Chapter Four:

Waiting a week for Sandy to come back and take us to the New York wizarding community was one of the hardest things I'd ever done in my 11 years of life. I was so excited that I could barely stand it. One of the great things about Renee is that because she is so young at heart, she was just as excited as I was. We spent the next week feeding each other's excitement until we were both about to burst.

Sandy had explained it was against wizarding laws to expose our world to muggles. At first Sandy said that only Renee and Charlie would be able to know the truth about magic. However, I convinced her to let me tell Jacob. It took some creative logic, but I finally got us there. I reasoned that Renee and Charlie were not blood relatives, but they were still considered my parents. Why couldn't Jacob be considered my brother? That is the relationship we'd had ever since the Swans adopted me. He was as much family to me as Charlie and Renee. She finally relented under the condition that he allowed her to place a charm over the knowledge in his mind. It would make him unable to discuss anything related to magic with someone who wasn't already in the know. If he didn't agree to the charm, she would wipe his memory of the conversation. I knew he'd agree. She was going to take us to Forks to talk with Charlie and Jacob on our way to New York.

Phil wasn't allowed to know unless he and Renee got married. We'd told him that Renee had won a contest for a 3 night trip to New York. Neither of us had ever been there, so he accepted our exuberance at face value. Sandy said that magical traveling was a lot easier than the muggle way, and that we could get back on our own if we wanted to stay a few nights. Something about connecting our fireplace to the floo network…whatever that means.

I was concerned how we'd pay for our mini vacation, but Sandy said that we could use the stipend that the "scholarship" provided to fund our trip. I asked her how much money I would receive each year, so that I could make sure I didn't run out. She seemed uncomfortable. She said that it was more than generous and that I would be given a money pouch that was directly connected to the Gringotts account that held the "scholarship" funds. Upon our questioning looks, Sandy explained that Gringotts is the wizarding bank. There are branches all over the world, and it's run by goblins.

After educating us about wizard money, Sandy explained that the pouch would provide the galleons, knuts or sickles I needed, as I needed them. All I had to do was reach in the bag and the exact amount I needed would be provided. The pouch would only respond to me. Anyone else sticking their hand in would be rewarded with a nasty burn.

Now, most 11-year-olds would probably be ecstatic about the idea of having this seemingly never ending money pouch. I, however, had spent the last four years being the adult in Renee's life. I had to make sure that she didn't blow all her income on random whims, leaving us without money to pay for the necessities. I understood the concept of money management. I didn't want to run out of money in the middle of the year because Renee and I decided to have a kick ass vacation in NYC.

I could clearly see that Sandy had not expected a preteen to question the issue further. Apparently she thought I'd be appeased by the concept of the pouch. When I needed money, the pouch would provide. She obviously had a lot to learn about Bella Swan. "The money is coming from somewhere," I'd reasoned. "The pouch provides the funds, because they are available in the account. What if they are no longer available? How do I know if I'm about to run out if I don't know how much I have to begin with," I'd asked. She told me she'd have the goblins monitor the account, and that if my spending habits were such that the yearly allotment were to run out if they continued, I would be informed in plenty of time. I got the impression I would not be receiving such a warning. Something told me there was no yearly limit, and the funds in the account were in no danger of drying up any time soon. What type of scholarship gives you never ending money bags? I was very suspicious, but had allowed Sandy to steer the conversation in a new direction.

I thought a lot about it over the next few days, though. The document which required my blood said "Gringotts" at the top. How would the bank know that I was the recipient based on my blood? If the answer was in my blood, then perhaps it had to do with my biological family. I noticed that Sandy had tensed with I asked about my bio dad. She wanted to talk about him about as much as she wanted to continue answering my questions about the so called scholarship. I started to wonder if the two things were related. Perhaps the reason that I was receiving these funds was because the ancient British family providing the scholarship was mine.

I remember being teased for the way I talked when I first arrived to the orphanage. Could it be that I had an accent? I tried hard to remember my time before the orphanage, or even how I spoke when I first arrived. Every time I thought I was getting close to remembering, I'd lose the memory in a cloud of smoke. It was so frustrating! It was like trying to catch smoke…like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. I started to think that maybe I was reading too much into it. Was I seeing things that weren't there because I was so desperate to know what happened to my dad?

