Arran was afraid. That man represented everything he had been fearing for the last year and more. Mysterious man. Bad dressing. He must be a wizard from the Ministry. Had they been found out? He was pacing rather nervously in the common room between the two bedrooms, glancing every three seconds at the door to his daughter's room.
Dioleh was everything he had left. She was all he had left of his wife, his home, and his family. He had to protect her, no matter what. How could he be sure this man wasn't dangerous? After a long time of pacing back and forth, he finally made a decision. Moving over to the phone, he dialled the number he had practically memorized. It was late, but he knew she would be awake.
"Hello?" Evangeline answered.
"Evangeline, hi," Arran said, glancing once again to his daughter's closed door. "I need you to do something for me."
"Of course, what is it?" she asked. He could hear the frown in her voice and knew she was knitting her dark brows together, creasing her dark skin.
"Can you take Dioleh out tomorrow for the day?" he asked. "I can give you some money and the two of you can do whatever you want."
"All right," she replied, sounding confused. "But what about the shop?"
"Don't worry about it," Arran replied. "I'll make sure it is taken care of."
"Okay," Evangeline replied, still unsure. "What time should I pick her up?"
"Seven-thirty?" he suggested.
"All right," she replied. "I'll see you then." He responded, said goodbye, and hung up the phone. Running a hand through his white hair, he sighed. Arran was young, just having turned thirty the past year, but his hair was strikingly white. Once it had been blue, but the stress of protecting his daughter and worrying over his wife took its toll over time. His face remained free of wrinkles, leaving his hair as the only sign of any kind of ageing.
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Once morning came, he quickly sent off Evangeline and Dioleh and waited in the shop for that man to appear again. As he was handling a sale, he saw the man come in, wearing the same suit as before.
Instantly Arran tensed. He finished off with the customer and waited until they left to ask, almost shakily, "Can I help you, sir?"
"Yes, I need to speak with you and your daughter, Dioleh," he explained.
"About?" Arran asked, setting his jaw. Unbeknownst to him, the water in the cup beside him began to tremble.
Not noticing this, the man explained, "I believe your daughter possess a certain capacity for something my school specializes in." Instantly all the tension left Arran's body. Of course. They thought him a no-maj. Of course, they wouldn't just send the letter and expect him to understand.
Deciding exactly how to play this, Arran said, "Magic? Well, that explains why we never got your letter. You're from Hogwarts, aren't you?"
"Yes," he replied, hiding his surprise well. "Was your wife a witch?"
"Yes," Arran lied. "We both were. But my family used to sail around the world so they taught me while we were out sailing."
"Ah, how delightful," the man replied. "Well, then. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore. I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
"Pleasure," Arran replied, still not having gotten over his relief.
"Well, since you did not go yourself, I suppose there are a few things you should know," Dumbledore said, handing over a thick letter. "That is the school supply list. You can go through a pub called the Leaky Caldron to get to Diagon Alley, where you can get everything. Your daughter's train ticket is inside that letter. There is a barrier in King's Cross Station you can pass through to get to the platform. If you linger long enough I expect you will see someone pass through."
"I see," Arran replied, setting aside the letter. "I would ask if you would like to speak to Dioleh, but she has gone out for a day of fun."
"Ah," Dumbledore replied with an understanding nod. "Well, then, I suppose there is little point in my lingering. I am sure Dioleh will have a wonderful time at Hogwarts." He nodded and headed out the door. Once he was gone, Arran let out a laugh. He was so relieved, he felt his eyes flood with tears because of the extremity of his emotions.
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When Evangeline and Dioleh came back, it was to find that Arran had already closed the shop and had made his speciality: blackened tilapia with rice and steamed green beans.
"What's the special occasion?" Dioleh asked after dropping off her stuff in her room.
"Nothing," Arran lied. "Now come on, let's eat." They passed the dinner with much talk and laughter before finally Evangeline had to leave to go study. Once they were alone, Arran reached into his pocket and set the thick envelope in front of Dioleh.
"It came?" she said in surprise.
"You're going to Hogwarts!" he said. Dioleh blinked. There was a long pause. Finally, she realized exactly what this would mean. Dioleh smiled, remembering that she would get to learn magic again. "We'll go to Diagon Alley tomorrow."