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The wind began to rustle the branches of an old oak tree hunched over the side of a small cottage. One might see a few chocolate cakes resting on the windowsill to cool. Their sweet smell seemed to fight for dominance with the aroma of wildflowers growing alongside the old white cottage. The once pristine white color had partially faded from the weather, leaving patches of grey.One could assume that the house lay abandoned, but in the wizarding world, perception isn't reality. A small family of three could be heard inside laughing as the father attempted to imitate Celestina Warbeck's Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love. Sadly, for Ted Tonks, singing was not his calling. Though if anyone were to ask Andromeda, she would say it was his secret talent before winking as she released a soft giggle. A little girl's laugh could be heard, followed by a pig-like snort that drew the family into a more intense round of laughter. The father's loud cackling could be heard intermingling with his wife and daughter's laughter.The small family's laughter brought an unexpected warmth to the house. It made one forget all outward appearances that illustrated the poor state of the cottage. Instead, one could focus on those three distinct laughs and see the meaning of true happiness. Love, life, and laughter, though not always in that order.If one focused on the laughter, there wasn't any fear of darkly cloaked villains jumping from the shadows to attack. There was a sense of security and warmth. These created a sense of happiness preferable to even the most potent cheering charms. The cottage was better than the most luxurious manor due to its inhabitants.A woman wandered down the stone path closer to the cottage, the tiny bundle clutched in her arms. She glanced to the side where a patch of trees lay as though contemplating running in the opposite direction but steadied herself and took a deep breath. A tiny hand grabbed a stray blonde curl of the woman's as the baby giggled. The woman glanced downward and smiled after kissing the newborn's soft hand.The woman stared at her daughter for one last time before walking the rest of the way to the dark green front door of the old cottage. Similar to the rest of the house, it had seen better days, but with a little more charm work, the house would become a remote paradise for the small family.She kissed the newborn's downy forehead again. Then breathed in her scent, trying to calm herself with the scent associated with all newborns, baby powder. Tears gathered in the woman's hazel eyes that she forced herself to blink away. As her mother always said, a lady must never show weakness. The woman snorted as she noted how right her mother was once again. Weakness would be giving in and running away anywhere far away from the wizarding world. Weakness would mean putting her daughter in danger through stupidity. Hiding is only a temporary fix to the problem. However, placing her child in plain sight with an alternative last name provides normalcy and security.The blonde took another deep breath before knocking on the door. Nervously Athena bit her lip, and the door slowly creaked open. Three sets of footsteps could be heard as the small family of three made their way to the door.A loud exclamation was heard as the sound of glass breaking filled the air. It was followed by a loud feminine shout, "Nymphadora, go to your room now.""Don't call me that," the little girl shouted before stomping up the stairs.The couple slowly opened the door after a loud slamming noise was heard. A pair of light brown eyes took in the appearance of the blonde woman and the pink-wrapped bundle in her arms. The light-haired brunette smiled lightly as she carefully glanced at the baby as if to ascertain it was real. Andromeda's Tonks expression changed instantaneously as her eyes caught sight of her goddaughter in the blonde's arms. Her features transformed as her eyes softened from wary to warm and welcoming.Ted Tonks dark brown eyes had started to crinkle around the edges. A large welcoming smile appeared on his face as he took in the blonde's appearance. "Have I mentioned that I love the Fidelius charm? Athena, why don't you come in? We were just having a spot of tea."Andromeda held out her arms before Ted could speak, "How is my favorite trainee healer these days." She crossed her arms over her dark blue robes as she stared into the blonde's hazel eyes. "What happened on your first day as my trainee at Saint Mungo's?"The blonde tried to cover her laughter as she tried not to wake the newborn in her arms. She adjusted the bundle in her arms, careful not to wake her. "Nymphadora Tonks was my first patient. She pretended to exhibit signs of dragon poxes to avoid being subjected to cleaning." A soft gurgle was heard from the baby as the woman continued, "She proceeded to fool everyone in the department, but her disguise was unmasked by her crush. If it wasn't for Remus Lupin's sudden introduction, I would have been stuck treating her for hours."All three adults started chuckling as the couple helped to usher the mother and daughter inside. Ted pulled the door closed behind them as he proceeded to carefully take the bundle from the woman. He spoke softly to the sleeping newborn, "Daphne, can you please teach my daughter your ways of being a deep sleeper? It would come in handy."A fireplace crackled in the room, emitting a soft glow. Ted settled into the dark blue couch off to the side of the fireplace. He grinned at the baby as he held her in his arms before summoning a book to lightly land on the floor next to him.Andromeda rolled her eyes as she settled into an old flower-patterned couch next to the blonde. She took the blonde's hand inside her own, pulling her friend's gaze away from the sight of Ted speaking baby talk to Daphne. Her brows furrowed as a worried tone seemed to catch in Andromeda's voice, "Athena, are you sure about this? You are resourceful and can keep her safe.""I can't, and you bloody know why," Athena said determinedly as she looked at the hands and then smiled at her old mentor. She let go of her friend's hand. Then walked to the fireplace to get a closer look at the large collection of photographs covering the yellow walls above the grey stone fireplace. "This is the only way to keep her safe. If it means I have to go through with this plan, it has to be done."Andromeda quickly stood up and made her way over to Athena, turning her around. She grasped the blonde's shoulders before shouting, "What in Merlin's name are you thinking?" Andromeda pointed at Ted and the sleeping infant before continuing. "Daphne's father deserves a say in this."Athena took a deep breath as she shut her eyes and opened them with a steely resolve flashing in the hazel orbs. "He agreed with me," she replied as she stared into Andromeda's kind face, whose expression had changed to remind her of a lioness protecting its pride. "Under old laws, she could be claimed and trained to become like Bellatrix