Chapter 1: Summer Owlings
Sylvia Ollivander finished her homework nearly as soon as the holidays started, and she was really bored for the rest of the weeks.
She missed her friends in Hogwarts, which was a feeling she never had before. She never thought she would, one day, miss that bunch of foolish kids.
Well, not exactly foolish, but not as logical as me. Sylvia chuckled, wondering why she would make such good friends with these people. Maybe they're just fun.
As a Hogwarts student who just finished her fist-year and as a Ravenclaw, Sylvia was the brightest witch, if not in her age, ever in history. She became an Animagus during the year and survived a werewolf attack with the result of three kills. Unluckily, her favourite teacher, Professor Bowen died in the attack.
Other than that, her year was a great year. She got Sherrell, the Swooping Evil, on Christmas. Sherrell was her company for her time in the RoR, where she did trainings and research.
"Oh, hi." She noticed the brown owl at the window and stood up to open it. the owl flew inside and landed on her desk. On its stretched-out leg, tied by a string, was a letter.
It wouldn't be a school letter because it was only the start of the two-month holiday. It could only be from her friend.
And it turned out she was right. It was Tim Davies' letter.
Dear Sylv,
How's your holiday so far? I bet you're practicing magic, but Simon says we can't do magic out of school and Dad confirmed.
I hope you're getting on well with your sister, Matilda. Forgive me for saying this, but I think she's a bit strange in some way. But still, siblings should take care of each other, no matter how they fought (just like Simon and I, always fighting but always laughing).
Tommy's birthday is on 12th July. He was going to invite you, but he didn't know your address, so I ended up being the one telling you to come. If possible, contact Davina and tell her about it as well because again, we don't know the address.
Yours,
Tim
Sylvia laughed at his reasons, ignoring the stuff about her sister. Matilda was weird indeed, but if there had to be weird person in their year, Sylvia would be the one.
She took out a piece of parchment and used her air powers to control a quill to write.
Dear Tim,
I'm doing fine and I hope you are too.
I will tell Davina about Tommy's birthday, and let's be sure to each other's' address so that there won't be a situation like this again.
And yes, I am practicing magic. The Ollivander Manor is Unplottable, so the Trace doesn't work here. Besides, broomstick is a magical object, so practicing Quidditch can be defined as 'practicing magic'. I hope we could both make into the team next term.
What do you think we should get for Tommy? I'm thinking of a prank.
Yours,
Sylvia
For the next few days, Sylvia practiced Quidditch in the backyard and trained Sherrell when her adoptive parents weren't anywhere nearby.
Tommy's birthday came soon. Tim sent her the address and she went there via Floo. Matilda didn't come because Tommy wasn't that close to her. Sylvia waved a short goodbye to her adoptive family and left.
She stood up quickly from the ashes and welcomed a warm hug from Mora.
"Seriously, Mora, you're gonna squeeze me to death." Sylvia joked.
"She's right, you don't need to welcome everyone like that. We've only been apart for less than two weeks." Davina was here too.
"Where are the boys?" Sylvia asked.
"In the garden, I think." Mora grinned.
"Come on, people, we haven't got the whole day!" Tim shouted from the backdoor.
"Boys." Sylvia rolled her eyes dramatically.
Due to the restrictions from the Ministry, they couldn't use magic outside of school until they were of age. That was why they played Muggle games by the suggestion from Luke Birch.
Joey McCubbin didn't show up to the party. It wasn't a surprise to Sylvia. The poor boy was hurt during the werewolf attack and, unluckily, became one. It would take a lot of time to recover and to hide the symptoms.
None of the students knew about this except Sylvia, Tim and Hayden Rivers, who witnessed the fight and took part in it. Professor McGonagall, the current Headmistress of Hogwarts, made sure that the information didn't go lose.
Sylvia thought that Tommy's birthday was going to be the only thing worth to remember in the summer holidays, but she found herself wrong.
She and Matilda's relationship didn't become better, but it didn't go worse either. The little girl was her adoptive sister, after all.
However, they both got their own friends by now. sylvia sometimes felt like Matilda didn't need her as a big sister anymore.
Maybe that was for the best.
Hayden, her friend from Professor Bowen's duelling lessons, sent her an owl mid-August with surprises. For one of the few times, she had to admire the beautiful brown owl who landed gracefully on her table with a letter. Natasha, her own black owl, sniffed at the new company.
