Still alive! I´m so sorry for the delay. I was hit first with writer´s block and then with a nasty flue that left me bedridden. And then when I finally was able to write a few pages, my muse made me erase it all and rewrite it. Muses can be cruel.
Anyway, thanks for the likes, hope that all of you enjoy Malia´s first voyage into the Wizarding World.
By the way, I´m trying to do my own cover art and failing spectaculary. Like a champ. Can anyone recomend me an app or program? I don´t want to use an AI, I refuse, it feels too cheap. And I can´t pay someone to do it for me. But I swear that one day, my stories will have cover art.
4
"So, this is the place?"
"That's right."
"This building?"
"Yes."
Her father looked at the decrepit building in front of them. Then he gave Professor McGonagall a skeptical glance.
The older witch was completely nonplussed. Malia was amazed that she didn't show an ounce of annoyance at her father's attitude.
Guess decades of teaching children and teens must have given her endless patience.
Malia understood her father's incredulity. The "Leaky Cauldron" looked more like the type of place hard-core criminals would frequent instead of the entrance to the most important magical district in London.
"Its appearance is on purpose. Ugly buildings attract less attention; people are more willing to overlook them and avoid them. Muggle Repelling charms only works so far. Some muggles have proven to be resistant to them or even ignore them." Professor McGonagall explained to her and her parents. "Professors, did any of you feel an urge or desire to walk away?" She asked them.
"Nop." "Not at all. Why?" Her mother asked her back.
"Interesting." Professor McGonagall said. "When I bring muggleborn and muggle-raised children with their parents or tutors, I have to use a counter spell to make sure they don't leave once we approach the bar. With both of you, I didn't even need to lift my wand."
"Mmhh. Could it be because we are from another dimension?" Her mother proposed.
"It's an interesting theory. I'm sure the Unspeakables will be fascinated by it." The Deputy Headmistress nodded at her mother.
Malia exchanged grins with her father. Both remembered how the strange wizards had surrounded them like a Joltic draw to a battery when they had emerged from the Ultra Portal. The moment their feet touched the floor, dozens of wands were waved in front of their noses, the wizards muttering strange spells and taking notes, and who knows what else.
They must have not moved an inch for at least ten minutes, being barraged with question after question, until Professor McGonagall got fed up and insisted on moving on with the schedule.
The older witch had ignored the protests and grumbles of the other wizards and led them to another room, where she had explained the plan of the day.
First, she would show them the way to the Leaky Cauldron, the entrance to Diagon Alley, the magical street where they would buy all of Malia´s school supplies and access her Gringott´s account.
According to Professor McGonagall, that would take them easily the entire morning and part of the afternoon, depending on how fast they shopped. In her experience, the muggle-raised and muggleborn families were more prone to wanting to explore and see as much as possible of Diagon Alley, spending more time than necessary in certain places like bookstores and the apothecary.
Both Malia and her parents nodded in understanding.
She had no doubt that they would not be the exception to the rule. Her dad made sure to check that his camera was working perfectly fine before they left the house. He said he wanted to immortalize their first trip as a family in another dimension.
"If we are done with the sightseeing, we still need to enter." Professor McGonagall reminded them.
Her dad chuckled a little and nodded. He grinned back at Malia and at her mom, who just smiled back at him, both bemused and familiar with his antics.
"Well, it does honor its name." Her mom muttered with wide eyes at the interior of the bar, or pub, as they called it in that country.
Malia just nodded absently, her eyes not leaving the scene in front of her.
When she first heard the words "magic bar", she conjured in her head images of floating trays, bubbling cauldrons, flying brooms—maybe magic used to entertain the guests or something like that.
What she saw was a shabby place that wouldn't look out of place in Po Town.
It was dark, with tables on the corners and a bar at the back. There were two staircases leading to a second floor. From what she could see, there were rooms on the second floor. She hoped they would not sleep there; she had doubts about those rooms' conditions based on how the ground floor looked.
Professor McGonagall moved to the back of the pub without a second thought. Malia and her parents followed her closely, trying not to draw much attention.
Good thing her dad was wearing normal clothes instead of his usual lab coat and shorts combination. That would have drawn unintended attention.
Some of the wizards glanced at them, but mostly shrugged and returned to their business after seeing them with Professor McGonagall. A couple sneered or scowled at them. They must have simply thought that she was a muggleborn with her muggle parents. Just like they wanted.
They were close to the bar when a voice interrupted them.
"Professor McGonagall! What a pleasant surprise! I thought all the firsties had already passed." The barman looked at Malia and her parents in confusion.
