Chapter Two
"We'll be back in a few hours or so." Carina called from the door. On her shoulder hung her purse filled with Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts she had saved after the war. She fidgeted with the purse strap before placing it on her shoulder comfortably.
"Be safe, my love." April smiled from behind the cash register. April knew how her girlfriend felt about returning to the wizarding world. She threw a glance toward the stairs where Eloise was emerging from. "All ready to go, darling?"
"Yes, Auntie." Eloise grinned widely.
To say Eloise was excited about being a witch was a huge understatement. She took it upon herself to collect random sticks from the backyard and dueled with herself in front of the mirror.
"Come now, Elle. We need to get there before the crowd." Carina beckoned. Eloise rushed to the older woman grabbing her hand.
The August summer days were here, and while most children were out swimming, the witches and wizards going to school were preparing their supplies. Carina and Eloise entered through the Leaky Cauldron, pausing in front of a brick wall. Eloise looked up to Carina, a look of confusion etched on her face, as she watched Carina take out a wand.
The wand was beautiful. It was a deep mahogany brown with intricate light brown markings that looked as if it were flames rising to the top.
As Carina tapped the bricks, Eloise couldn't help but try to memorize the pattern, and Carina noticed. She smiled as the brick wall split revealing Diagon Alley to the young girl. Eloise let out an audible gasp as the older woman hummed, satisfied.
Carina turned to Eloise clapping her hands together. "Now, what shall we get first? Books?" Eloise nodded happily, following after the brown-haired woman.
One by one, minute after minute, they went through the list until one thing was left.
A wand.
The girls strolled around a bit longer until they stopped in front of a shop. Looking up, it read Ollivander's Wand Shop. They entered the shop and were greeted by the man himself.
As Eloise looked around, she noticed that the shop was — creepy — to say the least. Chills went up her spine as the summer breeze blew in through the open windows. "I see you've brought a friend, Miss Black." An old voice brought Eloise out of her thoughts. "And what is your name?"
Ollivander was an old man, his hair wild and sticking out in odd places. His grey hair somewhat covered his pale eyes.
"Eloise Lexington." The small girl smiled, moving her curls out of her face.
"Nice to meet you, Miss Lexington. I am Garrick Ollivander, owner of this wand shop. I made the wand that will choose you. Ollivander returned the smile as he turned to rummage through the back.
Eloise turned to Black."Did he just say that the wand will choose me?"
Carina nodded, smirking at the girl. "You'll see."
Ollivander appeared with a dusty grey box. "This is a 13 ½ inch wand. It's made out of Walnut Wood with a Unicorn hair core, very flexible. Give it a swish, my dear." He said as he handed the wand to the girl.
Eloise gave it a swish, but as she did,a plant pot exploded behind her. "Never mind, let's find another!" Ollivander quickly grabbed the wand from her.
Ollivander emerged with a black box tied with a red ribbon. "Here's an eleven inch Redwood wand with a Dragon Heartstring core, surprisingly springy."
But, to no avail, another pot exploded.
After three more tries, Eloise felt more down than ever. "Carina," the girl whispered, frowning. "Maybe it was a mistake to think thatI was magic. I can't even get a wand to choose me."
Carina bent down to Eloise's level. "Hey, don't say that, Elle. It took my brother eight tries before his wand chose him."
Eloise chuckled, wiping her watery eyes. "Eight? He mustn't have been a very good wizard."
"He was one of the best wizards I knew, he just made a lot of mistakes." Carina smiled sadly. "The point is, sometimes it takes a while for something to happen–"
Carina was interrupted as the sound of boxes falling over was heard from the back of the store. "Aha! Eleven inch Hazelwood with a Veela Hair core, very flexible." Ollivander presented the magenta box to the girl. "Go on! Try it." he urged.
As Eloise gave the wand a flick, a warm glow covered her face. It was heavenly. She stared astonishingly at the wand as a huge smile covered her face.
Carina whispered, "I told you, Elle."
As Carina went up to pay, Eloise messed with her wand, uttering fake spells she heard in her story books. Eloise handed the wand, which was placed in the wand box, as she put it with the rest of the school stuff.
