𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝟎𝟎𝟏
𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 & 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒅
『••✎••』
When Estrella stepped off the cruise ship, the reality seemed to hit. Her life in Brazil, her experience at Castelobruxo was coming to an end. She was, unwillingly, turning the pages of her story. Moving on and writing a new sentence of her life with every step she took.
Her father, Emanuel, stood tall, jaw tensed and nose in the air with her mother, Aquila, right by his side, while Estrella trailed behind them hopelessly, her hair covering the slightly bruised cheek. That night her mother had entered her room with a house-elf in tow, carrying a tray of food while her mother had a bowl with a strange-looking substance inside.
"It's called Murtlap Essence mija," She smiled, digging her fingers in and smothered the blue colored potion on her cheek. The cool feeling instantly washed away any harsh stinging that she felt before and Estrella could finally rest her head.
Her mother probed her with a few questions but Estrella made sure to keep her responses short and sharp. Even though her mother had never hurt her physically, the fact that she allowed for her daughter to be beaten and bruised was enough for Estrella to know she didn't love her enough. Her father would never hurt his wife, so surely her mother must have believed that Estrella deserved every hit that came her way.
"Hurry Mariposa! The car is waiting." She heard him shout making her pick up the pace. She walked to the back of the car and silently passed her father the trunk she had and mumbled thanks before turning her back and climbing into the car. During the whole car journey, she made sure to stay huddled to her side of the car, trying her best to stay invisible as her father chatted away with the driver. How can they act as if everything is perfect? She hissed in her head Like they were one happy finally. It made her sick.
It was around 7 pm when the car had finally arrived at their small home for the next few days. Estrella quickly unlocked the car door and rushed out of the car, feeling light raindrops on her head as she looked up and down the cobbled street. One thing Estrella knew she hated about the England already was the weather, everywhere she went it was raining.
Her eyes glanced up to the sign swinging back and forth due to the heavy breeze. "The Leaky Cauldron" it read, Way to make it obvious She rolled her eyes. Her first few steps were tentative but the young witch slowly overcame the nerves she felt and pushed the door open, walking in. Instantly she was met with a crowded front area, filled with all kinds of witches and wizards. It seemed comfy and welcoming, the type of area you'd never want to leave. It gave Estrella a sense of peace and filled her insides with a lovely warmth.
"What do you think?" She heard a low voice above her as he placed his hand on her shoulder. Yet again Estrella flinched away, the warmth of the inn being instantly replaced by ice-cold un-comfort. She rigidly nodded her head, the excitement dying in her eyes and she looked up and gave him a tight-lipped smile. "It's definitely....different."
Emanuel stalked off over to the counter to grab their keys, leaving Estrella and her mother alone. "Mija?" Her mother asked, her breath shaky. "Are you upset with me? I understand if you are, I'm sorry I didn't stop your father but I can't, he's...he's too strong for me. I wish I was able to stand up to him amor, I swear on my mother I would but—"
Estrella flung herself and around and wrapped her arms around her mother's middle, trapping her in a hug and digging her face into her chest. She couldn't bear to hear her mother beg so desperately. Hot tears started to uncontrollably slip from her eyes and she felt her mother's arms bind themselves around her. "Shhh, It's okay," She whispered lovingly. "I hope you can forgive me."
"I will always forgive you mama." She pulled away, wiping her face, and kissed her mother on the cheek. How could she believe her mother didn't love her? Estrella asked herself as her eyes darted all over her mothers face. "I'm sorry I ignored you, I was angry-"
"We are in Room 23 and you," Her father appeared behind Estrella, nudging her with the keys on the shoulder, passing her a pair of keys. "Are in Room 14. Try not to miss us too much." Her father smiled but Estrella could sense the underlying snideness in his tone. She turned back to her mother, giving her one last hug and for the first and last time that night, bid her parents goodnight and made her way up the stairs and to her room. Her trunk was a complete pain, the wheels made it ten times harder to drag it up the stairs.
"Need a little help there?" She looked behind her to see two red-haired twins looking up at her. Estrella politely shook her head, "I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" One started.
"Because it looks like you're trunk is going to take you down with it." His twin finished the sentence.
"Honestly I'm okay." She grunted, stepping up on the steps and pulling her trunk up with her. She finally made it to the very last step and cast a triumphant look down towards the boys. The two looked back at her and with a shrug, they walked past and down the hallway. "Cute accent by the way!" One of them called back.
Estrella brought a hand to her lips, remembering she was foreign and she must sound different to the people here. Best keep my mouth shut She told herself. The less attention she drew to herself the better. She walked down the hallway, her eyes casting over the different room until she found number 14 and walked straight in.
"Home sweet home." She mumbled letting go of her trunk and throwing herself onto the dusty bed.
『••✎••』
The streets of Diagon Alley were most definitely cramped. Estrella had to push and shove her way through each one, shouting an apology blindly. Of course, Estrella had no idea in the slightest what they had to buy, so it was just her luck when an Owl came to her window, sticking out its foot with a letter bound to it.
"To Miss Estrella Consuelas,
Room 14, The Leaky Cauldron."
