Majo Kon-ki The Marriage of Tanya the Witch
(The marriage chronicles of a witch)
Arc 2 - Chamber of Secrets – part 2
August, AD1992, The Lovegood residence/The Quibbler
"Please Harry, have more tea." Pandora Lovegod offered while smiling.
"O-okay. Thank you."
"Where I was? Ah, the secret of creating a new spell…"
Harry wished Ron would hurry back from his gnome hunting as he was feeling very uncomfortable around Pandora Lovegood. Not that she was a bad person, it was very far from it, she was as nice as Mrs Weasley and much less noisy.
It's just that she is so pretty and her features are so much like Tanya's that Harry felt like he was looking at the older Tanya from the mirror of erised.
"Will Tanya become a beautiful woman like her?" Harry gave a smile at this thought but…
'… the first to ever bring aGIRLFRIEND home!' The boy groaned remembering the misunderstanding Mrs Wealey made. At the time he was very angry with the older woman, with Ron and with Tanya herself. He kept waiting for the little girl to assure him that there was nothing between her and his best friend, and yet, she just stood there looking weirdly at him.
The next few days were annoying, Harry was fond of the Weasleys, but every time the old woman tried to pair up Tanya with Ron or any of the other boys, he again felt that same irritation! Not even the Dursleys, Malfoy or even Snape pissed him that much!
And now looking at Mrs Lovegood, he couldn't stop thinking. Once Tanya is older, she would become just as beautiful and draw the attention of many suitors. She will want to marry and have children, and since Harry doesn't see her that way, she would leave him for good.
"Ugh! I don't want that! I don't want anyone taking her from me!"
"… and little Tanya's ideas inspired me, but I promised Xeno and Luna after the accident that I would take it easy. But what do you think about it Harry?"
"Eh? What do I think?" Harry was so lost in thoughts that he wasn't paying any attention. But fortunately, Ron walked back into the kitchen.
"Ahhh! I'm so tired! Gnomes are harder to catch here!"
"Want some tea, dear?" Mrs Lovegood offered.
"Hum? Sure. Thanks."
"Here you- Hum? Wait a bit, I'll make some more." Mrs Lovegood turned to prepare more tea.
"Hey, Harry. Have you noticed how alike Mrs Lovegood and Tanya are?" Ron whispered to him.
"Just alike? No, Luna was like her, this woman was basically an older copy of Tanya."
"You don't think that they are actually mother and daughter? Like, Tanya wanted to come to meet her real mum?"
Harry blinked, Tanya mentioned that her parents were dead but perhaps- No. Wait. Tanya wanted to meet Mr Lovegood, not his wife and besides…
"And who is the father, Ron? Snape? And maybe they abandoned her because she was addicted to polyjuice?" Harry said sarcastically, his eyes throwing daggers at his friend.
"Whoa! Chill mate. It was just an idea-"
"A very stupid idea!"
"Ugh!"
"I already told you and Hermione, don't spread rumors-"
"Harry, Ron… We are leaving…" Tanya showed up and spoke in a somewhat disheartened tone.
And just behind her, came Mr Lovegood.
"Please young lady! You must tell what you know about the Crumple-Horned Snorkack! People deserve to know!"
"I already told you it was a mistake! I never saw this creature!"
"There's no need to-"
"Xeno! Behave yourself! You are scaring our guests."
"But Pandora-"
"XENO!"
Mrs Lovegood made such a scowl that her husband took a seat straight away and remained silent. The way she changed her serene face to an angry one also reminded Harry of Tanya. Ron's argument was starting to make much sense.
"Please sweetie, don't mind Xeno. He can be very passionate about the things he likes, but he means no harm. Here, have some tea."
"Actually, it would be better if we leave, Mrs Weasley asked us to not return too late." Harry again noticed Tanya's gloomy look.
Luna chose that moment to come back into the kitchen.
"Look Ron. I put them in cages but promise to let them go once you are home, okay?"
"Thanks for the tea Mrs Lovegood, it was delicious." Harry shared Tanya's wish to leave, and now that Ron had his gnomes, there was no need to delay.
"You are leaving already? Let me show you the Spectrespecs before you go!" Luna picked up a strange pair of glasses.
"Sorry, maybe another time-" Harry tried to give an excuse.