or Alecto." A shudder passed through Athena before she continued, "Or they would kill her for daring to be the illegitimate daughter of two blood traitors.""The three of you could hide under the Fidelius charm. Maybe you could even marry her father. That would make her impossible to claim." Andromeda looked at her husband, who was busy singing to the baby as she slept blissfully, unaware of the soft banshee-like tone of his voice. "Place one of us as your secret keeper."Athena shook her head in response as she glanced at her daughter. "If this plan works, she'll grow up with the best protection. My brother's neutral stance and ignorance." She tried to keep her voice level to hide her fear, but it crept in as she continued on, "Marriage would draw attention to her due to it changing her last name from mine to his. It would make her a target for those that want to get to her father." She wrung her hands together to give herself something to do that wasn't running to Ted, grabbing Daphne, and then disappearing."If she became public knowledge, there isn't a way that we could fully protect her. We managed to hide the pregnancy." Athena leaned against the part of the wall that wasn't covered in pictures for support as she blinked back tears. "My brother's reputation will protect her better than anything else."A loud, angry meow sounded as a calico cat darted into the room and settled into a basket in the corner. Then there was a clanking noise as a metal umbrella holder fell to the floor. The three adults turned in the direction of the sound to see a young violet-haired girl glancing at them with a mischievous expression on her face. She waved at the blonde as she walked over to join them before cheerfully saying, "Wotcher, Athena.""Nymphadora, you should be asleep," Andromeda said as her daughter quickly took a seat next to Ted, hiding behind his shoulders for cover. Her mother placed her hand on her hips as she determinedly walked to her daughter. The little girl's hair turned from violet to a dark blue as she gulped at the sight. "I'm starting to think that we should delay sending you to Hogwarts until you're seventeen.""No! You can't!" Tonks loudly shouted, waking the baby in Ted's arms and causing her to start crying. "Stop calling me that," she said as she stood up and mimicked her mother's stance."Then start acting like the young lady I raised," Andromeda said in response, trying to keep her temper under control as Ted soothed the baby in his arms. Daphne had calmed down and was giggling at Ted's silly expressions.Athena wandered over to Ted and her daughter, gently taking Daphne into her arms before settling into the flower-patterned couch. She leaned back as the mother and daughter continued to fight. A slight pang of envy went through her as she was reminded of what she would never experience with her own daughter. She snuggled her daughter closely, wanting to pause time to spend more time with her.Another knock sounded at the door. Ted and Andromeda pointedly looked in their friend's direction, waiting for a response. The blonde kept her gaze fixed on the baby in her arms as she snuggled her close. "I'm not going to change my mind."The couple got up and wandered across the cracking wooden floorboards. Tonks jumped from her spot and settled in next to Athena. The metamorphosis smiled at the baby as the blonde looked up and stared into her light brown eyes. "I need you to promise me that you will keep this to yourself." Athena pointed at the newborn, "For her sake."Tonks eagerly nodded. "I promise." She pointed at the baby and rubbed her hands together. "Can I hold her, please?"Not wanting to relinquish the precious bundle in her arms, Athena reluctantly agreed. Excitement flooded the little girl's features as her hair changed from dark blue to bright bubblegum pink. The blonde leaned close to her to give her a better view of the baby. Tonks expression changed as Athena helped her hold the baby for a second before taking her back into her arms.Four sets of footsteps echoed from the hallway as Athena warned Tonks to go to the kitchen. She reluctantly ran into the kitchen, almost bumping into an empty owl perch on her way, and then quietly shut the door behind her. Athena breathed in her daughter's comforting scent as she heard the familiar voices of her brother Icarus and his wife, Lyric."I love you, my darling," Athena whispered to the infant before carefully standing up to walk over to her brother and his wife. She stood still in front of them as Daphne yawned and rested her head against her mother's neck.Icarus tucked a strand of his long blond hair behind his ear before his hazel eyes gazed into his sister's matching ones. "She's beautiful," a grin stretched across his features as he took in the sight of his niece. "Are you sure that you want to do this?" His eyes scanned his sister's face for any hint of apprehension, but her true feelings remained hidden."Yes," Athena replied determinedly as she handed Daphne to Andromeda. She grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill from the pocket of her dark blue robes. "I have the paperwork, all that has to happen is for you to fill it out and Andromeda to sign it."Athena's twin sighed and nodded while his wife's eyes remained glued on the baby. Lyric looked away from Daphne as she took in her sister-in-law's expression. The redhead tucked one of her corkscrew curls behind her ear as her eyes took on a pitying expression. "You're doing the right thing. If society found out about her, your reputation would be forfeit."A snort escaped Athena as she thought to herself, reputations mean nothing. The mask that her mother had taught her to near perfection hid her features from everyone other than Andromeda. Her friend glared at the redhead as Icarus rolled his eyes in annoyance. "It isn't about reputations. This is about making sure the baby is safe and happy."Andromeda, Athena, and Ted all nodded in agreement. Then Andromeda took the parchment and a green quill from Athena to begin filling the information out. She started reading off the questions. "Father and mother's full name."There was a reluctant response from Icarus as he kept staring at his twin. He sighed before responding, "Icarus Andreas Greengrass and Lyric Isolde Greengrass." Icarus rubbed a hand on his sister's back soothingly as Andromeda asked the next question, "Daughter's name?"Daphne seemed to sense her mother's unease and put a hand on her cheek. The act helped her mother maintain her mask. Athena quickly replied to the question to make sure that at least she could influence a minor piece of her daughter's life. "Daphne Adara Greengrass."To keep herself busy, Athena removed Daphne's blanket and booties. She held the tiny blonde infant in her arms, ready for the next step.Andromeda held her hands out for Daphne's feet to apply magical ink with her wand. "Most families wait three months before filing a birth certificate to follow tradition," she stated as she stamped each of Daphne's feet on the certificate. Andromeda removed the traces of black ink from the baby's feet. "It's done."
