Initia Mystica

Time Skip: One month later…

“That's it now! Great reflexes Ms. Aspen! I think you've got that basic casting down now. You took to it like a Hippocampus does to the sea. Now I think that’s enough practice for today. If we dally any longer then we’ll be late in picking your supplies up and then you lose all chance of giving Diagon Alley one last roam before we head off to the castle grounds.” Fig said as the duo finished up their training with a little game that required Aspen to look around and shoot targets he conjured up and were floating in various spots around the room.

Grinning, Aspen stretched her arms upwards, rolling her shoulders back before nodding. Bidding the professor goodbye in lieu to finish double checking her belongings and get ready for the day, she retreated back into her room to shower.

A half hour later found her grabbing her small knapsack, clean and in her new clothes the Ministry funded for her to buy along with the rest of her new school supplies. They stated that due to the circumstance Fig had found her old Home to be in, they deemed it necessary to make sure that she had a wardrobe to fall back on aside from her meager belongings and school robes.

Not one to complain, she enjoyed the whole process, intrigued by some of the required materials they picked up and how different life ran. Trotting down the stairs, she met up with Fig who had finished giving Mr. Bernard a bag full of galleons and sickles to close out their tab and pay for their rooms. The jovial man behind the bar thanked Fig before sending him off. Deciding that now would be a good time to approach she walked up to him and greeted him.

“Good morning, Sir, did you rest well?” She asked as she grabbed a banana from one of the fruit bowls that was laid about on the bar counter and began eating it as Fig began talking whilst they walked out taking her knapsack from her and putting it away with magic sending it ahead to his office back at the castle since it was small enough.

“Quite so but I do miss my own bed back at the castle. Speaking of, today is the day! Are you excited? We’ll be taking a carriage to the castle since the train would’ve already departed. Let's go and look at your supplies one last time and meet the carriage driver.” Fig said as he led the two back out to the streets of London, easily locating the girl's supplies all packed and loaded up.

It wasn’t until the two got closer to the carriage did, they see the man sat on top waiting for his charges. He wore a small bowler hat that matched the dark color of his coat with goggles hanging on his neck. It was a strange combination of accessories but Aspen supposed she's not too fashion savvy herself so who was she to speak. “Ah! It appears we are almost ready to depart!” Fig exclaimed seeing the carriage come into view and began double checking everything on it. 

A thing she noted was the carriage had no horses pulling it and immediately knew there was something magical going on. “Good morning, Sir, thank you for taking us to the castle…” She greeted only to be glanced at with a slight and silent sneer before being promptly ignored.

“Mudblood speaks…” the driver grumbled out as he sat high on his seat, clearly upset about something.

‘Mudblood? That doesn’t sound very nice. I don't think so at least…’ Aspen thought confused as she tilted her head. Fig had heard the man as well and tensed at the slur before realizing the girl had no clue she was being essentially cursed at. “Don’t mind him dear, I’ll explain once we’ve made it to our destination. Still though, it’s a pity we didn’t have a bit more time to spend on spellcasting.” Fig said, pulling Aspen away from the man and towards the side door.

“Now aside from the morning practices we have together I can say it's safe to presume you’ve been working on the spells we worked on?” He asked with a raised eyebrow as the girl snickered but nodded. “I have, Professor.” She said amused at him going into teacher mode.

Aspen and Fig had grown incredibly close over the course of the month and felt like the man was like a long-lost uncle or family member she never had the pleasure of knowing. He was incredibly fun to be around and often had a slight mean streak to tease her. It was all in good fun and made her all the more excited to start her school year to see what the rest of her professors would be like. What new things would she learn about the world and what sort of friends would she make here.

Fig spoke up drawing Aspen out of her musings and continued his praise for her. “Well, I’ve never seen anyone take to a secondhand wand as fast as you have.” he complimented as he recalled the first time Aspen took the hand-me-down wand and waved it around. “Truly, you'll be a force to be reckoned with when you get your own.” he said, waving his finger at her with a small grin on his face.

To say the number of apologies and flowerbeds he had to cast Repairo on was impressive even with the kickback the young girl received from it being an improper match of wand and witch. That added onto the fact that the wand itself was made of Ash was astonishing that it even had power to cast a light let alone powerfully.

Fig was convinced that it had lost its power since the wand had never reawakened whenever he held it and gave it a wave in a sad attempt to feel connected to his late wife. It was bittersweet in a way seeing as they never had kids of their own and now, he was in charge of a ward that was able to use his wife’s wand in the meantime till she got her own. 

It made Fig feel an almost familial connection with the orphaned girl just seeing her wield the wand and causing slight mischievousness here and there around the inn and the alley as she felt more at ease with him. It was especially evident in the way he kept finding her picking random things up and helping out the occasional shopper here and there.