"Look! You put it like this and then you can see wrackspurts!"
"Can see what?"
"Wrackspurts. You know, they made your head go all fuzzy- Ah! Tanya you have a swarm around you!"
"Afff… Do I?"
"Yes and- Huh?"
"Something wrong Luna?"
"Tanya, are you a boy?"
"Eh?" Harry thought he heard something like that before.
"Wrackspurts of this color go after males, but the ones of this size go after grown up men. Could it be that you are drinking polyjuice to look like a girl?"
"L-Luna?! That's a very rude thing to say!" Her mother immediately admonished her.
Tanya opened her mouth to say something, but then just brushed it off.
"Err, Luna, believe me. Tanya is just exactly like this. If she drank polyjuice, by now everyone at school would know." Ron offered a bit of his own experience in this matter.
"A creative mind can always find a way. The wrackspurts never lie-"
"Sweetheart, this is just a prototype your father put together. It may be faulty. Right, Xeno?"
"Oh, yes, everything you say honey." Mr Lovegood didn't seem to truly hear what his wife said as he was still staring at Tanya.
"Thank you for your hospitality." Tanya said walking out of the house. Rather than angry, she looked very tired.
"Wait! Before you go, please tell me what you know-"
"Darling, please refold that list of yours before it takes over the house like last time."
"Eh? Ah!" By the words of his wife, Mr Lovegood seemed to remember an urgent matter and ran back into the house.
The boys bid their farewells and followed after Tanya.
They were all silently walking back to the burrow, until Ron came closer to Tanya.
"Sorry again about what I said. You know, about you being an old wizard. Now that I heard from 'Loony', I see how crazy it sounded!"
This didn't seem to make her feel better, on the contrary, she seemed to be in a worse mood and just sighed hard.
"It's a shame things aren't moving forward, Tanya." Mr Weasley said once they arrived in Diagon Alley. They had come from the headquarters of the Ministry of Magic, where Tanya paid a visit to the department of mysteries to see how the study of her theories was progressing. The researchers were apologetic to inform they'd run into a few bureaucrat issues and just barely begun to study some of her simpler ideas.
"I believe what is holding down your research is the bigoted way most wizards think. It's lamentable, but a study that aims to mix magic with muggle technology may be frowned upon by many influential members of our society."
"In other words, it's a political matter. Do you think they could shut it down?"
"Definitively no! I read your article repeatedly, it's undeniable the benefits it would bring to our everyday life. To completely disregard it would be a political suicide, any adversary could use it against Fudge during elections."
"I see…" Tanya had to suppress her chuckle.
Finally some good news! Tanya expected- no, counted on such obstacles. It would be problematic to have her study finished when she was still a student. No, she needed it to be delayed for the next six years. After all, the true purpose of this project was to guarantee a high paying job if the hallows were not found yet.
It always feels good when a plan works. This at least took her mind from the useless visit to the Lovegoods!
"No,it wasn't completely useless. Now that I know that family, I must find the hallows without dying once!" Tanya felt the determination to not die flare on her. There was no way she would become that nutcase's daughter!
"Are you alright, dear? You seem lost in thoughts."
"Yes, I am fine. Just thinking that as long as they don't shut down the research completely, I may be able to work something out once I graduate."
"That's the spirit!"
The duo reached Gringotts bank and were welcomed by a worried looking Mrs Weasley.
"Molly? Something wrong?"
"W-well, it may be nothing…"
Mrs Weasley explained about Harry saying the wrong name when using the floo.
"H-Harry is LOST IN THE FLOO NETWORK?!"
"P-please, sweetie! He shouldn't be too far! Fred and George used it to come here before, and in those cases, the person always arrives in a place not too far."
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT BOY?! Can't I be away for just a few hours without him getting into trouble?! Is it so much to ask?!"
"Let's keep calm, he will surely appear… eventually."
"You don't know him! With his luck, he could be with Voldemort right now!"
"Tanya! Don't say that name!"
"Wait! 'His luck'! Tell me, what is the most frightening place around here?"
"Oh! That is easy, it would be Knockturn Alley." Mr Weasley said pointing to the direction.
"But a little girl shouldn't-" Tanya didn't wait for them to finish, she activated her flying spell and was already going there.