I decided to take my investigation back to the place where it all started. As Doc and I had become very close when I was living at the orphanage, she made an effort to keep up with my life as a Swan. I figured she could at least answer my questions about whether or not I had an accent when she first met me. I sent her a letter asking her what she could remember about the man who dropped me off, and if I had arrived with a distinct accent. I mailed it to her a few days before Sandy returned. With that taken care of, I had nothing to occupy my thoughts except the wonders I would experience over the next 7 years of my life.

On the day of Sandy's return, Renee and I were both in rare form. She had recently taken up knitting and was trying to occupy her hands making some atrocious…well, I'm not exactly sure what she was trying to make. A blanket? Perhaps a hat? There really was no telling. Not that It mattered. She would be on to a new hobby before she could finish whatever the hell it was, anyway. I filled my time waiting by pacing. I couldn't sit still. I was too anxious.

As I was making my journey back toward the television the fire suddenly roared to life, and it was green. Okay, that's not normal, right? Not only that, the green fire also spit out a human person. There, standing in the middle of our living room, was Professor Sanderson looking for all the world like she didn't just materialize out of fire. She was my new hero. She explained that traveling through fireplaces was called Flooing. I was going to be traveling through a fireplace! How awesome is that?

First, however, we were going to Forks to talk to Charlie and Jake. While she had already connected Charlie's fireplace to the floo network, we couldn't very well just pop out of his fireplace before explaining magic to him. I had asked him to make sure he and Jake were at his house that morning, saying that I had a surprise for them. They were going to be surprised, all right. I was a bit nervous as to how Charlie would take it. I knew Jake would be stoked. However he felt about the reality of magic, I knew he'd be happy once he realized how happy I was to be entering this new world.

Sandy told us we would be travelling by portkey. After explaining the concept, she pulled a soda can out of her bag, pointed her wand it and said, "Portus." Renee and I both put a hand on the can. Thirty seconds later I felt a pull on the back of my navel and I was suddenly flying through some strange vortex with Sandy and Renee. A few seconds after it started I felt myself hit the ground. Hard. It was…disorienting. But hey, it was better than dealing with crying babies, no leg room and TSA. I lifted my head and noted that Renee was in a similar state a few yards away. Sandy was looking as composed as ever. After Renee and I righted ourselves, the three of us made our way toward Charlie's house.

Charlie was rather surprised when he opened the door to find me, Renee and a strange woman in robes, however he politely invited us in and led us to the living room where Jake was waiting. After introducing Charlie and Jake to Professor Sanderson, we explained that I would be going to a special school next year, and that we needed to discuss some new developments in my life with him. Now that Sandy knew about my dreams and the discussions I'd had with Charlie and Renee about magic in the past, she had a better starting point to begin her explanations. She informed Charlie that the magic I spoke of was not only found in my imagination. She told him that magic was real, and that his daughter was a witch. Charlie just stared at her wide eyed and unblinking while Jake's smile split his face in two and he started bouncing excitedly in his seat.

After the initial shock wore off, Charlie said something really surprising. He looked at me and simply said, "I always knew you were special, kiddo." My heart filled with warmth for Charlie in that moment. He was always so accepting of me. I had always known that it was Renee who was set on adopting me. However, in that moment I knew how much Charlie loved me. He was clearly uncomfortable with this strange news, but he put aside his own discomfort for my happiness. He really is a great father.

Jake was over the moon. He asked Sandy if he could come with us to New York. He'd never been a shy boy. Charlie said that he'd also like to come for the day. He said that he'd bring Jacob back with him that evening. I couldn't believe that Charlie was willing to travel through a fireplace. I couldn't have been happier. After calling Billy to inform him that Jake would be spending the day helping Charlie around the yard, we all crowded around the fireplace. Sandy gave us a floo demonstration, and then apparated back into Charlie's living room to oversee our use of the network.

I volunteered to try it first. I excitedly grabbed a fist full of floo powder and stepped into the magically enlarged fireplace. I took a deep breath, then threw down the powder while stating clearly, "Toils for your Troubles, New York," just like Sandy had done. The next thing I knew I was flying through some other dimension speeding past multiple fireplaces until I felt my body pulling towards one that was coming up fast. The next thing I knew, I was spit out of the fireplace onto the floor of an old restaurant/hotel. Sandy displayed a much more graceful exit. I'd have to get with her about that.

I stood up and dusted myself off just in time to avoid Renee crashing on top of me. The process repeated itself until finally Sandy landed gracefully from the fireplace. Jake and I were stoked and ready to explore.

