A/N
Cast:
Unless stated otherwise the cast from the movies represent who portrays what character in the story (Dan Radcliffe as HP etc.)
William Everett: Henry Cavil
Eleanor Everett: Diane Kruger
Serena Everett: (red headed) Scarlet Johansen
For Reference
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Chapter 4: Off to School
It was an excruciatingly painful 3 hours later that Harry was lead back into the office of Gutclaw. He wasn't wearing his glasses as he collapsed into a chair and huddled into it. Eleanor was worried that he may have relapsed into what he felt before. She knew this procedure would have intense pain so she had a potion ready for him.
"Harry honey, drink this. You will feel a lot better soon."
Harry looked at the vial she offered and took it. He downed the contents and handed the vial back. Hermione then grasped his hand asking, "How do you feel Harry?"
A small smile formed on his lips, "Like I picked a fight with Goldie and Narnia and lost." He let out a sigh as the potion started to relieve the pain. "I feel loads better now, thank you Mrs. Everett. I don't think I need my glasses anymore! I can see!"
This earned some excitement from the kids as they crowded around their friend. It was then that Gutclaw asked if she could have a sidebar with Eleanor, after putting up a privacy ward Gutclaw states, "We have a massive problem, the dark magic that was in Harry was a fragment of a dark soul, an abomination of the natural way."
"What is it?"
"A horcrux… more commonly known as a Soul Anchor. We can't be sure just yet but given everything we know about that night, it might be the Dark Lord's soul fragment."
Eleanor stood thunderstruck, "That means that he didn't die that night and may still be alive?"
A nod from the goblin confirmed that, "We goblins hate these things with a burning fiery passion, our Curse Breakers come across these somewhat frequently in our excavations in the ancient world and are very dangerous. That Dumbledore left it inside the scar on the boy is unforgivable. Gringotts knows how to dispose of them. The problem is how many did that monster make?"
"Do we have anyway of knowing?"
"Our shamans are devising a way to scan the country for similar magical signatures, it may take them a week, it may take them a year. It all depends on how sloppy the fool was."
"Fool? Why use that word?"
"Because he split his soul there can be no afterlife for him, no reincarnation, no heaven, hell, or wherever your beliefs take you. No, all that awaits him is oblivion."
"Do we tell Harry?"
"I am of the belief we do not tell the poor boy, he has suffered enough… I have a little one of my own. Mother to mother, I would have killed the old fool for daring harm any child. Children are a sacred gift among my people."
"That is something we agree on wholly. Will you keep me informed as long as I am his guardian?"
"That is the reason I am bringing it up, that lad will need you if the Dark Lord comes after him again."
"He won't get very far! My home has the most extensive warding scheme I've ever seen, Julian Everett from the 1500's was a genius at combining Runes with Wards. Not even the Ministry had found the home in the 400 years the place remained dormant."
"I was more concerned with Hogwarts personally, as long as that old bastard is there Harry will always have some form of vulnerability."
"What can we do? I doubt a restraining order would work."
"Here is where you come in…."
*TFR*
Hermione lead the others around Diagon Alley, aiding in the shopping of Harry's school supplies. Harry had always loved reading, but never had the opportunity in… that place. So Hermione encouraged him to get more books than were on his list. Books for fun reading.
Eleanor made them stop in Madam Malkin's to make sure Harry's robes had the Potter family crest on them to show his place in society. The apothecary, sundries, writing supplies were all quickly purchased as well.
It was in Magical Menagerie that Harry felt most welcomed, especially when a snowy white owl hooted excitedly and flew right to him and perched on his shoulder. The owl in question immediately staked it's claim on the wizard by starting to groom the boy's hair.
The shop owner was flabbergasted by the display of the haughty owl, "Son, that owl has refused so many a patron, yet she chose you."
Harry looked into the amber eyes of the owl on his shoulder, "She's beautiful. Mrs. Everett, can I keep her?"
The owl swiveled her head to look at Eleanor and hooted her challenge. "I don't see why not dear." She looks to the clerk, "We'll take her."
*TFR*
It was a couple days later that the 4 children with Eleanor used an international Portkey to go to France. Harry lost his balance but Hermione had kept him standing, they stood in what must have been a similar place to Diagon, but French.
"Welcome to Vivienne Avenue, we have one thing to do today-"
"Wands!" the 4 cheer together, Eleanor smiled at the excitement they all had.
She led them to a shop about halfway down the avenue, the tinkling bells on the doorway alerted the proprietor to customers entering. The store was lined with various cords of wood and various glass bottles with different creature parts.
The proprietor, a woman in her early 30's welcomes them, "Welcome to Vincent's Wands, I am Catherine Vincent, wandmaker for 12 years- Eleanor? Is that you?!"