"WAIT! TANYA! THAT PLACE IS DANGEROUS!"
"I know it is dangerous, why the hell do you think I am going?"
Tanya didn't fly too high, afraid to draw too much attention. Arriving at the entrance of Knockturn Alley she wondered where exactly to begin her search.
"Lets try mana detection again!" Tanya closed her eyes. Just like in that quidditch game, she concentrated on a specific mana signature. This could be very hard since most wizards were categorized as 'nameds' by the definition of her former world. Meaning, it was difficult to look for a specific wizard. But Tanya, by now, had already memorized Harry's signature, afraid that something like this could happen.
After less than a minute, Tanya's eyes shot open.
"Found you!"
"… Knockturn Alley of all places! Merlin knows what would have happened if Hagrid hadn't found you, young lady!"
Harry watched, with Ron and Hermione, Mrs Weasley giving an earful to Tanya.
Now that their business at Gringotts was finished, most of the group split to do their own things. Harry with his two friends wished to eat ice cream, and at the mention of the word, Tanya wished to go too, but Mrs Weasley said she still had to put more sense in her little blond head and basically dragged the girl with her and Ginny to a second-hand robe shop.
Tanya glanced in Harry's direction and he wondered if she wished to be saved or to tell him to not get in trouble while she was away.
"Ahhh! Once again, she saved me!" Harry thought embarrassed.
Tanya found Harry almost at the same time he left Borgin and Burkes, just as an old witch holding a tray of human fingernails approached him. Like when they first met, she descended from the skies and stood protective in front of him. The old witch didn't feel discouraged and turned her attention to the newcomer, but before her hand could even draw closer to the girl, Tanya took her wand and… Well, let's just say that the aged witch left with more fingers in her tray and less in her hand. Shortly afterwards, Hagrid showed up and brought the two children back to Gringotts. The Weasley couple was happy to see Harry unharmed, especially Mr Weasley after he told him what Malfoy's father was doing in the dark shop.
"I hope she doesn't make up that it was me who shopped off that woman's fingers. I already have my hands full being a troll killer and the one who drove off Quirrell!" Yes. Just like Tanya placed all the responsibility of the troll onto Harry, she also declared at the end of the year that Harry was the one who fought Quirrell. The excuse was the same…
"She is so brave and strong. Why doesn't she want to become an auror?"
"I must say Ron, your mother looks nice… and a little scary." Hermione said.
"My mum is scary?! Then hear this…"
Ron told how a few nights ago, Tanya 'murdered' the gnomes infesting the Weasley garden.
"Tanya did WHAT?!" At the end of the story, Hermione was staring at him with eyes and mouth wide open.
"B-but, why?!"
"Because Harry was grounded with us and would only be free after they were dealt with."
There was immediately a change in the expressions of the children. Ron looked annoyed, Harry blushed furiously and Hermione had the dreamy look that only came out when she talked about Harry and Tanya's 'love story'.
"I can't condone such barbarism. But, let's admit, it was an intense demonstration of love!" Hermione said fighting to not giggle.
"Intense demonstration of love? Are you mental?! What if her next intense demonstration of love is cursing my family?!"
"Well, as long as they don't get in the way of their love there will be no danger."
Harry listened to the exchange between his two friends in silence. He still hoped that Tanya liked him as a friend or maybe a brother. But Hermione was already convinced they were soul mates! So, why bother contradicting her?
"I will warn Ginny again. I just wonder how mum and dad will react when they find out we don't need to de-gnome our garden ever again."
"If that is a problem, why not find more gnomes?" Hermione suggested.
Both boys groaned.
"We already tried that, but it didn't work. I reckon they could smell their dead friends and just ran away."
Harry couldn't help thinking that this was the reason Tanya didn't want to be an auror. Even outside a perilous job she already proved to be 'deadly' efficient!
An hour later, after enjoying their ice cream and spending some time just looking around, they headed to Flourish and Blotts.
Harry noticed his two friends now silently staring at him.
"Harry, at King cross you said you were going to sort out your feelings about Tanya. Have you reached a conclusion?"
"Pfff, you are going to love what he decided!" Ron snorted.
"Y-yeah! I like- No. I love her. Like a sister and nothing more."
"You say that with a straight face? After accusing me of fancying her?!"