Sylvia chose to ignore the quarrels between the owls and opened the letter.
Dear Sylv,
I hope your holiday is well. I've been working on the Black Fire Shield you mentioned last year. It's quite advanced but not yet unmanageable.
Guess what? I got Quidditch Team Captain from Tonda. I'm expecting to see you and Tim on the Quidditch pitch next month.
I'm thinking of arranging a team with Professor Bowen's wishes. It's just going to be us, the five people who were in the class. It's okay if you refuse to join, but you're the brightest witch I've ever seen.
I know you've been working on advanced magic of upper years. Feel free to ask me if you want. I think it'll be better if we study together. There's a Prefect Studying Area in the library.
Have you heard of the strange acts of Dark Creatures? If you have, then you'll see the point of the team.
Yours,
Hayden
Sylvia smiled at the thought of having a study buddy. The only reason she didn't have one was that no one in her year could possibly know what she was saying.
The Daily Prophet didn't say much about the Dark Creatures, but they were acting strange indeed. Mountain trolls riding graphorns though Hungary, giants with winged tattoos on their backs walking through the Greek seas, and werewolves going entirely underground.
However, it did say something about Harry Potter's scar being hurt again after so many years. Sylvia didn't know the details and the meanings of the Chosen One's lightning-shaped scar, but she knew that couldn't possibly be a good sign.
Sylvia couldn't do much about it. she wasn't the Minister of Magic, nor a grown adult witch. She was only a 13-year-old girl who had powerful magic.
After a few days, the letters from Hogwarts finally came.
"Just about time." Matilda commented.
Their new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher seemed like a strict person, from the books they got from the list.
Sylvia had the advantage of living right in Diagon Alley and went to the markets every day since the letters came. She had her things ready and just wanted to meet the others.
And she was right. Near the end of the holidays, most of the Hogwarts students would come to the Alley and get their school things for the year. That occurred to her own friends as well.
"Hi, Sylv." Tim waved at her cheerfully when he came to do his shopping, "You've decided to come today as well!"
"I live here, silly." Sylvia laughed.
"Oh, I forgot." The boy looked even taller than the last time they met.
"It's not like I'm going to just sit in the store and meet all the firsties."
"No one would."
"Excuse me? My father does that every single year."
"Oops, sorry."
"Is that your brother?" Sylvia noticed the little boy behind Tim.
"Oh, yes. Sylvia, this is my dumb brother Simon. Simon, this is my friend Sylvia." Tim introduced them to each other.
"Nice to meet you, Sylvia. And I'm not dumb, you idiot!" Simon looked offended. He had messy hair just like his brother, but in a brighter colour. And he had light brown eyes instead of blue. Other than that, they looked alike.
"Mind your language." Tim said, pretending to be strict.
"Let's just hope you'll beat him in the Quidditch team next year, alright?" Sylvia smiled to Simon.
"Oi! Don't you dare help him." Tim hissed.
"We'll see, bighead." Simon shot him a glare.
"Who are you calling bighead?" Tim growled.
"You, obviously." Sylvia said with a chuckle.
"Ugh, we'll do this bloody shopping in peace, clear?" Dragging his brother along, Tim strode off to find his parents.
"Mind your language." Sylvia called after them.
"Hope this won't be another eventful year." She muttered to herself, praying to have more time pulling pranks.
Turning around, she saw a person she wanted to meet.
"Hey, Mora!"
"Hi, Sylv." The Asian girl didn't seem to be really pleased, and Sylvia soon found out the reason.
A little boy stood next to her friend. He was more like a bookworm than his siblings, and he wore glasses.
"This is Michael." Mora Veihe explained to Sylvia, "My little brother. Starting this year."
"Well, hi." She stared at him, not really sure what to say.
"This is the best student you told me about, Mora?" The boy sounded annoying in a way Sylvia couldn't tell, "She doesn't look like one."
"What? Good students have symbols on their faces? I don't think so." Sylvia retorted, amused.
"Shut up, Michael. No one will think you're a dummy if you don't talk." Mora hissed to her brother.
"Stop talking like a nerd and please get going." Musa rolled his eyes.
"You guys will definitely survive this year." Sylvia said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, definitely." Mora said sarcastically.
Sylvia suddenly realized something: they would welcome their second year of Hogwarts soon.
