Author's Note: So I've been wanting to write a Harry Potter fanfic for a long time and I finally decided to take the final step in making one. The story features a character of Mexican descent because I've been wanting to write a Latina character for a long time, being Latina myself, but I hadn't had the right idea until now. The face claim of my character will be Andrea Londo who was in Narcos.
In case my readers from Some Things Never Sleep are reading this, I just wanted to say that I'm not going to stop writing that story but I'm probably going to transition from in between this one and that one. It's just a little too much writing Marvel 24/7 and I get a lot of writer's block since it's the only story I was working on until now so I think writing a story from another category could be a nice vacation. I'll write a chapter of this one and then go back and write a chapter of the other one so don't worry. I'm still working on Some Things Never Sleep. It's a little weird not writing a Marvel fanfiction for once but certainly interesting.
This story will eventually be a Draco Malfoy/OC pairing. Some people may find it odd since my OC is a No-Maj-Born or Muggleborn but there's plenty of fanfics out there that have a Hermione/Draco pairing. It's still going to be realistic in the fact that Draco and Selena won't like each other for a long time so this will definitely be a slow burn. I guess writing slow burn stories are kind of my thing now.
The story will begin the start of my OC's first year which is the same year as Ginny and Luna so it will take place from Chamber of Secrets to the Deathly Hallows and beyond. I'll probably combine the storyline from the books and movies together. There was a lot of things I liked from the movie but also a lot of things from the books that I wish were in the movies.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, places, or things featured in this story. Those rights belong to J.K. Rowling and J.K. Rowling alone. I only own the Almendarez family and Nathan Wilkinson. I don't really own the title of the story either since it's a title inspired by the song 'Cherry' by Lana Del Rey which I'm in love with. I also don't own The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air which is heavily mentioned in this chapter.
My rose garden dreams, set on fire by fiends
And all my black beaches (are ruined)
My celluloid scenes are torn at the seams
And I fall to pieces
I fall to pieces when I'm with you
-Cherry by Lana Del Rey
1992
Seguin, Texas
It was a hot Saturday afternoon when she received her Hogwarts letter. It also happened to be the day Selena Almendarez discovered that she was a witch and from that day on, her life would forever be changed. Her parents were No-Majs, or Muggles as they were called in the UK, and were unaware of the wizarding world as most No-Majs were. It came as quite a shock to them when a friendly and slightly eccentric looking man came knocking on their door one day. Selena would end up thinking that it was the best day of her life for years to come. Well, until the second wizarding war, that is. That was when Selena began to doubt a great many things.
"Selena! Selena!" A voice called out to her. Selena looked up from the magazine she had been reading. The eleven year old girl was sprawled out across her bed as she read the issue of Tiger Beat she had stolen from her older sister Sofia. Today was Selena's birthday so she figured there was a lot she could get away with. Her eyes instantly met the gaze of her other sister Belen who was only nine years old. The small girl hesitantly padded into Selena and Sofia's shared bedroom, a bit scared that Sofia would spot her and shoo her away. Selena didn't blame Belen for being scared. Their older sister was quite scary.
"What's up, Belen?" Selena said to her little sister and the nine year old instantly forgot her fear as she beamed up at her older sister...her favorite sister. Sofia wasn't nearly as nice or pleasant to her as Selena was.
"Guess what's going to be on TV in less than five minutes?" Belen inquired and Selena shrugged.
"I don't know." Belen just continued to grin at her.
"The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air! Duh!" Belen told Selena excitedly and Selena raised her eyebrows in surprise, a smile forming on her face.
"That's right. I forgot the Fresh Prince had re-runs on Saturdays." Selena said as she felt her excitement rise at the thought of seeing her favorite show. It might've sounded a bit lame and boring to get so excited over a simple TV show but there wasn't much else to do in Seguin, Texas which was where Selena lived. It was a small town, just outside of San Antonio, and aside from a small water park and a supposed haunted hotel, it was pretty much a boring town. Selena lived for the weekends that the family would take a trip into San Antonio because the city was where all the exciting stuff happened. Sadly enough, the weekend trips into San Antonio only happened about three or four times a year and never during the summer. Her father said it was too hot to go to the city during the summer.
"So are you coming or not?" Belen asked her again, breaking Selena out of her thoughts. Selena smiled at her before nodding enthusiastically.
"Of course." Selena said before carelessly tossing her sister's magazine to the side and getting up from her bed, immediately following her sister downstairs into the living room. Their house was a small one with barely any room for the entire family. Three bedrooms upstairs and a family room downstairs which their father had converted into another bedroom a long time ago. Selena's older brother Jorge, who was the eldest of the Almendarez siblings, had occupied the room for many years until he moved out a couple months ago. Jorge was about to start attending Texas A&M university which was hours away from home so Sofia was in the process of moving into his old bedroom. Truth be told Selena was glad because Sofia was a tough roommate to have. She was sure Belen would make a much better one. The two sisters walked downstairs only to notice their fifteen year old sister on the couch watching Saved by the Bell. Selena wanted to groan because she absolutely hated Saved by the Bell. The characters were just too annoying to her and she found the Fresh Prince to be way cooler and funnier. She knew the only reason her sister watched that show was because Sofia thought Mario Lopez was hot.
Yeah, right.
"Sofia, Selena and I are going to watch the Fresh Prince." Belen told their older sister who barely looked up from her nail polish. The eldest Almendarez sister was very concentrated as she carefully painted her nails a startling electric blue color.
"Well, I'm watching Saved by the Bell so you two are going to have to wait." Sofia told them and Belen pouted while Selena just remained silent. She wasn't exactly reserved by any means but she didn't particularly enjoy arguing with people. Confrontations were always something she dreaded.
"But you've been hogging the TV all day and it happens to be Selena's birthday so she gets to do whatever she wants." Belen told her as she pleaded with their stubborn older sister.
