Six months of pain.
It wasn't bad for the first week. It was just the feeling of pins and needles. After then, it was bones snapping pain. One night I was short of the potion for the pain and I passed out from how bad it was. Ella stopped sleeping in the bed with me for how much I would toss and turn. The pain almost doubled when I was on my period.
I still managed to complete the books and assignments Snape wanted me to, but after the second month it became harder with the pain. One of the times Snape stopped by, I was having a hard time even with the pain and sleeping potion. He stayed for the whole night instead of fifteen minutes, trying to use a spell to help elevate the pain.
Now the school year is finally over and I stood in the foyer of his house. I was shorter than when we first met and his potion worked. I was eleven again. Ella ran out of her carrier and began exploring her surroundings again.
"Why do you have to have a cat?" Snape asked and I shrugged my shoulders.
"I like cats," I responded.
"Your room is through the door, up the stairs, and on left."
I glanced around. It was dark and dingy. There was dust thicker in some places than the others and it felt abandoned.
"Couldn't you have just used a cleaning charm or something?" I asked.
"Maybe that should be the first charm you learn," he sneered.
"But that's a fourth-year charm!"
"Good, you remembered. Now we're going out to get your supplies and I need a few ingredients."
Snape turned away and began walking in the house.
"Are we going to Diagon Alley?"
He didn't answer and I felt excitement bubbling up.
This is actually happening and not in Florida.
I grabbed my suitcase and my bag and ran up the stairs. The room was about the same size as the one in the Leaky Cauldron and there was a fireplace too. The sheets for the bed were folded neatly on the bed and a wardrobe to the side. Snape liked to bring up that he wasn't getting payed much extra for me.
Maybe Narnia is real too?
Both Tom and Snape provided me with smaller clothes. Snape would always say that they were from Minerva McGonagall or that they were left over from the students that had left for the summer. Only three people knew about me: Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall. Fudge and Tom don't know the details nor did they want to ask.
I met Snape back downstairs. He had his usual black cape on with his normal all black attire. He had a blank expression on his face while Ella rubbed his legs.
"Why didn't we just go when we were at the Leaky Cauldron?" I asked.
"We can apparate."
"We can't use floo powder?"
"No."
"Great," I said sarcastically.
Snape grabbed my arm and I felt that same feeling washing over me. I squeezed my eyes shut and didn't open them until he let go of my arm. He handed me a pouch with money in it.
"You only need your robes and your wand," Snape said. "Get your wand at Ollivanders first and then your robes. I've already taken care of your books and your materials."
"Can we get an owl?" I asked.
"No."
"Another cat?"
"No."
"Fine."
"Meet me here back in this spot when you are done. It should not take long."
I nodded and Snape turned and walked away. There were many people bustling around. Witches and wizards were wearing cloaks of various colors- purple, blue, green, and more. Stores that lined the streets were selling brooms, ingredients, books, and trinkets. There was a pet store, a pub, and a large bank stood in the middle of the fork in the road. Gringotts Wizarding Bank it said.
I walked around until I found the place. The gold letters were peeling off and the shop looked run down. Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. the letters read. The window display had a faded and dusty purple cushion with a single wand on it. I pushed opened the door and bells chimed.
To my surprise, there was no one here. It was small, so it wouldn't be able to hold many people anyways. Not much was in here except a spindle chair in the one corner. There had to be thousands of small narrow boxes stacked to the ceiling in neat rows. Like Snape's house, it was dusty.
Wands.
I cautiously approached the front desk and an old man popped out from behind it. I screamed. He had pale skin and light eyes that almost seemed silver.
"Well," he spoke, "you are special."
"E-excuse me?" I asked.
"I don't recognize your face. I've provided wands to almost every witch and wizard here in-" he stopped himself. "Are you foreign?"
"Y-yes."
"Ah, sorry 'bout that. What's your name?"
"I-Irene O'Connell."
"O'Connell, eh?" He paused for a moment and a measuring tape flew up to begin taking measurements. "I sense greatness but it is trapped inside."
The man went to the back looking through some of the boxes.
Is this the great Ollivander? He's much more odd than I imagined.
He came back with a box. Ollivander carefully lifted the lid and took out a wand.