"Tom," she said, greeting him with a nod. "Miss Kukui is an exchange student. Her family has recently moved to Britain from their home. I'm showing them around so they don´t get lost." She gave the explanation that they had all agreed to give Malia some privacy from the press and the public.
When Malia had agreed to give Hogwarts and the Magical World a shot (as long as she was allowed to continue to train her team), the Minister had been ecstatic. The man had been on the verge of calling a press conference to announce The-Girl-Who-Lived return to Great Britain.
Madam Bones had been the first to disagree with that course of action. Malia wasn't just the missing Girl-Who-Lived; she was also an underage witch, a minor.
They couldn't just throw her to the wolves and expect everything to go well.
Because that was what would happen if they simply announced that Hazel Potter was alive and returning to the Wizarding World.
Chaos.
Madame Bones reminded him of the protests and riots that happened after the goblins revealed that the last Potter still lived.
Of how his predecessor had been accosted by reporters and citizens most of her term, all demanding answers and not taking no as an answer.
How the Ministry had been swamped with mail demanding answers and results.
How even Headmaster Dumbledore had been on the eye of the press those first few years until things calmed down.
For Malia, it had been unsettling to hear that. To learn that complete strangers were willing to go to such lengths for a girl they weren't even sure was alive.
Her father tried to explain it to her later that night. How those wizards had lived through an extremely traumatic time. How every day their friends and family could disappear without trace. How your friends and family could kill you for being the "enemy".
It was a sobering thought.
Malia didn't know war. Her generation was born and raised in peace. The last big war had been decades ago, and it only affected a few regions, like Kanto and Johto, not Alola. Even the criminal organizations that had plagued most of the regions were completely defeated.
She couldn't imagine what people like Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore, Madame Bones, or the Minister had gone through all those years ago.
She just couldn't.
Headmaster Dumbledore had been the one to propose to hide Malia's real identity, at least for some time. And he reminded the group that they had the best way to distract the entire wizarding population.
After all, they had just made contact with another human civilization from another dimension. And they had their own magical creatures they lived with.
The Headmaster's plan was simple in its details. The day after the start of term, before questions began to form about Hazel Potter's whereabouts, they would release a press conference informing about the discovery of the Pokemon World and the existence of alternate dimensions and other human civilizations.
While everybody tried to process that, they would release a smaller statement regarding Hazel Potter's statue. They would inform that the last Potter was alive, safe and happy and beginning her magical education, but that both her and her adoptive family were asking for privacy.
Some reporters would undoubtedly still ask questions, but hopefully most will be more interested in the citizens of the Pokemon World, the Ultraspace, and their unique cultures and creatures.
There were more details, of course; even now they were still adding and changing things from the plan, but the bare bones were still the same.
"Well, welcome to Britain!" Tom greeted them warmly. The bartender smiled down at Malia, "I hope you enjoy your time at Hogwarts. Best school in the world, if I say so myself!"
Professor McGonagall chuckled at his words. Her eyes strayed to the side and widened slightly.
"Quirinus? I didn't expect to see you here." The man she spoke to flinched and turned around.
He was pale and skittish; his eyes wouldn't meet theirs, and his hands gripped at each other. Unlike the other wizards, he wore a turban above his head instead of a hat. The poor man looked like he had seen under a Mimikyu's cloak.
"P-pro-professor M-Mc-Go-gonagall!" He stuttered, surprised. "I-I am l-likewise s-sur-surprised. I-I'm me-meeting a-an ol-ld fr-friend. H-he h-ha-has an in-intriguing co-collection of v-vampire b-books. Oh, wh-who are they?"
Professor McGonagall put a hand on Malia's shoulder. "Professor Kukui, Professor Burnet, Malia. May I present you Professor Quirell. He will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Quirinus, they are Professors Euphorbe and Burnett Kukui and their only daughter Malia. Malia is a new exchange student, her family just moved to Britain."
"A pleasure. Just call me Kukui; only my darling Burnett calls me Euphorbe. And only when she is angry." Her dad winked at her mom. She just rolled her eyes at him.
Malia rolled her eyes too, but in exasperation.
"O-oh, an ex-exchange st-student! W-we ha-haven't got o-one in de-decades!"
Malia smiled at the skittish teacher. She hoped his stuttering improved during class. Otherwise, understanding him would be a pain in the ass.
"Well, it was lovely to see you, Quirinus, but unfortunately, we must get going. Tom." Professor McGonagall nodded to both men and began to lead Malia and her parents to the back of the bar.