"Harry you- Wait. Why would Harry think you fancy Tanya, Ron?!" Hermione had an accusing tone asking him.
Ron explained the misconception his mother made. Still, this only made Hermione deep her frown.
"W-why does everyone get angry with only me?! It was all mum's fault!"
Hermione sighed and turned back to Harry.
"If that's what you feel… When will you tell her?"
"Huh? Do I have to? I kind of wish for things to remain as they are."
"Harry! That's so selfish!"
No, Harry was just afraid. Afraid that she liked him that much and his feelings were seen as a rejection and thus…
"What if she wants a boyfriend and leaves me?!"
"It's her choice, besides, she has more than one motivation to find a boyfriend."
"What do you mean?"
"She once told me that her caretakers plan to find her a husband after she graduates."
"WHAT?!"
"She has to find someone worthy or they will choose one for her."
Harry suddenly felt a mix of panic and irritation.
"First Mrs Weasley and now… Is it just me or does everyone want to either marry us or separate us?"
"So, I'll say it again: If you really love her, make your claim before someone else comes along."
"B-but, like who?"
"Well, maybe- GILDEROY LOCKHART?!"
"Who?!"
"Merlin! He is here today?!"
Harry looked at the front of Flourish and Blotts. A large banner was proclaiming one Gilderoy Lockhart would be signing copies of his autobiography. The boy also noticed a large crowd of witches pushing to get inside.
"Oh! I can meet him!"
"Wait, Hermione! We were talking, you know, about Tanya and someone coming along?"
"And I think I already gave an answer. Gilderoy Lockhart! Once Tanya has her eyes on him, she will surely fall in love!"
"Ehhhhh?"
"Sorry, Harry. You lost your chance."
"Don't touch him!" Tanya said, grabbing the arm of Gilderoy Lockhart before he could reach Harry.
"Ouch! Now, now, my dear! It's not nice to grab someone by force. I know you must be dying to have a handshake but this is not the way a proper lady should act."
"The hell is this clown talking about?"
What happened was that Tanya arrived at Flourish and Blotts after taking a long sermon from Mrs Weasley. The place was packed since there was a special event where a celebrity would be giving signatures. And yet, Molly Weasley was ecstatic to meet this person.
Tanya picked the books she would be buying and was making her way to Harry once he entered the book store with Ron and Hermione. But when a photographer blocked her path, she panicked, wondering if he was the one who took her picture last year. The one who looked so much like Loria. She was relieved when confirming it was not him, in truth, the man had no resemblance with that pig. Still, being reminded of that incident left her on edge and distracted, and she reacted by impulse when someone tried to grab Harry.
"TANYA! Let go of him! He only wished to take a picture with Harry!" Hermione pleaded with her.
"Ah! I-is that so?" Regaining her senses, Tanya released the man.
"Please mister Lockhart! Forgive her. Sometimes, Tanya can be very protective of Harry."
"Oh! No! It's alright! In truth, I could have freed myself anytime, but was afraid of hurting such a cute little bodyguard!" He said flashing his teeth to the crowd which reacted by applauding such 'chivalry' act.
Tanya, on her part, was confused. Why was this clown so popular?
"Now if you allow me to have Mister Potter for a few- Hold on a second! I know you! You are Tanya Degurechaff!"
"Do we know each other?"
"Of course I know you! I could never forget my rival!"
"He have some grudge against me?!"
"You cost me my fifth ward as Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile!"
"Haaaaa?!"
"W-when I did that? I don't remember ever winning such a thing."
"Tanya, did you forget? That picture last year." Harry whispered to her.
"Ah! Of course! That man said I was certain to win some stupid prize."
Lockhart seemed upset at how she disregarded his precious award. But he regained his composure and smiled brightly at the crowd.
He came closer to Tanya and whispered to her.
"Not bad! Insinuating such a great award is beneath you! I can see you know how to play this 'game'! You are a worthy rival indeed!"
"Eh?"
"Let's go down to business, shall we? What do you want in trade to let me take a picture with your 'protégé'? Perhaps you want to appear in the picture too?"
Now she was certain he was a clown. Or more specific, a stupid slave of his own vanity.
"Listen, I don't…" Tanya glanced at her list of books.
"I want eight sets of your collection to me and my companions-"
"Nine." Mrs Weasley said behind her.