"Listen, you little brat, I'm the oldest in the house now so what I say goes." Sofia said in an annoyed tone and Selena fought the urge to roll her eyes. Sofia could be so obnoxious sometimes. Well...maybe not sometimes but rather all the time. Sofia was the reason Selena understood what people meant by the statement that you couldn't pick your family.
"If you don't let us watch the Fresh Prince then I'll tell Mami and Papi that you have a boyfriend." Belen told her smugly and Selena smirked in amusement at her clever sister. Sofia stared at Belen in shock. "They'll know all about how you've been making out with Juan Cortez behind the HEB." The fifteen year old girl huffed before glaring at her two annoying little sisters.
"Fine, then." Sofia said, finally relenting. "We can watch your stupid show. Will Smith is hotter than Mario Lopez anyways." Selena and Belen exchanged satisfied smiles before plopping themselves on the couch next to Sofia. Selena instantly reached for the remote and changed the channel just in time to watch the intro for the show. And as tradition called for it, Selena and Belen rapped along to the theme song of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and they were proud to say that they knew every word by heart. Sofia just shook her head at the two of them before rolling her eyes.
"You two are a couple of dorks. I can't believe we're related." Sofia muttered under her breath and Selena scoffed.
"I can't believe you're the one saying that." She retorted and Sofia gave her another glare.
"Shut up, Selena." The three sisters then settled into a somewhat comfortable silence as they watched the show. The house was relatively quiet for a Saturday afternoon, especially considering that their mother and little brother were home. The last Almendarez sibling was Selena's younger brother Rafael and he was only three. Rafael usually tended to be a noisy toddler but she supposed their mother had put him down for a nap and thank god for that. She adored her little brother but sometimes he really got on her nerves. It was nice that Rafael had time to calm down from his usual antics because it also meant that her mother got a break. Selena's mother was a stay at home mom who barely got a second of rest from her four children still living in the house although now that Jorge had gone off to college that was one last kid she had to worry about. Well...not really. If anything, Jorge living hundreds upon hundreds of miles away made her mother even more worried.
Selena tried not to give her mother any grief and she even convinced Belen to not give their mother a hard time either although Sofia was another story. Sofia was the first born daughter in the family so of course she was spoiled and not to mention the fact that everyone thought she'd be the only Almendarez girl before Selena and Belen came along. Sofia got all the new stuff while Selena and Belen had to make due with her hand-me-downs. Sofia got new clothes, music, make-up, and she had even gotten to pick out her Quinceanera dress which Selena and Belen would be wearing in a few years no doubt. The Quinceanera dress wasn't ugly by any means, it was actually quite gorgeous, but Selena would've liked to of picked out something new for once. However, she did her best not to make any complaints since she knew her parents were just trying to save money for them to go to college rather than waste it on stuff they'd just wear once and throw away. Selena wouldn't call her family poor but she also wouldn't call them wealthy but definitely middle-class. Things were a little tight since there was five of them but they were still happy.
"Why does Carlton dance like that, Lena?" Belen asked Selena, breaking the older girl out of her thoughts. Selena blinked before looking at Belen, realizing that her sister was referring to the TV show. Her sister was staring at her expectantly, curiosity gleaming in those warm brown eyes of hers that were the exact same shade as Selena's eyes. Selena and Belen actually looked a lot like which wasn't that surprising since they were sisters after all although Selena thought she shared more features with Belen than Sofia. The two young sisters shared the same short and petite figure, the same cute button nose, the same shape of their lips, and even the same dark olive complexion with their skin being a moderate brown color. The two sisters also had the same long, shiny, and thick black hair that went down to the middle of their backs. If it wasn't for their two year age gap then they might even pass as twins.
"Well, Carlton's from Bel-Air." Selena said as if it were that obvious but Belen still looked confused.
"What does him being from Bel-Air have to do with anything?" Belen questioned and Sofia sighed loudly.
"What Selena means is that Carlton is from one of those rich white boy neighborhoods so that's why he dances like a rich white boy." Sofia explained bluntly and Selena blushed.
"You shouldn't talk like that, Sofia." Selena said quietly but Sofia just rolled her eyes.
"Don't be such a prude, Lena." Sofia told her. "It's not as if there's any white boys here for us to offend."
"Still...if Mami heard you talking like that..." Selena trailed off and Sofia smirked at her.
"Oh, I forgot that you were Mami's little helper." Sofia teased while Selena just glowered at her.
"If by Mami's little helper you mean that I don't stress her out then yes...I guess I am Mami's little helper." Selena shot back but Sofia just snickered at her.
"Okay, Carlton." Sofia said sarcastically. What a brat, Selena thought to herself. Why was her sister the worst person ever? All she did was stress out their mother with all her immature antics. As if their mother didn't have enough to deal with, taking care of Rafael all day. However, before Sofia could make a sarcastic response, the doorbell rang. All three of the Almendarez sisters' heads turned in the direction of the door. Selena furrowed her eyebrows in confusion because it was rare that anyone ever knocked on the door. Family members stopped by all the time at their house whether it was for breakfast, lunch, or dinner which was why Selena's mother always said that it was important to leave a pot of beans on the stove just in case. It was one of her mother's life lessons for when Selena would someday grow up and start a family. The only thing was that family members never knocked before entering the house. They usually just walked right in.
"Who's at the door?" Belen asked, the curious expression returning to her face.
"How am I supposed to know? I don't have x-ray vision." Sofia replied and the doorbell rang once more. Selena frowned.
"Well, go answer the door then." She told her older sister but Sofia didn't look too eager to get up from the couch.
"Why can't you answer the door? Why do I have to?" Sofia questioned and Selena glared at her.
"I thought you were the oldest...the one in charge." Selena said, mocking Sofia's earlier words. The fifteen year old just rolled her eyes before heavily sighing and getting up from the couch. Life was difficult when you had two of the most annoying little sisters in the world. She slowly walked over to the door before throwing it open and leaning against the doorway casually. Selena leaned against the back of the couch as she tried to get a good view of who was at the door. Usually the only people who actually rang the doorbell were either the pizza boy or the Jehovah's Witness. Selena hoped that it wasn't Jehovah's Witness because she knew how much her very Catholic mother absolutely despised them. Her father, on the other hand, was usually much more polite but unfortunately he wasn't home yet.