After they crossed a door, they entered a small courtyard that ended in a tall brick wall.
The Deputy Headmistress grabbed her wand and waved it around her body. In an instant, the suit that she had previously worn transformed into deep emerald robes, and what Malia was recognizing was her trademark witch's hat.
"Miss Kukui, make sure to pay close attention. I will now show you how to enter Diagon Alley." With that said, she turned back to the brick wall and used her wand to tap a few of them.
"Three up and two across from the rubber bin. Got it." Malia thought.
After the last brick was tapped, the bricks began to shift and move until a pathway was revealed.
The older witch smirked at the awed look on their faces.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley Professors Kukui, Miss Kukui."
Diagon Alley was nothing like the Leaky Cauldron. It was bright and filled with people moving from building to building. Both sides of the street were covered in all types of buildings.
Restaurants, bookstores, clothing stores, apothecaries, pet shops, etc. She saw a place that sold what looked like flying broomsticks! Another had scrolls and quills displayed on its windows. Other strange plants and what seemed like organs.
Above her head, she saw animals that resembled Rowlet flying and entering some of the stores.
"Wow, now this is more like a magical alley." Her dad whispered
"Hmm." Her mom hummed in agreement. Both were moving their heads in every direction, taking in the sights as much as they could.
"Pii" Pichu's little head emerged from Malia's backpack, surprising everyone.
"Pichu?!" "What is he doing here!?" "I don't know; he was on his pokeball!"
The little mouse climbed out of the bag and sat on his trainer's shoulder, fighting her scolding face with his puppy eyes.
Malia facepalmed and sighed. She couldn't win against the baby Pokemon, and he knew it.
"Don't leave my side, little brat." "Pichu!" He nodded happily, rubbing his cheek against her, little sparks dancing.
Malia giggled. Pichu's static was ticklish.
"Miss Kukui, make sure that Pichu behaves, especially when we arrive at Gringotts. The goblins don't take lightly anything that could seem suspicious." The older witch warned her sternly.
Malia nodded and gave a pointed glance to her second Pokemon, who gave them an angelic smile.
"Soo, what's the deal with that Quirell guy?" Her dad asked bluntly. Her mom facepalmed at his bluntness but didn't scold him.
"Professor Quirell ran afoul of a dangerous vampire last year. He is still recovering from the experience."
"Wait, vampires are real?!" Her mom asked. "Are werewolves real too?"
"Unfortunately." There was a sad and bitter tone in her voice, and her eyes had a faraway look.
Her mom frowned but didn't press on. Instead, she changed topics.
"When we reach Gringotts, would it be possible to open a personal account? I don't feel comfortable taking from Malia's account more money than it's strictly necessary." Her parents had already talked with her about it. They explained that it was a parent's job to support their children, not backwards.
"In theory, you can. The problem is that goblins only accept our currency to set up a vault. Muggle currency can be exchanged; they use it for their own dealings with the muggles, but they don't open accounts with it. And I have no idea if they would accept your particular coin."
Right. Their money was from another dimension. And who knew what the value of the pokedollar was in this dimension.
Her mom, however, just waved her off. "We thought about that. We brought some trinkets that should be easy to exchange for money. If we can get enough, then we can set a vault, right?"
"You would have to discuss it with the goblins, but yes. I suppose so."
"Great. It has been years since I participated in a good haggle." Her dad brightened up. According to him, he was a king when it came to haggling during his travels.
"In that case, while you have your fun, we three ladies will visit Malia's Vault." Her mom decided.
Reaching Gringotts didn't take them long. The only wizarding bank was at the end of the street, a tall, snow white marbled structure that towered over the rest of the buildings. A white staircase led to two bronze doors, flanked by an armed goblin.
Professor McGonagall suddenly straightened out. Her posture became more tense, more serious.
"A word of advice. Do not let any of your Pokemon leave their pokeballs by themselves. Be respectful towards the goblins, but not submissive. Wizards and goblins... There is too much bad blood between both sides. Have no doubt, Miss Kukui, the only reason they revealed your existence and helped to identify you was because it was more profitable for them to have a Potter live than the entire family dead."
Malia frowned at her words but nodded. She turned towards the baby mouse and made sure he paid her attention.
"You heard Professor McGonagall Pichu; no joking around, buddy." Pichu stared at her and gave her a curt nod. He will behave.
If, on the outside, Gringotts looked grand, then the interior was more impressive.
The entrance hall was a marbled corridor with a pair of silver doors at the end, flanked by two goblins armed to the teeth.
