I stared at the wooden door once again. As uneasiness consumed me I couldn't help but glared back at my feet.
What if…what if I really have no magic? What if I don't have what it takes to be a witch? What if Dumbledore was wrong?
I gazed at the familiar peeling letters and sighed. One way to find out.
After a deep breath, I followed Mrs. Vance inside the shop, a gentle jingle announcing our arrival.
Hmm, this place really looks like an old library.
As we walked towards the wooden front desk, I gaped in wonder at the sight. Piles of wand boxes covered the walls; a staircase stood to the left, with a second floor. I bet there are more wand boxes there too. A narrow hallway stood right behind the counter while another passage was to my right, both revealing heaps of wand boxes stacked from the wooden floor to the ceiling.
I smiled at the familiarity of the shop. It was the same…exactly the same when Harry came to get his first wand-
I jumped slightly as a staircase stopped abruptly right behind the reception.
Scared the heck out me.
"Well, you are indeed a new face around here" said an elderly man with bright blue eyes. I couldn't help but feel a small tug reached my lips at the familiar elder man. Mr. Ollivander descended the staircase with a polite smile on his features though his eyes clearly expressed amusement and excitement. As he walked towards us, he turned his attention from me to Mrs. Vance.
"Why Mrs. Emmeline Vance. Lovely to see you again. Acacia, eleven inches, Dragon heartstring, pliable wasn't it? Very good wand" he beamed as he approached Mrs. Vance.
"Very good, indeed, Mr. Ollivander. But today, I'm here for my goddaughter. I'm afraid she's in need of a new one" she smiled politely as she gestured towards me.
"Samantha Bennett, sir" I politely introduced myself as I offered my nervous hand. Oh my god, were all the characters the same as in the movies?
"Ah, American? Pity about your wand. I hear they have quite the diversity in wand cores" he said amused, not trying to hide his curiosity as he shook my hand politely.
Diversity in wand cores? Who knew?
"Well then, let's get you a wand. Which is your wand arm, Miss Bennett?" he asked as he pulled from his pocket a long tape measure with silver markings.
"O-oh, I'm right handed, sir" I stammered as he measure from my finger to my shoulder. Then he left and looked around the aisles of wand boxes, while the tape measurer kept measuring me.
"Ah, try this one. Cherry, unicorn hair, nine inches, quite whippy" he explained as he delicately handed me the wand in my hand.
Nervous, I took a deep a breath and followed my instinct. I gave a little flip and surprisingly I made a whole shelve of wand boxes burst out. I gawked at the wand.
Holy bananas, I just did magic…
"Apparently not" he said. Focused, he turned around and headed towards the shelves located at the hallway to my right and returned shortly with another wand at hand.
"Willow, Dragon heartstring, nine inches, bit springy this one" he stated as he offered me the second wand.
I flipped it gently and by the second I have shattered a vase that was merrily a few inches away from him. Jumping slightly, I quickly placed it back at his desk. Unfortunately, the crashing and the mess went for ten minutes, as I had tried several wands and none of them seemed to work for me. I stole a glance at the chaos I have created.
Oh god, at this rate, I'll smash the whole shop.
"Quite the tricky customer, aren't we Miss Bennett? No matter! We'll find you the perfect wand" he spoke excited and happier as he walked away into the narrow hallway, while I placed the Birch, unicorn hair, nine inches wand, back at his desk.
"I wonder…." he murmured as he held another wand box in his hands. He walked towards me and took out another wand. It was simpler than some I had tried and had some sort of swirl carving that went from the handle, to the tip of the wand.
"Perhaps….this one" he passed me the seventh wand to try.
Nervous, I grabbed it gently by the handle and felt a tingling sensation spread through my body and a sudden but gentle gust of wind filled the shop.
Whoa. What just happened?
"Curious…. very curious" he said as he looked around his shop.
"Huh?" I asked dumfounded.
"Miss Bennett, upon trying the usual combinations and none seem to respond, I handed you an unusual one. Frankly, the oldest one in the shop" he explained, curiosity and amusement sparkling in his eyes.
