Chapter 2: Ice to meet you!
Diagon Alley is absolutely amazing. Every aspect of daily life here revolves around magic, enchanted brooms sweep the floors on their own, shops use expansion charms to fit far more inside than their size suggests, and animated signs flash and wave to draw in customers. Even the shopping bags follow pedestrians so they don't have to carry them. I'm so excited I can barely contain myself. I'm really in a magical world!
I want to dart from one corner to another, watching all these spells at work, but… with the memories of this new body, it all feels oddly normal. There's no sense of wonder just like a Muggle seeing a car move and knowing it runs on an engine with fuel, yet never really caring to learn how it works. Is that how most wizards think about magic?
From what I remember from books, if a wizard is creative and studies hard, they can conjure furniture, clean their home with a flick of their wand, and even build a house from nothing. The only things they can't simply create are food and potion ingredients, which require more effort to obtain. But everything else? Completely within reach.
"Daphne, have you been charmed? By Merlin, I'm talking to you, and you're not even listening."
My mother nudges me gently, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Sorry, Mom, I was just thinking about something."
Her face softens into a smile as she pulls me into a hug. "My dear, I know going to Hogwarts seems scary. For the first time in your life, you'll be away from your family, and we'll only see each other at Christmas. But trust me, Hogwarts is a wonderful place! You will make some of the best memories of your life there. When you finish your studies, you won't even want to leave."
Wow. That was a low blow. I thought That my memories as they are, would keep me detached from my family, but how can I remain indifferent when my mother loves me so unconditionally? No matter what happens, she will always be there to support me… Yes, she is my mother.
"Thank you, Mom. I'll make you proud."
"My angel, you already do."
Despite her worldview, which is at times… questionable by my standards, she is still my mother. And so did my father. And my little sister. So no running away to Australia and living in an enchanted suitcase. Unless, of course, I can convince my whole family to come with me. That should be easy, right?
Then again, if I put myself in my father's shoes… If my eleven-year-old daughter suddenly told me that the Dark Lord, who supposedly died ten years ago, would return and restart the war with ideals I never entirely opposed, save for the inefficiency of wasting low-paid working force resources of the Muggle-borns and asking me the lord of the house to abandon our legacy, built over generations, just to flee a future that might never come?
So… Hogwarts it is. May Merlin protect us.
As we continue shopping, time seems to slow to a crawl. Because the last item on our list is my wand. Will it take hours for a rare and mysterious wand to choose me? Maybe one crafted with an endangered magical creature one that Ollivander's father managed to acquire after a perilous journey? A wand so powerful that, when it was created, he held it up in triumph and declared, "This is my masterpiece! It rivals even the Elder Wand!" And now, forgotten in a dusty corner of the shop, it waits for me, its true master, to awaken its potential and change the wizarding world forever!
"And this is your daughter, Daphne. It's a pleasure, young lady."
I snap out of my fantasy. I didn't even realize my mother had stopped to chat with someone. In front of us stands a well-dressed woman with her son, who is staring at me with wide eyes.
"The pleasure is mine, my lady."
One glance at them, and I know exactly who they are, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy.
Draco has strong magic. His face has a gravitational pull… for fists. I have never seen a punchable face quite like his in both my lives. He steps forward and extends his hand with a forced smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, heir of House Greengrass. I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy."
For Merlin's sake. So. Much. CRINGE. Do all pure-blood children act like this? Am I going to have to endure this every day in Slytherin? I'm going to die of second-hand embarrassment. And the way he introduced himself like James Bond, yet he doesn't even know who James Bond is!
Keeping my face as cold and expressionless as possible to hide my inner suffering, I respond, "The pleasure is mine, Malfoy."
His smile falters, and he takes a step back, looking startled. Did I just make some huge social blunder? Luckily, our mothers are deep in conversation and don't seem to notice. I keep my gaze on Draco, half-expecting him to launch into a speech about how Slytherin is the best house or boast about his prowess on a broomstick. Ha! Prowess with a broomstick. That's a funny phrase.
Oh? He just stepped back again and he's even paler now. Strange. He seems different from how he was in the books. Could I be in an alternate timeline? What if Dumbledore is the villain here, and Voldemort was framed for crimes he didn't commit?
As I seriously ponder this potentially world-altering revelation, Draco looks increasingly uncomfortable. If he's feeling sick? He should really tell his mother.
Thankfully, once the conversation between our mothers ends, we can return to what truly matters my wand!
With great anticipation, my mother leaves me at Ollivander's shop, explaining, "Choosing a wand is a deeply personal experience. It will be your lifelong partner."
I step inside. The shop is empty. Could Ollivander be on a lunch break?
"I was waiting for you, Miss Greengrass."
I don't jump. I don't scream. I freeze. For a solid second, I become a statue. Then, slowly, I turn my head, only to see Ollivander standing in a shadowy corner, looking disappointed that his attempt to scare me failed. Not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction, I school my expression into perfect neutrality.
"Good morning, Mr. Ollivander. Yes, I'm looking forward to finding my wand."
After an awkward pause, he finally speaks. "Good, good. Let's begin. I never tire of this part."
He practically bounces as he moves, eagerly measuring my arms and, for some reason, my head before asking, "Do you favor your right or left hand?"
"Right, sir."
After completing the measurements, he retrieves five boxes... now I'll have to get ready maybe it would be a good idea to get a chair I don't want to have to stand for hours waiting for my wand.
"Unicorn hair, twelve inches, semi-flexible. Try this one."
The moment I pick up the wand, warmth floods through me, and for the first time, I feel complete. Sparks dance from the tip, as if celebrating.
"Aha! First try! You're quite lucky, Miss Greengrass."
I feel so cheated. Where's my rare, mysterious, ultra-powerful wand? From a legendary magical creature? Unicorn hair? That's boring! At the very least, it should be a dragon heartstring! Dragons are cool!
"Your wand is almost the same as your mother's ten inches, inflexible, unicorn hair."
A warmth spreads through me, and I can't stop myself from smiling. Well… maybe this wand isn't so bad after all.
As I leave, I rush to my mother, unable to contain my excitement. "Mom, look! Our wands are almost the same! Mine's twelve inches, semi-flexible, unicorn hair!"
She beams. "My angel, that's wonderful."
A missile attacks and grabs me when we just got back home.
"Dalph! Dalph! Dalph! Show me show me your wand have you ever used a spell? Use a spell! Lumos! Lumos! It shines so bright!"
Huffing from the impact I Take my wand from the holster and I can't help myself saying
"Look Astoria this moment is the beginning of your favorite sister's journey to become Morgana Reborn HAHAHA"
"AHhh so lame you make it lame"
"Look here you little munchkin I will show you lame!"
"ahhh Mother Evil Morgana is bullying me"
"Children behave! We haven't even had lunch and you're already like this"
Spending the day with my sister and my mother and then when my father arrived it was amazing and I believe I can use this memory for a Patronus in the future.
That night, lying in bed, I realize something. The memories of my past life are influencing me more than I expected.
And the strangest part?
I don't mind one bit.