𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬—𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭
[August 27, 1992]
Dahlia Evans brushed her teeth next to her foster sister, Julianna Wilson. At the end of the school year, the Ministry of Magic had transferred her and Oliver away from Sunny Day to a magical orphanage. Oliver hadn't been transferred when he was eleven because he'd wanted to stay with Dahlia. How sweet.
Dahlia had been put with a foster family, and she was happy. They were loving and fun and Dahlia could see herself with them long-term. It also turned out that the Ministry had put her with them because Julie was muggleborn and she was starting Hogwarts this year, and the Wilsons needed to be eased into it.
She'd explained she couldn't use magic at the house since she was Traced—and underage magic was against the law.
She had been living with them for three months now and they were the best three months of her life. Aside from school, that is. As a way to be part of the family, April and her foster dad Richard had enrolled her in martial arts. She had advanced very quickly, thanks to her magical combat lessons with Minnie, and was now a blue belt.
Julie had also enrolled, and while she hadn't advanced as quickly, she was enjoying it and both she and Dahlia had grown close. She was grateful to have lucked out this time. The eighth time was the charm.
Julie was eager and loyal and kind and Dahlia couldn't help comparing her to Hermione, her brainy, fierce, loving friend. She thought Julie could easily be a Gryffindor or a Ravenclaw but she was secretly hoping for Gryffindor so they could be together. Julie was, very, very excited.
Julie spat in the sink, wiping her mouth. "So what did you get on the exams?" Dahlia quirked an eyebrow at her.
"Why do want to know that?" Julie shrugged.
"I need to know what to beat." Dahlia raised her eyebrows playfully.
"Beat, huh? Well, I got O's in Potions, Herbology, Astronomy and Flying, and A's in Transfiguration, Defence, Charms and History of Magic. Beat that," she smirked as she put her toothbrush away.
"Challenge accepted, Lia." Julie laughed, but Dahlia said nothing. "What's wrong?" Julie asked worriedly. Dahlia smiled. She didn't mind her foster sister calling her Lia for some reason.
"Nothing. Hey, I have something to tell your parents." Julie frowned.
"Our parents," she said gently. Dahlia grinned, trying not to show her self-consciousness.
"Come on. It's kind of big, and I could get in serious trouble if the Ministry finds out." Today she was going to tell the Wilsons about Ares. She had intentionally waited until the last minute so she could enjoy staying with the Wilsons until they sent her back. And staying inside was driving her wolf companion crazy. She had to tell them sooner rather than later.
"What is it?" asked Julie. "You forgot to clean Salem's cage again?" Her foster parents had two rules for her: don't go off with strangers and no owl droppings on the floor. She had violated the owl droppings rule once, and Richard's scream was not pretty.
"I'll tell it to you together during breakfast, I'm too lazy to explain multiple times." Julie rolled her eyes at her but obliged. They ran down the stairs together and entered the kitchen, where April and Richard were at the table.
"Mum, why are you up so early?" smirked Julie. April only smiled at her in return, humming a tune and turning back to where she was cooking bacon on the stove.
"Today, we're going to get your supplies," she grinned, seeing Julie's face light up.
"Are we really?!" Dahlia covered her ears to protect them from her foster sister's shrieking. "We're going to Diagon Alley today? Oh, I'm so excited!" Then she stopped. "Wait, how do we get there? None of us have been there before." Dahlia raised her hand.
"I have," she said. "I'll get you in. Diagon Alley's amazing. Are you all excited to go?" Richard put down his newspaper.
"Very, Dahlia!" he said brightly. "Magic—I've always been fascinated by it."
April smirked. "Girls, don't be fooled. Your father just read fairytales till he was sixteen." She chuckled to herself until she'd realized what she'd said. "Oh, Dahlia—"
"It's fine, April," she nodded. "It makes me feel like part of the family."
"You are part of the family," said Richard cheerfully. "I'm sure everyone agrees. Don't we?" He was answered with energetic nods.
"That reminds me," said Dahlia. "I have something to tell you three. It's important." She shifted in her seat. April turned off the stove, concerned.
"What is it?" asked Richard.
"I could get in trouble with the Ministry for it," she said guiltily. "Like time in wizard prison bad." This set the whole family on edge. April was looking at her like she was a serial killer, and Richard was glaring slightly. Dahlia didn't dare look at Julie. "I haven't killed anyone or nearly anything as bad as that, so stop looking at me as if I have," she snapped irritably. Her foster parents relaxed and shot her apologetic glances.
"You're killing me, Lia," said Julie. Her foster parents looked at their daughter in surprise. "What've you done?"
"Lia?" asked April. Dahlia smiled weakly.
"I'm giving the nickname thing a try. Um, so..." She didn't know how to break it to them gently. "I'm a wolf." Silence. Richard was the first to speak.
"I'm sorry, you're a what?" he asked sternly. Dahlia tried not to wince. She shouldn't have gotten so attached.
"I'm a wolf." Her voice stayed steady. "If you want to send me back or whatever—" April shot forward and gathered Dahlia in a tight hug.
"We don't want to give you up. We're just a little surprised is all." She pulled away, and Dahlia was grateful to see curious expression's on her foster families' faces. "Is being a wolf normal? I thought you were a witch."