The number of times he thought he had almost lost her in the alley was enough to make him feel like he’s aged ten more years.

Still though, Fig was pulled out of his reverie when Aspen spoke up with a genuine smile on her face. “Thank you, Professor Fig. I appreciate your working with me before the term begi–” she started off before the loud sound of a pop broke their conversation.

It drew their attention to a man, dressed up in an overcoat and all facing away from them before he whirled around and smiled when he made eye contact with the pair, fixing the circular glasses that were sliding down the bridge of their nose with the sudden landing. “Oh! Eleazar!”

“George. Glad my rather cryptic description of our location did not thwart your finding us.” Fig said as he greeted the younger man, shaking his hand briefly. The man, now known as George, just dismissed him with an easy smile.

“I’ve Apparated to more vaguely defined destinations than this. No need to worry.” the sudden addition to their group said, amused as he dusted off his long coat. Still though, Aspen just gave a polite smile towards the man as he continued off, a small genuine and amused smirk appearing at the corner of her lips as the man fessed to having scared some muggles who were attending the theater not too far from here. The thought of it had her smothering down her giggles before the two men continued their conversation whilst she fiddled with the end of her scarf, relishing how soft and warm it was.

“It’s been much too long. When I received your owl, I must say I was rather surprised to-” fig had begun saying before he was cut off by “George” as he seemed to panic slightly at first and interrupted him with a slight exclamation. “Ah! Best not speak here, Eleazar, hm?”

Aspen noticed the almost paranoid looks: he was giving the alley a quick but calculated look around. A sense of kenopsia enveloped her as she looked at the desolate alley usually bustling and packed with people going about their day. It was odd for even the orphan girl but chose not to say anything as Fig agreed to the others hidden request, and with a thin pull at his lips as he tried to smile, clasped his hands together in front of him and asked the other to join them in the carriage that was ready to take them to Hogwarts.

“But of course. Why don’t we speak en route to Hogwarts? We have a start of term feast and Sorting Ceremony to get to.”

Aspen could tell this please the other greatly at the offer and just gave a shy grin as the attention was put on her. “What a wonderful idea! As long as your young charge here doesn’t mind me tagging along of course.” He finally fully acknowledges her aside from the small truth of his first attempt at Apparating to find them.

Waving her hands in front of her slightly, she just shook her head as the half up half down hairstyle her hair was in kept her face clear of the usual curls that would bounce along with her movements. “Not at all, Sir.”

With that settled, Fig led her into the carriage and one by one they all boarded. Aspen settled in beside her new mentor and got comfortable as she fiddled once more at the edges of her new clothes. It was when she felt the carriage moving that she looked up and out the window in time to see and feel them take off from the ground and gasped.

Of course, some sort of magic would be involved, and she knows she shouldn’t be surprised but that doesn’t mean it isn’t going to surprise her every time something grand happens.

The men heard her and looked over thinking something was wrong but just let out amused huffs and chuckles as they noticed it was just her reaction to the carriage taking off and leaned back in their seats also admiring the view London gave as it grew smaller and smaller. “I suppose this must all be new to you. I can’t imagine how you’re faring with all the new changes, but I suppose with Eleazar as your tutor in all this world has to offer, you must be making leaps and strides.”

Aspen pulled her attention from the window of the carriage and gave a small smile, a bit flustered at the sudden compliment the man gave her without even really knowing her. “It’s unlike anything I was taught before no matter how limited it was, but I want to take it all in and learn as much as I can. After all, I have so much to catch up on.” she admitted.

With a soft smile, the other just took in her honest answer before looking over to his old friend. “I’m even more glad I was able to catch you before you left for Scotland. It seems you have taken someone in just like yourself.”

Fig just chuckled with a proud grin and briefly looked over at the girl, nodding his head. “Her thirst for knowledge is incredible and makes the professor in me proud to do what I do.”

The two men shared a small laugh before the younger of the two finally asked a question he probably should’ve asked earlier when they all got settled in. “Apologies but it’s only just crossed my mind. What is your name dear and why are you traveling with Eleazar and studying under him? Are you his apprentice of some sort? Merlin, do they start young if that’s the case.”

Jumping in to explain, Fig cut to the chase with no need of fanfare. “She travels with me as a new student attending Hogwarts.”

Nodding, Aspen took this as a point to enter the conversation and formally introduce herself now that it seemed like she was given permission to ease her way into the conversation. What a strange thing that she could freely converse with men and not be looked at as rude or uneducated or ill-mannered as a female.

