A/N I'm going to try and update at least twice a week. I've posted more at night time, hopefully posting during the day will gain more reviews. I don't mind constructive criticism! I haven't decided on pairing's yet - I'll write whatever flows best. Happy Halloween Month~
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Harry Potter related. The idea is mine, the main character and her mother are mine (although I used a name from SAO).

Chapter 3: Start of Term

The next morning Asuna was up early. She only slept for about an hour, but she looked well rested. Her hair was in two braids, and she was dressed and finishing her tea by the time her mother came down to the kitchen. Serena still had the look of worry on her face. Her daughter was no different than the day before, so why does this step forward feel so agonizing?

"You're awake! I can't wait to go get my things! This is going to be so much cooler than primary shopping!" Asuna cheered when her mother walked in.

Serena chuckled as she poured herself a cup of coffee. "Do you remember the plan for today?" She questioned, raising her mug to her lips.

Asuna nodded and eagerly spoke about going to The Leaky Cauldron where a man named Tom will show them to Diagon Alley. Then they'll see to Gringotts right away, to obtain money so she can purchase her school supplies. Then she'll make the agonizing wait until the first of September where she'll board the train to go to school. She was more excited than she had ever been. Serena was worried, she didn't want her daughter finding out about her father but knowing where he was and what he did, someone else was bound to know about him. She'll be a Young, she reminded herself.

Serena finished her coffee and they took off towards London. They found the pub stationed between a bookstore and a record store. Tom was very helpful, leading them to a brick wall in the back of the pub and tapping a brick three times. The wall opened to a scene of Witches and Wizards walking through Diagon Alley to purchase their own supplies for the school year. Asuna's eye widened and nearly shouted a 'thank you' to Tom as they walked away.

They passed the shops on their way to the bank, the letter from Headmaster Dumbledore feeling heavy in Serena's pocket. Professor McGonagall told her to give the letter to the Goblin who helps and they'll be taken to the Black vault. She knew the supplies would be expensive, and was afraid that Sirius' family might not have had enough. They reached the vault after a wild cart ride and both Serena and Asuna's jaw fell to the floor upon the door opening.

"This is from my dad?" Asuna whispered. She had never seen so much gold. The goblin explained that there were Knuts, Sickles, and Galleons and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, and seventeen Sickles to a Galleon. He helped put an amount into a little drawstring bag for their spending.

"Should be more than enough for a first year's supplies." He spoke, closing the vault and getting back into the cart. The pair followed his lead and took another wild ride back up.

"I want to get an owl. I was looking at them when we passed the store. Plus it'll be nice to send letters back and forth next summer when I make friends!" Asuna said as they stepped back out to Diagon Alley. "But maybe we should do that last so we're not carrying her all over this place!" Serena nodded and they went to get her robes, a hat, gloves, and a winter coat. They then went to purchase a cauldron so they could carry everything a little easier, and the rest of her equipment.

"Now, just a wand, your books, and your owl." Serena read off the list. They found their way to Ollivanders and Asuna looked at all the boxes on the wall.

"How do you know which one to buy?" She asked her mother, wondering if she knew anything more.

"The wand chooses the Witch or Wizard," a voice from the back replied. "I'm Mr. Ollivander, maker of fine wands. What would your wand arm be?" He asked the young girl. Asuna held up her right hand and the man measured her from shoulder to fingers and wrist to elbow. He walked away as the tape measure kept measuring the girl and grabbed a box off the shelf. "Cypress wood, Dragon Heartstring core, springy, eleven inches." He handed her the wand. "Give a wave."

Asuna waved the wand. Nothing happened. Ollivander took the wand and handed her another.

"Hornbeam and Unicorn hair. Ten inches. Very solid."

Asuna tried again, and felt a warmth spreading through her hand. She waved and what looked like fireworks spouted from the end. Mr. Ollivander smiled and congratulated the girl and her mother. Serena paid and they walked to the book shop. There was a large crowd surrounding the doors.

Serena read a banner above the doors. "Someone's doing a book signing." She just wanted to get her daughters books and leave. She had enough of the Wizarding world. She was excited for Asuna, but being around all these witches and wizards made her think of her betrayal. Perhaps her daughter was old enough to know now, especially since Serena was sure she'd ask about the Black surname as soon as she arrived at Hogwarts. She didn't want to paint Sirius in a bad light, as he was wonderful before the war happened, but she didn't want her daughter hearing all the negatives that probably fluttered around.

They purchased her books and made their way to the Owl shop. Last stop, Serena thought. "I already know which one I want, Mommy. We can go home then." Asuna had a way of knowing when her mother had enough. Serena waited outside for Asuna to emerge with her new owl. "It's a snowy owl. I named her Nyra!" Asuna smiled at her new white and black speckled bird.