"O-oldest?" I asked as I eyed the wand carefully.
He nodded. "Larch, Dragon heartstring, nine inches, specifically carved during the late tenth century" he described as he gave a small smile, curiosity and excitement still lingering in his eyes.
"A larch wand?" Mrs. Vance asked curiosity and shock evident in her voice as she walked closer to see the wand.
"Indeed, Mrs. Vance. Quite sturdy and strong, Larch wood is valuable for its striking and dominant nature. Its selective personality is what makes it famous to seek yet quite hard to attain. It is a wood that tends to create wands of concealed talents and unforeseen effects" he smiled, clearly excited at the outcome.
I couldn't help but smile to have my own wand, but was it alright to have it? Isn't it….I don't know…. too special for me? I was actually hoping to have an average one. Like Hermione's or Ron's. I mean, not like they aren't special, every wand is unique in its own way, but…This wand would fit someone like Harry or Dumbledore. Someone chosen to do something big and important. Definitely not for someone like me.
"Is it…" I trailed off, capturing Mrs. Vance's and Ollivander's attention. "Is it really alright to have such a wand?" I questioned the elder man, worry evident in my eyes.
He remained silent, amusement and shocked fighting for dominance in his pale irises. "The wand chooses its master, Miss Bennett" he grinned genuinely as his eyes bore into mine.
I smiled at him. He was definitely not the creepy old man described in the book, simply a passionate wand maker.
"Alright, then I'll take this one, sir" I beamed overly excited at my new wand, though it faltered down as I heard its cost. Mrs. Vance had to pay extra because of the wand's age. Figures.
After dining in London, we apparated back to the house and made sure all my clothes and miscellanies were neatly stocked away. Though Mrs. Vance had to charm my wardrobe and dresser to make sure everything fitted comfortably. After that she invited me for some tea at the terrace. But it was plain obvious that this tea time was much more than that. This was the moment for questions to be asked. So, patiently, I waited for her to break the ice.
"Miss Bennett" she suddenly spoke calmly.
"Yes, Mrs. Vance?" I stammered.
"Starting tomorrow, we will begin your magic instruction with the basics…. Once you prove your progress in O.W.L.S by late june, we will decide whether to further your magic instruction to sixth year examinations and apparition" she explained carefully.
Well, I'm definitely, not getting any sleep-
"Did you just say further my magic instruction to sixth year?" I asked in disbelief. I didn't like the sound of that at all. Is she seriously planning to teach me six years of Hogwarts in four months?! I snorted internally. Yeah right.
"Indeed, I did" she clarified seriously.
I gaped at her as realization stunned me. "B-but I just discovered I could do magic, today, Mrs. Vance! I doubt I'll be able to reach that kind of level by September!" I desperately argued, trying to reason with her.
"I'll be the judge of that, Miss Bennett. Depending on your progress and your O.W.L.S. results, I'll decide to further the instruction. Furthermore, the professor strongly believes you capable of getting into seventh year and it would be most convenient that you do. It is already questionable Hogwarts is getting a new student at such a mature age. You have no birth certificate, no passport, no trace and in order to protect your uncertain circumstances you are to hide yourself as an American transfer student from Salem Witches Academy" she tried to explain calmly.
I stared blankly at my own cup, letting her words process carefully through my mind.
Salem Witches Academy? As in Salem, Massachussets? Seriously?! I didn't even know America had witches and wizards. Though, when you read Goblet of Fire, you can hope there are other witchcraft and wizardry schools, like Durmstrang or Beauxbatons. So, if Bulgaria and France has schools, why not the US? But still, Salem, Massachusetts. I stopped myself from snorting. Can't say I saw it coming, though makes perfect sense-
"S-seventh year, Mrs. Vance?" I stuttered shaken and to my misfortune she calmly nodded. "B-but, that's crazy. No, forget crazy, it's completely insane! There's no way, I can be a seventh year by September! There has to be another way!" I frantically disputed as I met her composed gaze across the glass round table.
"There isn't" Mrs. Vance stated calmly while she sip gracefully from her tea. How can she be so calm?!