On the doors, a warning was engraved. A warning against thieves.
Malia gulped when she read it.
The goblins really took their duties seriously.
The interior of the bank was amazing. Another long marbled hallway, with polished wooden counters at each side. A grand chandelier hanging from the roof. On the walls were displayed golden statues of goblins, plaques, and portraits.
All the tellers and guards were goblins. The guards wore armor and sharp blades, and the tellers wore muggle suits.
There was an air of opalescence and arrogance that was almost stifling.
Professor McGonagall didn't seem perturbed. The teacher just led them to the closest teller that was unoccupied. Once she was in front of him, she cleared her throat and waited.
The goblin kept writing on a scroll for a few seconds. Finally, he put his quill down and leaned forward.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Good day. Miss Kukui wishes to visit her vault. And Professor Kukui wishes to exchange some valuables for galleons."
"And does Miss Kukui have a key?" He asked her snidely.
Malia fought the urge to sneer at him and just showed him the key that Knarluck had given her weeks ago, after confirming that she was indeed Hazel Potter.
Knarluck had told her that the key was for her Trust Vault and that she better keep it safe. Gringotts charged a not-so-small fee to replace lost keys.
The goblin inspected the key closely. He nodded and motioned towards a second goblin, who stepped from behind the counters.
"Griphook, take Miss Kukui and her companions to Vault 687."
"This way." Griphook walked towards a sideway door without waiting for them.
While Malia, her mom, and Professor McGonagall followed Griphook, her dad flashed one of his best-winning smiles at the teller and grabbed a pouch from his pockets.
Malia was pretty sure that the contents of the pouch would win him more brownie points with the goblins than his charm.
The door that they crossed led them to a vast cavern that looked bottomless. The only light came from lanterns placed on the rocks that served as walls. The only way to travel through that massive cave was with some type of cart that ran on a railway system.
Griphook was the first to enter the cart. The goblin sat in front of some type of wheel, a conductor's side, it seemed.
Both Malia and her mother gave the cart dubious looks. Both had practiced Mantine surfing for years, and that sounded more safe than this cart.
Even Pichu was giving it odd looks.
Professor McGonagall, however, seemed to find their reaction funny.
"Miss Kukui, Professor Burnet, I can assure you that no one has ever died from riding a goblin's cart."
"She is right. Clients dying is bad for business." Griphook's smile was in no way reassuring.
Professor McGonagall glared at the goblin for his unnecessary comment. In the end, both mother and daughter bit the bullet and entered the cart.
The journey to the vault wasn't a death trap. It was the best roller coaster ride she had ever taken! The poor light, the lack of visible safety devices, the twists, the wind wiping at her hair, the speed!
It was so much better than both Mantine and Sharpedo surfing! Hell, it was as fun as when Kiawe took her flying on his Charizard.
Pichu, too, was enjoying the trip. When they had first entered the cart, the little mouse had hopped down from her shoulder to her lap, and she had hugged him tight to her chest to protect him.
Now, both were squealing like crazy, with their arms in the air and crazy grins plastered on their faces.
Her mom was laughing like a Gengar at their antics, while both Professor McGonagall and Griphook stared at them like they were insane.
It didn't take them long to reach the vaults. Five minutes top.
What they found were massive steel doors—a whole hallway filled with them. An Onix could easily pass through those doors. Maybe more.
Griphook was the first to approach the vault; when he was in front of it, he turned around and lifted his arm.
"The key." He ordered. Malia didn't say anything; she just gave it to him and waited.
Griphook placed the key inside the keyhole and turned it. After that, the door began to move on its own, and Malia stared, jawdropped, at the last gift her biological parents left for her.
Piles—no, mini mountains of golden coins—covered the vault. There were bronze and silver mountains scattered too, but the majority was gold.
Once, her father showed her some of the items he had collected over the years. Pearls, god pebbles, evolutionary stones, rare berries, amulets, pokeballs, etc. At the time, she thought that it was the biggest treasure ever.
Now, she realizes that her inheritance might be more valuable than her father's collection.
"How loaded were the Potter's again?" She asked, awed.
Professor McGonagall chuckled at her tone. "The Potter's are an old family, old enough that many consider them unnoficialy part of the Sacred Twenty Eight."
"Unnoficialy?" Asked her mom.
"Unfortunately, the name Potter sounded too muggle-like for our pureblood bigoted ancestors. There were claims that the Potters must have had muggle blood and therefore weren't actually pureblood. Only pureblood families were to be considered to be part of the Sacred Twenty back then." The disdain in the older witch's voice was palpable. She obviously disagreed with that decision.