She cocked her head to the side, wondering how they knew exactly where she was staying. Whoever "they" happened to be. She quickly turned the envelope around and tore it open seeing it was a list of supplies that she had to buy. Relief instantly washed over her and she made the move to go tell her parents but decided against being anywhere near them till morning.
Her eyes cast over the letter once more, eyeing each bit of information;
Third year students will require:
• The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3 by Miranda Goshawk
•Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky (if attending Divination)
•Intermediate Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
• The Monster Book of Monsters (if attending Care of Magical Creatures)
• Numerology and Grammatica (if attending Arithmancy)
• Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles by Wilhelm Wigworthy (if attending Muggle Studies)
• Spellman's Syllabary (if attending Study of Ancient Runes)
• The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts by Arsenius Jigger
For this student specifically, you will also need ;
• Uniform
Three Sets of Plain Work Robes (Black)
One Plain Pointed Hat (Black) for day wear
One Pair of Protective Gloves (dragon hide or similar)
One Winter Cloak (Black, silver fastenings)
Please note that all student's clothes should carry name-tags at all times.
• Other Equipment
1 Wand
1 Cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set of glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set of brass scales
Students may also bring an Owl OR
a Cat OR a Toad.
Estrella's eyes lit up when she saw "Care Of Magical Creatures." The young witch had always had the ambition to follow in the footsteps of the amazing Newt Scamander and become a Magizooligist. Of course, that dream profession was kept tightly under wraps as her father had already planned for her to become a Healer.
"Where do we need to start? Your mother has already bought your uniform requirements and I took the liberty of buying the equipment you need along with a new trunk." Her father took the envelope from his daughters' hands and scanned the list.
"We could go and buy a wand?" She asked him timidly. Emanuel glanced down with a nod and folded the parchment, handing it back to her. She had never used a wand at Castelobruxo, they taught their students at a very young age how to wordlessly perform spells and enchantments. Estrella knew definitely that wands weren't her thing but she would do anything to get out of the extremely awkward moment she was currently in
"You and your mother go ahead, I'll be with you in a second." He smiled. The expression looked so unusual on his face. It made him, for one second, seem like he was the most content man in the world. Estrella hates his smile, it was the same smile he wore whenever he was going to buy her something new and pretty. Something to apologise for the abuse that would never end.
Estrella took her mother's hand and gave her father a small smile back before racing off down the road, towards any wand shop she could find. Her neck ached as she constantly twisted her head looking for a sign that indicated she was near. "Mama should we ask around?" She looked up at her mother who smiled down at her. "I think that would save us a lot of time, Excuse me?" She tapped a man on the shoulder. He had long, waist-length platinum hair and when he turned around Estrella was captivated by his piercing grey eyes.
"Yes? How may I help you?" He replied stiffly, his lip curled. His eyes trailed up from Estrella, landing on Aquila's face and they widened. "Aquila? What are you doing here?"
"Do you know the way to a wand shop?" Aquila asked, instantly straightening her back and giving him a cold glare. He waited for an answer but Aquila stared him down. He wordlessly pointed further down the street and with a bitter smile turned his back to his family.
"Mama how do you know him?" Estrella asked, looking back her eyes landed on his son, a miniature version of him who seemed to be studying her too.
"Probably an associate of your Fathers." Aquila stammered as though she was trying to get a response off the top of her head.
"Right," Estrella nodded unconvinced, "He was no help." They continued to walk further down until they reached a grand shop that read, "Ollivander's Wand Shop. Makers of fine wands since 382 B.C"
"I think we found it." Aquila pointed and pulled her daughter along, walking into the grand shop. The atmosphere inside was dark, stuffy and the only source of light was from the window and small candles dotted around. "Hello?" Her mother called out.
The tow stood in silence for a few seconds more before they heard a pair of wheels racing towards them. There stood on a tall ladder was a greying old man, eyes wide and full of wonder. He stepped down, taking the small glasses that were perched on his head, and quickly shoved them up to his nose. "I believe you must be Estrella?" He smiled. "I was wondering when you would arrive."
The young witch looked at him confused, how did he know her name? She watched as he returned to the long shelves, his fingers trailing over the thousands of messily stacked wand boxes until he exclaimed "Aha!" and came rushing back. He thursts out the box before him and opened it slowly, letting Estrella lay her eyes on the wooden object, not quite understanding the fascination of the wandmaker's hand.
"Well give it a try!" He shook the box lightly. Estrella tapped out of her daydream and grabbed the wand giving it a barely noticeable wave. Estrella looked back up at Ollivander who gave her a reprimanding look, "You've got to try harder than that."
But what if I don't want to? She grumbled in her head, flinching away from the wand as she tested her wrist and flicked the wand upwards. Almost immediately the light bulb above them burst and shards of glass fell all around the two like tiny raindrops. "Not this one." Estrella quickly placed the wand back in its box.
Ollivander returned with another wand for her to try but Estrella knew from the look of it that the wand was far from what she needed. After two more burst light bulbs, stacks of paper shooting off and flying around everywhere and a plank from the ceiling falling without mercy did the young witch finally find that her wand.