As Catherine rushes toward Eleanor speaks, "Yes Cathy, it's me." The pair embrace for a moment before holding each other by the arms.
"I haven't seen you in near a decade!" she looks at the 4 kids, "I take it you didn't trust Garrick?"
"No I don't trust the man, he is way to close to Dumbledore for my liking, but more than that I wanted to see my friend again. We haven't seen each other since your family fled Britain."
"Are any of these children yours?"
Will answered, "I am, I'm Will Everett. The others here are Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood, and Harry Potter. My little sister is being looked after by a family friend. We are hear to have a wand made for us before we go to school."
Cathy's eyes light up with mirth, "So eloquent, well William, I hope to be of service!"
Eleanor chuckles as Cathy moves behind the counter. She waves her wand and a series of blocks of wood fly from the shelves and line up on the counter, "Place your hands over the wood and tell me one you feel a connection with."
The 4 of them take turns, with Will ending up with a slab of Rowan wood, Luna ending up with Pine, Hermione gets Rosewood, and Harry gets the exotic Blood wood. Cathy then has them do the same with the core materials, though Will just pulls out the feather Goldie gave him. Luna selects some fairy wings and a hair of a unicorn's tail, Hermione selects powdered Hippogriff Talon, and Harry ends up with the whiskers of a Crup.
Will thinks that it is oddly fitting for him.
Next a series of Gemstones are brought out, "Gemstones?"
Cathy answers Will, "They act as a foci point for your magics. They also link the wand closer to the carrier. Makes it more powerful as well."
So the quartet begin selecting their gemstones, Citrine for Will, Pink Tourmaline for Luna, Amethyst for Harry, and Aquamarine for Hermione. When Cathy had gathered all the materials she turned back to Eleanor, "I can have these done in a week, can you come collect them or should I have them delivered?"
"it would be best if they are delivered, I've a lot on my plate that I must take care of soon."
"Oh… how much?"
"Well-"
*TFR*
Will, Luna, Hermione, and Harry had received their wands a week later, each of them bonding with their wand in a spectacular shower of sparks. Eleanor had ramped up the lessons for the quartet and Serena so they would be able to perform the best they can in their classes. Potions in particular was a real stickler for Eleanor.
"The teacher is little more than a bully, so I'll teach you what I can when I can."
This made Will raise an eyebrow, but he moved on with his lessen. This time it involved the wands they got mere days ago.
"This is a modified version of the Bubblehead charm I came up with to help in the potions lab, it filters out toxic or nauseous fumes that can be let out of a potion when brewing." She moved her wand in a sideways (S) and incanted "Aerem Filter." A nearly invisible bubble wrapped itself around her face, covering the mouth, nose, and eyes.
She let the 4 try it a few times and within 20 minutes the quartet had been deemed proficient with the spell, Hermione asking, "So this spell is like a gas mask of sorts?"
Eleanor nods, "That was the inspiration for this, seeing muggle chemists wearing those clunky, but effective, masks. I have one more spell to teach you for the potions lab, but this one is more for the safety of the room you are brewing in."
Luna knew the spell in question, it didn't save her mother from the backlash of her cauldron exploding. A lone tear falls down her cheek as Will grasps her hand, giving it a comforting squeeze. She looked at him and whispered, "Thanks."
He nods as Eleanor continues, "Trace the lip of your cauldron and incant Potega Protego, this will give the cauldron a minor shield that is tied to you and only you. This will stop others from throwing wrong ingredients into the cauldron to sabotage it. Another thing the potion professor fails to prevent."
Another round of testing their abilities later and the 4 have the spell down. Hermione has another question for Eleanor, "Why does Hogwarts let this kind of teacher get away with these actions? In the Muggle world teachers are vetted harshly to meet a very specific set of standards."
"I agree with you dear, but the man has been protected by Albus Dumbledore for the last decade…" her eyes look far off as if she was remembering something, "Not long before what happened to the Potters now that I think about it…."
She wrote a note down and asked the newly named Hedwig, "Would you mind delivering a letter for me girl?"
The snowy owl in question landed on the table in front of her and stuck her leg out, moments later the owl was winging her way towards London.
*TFR*
The dawn of September 1st, Albus sat in his office looking at the letter that had been delivered at breakfast with a feeling of fury bubbling in him.
Headmaster Dumbledore,
The Board of Governors for Hogwarts has petitioned for a member of the Wizinegomot to act in a supervisory roll when dealing with the comings and goings of Hogwarts. This person shall be known as the High Inquisitor and shall have authority to hire and fire staff as necessary. This includes you Headmaster Dumbledore, do not test the Ministry on this. Hogwarts has always been a separate entity from the Ministry of Magic, but recent events have proven that you are incapable of providing a safe environment for children.