"Old wizards were stupid racists. Got it." Summarized her mom.
"Indeed, Professor Burnet. In any case, between its antiquity and the fact that all members of the family have always worked and that they made sure to have good enough relationships with the goblins, money has never been a serious concern for the Potters."
Malia still couldn't tear her eyes away from the-her vault. Wait. This was just a Trust Vault. Then…
Her eyes widened at her sudden thought.
"Wow." It was all she could say at the sudden realization that she was rich. Very, very rich.
"Come on, Miss Kukui, Professor. I will explain how our currency works." The older witch showed her three coins: one gold, one silver, and the last and smallest was of bronze. Each coin had a serial number, words written in latin and the image of an animal. Both the gold and silver coins had the image of a creature that reminded her of dragon-type Pokemon, while the bronze one resembled a Gogoat.
"The gold ones are called galleons; they are the most valuable. Next are the sickles, and finally the knuts. One galleon is equivalent to seventeen sickles, and one sickle to twenty-nine knuts."
"Interesting ways to make sure nobody fails math." Her mom joked.
"Actually, most wizards just use spells to calculate the equivalences quickly." Admitted the witch.
"Gotta learn that spell as fast as I can." She decided. It sounded faster than her calculator.
Her mom let out a laugh at her enthusiasm. Malia had never been a fan of mathematics, just like her dad. Her mom, on the other hand, had no problem doing difficult calculations. Not a surprise, considering she had both a doctorate and mastery in physics.
Professor McGonagall advised Malia and her mother on how much coins to gather in order to buy all her school supplies and have a leftover. She told them that if she needed more money, she could always send an owl to Gringotts asking for a withdrawal. Or even use their services to buy supplies.
Both services had fees involved, not that high, less than a sickle, although the former was cheaper than the latter.
After gathering the amount necessary and some extra, they left the vault and reclimbed the cart. Both Malia and Pichu gave her mom and Professor McGonagall puppy eyes, silently begging to go faster this time. Her mom chuckled at their expression but refused their petition.
When they returned to the surface level, they found Malia´s father grinning and shaking hands with a well-dressed goblin that was not the one that had attended them. Both men were grinning at each other.
When her mother asked him about it, he just smirked and replied that the goblins were very interested in new avenues and opportunities regarding the Pokemon World´s unique minerals and stones deposits.
After leaving Gringotts, the real fun began.
School shopping.
Thank Arceus Professor McGonagall had been there to guide them, because Malia and her parents could have easily spent days browsing through Diagon Alley and still refused to leave.
To them, Diagon Alley was more like a tourist trap than a shopping district. Everything was a shiny object, calling their attention and wanting their galleons.
The first store they went to was Potage´s Cauldron Shop. The store had all kinds of cauldrons of all sizes, materials, enchantments, etc. Malia just quickly bought a pewter one, like her letter said.
Next, they visited Madam Malkin's Robes, the favored clothing store for Hogwarts students. The owner herself greeted them, a squat gray-haired witch with a friendly smile that led the young witch to a step to take her measures. When she saw that Pichu was hanging from her shoulder, she didn't react negatively; she just said that she needed him to hop down to work faster and better.
Malia nodded and motioned with her head at her parents, who were browsing through some robes and hats. Pichu nodded, rubbed their cheeks together, and ran straight for her mom.
With that done, Madame Malkin called a tape with her wand, and the tape began to move around Malia´s body. Her torso, legs, arms, shoulders—everything was perfectly measured while the older witch took notes and went to look for more fabric.
Another boy was also being fitted. He was pale, blonde, almost silver, and had pointed features. She felt like he was familiar, but she wasn't sure from where.
The boy didn't talk to her. He sneered at her parents and gave her a mocking glance. Malia frowned at his behavior. She didn't know why he was acting like a prick, but instead of causing a scene, she chose to just ignore him.
He did seem confused at the sight of Pichu. He looked like he wanted to ask but was containing himself.
In the end, the boy left shortly later with his purchases. He never thanked Madame Malkin or her assistant; he just paid and left without a second glance.
Everyone frowned at his bad manners, the teacher especially. Her parents shook their heads at the boy´s behavior. When they left with Malia´s uniform (and a couple of robes that her parents purchased for themselves), she made sure to thank the shopkeeper. Unlike the rude blond boy, she had manners.
