࿔₊°༺★༻࿔₊°
𝘿𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐫 : 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘰𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘵.
𝙄 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐓 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐀 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬.
𝘾𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥'𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨'𝐬 𝐀𝐮𝐧𝐭, 𝐉𝐚𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐝𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐰𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨, 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 "𝐚𝐢𝐦".
𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬, 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐢𝐦—𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐫 "𝐀𝐢𝐦" 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐥.
𝙄𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐈 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐀𝐢𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 "𝐌𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲" 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐲𝐞𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐧.
𝙁𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝙀𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬.
࿔₊°
NEARLY TEN YEARS had passed since the Hudsons had woken up to find Crystal Calisto on the front step, but Plumery Drive had hardly changed at all.
Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed. The Hudsons had two children, Crystal's cousin. Jeremy Hudson who was one year older than Crystal, and Jeanette Hudson who was born a year after Crystal was taken in. The room held no sign at all that another girl, a third child, lived in the house, too.
Yet Crystal Calisto was still there, asleep leaning on her desk at the moment, but not for long. Her Aunt Jasmine was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.
"Up! Get up! Now!"
Crystal woke up with a start. Her aunt banged on the desk where Crystal's head was laying again.
"Up!" she screeched. Crystal heard her going downstairs and then the sound of the frying pan being banged on the stove came.
Crystal sighed and collected all the books she was studying the previous night from the desk yawning and arranged them in a stack before going down to the kitchen.
"Are you up yet?" she demanded.
"Looks like it." said Crystal.
"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on my Jerry's birthday."
'Yeah Yeah. How can I forget when she has been chanting it for the whole week? Let's just get this over with and be on my way.' Crystal thought as she planned what she would do today.
Crystal just followed what she said and got to work so she could go back to the place no one cares about in the house, the old study-cum-library. No one usually entered the old room and to add, it was also Crystal's room.
It wasn't like Crystal was weak and wouldn't stand up for herself when she was bullied, Crystal was just not bothered to argue with them. It was a waste of time to butheads with them as in the end she had to do the work anyway even after all the ruckus. She valued her time and would rather spend the time in the study upstairs.
Crystal had wavy black hair that reached her mid-back with some natural curls adorning her face and those same beautiful sea green (like greenish-blue) eyes which has become more striking as the years went by.
She was a little smaller and skinny than the girls her age, it was also partly because all she had to wear was Jeanette's old clothes, and Jeanette although a year younger than her, was about two times bigger than she was.
Crystal has a very calm and collected personality. She was not the type to lose her composure easily. She was observant and perceptive but mostly unbothered and indifferent to her surroundings.
That's why she was often mistaken as cold and unfriendly but it is in fact people who had outcast her because her mother who was a famous researcher in London was painted in that colour by someone and everyone believed that Crystal was an illegitimate who didn't even know her father's name.
Hence, Crystal got so used to it that it doesn't even bother her. She herself believed that she was not an empathetic and or kind person at all.
Children at her school called her names, the stone statue or the emotionless girl. She wouldn't laugh at their lame joke or cry when bullied but instead stared back with stony eyes as if mocking them. She was unaffected by their childishness before walking away, which was enough for them to drown in shame.
This was the only way to deal with them being the helpless little girl who was an outcast as one day when she complained to a teacher about the people bullying her, she was completely ignored and was bullied more.
This led Crystal to the ambition to have power at such a small age of nine and that hunger grew as she grew up with age. She wanted nothing else but respect which she should deserve as a human and to be capable enough to protect herself.
But this endless cycle in her life bored Crystal to death and made her so used to all this in her daily life that she started to find something interesting and exciting to do in her boring life.
This lead her to look into the big dreams, bigger ideas and biggest picture and she wanted nothing but four things before she dies peacefully. The big issue was that all these things needed lots of money which she couldn't even imagine.
First, she wanted freedom. She wanted to earn money so that she could be independent of the Hudsons and leave them for good.
Second, she wanted to clear her mother's reputation and reestablish research labs which got shut.
Third, she wanted to launch her own space exploration agency, as she got far too interested in it to return.
Fourth, she wanted to repay the woman named Samantha for all her help to her.
Samantha along with her husband owned a candies and cakes shop around the corner down the street. Crystal met them one day on her way back from the school.
They were a really kind couple who took pity on Crystal and gave away free candies (when Crystal was starved and given no food) even though they were not in good financial conditions sometimes when business didn't run well.
Apart from this, two things she had always wanted to know about her mother: how did she die and who was her father.