"I am a witch," explained Dahlia. "But witches and wizards can become something called Animagi, which is when a witch or wizard transforms into an animal at will. Kind of like a spirit animal, I guess."
"Cool," said Julie, grinning. "Can I be a wolf too?"
"Everyone has a different spirit animal. Well, they're called Patronuses. They ward off dementors which are evil creatures who feed on happiness. To produce a Patronus, you need to use a happy memory—"
"You're getting off-topic," said Richard. His eyes were shining with wonder and he was leaning forward. Dahlia laughed.
"My Animagi form is a wolf. Her name is Ares." No one questioned it. Their expressions were one you might find on a child's in a sweets shop.
"Can you show us?" asked April curiously. Dahlia nodded.
"Not my Patronus, since that requires magic. I'm still underage. But I can shift into my wolf."
"We'd better go outside," said Julie eagerly. Luckily for the Wilsons, they lived in the last house on the street with miles of greenery stretching outwards. They filed outside.
"There's something different about my wolf." She couldn't trust them with her most closely guarded secret. "She's an actual entity, unlike most Animagi, which only possess animal forms. My wolf has a mind of her own, but I'm in control almost all of the time. D'you want to meet her?" Richard and Julie nodded eagerly, while April laughed at them.
"Go on," said Julie excitedly. Dahlia smiled, happy to have been accepted. They were the first people she'd told.
"Ares? You there?" she said aloud for the benefit of her enthralled foster family.
Yes. Hello, Dahlia.
Hey, Ares. Nice English.
Thank you. You have not practised your Latin.
Don't lecture me.
Non exercitati tua latine.
Really? We're doing this now?
"Uh, Dahlia?" said Julie. "You haven't turned into a wolf yet. And who's Ares?" Dahlia huffed frustratedly.
"My wolf is Ares. And she's a scolding me for not practising Latin," she scoffed. Then she felt her fangs grow.
"Non iniuriam mihi," Ares growled in a much deeper, snarling voice through Dahlia's open mouth, scaring the three people in front of her. Dahlia shook her head, and her fangs retracted slightly.
"Did you just take over my body, she-wolf? You just did that?" she snapped at thin air, forgetting her foster family. "I'll practise your Latin!"
"That was... unnerving," said April shakily. Dahlia turned to her worriedly.
"Ares didn't scare you, did she?" she asked anxiously. "Oh, I'm sorry, she didn't mean to, it just sounds like that, she doesn't exactly have human vocal ranges—"
"It's fine," Richard interrupted. "It just sounded strange coming out of your mouth."
"Well, say hello to Ares, my passive-aggressive intelligent wolf," said Dahlia sardonically. Julie waved excitedly at her.
"Hi!"
Sorry, Ares. I don't mean to make fun.
It is fine.
"Heads up," warned Dahlia. Even if she hadn't transformed the entire summer, she could still feel it. She fell on all fours, her pyjamas melting into her skin. Her ginger hair shot back into her skull, and pointed ears sprouted at the crown of her head. Her nose lengthened into a snout, and she stood as a beautiful russet wolf with clear forest green eyes.
The Wilsons stood shocked for a second until Julie broke free. "Dahlia? Are you in there?" She jumped as Dahlia rolled her eyes and picked up a stick writing with it in the mud.
"Of... course... it's... me," Richard read in the mud. Dahlia dropped the stick. "So it is you?" She nodded, moving her head. Julie walked forward hesitantly.
"Can I pet you?" she asked, speaking slowly. Dahlia rolled her eyes again picking up the muddy stick with her teeth. "I'm... still... a witch... at... heart. Ares... is... the... true... wolf, not... me. Yes... you... can... pet... me. Okay!" She bounded forward and rubbed Dahlia's head between her ears. She growled softly, signing that she liked it.
Slowly April and Richard came forward, and soon they were all petting Dahlia's head. April went down to rub her front, but Dahlia backed away and snarled. Scared, they all backed up while Dahlia shifted back to a human.
"Why did you growl at us?" demanded Julie. Dahlia rolled her eyes, still shielding herself.
"Um, it's not that important. I don't want to be petted there. Down my neck is fine, but my front..." April flushed red, as did Julie. "I would never growl at you to hurt you. Take mine and Ares' word for it. We'll never attack you three. You never have to worry," she said reassuringly. They relaxed.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, sweetheart! I won't do it again! I—" she stopped herself. Dahlia swallowed. She would have to make an effort. The Wilsons were trying.
"The nicknames are fine. What were you saying?"
"Oh! Well," said April apologetically. "I'm so sorry."
"It's fine," snickered Dahlia. "I stopped you before you did it. Also, can I be let out sometimes? Ares doesn't like being cooped up."
"Sure," smiled Richard. "Just tell us when you'll be gone."
"Oh!" Julie exclaimed suddenly. "Can we take family walks now and then? Ares can stretch then if she wants, and we'll all get exercise."
Richard looked like Julie had said she would murder her mother. "Walks? Now, hey wait a min—" Richard started to say, but was cut off by a beaming April.
"What a great idea! Heaven knows you need it, Rich," she grinned teasingly, slapping her sulking husband on the arm. Julie and Dahlia roared with laughter as Richard flushed. She could get used to this.