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The Egyptian sun beat down on the smooth sandstone pyramid causing the carvings that littered every stone to appear as though they were alive. Unlike the ruins in Muggle Egypt, these ones were in perfect condition with glittering limestone and granite. Daphne looked into the dark cave that led into the pyramid wanting to find a way to sneak inside. The stones lining the entrance were perfectly smooth, forming an archway with nundus carved into them. Each one was made from a series of crimson and brown paint which moved with the sun almost as if getting ready to dance to an invisible tune. If only getting inside was as simple as tricking her father into letting her explore the muggle world.Daphne sighed, gazing at two nearby columns hoping they would contain a clue for bypassing the wards. If she tried alone, she'd probably botch her attempt by falling prey to one of the many curses. Gringotts curse-breakers were considered the best in the world for a reason. She hadn't even gone through Hogwarts yet, so there was no chance that she'd be able to get through them alive.Each column had intricate carvings depicting ancient Egyptian wizarding society. Daphne traced a phoenix carving, feeling a strange tingling sensation on her hand. The phoenix's reddish gold wings seemed ready to fly away any second. Unlike the Nundus, the phoenixes looked like they were longing for freedom.A slight wind blew in the distance ruffling Daphne's long blonde curls. She huffed with annoyance and pushed her hair away from her face. The cream-colored letter in her hands felt heavy. She ran her fingertips along the wax crest that was all too familiar. At least if she'd been accepted to Beauxbatons, there would have been people she knew from more than lessons on how to be a proper member of wizarding society.Next to her, there was a popping noise as a red-haired wizard appeared next to her. His appearance made him look like he belonged on the cover of Witch Weekly with musicians. The leather boots and robes protected him from some of the harsh elements of the sun and the ruins themselves. There was a hidden benefit to his outfit. Anytime he was walking nearby, his boots made a loud crunching sound so she could hide.The tall wizard had a relieved smile on his face. "I don't give a damn what you think you're doing, but you're going to hurt yourself if you keep this up." He shook his head for a second, lost in a memory. "You know, you remind me of my brothers Fred and George."Daphne nodded and backed away from the columns. Usually, the curse-breaker was carefree. From how he looked at them, something about the wards bothered him. "What are they like?" She rubbed her hand, feeling the tingling sensation slowly go away."They sent me a garden gnome dressed up as Father Christmas with a bag loaded with howlers singing Christmas Carols as a Birthday gift." Bill Weasley tapped his wand in an intricate pattern on the phoenix's feathers. The carvings came to life, moving around the column. He adjusted his dragon fang earring. "The columns are meant to confuse looters. Getting inside requires using other components.""What components?" Daphne watched as the phoenix soared to the top of the column. The carvings froze in their new positions on the column. The phoenix was caught in midflight near another etching depicting a Thunderbird.A sphinx statue roared in the distance, indicating someone was approaching. "The columns distract you from the traps." Bill pocketed his wand and took out his notepad. Glancing at the hieroglyphics, he kept looking at them as he continued, "Tomb raiders used to spend hours on this ward before we had better protection. Legend has it that eventually they became carvings you see lining the pyramid.""There's still dozens of traps that must be disabled before it's safe." Bill tucked a flame-red strand of hair behind his ear. For someone that loved curse-breaking, the wizard appeared frustrated and, for a few seconds, looked decades older. "No one else needs to get hurt by another bloody trap." He gave her a severe look and looked directly into her eyes. "Two of my mates triggered a trap and had to be taken to Saint Mungo's. Don't join them."Her father ran over to them, breathless, taking an empty spot next to Bill and Daphne. His face was red from exhaustion, "Daphne, I've been looking everywhere for you." The blonde man had tied his hair back with a leather tie to help combat the heat. He cast a cooling charm on the area with his wand. The intricate vine carving in the wood reminded Daphne of her mother's beloved garden at home. "Our portkey back to England leaves soon."The young witch's nervousness tried to push its way through. There may still be time to hear back from Beauxbatons. If she got in, her grandmother could help her convince her parents to let her go there instead of Hogwarts. The phoenix carving at the top of the column seemed to have more freedom than she ever would. "Just wanted to see this pyramid before leaving."Icarus put his arm around Daphne's shoulders, pulling her close. Daphne's muggle-style jeans and jumper made their trek back home easier. The sand wasn't getting caught in her shoes, and she didn't risk being bit by something. "Never know, you could love Hogwarts."Her father turned his head towards the young curse breaker and nodded at him. "Bill, thank you for finding her. Maybe I should shift from curse-breaking to improving tracking spells.""Happy to help." Bill cast a charm to cause the dark passage of the pyramid to light up. A few statues inside the pyramid shifted from their protective stances.Icarus and Daphne made their way back to the familiar home that was encased by a tall stone fence. Within the fence's confines lay a dark pond with blue lotus flowers floating and columns with protection spells etched inside. A small house lay tucked inside with palm trees surrounding it.Astoria sat at the pond, soaking her feet inside. Careful not to attract the attention of their mother. Tori smirked at their mother, her copper waves catching a few of the sun's rays. "I was right."Their mother huffed and crossed her arms over her dark blue robes. Her blue eyes seemed to take on a look that always reminded Daphne of an oncoming storm whenever she was angry. "We've been in this hell hole for only a few weeks. Yet in that time, you've managed to skip society lessons and dress like you're scouting for buyers in Knockturn Alley."A hoot was heard from a barn owl on a white limestone perch. The Greengrass family Barn Owl, Archimedes rearranged himself on his perch. His feathers puffed out. He always seemed to do that whenever anyone yelled. The owl hooted louder again to get someone's attention. Her father peeked in his direction, and the owl dramatically held out his leg with the letter attached. If there was a way for an owl to let out a huff, Archimedes would have done it.Icarus handed the white and tan owl a treat from his emerald robe pocket. His hazel