The person standing at the door was apparently neither of those things as he stood in plain sight. He was a man that was most likely between the ages of thirty and forty with sandy colored hair and a large amount of scuff on his face. This caught Selena's eye because her parents weren't really fans of men with facial hair or long hair. Selena's father called those men scrounges. She wasn't sure what the exact definition of a scrounge was but she knew it must have something to do with beards and long hair. The man was also quite tall, standing at probably close to six feet which was quite a bit taller than her own father. His eyes were a bright blue color that seemed to sparkle underneath the sun that was just beginning to set. However, what struck Selena as odd was that the man was white. Selena and her family lived in a part of town that white people didn't really tend to frequent. Her neighborhood was predominately Hispanic like Selena and the rest of her family.
"Yo." Sofia said casually as she gave the man a bored look. Selena withheld the urge to roll her eyes. Leave it to her sister to act way cooler than she really was. The man smiled kindly at Sofia before speaking.
"Hello, young lady, I'm Nathan Wilkinson." He told her and Sofia raised her eyebrows.
"Am I supposed to know who you are?" She replied in her usual bitchy tone. The man blushed before looking behind Sofia and into the house as if he were looking for someone.
"I'm actually looking for Mr. and Mrs. Almendarez...your parents I presume?" The man told her and Selena continued to give him her infamous bored look.
"Why?" The man laughed nervously before continuing.
"Well, I have a lot of explaining to do but I'd rather do that with them if I'm being perfectly honest." Selena could already tell that Sofia didn't like that answer as she glared at the older and much taller man.
"Listen, Gringo, I don't care where-" Sofia started to say but was immediately interrupted as their mother walked into the room. Valencia Almendarez's hands rested on her hips as she stared expectantly at her daughter.
"Sofia, who are you talking to?" Sofia just shrugged before gesturing to the man.
"I don't know, Mami. This Gringo says that he needs to talk to you and Papi but he won't say why." Valencia narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she looked at the man. Selena didn't really blame her. Who was this man? Selena didn't think she had ever seen this man in her life. She instantly wondered what he wanted with her parents.
"Sofia, step away from the door." Their mother said cautiously before Sofia nodded and went back to sit with Selena and Belen who were watching their mother and the man curiously. Their mother slowly walked up to the door and crossed her arms. "I hope you're not some kind of salesman. I already told the last guy that came by that our vacuum cleaner is working just fine." The man immediately chuckled before shaking his head.
"No, I'm not a salesman, Mrs. Almendarez. I'm actually here on different business." Nathan started to explain. "I'm here to offer your daughter the opportunity of a lifetime. The chance to go to a very prestigious school and to get the best education life can offer her." Valencia's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"School? Education?" She asked in confusion. "Since when have Catholic schools been sending recruiters to people's doorsteps?" Nathan only smiled at her.
"Oh, I'm not from a Catholic school." He told her softly and Valencia was even more confused. She didn't get what this man was trying to get at. Why was he even there? Who came to someone's doorstep and told them they were going to offer that person's daughter the education of a lifetime? Apparently this guy did.
"Well, where ever you're from...Sofia's already attending Catholic school and that's where she's going to stay. My husband has worked very hard for Sofia to go to that school and someday our other children will go there too." Valencia told Nathan passionately but he just shook his head.
"You misunderstand me, Mrs. Almendarez. I'm not referring to your daughter Sofia...I'm actually referring to Selena." Selena's mouth dropped open as her eyes widened in surprise. How did that man even know her name?
"Excuse me?" Valencia said, wondering the same thing that Selena was wondering. Nathan raised an eyebrow as he stared back at the mother of five.
"Selena Milagros Almendarez...your third eldest child. She's the one who I'm here for." He further explained and Valencia gave him another confused look. Selena was a bit confused too. Confused as to what this random man could possibly want with her. You had to admit it was creepy for a random man to show up at their door inquiring about her. Even Sofia and Belen shot her confused looks as they looked back and forth between Selena and the man named Nathan Wilkinson.
"Who did you say you were again?" Valencia asked him carefully and Nathan gave her a small smile.
"Nathan Wilkinson." He repeated before uttering the words that would change everything in Selena's seemingly boring and mundane life. "I'm from Ilvermorny...School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Selena wasn't sure what drove her mother to invite the strange man into their home but she did. Maybe it was because the man was very charming or charismatic...or maybe it was because Seguin was boring and this crazy man would prove to be an interesting story to tell to their family at the next family gathering. So here they sat in the living room about an hour later as the man tried to explain the wizarding world to them. Selena's father had arrived home from work about a half an hour before only to have to sit through this insane man's tales of wizards and witches as well as a school where witches and wizards learned magic. It was all so crazy to Selena and sounded like something out of a Twilight Zone episode to her. Who did this silly and strange man think he was?
"You see... there's different kinds of witches and wizards. Some come from long lines of wizards and witches so they're raised with the knowledge of being a witch or a wizard. However, other wizards and witches can come from No-Maj parents such as yourself...No-Majs are non magical people." Nathan rambled on while Cresencio and Valencia Almendarez just stared blankly at him. Sofia and Belen stared at the man disbelief, not understanding how someone could be that crazy. Selena was a little in awe of the man's craziness herself but remained silent as he spoke. "Of course being No-Maj-born doesn't hinder any of your abilities but I'm just explaining that it's possible for No-Majs to have a witch or a wizard for a child." Selena's father immediately glared at the man.
"What kind of fools do you take us for?" Cresencio asked suddenly and Nathan gave him a confused look.
"Excuse me?" Nathan said and Cresencio just shook his head.