"In the car crash when your mother died and don't know whose blood you are," she had said. "And don't ask questions."
Don't ask questions -- that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Hudsons which was fine with her, as if she ever wanted to talk with them. She knew they were lying, it was enough for her just to see in their eyes and she would know.
Crystal was frying eggs by the time rest of the Hudson family arrived in the kitchen. Jeremy looked a lot like Uncle Jared. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick brown hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head.
Jeanette resembled Aunt Jasmine albeit she was growing big like her brother. Aunt Jasmine often said that both looked like baby angels -- Crystal often thought that they looked like pigs in wigs.
Crystal put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Jeremy, meanwhile, was counting his presents. His face fell.
"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."
"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Miranda's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."
"All right, thirty-seven then," said Jeremy, going red in the face.
Crystal, who could see a huge tantrum coming on, began wolfing down her bacon as fast as possible in case Jeremy turned the table over.
Aunt Jasmine obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?''
Jeremy thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally, he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..."
"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Jasmine.
"Oh." Jeremy sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."
Uncle Jared chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Jerry!" He ruffled Jeremy's hair.
"I want presents too!" now it was Jeanette's turn to throw tantrums.
"Of course sweet bun. We will buy you a new dress for the birthday party," said Aunt Jasmine.
"Yeah! And mum, throw the old ones in her room," said Jeanette pointing at Crystal as if she was a disease.
"She still has my old computer! Don't know what she does with it in that creaky room! Clear out my things as well I will have new!" said Jeremy laughing and boasting.
"Thanks," Crystal said sarcastically, with her signature sweet fake smile at what they just offered. They didn't even know, there had been no defect in the old computer.
They ate the breakfast and got ready to get out.
"Now girl listen very carefully, you try and blow up my house and you'll be in that haunted library from now till Christmas," said Uncle Jared trying to intimidate her.
"How will you ever lock me up in the library after I blew up the house," said Crystal, "honestly..."
"Shut up and get inside your room we'll lock you," said Aunt Jasmine.
Crystal went inside the room and they locked it.
The room had two large wall dimensions shelves stuffed with hundreds of unorganized old and new books, more than its capacity. The wall opposite the door had a small window beside which there was a desk, an old computer on top of it, a chair and a bed just adjacent to it, which looked forcefully adjusted between the table and wall.
The desk contained cabinets and drawers filled with the electronic parts and circuits which Crystal had taken out of the old and useless electronic items from Jeremy. Those are her pass time play things and she liked to experiment with them.
There was a small wardrobe beside the door, which had Jeanette's old clothes for her to wear. But Crystal had somewhat adjusted most of them (which looked okay to wear outside) to her size with some clumsy needlework.
She was finally alone and happy to be left. She started looking through the shelves to study something. She liked to read things just for knowledge and information.
"Hmm...what's this about?" she reached out to book at the very edge of the shelf slightly hanging out.
"Ancient Greek Mythology and Mysteries..." she read the book title. "What rubbish, Gods don't exist and didn't exist ever."
She put the book back on the shelf. She looked around but her eyes went back to that book after a few minutes. She stared at it for a moment and took it out.
"I can still read it like a storybook though," said Crystal turning the first page and started reading.
Several hours passed and the sun started to set but Crystal was still engrossed in the book. Although she didn't believe that a science girl like her would ever read about God and Myths, now in her view, it was a nice story to read.
There was no lunch for her that afternoon as the door was locked so she just had to do with some candies from Samantha, which she had hidden in her room.
Sometime later, the Hudson family arrived back home and there was a loud bang on her door before the sound of unlocking came. Crystal sighed a little annoyed that she would have to leave the interesting storybook now that they're back.
𖤍𖤓⌁☍❾¾➵♆△⍎⚔︎
Days went by and now it was Crystal's birthday, August, 15. It was evening and the weather outside didn't look so good. It was like any other day for Crystal, no excitement and no expectations. She was reading the book about Greek mysteries which she found the other day when the door opened with a loud bang.
"Go get the letters!" said Jeremy shouting at her from her library door.
"Didn't you just come back from playing outside? Why didn't you get it?" said Crystal and looked at him raising an eyebrow. She knew their schedules very well.
"You started talking back to my brother now?" said Jeanette from behind her brother.
"Why? Is your brother the Prime Minister or what?" said Crystal.
"Oh? Getting angry are you? You emotionless little abandoned puppy." Jeremy sneered at her and Jeanette sniggered.
