Strawgoh: The American Hogwarts

Chapter Four

Emma Aarons walked into the halls of Strawgoh. Her parents were staying in an inn in Strawsmeade for the last family vacation they would ever have when Emma wasn’t on holiday before she was of age.  The only other people in the Great Hall was an elderly man and a young girl who shared the same eyes as him.

“Excuse me, sir, but I am going to attend Strawgoh and my parents and I were in Strawsmeade for a family visit, so I decided to come early,” Emma explained. “I’m Emmaline Aarons, but please, call me Emma.”

“Oh, Miss Aarons, I believe you are a first year, eh?” asked the man. “Rookie mistake.” He smiled.

“Hey, Emma! I’m a first year, too. I’m Maddie Craddock,” the girl introduced.

“Miss Aarons, I’m Headmaster Craddock, and Madella here is my granddaughter. I suspect that you don’t know Strawgoh tradition, but I’m not following those rules with Maddie here, so I guess you can wait until the rest of the first years join,” acquiesced Craddock. “Would you like to join Madella and me?”

Emma shrugged, unsure of what to say to her new headmaster. “I guess I would,” she said.

Maddie flashed Emma a smile, and then invited her to come sit down. “I believe you’ve heard of Lord Voldemort?” she asked. Emma nodded reluctantly. “My grandfather and I have been in a heated debate the past week or so about Voldy’s motives. Was it pure evil, like I believe, or want for a pure-blood world, something that so many think? Grandfather has told me that there is more to Voldemort’s past than torturing small childrens, stealing, wanting to become immortal, killing, being unworthy of his friends, and thinking that he must gain control over the world!”

“Well, I know of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but seriously, don’t call him you know, his name!” exclaimed Emma.

“I do not even wish to speak his name, Miss Aarons. You are a wise young woman. Any teacher would be pleased to have you in class.” Craddock chortled. “Although Professor Effemy is a bit, ah, wary about brilliant students. She says the simply have no potential in Divination. I guess you do not have the Inner Eye?”

“I don’t believe so, sir.” Maddie smirked at Emma’s adversity.

“I do not hope you any trials in your classes, but paying attention in Professor Wallis’ class have proven even myself a challenge. You seem eager to learn. I believe you will do just finely here at Strawgoh. I am immensely proud to have such a talented Muggle-born in my presence.” A grin spread across Craddock’s wrinkly face, while Emma grimaced.

“Headmaster, I am a pureblood! My father is Pilus Aarons and my mother, well I suspect you’ll know her! Narcissa Malfoy!”

“Excuse me, Miss Aarons, but Narcissa Malfoy died a long time ago,” laughed Craddock. “I believe you are mistaken.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Do you think my mom wanted to be affiliated with the Dark Lord in any way? No! She just wanted a normal life, and she wanted her offspring to be pureblood, so she married that dang Malfoy! Obviously, she didn’t want that life. Let’s not be ridiculous. I mean, nobody wants to disappoint her parents, and she did what she had to. After her false death, she came to America, met my dad, and had me.”

“I—I don’t believe it!” exclaimed Craddock. “It seems highly plausible, but Narcissa had a great life over in England.”

“Dang Voldemort was in England!” shouted Emma.

“Well, Voldy’s been here lately,” Maddie laughed. “He killed poor Della and Barry Hare. Laurel Hare’s parents, if you are up in the times.”

Emma shut up. How could this be? Certainly Harry Potter had killed Voldemort!

Meanwhile, Joseph and Alex had met the others. Joseph found Grace’s oblivion intriguing, and every five seconds on their boat, she shouted, “I’m gonna fall! And the mermaids will eat me!” or “Ew! This water is so gross!” and the occasional “If you have powers, can’t you like, fly us to the castle-y place?”