Mon Ange

Chapter 3

She sat there waiting excitedly for the old man. She spent her night laid on the same bench, and imagined how her life would be when she start her school at Hogwarts. She knew nothing about the school, and that made her nervous but at the same time she couldn’t stop the excitement bubbled in her stomach. She bounced her legs and stared at the same spot where Albus had disappeared last night. She jumped at the ‘pop’ sound indicated the apparition, and a woman with green robes came into her sight instead of Albus. The confuse expression on her face must be obvious as the woman approached her rather quickly, but graceful all the same.
“Hermione.” She greeted.
Hermione stood and stepped closer to the woman. The woman held her hand, “I’m Professor Minerva Mcgonagall, the headmistress of Hogward.” Hermione shook her hand firmly. “Hold onto me, let finish things quick.” As soon as Hermione hold onto her, they apparated away.
When she felt her feet touched the ground, she opened her eyes and found herself in front of a rather old building. They still in London, she noticed. The Leaky Cauldron, she never knew such place before. Well, it’s not like she had been to all places.
“Come, Hermione. I understood that since this is your first time in wizarding world, I would like to take you on a tour.” She smiled at her, and guided her toward the entrance. “Hope you don’t mind a bit of walking.”
“Thank you, Proffesor. I would like that.” She said as she followed the older women.
Despite the dark and unkempt tavern, the place seems attracted quite number of customers. She could see the place almost full even though it was only seven in the morning. An elderly man with a dirty clothe in his hand advanced to them.
“Well, good morning Minerva.”
“Good Morning, Tom. Full as always I see.”
“It’s a blessing.” He smiled. “Early seeing you here?” He turned and smiled toward Hermione.
“We have business to attend.”
“Don’t let me stop you, ladies.”
“See you soon, Tom.”
“Do stop by soon, ladies.” He left to serve the new customers, after he favored them farewell.
They walked to the exit door at the back of the tavern. She almost questioned the woman where they went to when they came to face a dead end courtyard, but stopped instantly as she saw Professor Mcgonaggall tapped on the bricks wall and amazed when the bricks moved and arranged themselves leaving an entry way in the middle of the wall.
“Wow.” She said as she grinned toward Minerva.
“Welcome to Diagon Alley.” Minerva smiled back. She pulled out her pocket watch, and frowned. “I’m sorry I couldn’t accompany you. Something happened last night, that’s why Albus not be able to come and fetch you today.”
“Is everything alright?”
“I’m not sure. But I will come and meet you later.” She produced a piece of paper and a small pouch from her robes. “Here is the list for what you should buy. Books will be given to you at the school.”
“Thank you, Professor.”
“Alright then. Enjoy your shopping, Hermione.”
“Take care.”
“You too.” Then she disappeared among the throng of peoples.
Hermione strode among the crowd, and started her shopping. She was so thrilled by the varieties of shops along the street. Peoples in robes still fascinated her. She was in her new robes that she bought at Second Hand Robes Shop. She needed to save her galleons (term which she actually learnt while buying her cauldron). The busy chattering for trading, or excitement of children over the assortment of sweets, which were rather a peculiar sight due to their odd shapes or rather exotic animals they sell mesmerized her. She already bought most of the items on the list, and luckily she had the sense to shrink her purchases which fitted enough in her pocket. She wouldn’t realize that she reached at far end of the Diagon Alley if she didn’t come upon Ollivander’s, a wand shop.
“Hello?” She greeted as soon as she stepped inside the shop. The shop was empty, leave for a brown large owl next to the door.
“Hello?” She called again.
“How can I help you, young lady?” A man with grey hair appeared from the back of the shop.
“I need a wand.” She said, obviously.
He examined her. “It is a rare occasion for someone to lose their wand, unless someone stole it. Or just as clumsy…” He stood behind the counter, still watching her. “What wand did you own?”
She was not comfortable being under the scrutiny. “I never had a wand.” She said.
He looked surprised. “How old are you, bold I ask?”
“16, Sir.” She scowled.
He noticed the scowl. “16 and you still don’t have a wand?”
“I don’t see if it is any of your business, Sir.” She glared. She couldn’t help it, as she hated it when people judging her.
“Pardon me. I don’t mean to be rude. But you gave me an idea what wand might suit you.” He disappeared behind the dusty racks and came back with a rectangular box in his hand. He dusted the box and produced a wand from it. He gave the wand to her and waited expectantly.
“Go on. Try it.”
“Lumos.” She tried a simple spell with the wand. However, a lightning stroke and hit the nearby racks instead of a small light coming out from the tip of the wand.
They both jumped at that.
“I’m so sorry.” She said while immediately put the wand in it respectful box.
“No, definitely no. Obviously, it doesn’t choose you.” Then, he disappeared again behind the racks.
“Here.” He said giving her a new wand.
She tried to cast Lumos again. She successful casted the spell this time. But before she could say anything, he spoke.
“Doesn’t feel right?”
