The Wandmaker's Granddaughter

The Wandmaker's Granddaughter Rides Away

The morning air was brisk and a haze of drizzle came down freezing the body to the bone.  No hint of summer seemed to remain in the air as Amelia and her grandfather made their way to King's Cross Station. 

One thing must be taken note before continuing on.  While Amelia was born in the muggle world, she truly barely had a single memory of it at all.  Ollivander, being busy in his shop day and night, never thought it necessary to bring his young granddaughter into that world.

So imagine the astonishment of this young witch upon entering a muggle train station for the first time in all eleven years of her life.  Not a single person who mull about wore a cloak or tall, pointed hat.  There were no owls or messages flying through the air and everyone was looking down at a screen in their hands.

"Grandfather, what are they doing?" Amelia asked.

"Muggle things," Ollivander replied paying the people little mind and focusing his energy onward.  They forged ahead, making their way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten.  Amelia and Ollivander were some of the first few on platform nine and three-quarters that morning.  So early, in fact, that the train had not even appeared.

They had barely made their way onto the platform before Ollivander turned to his granddaughter.  "I'll be off now.  Have a good year and stay out of trouble."  Ollivander hugged Amelia slightly longer and tighter than she had expected.

"I'll see you at Christmas," she said before her grandfather finally let his grasp fall.

"Quite right," he said before turning.  If you had asked Amelia, in that moment, she would have sworn she had seen a tear falling down her grandfather's face before he disappeared back into the muggle world.

And with this Amelia was alone.

She moved her trolley to a quiet, out of the way corner of the station.  Unlocking her trunk, Amelia pulled out her transfiguration text and continued reading from where she had left off, which was very near the end.  Although she spent much time in the shop with her grandfather, there were many dull days where reading was the only form of entertainment for the young wandmaker's granddaughter.

Her grandfather, not really the social type, had not encouraged his granddaughter to make many friends.  Along with not leaving Diagon Alley for the majority of her life, other than to search for rare woods in isolated forests, all the circumstances were perfect in creating a very intelligent child with very poor social skills.

So, as the platform began to fill, and the train pulled in to the station, Amelia remained in place.  For so long, in fact, that she had finished her text book and was well into her next when a familiar greeting startled her into reality.  She looked up to see James Potter, along with Lucy and James' father, coming her way.  Amelia set her book down and greeted the group as they approached.

"Where's Mr. Ollivander?" Mr. Potter asked once all of the greeting formalities had taken place.

"He left a few hours ago," Amelia said.

"What time did you get here?" Lucy asked, Amelia glanced at the clock before responding.

"Around 6 I believe."

"You've been here for five hours?" James asked in astonishment.

"Yes, grandfather needed to open the store," Amelia said trying to justify the early hour of her arrival.

"What did you do all this time?" James asked.

"I read," Amelia said.

"You would really get along with my Aunt Hermione," James said as Mr. Potter nodded.

"I think you'll be an excellent friend for James," Mr. Potter said patting his son's shoulder.  The train whistle sounded and the small group looked at the time.  "Let's get your things on the train."

They found an empty compartment and settled their things in place.  More and more people began crowding the platform as the time of departure struck closer.  James and Lucy left the compartment to rejoin the crowd that now filled platform nine and three-quarters. 

The platform was filled with the chatter of families talking excitedly of the new school year, friends greeting each other after the long summer holiday apart, and children screaming and running about.  Amelia sat watching silently from her seat on the train. 

Out in the crowd James waved to a family across the platform who joined the Potters excitedly.  The mother and three children, two girls and a boy, all sported platinum blonde, almost silver hair.  The father was the only one who stood out with his bright orange hair. 

Amelia watched Mrs. Potter and her two younger children join the group.  She hugged the orange haired man before joining back at her husband's side.  Amelia thought, that had events transpired differently in her life, her own mother would have joined her father the same way.

Amelia looked on as the families talked excitedly.  Her eyes wandered through the crowd where she saw all of the happy, and a few tearful, faces, most of which she had seen pass through the store at one time or another.  Many of which may vaguely remember her too, but none of whom greeted her with the same happiness and cheer as she saw out the window. 

The train whistle hastened the goodbyes on the platform.  Mothers hugged their children much longer than the children wanted and the train grew noisier and noisier with the chatter of the other children excitedly finding their seats and preparing for the journey ahead.

James, Lucy, and the two silvery blonde girls joined into the compartment.  James rolled down the window and all but Amelia crowded around waving goodbye.  Amelia tried to shrink herself so as not to disturb the goodbyes but James turned to her, "Come on, wave goodbye."

Amelia self consciously moved towards the window and waved to the Potters who warmly waved her goodbye.  Amelia quickly turned back and opened her book.  A few moments later the train lurched forward and began to slowly chug away.  James closed the window once his parents were out of sight and everyone settled into their places for the rest of the ride.