eyes skimmed the crisp parchment. "Lottie says everything at White Cliffs is set for our arrival." He passed the letter to Lyric and sighed. "Take a look at this. Bagshot made another adjustment."This seemed to infuriate her mother further. She groaned quietly, cursing, "fuck, why did she reschedule the wizarding society lesson for tomorrow?" Lyric took a deep breath and added a note to the letter, delicately tying it back to the owl's leg. It spread its wings and flew away. "Daphne, tomorrow we'll be shopping and sending you to your last lesson until Christmas break. Tori, you'll still be attending weekly preparatory classes. I need you to practice your Latin and French."Icarus chuckled at his wife's expression as she waved her wand at Daphne, removing any hints of dirt that seemed to cling to her clothes. Daphne's hair was pulled into a tight chignon. Her eldest's curls seemed to have a mind of their own and were desperate to escape the intricate bun.One thing few knew about her mother was that she always charmed muggle clothes to wear with her robes. There was one condition, they had to be well-made. This explained why her mother took her daughters on routine trips to Place Cachée boutiques that catered to muggle designs. To the French wizarding world, clothing was meant to be beautiful, tailored, and unique. Many clothes her mother purchased were uncharmed until their elf Lottie fixed them.In her pocket, Daphne kept fiddling with the Hogwarts letter she'd haphazardly shoved inside, uncaring that it was crinkled. A smoothing charm would fix it anyway."If you must go muggle, at least wear something civilized like the dresses I found for you." Lyric pulled a small gold box out of the pocket of her robes and handed it to Daphne. The sun made the gold box shimmer, the design on the top with her etched initials. "Since you're not sorted, you'll be expected to wear one of these pieces tomorrow."Daphne ran her finger along her initials etched into the gold box DAG. She clicked a button on the side, and the box expanded. Inside lay a pair of pearl earrings with a matching bracelet, ring, and necklace. She closed the box and hit the button on the side to return it to a smaller size."I don't trust those uncharmed muggle clothes to hold onto those. I'll take them and return them to you when we return to White Cliffs." Lyric took the box from Daphne and placed it securely back in her robes. She pulled a list out of her robes and crossed a few things off with a blue quill before grabbing an old potion vial from her pocket. "Everything is packed. Let's go so we can enjoy a swim at home. Where we don't need constant cooling charms."The family of four grabbed onto the vial. The Portkey glowed and started to spin. Daphne shut her eyes and held on tight. She attempted to block out the oncoming feeling of nausea.Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour was perfect on a sunny day between school supplies shopping. Stalls lining the cobblestones in front of shops were running low on supplies. Many stores had signs in the window detailing which supplies needed to be owl ordered. Witches and wizards could be heard haggling with vendors and shopkeepers over prices.Daphne wished for the comforting sight of golden sand and limestone columns. There was something about traveling that made her want to explore."Only a few more things to buy," her mother pulled her out of her thoughts. She held a worn piece of parchment in her hands. She made a point to use her wand to cross off purchased items with a marking spell. Wand and owl were the only remaining things that weren't crossed out with silver lines. "Is everything ready for when you stay at Andromeda's tonight after lessons?""Mum, can we take a break from the list?" Daphne took a bite of her salted caramel ice cream. Absentmindedly she rubbed the smooth galleon-sized scar on the back of her left wrist. She hated that scar. It made wearing bracelets annoying and itched.A loud laugh escaped from her father. He always seemed to find a way to get her mother to take a break from her lists and do something fun. "Darling, I love your lists. I'm popping over to Gringotts to file that paperwork. I'll meet you at home." Icarus leaned over to kiss Lyric on the lips. "Why don't you take the girls to pick out the last of Daphne's things." He apparated away.There were many sounds and smells. It wasn't anything compared to Egypt or France. The scent of cinnamon and oranges came from one of the stands nearby selling potion ingredients. Many were gathered around the stand, trying to snatch up the ingredients for potion kits.A few people weaved through the crowds littered with old cobblestones. Many tried to get their children away from Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour, Sugarplum's Sweets Shop, Broomstix, Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, and Quality Quidditch Supplies.Daphne glanced at a few wizards in Ravenclaw robes occupying one of the neighboring tables. A boy a few years older than her stood next to a wizard that looked like he was close to graduating Hogwarts. They both shared the same short brown hairstyle and stocky build. "Roger, you have to figure out Oliver's strategy. What are his tells?" She stared at the younger boy as he went inside Quality Quidditch Supplies."Chester, I'm not Trelawney. I can't predict something that defies common sense.""Roger, Ravenclaw deserves a win this year.""If Wood would act with common sense, I could answer your question. To think like him, I'd have to take a few bludgers to the head." Roger turned towards the other wizard with a smirk. "If you want me to win, can I have your broom since you won't need it anymore?"Daphne looked away before the boy could catch her staring. At least if he'd been in society lessons with her, they would have been enjoyable.Tori returned to the table and sat in the empty seat next to Daphne. A few copper curls fell in front of her hazel eyes, causing her to tuck them behind her ear. "They have baby nifflers and kneazles at the magical menagerie." She excitedly ate the last bite of her apple ice cream. Tori pointed in the direction of the magical menagerie. "Can we go look at them?"Lyric vanished their empty ice cream bowls. "Another time." She charmed Tori's hair to rearrange itself from loose strands into a chignon. Her straight hair effortlessly arranged itself, unlike Daphne's.When Lyric looked away, Daphne pulled her hair loose and ran her fingers through it. She used Sleekeazy's for a reason, and she didn't waste time this morning fixing her hair for it to go to waste. Besides, all the teen witches wore their hair down in Teen Witch Weekly. Only elderly witches wore their hair up. She'd even ordered a special bottle of Sleekeazy's with her favorite scent, jasmine."We must get Daphne's wand and owl before it gets too late."Tori huffed as she crossed her arms. "There's still time.""Your father and I are attending the St. Mungo's charity gala tonight. We should get to Garrick Ollivanders shop first." Lyric gracefully