She twisted her wrist ever so slowly, her arm stuck out in front of her and her eyes closed shut, awaiting another catastrophe to happen. Instead, a rush of warmth filled her body from head to toe and she felt a cool breeze wash over her face, her features visibly relaxed. "I think this is the one." She smiled up at him. The old man gave her a warm smile, the twinkle in his eyes making Estrella think that there was more that he was letting on. "What?" She asked him but he merely shook his head.
"The wand chooses the witch or wizard, Miss." He hummed, packing up the wand and placing it in a brown bag. "Your's happens to be Brazilian Oak, 10&3/4" but that isn't what intrigues me. It has a purple phoenix father core. The same phoenix that fled when your grandmother passed. What intrigues me is that why this specific one, the same wand I gave to your grandmother should choose you."
"This is my grandmother's wand?" Estrella gasped.
"Was. Use it wisely." He gripped at her wrist. "You too are much more alike than you may think," He pulled her closer. "It would be a blessing and a curse to get too close." Her grandmother was a very touchy subject for Aquila so over time Estrella learned to keep the questions to a minimum.
"To close to what?" Estrella asked him, wrenching her hand free. But before Ollivander could utter another word, her mother had already dragged her out of the building, towards the main bustling middle of Diagon Alley. "Mama, what was he talking about? What is it I would be getting close to?" The questions poured out of her mouth uncontrollably, but Aquila powered ahead ignoring all of them.
Estrella dug her heels into the ground forcing her mother to stop her movements and spun her around. "I'm not moving until you tell me what he was talking about." She looked up at her stubbornly. Aquila massaged the wrinkles out of her forehead and looked around before leaning down to face her.
"Listen to me and listen very closely," She started. "You're going to meet someone, and when you do you'll know. Something about their eyes, the way they smell, their voice-- it'll draw you to them but promise me this," Her voice had now dropped to a deadly whisper. "You must ever be near him, I can't bear to lose you as well."
"Lose me as in...as in death?" Estrella stammered. Aquila nodded with a heavy heart and let the tight grip on Estrella's shoulders cease, kissing her daughter on her forehead. "It's all down to you. You keep out of that boy's way then you will stay safe. You'll stay alive." Aquila ended, turning on her heel as stalking off down the cobbled path in search of her husband. She knew coming to England was a big mistake but Emanuel wouldn't listen. His stubbornness was going to be the cause of Estrella's unfortunate end. Aquila knew it.
It was at that moment that Estrella made a promise to herself. The first time that boy laid eyes on her would be that last. But who would do such a thing to her? Why did fate hate her so much? Why--
"Hey!" The young witch's train of thought was instantly cut off as she harshly fell to the ground, the wind being knocked out from right under her. A slightly heavy body laid on top of her for a few seconds before the person scrambled up, mumbling apologies profusely. A blurred hand stretched out in front of her, as multiple voices all merged shouted. Estrella quickly gained back her senses and grabbed the hand in front of her and pushed herself up, her eyes focusing in on a pair of striking green ones.
"Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going. My dumb glasses don't do anything to help either." He joked, eyes searching over her to see if she was okay.
His voice sounded as sweet as honey and his eyes were the perfect shade of emerald green, drawing Estrella in further and further. It was safe to say that the boy felt it too. the tug in his chest that drew him closer to her and the intense feeling of his insides slowly melting when she heard her delicate laugh. "I'm Harry, Harry Potter." He scratched the back of his head.
"Estrella," She started, clearing her throat. Her voice was a deep, thick Spanish accent that made Harry's knees buckle and his heart race. "Estrella Consuelas."
The young witch gripped Harry's hand tighter, shaking it but slowly coming to a halt as she stared at their interlocked hands. Wisps of gold chains started to form around their wrists, twisting and turning, interlocking with one another in a mesmerizing dance. The two couldn't keep their eyes off of it. "What's happening?" Harry breathed, enjoying the intense warmth that came from their hands as he watched the chain grow closer and closer together.
Estrella shrugged her shoulders as she watched closely, losing herself bit by bit until her mother's and Ollivander's words re-appeared in her mind.
"I can't bear to lose you as well."
"It would be a blessing and a curse to get too close."
As if a light bulb switched on in her head, Estrella ripped her hand from his grasp looking up at Harry with wild eyes. "Please," She tugged her hand out of his, "I need to go."
Backing away, a wild look instantly settled in her eyes. Harry took a step closer to her, the longing for that warm feeling to return. "No!" Estrella spun on her heel. "Just, please..." She took off down the path, not stopping until she found her parents.
"What is it?" Emanuel exclaimed seeing the state his daughter was in. He quickly the square velvet box he was holding down on the floor and took out his wand. "Who hurt you?"
"Nobody Papa," The young girl panted, staring at her wrists in wonder. Aquila instantly knew that look in her eye, her heart beat picking up as her eyes darted around the hundered of bustling people in the alley.
Glad that Estrella heeded her warning, she hurried them away back to the Leaky Cauldron. Her daughter wasn't going to be anyone's sacrifice and she would not face the same fate her mother did. So long as Estrella listened her head over her heart she would stay alive.
Well, she hoped.
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all the love, t x