Magic Isn't Always Beautiful

Euphoria and Lumière Avenue

Zara sat crying at her front steps, the tears just wouldn't stop coming. They ran down her cheeks, leaving trails of water behind them. They splashed onto the pavement silently, staining the cement a dark gray color where they hit. It had been about an hour, and still, no police force came. She felt as if she was alone.

But then there was a pop.

A young woman dressed in pale blue, the same color as the letter, appeared next to her.

"Jesus Christ, what happened," she asked.

Zara sat, still shaking, and didn't answer the woman.

"Here, drink this. It will all be better soon, I promise," the woman said.

The woman pulled out a small vial filled with bright yellow liquid. It smelled of peppermint and somehow, just the smell made Zara feel a tad better. She took the vial and put it to her lips. She drank the yellow potion, hoping for happiness. As it touched her tongue, a taste of honey filled her mouth. She swallowed.

Instantly, happiness filled inside of her. She could breath steadily again and she stopped shaking. Her panic ceased and it almost felt like she had forgotten what had happened, but of course, she didn't. Somehow, the potion had made it not affect her anymore.

"What was that?" Zara asked.

"Elixir to Induce Euphoria," the woman said. "It will cause instant happiness when something very dark has happened. My name is Aurora Belle and I am here to explain everything to your father, and to you."

"I don't think you'll need to explain anything to my father," Zara said. "He's gone."

"I'm so sorry Zara, and yes, I do know your name, but please, tell me what happened."

Zara told Aurora the story, starting from when she got the letter, and ended where she killed the man with the green light from her fingertips.

Aurora looked startled, but then her face calmed.

"You killed him using the killing curse," Aurora said. "That is almost unheard of for wizards and witches without wands, especially at your age. However, when an underage witch or wizard is in a dangerous place, the magic is not yet harnessed, causing it to occasionally act on its own," Aurora said. "But still, don't tell anyone."

"Okay, I understand," Zara said.

"Shall I explain now, the wizarding world?" Aurora said.

"Umm, about that," Zara said.

"What?"

"I may or may not have found a secret passage in the library leading to a cavern with books about the wizarding world..."

"Any questions?" Aurora asked.

"Plenty, but I just want to get out of here before this Euphoria stops working. Wait, will it?" Zara asked.

"Yes, and I think you should take daily doses of it until you are ready to face your grief. You will eventually, everyone has to, no matter how much Euphoria they take. The potion just delays it," Aurora said. "I think we should head to Lumière Avenue to get your school supplies now. Do you have your letter?"

Zara ran inside, grabbed the pale blue letter from the counter, and closed the door behind her. She waited for Aurora to say something.

"Are you going to get your stuff? Term starts tomorrow, you won't be coming back," Aurora said.

Quickly Zara ran back inside and into her room. When she got there, she quickly grabbed the jewelry box and a picture of her mother and father. Then, she emptied the euros onto the floor. She knew she didn't need them. She had read that the wizarding world had their own form of currency, galleons, sickles, and knuts.

Zara put her parent's pictures into the jewelry box, closed it, then ran outside, shutting the locked door behind her.

"Are you ready to go? That's all you're bringing," Aurora asked.

"It's all I need," Zara replied. "Let's go."

Zara looked at her jewelry box and a pang of guilt hit her for leaving behind her father, but the Euphoria quickly pushed it aside.

"Follow me, Lumière Avenue isn't that far from here."

Quickly, they walked down the street, turning right, then left, until they made it to an old, stone gargoyle.

"Why don't you try to figure it out Zara. How are we going to get into Lumière Avenue?" Aurora asked.

She turned to the gargoyle. On the bottom were written these words.

Breath of thou magic folk shall grant an entrance.

"Oh, that's easy," Zara said.

She blew her breath onto the gargoyle, and the wall behind it slid open, revealing a road filled with unusual things, unlike anything she had ever seen before.

"Welcome," Aurora said. "To Lumière Avenue."