Chapter 3
I awoke to the screaming of portraits. I missed them the previous night when Tonks woke them up but now they were all I could hear.
It took all of half a minute to get down there, pull the stupid curtain off the portrait and begin my own screaming at it.
"IT IS THREE IN THE FUCKING MORNING!" I shouted at it.
The portrait looked shocked to be screamed at.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP OR I'LL RIP THE PAINT RIGHT OFF YOU!"
I was very much fed up with life at the moment.
I heard a snort and saw it was Sirius, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.
"Finally someone else told the old bat to shut up," He said. "She always does this when people come back. I think she's chastised enough."
"She better be," I scowled. "I was having a perfectly nice sleep until this crone woke me up."
He laughed, "I think she woke everyone up. Come on."
The rest of the night was quiet.
)()()(
By the next morning, the portraits were a little quieter but the old crone still screamed her head off as soon as someone approached her hallway.
I took a long knife and a step stool, setting it up at her portrait.
"I warned you," I said, bringing up the knife.
She blanched, turning whiter than she already was. I got one nick in the corner of her portrait before I looked her in the eyes.
"Are you going to be quiet now?" I asked her, fiddling with the knife in hand. "Because otherwise, I will be slicing this portrait until nothing is left. And that goes to all of the portraits."
"Fine!"
"Good," I smiled, putting the knife and stool away.
Mrs Weasley was in the kitchen as I put the knife in its place, quickly shoving a spray bottle at me.
"There's an infestation of Doxies in one of the living rooms," She said like she expected me not to know about them. "Just spray whatever moves."
"No,"
"What do you mean no?"
"I'm not cleaning," I put the bottle down and she shoved it to me again. "Doxies are Magical. I don't do that stuff. I'm not risking a finger."
"Just a spray and help," She hissed. "Just take one and help. Spoiled child."
"Yeah, no," I laughed. "I'm really not helping now. Do it yourself since you're so concerned about them. There's a HouseElf, ask him."
"He doesn't listen to me. He doesn't listen to anyone," Mrs—No, Molly, said.
"Tough luck then,"
She just a shuddering breath in, sounding more like a combusting train than anything else as I left the area she was in.
I found the library. It wasn't very big but it held many interesting titles. I picked one about poisons off the shelves, sitting down on an old armchair before I opened it up. It was a good read.
Sirius popped his head in a couple of hours later, something in his hand, "There's a locket if you want it. None of us can open it with Magic. Thought you ought to try it the Muggle way."
"Cheers," He tossed it over to me. I examined the heavy gold locket. It was certainly enchanting with the way a serpentine S in green jewels on the front.
"Put it on," Silver said from the other side of the sofa and I did. "It suits you."
"I'll open it another day," I said.
)()()(
My trial was right after Harry's. There was no time between them for us to discuss anything. I hurried into the dungeon as soon as Harry had left.
A set of shadowy figures sat on the highest benches of the room, overlooking the area where I would stand. I wasn't alone down here.
Albus Dumbledore stood to one side of the room.
"Miss Viktoria Lilian Potter?" One of the people from the high bench said.
I gulped, "Yes."
"Good," Minister Cornelius Fudge sat in the middle, looking down at me. "Please, don't be alarmed. You're not in any trouble. Take a seat."
There was a chair in the middle of the room, one which had chains on the arms. I sat down, putting my hands in my lap as Silver stood to my left. I didn't want my arms anywhere near the chains.
I could finally see who was on the bench. Fifty Wixen, all dressed in plum-coloured robes and silver Ws on their left breasts. Most of them looked curious about what was going to happen. I was too.
"Let us begin then," Fudge said. "This is the formal hearing of Miss Viktoria Lilian Potter, previously suspected Squib. We are here to discuss whether the Magical incident was a one-time affair or whether Miss Potter should begin attending Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry at her earliest convenience. What do you say, Miss Potter?"
"To be truthful, sir," I said. "I have no clue what I'd even do at Hogwarts. Harry might've explained to me his classes and stuff but I don't even know if I want Magic."
"Young lady, it doesn't matter if you want Magic or not. If it has come to you, it has come," He said. "Even at a later than normal age. The fact we all believed you were a Squib was strange. But the only ones who know who will be Magical from birth is the Hogwarts Ledger of attendance, in which your name was not written. The ledger, however, only accounts for students who would attend Hogwarts as soon as they turn eleven. Do you understand?"
I nodded, "Yes."
"We have a record of you producing a non-corporeal Patronus during the summer. Is that right?"
"If you mean that white ball of light, then yes,"
"And you did it without access to a wand,"
"Yeah," Silver gave me a look. "I mean yes, without a wand."
Fudge made a note before nodding to himself and looking at me again, "Would you be able to produce it again?"
I glanced at Silver, who pursed his lips but nodded.
"Maybe?"
"Is that a yes or no, Miss Potter?"
"I don't know. I've not attempted it since," I said. "I know underage Magic is illegal."
"We will, for this one instance, allow you to try it again," He said. "Now, if you wouldn't mind."
"Of course,"
My heart was in my throat as I rubbed my hands together, trying to concentrate. There was a bubble inside of my chest, quickly turning to a boil as I felt the hot rush of something in my system. It burned my insides as it travelled down my arms, going straight to my palms like it did last time.
Something sparked from my fingertips, something warm as I tried to remember a happy thought.
The memory of Silver rushing my baby mobile above my head came to mind and I used that. His smile was always so sweet but he didn't smile much anymore. I wanted him to smile more, be happy more.
My fingertips burned as a white light came, slowly forming a blueish mist before me. It didn't quite take on a form of an animal but it looked to have a vague figure of four legs and a muzzle.