“Yes sir. My name is Aspen Rosewood. It's a pleasure to meet you, sir…?” She trailed off realizing how uncouth it may be of her to refer to the older by his given name. As she waited for him to give his name, she noticed the shock at the news that she would be entering the year as a new fifth year rather than a transferee.

“New? Why, I in all my life and even whilst attending the school have never heard of someone transferring so late whilst also just beginning their magical education.”

“Yes sir, new. I’m a…late find I suppose one would say. I’ve only just learned of the existence of magic and of the sorts a little under two months now. This will be my first-time attending Hogwarts despite me starting as a fifth year.” Aspen cleanly explains, seeing no reason to lie to the man. After all, she liked his personality so far and didn’t see any reason to hide anything from a friend of her mentor.

Aspen liked to think she became a good judge in character after all her time spent in the home.

“How extraordinary. Truly!” George exclaimed as he finally got over himself and gathered his wits.

Fig cut in once more, understanding the other’s disbelief. “It is, indeed. None of the faculty has ever heard of anyone being admitted to Hogwarts so late. Of course, as the other fifth years will have been honing their magical skills for four years now, the headmaster asked if I could get our new student up to speed a bit before the term begins.” said the gray-haired man. 

Looking back and forth between the two, George took in everything he was told before realizing he had left Aspen’s unasked question up in the air and carried on the conversation. “Well Ms. Rosewood, you couldn’t have asked for a better mentor. To answer your prior question, my name is George Osric but please feel free to call me either.”

Taking in the man’s looks and his name, she nodded, committing it to memory as she carried on. “Like I said before Sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Osric.”

“Likewise. I’m sure your time learning under Eleazar has been most fulfilling, no? Professor Fig is not only an exceptional teacher, but he is also a remarkably intuitive – and gifted – wizard.” the younger man said, giving his old friend high praise as well as complementing the young witch in training.

Aspen found that whilst maybe this George Osric may not be the most handsome or striking man, she’s ever had the pleasure of meeting would say that he definitely holds a certain charm and charisma that makes up for what he may lack in.

Scoffing lightly at the compliment the younger threw his way, Professor Fig just chuckled and shook his head whilst turning to Aspen almost fond but exasperated as if dealing with a younger sibling.

“Mr. Osric is prone to flattery. I daresay it's one of the sole reasons he's risen so far at the Ministry much to my late wife’s amusement. It's one of the skills he took to heart with him after having spent so much time together while we were at school despite being different years.”

Despite everyone laughing at the light dig, the mood quickly changed as Osric pulled out a newspaper from behind him as if the mention of Fig’s late wife triggered a thought in the bespeckled man.

“I hate to be the one to bring the mood down but old friend… have you seen this?” 

Curiosity peaked, Aspen found herself glancing down at the newspaper that was shown to them and was intrigued by the moving pictures. She recognized the paper as one being from the Daily Prophet and was wondering why it was important to know if Fig knew anything about the current news.

Perhaps it's just one of those adult things she would never understand till she was a little older?

It did remind her of the caretakers drinking their morning coffee and scoffing at whatever it was they read before flipping the page. However, that was probably due to the Muggle news not being quite as dire (like Oscar Wilde being on trial for being homosexual). The most pressing thing she saw recently when she was left cleaning up the table back then was probably about the match girls that went on strike due to the horrendous working conditions.

“Thank the Lord that Fig and the school learned of me in time before I aged out… Those poor girls are getting ill left and right and barely surviving the real world out there as it is…”

Aspen thought to herself as she sighed heavily before shaking her head as if to shake the slightly depressing train of thoughts out of her mind.

Returning to the newspaper, she found herself skimming the words that were printed on the front page: large, black print taking up almost half the page for just the title alone, urging the readers that it was of dire importance with the way the words were phrased.

Daily Prophet

Ranrok’s Goblin Rebellion

Truth? Or Gobbledegook?

Whilst the wizarding world has been focused on Quidditch teams and games to even the state of the Muggle world, a darker force has been running amok and causing chaos behind the scenes. Tearing families apart to even almost taking over hamlets with fear. Ranrok and his goblin rebellion have been terrorizing the United Kingdom and whilst the Ministry is on the case and doing their best to quell the problem, new things pop up left and right. Thus here in this article we, the Daily Prophet, will be doing our utter best to keep you folk up to date about any sightings or findings we happen across and even give you tips on how to better protect you and your families during these troubling times. Firstly-

“I have. Opinions differ as to how great of a threat Ranrok really is… The Daily Prophet seem to be treading on the line of everything is peachy to wanting to help ready the locals.” Fig responded having also glanced down at the news presented to them. Aspen looked up at him slightly as she also got that feeling whilst reading the front page and leaned back in her seat as the men continued to talk.