Their next stop was Scribbulus Writing Supplies, a store that sold stationary items. For some reason that she just couldn't grasp, wizards still used parchment, ink, and quills instead of paper and pens.
Wizards were weird.
She resolved to bring a few pens and notebooks, at least to write her trainer ideas and strategies.
At least the medieval writing instruments had interesting features. There were quills that wrote on their own, others with anti-cheating charms (Professor McGonagall bought an entire box), inks that changed colors, and rolls of parchment that looked thin but were actually 10 feet long!
After leaving the store, they immediately stopped. A group of children and teenagers were crowding the window of the store next door, blocking the path. A quick glance at the board showed that it was called Quality Quidditch Supplies.
"Quidditch?" She asked, confused.
"It's our sport. Best sport ever, if I do say so myself." Professor McGonagall answered proudly. A fond smile crept to her lips. "When I was still a student, I was a chaser on Gryffindor's Quidditch team. Your father, James, he was a chaser too." She hesitantly revealed.
Malia stiffened. Her father. Her biological father.
She wanted to know more, but... She looked at her parents, wanting to gauge their reactions.
Her father smiled at her and gave her a supporting smile.
"He was?" She asked tentatively. The older witch sighed.
"Yes. Made part of the team in his second year and became captain by his sixth year. He once considered becoming a professional player. Or opening a joke shop with his friends." Her voice became more bittersweet the more she spoke.
"What changed it?" "The War."
"When the Dark Lord began his attacks, your parents refused to bow their heads down. They joined the fight as soon as they graduated. Their honeymoon involved fighting off a group of Death Eaters with the rest of their friends."
Malia smiled. She could picture her parents doing the exact same thing as her biological parents.
"Did, did my biological mother play quidditch too?"
"No, Lily hated it. Said it was a brutish game where the only objective was to see how many bones one didn't break. She was probably the only Gryffindor who would rather study at the library than watch the match. Lily planned on earning a double mastery on Potions and Charms. James favored Transfiguration and Dueling."
Malia gave one last look at the Quidditch store. It felt good to know more about her biological parents. For three years now, her mind has been swarming with questions about her biological family, about how she came to Alola, and why she came to Alola. Whether they loved her or abandoned her.
"Professor," she began to ask, "When we are at Hogwarts, could I ask you sometimes about them? About James and Lily?" She kept her gaze on the floor, too embarrassed to look her in the eye. Pichu tried to comfort her, rubbing their cheeks together and cooing at her.
Professor McGonagall placed one of her hands on her shoulder. Malia lifted her head, and their eyes met. The older witch´s eyes were blurry and understanding.
"My door will always be open for you, Miss Kukui. Always." There was a promise in her voice, in her eyes. The teacher truly meant her words.
After that, they continued with their business. Places like Magical Menagerie and Eeylops Owl Emporium were skipped simply because Malia had no need for a pet or an owl. Hogwarts had dozens of owls available to deliver letters, and her dad said that he and Fabio were this close to making a device that would allow communication in the magical world.
The three women made sure that her dad never got a glimpse of a joke shop. An unspoken agreement was made between the three of them. Once they left Gambol and Japes behind, the three relaxed.
Flourish and Blotts was a hit with all three Kukuis. While Malia and Professor McGonagall searched for the textbooks she would need, her parents searched on their own for anything that might seem useful. Professor McGonagall couldn´t hide her surprise when both adults showed up with huge piles of books. With a suffering sigh, she mumbled something about overexcited parents and made them return most of the books.
She recommended they buy the history books written by recognized authors, like Bathilda Bagshot, but she definitely made them return the ones about curses against friends, spellwork, and potions for beginners.
She said the last one was a waste of ink that insulted potioneers. Malia´s first year textbook contained far better details and explanations and would be useful if she chose to follow that career.
By the time they left the bookstore, they were all tired and hungry, so they took a stop at a nearby restaurant to enjoy lunch. All three alolans had their first experience with English cooking, which was very different from their diets. Alola tended toward dishes based on fish, fruits, and sometimes meat or pork. For what they saw, English cooking tended more towards meat and pies. It was way more filling than they were used to.
And without taking into account the more interesting wizarding dishes. Some of those names were weird enough. The drinks too.
They only had two more places left to go. Slug & Jiggers, the apothecary, and the place that Malia wanted to visit more than anything. More than Gringotts and the bookstore.
The wand shop. Ollivanders.
Ever since she learned that she was a witch and that she could use magic, Malia had been waiting for it. To have a wand and actually make magic. She wanted that proof that she truly could use magic, that it wasn't all a mistake.
