magic in general." Evelyn stood and withdrew from her sleeve a wooden wand. Cynthia's eyes widened and her fingers itched. She was drawn to it. Slender and nimble, it looked to be about ten centimetres. With a quick swish, the nearby vase levitated. Cynthia's fascination drew but could not hold the squeak. Oliver who had a tendency to be incredibly open-minded nodded with hidden intrigue and Gretel shrank into her husband's arms. It was curious for Cynthia to see, since her mother was very attracted to the idea of magic, since she read so many things about it, only to shy away from it when it makes an appearance. The witch moved her wand again and the vase settled itself in its original position.
"Well.. there we go." Miss Hollingberry's purple eyes looked indifferent to all their reactions, she had seen them all. Her eyes looked at the child and she smiled.
"Do you doubt? I'm sure you have done or seen some things that you could not explain." With that simple statement, all three family members whispered "Oh".
Cynthia turned to her parents. "Well now we have an explanation about the car accident" Her parents turned to each other, grimaces upon their faces as they remembered the day that they could have lost their little girl. The child believes this is the cause for her mother's over-protectiveness and her father's following eyes. She was told that a driver, who was arguing with his wife wasn't looking as he entered the roundabout. As he accelerated, he smashed into the side of the car and into a wall. The side of the car met the other and it was presumed the one year old was dead. Yet she began to cry and it seemed the metal of the car was twisted over an invisible bubble. Cynthia survived but the wife of the other car, did not.
Evelyn coughed again. "Well. I shall continue then. With the letter, there is a list of supplies that need to be brought in Wizard London. I have been instructed to take you there, when it is best for you. However I shall speak more about the school. It is a boarding school in an unplottable location. Term starts on September 1st and ends officially in the third week of June. Students can go home during the winter and spring holidays and exams are sat in June. Students learn varied magical arts, the basics consisting of Potions, charms, transfiguration, Defence against the dark arts, astronomy, herbology and history. Students are also educated in some forms of English, mathematics, art and music. " The woman exhaled and looked at the contemplative parents and the excited child.
"So they are separated into boys and girls dorms?" Gretel asked, frowning as she tried to make sense of it all. She felt that she was being forced to accept it as it was inevitable and the look on her daughters face was confirming it. The child looked so hopeful.
"Students are separated into for houses, all with different traits. These are then separated into boys and girls and then finally year level. In the manner of sleeping arrangements. Students are encouraged to be unified under their houses and compete for house points but over-all school unity is what is strived for but... well there is some competition and bias between the houses." The woman looked uncomfortable.
The parents shared an look and were about to protest. However Cynthia caught their eye and after a silent conversation between the family, Gretel stood and left and Oliver, who was secretly proud, nodded. "Our daughter accepted the invitation, how to we confirm her placement?"
The following weeks were a mixture of excitement, fear and heated arguments. Miss Hollingberry and Cynthia's father wrote a letter and along with Cynthia, they watched an owl carry it off to the headmaster. They organised to meet the woman in London in three weeks and after she left, Oliver and Gretel began arguing. The child picked up bits and pieces of the shouting, but really concentrated on writing a letter to her grandmother, which the reply made the fighting seem more bearable. The girl could not contain her squeals of excitement during strange moments of the day. She could often be found re-reading her letter or asking her mirror if it was real. Yet she knew it was. but the girl could not miss her mother's concern gaze or the shake of her head as Cynthia got excited and chatted about the possibilities of being a witch.
Now Cynthia was tossing and turning in her rather comfy bed at the Leaky Cauldron. Her father decided that they should get her supplies a few weeks before she started school. They couldn't really afford to travel the distance that they had to. They arrived at the wizard pub with Evelyn Hollingberry, who, during one of Cynthia's questionings, revealed that she was a professor at the school and taught Astronomy, a core class. The only reason she didn't mention it at the house was because she totally forgot that it would be useful information. Her father looked at her with much more trust. During the evening and after a slight stressful but silent conversation, Mr. Turner forcefully pressed that they can go to Diagon Alley tomorrow. That was after his child begged continuously during his whole argument. Yet she could not see any flaw in it, she had to agree that
'it was slightly late and it was time for dinner and that she was slightly tired and combining all these together, her first experience in the wizarding world might not be that enjoyable.'