"You come into our home, spouting nonsense and wasting our time...Valencia, why did you even let this man inside our home?" He asked his wife and Valencia honestly didn't have an answer for her husband. Nathan Wilkinson sighed. He knew that it was probably going to come to this. It would've been weird if these parents didn't seem bewildered by the information he was giving them. There was probably a better way for him to tell them but Nathan didn't have that much tact.
"Look, Mr. Almendarez, I can prove it if you want." Nathan suggested and Selena's father narrowed his eyes at the man.
"Just what are you trying to-" Cresencio said but was interrupted as Nathan reached into his pocket for something. The whole family watched in bewilderment as the man pulled out what looked to be a stick. Selena didn't know whether to laugh or pity the man. There was an entirely serious look on the man's face which also made Selena a bit scared. He was really taking this wizard thing seriously, wasn't he? God...She really had to wonder if her mother was completely insane for letting this guy into their house. Selena had always wondered why her mother had been so strict about her and her siblings not talking to strangers and now she knew why. It seemed like her mother should've listened to her own advice.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Nathan said and Cresencio was about to respond when Nathan suddenly waved his wand. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion after that...at least in Selena's mind anyways. Items of furniture began to levitate off the ground and Selena looked up in awe. The coffee table was hovering right in front of her while the empty cans of soda seemed to be floating through the air as well. The entertainment system, including the TV and the TV stand, were also levitating. Selena's eyes widened in surprise as she stared, open mouthed, at the floating items of furniture. How. Was. This. Even. Possible. A part of Selena wondered if she was imagining all of this but the second she looked over at her sisters and parents, she knew that this wasn't happening inside her head. They could see it as well. And with another wave of Nathan's wand all the items stopped levitating and fell back down on the ground...just like that. The TV landed on the ground, the screen cracking but no one said anything. They were all still trying to process what had just happened.
"Reparo." Nathan murmured as all the broken objects magically became mended before being put back into place. Selena still stared up at the space where the TV had been floating a couple minutes before.
"Y-you just...but t-they...no." Her father stammered as he tried to understand what had happened. There was nothing that could possibly explain what had just happened. While the Almendarez family was a very Catholic family, they were also somewhat superstitious given their culture. Selena's father was probably more superstitious since he actually hailed from Mexico while Selena's mother was a Tejano just like her. Selena knew her Mexican grandmother on her father's side did crazy things like covering mirrors with garbage bags during thunderstorms and not letting her mother go outside during an eclipse when her mother was pregnant with Rafael. In other words, her father's side of the family was insane.
"Sorry about all that." Nathan apologized but Selena and her family were still looking at Nathan in shock. Her family was Catholic but they weren't the kind of Catholics that believed witchcraft was a sin. Their cultural wasn't really like that. They were very familiar with the concept of witchcraft but more with Brujas who were witch doctors than any kind of witch or wizard that could actually levitate something off the ground. When Selena was seven and was having bad nightmares, her grandmother had taken her to see a Bruja who lived down the street. The woman's house was surprisingly normal looking for someone who practiced magic except for the fact that it was littered with mirrors. For half an hour Selena had laid down on a bed as the Bruja sprinkled her with a mysterious liquid and waved a broom over her body while chanting a bunch of words in Spanish. It was certainly an odd experience but, funnily enough, the nightmares went away.
"What is this? How did you even...wait no. Is this...are you...are you some kind of Brujo?" Cresencio finally asked and Nathan just smiled.
"Not the way you're thinking, Mr. Almendarez." Nathan told him honestly. "I believe you're referring to the magic some No-Majs practice which are something along the lines of exorcisms and healing remedies. What I am is something different...the magic I practice is something very real as you all just saw." Selena's parents still seemed to be in shock from this new information as they all struggled to find the right words to say. What was the right thing to say in a situation like this one anyways.
"I-I don't understand what you want." Cresencio told Nathan, laughing nervously. "You come here and wave that...wand...and start levitating furniture so I can only assume you want something." Nathan smiled apologetically before nodding.
"Yeah, sorry again about all that but I needed for you to understand that I'm not some crazy person." Nathan apologized before continuing. "I have to say that you're taking this very well for people who never knew magic was something real. I've had some No-Maj parents curse at me and accuse me of being the Devil's little helper." Valencia gave Nathan a sheepish look before speaking for the first time since they all sat down in the living room.
"We're not completely unfamiliar with the concept of there being things beyond our understanding in this world." Valencia explained as Nathan listened to her intently. "While I've always thought magic was limited to what was sold in a Botanica, I also know that not all magic is the work of the Devil. Catholic or not...sometimes we have to put our faith in other places when nothing else works." Nathan nodded in understanding, looking very perplexed by the information that Valencia just shared with him. This No-Maj family was unlike any No-Maj family he had ever met before.
"Right...well, the truth is that I'm here to offer Selena an education at our school." Nathan confessed and Selena's eyes darted to him, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. What? Was he really talking about her? Selena could hardly believe what he was saying. Truthfully, everything he had been saying so far was a little difficult to comprehend but this was even more complicated. If this man, an apparent wizard, was offering her an education at his school then did that mean that...
"The reason I'm here today on your birthday, Selena, is because you're not a No-Maj...No, you're a witch." Nathan finally told her, attempting to rip the bandage right off. Selena's eyes widened as she took in what he was saying. She laughed nervously as she tried wrap her mind around that. This was sure a lot of information to drop on someone who had no idea of the existence of actual witches and wizards until fifteen minutes ago. Now he was telling her that she was a witch of all things. Jorge used to tell her that she was a little Chupacabra but he was only teasing her.
"Me?" She questioned before shaking her head. "I can't be a witch. Botanicas and the Brujas that own them creep me out so how could I be a witch? I don't even believe in a lot of those superstitions my Abuela always rants about. Sorry, Mami." Selena gave her mother an apologetic look but Valencia didn't seem to be too concerned with Selena's denial of their cultural superstitions. Nathan only chuckled as he gave the young girl an amused look.
