Not a Monster (Marauder fanfic)

2- Diagon Alley

The elderly witch, who lived in the villiage near Sara's house, was a kind, sympathetic woman, named Tabitha Twitch.
Tabitha had no family of her own, so she treated Sara like the grand-daughter she never had. Since Sara had never met her own grandmother, she didn't mind treating Tabitha like one.
Sara often spent her afternoons in Tabitha's house, along with the woman's old tabby cat Whiskers. Although Sara wanted a cat of her own, she knew it was not practical to have animals in the house, when her and her mother were both dragons.
Sara's mother had been stuck as a dragon for most of Sara's life. As soon as she could walk and talk, her mother lost the ability to turn back into a human.
Meaning that the only human contact Sara recieved, was from Ministry officials, and Tabitha Twitch.

"Good thing we left when we did. This place is already getting crowded" commented Tabitha, as she watched Sara climb out of the grate in Diagon Alley.
The pair had travelled there, via Floo Powder, earlier that morning.
With the amount of people running around the place, Sara suddenly became very nervous. So she stuck to Tabitha's side, as they navigated their way through the cobbled streets.
"We should probably get your wand first, then your robes. That way we will see if we have enough money left, to buy you brand new books, or whether we will have to get you second hand ones" announced Tabitha.
Sara nodded her head anxiously, and followed the old woman into Ollivanders wand shop.

As they stepped inside, a bronze bell rang above their heads, making Sara jump.
The noise didn't bother Tabitha, who made her way straight over to the counter, where an old man was standing.
"I'm here to buy a wand, for this young girl" she said, gesturing for Sara to come forward.
Ollivander looked up from his desk, and smiled kindly when he saw Sara approaching.
"And you are?" He asked.
"Sara. Sara Burne" answered Sara quietly.
The wandmaker frowned.
"I'm not familiar with the surname. Did your parents not purchase their wands from me?"
"No they-"
"They went elsewhere" interupted Tabitha, cutting Sara off.
Sara bit her tongue and nodded her head, confirming Tabitha's story.

In truth, her mother had never owned a wand, or attended Hogwarts, as her own mother Ceilia, had kept her at home. Claiming that her daughter was too sick, to attend school.
Sara had never met her father, as he had left her mother, when he found out that she was a Maledictus. So Sara had no idea if he was a muggle, or a wizard, as her mother never spoke about him.
"Well, welcome to my store, Miss Burne. Let's see if we can find your wand for you, shall we" said Ollivander, clapping his hands together.
Sara nodded, and stepped around the counter, following Ollivander towards the huge piles of wand boxes.
After trying several wands, with different wand cores, Sara eventually found the perfect wand, that just felt right in her hand.
"Dragon Heartstring" murmered Ollivander.
Sara frowned and lowered her arm. Of course her wand core, would come from a dragon, she thought.
She handed the wand back to Ollivander, who began to package it up, and place it into a bag for her.

Once she had paid for her wand, and said farewell to Ollivander, Tabitha directed Sara towards Eyelops Owl Emporium.
"Why are we going in there?" Questioned Sara.
"Did you not read your letter correctly? It says that you need a pet. So I am going to buy you an owl, so that you can write to me, when you are at Hogwarts" replied Tabitha, as she pushed the door open, and stepped inside.
"I wasn't really planning on getting anything, to be honest"
"Well, I say that you need something. I don't think a rat or a toad would be appropriate. And if you got a cat, Whiskers would never forgive you. Which is why I am going to get you an owl. Choose whichever one you like Sara"
"Wait, you are going to buy it for me?"
"Yes. Consider it a late birthday present"
"But, why are you doing this for me? You don't owe me anything".

"We may not be related by blood. But I've known you since you were born. You are like family to me... And no family member of mine, is going to go to school, wearing second hand clothes, or carrying second hand books. So I will pay for them myself, if need be... But right now, you need to choose an owl for yourself" reminded Tabitha.
Sara stepped forward, and threw her arms around Tabitha, giving her a big hug.
"Thank you" she whispered.
Tabitha patted Sara's forehead, and gently pushed her towards the owls, that were all sitting, perched on their own little stands.
After staring at all the owls, for a long time. Sara eventually chose a female brown owl, whom she christened Nat, after her mother.
Tabitha paid for the owl, and they left the shop, with Sara carrying Nat in her cage, very carefully.

Once they had finished all of their shopping, the pair travelled back to Tabitha's house, in time for lunch. Sara was still struggling to contain her excitement, as she had just had one of the best days, in her life.
"Do you want to keep Nat here, before you go to Hogwarts?" Tabitha asked.
Sara put her arms around Nat's cage protectively, not wanting to leave her behind.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? To have owls flying around your house?" continued Tabitha.
Sara sighed, and let go of the cage.
"Maybe you're right. I'd hate for her to get eaten, or burned accidently".
"My thoughts exactly. But don't worry, I'll look after her while you're not here, and make sure that Whiskers knows to behave himself"
"Thank you. But I'm not worried about Whiskers, I know he'll be a good boy"
"Yes. He's never attacked an owl before. I've trained him well".

Sara stirred her soup slowly, while staring at her new school belongings.
"What's troubling you dear?" Asked Tabitha, who was sitting opposite her, at the kitchen table.
"Do you think I'm going to fit in at school, with the other children?" Questioned Sara nervously.
"Of course you will. Lots of children come from all over the country, all from different backgrounds and families. You won't be the only one, who's had a difficult upbringing"
"I've never been to a school before. I don't know how to act around people, my own age... How do you think I should appear?"
"Well, it all depends on what house you are put in. Your house shapes you, and helps you become the person you were always meant to be. So you will want to act, in a way, that best represents your house".

"Oh... Yes... Do you know what house my grandmother was in?" Sara asked quietly.
"No. I do not" answered Tabitha sharply.
"I was just asking... You were a Ravenclaw, weren't you?"
"Yes. Wit beyound measure, is mans greatest treasure. The house of the famous Hogwarts founder, Rowena Ravenclaw"
"Will you be upset if I'm not a Ravenclaw?"
"Of course not dear. I don't mind what house you get put in"
"So, you'll still like me, even if I'm in Slytherin"
"Yes, I will still like you, even if you are a Slytherin. I promise".