"O-okay. For nine sets Harry is all yours."
"Hey! Don't I have any say in this?" Harry groaned.
"Oh, a little expensive but, as I always say: celebrity is as celebrity does!"
He begrudgingly accepted, but seemed very pleased as the photographer took lots of pictures. Mrs Weasley also was delighted to not need to spend so much with the books and for getting her personal collection to boot.
Tanya was busy checking her new books when Lockhart announced he was going to be the new defense against the dark arts teacher. This made the girl forget about everything, like earlier, she activated her mana detection to see if there was any similarity between him and Quirrell.
She frowned as Lockhart not only didn't have that 'dark' signature she felt from Voldemort and his host but he was actually weaker than most wizards. Not to say, the back of his head didn't seem any unusual.
"What could Dumbledore be planning this year by hiring this moron?" Tanya couldn't get what was in the head of the headmaster. But it was understandable that this year she would need to teach Harry self defense, as this idiot was unlikely to know any useful spell.
"Well, aA moron is much better than a murderer. Of course, I will still watch Harry very closely-" She realized Harry was not taking pictures or besides her.
"Where that brat disappeared to this time- Oh! There he is with Ginny and… Malfoy?"
Lucius Malfoy was very pleased with himself the moment he took the battered book from the girl's cauldron.
"Now, I just have to put it back together with master's diary!" It was so easy that he almost could stand the muggles, the mudbloods and the blood traitor in front of him.
"We have a very different idea of-"
"Is something wrong here?" A very short little girl interrupted his argument with Arthur Weasley.
"Tanya?" He heard Harry Potter say, and the girl, Tanya, immediately walked to him, her stance seemed to display protection or maybe affection.
"Hum? Who is this?"
"Oh! You must be Draco's father!" Immediately the girl bowed in a gesture of greeting.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Tanya Degurechaff. Your son's classmate."
"Tanya Degurechaff? Draco never talked about her."
"I never heard of a Degurechaff before."
"That's because I have no family and by the little I know about my parents, I am the first to turn out a witch."
"Humpf! So she is just another mudblood!" He smirked.
"Be thankful to 'this girl' Arthur, she saved you from embarrassing yourself. Finally some benefit from making friends with her 'people'." He said looking down at the girl.
"You don't insult little Tanya! Her great ideas will finally change our world for the better, bigoted people like you have their days numbered!"
"You dare threaten me-"
Lucius felt the trembling hands of his son touch his arm.
"D-dad! We should go."
"Hum? Is Draco scared? Why?"
"Mr Malfoy, I can see you are a civilized and intelligent man, certainly, you realize that there is no benefit in making a scene here."
Her tone was very polite and mature, and yet, there was something else in there. Something very familiar.
"Here girl!" he returned the book of the Weasley girl, with his little 'present'. But his pride wouldn't allow him to leave before putting both the filthy mudblood and Potter in their place.
"And Potter, remember what happened with your father when he choose to associate with a low-born such as-"
"Cease your provocations. Believe me when I say that you don't want any hostility to happen between us."
Lucius felt a shiver run down his back. The girl was glaring at him with eyes so cold that seemed to freeze his very soul. Instinctively he knew it was time to leave.
"W-where have I seen those eyes before?"
Lucius made his retreat without saying anything. He chose to forget his pride and trust the instincts that saved his life more than once.
The older Malfoy took his son by his arm and walked as fast as he could. Not feeling safe until he was at least a few blocks distant from the Degurechaff girl.
"Draco! Who was that girl? Why have you never mentioned her?" His son gave him a thorough report of all of Potter's friends, except her.
"W-well…" Draco summarized the facts he knew about Tanya Degurechaff. Like how Potter had a liking towards her to the point to even risk his life to protect her from a mountain troll. She was a favorite of Severus Snape even without being a Slytherin and his son had the stupid idea that he was secretly her father. Finally, she was regarded as a bright student having her homework published in a magazine.
"Did you say her homework was published last year?" He was reminded of how last year a group was formed in the department of mysteries to study the theories of a mudblood girl from Hogwarts. Her ideas were abominations! She suggested that wizards could become stronger if they joined their knowledge with the muggles' so-called 'technology'. Needless to say that he took his complaints to Fudge, who shared his concerns but said it could be risky for his career if he shelved the project right away. Instead, he promised to keep the research stalled in bureaucratic hell until it was totally forgotten.