"I wouldn't be here if you weren't a witch, Selena." Nathan told her before flashing her a knowing smile. "Just think about it. Was there any unexplained things you've ever done? Something you did when you were angry or upset?" Selena thought long and hard about his question as she went back through her memories. Come to think about it, there had been a strange occurrence many years ago. Selena's eyes widened again but this time in disbelief. She quickly glanced at Sofia.
"When I was six Sofia pushed me off the swing-set so she could have a go at them." Selena started to recollect as she made a startling realization. "I scraped my knee and started crying. Then just like that, the swing disappeared and she fell on the ground. My memories back then are sort of foggy so I always thought I imagined some of it." Sofia's eyes then narrowed into a glare and Selena blushed before looking back at Nathan.
"There you have it...that's a common case of accidental magic. It often happens with young wizards and witches." Nathan explained and Selena could only nod silently as she stumbled into the realization that she was a witch. She tried to think of the witches and wizards she was familiar with. All that came to mind was Samantha from Bewitched, Glinda the Good Witch, and the Wicked Witch of the West. There was also the White Witch from Narnia. Funny, how some of those witches were evil except for Glinda and Samantha and Selena couldn't really think of any wizards in pop culture. Maybe Merlin from those stories about King Arthur but that was it.
"This is so cool, Lena!" Belen explained happily as she stared up at her older sister in awe. "You're an actual witch! Isn't it kind of funny that you went trick-or-treating as a witch a couple years ago? It's actually pretty hilarious if you think about it." Selena couldn't even bring herself to laugh with Belen as she tried adjusting to this new situation.
"So you want our daughter to go to some magic school?" Cresencio asked, bringing everyone back into reality. Selena looked over at Nathan curiously. Magic School? Right...she was a witch now and supposedly witches went to magic schools. That actually sounded kind of cool. Selena wondered what kind of things were taught at a magic school. Maybe how to get a rabbit out of a hat? Selena always wondered how magicians did that and she always wanted a pet rabbit after all. A free pet rabbit sounded pretty good to her.
"Yes, as I've said before, I'm from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." Nathan reminded them. "I teach potions there." Selena raised her eyebrows at that one. Potions? What, like love potions or elixirs? Selena remembered seeing stuff similar to that at the Botanica Sofia made her go into once but she doubted the love potions actually worked.
"Right...so what kind of things do you teach children there? Aside from...potions." Valencia hesitantly asked him. "You don't teach them evil things, right? No dark magic?" Selena knew that her mother was extremely superstitious about stuff like that. It was the reason her mother forbid her and her sisters from going anywhere near Tarot Cards. It was also the reason that her mother burned Sofia's Ouija Board in a garbage can outside when she found it hidden under Sofia's bed. Nathan shook his head.
"No, we don't teach the dark arts at Ilvermorny nor do any other wizarding schools...except for Durmstrang." Nathan informed them and Selena's dad furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"Durmstrang?" He questioned and a dark look passed over Nathan's face.
"It's a Scandanavian Wizarding school." Nathan hastily explained. "Never mind them but Ilvermorny focuses on classes like Potions, Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and various other subjects. However, may I say that the real reason witches and wizards go to wizarding schools is so that they can learn to control their magic in a safe and secure environment. This will give Selena the opportunity to do that." Valencia seemed a bit more accepting when she heard what Nathan told them.
"She'd be learning how to defend herself against dark magic?" She asked quietly and Selena looked at her mother in disbelief. Her mother was already talking about letting her go to this school? Selena couldn't believe it and she felt her heart skip a beat at the aspect of attending a so called wizarding school. How cool was this?
"Yes. All students attend Defense Against the Dark Arts and learn useful spells that counter attacks from dark wizards and the sort." Nathan told her and Cresencio frowned.
"Dark wizards?" He questioned and his wife rolled her eyes.
"Oh Chris, are you really surprised? All the evil in this world and you don't think there's dark wizards too?" Valencia said and Cresencio supposed she had a point there. Cresencio swallowed hard as he looked back at the wizard sitting on the couch across from them.
"So how long would Selena be going to this school anyways? This is a hypothetical question, of course." Cresencio said the last part hurriedly.
"Seven years. The same length as middle school and high school combined." Nathan answered. Cresencio still seemed unsure as he stared at the man. How was he supposed to deal with any of this? He just found out one of his daughters was a witch. His little Selena...a witch. Cresencio didn't hold anything against Brujas, at least not the witch doctors his mother used to take him to, but it was even harder to comprehend the existence of actual witches and wizards. What else was real? Vampires? Werewolves? The Chupacabra? Who really knew?
"What about jobs, huh?" He questioned seriously while Selena blushed at her father's very serious tone. "I work very hard to make sure that I can one day pay for college for all my children. What can this education at this fancy magic school provide for my daughter? Certainly not any jobs I know of." Nathan nodded in understanding.
"Of course, Mr. Almendarez. That's very understandable but there's a lot to our world that you don't yet understand." Nathan explained slowly. "Our world is full of jobs for young witches and wizards right out of school. Selena can be anything she wants." Selena looked very curious as she listened to Nathan. She wondered what kind of jobs witches and wizards had. For some reason she imagined them just sitting around a cold dungeon all day mixing intricate little potions.
"I actually have a pamphlet here from the MACUSA, short for the Magical Congress of the United States of America." Nathan told them as he handed Selena's parents the pamphlet. "The MACUSA is our own form of magical government. There's plenty of positions that Selena could one day choose if she wishes. There's a lot of jobs outside the Magical Congress too that Selena could pick from when the time comes. Just endless opportunities although Selena wouldn't have to pick a career until her fifth year at school." Selena's parents stared at the pamphlet in wonder as they saw the moving pictures. They saw a bunch of occupations they didn't recognize. Aurors...Magizoologists...Quidditch Players...Wand Makers. It was all beyond their wildest dreams. They wordlessly handed the pamphlet over to Selena who quickly soaked up all the information she could. There was a whole world of possibilities and Selena kind of felt like she might've been dreaming. It was all too good to be true after all.
