Summer 1974
For Diara the last three years had gone slowly. With James off at Hogwarts she had lost her only companion around the house. Unlike James she had never fit in with the Muggle neighbors, as her uncanny way of saying things and knowing things would happen had made her stand out. It was risky for her to spend too much time with Muggles, for Statute of Secrecy reasons. It was also dangerous for Diara to be unsupervised for other reasons. For the past years, while her father had been at work it had just been Diara and her mom at home. Over the years the amount of time Harald Potter had spent at work had slowly increased.
A wizard named Voldemort had begun recruiting wizards to follow him. He had caused a stir in pureblood society according to Diara's parents: he was supporting pureblood ideals of magic is might and the inferiority of muggleborns and Muggles, which the Potters hadn't agreed with for some time. There were those who agreed with the Dark wizard, however, and events in the world were slowly becoming more violent. At first it was just political unrest, but in the past year the number of disappearances and even a few suspicious deaths had occurred. All of those deaths had been people who had spoken against Voldemort. Thus, Harald had begun getting called into the hospital during his on-call shifts more often, leaving his wife to raise his daughter more and more.
Charise, after having parented a child like James, knew that she needed to keep Diara entertained during those long years at home without a friend, entertained and supervised. To that end she had spent quite a few hours each day teaching Diara her arithmetic, and reading and writing. Some of the material was from Muggle schoolbooks, which Charise thought would be good for Diara to know. Occasionally the small family had taken trips into Muggle London for shopping and to play in parks where any oddities would be less easily traced back to the Potter family. Those trips had become less frequent during James' third year at school, as Voldemort gained power.
Summers were always a happy time for Diara, even if trips to the park and Diagon Alley were rare. She was happy to have her brother home with her. James would tell her stories of Hogwarts and his pranks. One of her favorites for him to tell was a prank from second year. He and his three friends had cast charms onto the benches in the Great Hall, to make them weak, so as soon as a couple people had sat on them at dinner, they'd broken. Everyone in the Great Hall had ended up on their butts with food on their face. A few students had then started a food fight before the professors had gotten the situation in hand. James said his friend Sirius had begun laughing so hysterically that he'd gotten the foursome of Peter, James, Remus and he into trouble. At that point inn telling the story James had scowled and said that someday Sirius was going to laugh too soon and ruin the prank.
This summer, however, was different. Instead of one owl arriving at the Potter home two had just flown in through the open window, shortly after breakfast. A large barn owl flew to James and gave him his letter detailing needed supplies for his fourth year. The other owl flew toward Diara with a much thicker envelope. Diara grinned as she read her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, quickly passing off the letter to her parents, as she reached for the supply list. Although she had known the letters were coming today, having announced it to her family the previous morning (after which James had promptly rushed to the Floo and invited his friends to meet him in the alley the next morning), Diara didn't know what supplies she would need. Even seers don't know everything, after all.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The 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
Common Magical Plants by Gladiola Bloom
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
A Magical Universe by Gemini Thatcher
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope set
1 brass scales
1 beginner brewer's box
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
James glanced over at his sister's letter. "Huh, I never did figure out why they have to tell you that you need a wand…I mean, it's magic! Of course you need a wand. Not even Dumbledore can do much without one! And why bother with the hat; you only wear it at the opening feast…"
Harald scowled over at his son. "You're supposed to wear that to class young man. In my day we wore them to every meal and to all of our classes."
"Yes, but father, times change. Speaking of which…the clock hand is still moving and I want to get to get to Diagon Alley so can you please not start that argument you've got in your mind?" Harald glanced down at his daughter, her long unruly hair waving about her thin shoulders as she shifted her weight from foot to foot, clearly eager to get her first wand.
Mr. Potter sighed and looked down at his daughter. "Go get dressed and help your mother get ready. She's just slipped upstairs." With a grin at her father and brother, Diara dashed off up the stairs and to her mother's room. Charise had just gotten over another illness, caused by the weakening of her immune system due to her lumbago. The small girl wished that her mother wouldn't get sick again, or that they could finally find a cure for lumbago, but didn't feel optimistic on that score. As lumbago progressed it stiffed the joints, and weakened the immune system. Worse it created a resistance to healing spells, and there was no cure for it. Not even magic could cure all diseases, another of which was lycanthropy.
Knocking on the door, Diara smiled as she entered and saw her mother slowly pulling clothes out of her wardrobe. "Hi Mum, dad said to help you get ready to go to Diagon Alley." The elderly woman looked across the room at her daughter, and nodded.