stood up and helped her daughters locate Ollivanders. She handed some coins to her youngest. "Tori, why don't you pick out some sweets for your sleepover at Eleanor Pucey's tonight?"The tiny witch clutched the coins and put them in the pocket of her purple robes. Before she could run for it, her mother said, "When you're there, can you please get some Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties for your father, me, and Daphne?" Tori bolted down the cobblestones towards SugarPlum's Sweet Shop in search of chocolate. The tiny witch darted through the crowds, narrowly bumping into a large wizard in a pale blue cloak with Silver Arrows logos.All the walls within Ollivanders were lined with narrow wand boxes of all colors and shapes. A large amount of dust was gathered throughout areas of the shop that were less traveled. In the corner lay an old dusty owl perch occupied by a resting screech owl. The small shop felt even more cramped than usual, with three families waiting for their turns.A set of twins with long black hair waited behind their parents. One twin excitedly peered around at the different displays. Pointing at the different wand boxes. "Parvati, just think of all we'll see at Hogwarts.""I'd settle for escaping the toad," Parvati whispered back low enough for the witch at the counter to not hear. She giggled as she clutched her silver P necklace that matched her twin's.The twin rolled her eyes and gestured at the handbag embroidered with a cat. The cat kept moving on the purse to play with a pink ball of yarn. "That makes two of us."At the counter, Ollivander handed a toad-like woman in a fluffy pink cardigan a wand. There was a large pile of discarded wands and boxes next to her. She made a point to try the wand with a charm on the owl perch. The test resulted in a blast that destroyed the perch. The screech owl hooted fearfully and flew to the back of the shop.Ollivander winced, causing the lines on his face to become more prominent as he snatched the wand away from the witch. His grey hair was in disarray. Whether it was from dealing with the woman he was trying to help or the numerous first years was anyone's guess. Parents waiting with their children warily produced shield charms to protect their families from wayward blasts.A tan lanky boy in muggle-style clothes with brown hair entered the shop. He stood towards the back, trying to not draw attention to himself, with a few bags and an empty owl cage in his hands. His face had a few freckles, and his deep blue eyes seemed to study everything in the shop. The boy kept glancing around the room like he was trying to find his own wand so he could leave.Daphne poked her mother and whispered as she pointed in the boy's direction. The boy set his things down next to him, sure to keep them in sight. "Why didn't he have the shopkeepers use the shrinking charm?"Lyric glanced casually in the boy's direction, recognition flashing in her eyes. She motioned for Daphne to follow her, and they walked toward the boy. Carefully, her mother took out her wand and, before moving it, said, "Hello, I can help you fix those. Did you get your trunk already?"The boy nodded yes and pulled a brown trunk from his jean pocket. He cast his face downwards, embarrassed. "They said it cost extra for a shrinking charm whenever they rang me up.""Shrinking charms at any shop don't cost extra. Anyone that tells you otherwise is out for extra sickles." Lyric flicked her wand a few times, the trunk grew to a standard size, and the items flew inside, perfectly arranging themselves and leaving room for more items at the very top. The boy's trunk had initials on it, TLN. The chest closed itself. At the top, the Hogwarts crest was present and grew smaller as it started to shrink in size.A few odd sounds, like nails on a chalkboard, could be heard throughout the room as the woman tried different wands. The other parents warily cast charms on themselves and their children to protect them from the sounds."This is my daughter Daphne, and I'm Lyric." Lyric placed her wand inside her robes she gestured to herself and her daughter. If there was one thing that anyone knew about Lyric Greengrass, it was that the society witch followed the rules of manners to a t.Daphne smiled at the boy, politely extending her hand as her mother did. The boy's hands felt warm and not sweaty like she expected. He shook her hand with a firm grip and replied, "Theo Nott."Nearby a gasp sounded from the twins as they moved farther away with disgust. Lyric continued in a confident tone that reminded Daphne of when she saw her giving a speech on the importance of portrait preservations. "Pleased to meet you. I'm sorry about the loss of your mother. She was a wonderful witch. Should you need help, please contact my husband or me."The boy ignored the twins, and Daphne smiled at him. He reminded her of one of the hippogriffs her father introduced her to last year when they visited some relatives in Scottland. Both were cautious as someone new approached, but they changed once they saw you weren't an enemy. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm sorry for your loss as well. Maybe we can sit on the train together in a few days?""I'd like that. Nice to meet you." Theo smiled, the look reaching his eyes. "Thank you for your help, Mrs. Greengrass."Theo grabbed a random box from the shelf and pulled out the wand. It emitted red and silver sparks. A relieved expression formed on his face as he approached the front. He cut in and asked if he could pay for his wand, and Ollivander took payment. A weird "Hem, Hem" came from the witch upfront as though she'd swallowed a frog. Theo quickly made his way out of the shop.A few boxes of wands flew off the walls and zoomed around the room. One of them caught fire and nearly hit the woman's handbag. Sadly, the fire would have been an improvement to the purse. The cat on the bag was eyeing the flying boxes. It kept trying to swat its paws upwards in their direction.Her mother sighed and quietly muttered Immobulus. The boxes froze midair, and the one that caught fire stopped right when it was about to hit one of the windows at the shop entrance. She flicked her wand, and the boxes returned to the front in a neat pile next to Ollivander. The fire was extinguished, and the damaged box landed on the counter up front.The mousy brown-haired witch glared at the shopkeeper as she handed another wand back to him. "I was promised your finest elm wood wands.""You should keep using your old wand." Ollivander pointedly held up the small wand that belonged to the short witch. He held a silver measuring tape in one hand as he attempted to measure her again, only to be pushed away. "It chose you.""You're aware that I'm a ministry official and could have your business investigated according to law 41952U." The witch's voice was sickening sweet as she tilted her head to the side. She eagerly took another wand from him and attempted another levitation charm. This time dust gathered in the room's corner and turned into a large cloud.Ollivander