Chapter 3 The girl who lived.
After what felt like a lifetime of walking around from shop to shop Hagrid kindly informed Kiara that they had arrived at their last stop. They had came to halt outside a grey brick building with the name Ollivanders in gold writing writing at the top. There was an inviting gold light coming from inside of the shop and Kiara felt compelled to enter inside. Kiara was about to grasp the worn handle when a determined voice spoke from behind her.
"Hello!" shouted a bushy haired girl. "Are you here to buy your first wand too?"
The presumptuous girls' brown eyes shone with curiosity and she gave off a friendly attitude.
"Well, I am" said the girl. "Did you know there are 38 different types of wood that a wand can be made from? Oh, and I'm Hermione Granger by the way. This is my first time in Diagon Alley, I'm so excited!"
Kiara could tell that this girl was perhaps a little bit of a know it all, but on the other hand she was also the first young girl who had said any kind words to her in a very long time. Going to the same school as Dudley, who had given her the reputation as the class nerd, had made it very difficult to make friends. Kiara decided to be optimistic and give this girl a chance, that is if she could get a word in edgeways before the brown haired girl started talking again.
"Yes, well I think so, I wasn't quite sure what a wand was until yesterday." spoke Kiara shyly from behind her long black hair.
"Oh!" shouted Hermione surprise lighting her eyes. "Are you muggle-born too then?"
Kiara didn't know what to say. She had hardly any memory of her parents, and all her Aunt and Uncle could tell her was that they were unfortunately killed in a car crash burdening her on them. Kiara felt tears starting to well up behind her eyes as she looked up at Hagrid for guidance.
"James an Lily Potter! Muggles?!" guffawed Hagrid. "Well I never. No sweet girl" reassured Hagrid. "Yur parents were the bravest an brightest wizards I knew!"
"Potter..." Contemplated Hermione. "Why, you're the girl that lived!"
Kiara was bewildered, she felt like an outsider in a new world and now she was apparently famous...
"Now, perhaps that is a tale for an nuther time" Hargrid gently spoke with a glance towards the girl called Hermoine.
Kiara wasn't quite sure what had just transgressed but the talkative girl clearly understood as she dropped the subject and started rattling on more about the history of wands. Kiara had a feeling something terrible and sinister had happened in her past and it had something to do with the scar on her forehead. Hermoine kept stealing glances at it when she thought Kiara wasn't looking. But she decided not to press the issue, she wasn't completely sure she was ready for the truth...
Half an hour later her mood had definitely improved as she was holding her very own wand. It was made from Holly, with a Unicorn hair core, 10" in length and a slightly springy flexibility; according to Mr Ollivander. Kiara had never felt so complete in her life as she did right in that moment. Her glee must have been showing on her face as an excited Hermione came running up to her and hugged her with her own new wand in her hand.
"Hogwarts is going to be amazing!" squealed Hermione. "I'll see you next week at the station" she said before running back off to her parents.
"There yer go!" chuckled Hagrid "Making friends already aren't ye."
Kiara smiled up at the giant man but the she couldn't stop thinking about the ominous conversation that had taken place earlier that day.
"Hagrid" said Kiara apprehensively. "What really happened to my parents? How come everyone kept staring and whispering about me today?"
Hargrid's face dropped as he looked down as Kiara's small figure.
"Come on" he said, putting a arm around Kiara's shoulder and leading her forward. "Let's go somewhere more private an ill tell ye what ye want to know".
A few minutes later Kiara found herself seated in the Leaky Cauldron, which she remembered passing through earlier. The table she was sat at seemed to be highly polished oak, but despite the fancy furniture, the inn seemed dark and shabby; shadows loomed in the corners of the room giving the appearance of monsters lurking in the dark. Kiara shivered as she turned to Hagrid whose somber gaze was distant and seemed hesitant to start speaking. At last his gaze met Kiara's as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Yer parents were both brave an amazing wizards of their time" said Hagrid quietly. "They both died fightin for the right cause and refused to give in ter evil. Yer see there was a war when yer was a wee baby, lead by a dark wizard called..."
Hagrid paused conflict apparent on his ragged face.
"Called what Hargrid?" said Kiara puzzled.
"We do not say his name.."
"But why?!" said Kiara getting more confused by the minute. "Surely saying a name couldn't cause any harm? Right?"
For a few seconds Hagrid sat there indecision written across his face before he finally spoke.
"ow alright" he said hestitantly "Dunt suppose it could do any harm now.. his name.. his name was...Voldemort" He spoke this last word rushed and clearly pained him to do so.
Kiara listened quietly as Hagrid retold the story of her parents and felt sadness and anger all at once. She wished she could go back in time and wrack revenge on this supposed all powerful wizard named Voldemort. The one who apparently couldn't kill a small baby, but instead only left the small scar on her forehead that was still there today. She took a small comfort in that, her parents had not died for nothing. If their actions had brought about the end of a dark wizard and saved many other lives she was proud to be their daughter.
Kiara thought about the upcoming week, the more Hagrid talked about Hogwarts the more excited she was became. She was determined to become a successful witch and do her parents proud and of course wouldn't complain about the fun along the way.
End of Chapter