Malia was practically jumping in place at the apothecary, wanting to buy the recommended potion ingredients for the first year as fast as possible.
Oh, she was excited at the thought of creating her own potions. Hell, she wanted to see what would happen if she used berries as ingredients. She already planned on bringing as many seeds as possible to Hogwarts and planting them to use for experiments.
She hoped her teachers would allow it. The possibilities were endless after all.
But she was much more excited at the idea of having her own wand, and she wanted it now!
It actually reminded her of when she had to choose her starter Pokemon. That same mix of anxiety and excitement that made her want to jump and vomit at the same time.
She didn't miss it.
Finally, after what must have been maybe twenty minutes but felt like an eternity, they left the apothecary and went to Ollivanders.
Her first impression of Ollivanders was the same as that of the Leaky Cauldron. Like it wouldn´t look out of place in Po Town. It was too narrow, almost run down. The letters were almost peeled over.
The inside wasn't exactly better. It was too crowded, a long hallway that only allowed one person at a time to pass. Most of the space was taken by thousands and thousands of shelves with long rectangle boxes inside them. Most of those boxes were covered in dust, like they had been there for decades, if not more.
They had just entered the place when a thin, old man appeared from a corner.
"Professor McGonagall. What a pleasant surprise. I didn´t expect to see you until July. Who-" The man, Ollivander, surely, stopped cold when he saw Malia. His face went pale, his eyes wide. He brought a hand to his chest.
"It, it can´t be. Hazel Potter." He mumbled out, his eyes never leaving Malia´s.
"H-how?" She asked, surprised. Her mother pulled her behind her, and her father had one of his pokeballs ready. Even Pichu was collecting electricity, getting ready for a fight. Professor McGonagall was the one who calmed everyone down.
"Wait! Professor Kukui, Professor Burnet! Mister Ollivander is not a threat. He has given wands to witches and wizards for decades, as long as I have been a teacher." She tried to calm down the worried parents and Pokemon.
Mister Ollivander lifted his hands, showing that he was unarmed.
"My apologies; I didn´t mean to frighten anybody. It´s just that I thought that I would never see Lily Evans eyes again. Not after what happened that awful night." Grief was visible on his face.
"You know my birth mother?" Malia asked from behind her mom.
"Willow, ten and a quarter inches long, core of unicorn hair. Swishy, good for charms. One of Lily´s specialties." He recalled. "James, on the other hand, was mahony, eleven inches, and with a dragon heartstring. Pliable, excellent for transfiguration." The old wizard stared right into her eyes. "You have her eyes. The same shade, the exact same color. Although the hair is all Potter, I could recognize it anywhere." He gave a short laugh.
"And now the daughter comes. A daughter that I feared would never come. I can only thank magic itself for this miracle."
Nobody knew how to answer that. Thankfully, they didn't need to. Ollivander suddenly straightened out, a bright smile on his lips. Despite his old age, he looked like he had rejuvenated.
"Well, let´s go. We have got to find your wand, Miss..." "Kukui. Malia Kukui. It´s the name my parents gave me." She pointed at them, smiling. The old wizard bowed his head at them, his own smile never leaving his face.
"I must thank you, then, for raising Lily and James Potter´s daughter." Her parents waved him down, saying that they were just raising their kid, like any parent should.
Ollivander grinned and clapped. A flying measuring tape suddenly left his pocket and zipped right into Malia´s face, making her flinch back in surprise.
"Please keep still, Miss Kukui. Wand-matching can be a tricky business. Some customers are easy to pair up with a wand, while others require more patience." The wandmaker calmly perused between the boxes while the tape tried to measure the distance between her fingers and then moved to her feet.
After a couple of embarrassing minutes, where she had to fight off her instincts of ordering Pichu to shock the annoying flying instrument, it ended.
As soon as the tape returned to its owner, the man gave her a wand to try.
Malia's fingers barely touched it before it was ripped and thrown away. She barely blinked before another wand was presented, only to be taken away the minute it touched her hand.
For close to an hour, Malia was presented with wand after wand. All rejected the moment she touched. The young witch had no idea what bases Ollivander used to make his decision. Only that he considered that none of those wands were right for her.
Her parents and Professor McGonagall waited patiently at the side. Well, her mother and the teacher did. Her dad was entertaining himself by playing with Pichu; the little mouse had gotten bored quickly and jumped from her shoulder to his side.
"Does this matching thing usually take this long?" Her mom asked Professor McGonagall quietly.