"I knew we'd be going this morning, so I'm just about set. I'm proud of you honey, all grown up and eleven years old now!" Pulling a red dress out of the wardrobe Charise showed it to her daughter. "How about this today, dear? Will you fetch me my matching shoes and a pair of socks?" As Diara leaned under her parents' bed to grab her mother's shoes, Mrs. Potter continued her conversation with her daughter. "We'll have to get you a pet as a celebration."
Diara put a pair of comfortable black loafers in front of her mother and looked up with a grin. "Yeah?" Her mother chuckled and nodded. "Now go get dressed, and brush that hair! Really, you and your brother, people will think I never bought you a comb!"
XX00XX
It was less than half an hour later that the family was ready to go. Diara had dutifully brushed her hair and put it into a ponytail, while James had thrown on a pair of jeans and a plaid button-up shirt, completely ignoring his hair. Harald just chuckled as he grabbed the pot of Floo powder off of the mantle, while Charise tried to tame James' hair. As soon as the boy could he had grabbed a pinch he escaped his mother's grasp. "That boy," Charise muttered as she grabbed a pinch of Floo powder with one hand, and hobbled into the fireplace using her cane, before she too was gone with a cry of "Diagon Alley."
Diara threw her own pinch into the fireplace with her eyes screwed shut behind her glasses and made sure to speak as she breathed out, lest she inhale in smoke. The only form of Wizard transportation that Diara had ever enjoyed was the broom. Side-Along Apparition, the few times she'd done it with her father, made her feel like she was being squeezed. Portkeys gave her stomach butterflies, and was by far the worst. Yet, Diara still could not keep her footing as she landed in a Diagon Alley fireplace, and stumbled out. Knowing her father would be right behind her, the girl jumped up and ran over to her brother and mother. Immediately James started laughing at his sister.
"What?" she demanded grumpily of him, but he kept laughing. "Oh dear, I suppose I shouldn't have bothered with having you do your hair, dear." Sure enough, Diara reached a hand up to her hair and found that it had fallen out of the hairband and gone wild once again. Diara glared at her brother and mouthed that he'd get it later for laughing, as their father arrived through the Floo.
James, however, had no patience for waiting for Harald. "Hey! There is he is! Sirius, over here," he waved, and a black-haired boy looked up, grinned and jogged over. "I'm real glad you could make it the same day this year! How'd you manage that?"
Sirius shrugged one shoulder, his long hair just brushing his shoulder. "Toed the line for a few days, didn't get grounded. The ol'…er, mother didn't mind if I came alone since I wasn't grounded." He turned away from his friend with a wink, promising James he'd tell the full story later. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Potter."
With a glance at his son, Harald had James jumping to make proper introductions. They couldn't stop his pranks, but he at least knew his manners. "Mom, Dad this is my friend Sirius Black, Sirius, meet Harald and Charise Potter. Oh, and Diara, my little sister."
Sirius grinned at the family. "Nice to meet you, officially."
Harald looked over Sirius and nodded. "Well how about you two go get your supplies? You have your money already, right James?"
As James nodded Charise looked concerned. "Surely one of us should go with them…?" She caught her husband's eye, and frowned for a moment, then sighed. "Oh alright, I suppose it's safe enough today. We can split up after getting new robes though. You must at least purchase new uniforms before you run off James, or else I fear to know how much of your supply money you'll spend on childish pranks."
As the family walked toward Madam Malkins' shop, Diara slipped up next to the two boys, who had their heads bent together as they walked. "You know the prank you're planning for the Sorting is going to get you a detention and miss out on the feast." Sirius turned to her with an innocent look on his face, while James looked horrified. "Miss out on the feast," he asked at the same time as Sirius denied ever doing anything which would earn them detention.
As James words registered in his mind, Sirius turned to James. "Why did you tell her? What happened to our policy of denial until it goes off?"
"Mate, I told you she knows the future. If she says it, she normally is serious."
"Don't worry Black, I won't rat on you. Enough rats around as is, don't you think," she asked with a sly smile, as she slipped into Madam Malkins in front of the boys.
After the boys ran off on their own, the first stop for the family was Ollivander's. Diara, after all, needed a wand in order to perform most of the magic taught at Hogwarts. Walking in the door she found Ollivander to already have a customer, a tall girl with long blonde hair who was trying to keep a straight face as a measuring tape floated in front of her face, measuring the space between her nostrils. An old man with crazy white hair, who vaguely reminded Diara of pictures of Einstein she'd seen in a Muggle book, nodded and shuffled off into the back of the store. The blonde turned around, as the door shut with a tinkle of the bell and Diara trooped in with her parents.