Lucius originally thought this was just a publicity stunt to promote mudbloods, most likely orchestrated by Dumbledore. However, now that he met the author, he wondered if there wasn't something else at work.
"Draco! Why have you never mentioned-"
"BECAUSE SHE CREEPS ME OUT, ALRIGHT?"
"Wha-"
"The way she looks at me… I-it's like she is looking at a bug- no, she makes me think I really am an insignificant insect, and if I ever think otherwise, she will crush me just to prove her point."
"!" At the mention of his son's observation, Lucius finally remembered who had such eyes. The eyes of someone who simply KNEW was your beter! And if you were foolish enough to refute this fact, only the most painful death waited!
"Is she really a mudblood? C-could master and my abhorrent sister-in-law actually- No! She doesn't look like Bellatrix or the dark lord. Draco said Severus Snape favored her… Does he know something? Or is he justafraid of her?" Lucius knew too little about Tanya Degurechaff. He needed more information to decide if she would turn out to be an enemy or an ally.
"Draco, NEVER antagonize that girl! Keep some distance from her, but watch closely. From now on I want to know everything. Do you understand?"
The young Malfoy just nodded his head.
Garrick Ollivander was almost closing for the day when five children entered his shop. Two of them he recognized. The girl is vine and dragon heartstring, ten and three quarter inches, slightly yielding, also known as Hermione Granger. The boy is holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple, mostly famously known as Harry Potter. But the three other children he didn't know, and by the time of the year, at least one was here to buy a wand.
Ollivander reckoned it was the red-haired little girl as she appeared to be of the proper age. The red-haired boy locked a bit older but perhaps it was just looks. But the little blond girl seemed too young to go to a magical school yet.
"Good afternoon. What can I do for you?"
"Good afternoon Mr Ollivander." Miss vine and dragon heartstring was the first to greet him, following for all the other children.
"My two friends here need wands." The girl said pointing to the other two girls.
"Indeed? And what about you young man?" Ollivander referred to the older looking boy.
"Me? I already have a wand, it was my brother's." The boy took the wand and the maker immediately recognized it.
"Ash and unicorn hair, twelve inches, flexible. A little beat-up, nonetheless the wand of Mr Charles Weasley. But he traded it for an apple and dragon heartstring, thirteen and three quarter inches, solid two years ago."
The children looked awed by his knowing by heart the wands and their owners. They always did.
"Now I remember. He mentioned he would give his old wand to his young brother. A Mr Ronald Weasley?" As the boy nodded, the old man immediately made a mental note to remember that he is now Mr ash and unicorn hair, twelve inches, flexible.
"Which young lady will be choosing first?"
The red-haired girl came forward.
"H-hi. I am Ginny- Ginevra Molly Weasley."
Ollivander started to work as he drew his tape measure with silver markings. After a thoughtful measure, he believed knowing which wand should go to her.
"Here. Try this one. Yew and dragon heartstring, ten and a half inches, surprisingly swishy."
The young girl raised the wand and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from it. Meaning that from now on she would be Miss yew and dragon heartstring, ten and a half inches, surprisingly swishy.
As the girl paid the seven galleons, he boxed and wrapped the wand for her.
"Thank you very much for your patronage. Now, I reckon it's your turn?"
"Nice to meet you. I am Tanya, Tanya Degurechaff."
"If you allow me to ask Miss Degurechaff, aren't you too young to have a wand?"
His answer was just a glare from her.
"Err, sir. Tanya is the same age as me." Mr holly and phoenix feather explained.
"Is that so? You are going to your second year?"
The petite girl nodded her head.
"I believe professor Snape already paid for one last year?"
"Oh! He did, indeed!" Ollivander recalled how professor ebony and unicorn hair, ten inches, reasonably supple paid for a wand to be taken by one of the new Hogwarts students, but she never came.
Just as he did with Miss yew and dragon heartstring, Ollivander measured her hand and arm and gave a wand for her to try.
"Now, just wave-" Ollivander didn't finish as her wave emitted a powerful blast and opened a hole in the wall… just a few inches from his head.
"No. Let's try another. This one!"
Ollivander handed her another wand and this time made a small request.