"Well, I guess that kind of answers my question." Cresencio answered as he looked back at Nathan. There seemed to be more jobs for witches and wizards than there were for humans or...No-Majs as they were called according to Nathan. Maybe Selena going to a school where she could get this kind of an education would be better than anything he could provide her with. There seemed to be so many jobs in the wizarding world and Selena was a smart girl. She could be anything in this world. Selena handed the pamphlet over to Belen to read after trying to give it to Sofia who merely gave her a disgusted look before shoving her hand away.
"There's just one tiny problem." Nathan mentioned as he suddenly looked nervous. "Ilvermorny, which is situated in Massachusetts, has been having a bit of an issue lately." Cresencio gave him a confused look.
"What? Like a diversity issue?" He asked sarcastically but Nathan quickly shook his head.
"The year Selena was born seems to be a unique year. 1981 was a very odd year." Nathan started to say before continuing as the Almendarez family watched him curiously. "You see, there happened to be an increase of No-Maj-Borns being...well...born that year in the states, including Selena. There's nothing that's ever been like it. All of our best people are studying this anomaly...it's unprecedented. You don't know how many No-Maj households me and all the other teachers have been dropping in on since the beginning of the year. We've even enlisted in some help from some of the Magical Congress workers."
"I don't understand. What does that have to do with anything?" Valencia questioned and Nathan awkwardly cleared his throat.
"It's just that Ilvermorny has run out of room for new students unfortunately." He told them finally and a crestfallen expression came across Selena's face at this news. Nathan then rushed to tell them the next piece of news before any of them could respond. "Which is why Ilvermorny has come up with a couple options for No-Maj-Born students this upcoming school year so they can still receive the education they require."
Valencia furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, becoming very curious as to what options these were. She had accepted that Selena was apparently a witch. Well, she had to, didn't she? Between this wizard levitating furniture and the pamphlet with the moving pictures, there was no doubt in her mind that any of this was real. If this man...this wizard...was telling them that their daughter was a witch then she just had to be. Valencia was already set on sending Selena to this mysterious wizarding school because Selena would need to learn how to control her magic. There was no way that Valencia or her husband could ever hope to help Selena in that department since they were just mere humans...or No-Majs apparently. This school was full of people that could help Selena. However, if the school was now full then what kinds of options did they even have?
"What sort of options?" Selena's mother questioned and Nathan smiled nervously.
"We could set you up with a family of witches and wizards that home school their children. There's not an abundance of those in the US but there's plenty in Mexico and through out South America. You'd have to live with that family for the majority of the year." Nathan explained and Selena could already tell that her family didn't like the sound of that.
"No way am I letting my daughter live in some stranger's home." Cresencio said, a serious look on his face. "Selena will not be living in a house with strangers. What if there's boys there? They'll take advantage of her." Selena blushed at her father's blunt tone. That was another thing about her father. He was very old fashioned and it was a wonder how her older sister got away with all the things she did.
"Okay then, Mr. Almendarez...there is one other option." Nathan started to say as the entire family looked at him curiously...well, except for Sofia. Sofia had her arms crossed as she glared at the wall. Selena didn't know what her problem was. "Selena could go to another wizarding school. The headmaster has had communication with numerous other wizarding schools across the world and most are willing to accept students. Granted there's only five students, including Selena, that will not be able to attend Ilvermorny this upcoming school year. Out of those five, two are being home schooled by wizarding families."
"Other schools?" Selena asked in confusion. She supposed she should've known there were other schools aside from Ilvermorny since Nathan mentioned it earlier but she hadn't given what he said much thought. There was probably wizarding schools all across the world. America was a young country so she highly doubted Ilvermorny was the first wizarding school. Besides...Nathan had mentioned a Scandinavian school earlier but she had already forgotten the name for it.
"Yes. The other student I saw earlier this year has already accepted an invitation to join Beauxbatons Academy of Magic...the French wizarding school." Nathan told her and Selena's eyes widened in wonder. France? Was he saying that Selena might have the option of going to another country? Selena had never even been out of Texas before but now she was being given the opportunity to travel? This really must be some sort of dream. Only...wait. Selena didn't speak any French. The only other language she was fluent in, besides English, was Spanish. Maybe there was some wizarding school in Chile or maybe even Spain. Ooh...Selena had always wanted to go to Spain. "A school closer to you is Castelobruxo which is in Brazil." Selena shook her head.
"Brazil? But I don't speak Portuguese." She said, looking a little worried. "Isn't there a Spanish speaking school I could go to? I'm fluent in Spanish." Nathan smiled sadly at her before shaking his head.
"I'm afraid not, Selena." He told her before continuing. "However, there is another English speaking wizarding school." Valencia and Cresencio had been quiet for a while now but Valencia suddenly appeared hopeful as she looked over at the sandy haired man.
"There is? Where?" She questioned.
"Hogwarts." Nathan informed her and Selena snorted as she heard the name. Hogwarts? That had to be the silliest sounding name she'd ever heard. Who would name a school Hogwarts? That was just asking for people to laugh at it.
"It's not really called Hogwarts, is it?" Selena questioned and Nathan laughed.
"It actually is. Hogwarts is our sister school in Scotland. It's one of the best wizarding schools in the world, producing famous wizards and witches right and left. The headmaster of Hogwarts is Albus Dumbledore who's considered one of the greatest wizards of all time. Merlin even went to Hogwarts. Hogwarts teaches the same subjects that Ilvermorny does so it might be more beneficial to Selena." Nathan explained to them and Selena's eyes widened. Merlin was real? Wow...what a day. First learning that she was a witch and now learning that Merlin wasn't just some legend...he was actually real. Her mind was literally blown.
"I don't know about sending our daughter to another country to go to school." Cresencio said, sounding unsure. "She'd be in a strange country for almost a year among strangers...and British strangers at that." Selena looked hopeful at her father's statement. He sounded unsure instead of outright refusing to send her to the wizarding school. That was a good sign for sure.
