Hogwarts Memories

Young Lorna Dumbledore twiddled her fingers in her room. She wore her first-year Hogwarts uniform. She hoped that she would be sorted into the right house where she could make some wonderful friends. Anything would do for her except Slytherin – the house where most bad wizards were sorted into. Her father entered the room and knelt in front of her. "You ready?"

Lorna nodded.

Dumbledore could see she was doing her best to be brave but she was quite nervous. He held her hands tightly. "I'll be in the hall at all times. Remember this. There can be no courage without fear,"

Lorna nodded again and her father walked her out of their home. They walked quietly through the village and took a carriage pulled by an invisible creature towards the castle. As they arrived at the courtyard, they saw a large group of first-years arriving. Professor McGonagall awaited them. She saw Dumbledore and nodded. He looked down at his daughter. "This is where I must leave you. And don't worry. I've asked McGonagall to keep an eye on you at all times. Okay?"

His daughter nodded.

"I'll see you in there," Dumbledore slowly let her hand go and he walked through the front doors to join the others in the Great Hall.

Lorna mastered her courage and walked toward the other students. Many of them didn't take notice of her on purpose. As she joined the crowd, she heard some mean students whispering, gossiping, badmouthing her. She heard names like 'Teacher's pet' or complains about her likely earning more points than them because her dad was one of the teachers. She felt so disheartened hearing people who hadn't even met her talk about her that way. McGonagall who heard them was unimpressed. She ordered them to stop. They did but sent glowers at Lorna who froze in place.

"Hey…" a kind voice uttered. Lorna spotted a sweet, freckled boy with shaggy hair waving to her. "You wanna join me?" Feeling elated that there was one nice person in this mob, Lorna squeezed over to join him.

"Thank you. At least Mr Newt Scamander here knows how to treat someone with respect. Lorna may be Dumbledore's daughter but that doesn't make her any less a student. Follow me please to the Great Hall,"

The mob of students followed after her.

"Thank you," Lorna said to Newt.

"It was nothing. They shouldn't treat you that way. You're lucky to have Dumbledore as a dad. I've heard some amazing tales about him,"

"I think you and him will get along well," Lorna approved. "So…you excited to start school?"

"Absolutely. My brother's currently in Hufflepuff. I hope I can join him,"

"I think judging from your character you'll make a great Hufflepuff too,"

"What are you hoping you'll be in?"

"Maybe Hufflepuff or Gryffindor. Just anything but Slytherin,"

"I don't think it would matter,"

"Loads of people say mean wizards come from that house,"

"You can't just someone by what house they're from,"

"You're right. I think I'm just really nervous to start,"

"Me too,"

Newt and Lorna were already becoming quick friends. As the ceremony proceeded, Newt with his kind caring persona was sorted into the house of kind caring students. Lorna was sorted out into Gryffindor. When she sat down with the older students, she was greeted with handshakes and pats on the book. But when first-year students came, two particular girls one with very long blonde hair and brown bunned hair glared spitefully at her for no reason. But she was defended by the much nicer older students who treated her kindlier than the mean first years much to their envy.

She looked over to Newt who warmly shook the hands of his brother Theseus and the older Hufflepuffs. He looked back at her and sent a friendly smile. Even if they weren't in the same house, they were still going to be close friends.

The next day, they met up and were heading to Transfiguration Class together when they encountered the two spiteful Gryffindor girls tormenting a young Slytherin girl. Lorna recognised her from yesterday. She stood out from the mean mob because her posture was slouchy and her face expressed a blank expression. She didn't make fun of Lorna but she was rather quiet. Like she didn't want to draw attention to herself. Her name announced by McGonagall at the feast was Leta Lestrange. Lorna knew that the Lestranges were a famous French family but it was very strange to see one in England rather than France at a French wizarding academy.

"Just leave me alone!" Leta begged.

"You know we should. Just like how your family sent you here and you lost your brother," the blonde girl spat cruelly.

Remembering what Newt said yesterday, Lorna marched forward and pulled the two girls away from Leta. "Leave her alone! Pick on someone your own size,"

"Who are you to stop us?" the brown one retorted.

"Don't you two have our class to get to?" Newt stepped in.

The girls' fumed. "You two are gonna pay for that," the blonde one warned aggressively, pointing her finger at her fellow Gryffindor and her new friend. They grabbed their bags and stalked off.

Lorna turned towards the scared Lestrange. "Are you all right?"

Leta breathed out slowly, unable to respond.

"Here," Newt bent down and picked up her bag. He offered it to her. But she wouldn't take it. "We won't hurt. We promise,"

Leta took it slowly. "Thank you,"

"I'm Newt," Newt introduced himself. "This is Lorna. Don't listen to those mean girls,"

"You just let me handle them. They bully me as much so I won't let them bully you," said Lorna.

"Why are you two being so nice to me?" she asked.

"Because it wasn't right of them to treat you that way," said Newt. "Don't let what they say to get you down. Would you like to walk with us to class?"