"You think so?" Crystal chuckled a little and shook her head, "Pity. You wasted my three precious minutes. Now get out of the way."
Crystal walked from the room leaving the two dumbfounded and made her way out to get the mails. There were three letters and one was addressed to her.
She picked it up and stared at it suspiciously, who would've sent it? She had no friends, except Samantha who lived close by and would not send a letter when they could meet up anytime and she had no other relatives. No one, ever, in her whole life, had written to her.
Yet here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:
_____________________________________
Miss C. Calisto
The old library, first floor
15, Plumery Drive
Whitham
Oldville
_____________________________________
The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.
Turning the envelope over to inspect it, Crystal saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H.
She went back in pondering about it, placed the rest of the letters on the table in front of Uncle Jared and turned around to leave.
"Dad! She stole one letter!" said Jeanette pointing to the letter in her hand.
"It's common sense that if I'm taking this, surely it is mine?" said Crystal stating the obvious.
"Give it here," said Uncle Jared holding out his hand.
"Wait, let me see it first, then you take." she simply stated.
"Then read it right here! In front of me!" said Jared angrily.
"Fine. What's the big fuss every time -- " she muttered but stopped when she felt a chill of piercing glare on her head.
She pulled out the letter and read:
_______________________________
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss Calisto,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress
_______________________________
'This is next level prank that had been played on me now. But how do they know my exact address... Is there someone stalking me? ' Crystal thought as she finished reading it and muttered, "What nonsense... "
"How did she get this when I hid them all?" Uncle Jared muttered.
He and Aunt Jasmine gasped in horror and tried to snatch the letter from her hands, but just then --
SMASH!
The front door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.
"THIEF!! MY DOOR!! THIEF!!" Uncle Jared shouted.
"Should've knocked firs'. " said the stranger.
A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair.
The giant squeezed his way into the door, stooping so that his head just brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it easily back into its frame. He turned to look at them all.
"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..."
He strode over to the sofa where Hudson's siblings sat frozen with fear.
"Budge up, yeh great lumps," said the stranger.
They squeaked and ran to hide behind their terrified mother, who was hiding behind Uncle Jared.
"An' here's Crystal!" said the giant.
Crystal, slightly taken aback at her name called out, regained her composure again and looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.
"Las' time I saw yeh were only a baby," said the giant. "yeh've got the same striking eyes as ever."
Uncle Jared made a funny rasping noise.
I demand that you leave at once!" he said. "You are trespassing!"
"Ah, shut up, Hudson, yeh great prune," said the giant.
"Anyway -- Crystal," said the giant, turning his back on the Hudsons, "a very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here -- I mighta sat on it at some point, but it'll taste all right."
From the inside pocket of his black overcoat, he pulled a slightly squashed box. Crystal opened it cautiously. Inside was a large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Crystal written on it in greenish-blue icing like her eyes.
Crystal looked up at the giant and said "Thank you. But may I know who you are, sir?"
The giant chuckled.
"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. Call me Hagrid, he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts -- yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.
He held out an enormous hand and shook Crystal's whole arm.
"And what business you may have with me? First, how do you know me, Hagrid? And what school is this Hogwarts for?" said Crystal suspiciously, she hoped it better not be a prank.
"What? Yeh don't know what Hogwarts is? Yer mother learnt magic there and I came to take yeh there too!" He barked.
"Magic? My mother was a well-known researcher and there is no such thing as magic. You can't fool me." said Crystal coolly.
"Yes yes, you are right, girl! Now go back to your room while I get rid of him." said Uncle Jared as he ran to a room and came back with a rifle in his hands.
Hagrid reached over the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Jared's hands, bent it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it into a corner of the room. Uncle Jared made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.
This seemed very odd to Crystal. For the first time ever in her life, Uncle Jared said that she was right? This is really suspicious. She decided to hear Hagrid.
"On second thought, I would like to hear Hagrid if he has something to say about my mother and I'm sorry if there really is a Hogwarts, I don't have an inkling about it," said Crystal.
"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Hudsons, who shrank back into the shadows. "It's them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou' Hogwarts fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yer mother learned it all?"
"From a university, I suppose? Maybe you're confusing Harvard with Hogwarts. She was a famous researcher, you know." asked Crystal. "But what is this all you're talking about,"
"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"
He had leapt to his feet. In his anger, he seemed to fill the whole hut. The Hudsons were cowering against the wall.
"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Hudsons, "That this girl -- this girl! -- knows nothin' abou' -- about ANYTHING?"