"B-but, but…" I trailed off. Think Sam. Think! "Can't I be a sixth year or a fifth year? I'm not that tall and we can always say the curriculum is different than the one at Hogwarts" I hysterically asked. Teach me six years of Hogwarts in four months?! I know I have a good memory and I did get into Cornell, but I'm no Einstein and I'm certainly not a miracle worker!
"A student from Salem Witches Academy behind in curriculum? You'll be the laughing stock at the Ministry and at Hogwarts!" she scoffed this time making me flinched at her tone. "Salem Witches Academy is known as the best magic school in America. You would be a fool to insult their curriculum and they take their pride quite seriously" she explained sternly.
Shaken, scared and angry, I gripped my fists fighting to keep my emotions at bay. I could feel my eyes watering but I managed to push them back with a few deep breaths. I wanted to scream, make a tantrum, heck even throw the tea set to the floor would feel good, but I managed to simply take few deep breaths and struggle to calm down. I HAD to calm down because reality was… she was right. I can't afford to raise any kind of suspicions, especially with abusive pink lady lurking in the grounds of Hogwarts this year. I would need to blend in with the crowd.
I sighed heavily.
"W-what…." I trailed off hoping to calm my emotions and to my comfort she nodded for me to continue, reassuring me to take my time. I took a deep breath. "What am I aiming for..." I whispered. "I mean for the O.W.L.S. and… other examinations" I managed to speak up.
"I expect you to get a minimum of Acceptable in all your subjects. However, depending on your progress, I will decide whether to push you through in order to get E's or even get O's . As I said earlier, Salem Witches Academy is known as a top school; therefore you are to ensure you pass all your subjects" she stated as a matter of fact.
I stared blankly at my tea cup, while my thoughts ran wildly through my exhausted mind.
Pass all twelve subjects of four years of Hogwarts in two months….There's no way, I can pull that off…I'll seriously fail all of them…
"Is there really no other way?" I nervously whispered, while I stared at my lap, afraid to be snapped at again.
I could hear her sighed. She was also tired.
"I'm afraid not, Miss Bennett" she said. I raised my head to meet her gaze and there in her eyes. Yes, there it was. Pity. Now that made me snapped.
I sighed heavily.
Crying and pleading won't do any good, Sam. You're here now. You have decided to go to Hogwarts and here is that chance. Take it. If Dumbledore believes you can manage, then you might as well prove him right. He is MOST of the time.
I took a deep breath and met her gaze.
"Are you going to teach me, Mrs. Vance?" I held her serious gaze.
She remained silent; almost confused at my sudden mood change, though she graciously cleaned her throat and her composed mask was back on. "I can only teach you the proper way to apply the theory, Miss Bennett. Therefore, the rest will be up to you. Nevertheless, Professor Dumbledore will send you guidelines to the different subjects and if there's anything I can clear up, you may consult me" she replied calmly.
"I understand" I answered calmly.
"As for this is place, you may call it home, from now on. You may go wherever you like, though it would be best to avoid going beyond the gate and the Flo network may only be used with my assistance" I simply nodded at her conditions. I knew I was going to be pretty much under house arrest. Not that I can blame her. I mean, I was found all bloody with no trace or identification, at the middle of the night and worst, a couple of minutes away from Harry's house. Only an idiot wouldn't doubt me.
"Now, I'm going to get some groceries, is there something you would like?" she asked me.
Grocery shopping? She can cook?
I noticed I was staring for too long. "O-oh, um, well I like fruits and I can eat pretty much eat anything…well except prunes and um…" I trailed off uneasy to voice this.
She sighed a second time.
"Really, Samantha. Don't forget, I am your guardian, if there is something you like or need, be certain to tell me" she scolded me lightly.
"Well um, some Colombian coffee would be good. It's strong and yeah... I'll need a lot of it and um some index cards would be…nice too" I mumbled embarrassed.
"Very well" she nodded, then with a flick of her wand, the tea cups glided inside the house. "Now go get some rest, you'll need it" she politely ordered me to which I happily obliged.