quickly fixed the owl perch and vanished from the dust cloud. "I believe you've tried almost every wand in this store that matches your specifications." He gestured to a lone wand on the counter as he charmed the rejected wands to put themselves away. In his wrinkled hands were a garish-looking short dark brown wand with a pink gem and a longer light brown wand with carvings of swirls.The witch stomped her foot, causing a thumping noise to echo through the room. "I am Delores Jane Umbridge, and I demand you check your inventory," Umbridge stated matter-of-factly. She yanked the light brown wand away from him, this time trying another charm, and caused an empty wand box to hit her on the forehead.Some of the displays for wand cores, woods, and lengths had a mind of their own and were forming a tornado and drawing papers inside. One of the other parents there with his daughter loudly shouted, "Finite Incantatem."The displays fell to the ground, and the wizard rolled his eyes. Shoving his short purple hair out of his face. His attire reminded Daphne of Bill Weasley. He even had piercings that would send her grandmother into shock. He held his daughter's hand and scowled at Umbridge. He took a deep breath and glanced at his daughter. "Tracey, visit your great aunt Poppy when you get to Hogwarts. She's looking forward to seeing you.""Yes, Da." The young witch with straight brown hair smiled at her father. Her light green eyes lingered on the witch trying wands. "Can't wait." She leaned towards him and looked away from the witch. "Can we go somewhere else for my wand?"A few witches and wizards were walking outside, rushing to get to some stores before they ran out of items. Owl order when it was time to return to Hogwarts was a mess. Most knew to buy earlier or a few days before to avoid potential supply shortages. Some of the younger children were playing tag outside the store, and you could hear them laughing.Tiredly the wandmaker grabbed another box from under the counter, placing the dusty silver box on the counter. "I've checked. That's the last elm wood wand in the store." Ollivander's face reddened, and he grasped the old counter that had seen better days. "Unless you'd like to try a different wand combination. The wand chooses…""That wand will choose me," Umbridge snapped before snatching the remaining wand. She tried to cast another charm. Instead, the wand revolted by emitting a gust of wind that caused her pink bow to fall on her nose. She attempted to use the wand again to charm her bow back into place. The bow flew into the air, forming a mouth that screamed like a banshee. Then ripped itself apart like a howler.Umbridge's face looked feral as she tried to throw the wand at the shopkeeper. Instead, the wand bounced off the counter and landed at Tracey's feet. The young witch picked it up, causing a series of green and purple sparks to stream onto the counter.The screech owl seemed to sense the calm had returned and flew back. It cautiously sat on a pile of boxes behind Ollivander. It hooted as the wandmaker handed an owl treat to it from under the counter.Ollivander grinned at the witch. "I believe you have found your wand, Miss Davis."Tracey held the wand and jumped up with excitement. Her wand emitted fireworks that matched her and seemed to dance above. Her father pulled her into a hug. He took the wand from her, causing the fireworks to stop.The old wandmaker grabbed a piece of parchment and jotted something down with a quill handing it to the screech owl hiding behind him. The owl eagerly flew out the open window in the back of the shop. Ollivander repaired the rest of the damage from Umbridge's wand trials with a few waves of his wand.Umbridge's expression changed from frustration to a fake smile that didn't reach her dull brown eyes. She marched over to the young witch extending her sweaty hand as she cleared her throat. "I'm sure a fine pureblood like yourself is well-suited for that wand." She preened, seeming to look around at the onlookers. "I'm Delores Jane Umbridge, a pureblood such as yourself should have heard of me."Tracey gulped nervously as her face flushed bright red. She politely extended her own hand to shake Umbridge's. "Nice to meet you. I'm Tracey Davis, and I'm a half-blood."The older witch's expression transformed to boil with rage as she marched back over to Ollivander. "That wand should not work for her. It rejected…," Umbridge's words caught in her throat as she grabbed her old wand seeming lost in thought."Blood status isn't a determinant for wand placement." Ollivander gestured for Tracey and her father to move forward. He began checking the wand and started ringing up the pair. That infuriated the toad even more. She knocked down an empty vase in her haste to get his attention. The glass shards spread on the floor. The shopkeeper quickly repaired the vase and placed it back on the counter.The vase reminded Daphne of one in her room at White Cliffs. Except hers was filled with a bouquet that Lottie made out of jasmine flowers. The flowers never wilted, and the elf prided herself on creating combinations of everyone's favorite flowers for their rooms. Tori's room had roses and lavender. Even her parents had their own arrangement filled with Cherry Blossoms.Hogwarts wouldn't have things like that. Beauxbatons would, though, everything about that school was filled with warmth and beauty. Judging by the pictures, the school in the highlands looked cold and dull. Europe was saturated with castles, and this one looked like a larger version of the photographs of Durmstrang she'd seen.At least Daphne could decorate her dorm to make it feel more like home. A few pictures of her family and some snowglobes she bought in France and Egypt would make it easier. "Mum, can you help me pick some decorations for my dormitory?" She tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "I want to bring a few things from home."Hogwarts was a castle, but they had to let students at least decorate with pictures and some knickknacks. Daphne would hate to not be allowed to at least put up pictures. In Hogwarts a History, it didn't say decorations weren't allowed, so really, she was merely following the rules."I'd love to, but you can only bring a little. We'll pick out some of your favorites, and Gemino charm them so you'll take copies to school. You'll be sharing your dorm with…""Hem, Hem," a voice interrupted the pair.Both the mother and daughter looked in the direction of the toad.Umbridge had made her way out of the shop but stopped in front of Lyric and Daphne. The handbag looked like it had a loose strap that the witch was trying to hide from onlookers by carrying it with her hand instead of her arm. It did little to conceal the damaged strap that had changed from pink to black. "When did you return from the Egyptian wasteland?" Her smile seemed reminiscent of a toad that had spotted a fly. "Has your husband had a chance to look at the newest Gringotts taxation proposal for their Egyptian ventures?"A tight smile graced Lyrics' features