Crystal thought this was going a bit far. She had been to school, after all, she was on top of the school in Science and Maths.
"Excuse me but I do know," she said. "I'm reading advanced physics, chemistry, and mathematics and know a lot of stuff from it."
But Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "Abou' our world, I mean. Yer world. My world. Yer mother's world."
"Are there other worlds?" said Crystal and suddenly gasped dramatically, "No way... Don't be ridiculous. Are you an alien? Am I also from an alien clan?"
She believed it was some prank and played along for amusement. Many people knew her mother, a little background research was needed to say the obvious things known Hagrid was telling.
It took time for Hagrid to understand her reply every time but he somehow figured out the bottom line to it from her clueless blank face. Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.
"HUDSON!" he boomed.
Uncle Jared, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Crystal.
"But yeh must know about yer mother," he said. "I mean, she is famous. You're famous."
"I know my mum is famous for many reasons. But why am I famous?"
"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know...I mean in the wizard world." Hagrid ran his fingers through his hair, fixing Crystal with a bewildered stare.
"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.
Uncle Jared suddenly found his voice.
"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there! I forbid you to tell the girl anything!"
Hagrid gave him a furious look and when he spoke, every syllable trembled with rage.
"Yeh never told her? Never told her what was in the letter Dumbledore left fer her? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Hudson! An' you've kept it from her all these years?"
"Hiding what?" said Crystal started to take it seriously now as she saw the panic and anger on Uncle Jared's face.
"NOTHING!!" Uncle Jared bellowed.
"I had a suspicion they were hiding something whenever I asked about Mum but you tell me what they kept from me?" said Crystal eagerly.
"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Jared in panic. Aunt Jasmine gasped in horror.
"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Crystal -- yer a witch."
There was ringing silence inside the house. Only the sound of crickets and the roar of the escalating storm could be heard.
"-- a what? Wow, now people are coming to this place to curse me, huh? The prank should be over now. Please kindly leave." said Crystal her jaws ticked at the audacity of people to come and curse her inside someone's place she resided. "How many like you are out there?"
"Listen, Crystal, I'm not cursing yeh an' there's no one outside. Yer a witch, o' course, like with magic," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mother like yours, what else would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter, wer already very late."
"Oh, this? I just read it a few minutes ago," said Crystal showing him the letter. " but what does it mean, they await my owl? And it's already past the date. And... I still don't believe you completely...."
"Yeh've ter believe. They made an exception fer yeh," said Hagrid.
"Awaiting owl means?" Crystal repeated.
"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to his forehead. He pulled an owl from a pocket inside his overcoat-- a real, live, rather ruffled-looking owl -- a long quill, and a roll of parchment. With his tongue between his teeth, he scribbled a note that Crystal could read upside down:
_____________________________
Dear Professor Dumbledore,
Crystal got her letter. Taking her to buy her things tomorrow.
Weather's is becoming horrible. Hope you're Well.
Hagrid
______________________________
Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the telephone.
Crystal confusingly got the answer, how in the world would an owl deliver the letter to the right receiver? Are they trained to remember their address? Was this all a scam after all? She thought. She was having many doubts and confusion about whether to believe him or not.
"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Jared, still ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.
"She's not going anywhere," he said.
Hagrid grunted. "I'd like ter see a great Muggle like yeh stop her," he said.
"What is a Muggle?" said Crystal.
"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call non-magic folk like them. An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I ever laid eyes on."
"We swore when we took her in we'd put a stop to that rubbish. They hurt Jasmine, they're all evil!" roared Uncle Jared, "We swore we'd stamp it out of her!"
"You knew?" said Crystal. "You knew I'm a -- a w-witch?" It felt weird to Crystal to say the word out loud with her own mouth.
"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Jasmine suddenly. "Knew! Of course, we knew! How could you not be, my dratted little cousin sister being one of the strongest witches in all the 'esteemed' Calisto family that is still present for generations? How am I the only one in the whole generation back of the family with no magic? They called me a Squib. Compared us! Made fun of me!
"The Calistos claimed that they were very open-minded and loved me but Aviana was always the best there. The bias was as clear as day. Society used to praise her but they sneered behind my back because whatever I was, I was still a Calisto in name who is known for having great minds and magic. So, I left the magic world for good and severed all relations to them."
She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed she had been wanting to get this all out of her heart for years.
"And then I heard she had become a famous researcher among the Muggles here. She just never left me alone in both the worlds! She just had to have everything and run around everywhere! The level of freedom she had was just -- And then I heard she went away for some research in Greece.