"I assure you, Mr. Almendarez, Hogwarts is one of the safest schools in the world. Albus Dumbledore is a very powerful wizard who protects each and every one of his students lives with his own." Nathan assured them. "He even defeated Gellert Grindelwald who was one of the darkest wizards of all times. So as you can see, Dumbledore knows how to protect his students. Our headmaster talked to Dumbledore about maybe taking one or two Ilvermorny hopefuls and he was very enthusiastic at the aspect. He'd be happy to take Selena off your hands."
"Scotland's very far away." Valencia said worriedly although she felt a bit at ease knowing that one of the most powerful wizards of all time was the headmaster of this mysterious wizarding school.
"It would only be for a year, Mrs. Almendarez." Nathan told her. "After that Selena can come back to the states and attend Ilvermorny. The only reason we want Selena to attend any one of these schools is so she doesn't get behind on her education. Next year, all of the Seventh years will have graduated and there will be plenty of room for Selena and other students at our school." Valencia thought long and hard about what Nathan was saying. She supposed he was right. If Selena really was going to be attending Ilvermorny then it was best not to let her get behind on her school work. Nathan said it was only a year after all. They could survive with Selena spending a school year in Scotland and at least it was an English speaking school. It would be different but at least Selena will have gotten out of Texas and seen a little bit of the world which was more than what Valencia could say about herself.
"How much is this school anyways?" Cresencio questioned. "Schools like these ones must cost a fortune." Nathan just smiled at the older Hispanic man.
"Magical educations are all free, Mr. Almendarez. The only things you'd have to pay for are school supplies." Nathan told them and Cresencio raised his eyebrows in surprise. Free? This sounded way too good to be true.
"Free? Even stuff like food and dorms?" Cresencio questioned and Nathan nodded.
"Yes and it's the same way at Ilvermorny." Cresencio had to admit that all of this seemed very tempting. Prestigious schools like these ones would cost a fortune in the real world. Cresencio knew this because the Catholic school he was paying for Sofia to attend didn't come cheap and neither did Texas A&M University that he was helping his son Jorge pay for. Of course Cresencio owned his own business so he was still doing well for himself but paying for his children's education was what prevented the family from taking vacations, buying new clothes, and owning a really nice car.
"And there's no colleges in the wizarding world?" Cresencio asked him and Nathan shook his head.
"No. Selena would get all the education she needs at Hogwarts and Ilvermorny. Wizarding schools prepare students for the real world from year one to year seven." Nathan answered. Cresencio liked the sound of that. He just wished schools here in the regular, ordinary human world would think the same way. It also sounded nice not having to pay for another child's college when they would be getting all the free education they needed.
"I don't know." Cresencio said, sounding very conflicted. "We need to think about this. This is a really big decision for our family to make." Selena felt hopeful. Her parents didn't seem to be saying no which was a very good thing. Was it possible then? Could she really be attending this mysterious wizarding school this time next year? Selena sincerely hoped so. It all sounded so exciting and adventurous. The wizarding world sounded unlike anything she was used to in the boring, mundane life she had been living in Texas. Nathan smiled at her parents.
"I understand. This is a very tough decision so take all the time you need although I must tell you that you need to reach a decision by July 31st. You should send your response to Hogwarts by that date." Nathan informed them and Selena's parents nodded. That meant that they had over three months to make a decision since it was April now.
"We'll be sure to have made a decision by then." Valencia assured Nathan and it was then that Sofia groaned in frustration as she stood up from the couch.
"I can't believe you're actually considering sending Selena to go to some nut job school in Scotland!" Sofia exclaimed angrily as she glared at all of them. Selena grew uncomfortable because she hated when people were angry and she hated confrontations.
"Sofia!" Valencia scolded as she narrowed her eyes at her fifteen year old daughter. Sofia then glared at Selena, her face flushed with anger.
"Although I can't say I'm surprise that school wants you. I always knew you were a freak." Sofia said, her voice laced with bitterness and Selena could feel the tears starting to prickle her eyes. She couldn't believe Sofia actually thought that. She knew her sister was at times very mean and selfish but Sofia had never said anything so hurtful to her before...not like that.
"Sofia, you apologize to your sister at once!" Cresencio said angrily but Sofia just scoffed.
"Whatever. I'm going to my room to finish packing my things. I can't wait until I don't have to share a room with her anymore." Sofia said pointedly before racing up the stairs. Selena sniffled as she felt a tear escape her eye. Belen rubbed her back soothingly as she tried comforting her older sister. While Selena was the older one of the two, she was also the far more sensitive and gentle sister. Belen, however, was the more confrontational and courageous one. Belen was a little spitfire and everyone knew it.
"Don't listen to her, Selena. Sofia's just bitter because for once in her life she doesn't have all the attention." Belen told Selena but her sister's hurtful words still hurt no matter what. Valencia came over and gently pushed a strand of hair behind Selena's ear before caressing her daughter's face.
"It's alright, Mija. Sofia didn't mean what she said." Valencia told her third oldest child softly. "This witch thing isn't a bad thing. I always knew there was something special about you...you have a certain way about yourself. You're kind, gentle, and compassionate. Being a witch doesn't make you odd because in this wizarding world, it sounds to me like you aren't alone. There's a lot of other people like you there."
"Thank you, Mami." Selena managed to say as she gave her mother a sad smile.
"You can have the Walkman for a week. Would that make you feel better, Selena?" Her father asked and Selena nodded slowly, wiping the tears off her face.
"Yes, Papi." She replied and Nathan gave her a sympathetic smile.
"I wouldn't worry about your sister, Selena. No-Maj-Born families all take the discovery of magic in different ways. I'm sure your sister will come around soon enough." Nathan said comfortingly and Selena just smiled at him before nodding. The wizard then began moving on to something else. "I guess I should be going then. I'll leave you guys my phone number for whenever you make a decision."
"That sounds good." Cresencio said and Nathan handed him what looked to be a business card with Nathan's full name on it as well as the Ilvermorny school crest. The card also had Nathan's phone number and his office hours but the glittering gold on the card was what captured Selena's attention the most. The glittering gold on the card looked to moving it's way across the card on it's own and had a certain glow about it. Wow...magic was so cool.