at the mention of the proposal. The witch held her wand tightly and stared back into the woman's eyes, her eyes never leaving the other woman's. "I know as much about that proposal as you seem to." She held her daughter's hand tightly with her other hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I promised my daughter I'd help her get the last of her things ready for Hogwarts."Umbridge pursed her lips. She tucked her handbag on her arm, the cat on it looked like it was trying to cough up a furball. "Pity that you seem to be unaware of events. One might start to think you're losing your touch."Daphne's mother pulled out her list and wrote something blocking out the woman. Her mother pointed at the wand in Tracey's hands as the young witch's father proudly talked to Ollivander. "I was always under the impression that to brag was akin to taking all myths surrounding wands as fact. Of course, you would know all about that due to your extensive elm wand research.""Hem, Hem." Something seemed to be caught in Umbridge's throat. Each time she coughed, it sounded more like a frog croaking than a cough."Why Delores, it sounds like you've come down with something." Lyric handed a business card from her brown leather handbag to the witch. The buttery leather handbag was old, but with how it was made, it still looked new. "Why don't you go to St. Mungo's for help? It sounds like you got a fly caught in your throat. Wouldn't want you to pass anything along to the children, now would we."The ministry witch took the card with directions to St. Mungo's printed on it and ripped it to pieces. A pointy-looking smile that looked like it had seen one too many encounters with whitening charms made its presence known. The teeth sparkled so much that even Gilderoy Lockheart would think that too many whitening charms were used."I only take recommendations from Ministry Certified sources. Good day, I must return to my paperwork." Umbridge gritted her teeth and hastily left, slamming the door behind her.The twins grabbed a random box from the pile Ollivander placed in front of them. Their wands let out silver and gold sparks. He looked on excitedly, telling them facts about their new ebony and dragon heartstring wands. They cleared out their wands and wand cleaning kits in hand.Ollivander grinned tiredly and waved them forward. He looked at Lyric's wand. "Cedar and Dragon Heartstring, 10 inches and springy. Do you mind if I test that?" The elderly wizard took the wand and conjured a bouquet of daisies before returning it to her mother. "It's still serving you well. Your husband's wand is Cherry and Dragon Heartstring 11 inches and slightly yielding."One of the posters on the wall caught Daphne's attention. Different pictures of wand cores and facts were displayed. What stood out to her was that the Celtic tree calendar wasn't always the determinant of wands."This is one of your daughters, I take it." The elderly man's silvery eyes looked down at Daphne. He used his wand, and a measuring tape appeared. "Which arm is going to be your wand arm?""Right." The measuring tape ran alongside her arm. The shopkeeper ended the measuring charm and ran into the back, returning with a small pile of wands in his arms. Some of the boxes caught her eye, which reminded her of the gold and silver boxes her parents stored their wands inside when they weren't using them. They didn't do that anymore since Tori was too old to accidentally bring her stuffed animals to life.A hoot came from the screech owl that had made its way back inside the shop. It settled back onto its perch after setting a letter on the counter. Ollivander didn't pay it any mind, and the owl ate some of the food from the bowl next to its perch. The silver-eyed wizard placed the boxes in a small pile and handed Daphne the first wand to try.She waved the dark brown wand that reminded her of her mother's, and the bell on the door spit in half. Then she tried the next one, another cedar but with a phoenix feather core. When she tried it, the window cracked. A third one, this time the wood was cherry like her father's, and it caused some of the floorboards to turn into some sort of slime. Each wand that Ollivander handed her seemed to not work. Finally, he gave her one last wand, a tired but excited smile on his face.When Daphne waved the wand red and silver sparks flew out of it. She felt relief as she set the wand down, not wanting to part with it. It had a few carvings that reminded her of vines and was a light yellowish-brown. Ollivander placed the wand in the box and put a wand cleaning kit with it."Cypress, 10 ¾ inches swishy, my grandfather used to say that this wand wood was often a signal that the carrier would die a noble death. Had it been a few years ago, you might have met a similar end to your aunt. Her Cypress wand was similar, except it had a unicorn hair core instead of a dragon heartstring." Ollivander rattled off facts as though he was discussing quidditch scores. The word death and mention of her aunt caused her mother to take on an expression that would frighten a manticore.Lyric glared at the wandmaker as though he said her daughter was a Death Eater. She took a few galleons from her handbag and handed them to him. He counted them and placed the wand in its gold box, passing it along with the cleaning kit to Lyric."She's 11, and I respect your beliefs regarding wand lore. I don't appreciate that you're speaking like this to her." Her mother placed the boxes in her handbag and was trying very hard to control her temper. "No child should be told they could be destined to die a noble death. Thank you for your help. Now we'll be on our way."Both made their way out the door, the broken bell on the door ringing behind them as the door shut. As the door slammed shut, the bell fell, making a loud clanking noise. Daphne grabbed her mother's hand and smiled. Her mother held it tightly as if she was afraid to let go. "Mum, Voldemort's dead. It's not as though I will find Death Eaters anytime soon." The words should have calmed her mother, but instead, she nodded, seeming lost in thought. Tori ran over to them and grabbed their mother's other hand."Girls, when it comes to Voldemort, only use, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. To say his name is to give him power and attention. The less attention he gets, the better." Lyric pulled out her wand and cast a charm to fix Daphne's hair returning it to its chignon. "Daphne, please don't mess your hair up. You should wear your hair like this, so your pearl earrings are visible."They quickly navigated their way through Diagon Alley. The crowds had started to die down a little. It was still busy but nowhere near the intensity that it had been earlier in the day. Some of the shoppers nearby were trying to get the last of the Aconite and Porcupine quills at one of the vendor stalls. The three made their way into the shop Eeylops Owl Emporium only a few owls remained.Daphne glimpsed around the shop, relieved that they had owls left. Their jewel-colored eyes seemed to