Fudge hummed in approval, "As the Wizengamot can see, Miss Potter is able to produce a semi-corporal Patronus. It is advanced for her age and considering her lack of teaching so far, I see it fit to have her attend Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All of those in favour, raise your hands."
Over four-fifths of the Wixen lifted their hands.
"And against?"
Only a fifth were raised.
Fudge smiled, "Mr Dumbledore, is the coming academic year appropriate for her attendance."
"It is short notice but I do not see a reason for the young Witch not to attend," Dumbledore finally spoke up. "Provisions will be made so that she can be caught up with her year group, and her OWLs can be adjusted appropriately. If she manages to keep up with the task of learning, she may even be able to take her OWLs at the end of the year. She'll be sorted into a House, following the tradition of transfers, and receive extra support."
"Thank you," Fudge said. "And the final verdict is that Miss Viktoria Lilian Potter is due to attend Hogwarts as of September, nineteen ninety-five. Miss Potter?"
"Yes?" My knee was bouncing as I sat up straight.
I bit the inside of my lip. I was excited but still scared. I didn't know Magic. How was I supposed to learn four years of it in a small time frame?
"You are a Witch," He said. "The Wizengamot is dismissed."
)()()(
"What's the verdict?" Harry asked as soon as I was out of the huge room.
"They said I'm a Witch," I grinned like a fool. "I'm starting Hogwarts in September. You don't…look happy?"
Harry really didn't. He clenched his jaw the way he did when he was pissed but he quickly stopped and smiled.
"No, I'm happy for you," He said but I knew he was lying. "I just didn't think you'd be a Witch after so long of us thinking you weren't."
"Well done, Viktoria," Arthur said. He was the truthful one out of them. He genuinely looked happy for me. "Come on, I'll drop you both back off home so you can tell the others."
We stayed a moment longer, letting the Wizengamot members pass us without comment.
We began the trek up the stairs. We didn't talk a lot but as soon as we reached the ninth-level corridor, someone approached us.
"Well, isn't it Patronus Potter,"
"Lucius Malfoy," Silver informed me. "He and Harry, they get along less than Dudley and Harry. That's saying something."
I tried not to laugh at his comment, hiding it behind a soft huff.
The tall blond man approached us slowly, "The Minister was just telling me about your lucky escape, Potter. Quite astonishing, the way you continue to wriggle out of very tight holes… This must be your sister. Yes, the Ministry informed me of the miraculous situation she's in. I do hope she does better than you with her attempts with Magic."
I could sense the disdain Harry had for this man.
"I'll be trying my best," I firmly said.
Lucius Malfoy just gave me a once-over before returning to speak to the Minister.
)()()(
The portraits didn't scream, didn't even make a peep as I was woken up early one day and told to dress.
Bill Weasley was to take me to get my stuff sorted for school. Everyone else had their standard things already but I needed to get everything from scratch.
"We'll grab money first," He said and took me to Gringotts.
We went up to the Goblin at the end of the building, putting down a key on the Goblin's desk.
"Vault 912, please," He said and the Goblin nodded.
I hated the way down to the vaults. My hair whipped into my face too much and my knuckles were white on the rails. My mouth was dry by the end. Though what was inside my vault was worth it.
Piles upon piles of gold, silver and bronze neatly set on antique pieces of furniture. Small glass cases of jewellery, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, brooches and even seven different crowns, circlets and tiaras sat there, untouched for decades. I counted a dozen bookcases containing several hundred, perhaps a thousand books. I hoped they were full of spells, enchantments and Magic, or at least traditions I could learn.
The Goblin held a grey pouch, hoarding several thousand gold, silver and bronze coins into it. "Here. You are almost done now, Madam. Please place anything you would wish to take from the vault into this, it will never be full or turn heavy as there is an enchantment placed upon it."
"Anything?" I smiled, my lips tugging upwards slowly. The Goblin nodded, his grin turned up in greed. "Well, I'll be taking most of the books, and perhaps a few bits of jewellery."
"Of course," Waving his hand, the Goblins made most of the books, perhaps five or six hundred, float their way to the pouch. The pouch extended its rim to allow the books in. "Now, we will have to make your ring."
"All right," I followed the Goblin outside.
Eleven drops of blood coloured the molten silver metal, flashing a bright white in the small cauldron. It transformed and cooled the silver into a crest ring, like the ones the royal or upper-class elite would wear.
The ring sat in the caldron, dark silver in colour. The band was thin until the coat of arms, her family's coat of arms, bulged the ring slightly. The coat held three wands pointing toward their tips combined, a glowing orb sat there, a tone or so lighter than the dark background. Underneath everything, the name Potter was held on a banner.
I slipped it onto my left pinky finger, as instructed by Bill.
My uniform was next and as I was fitted in Twilfitt and Tattings after Silver told me that was where the best quality uniforms came from, Bill went to get the rest of my books.
I let myself be poked and prodded by the seamstress and she got my uniform in order, packing it up nicely for me to take. She sent me off with a polite smile.
After Bill came back, my wand was next on the list.
The shop was narrow and thin, though held many thin but long boxes.
"You came just in time, Miss Potter," The old man greeted. "Come, come. I wish I could have wanded you at a younger age but it couldn't be helped. Now, let's get you a lovely wand to use."
He went in the back room and took a minute or two to choose a wand. He handed it to me but as soon as it touched my palm, I dropped it back on the desk.
I shook my head, "That's awful. Ew."
I rubbed the disgusting feeling off my hand, the slimy, foreign Magic having touched me.
I was two more wands, both of which made my skin scrawl.
The fourth wand was the one.
Yew wood, Basilisk fang core, eleven point four inches with no flexibility.
Holding it felt like I was home.
After all of this, after all of the displays of Magic I had seen over the last few weeks, this was the moment I knew I would be alright in the Wizarding World.