"Are you a witch too," the girl asked.
"Yeah, everybody here is. Well, parents of muggleborn witches can be here too I guess. And hags and goblins can be in the Alley as well…"
"Oh neat! Anyways, I'm Courtney. And according to Mr. Hagrid … well my parents are Muggles I guess. They're over at the pub with Mr. Hagrid grabbing something to drink while I get my wand. Isn't it exciting?"
Diara grinned at the girl, and nodded, as Ollivander brought a wand out for Courtney to try. The girl promptly caught the counter on fire, which Ollivander put out pretty quickly. "Whoops," Courtney said as Ollivander took the wand away and inspected his shelves of wands.
Diara was normally fairly good at being patient, a result of knowing the future. However, waiting for her wand was not something that she found bearable at all. When Courtney finally found a wand that suited her, bendy willow with unicorn hair, Diara felt relieved and offered a grin at the girl as she handed over the gold. "See you at Hogwarts Courtney," she called as the other girl trooped out.
Harald patted his daughter on the shoulder and shoved her up to the counter, as Ollivander looked her over. "Another Potter eh? I hadn't realized young James had a sister…" His brow furrowed for a moment and then he shrugged. "Well, first wand young…?"
"Ollivander, this is our daughter Diara, off for Hogwarts this fall," Charise introduced. Ollivander looked over at the woman and smiled. "Yes, how well I remember, I had only just taken over the shop from my father when you got your wand. Oak and unicorn, firm. And Mr. Potter, oak and, hippogriff hair, a rather unusual core as few hippogriffs are willing to give hairs. And a hippogriff core must be given willingly…" The old man turned back to the young girl. "Well, let's see what your daughter favors eh? Or rather, what favors your daughter?"
As Ollivander used his tape to measure her, Diara piped up. "Sir, I think you should try me on ash wands." Ollivander stopped his measurements and looked at the girl with a curious eye. "You are the first eleven-year-old who has suggested a wand type for me, particularly a type that is not common to your family. Perhaps we shall try a few first, and move to ash if the reactions aren't good."
As Harald and Charise shared a look that said they were slightly amused that a man who always tried to be spooky, as Ollivander had a reputation to be, did not believe their daughter. Ollivander first tried wands of oak and mahogany, before frowning and grabbing three boxes containing wands of ash. "Ash and unicorn, 10 inches," he said and gave her the wand. Diara grinned and reached out to grab the wand, only for it to roll out of her grasp. Ollivander chuckled, "Most definitely not."
The second wand of ash was also filled with a unicorn hair, but was 11 inches. It allowed Diara to hold it, but emitted no sparks, no explosion, no rainbows, nor anything at all. She frowned, as did Ollivander. "Unicorn does not seem to be a match at all, does it?" Ignoring the third box he'd previously pulled out, Ollivander disappeared into the back of his store before pulling out a very dusty box, complete with a small spider scuttling off of it. "Ash and phoenix feather, nine inches." As Diara reached out to take the wand, from the small velvet pad on which it had rested in the box, it started humming, and making the candlelight in Ollivander's dusty old shop flicker.
"Finally," muttered Charise, leaning on her cane, behind her daughter. "Yes, yes, good show," Ollivander declared as he dusted off the box and put it with the other boxes whose merchandise had sold during the day. "A very interesting wand that. Most phoenixes give a single feather from their tail when they allow me to collect, or a feather that molts off. This phoenix, years ago when I was still young and making my first wands, gave me a single golden wing feather quite a bit before burning day as he was still quite handsome. I'd long given up on finding homes for some of my less common wands. Treat it well," the man said as he collected money from Harald.
The family hurried out of the shop, none of them being fond of breathing in dust. Shortly later they'd gathered the necessary textbooks and supplies for potions, Diara had glanced covetously at the latest broom in Quality Quidditch Supplies where they'd bumped into the boys. Following lunch of sandwiches and ice cream at Florean Fortesques Diara had dragged the boys with her (protesting all the way as James didn't like to be bossed around by someone three years younger than he) to Eeylops Owl Emporium. Contrary to the name the shop sold toads, cats, and rats as well. As the Potter family already had an owl and the school many more beyond that, Diara ended up walking out of the store with a small grey and white striped kitten with bright green eyes on her shoulder. The cat had caught her attention when it appeared to her to be laughing at Sirius and James' antics. Sirius had instantly called the cat a fiend. Sirius was still moaning about Diara choosing that cat for her pet when he and James said their goodbyes and made promises to see each other on the train.