As the girls walked out the door to Ollivander's, Carina turned to Eloise. "Now, how about some ice cream?" Eloise shook her head eagerly as Carina laughed. The two girls, hand-in-hand, made their way to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.
Carina stood in line, as Eloise sat down in a booth. Suddenly, a black-haired girl skipped up to Eloise. "Hi!"
The little girl's raven black hair was pulled into two uneven braids. She was wearing a light blue dress that went to her knees, with knee high stockings. In one hand was a dragon stuffed animal and in the other was a strawberry ice cream cone.
"Uh hi?" Eloise asked unsurely.
"I'm Phoenix Lin, what's your name?" She asked with a toothless grin, she was missing her two front teeth.
"I'm Eloise..." Eloise peered around at the people in the shop looking for someone that looked similar to the girl. "Where's your parents?"
"My mummy told me to stay right here so she can get my brother, Hades, stuff for Hog...Hog... Hog-something."
"Hogwarts?"
"M-hm."
"And where is Hades at?" Eloise was curious, partly because she hadn't heard a name like his before, except in books about Greece. She was also curious to meet someone who would be attending school with her.
"Phoenix Yvonne Lin! I told you to stop bothering people." A boy shouted as he ran up the table. Phoenix's eyes widened as the boy reached the table. He turned to Phoenix giving her a glare, then he spun to Eloise. "I apologize for my sister bothering you, I assure it won't happen again." He gave a weak smile. "I'm Ha–"
"Hades. Phoenix told me. You have a pretty cool name." Eloise smiled. "Why don't you join us?"
Hades looked between the two girls before taking a seat next to his little sister. "What's your name by the way?" Hades asked. "I haven't seen you around here before."
"I'm Eloise Lexington." The two soon-to-be first years shook hands. "I'm a muggleborn."
"We're halfbloods," Phoenix interrupted."But Mummy and Papa are both wizards." The girl licked the ice cream from her lips.
Hades shook his head at Phoenix. "Mum is a witch, Nix." He rolled his eyes at his sister's antics, causing Eloise to laugh.
Carina arrived at the booth with two ice cream cones in her hands. "I see you found some friends, Elle." Carina warmly smiled.
"Yes, Carina! This is Hades and Phoenix Lin. You don't mind if they sit with us, right?" Eloise asked, and suddenly three heads were turned towards Carina.
"Of course not." Carina sat down beside Eloise. "So, Hades, are you going to Hogwarts this year?"
"Yes, ma'am. I'll be a first year student." Hades replied. "Phoenix will be going in three years."
The four of them enjoyed their ice creams before they melted. The sun was bleeding in through the windows as they finished.
Solara Lin walked into the shop looking around at the tables and booths for her children. She spotted them sitting at a table across from a brunette woman and a little girl. Smiling to herself softly, she walked over to the tables, bags in her hands.
Phoenix was first to spot her mother, grinning widely. "Hay-Hay, it's Mummy." Phoenix climbed over her brother and hugged her mother around the waist.
"Hello, my sweet girl." Solara smiled at her youngest child. She turned towards Carina. "Thanks for watching my kids."
Carina waved her hands. "It was really no problem. I'm Carina."
"Solara. Is your daughter going to Hogwarts this year?" Solara asked, looking at Eloise.
"Oh, Eloise? She's not my daughter." Carina chuckled. "But yes, she is."
"My apologies. Nice to meet you, Miss Eloise." Solara smiled at Eloise. "Well, we must be leaving. We still have a lot to pack."
"It was nice meeting you, Hades and Phoenix." Eloise said.
"Bye, Ellie!" Phoenix grinned.
"Actually, perhaps we could meet at King's Cross Station?" Hades asked. "Before we get on the Hogwarts train, that is?"
"Can we, Carina?" Eloise looked at the older woman.
"I don't see why not." Carina smiled. "Is 10:30 fine?"
"That will work." Solora was happy that her kids finally found a friend. Living at a dragon sanctuary, it was hard for the Lin kids to make friends. "We'll see you then, say goodbye to Eloise and Carina, kids."
"Bye Eloise, bye Carina!" The kids said in unison. As the Lin's left, Carina turned to Eloise.
"Shoot, we got to go, April's gonna kill me."