"I don't know which man she had relations with. Never heard when she got married but here you are in flesh, the result of her deeds! That man didn't even give you his surname! An illegitimate child and then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up and we got landed with you!"
Crystal had gone very white hearing all of it at once, she expected her mother's relationship with Aunt wasn't good but this was beyond what she expected.
As soon as she found her voice she said, "Blown up? Of course... makes sense... Mother didn't die in a car crash... you were too obvious every time you lied!"
"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Hudsons scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Aviana Calisto? It's an outrage! A scandal! Crystal Calisto not knowin' her own story when every kid in our world knows her name!"
"But why? What happened to her?" Crystal asked urgently she was itching for more information. The usual expressionless face now showed eagerness to know more about herself, her mum and dad. Crystal started to believe it all.
The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.
"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no idea when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Crystal, I don' know if I'm the right person ter tell yeh -- but someone has gotta -- yeh can't go off ter Hogwarts not knowin'."
He threw a dirty look at the Hudsons.
He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "I can't tell yeh everythin', parts of it...It begins, I suppose, with -- with a person called -- but it's incredible yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows --"
"Whose name?"
"Well -- I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."
"Why not?"
"Gulpin' gargoyles, Crystal, people are still scared. Blimey, this is difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as you could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was..."
Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.
"Can you write it down?" Crystal suggested.
"Nah -- can't spell it. All right -- Voldemort. " Hagrid shuddered. "Don' make me say it again. Anyway, this -- this wizard, about twenty years ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too -- some were afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin' himself power, all right. Dark days, didn't know who ter trust, and terrible things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him -- an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of. Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.
"All anyone knows is, ten years ago on Halloween, he turned up in the village where yeh an' yer mother an' the Potters -- yer mother's best friends were all living. Yeh an' Harry were just a year old. He came ter yer house an' -- an' -- killed 'er.
"He tried ter kill yeh an' Harry but couldn't do it, yeh an' Harry had some powers which destroyed him, an' that's why yer famous, Crystal. Both o' yeh. No one ever lived after he decided ter kill 'em, no one except yeh and Harry."
"Who is this Harry?" asked Crystal.
"James and Lily Potter's son."
"Oh, the Potters... mother's friends..."
"Yeah. Best friends."
The gears in Crystal's mind were turning at high speed as she started putting the puzzle together which still had missing pieces. Her head was pounding just hearing all story.
As Hagrid's story came to a close. The only thing that remained in mind was that her mother was murdered just trying to save her life and here she was, twice she had tried to escape from the world. She should value her life, she was really stupid.
Hagrid was watching her sadly.
"I sent the Potters somewhere safe an' took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought yeh ter this lot..."
"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Jared glaring at Hagrid.
Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Jared like a sword, he said, "I'm warning yeh, Hudson -- one more word... "
In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant, Uncle Jared's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the wall and fell silent.
"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the floor.
"You said Voldem --" Hagrid winced "Sorry... I mean why did he disappear? What powers do I have?" asked Crystal, who had hundreds of questions and needed answers to them.
"Good question, Crystal. He did Disappear. Vanished the same night he tried ter kill yeh an' Harry. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest mystery, see... he was gettin' more an' more powerful -- why'd he go? We don' know what powers yeh had that's the even bigger mystery, how could he not kill two babies. That's what every'un thought."
"And do you really think he died if you say he was powerful enough?" Crystal added one more question.
"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his time, like, but I don' believe it. Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers. Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about yeh an' Harry finished him, Crystal. There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on -- I dunno what it was, no one does -- but somethin' about yeh an' Harry stumped him, all right."
"Last thing I want to know.... Do you know anything about my dad? Who was he? What was his name?" asked Crystal.
"Sorry, Crystal, I don't know anythin' about yer dad. Aviana never told anyone, even Dumbledore. He just knows that yer dad is also no more." said Hagrid grimly.
"Okay... I've a lot of questions but I'll stop for now. I'm convinced with what you said because some strange events had happened earlier with me which I don't have answers to... but it all makes sense now, if I'm a witch, that is." Crystal said deep in thought, thinking about something.
"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL TO TEACH HER MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Jared.
"No one asked you to pay for me." Crystal simply stated. "I'll find a way to manage it myself,"
Uncle Jared had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled it over his head, "NEVER," he thundered, "- INSULT - ALBUS - DUMBLEDORE - IN - FRONT - OF - ME!"
