Ariella Tonks was confused and skeptical the day she finally got her Hogwarts acceptance letter. After all, magic wasn't real. WRONG. Since her reconnection to once distant family members she had heard many stories about all of the magic, mischief a...
A couple of days later my dad took me to my uncle's house - my dad's older brother who I never knew existed until the day that letter arrived. The conversation, or lack thereof, between the two brothers was strained at best. Clearly there was a great deal of hate from my father towards his brother.
After my father left me sobbing in the entrance way of a stranger's home - my whole world turned upside down and I was thrown headfirst into the wizarding world. I still couldn't grasp that it was all real.
"So Ariella... what do you know about magic?" My cousin asked me awkwardly as I sniffled my way into their house which quickly became my home.
A couple of weeks later on September the first we arrived at Kings Cross station where I would be getting the train to school.
"So you just run at the wall between platforms nine and ten, then on the other side is platform nine and three quarters." My uncle explained to me for the tenth time.
"Oh I'm so excited for you, I wonder what house you'll be sorted into." My cousin grinned. Nymphadora Tonks - although she preferred to be called Dora by her family and just Tonks by her friends, was Ted's daughter. During her time at Hogwarts, which she had only just left, she was sorted into Hufflepuff house just like Ted, even though her mother's house was Slytherin. "Would you like me to come through with you?" Dora asked. "I know the first time can be a bit daunting." She explained as I looked at the wall I was supposed to run through. I nodded weakly, not quite trusting my own voice. "Okay." She smiled as she stood next to me - her hands on the luggage trolley. "On three. One. Two. Three." On three we both ran full speed at the wall, I pinched my eyes closed, waiting for the impact of the wall. When it never came, my eyes snapped open to see a scarlet steam train with the words the Hogwarts Express written over it, the platform sign of nine and three quarters hanging on the wall next to it. I looked over my shoulder at the wall just as Ted came walking through.
"Wow." I gasped.
"That wasn't so bad now was it?" Dora asked as she laughed at my face.
"Well I'm not a heap on the floor so no it wasn't so bad." I giggled.
"You better hurry and find a compartment before it gets too busy." Ted said, his hand resting on my shoulder. "Don't forget to write to us, Dora especially." He said, nodding his head towards Jannah, my new eagle owl that I bought when we were in Diagon Alley collecting my school supplies.
"I can't wait to see you at Christmas." Dora smiled as she pulled me into a tight hug.
"Thank you." I sighed. "Thank you for everything." I said, directing my thanks to both of them - for helping me adjust to my new life and more importantly, their kindness.