Glancing out the window again and admiring the clouds and how fluffy they look; Aspen’s mind began to wander from how much longer they would be up in the air whilst the three traveled to school to impulsive thoughts of cracking a window open and sticking her hand out to touch the clouds. It wasn’t till she started looking for a latch of some sort that something below them moved and caught her eyes.

Leaning into the window a little more, Aspen managed to get a glimpse of something large and dark in color flying under the clouds below them and began to wonder what would even be flying with them that large. When she couldn’t find it anymore, she leaned back in her seat and sat up a bit. 

She felt the pit in her stomach start to churn a bit with unease as she clasped her hands on her lap to keep them from fiddling with her sleeves and refocused on the conversation with Mr. Osric speaking up.

“Although I’ve yet to convince my colleagues at the Ministry. I believe he is a significant threat and that our elite group of Aurors and Unspeakables should be on the case. Of course, no one is willing to lend an ear to the younger staff but I’m sure I’ll get someone’s help eventually.”

There was an almost awkward pause as George Osric took the time to form his next sentence before going for it and hesitantly continued, a sad gleam in his eyes as he looked at Fig.

“Eleazar… It was actually your wife, who alerted me to Ranrok and his activities months ago prior to his sudden rise in power.”

Glancing back to Fig, Aspen could see his eyes widen at the mention of his late wife and felt for her mentor. She had heard briefly of her and knew she must've been on his mind several times a day because she would catch his eyes briefly as they practiced her wand work sometimes and see him almost morose before he seemed to shake off the feeling, straighten his stance and focus back on her lesson.

Leaning forward on his knees, Fig in shock asked Osric how. “Miriam? How?”

With a downtrodden look, George Osric ran a hand down his face as if he could rub the weariness this topic brought both men away before answering his old classmate and colleague.

“She wrote to me a little before her passing about Ranrok – wondering what the Ministry knew about his activities. Of course, back then he was merely just gathering goblins together and mining mines or mountains. We had just assumed that maybe he was getting into metalwork and was perhaps just gathering supplies…However, before I could even respond, I received this. It was the last thing she was able to send to me, Eleazar.”

Pulling out an item from behind him, Aspen laid her eyes on the metal container. It was clean and well made, the mix of metals or bronze and gold surrounding the main body well and pleasing to the eye. It wasn’t till her eyes looked over the main emblem holding the container together that the men spoke up again.

With a questioning tilt to her head, she listened on.

“It came via her owl – but with no correspondence. I can only assume –”

“– that she had to get rid of it quickly to keep it safe. Merlin’s beard…”

“Presumably from Ranrok.”

The two men went back and forth both coming to the same conclusion before Osric continued. Aspen however became even more curious as the conversation continued.

“I cannot open it. Whatever magic protects this is powerful magic indeed. I was hoping perhaps you knew something of this but judging by the shock and look on your face…”

“With this discovery I feel like I'm learning even more things about Miriam.”

Taking a closer look at it, having grabbed the metal container from the other, Fig tapped his finger on it as he determined what type of metal it was. “It looks like it was made out of Goblin Metal.” Fig concluded too looking over at Aspen seeing she was also paying attention. “That symbol –”

“Sir? What’s that glow?” Aspen said now that Fig was showing the container for her to see as well, pointing towards the emblem, wondering why none of the men had questioned about it nor see if the glow had anything to do with why it was difficult to open.

Confused, Fig began turning the container over and over trying to spot the glow his charge mentioned. “I don’t see a glow. What glow Aspen?”

“I don’t see a glow either…”

Aspen just tilted her head as her eyes glanced up once more in disbelief. Surely the men had to be joking around. It was plain as day to see the bright white almost metallic glow that seemed to ooze within the space where the emblem laid. Being handed the object, she gingerly took it from Fig and felt the coolness of the metal and how smooth and bare of any imperfections the work was. 

Grabbing it with both hands, she gingerly held it by the ends whilst she looked it over seeing the glow almost react the minute it was held in her hands, see the light shoot out the sides as it seemed to almost register it was her holding it before the light faded away at the ends, hearing the latch come open as the lid popped.

Now fully open, all three of them could see that the inside of the box was lined with a soft forest green velvet holding what appeared to be a key of some sort, resembling the logo that was on the container making it look like it's part of a set.

“Merlin’s beard! How did you –?” Osric exclaimed in awe that the young witch was able to crack open the case seemingly doing nothing.

Aspen went to touch the key when Fig stopped her hand, gently grabbing her wrist to pull it away from the key to avoid even accidentally touching it knowing her tendencies. 

“Wait one second Aspen, we do not know what –”

Then chaos ensued.