Her father did make her smile.
She stopped her recollection and pushed off her covers. She walked to her suitcase and pulled out her letter. She had written extra notes on the supplies list.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM:
First- year students will require:
Three sets of plain work robes (black)
One plain pointed hat: for day wear. (black)
One pair of protective gloves. (Dragonhide or similar)
One winter cloak. (black with silver fastenings
Please note that all pupils clothes should carry name tags.
All of this can be brought at Madam Malkin's Robes for all occasions.
or
The second-hand robe shop.
Skirts, stockings and tops all brought from here too, inquire.
COURSE BOOKS
All students have a copy of the following:
Standard book of spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self- Protection
All of these can be brought at Flourish and Blotts (Best in Professor Hollingberry's opinion)
or
Obscurus Books
or
Whizz Hard Books.
Other Equipment:
1 Wand (Ollivanders)
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) (Potage's Cauldron Shop)
1 set of glass or crystal phials (Slug and Jiggers Apothecary)
1 telescope (Wizeacres Wizarding Equipment)
1 set of brass scales (Wizeacres Wizarding Equipment)
I also need Quills, parchment, ink. Scribbulus Writing Instruments offer a first year pack.
Students may also bring an Owl, a cat or a toad.
Then it was signed by an official. It didn't really bother the young witch, she was musing over which animal she would likely have. She had a discussion with Professor Hollingberry and it came down to a cat or an owl. Apparently toads serve no real purpose, they did, during the beginning but since some magical act was passed, they fell out of favour. So Cynthia, who pooled some of her savings together, was planning on getting a pet. A sudden idea popped into her head and she found it greatly appealing. She decided that she would look at both cats and owls and whichever animal made greatest impression or she just knew which one she wanted, she would get it. Pleased with herself she turned over. The girl was hardly impulsive so this bit of irrationality was accepted with a lot of hope. Yet slumber over took the child and she drifted off.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-
She woke up early. Both of her parents were early-risers so was she. She quickly dressed and left her room, knocking on her father's hurriedly. She heard a laugh and the door open soon after. The girl was quickly embraced, spun around and was joined in laughter. She blinked her honey eyes and tugged on her father's sleeve.
"Breakfast time?" She asked, trying to be composed and slightly serious. Yet her face expressed all her emotion that her father stared at her with his green eyes and chuckled.
"My little Badger is quivering with anticipation. Yes my dear, breakfast is now. " He pulled on shoes and they exited to the bottom levels. Breakfast was a quick affair before they were shown the entrance to Diagon Alley. Cynthia expelled a breath that she held as soon as the stones finished moving. Her eyes were wide and her mouth popped open. She turned to her father who was almost equally excited and entranced. Again she blinked before pulling out her list. Evelyn was bemused at the child's behaviour, but most muggle-borns were generally this excited. At least she didn't faint. During her time at breakfast, Miss Hollingberry had spieled about the different currency and terminology.
"We need to change our money from muggle to wizarding." Cynthia whispered, wincing at the slight derogatory term for non magic folk. Father, daughter and guide began their very crowded trek to Gringotts bank, all the time, she was attempting to look at everything. This was the beginning of her world and it was spellbinding.
Gringotts however was a nervous task. She was glad that Professor Hollingberry was next to them. She explained the whole process, about getting a vault and a key and the exchange so overall it didn't take too long. Cynthia tried to stay focus on what her father was doing, but the shopping district kept stealing her attention. She saw children her age then some older, parents, adults and vendors going about their daily business. It was very busy but it seemed very appropriate. The only part of the cobble street that could be seen was the bit under her. She felt a hand on her shoulder and her father smiled.
"Robes?" he asked before she gave him a nod. Cynthia ran a few fingers through her dark brown hair before all three of them went wizard shopping.