"Those are my office hours and oh...before I forget." Nathan then pulled out what looked to be a letter with a different crest on it. "Your Hogwarts' Letter." Selena eyed the print on the outside of the envelope, her eyes widening at the words she read across the envelope.
Miss S. Almendarez,
The Second Bedroom on the Second Floor,
San Jacinto Road,
Seguin, Texas
United States of America
"They know what bedroom I sleep in?" Selena asked in surprise as she looked back up at Nathan who smiled in amusement at her. "Do they have cameras in the house? Are they watching me right now?" Nathan chuckled.
"No, Selena, they're not watching you. It's just simply...magic." He informed her and Selena nodded. That made sense. Of course they'd know what bedroom she slept in since they were witches and wizards. They could probably know anything if they really wanted.
"Okay." She said simply.
"Well, you guys have fun with that and I'll be waiting for your call." Nathan told them but Selena could barely pay attention as she stared at the letter in her hands. She was barely aware of the fact that her parents were already showing him to the door.
"Selena, open it! Please?! I want to see what's in it!" Belen said excitedly as she hopped up and down. Selena noticed that Nathan was already gone. Wow...she was really spaced out today but given everything, it kind of made sense why. Her parents had already returned to her side as she glanced back at the letter.
"Is it okay if I open it?" Selena asked them hesitantly and they only smiled at her before nodding.
"Go ahead, Mija, it's addressed to you after all." Her mother informed her and Selena grinned before eagerly tearing into the envelope and pulling out the mysterious letter. It was written on a thick piece of...parchment paper? Could it really be parchment paper? Hmmm...wizards were old fashioned. Selena's eyes then fell on the words written across the parchment paper in neat handwriting. She began reading the letter aloud to her parents as her eyes skimmed across the sentences.
Hogwarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chief Warlock, Surpreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Selena Almendarez,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment . We await your owl no later than July 31st .
Please make your way onto Kings Cross Station and onto Platform 9 ¾ where you will meet the Hogwarts Express. Term begins on September 1st.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"Ooh, it sounds so fancy!" Belen said in awe over the formal sounding letter. Selena could barely bring herself to nod as she quickly pulled out another piece of paper from underneath the letter...The school supplies list. She couldn't even imagine the kinds of things a magical school would require. Maybe a wand. Nathan had a wand so they had to require a wand for use. Selena then began reading the school supplies list aloud, an excited gleam in her big brown doe eyes.
Hogwarts School
Of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Uniform
First-year students will require:
1.Three sets of plain work robes(black)
2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3.One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4.One winter cloak(black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags
Course Books
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Books of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
Gilderoy Lockhart's entire collection of books(1-7)
Other Equipment
1 Wand
1 Cauldron(pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS
Selena's mind was racing as she finally finished reading the school supplies list. Dragon hide gloves? Potions? Spells? Owls? These were actual things that the school required? Well, the owl wasn't really required but still. Selena was amazed by all the things on the list. It was almost like she was living some kind of fairytale. She wondered if this was what Dorothy felt like when she landed in Oz. Probably. There was a world of magic out there and they wanted Selena to join their world. Selena wanted more than anything to be a part of that world. Selena looked up at her parents with a desperate, pleading look on her face.
"Can I please go to Hogwarts? Please!" Selena begged which stuck her parents as odd because Selena never begged for anything. It was usually Sofia and Belen that did the begging. The adults exchanged unsure looks with each other before glancing back at their daughter.
"I don't know, Mija." Cresencio said, feeling his heartstrings being pulled by his daughter's big, beautiful eyes. Out of all his children, Selena had the most doe like eyes.
"Please, Papi! I've never wanted anything more than this." She pleaded and that was true. The jealousy she had felt for her older sister who had gotten all the new clothes and toys in their childhood was nothing in comparison to this.
"This is a big decision we have to make so we just need some time to think." Valencia explained to the newly turned eleven year old. Well, Selena supposed that was a good answer. Her parents weren't saying no but they weren't exactly saying yes either.
"Just be on your best behavior and we'll see if we can work everything out before July 31st, okay?" Cresencio told her softly and Selena nodded. She could do that. She could be on her best behavior. Not getting into trouble was something Selena was good at.
"Okay, Papi." She agreed and Cresencio smiled at her before leaning down and pressing his lips against her forehead.
"Good girl." He said as he pulled away to look at the rest of his family. "Now I don't know about you but I could eat." Valencia smiled before rolling her eyes. It was just Cresencio to always be thinking about his next meal although he clearly earned it. Between his long day at work and everything that happened with Selena, it had been a very long day.
"I'll get right to it then." Valencia announced as she walked to the kitchen and Cresencio sat himself back down on his favorite recliner, leaving Selena and Belen alone as they quickly turned their attention back to the letter.
"Oh my god, Selena! I can't believe it! A wand? Spells? Do you think you could cast some kind of spell that could take us to Disneyland? That would be so cool." Belen rambled on excitedly and Selena laughed.
"I don't know, Belen. I guess we'll see but I'm not even sure if Mami and Papi will let me go." Selena told her honestly and Belen scoffed.
"Of course they'll let you go. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Do you think Papi will really pass on a chance for you to get an education for free? I don't think so." The nine year old told her and Selena considered her point. Her little sister was definitely too smart for her own good. Selena sighed as she stared longingly at the letter again.
"I hope so." Selena murmured. Her mind was more alert than it had ever been before and it was all thanks to this letter. She was a witch but she was also a witch who might be attending a magical school in Scotland. A part of Selena wanted to pinch herself because she was afraid that she might've been dreaming. However, she knew better than anyone else, that this wasn't a dream. No, this was very real. Selena supposed she'd just have to wait for her parents' decision but in the meantime she'd just daydream about what it would be like attending a magic school. Her daydream was more imaginative and inventive than all the others before it. Still...she desired the real thing more than anything else.