His kind words lifted Leta's spirits. She felt for the first time in her life wanted, cared about. "Yes please,"

Lorna offered an arm. She took it and they walked off. From that day forth, the three students from three different houses became the best of friends. Over time, Newt developed a love for creatures. And so did Lorna. Lorna was also very fascinated by Transfiguration and Defence against the Dark Arts which her father taught. Leta excelled in that class too because Lorna gave her tips on how to improve.

One term before the holidays began, Lorna was busy walking through a corridor carrying some borrowed books when she heard Leta's panting coming from the passageway on her right. She saw her rushing to her. Then she saw loud voices chasing her. Leta ran past her.

"Leta!" she shouted following her. "What's going on?"

"They made fun of me again so I used Oscausi on Victoria!"

Spotting a door ahead behind a doorway, Lorna quickly pulled Leta through and she shut it, hearing all the students who had been chasing her, pass by. She turned heatedly at Leta.

"What were you thinking? I know that it was selfish of her but how does that make you any different from her?"

"I can't take it anymore!" Leta burst out crying. "I just wish everyone would stop tormenting me like this. I can't take it anymore,"

Lorna calmed down and pulled Leta into her arms. "There. There. It's okay. It's okay. I'm sorry if I make you feel like I don't understand. You're not the only target for bullying Leta. As much as I wish I could hurt all those mean students who torment me as well…I've learnt to put up with it and not let it get me down,"

"Then why don't you?"

"Because if I did that, how would that make me any different? Revenge is the last thing you wanna do. I will ask my father to handle those mean girls but you've got to stop using your schemes on them. One of these days you might get yourself expelled from Hogwarts, and I couldn't bare it,"

Leta let go and looked with tearful eyes into her face. "I promise,"

"Let's head up these steps. Newt's playing with some animals. We should join him," they walked up to the steps and saw Newt with jars and glasses of several animals. He sat in front of the glass window in front of a little box of wood.

"Newt…why aren't you packing?" asked Leta.

"I'm not going home," he answered

"Why not?"

"He needs me," Newt held up a little raven chick from his box nest. "It was hurt. Isn't Raven your family emblem, Leta?"

"Yes, it is,"

Newt offered the wounded chick to Leta and she held it tenderly.

"Poor thing," sympathised Lorna. They sat down together, observing all the creatures they had rescued. Lorna wrote in her diary and Newt noted down new things he had discovered from these creatures. Lorna fed the chick.

The three stood in a line to face a Boggart in a DATD lesson. Lorna was the first. She was a little nervous.

"All right Lorna. Be brave," Dumbledore soothed, pushing her a little forward. Lorna raised her head towards the cupboard which contained the shape-shifting beast. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore opened the knob and the door opened. Out stepped a powerful image of an older darker Lorna who had powerful fire magic sprouting out of her palms. Lorna became scared. She felt like she was seeing the future.

"It's not real," Dumbledore uttered to her. "It's not real. It's not real,"

"Ridiculous!" chanted Lorna. Her boggart transformed into a puppet that spun around.

Much of the class clapped. "Well done," praised her father but Lorna didn't feel relieved. She went to the side of the classroom and watched Newt approach the boggart. It transformed into a desk with lots of books and papers.

"That's an unusual one," observed their teacher. So, Mr Scamander fears what more than anything else in the world?"

An awkward thirteen-year Newt answered, "Having to work in an office, sir,"

The Slytherins except for Leta and the two spiteful Gryffindor girls but Lorna glared darkly at them. She despised anyone who made fun of the people she cared about.

"Go ahead, Newt,"

A scared Newt raised his wand. "Riddikulus!" The desk and its items formed together to form a dragon who roared out paper everything it opened its mouth.

"Well done," Dumbledore and the class were impressed. "Good job. Leta?"

Leta couldn't step forward. She was scared. He gently touched her shoulders and led her forward. "It's only a Boggart, it can't hurt you. Everyone's scared of something," he sympathised.

"'ve been looking forward to this," the blonde Gryffindor girl named Jess cackled.

Leta looked at the dragon before it magically elevated into the air transforming into a falling piece of falling cloth. The room darkened and as everyone watched the falling piece of material ascend down to them, they saw something hidden behind the covers like a child.

Leta gasped out nervously. Then she rushed out of the room in tears.

"Leta!" Dumbledore cried out. He turned to Lorna and Newt. "Go get her,"

Newt and Lorna tried to catch up to Leta but she was quicker than them. They searched in all their hiding places but she was nowhere to be seen. They went outside and flew down to the shores of the Great Lake near the castle. There they found her sitting on a boulder crying. They approached her gently. She heard their soft footsteps.

"I don't want to talk about it," she said quickly.

Lorna and Newt shared mild expressions. They wondered what they could do to make her feel better. Newt got an idea. He offered a soft hand to Leta and she took it. They led her to a tall tree not far from the lake. Inside a round hall, they saw little stickmen crawling out of it. They were excited to see Newt. "They know me, or they'd hide," he raised a palm for one to climb on.