"Raise it over your head before waving, please."
Tanya did as she was told, and again a powerful blast was cast. It hit the old chandelier of the store and like last time, it fell just a few inches from where Mr Ollivander was standing.
Being a proud professional, Ollivander was able to keep his cool. However, he had to admit that he was becoming concerned with this pattern.
"L-let's try this one next-"
"Hold on!" Miss vine and dragon heartstring called out.
"W-wait until we take cover first, right?" She explained and all the children took cover behind a shelf.
"Please, that's not necessary, she will certainly take this one."
Eight wands later and also eight attempts against the old wizard's life, Ollivander was beginning to think that this girl was sent by a rival wand maker to take him out of business or even kill him. By now, his store had more holes than a Swiss cheese and he was uneasy with the noise the roof was making after she hit the main support.
"Maybe we should stop here, I can keep using-"
"No! No one has ever left this store without a proper wand! It would be like spitting in the memory of my wand-making ancestors!"
"O-okay."
Now it was Ollivander's pride that was at stake! Just like with Mr holly and phoenix feather, he brought one of the 'unusual' wands he kept in the back.
"Now try it. This one shall work."
"P-please, sir! Someone could die if-"
"I bet my family's store this one will work!"
Ollivander was very confident as he interrupted Mr ash and unicorn hair.
"What a strange color for a wand." The girl noticed that this wand was milk white.
"Can I really try it?"
Mr Ollivander just nodded, his eyes full of confidence.
"You can even point to myself!"
"Fine, the funeral is yours."
As the girl took the wand, the wand maker saw her blink for a moment and then smile. The signal that she found her partner. She pointed at him and he saw the brightest stream of red and gold in his entire life, it seemed like it had become morning inside the store.
"Amazing! I thought it was stupidity to choose between sticks when they were all the same but I was wrong. I feel like I can trust my life to this wand!"
"I am very happy you are pleased. I will box it for you… when my vision returns."
"Blimey! It's finally over. Is it just me, or does it look like Tanya always has to take a sweet time in any choosing?" He heard Mr ash and unicorn hair say.
"Mr Ollivander. You didn't say what wand is this." This time, it was miss vine and dragon heartstring.
"That's is a wand made of silver lime with unicorn hair as core, with length of eleven and a quarter inches, slightly springy. A highly sought after wand, not only because of their appearance but also for their reputation of performing better with 'mysterious arts' users."
"Mysterious arts?"
"Magic that we still don't fully comprehend, like the seer ability."
"Then it will work well for you, Tanya! You already had some good ideas for new magic!"
"But, why is it white?"
"That was an anomaly. For some reason, the wood became clear white-milk when matched with its core. I even nicknamed it 'the white silver lime wand'."
Ollivander's vision returned in time for him to see the girl, now Miss 'white' silver lime and unicorn hair, gaping.
"Wait a moment! This wand is called WHITE SILVER lime? Really?!"
"Yes."
She became silent with a thoughtful expression.
"Mr Ollivander, did you notice something unusual when you made this wand? Besides the color, of course."
"Unusual? Like what?"
"Did you have a strange dream where someone told you how to make it? Did it feel like you were 'enlightened by divine revelation'?"
"No, no such thing."
"Okay, and just to make sure, I don't need to pray to activate the wand right?"
"Pray? No, you just need to chant, unless you know how to cast non verbal spells."
"Hum… Is it just a coincidence?"
"Miss Degurechaff. Just enlighten me on something. Which wand have you been using?"
The little girl picked a wand he never expected or even wished to see again.
"This one. I never had any problem with it but professor-"
"W-why do you have this wand?!"
"Eh?"
"Red oak with dragon heartstring as core, with length of eleven and three quarters, quite bendy. It was nicknamed the devil wand!"
"Huh? Because it's red?"
"No! Because it's very dangerous! For some reason it never truly accepts an owner, and almost all wizards and witches who took it had accidents, fatal accidents! No one lasts a year with it!" Ollivander never before regretted making a wand before that one. But now that it was back in his store, he would definitively destroy it, to make sure no one was ever hurt again!
"But this wand has been with me for almost five years now."
"W-what?! Please let me see it!"