He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Jeremy -- there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a sharp squeal, and the next second, a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in his trousers.
Uncle Jared roared. Pulling Aunt Jasmine and his children into the other room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door behind them.
Crystal was in awe at her first witness of magic.
"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," Hagrid said ruefully, "Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts, I'm -- er -- not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'."
"Why not? Are you banned or something?" asked Crystal.
"Oh, well somethin' like 'at -- I was at Hogwarts meself but I -- er -- got expelled, ter tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an' everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."
"Why were you expelled?"
"Can't tell yeh. It's gettin' late an' we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that. Then we'll meet Dumbledore,"
Crystal nodded and didn't prod further. She knew the bound of personal matters and didn't want to be prying.
𖤍𖤓⌁☍❾¾➵♆△⍎⚔︎
"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place."
The next morning, Hagrid had taken Crystal to a tiny, grubby-looking pub called the 'The Leaky Cauldron'.
On the way here by train, he had told Crystal all about the Gringotts, the Goblins, and the Ministry of Magic, and Crystal being herself extracted all information she could about the magic world, questioning anything that came to her mind.
She wondered if the items listed in the letters can be brought to London. So that was where she found herself.
Hagrid urged her inside. For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. Everyone seemed to know Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"
"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business, takin' the Calisto to buy stuff fer school," said Hagrid, trying to clap his great hand on Crystal's shoulder but she swiftly dodged not wanting to be knocked out.
"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Crystal, "is this -- can this be --?"
The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.
"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Crystal Calisto... what an honour."
He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Crystal and seized her hand, tears in his eyes.
"Welcome back, Miss Calisto, welcome back."
Crystal didn't know what to say feeling uncomfortable. Everyone was looking at her and the next moment, Crystal found herself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.
"Doris Crockford, young lady Calisto, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."
"So proud, Miss Calisto, I'm just so proud."
"Always wanted to shake your hand -- I'm all of a flutter."
Crystal shook hands again and again -- she was getting really uncomfortable with all the attention towards her because she was more of an introverted type.
A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. Crystal noticed that one of his eyes was twitching.
"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Crystal, Professor Quirrell will be one of your teachers at Hogwarts."
"C-C-Calisto," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Crystal's hand, "c-can't t-tell you how p-pleased I am to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine, sir," said Crystal politely, "What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"
"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh, C-C-Calisto?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires, m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.
"Are you here just to buy books? Oh, please don't take me otherwise, I've just heard from Hagrid Hogwarts is quite a big school so.... "
"I-I'm looking for a l-latest v-v-volume by the a-author."
Professor Quirrell left them with a small smile. Crystal stared after him until he disappeared from the door. She found him very weird.
Hagrid grinned at Crystal. "Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh yeh was famous. Even Professor Quirrell was tremblin' ter meet yeh -- mind you, he's usually tremblin'."
"Well... that's weird," said Crystal as they moved further inside the pub.
"What's weird?" asked Hagrid.
"Professor Quirrell," said Crystal covering her face in her scarf she had around her neck. She didn't want to be recognized by anyone after this, in any condition after being seen at the pub. Though, it looked weird but the sun was also glaring so one would turn to look at her... Maybe... she hoped.
"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand experience.... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag -- never been the same since. Scared of the students, scared of his own subject now, where's me umbrella?"
Crystal wasn't even surprised now to hear Vampires and hags. Now that the science failed to magic, she would even believe if someone said that the hell would breakdown the next day.
All her life she studied science and her mother's research papers and books and now the climax had finally come in her story with a twist of magic.
"Why he's teaching when he's so afraid of the student and the subject itself... " Crystal muttered under her breath. "But it's good if he wants to change himself back,"
Hagrid, meanwhile, was counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.
"Three up... two across" he muttered. "Right, stand back, Crystal." He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.
The brick he had touched quivered -- it wriggled -- in the middle, a small hole appeared -- it grew wider and wider -- a second later they were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.
"Welcome," said Hagrid grinning, "to Diagon Alley."
-: ✧ :-
⫷ Author's note: ⫸
Helloooo alll!! How are y'all doing? 😄
So now....The Moment Of Truth! Are you getting to know Crystal's personality so far? Do you like it / not like it? Leave your comments please!
Is the story too long to read or the length is okay? Please leave your comments here so I can adjust the length accordingly!
You will see more of Crystal in coming chapters. Stay tuned for the most awaiting encounter in next chap!! 😉
Edit: Title name edited.
♞ Over and out ~
★
🤞
★