Sandy explained that Toils for your Troubles was both a hotel and the entrance to wizarding New York. Sandy explained that the exit of the hotel led to Time Square in muggle New York. We were all shocked. Apparently muggles can't see the entrance unless they are being escorted by a wizard. There are charms placed over the entrance that allow wizards to enter and exit the hotel without being noticed by the muggles. I love magic.

After paying for our rooms for the next 3 nights, Sandy led us through the back of the bar and out to the entrance to the wizarding district. Upon entering this amazing street, the four newbs just stood there agape. It was…well, magical. My eyes were all over the place. There was so much to experience, so much to see. Jake and I turned to look at each other at the same moment and his face reflected the same awe I was feeling. Both of our faces broke into the most ridiculous grins at the same time.

I turned my face to Sandy and noticed she had been watching my reaction with interest. She had a fondness in her eyes, and I realized that it must be amazing to witness a person seeing this world for the first time, knowing it's where they belong. I smiled back at her and she suggested we first get my wand. Sa-weet. We entered the wand shop and met a man by the named Mr. Janssen. He looked to be in his late fifties. He was a fascinating man. While a measuring tape was flying around my body taking the most ludicrous measurements, Mr. Janssen told me a bit about wand lore. He explained that the wand chooses the wizard. He said that when you found the wand meant for you, it would feel like an extension of yourself. We had a very difficult time finding the wand meant for me, but Mr. Janssen never got impatient or agitated. I was surprised considering I'd destroyed half of his store during the trial and error process of testing wands.

He kept us all enthralled with his journeys around the world studying wand lore. He'd apprenticed with one of the greatest wand makers alive, a British man by the name of Ollivander. After learning all he could from Mr. Ollivander, he traveled the world to discover the different bits of lore used in large and small villages around the world. Then a few years ago Mr. Janssen's father became ill, and he returned to New York to take over the family business.

After about thirty minutes of failed attempts to find my wand, I started to feel dejected. Then Mr. Janssen's face brightened and he gave me a calculated look. He went into a back room and came out with a dusty old box. When he opened it I let out a small gasp. It was beautiful. The wood was light and had a vine of freesias carved around it. None of the other wands I'd seen had carvings like this one. He told me that the wand was made many years ago by a woman that he'd met in a small village while on his travels. Even without a core, he had been able to feel the magic in the wood. She had given him the wand shell and asked him to use his knowledge to give the wand its magical core. She told him he'd know what to use when the time came.

A few months later he was travelling through a forest in India when he came across a Pegasus. The creatures were so rare that many believe them to be extinct. Upon seeing Mr. Janssen the creature extended its wing in offering. Mr. Janssen immediately knew that this was the core meant for the shell the old woman had gifted him. I couldn't believe that he actually thought this incredible wand could be meant for me. Surely not.

The next thing I knew, he was placing the ten and a half inch elm wood wand with a Pegasus feather core in my small hand. The reaction was instantaneous. I felt warmth start in my hand and spread throughout my body, filling a void within myself that I never knew existed. He was right, this wand completed my being. It was a part of me. Luckily the wand agreed and started emitting the most brilliant fireworks I'd ever seen. I looked up to Mr. Janssen to find him beaming at me. I didn't hesitate. I launched myself at him and gave him the strongest hug my muscles were capable of giving, while thanking him profusely. He continued beaming at me and told me he was very happy to have found the witch meant for the special wand.

When I turned back to the rest of my companions they were all grinning at my happy display. I only had one question. "So, what's next?"

A/N:

I had planned on skipping most of the details of Bella's life until the point where she met the Cullens. I was going to hit the big points of her discovery of her true identity, but I wasn't planning on being as in the moment as I have been. Once I got into writing the chapters, I realized that I wanted to know what makes her the person that she is (As she's pretty OOC), so I am delving a little bit more into her pre-Cullen life than I had originally anticipated. I hope no one is too disappointed that you'll be waiting a few more chapters to meet our favorite vampire family.

Also, you've probably noticed that I'm making Bella a mini-Sirius. She's got a mischievous streak a mile long, and she'll have her own version of the Marauders at Salem. I was thinking of calling them the "Scheming Salem Skirts." What do you think about that name? As you can tell by the name of New York's version of the Leaky Cauldron (Toil for your Troubles) and the lack of name for New York's Diagon Alley, I am not very good at coming up with names. A marketing genius, I am not. If you have any ideas for the shopping district name or a better name for the hotel and Bella's gang, please let me know!

Thanks for reading!