As soon as they got home, Asuna ran to her room to put her things in her trunk. She placed her owl's cage on her night stand and opened the cage door, letting the owl fly around and stretch her wings. Serena called for dinner and the owl went back into her cage.

"While we eat, I wanted to talk with you Asuna." Serena started, "I'm sure you have questions and I'd rather answer them before you get secondhand stories. Your father was a wonderful man for the time I knew him, he's where you get your magic from. I had a few magical friends when I was younger, but he was different, he could turn himself into a dog but no one but his friends knew. His friends were wonderful people too, but there was a war going on and most of the wizards and witches I knew died because of it. He told me about his family and at that time he seemed genuine.

"A couple months after I found out I was pregnant with you, he stopped coming around. He had to go into hiding. He never knew, I never had the chance to tell him. Then, the night you were born was when the war ended. Your fathers friends had died and he betrayed their hiding place. That's why I never told you about him, and why you grew up with my last name. The Black's are horrible people in the wizarding community and I don't want that burden on you."

Asuna finished her dinner in silence. If her father was a bad man, does that mean she would grow up to be bad? Is she already a bad person?

oOoOo

September first came quickly after their Diagon Alley trip. Asuna was completely nervous. After finding out about her father the month prior, she now wondered if she resembled him. Would people know she's the daughter of a horrible wizard who betrays his friends? She looked herself over in the mirror, her round, grey eyes shining with nervousness (she must get them from her father, as her mother had almond shaped hazel eyes), her thick, black hair was pulled into a french braid (which is a mix, her mother has thin straight black hair), her full lips pursed in thought (definitely from her dad), and her thin tensed stature (which she could get from either if her father was thin). She looked to be a fine mix between the two, and if anyone asks could play as she doesn't know who her father is. Which is true, she thought, I only know his last name and it could be a big family.

Her mom pulled to the doors of Kings Cross Station and helped her daughter get her things on a trolley. "I know you'll find someone to help you, I don't feel right going with you. You'll be okay, I love you, and send letters with Nyra often." Serena let tears stream down her cheeks. The longest they had ever been apart was for her school days, and now she wouldn't see her daughter until winter break. She couldn't handle bringing her to the platform. Asuna nodded, hugged her mother tightly, and walked away with her trolley.

She looked for platform nine and three quarters for ten minutes, only finding nine and ten. Glancing at the clock she saw it was 10:50, she had to find the platform before the train left in another ten minutes. She saw a family with trolleys similar to hers pass by, all of them dawned with red hair except for a smaller boy in spectacles and black hair. "Excuse me!" She followed after them as they stopped between the platforms Asuna was searching earlier. "Do you know how to get onto the platform?" She asked, trying to be as vague as possible with uncertainty that they were going the same place she was.

The mother smiled. "It's Ginny's first year as well, we're in a rush, but if you run straight at that wall you'll arrive on the platform. Percy you first." Asuna looked at the family, the eldest gripping his trolley and disappearing through the wall. Her eyes widened and she gasped.

"That was my reaction last year as well." The black haired boy chuckled. "Are your parents not magical?" Two identical boys ran through the wall as she turned toward the boy.

"Uh, my mother isn't. I don't know anything about my father." She said nervously.

"Come along, you can run through with Ginny and I." the mother said, ushering the kids.

Asuna gripped her trolley and ran at the wall, holding her breath. She expected to hit the wall and bounce off but when she opened her eyes there was a train in front of her. She followed everyone onto the train and looked for a compartment. She wasn't sure where to sit, does she ask someone or does she look for an empty room. She found an empty room and loaded her trunk above the seats. She had let the owl fly on the advice of seeing a few others let their owls go, leaving her alone in the compartment. A blonde girl knocked on the door and smiled as she opened it.

"May I sit here? Everywhere else has more than a couple people and I don't know anyone to join a group." Asuna nodded and looked at the small girl, "I'm Luna, Luna Lovegood. My father writes the Quibbler, ever read it?" She asked with a grin on her face.

"I'm Asuna Bl- Young. Asuna Young," stupid, almost slipping a name she's never even used before, "I've never heard of such a thing. What is it?" This girl was unique, she explained the magazine her father publishes as there was another knock on the door. The ginger girl from earlier asked to join, followed by a bushy haired brunette.

"I'm Ginny Weasley, and this is Hermione Granger. She's a second year, I'm first, like you. I couldn't find my brother or his friend, so can we sit here?"

Asuna smiled. Making friends might be easier than she thought.