watch the new occupants in excitement as the young witches looked around. Tori led Daphne throughout the shop, pointing at the different types of owls as they walked. She eagerly tried to point at a sleeping barn owl."Why don't you go help Mum?" Daphne pointed at their mother, who was locked in a conversation with the elderly shopkeeper about cages. The youngest Greengrass pouted and went over to Lyric, taking her hand. Daphne's eyes caught on a small grey owl that flew into the shop and landed beside the shopkeeper. Loud footsteps echoed in the shop as she looked for the source of the noise. There was a tall man with long frizzy hair and a beard next to a boy petting a snowy owl."Just need to pick yer owl." The man's long dark hair seemed to attract an eagle owl that tried to make a nest on his head. While the owl was adjusting, the man's much younger companion laughed and tried to help by luring it to him with an owl treat. The man held his hands and chuckled as he carefully extracted the owl from his hair. "This little bugger must be new to the shop." He held the owl with a surprisingly gentle touch and took it to the front. At the noise, the owl the boy, was petting flew towards the front of the shop.Daphne took in the boy's appearance noting the glasses, oversized muggle clothes, messy black hair, and thin frame. He was in the right age range for the first year of Hogwarts. For all she knew, he could be a Muggle-born. No one was with him other than the man, and it didn't look like the two were related.Might as well put those lessons to use that her mother forced her to attend. Daphne made her over to him and smiled. "Are you excited about Hogwarts?" She tucked a stray blonde curl behind her ear as the boy moved closer to pet a different snowy owl with a few black specks and yellow eyes. The owl leaned into the boy's touch, enjoying the attention. "What house do you think you'll be in?""Yes, it's my first year. I've never been anywhere like this before." The boy adjusted his glasses to get a better view of her. "I bet I'm in Hufflepuff with everyone else that doesn't know where they belong." The owl started to fall asleep as his fingers ran across his feathers. He retracted his hand, careful not to wake the owl. "Anything is better than Slytherin. I don't want to be a dark wizard.""Gryffindors are the duffers," Daphne replied in an annoyed tone. She crossed her arms, barely missing an empty owl cage next to her. "I have one parent in both the houses you just insulted. You'd be lucky to be in either house.""I think you're wrong," the boy said. He stepped closer to Daphne, a challenge in his emerald green eyes as they locked on her hazel ones. An owl landed on a cage leaning over the display's edge. It shook and fell onto the boy's head. He tried to get it off as the large man quickly approached them, his loud footsteps waking up a few owls.Daphne tried to help the boy remove the cage but was waved away by the large man, who looked suspiciously at her. The large man took the cage off the boy's head and placed it back on the shelf. "Blimey Harry."His name was Harry? That had to be a common name. There's no way that could be the boy who lived. He was too normal to be the famous wizard. Harry Potter had to be like Cormac McLaggen, an arrogant prat that was too absorbed in himself. Rita Skeeter even wrote exclusive interviews about the boy who lived detailing his life. The only thing that needed to be added was pictures."Best be careful, yeh don't want these owls. I found yeh the best ones in the front," Hagrid said excitedly. The boy nodded and followed him up to the front. A few seconds later, the duo left the shop, a covered owl cage in Harry's hands.The snowy owl glanced downwards disappointedly as it saw Harry leaving with another owl. Daphne smiled at the owl, petting its soft feathers. "You're coming home with me, but you need a name.""I see you found an owl. We'll take that one," Lyric said as Tori ran towards the owl to pet it. The bird was in heaven and basked in attention from the two young witches.Daphne kept petting the owl. "I think I'll call you Chióni. My Yaya used to use that word instead of snow." Her father's mother had died when she was little, but she used to always sneak Greek words into conversation to teach her the language. The lessons didn't stick, and she only knew a few words.The red-haired man nodded in agreement. "Was there anything else you wished to get the young lass?""Thank you, but we'll use the cage and the owl.""We carry the best owl treats and food in England."Lyric grabbed a few galleons from her handbag and placed them in the shopkeeper's hand. "No, thank you. Our elf prepares all treats and food our animals consume." She politely smiled at the irritated shopkeeper after taking the cage away from him. Lyric opened the door to the cage with a delicate flick of her wand."Lottie," Lyric said as she navigated the owl into the bronze-colored cage. Careful not to hurt the snowy owl as she shut the cage and locked it with her wand.A tiny elf appeared before Lyric, wearing a pristine white pillowcase with lace on the sleeves. White slippers that looked like ballet shoes were on her feet, tied with bows to hold them in place. Her eyes trained eagerly on Daphne and Tori. The elf was bouncing on the balls of her feet with happiness. "Mistress need Lottie's help with the young mistresses?""Could you please take Tori and the owl home?" Lottie nodded happily, took Tori's hand, and grasped onto the cage. "Mistress, need anything else?""That will be all. Thank you, Lottie."With a faint popping noise Lottie, the owl, and Tori were gone. A few owls woke up looking for the noise source and returned to sleep. The owl that was once flying around overhead flew to the storeroom.The pair left the store and navigated the cobblestones around tired shoppers moving toward the apparition point. "I see you made an impression on Harry Potter. Hagrid thought you were trying to kill him," her mother said casually as though she was talking about the weather.Memories of the cage that fell on the famous Harry Potter's head came rushing back. Daphne was off to a beautiful start for Hogwarts. Harry thought she was trying to murder him. At this rate, she'll be carted off to Azkaban for attempted murder before graduation."It was an accident," she replied, determined for her mother to believe her."I know, Daph. I saw you trying to help him." Her mother winced at a poster for Lockheart's newest book. Glancing around to see if anyone was looking, she made the sign disappear. "In that poster, he may seem like a charmer to everyone else. To me and a few others, he's the bloke that cheated his way through Hogwarts.""What do you mean?""I'll tell you when you're old enough to go to Hogsmeade alone."Lyric maneuvered them around a light pole, and they waited behind a witch for the apparition point to open. The grey-haired witch disappeared with a soft pop leaving the space free for them.Daphne grumbled as they disappeared with a pulling sensation. "You always say that."