This next few months will either be very telling or damning to you Headmaster.
Cornelius Oswald Fudge
Minister for Magic
Who was this representative who would have even more authority than he did in his castle? He wanted to know so his wand could get to work, the obstacle course set up to test Harry and lure Tom must be undisturbed, the Greater Good demands it. He has to know if the boy truly has a Horcrux in his scar.
*TFR*
On platform 9 ¾ Serena clung to her brother, who would be leaving with the rest of her friends on the scarlet steam engine in front of them. "Please brother, be safe."
He held the tiny red head in is arms as the whistle blew, "You know I will." He cups her chin, "Will you take care of Goldie for me? I told her you would."
She nods as he kisses her forehead. He then steps on the train and says, "See you both at Yule yeah?"
His mother smiles "Sooner than you think."
The train starts its chugging along the 7 hour journey to Hogsmeade station, so Will heads in to find the compartment that Hermione, Harry, and Luna claimed while Will was saying his goodbye to Serena.
"Hey all, sorry I'm late, Serena had to say bye."
Luna grabs his hand and pulls him down beside her, "That's fine William, we were just discussing what house we want to get into."
Hermione nods, "We figure they would call the first years alphabetically so that means you would go first Will, then me, then Luna, and finally Harry for the 4 of us."
"So the hat mum told us about would sort me first, she said we could influence it's decision. So I'll go first and try to get the house we chose."
Harry watches out the window as the city gets smaller on the horizon, "But which one?"
"We are all smart enough for Ravenclaw," Hermione points out.
"Brave enough for Gryffindor," Luna adds.
"I would never subject Harry and Hermione to the house of serpents. Slytherin would eat you two alive," Will adds fiercely, "People constantly bag on Hufflepuff, but I think it would be good for Harry in particular."
Harry perks up, "Why is that?"
"Loyalty and hard work are core features of the house, but I believe it is more than that, it has smart, brave, and cunning people, they just don't boast about it like the other houses do," Will continued.
"So it is like the best of the houses with none of the downsides?" Harry asks.
Luna thinks for a moment, "Will has a point, plus the house of badgers is supposed to be very friendly, and that is something we could all use I think."
Will nods toward his betrothed, "So can we agree to have the hat place us in Hufflepuff?"
The 4 friends nod in agreement as the train moves into the countryside.
*TFR*
It was several hours later when the castle was visible on the horizon, so Harry and Will stood facing the doorway while the girls changed into their school robes, there wasn't anything different on these robes except the Everett family crest on the left breast of the robe, under where the blank for the House colors are supposed to go. This signified that the pair of girls were under the protection of the Everett Family.
When the girls were dressed they switched with the boys, who dressed rather quickly.
Harry had Pafoo in his arms as the group exited the train. The cry of "First years, first years" drew them to a very large man who when done with a head count leads them all to a series of boats. With the instructions of no more than 4 in a boat, the quartet entered the lead boat behind the large man who called himself Hagrid.
There was something to be said about the castle under the stars from the vantage point of the lake. There were many "Wows" and "Oohs" from the first years as they saw the sight. When the moon came out from behind a cloud, it's light bathed the castle and made it almost glow.
The 4 friends hold hands as they pass the barrier into the boathouse. Sure in the fact that they would be together through whatever was in front of them.
Hagrid leads them up a long stairway and up to a massive wooden door, he knocks on it loudly and it opens seemingly on it's own. They all congregate in a large open atrium of a room when Hagrid turns to the awestruck faces and says.
"Professor McGonagall will be here shortly to escort you into the Great Hall. You lot are in for a treat."
Harry, Luna, and Hermione look to Will and nod. Tonight would be the first day in the rest of their lives.
A/N
Hey all, I know I skimmed over the wands despite going into depth with their materials, each was chosen for a reason
So I'm going to have a breakdown of the wands here or rather a…
Wand-Down
Will's wand is an 11 ¼ inch Rowan wand with a Hippogriff feather core that has a Citrine semi-precious stone imbedded on the tip.
Luna's wand is a 10 ½ inch Pine with Fairy Wings mixed with a Unicorn's tail hair and a Pink Tourmaline tip.
Hermione's wand is an 11 inch Rosewood Wand with Ground Hippogriff Talon, and an Aquamarine tip.
Harry's is a 12 ¼ inch Bloodwood wand with Crup Tail Hair, it comes accompanied by an amethyst tip.
Each element of the wands has a spiritual significance to each character and how they will grow.
Till next time.