Ollivander inspected the wand carefully. No matter how much he searched, he could not find the 'aura of misfortune' it originally emitted. It was like it finally was content with an owner. Maybe she shouldn't have traded it after all. Just, who is this little girl?
"Miss Degurechaff. I would recommend you to get rid of it, but it looks kind of 'happy' with you. So I ask for you to swap wands from time to time and warn me if anything bad ever happens."
"Answer me this. Where did its materials come from?"
"Both the wood and the dragon who gave its core were very unusual. The dragon was a Liondragon found mostly in China and Japan. Yet, someday, it mysteriously turned up in Düsseldorf, Germany and had to be shot down after trying to burn the city down. He fell dead exactly over the tree whose wood I used. It was a solitary Red Oak that also mysteriously managed to grow in the middle of a river."
"Let me guess, it was the RHINE river?"
"Yes. Your guess is correct."
"Great. Just great! I have both the WHITE SILVER and the DEVIL OF RHINE wand!"
"How did you get that wand, Tanya?" Mr holly and phoenix feather asked.
"W-well…"
"This wand belonged to Mr Edward Hesketh. He got a promotion at his job and wanted a 'powerful looking' wand to go with it. I was trying to find a good spot to hide this cursed thing when he saw it. I tried to warn him of the danger, but he didn't listen." The wand maker sighed.
"But then again, compared to former owners, he was very fortunate. His job just didn't work out and today he is a gardener."
"And what was his job?"
"He bragged that he was chosen to lead a special team of hit wizards to fight powerful dark arts users. Failed the very first mission he got." Ollivander couldn't help chuckling at the memory.
"Oh, and want to know what he told me a few years ago when I asked about the wand? That it was stolen by an 'acromantula girl'!"
"Hey! We heard this story, right Ron?"
Ollivander saw Mr ash and unicorn trembling very hard.
"Ron?"
"T-the wand was stolen by the acromantula girl a-and Tanya had it?!"
"Hum… Tanya does this mean that you stole the wand from a giant spider?!" Mr holly and phoenix feather clearly reached the wrong conclusion.
Miss white silver lime was just staring hard at each one present.
"Is there any way I can convince you all to forget what was said here?"
"What are you talking about- Ron? What's wrong?" Miss vine and dragon heartstring asked his friend as he seemed to slowly walk towards the exit.
"Don't even think about it, Ron! I am warning you!"
"WAHHH!" Despite the warning, Mr ash and unicorn turned with the obvious intention of running but was hit by a blob of a stick substance and ended up glued to a wall.
"Tanya what are you doing- AH?!" Likewise, Miss vine and dragon heartstring was also glued to a wall.
And as fast as a lightning bolt, the young girl had also Ollivander and Miss yew and dragon heartstring trapped in what he now recognized as some sort of spider web.
"T-TANYA! What are you doing?!" Mr holly and phoenix feather, now the only free child, asked.
"Watch the door Harry, make sure no unexpected visit bothers us."
"EHHH?"
"Now, before you all promise to never mention that story ever again… Mr Ollivander will tell me anything he may have forgotten to say about those two wands."
AN: Hum… The final part with Ollivander was kind of too long, but I really had fun writing him as someone who refers to people by the wands they have.
What you guys thought of the wands I choose for her? The WHITE SILVER lime and the DEVIL OF RHINE red oak wands? I also took some liberties with other characters wands. A few years ago, I wished to make a Harry Potter fanfic and imagined wands for almost the entire cast.
Next chapter, Tanya vs the Whomping Willow
Reviews:
Ocansino: Sorry, no taxi system. And Luna will pester Tanya in an unexpected way.
RedOuroboros: Thank you.
Setokayba2n: You are right, Tanya would have called the police or the social service, but I kind of forgot someone could do that… But thank you, I will work an excuse later.
Lubber: the events with Ginny will be basically the same as the book.
Alexc123: Thank you, Tanya realizing that her plan crumbled is always funny.
DeathAdder47117: Thank you, I am really happy you liked the chapter. And yes, I read "Tanya the Holy". I really wished the author had developed a bit the circumstances of their marriage. In truth, it kind of inspired me to make a story where the main topic was Tanya's wedding.
EricFreak: Thank you. The idea was to make something different. Usually people like to put Tanya together with Visha, but I wished for something more original.
SkyChaser17: Thank you.