"Eleven inches, acacia tree, and a Phoenix tail feather. It's sturdy."
I took the wand and gave it a flick. A spark came out and bounced around the shop. I ducked and covered my head. It hit a shelf, bounced off, hit the ceiling, bounced off, and then shattered the chimes above the door.
Ollivander took the wand out of my hands.
"That's definitely not it."
He went back for a second one.
"Nine and a half inches, Hawthorn, and a unicorn tail. It's supple."
I gave this one a wave and a blast of wind knocked me back off of my feet. Ollivander came around the counter and took that one out of my hands as well.
"No, no, no," he muttered.
He disappeared for a longer time. When he came back, it was a box with much more considerable amount of dust on it. There seemed to be a crest etched on the top of it, but I couldn't make it out.
"This one has been waiting for someone for the longest time. It's ten and three quarter inches, beech wood, Phoenix feather, and reasonably supple."
I took this one and gave it a wave. It produced tiny gold sparkles, almost like stars, in the air. They danced around forming different constellations. It was the most beautiful thing I had witnessed since I came here.
"I wondered," Ollivander muttered. "Do you know if your family lineage is connected to the Starinn family?"
I looked at him confused and said, "No, I don't. I'm sorry."
"That's a shame," he sighed. "But with this wand, it will help you unlock your upmost potential. It will be seven galleons. A great price for a patient wand."
I nodded and gave him the coins, still feeling the warm feeling in my hand from the wand. Ollivander took the money and turned around to walked back down the aisles. I waited for a minute trying to decide if I was done or not, but I ended up leaving. I made sure to carefully step over the broken chimes at the front door. Now I understand more why there wasn't anything in the shop.
I walked down the streets again to find a place to get my robes. There were some kids hovering over a boom shop chatting about what they see in the window. Snape had me be educated on magic, history, spells, charm, potions, animals, but rarely on anything with Quidditch. I assumed he wasn't a fan of the sport.
When I found the shop, it was purple and had gold writing as well. Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions it read above the shop. The display had a couple of the robes. When I entered, a short woman in a purple robe with silver designs on it. As soon as she spotted me, she rushed over.
"Oh!" she exclaimed. "You look like a first year!"
I nodded.
"Good! Now, lets get you up on the pedestal! I'm Madam Malkin and let's see, all black for the first year..."
I sighed. It reminded me of alterations for prom from back home. The painstaking of stying still and trying not to get poked by pins. It was worse when getting out of the dress and there are at least ten different pins hiding in the dress ready to poke.
I payed her for the robes and left with them in hand, going back to the spot where I agreed to meet Snape. He was already there talking to someone with light hair. Snape locked eyes with me and made the man disappear before seeing me.
I gave him the remainder of the money that was left in the pouch.
"I saw the pet shop, but don't worry I didn't go in. Ella is plenty for now."
Snape gave me a bored expression and placed his hand on my shoulder. I braced myself for feeling. We were back in front of his house.
"Who were you talking to?" I ask as we walked inside.
"You don't need to know," he responded.
Ella greeted us as we went inside, meowing for food. I followed her towards the kitchen.
"Do you want me to make you food?"
Snape didn't respond. He went up to go grab a book that was on the bookshelf in his living room.
"I'll take that as a yes."
He came over and dropped the book down on the table. It was Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger, the book I needed for his class.
"Tomorrow we start practicing," he said.
"You want me to start practicing for your potions class?"
"No, we're gonna have your magic surface. You are not allowed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, but at this moment we need any evidence of magic. We will start by practicing basic potions, charms, and spells. During the school year, you will either practice with me or Professor McGonagall if need be."
I looked at him and then down at the book.
"I'm going to have to clean up everything, right?" I asked.
"You can clean the house while you are at it until you master the charm."
"When I succeed, you can do it."
"No."
"It's only fair."
"No."
I sighed. "Worth a try."
"I hope you're not in Slytherin."
"I was sorted into Gryffindor according to Pott-" Snape gave me a look. "I mean, I just have a feeling I'll be sorted in your favorite house."
"Obviously," he sneered. "You're just as irritating."
"Uncle Snape," I whined and he physically flinched. "Too far?"
Ella meowed reminding me why I came into the kitchen.
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