"Oh, do not worry, Madame. Your daughter is just a tricky customer. But we will find her right wand." He winked at them, not at all bothered by the number of wands already discarded.
Ollivander stared at Malia intensively. He had a frown on his face, like he was trying to figure out a hidden secret inside of her.
"Miss Kukui. What kind of relationship do you have with that mouse?" He asked.
"Pichu? He is the first Pokemon I captured." At his inquisitive look, she carried on. "Back home, humans and Pokemon live together. Some humans, like my dad and I, are trainers. We capture Pokemon and train them to help them become stronger and win different types of competitions. I caught Pichu after defeating him in a Pokemon battle with my starter, Rowlet." She patted her starter's pokeball affectionately.
"May I see it?" He pointed at the pokeball.
Malia shrugged and released the little owl. Rowlet flew above their heads before descending on her shoulder. He pecked her affectionately, and she rubbed the top of his head.
"Rowlet is my starter, my first Pokemon. After I received my trainer's license, I was allowed to choose between him, a Popplio or a Litten. I didn't even know which one I wanted until my dad brought them. When me and Rowlet met, we just clicked. Our bond has just grown stronger since then." She kept rubbing his feathers, to his delight.
Mister Ollivander stared at them with a thoughtful look. His lips moved, but his voice was so low that she couldn´t understand what he was saying.
The wandmaker hummed deeply before brightening out.
"Miss Kukui, would you do this old man a favor? Close your eyes and focus. Focus on Rowlet, on your bond, and your connection with him and Pichu."
Malia was doubtful of his request, but decided to humor him. She closed her eyes and focused on her Pokemon. At first, she didn't feel anything. Then she began to sense something. Something warm.
She felt Rowlet, a greenish calm form on her shoulder. An energetic yellow form was at her feet. Pichu.
But there was something else. Warm and soothing. Familiar.
Malia didn´t realize she had moved until she felt a piece of wood held tightly in her right hand. When she opened her eyes, she saw what she knew was her wand.
A light brown rod of maybe 11 inches, flexible, with a white cover that resembled a tree trunk at the top.
Malia waved it, delighted at the little sparks that she conjured. At her feet, Pichu jumped excitedly and tried to eat them. Malia giggled at his disgusted face when he succeeded in swallowing one.
"Congratulations, Miss Kukui." Professor McGonagall smiled at her. Her parents hugged her, proud of her.
"Yes, congratulations, Miss Kukui. Although curious, too curious." Mister Ollivander said.
"What is curious, sir?" She asked him.
"I remember every wand I have ever sold, Miss Kukui, every single one of them. What I find curious is that the phoenix that donated the feather that I used to create this wand also gave another feather—a feather used to create another wand. Your wand´s wood is made of holly, a material that is connected to protection. And it´s sister wood is of yew. Fitting, since its owner caused so much pain and suffering." His words froze them in shock.
Malia glanced at her wand. He couldn´t mean him, right?
"Voldemort?" She asked him.
"Don´t say his name, Miss Kukui. Never say it. There is too much darkness, too much fear in that name." Mister Ollivander was afraid—deadly afraid. Malia realized that the old man must have met the dark wizard before he even learned magic. Before he became the monster that killed her birth parents and many others.
Did he regret it? Giving him a wand? Giving him the weapon that would allow him to cause so much pain and suffering?
The pain and fear behind his eyes answered her.
"The wand chooses the wizard, Miss Kukui. The how is a mystery. Phoenix cores don't choose weak wizards, Miss Kukui. Those who receive a wand with a phoenix feather core usually do great things in their lifetime. You-Know-Who did great things—horrible things, but great. I guess we can expect great things from you too, Miss Kukui." He said it with a serious tone.
Her father frowned and stepped forward. "Mister Ollivander. For now, we want to keep Malia´s birth name a secret. At least until she can get used to this new world she was thrown into."
Mister Ollivander bowed his head lightly. "I can assure you, Mister Kukui, that I have no intention of revealing your daughter´s real identity to anyone. Our world has a debt to the Potter family that we will never be able to repay. The least I can do is help to keep her anonymous, at least until she is ready to reveal herself to the world."
The old wizard winked at Malia. Despite the seriousness of their conversation and his odd words, she smiled back at him, grateful that he wouldn't go on to babble about having sold a wand to Hazel Potter.
She wanted the world to know her first as Malia Kukui, first year student of Hogwarts and rookie Pokemon Trainer. Not as an orphan who somehow survived a terrorist attack.
She wanted to create her own shadow before being swallowed by a past she had no memory of.