"Have you given them a name yet?" Lorna asked, knowing his keen desire to become the world's first Magizoologist, discover more magical creatures and give them names.

"Bowtruckles. They only nest in trees with wand-quality wood," he explained. "And they have very complex social lives,"

Leta watched him closely.

"If you watch them for long enough, you realize," Newt gently grazed her raised palm with his. The Bowtruckle climbed on and Leta looked into his small black beady eyes, forgetting all the trauma she had felt inside that classroom.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to Leta. But we're here for you," Lorna promised reassuringly.

Leta glimpsed at her and as a tear fell, she nodded.

Lorna pursed her lips for a second. "Can I show you two something? It's something…I just discovered I could do it," They nodded. Standing a little back, she unravelled her palms and fire appeared magically. Her audience gazed wide-eyed at her. She wasn't using a wand. She twirled around in circles making the fire dance with her. She circled her hands over and around her head, putting on a beautiful fire-dancing performance. To their amazement, she didn't burn anything nor did she set something on fire. Leta wondered if she had practised this performance just to show her to make her feel happy and not alone as almost everyone in Hogwarts seemed to set out to do. The fire bender ended with a curtsy and Leta and Newt clamped.

"That was brilliant," Leta praised.

"How did you do that?" Newt asked.

"I have no idea. I know it's to do with what I am, where I come from," Lorna said down, her head hung. Leta and Newt exchanged solemn faces. They both knew that Lorna was adopted, how she had appeared to Newt out of the sky…but neither he nor she had any clue as to where she came from or what she was. "It's important no one else knows about this. Otherwise, they'd think I'm a freak,"

"We won't tell anyone," Leta promised.

"Don't call yourself a freak," said Newt. "What you did was really amazing,"

"Just as amazing as you wanting to be a Magizoologist," said Leta. "Tell me how is your book of notes coming along,"

Newt's smile fell. "I think I'm going to give up on that. I don't think I can be a Magizoologist,"

Lorna stared at him tensely. "Why?"

"My brother and mother don't think this is an exceptional career to pursue. They don't think it would get me anywhere in life,"

"That's your choice. You have to do something in life that makes you happy. If you let go of that passion, your heart will die along with it,"

"Lorna's right Newt. You can't let anyone telling want to do. And besides, you'd work much better with animals than with other wizards," Leta remembered how gentle he was holding that raven chick. And how those little Bowtruckles like the one who had now climbed onto her shoulder reacted whenever he was around them. "Except us of course,"

Newt thought about what his best friends said for a moment. Their faith in him formed a curvy line with his lips. "As long as we all have each other, we can do anything,"

The girls smiled at him and they shared one big warm group hug.

Lorna sat in her room looking at the picture of herself, Leta, and Newt when they were young. She dreaded that terrible day when Newt was expelled and her friendship with Leta ended. After all those years of comforting and defending one another. Lorna was so angry at Leta for not heeding her advice that she felt like she couldn't be around her anymore. And Leta was so angry at her because to her it seemed like it was all right to just let all those mean tormentors antagonise her for being an unwanted child. Lorna was hurt that she felt that way. She really did care.

She placed the picture down and looked down at Newt's book. She feared for him and Tom. She wondered what they were now doing in Paris. Were they alive? Were they safe? She dreaded to think of what Travis would do them, to Tom…if he found them. And Theseus. Would he support his arrogant boss? Or finally, stand up for his family?

She heard loud knocks on the door. But she didn't turn. Her father entered inside. He sighed seeing her so upset as she sat at her desk. "It's time to head over for lessons,"

"I'll be right there," Lorna's voice was low, with no optimistic character at all.

Dumbledore pulled out a chair and sat beside her glimpsing worriedly into her turned face. "I hate seeing you like this," No word was said. "I know you're worried about Newt. I'm worried as you are. But we can't lose hope,"

"It's not just that," the memory from her third year flashed in the mind of her shut eyes. "That Boggart from that day..."

"That wasn't you. And it never will be you,"

"What if Travis is right to think I'm a supporter of Grindelwald? What if I become like him? But worse?" Lorna's eyes fell into her palms sparking little flickers of fire.

"Lorna…" Dumbledore clasped her shoulder she would turn to see his eyes. "You are nothing like Grindelwald. You don't seek power like him. You see peace and protection for the ones you care about. Don't neglect who you are,"

Lorna inhaled deeply then exhaled out slowly through her nose. "I should be using my powers to help them. I can't hide them like an Obscurial has to,"

"You know you can't use them in public," said Dumbledore. "If they took you away from me, I would never forgive myself,"

Lorna looked into his wet eyes. Blinking back the tears, she nodded and stood up, grabbing her bags, and leaving the room. Dumbledore sighed out deeply then followed after her.

So Lorna has unique pyrokinetic abilities. I wonder why. We'll have to wait and find out. I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter. See you all soon.