“I don’t know.” She looked at him. “I know that I’m not feeling satisfy. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He smiled at her. “The wand core will choose their rightful owner, just only then you will feel completed. It is normal to feel that way. That mean this is not your wand, even though you could perform your spell with it successfully. Be right back.”
She caressed the owl while waiting for the old man. The owl cooed at her, and softly pecked at her hand. Maybe she should get herself a pet, she thought.
“How about this one?”
She walked toward the old man, and took a look at the wand. The wand was beautiful, about 11 inches long, and she loved how they crafted the pattern along the length. She took the wand to cast her spell, but as soon as she touched it, she gasped. She felt herself aloft, and could hear her blood rushed to her brain. Warm spread all over her body, and she relished the light warmth she felt in her heart. As her eyes still closed, she could hear a singing? At first she thought she just imagined it, but then she still could hear melodious enchanted voices. Seek your blood, your own blood. Seek your want as you are the highest. So high above that even death kneel upon you. As you are the Angel of Death. She opened her eyes wide. Angel of Death? She read that words before. Before she could think further, the old man broke her stupor.
“Interesting.” He said. “I never thought I would ever found the owner for this wand.”
She looked at him confused.
“This wand is the first wand I ever made from a dragon heartstring. It been with me for basically my whole life, and that make me very attached to it. But such a fool old man, as I know that I can’t own a wand that wouldn’t choose me.” He laughed. “Very interesting indeed, as this wand was very stubborn and temperate as its dragon. Today perhaps my lucky day as to finally found the one who actually could tame the Ancalagon.”
She observed her wand, and for the first time she noticed her name embodied in a fine small letters along the holder. He noticed it too.
“That is first.” He knitted her brows, clearly troubled by the scene. “You own the wand.” He looked at her.
“Well, this is my wand isn’t it?”
“You own the wand.” She confused and her face obviously demanded an answer in her most regal way. He chuckled at her confusion.
“You own the wand.” He repeated again. “Normally, we do not own our wand fully. The wand can changed their holder, if the holder either defeated or died. But yours will forever be your unless you yourself passed it to your next kin but even the next kin will never own them completely as you will be. Only you own the wand completely.”
“Treasure this, as this is a gift.” He said to her sincerely. “The core was made from the last Ancalagon ever existed, and that mean this is the only wand with the core.”
“Thank you.”
“You are going to be a great witch.” He smiled at her. His face turned serious, and he grasped both of her hands with his. “Remember this. Promise to me that you will remember what I’ll say.” She looked at him.
“Promise me.”
“I promise.” She answered hesitately. “I promise.”
“Always be a good person, with a good heart. Promise me.” He bored into her eyes as if he could find every answer to his questions in there.
“I will.”
“Always be a good person, with a good heart. Then you will never stray.”
“I promise.” He smiled gratefully at her. “Hermione. Such a fitting name.” He said.
For some reason, she felt more secure knowing she had her own wand in her sleeve, even with her confusion over the promise she made with the wand maker. She wondered along the streets, smiling to random strangers, thinking that this would be a part of her life. The place would be another familiar to her besides Hyde Park. She entered Magical Menagerie, as she had decided to get herself a pet. She roamed inside the shop to get a better look on what she could keep. Owl, might be helpful as not only it can be considered a pet but also it can help her deliver post, but then again she wanted to find something more familiar to remind her of her normal life. No rats, or toads, or were that bats(?), she walked as far as she could from any of them. Then she stood in front of that one cage. Inside appears to be a large ginger cat with a squashed flat face and bottle-brush tail. The cat stared at her with disdain, if that what she could tell from it boring expression. As if it could talk and said “If you dare to touch me with that dirty hand.”
She chuckled at how absurd if that really was a case. The cat couldn’t talk, right? She knew that this was a world full of magic but, don’t you think it is too much for a cat to be able to talk. She just couldn’t imagine cats could talk and gossiping around about rats and socks. Apparently, according to the shop owner, the cat had been there for quite a long time as nobody interested in buying him. Well, at least she found similarity between them, nobody wanted her too. He was also part of kneazle, which according to the owner a very intelligent creature. That decided everything. At last, she agreed to take him with her.
“Hello, Crookshanks.” After a few treats, the cat finally warmed up to her, and started to grab her attentions as much as possible by leaned into her touches. She then concluded then, that bored face of Crookshanks was his normal expression. He meowed at her, as she cooed at the fearless creature. They had picked a table at the nearby café. She enjoyed the views from the café while having her lunch. A touch on her shoulder turned her attention over her shoulder.
“I see. You’ve got yourself a companion.”
“Hello, Professor.” She smiled at the woman and gestured her to sit at the opposite of the table. “All right?
“I’m here to get you as soon as possible to Hogwarts. I don’t understand what had occurred, but seeing Albus urgency about you it seems that serious things happened. What could a young girl like you possible involved with?” She questioned her.
“Trust me when I said I don’t understand a thing here.” She frowned.
“Let’s get going then. We will know once we get there.”
Unbeknownst to them, a lone shadow disappeared behind the dark alley opposite of the café, as soon as they left the premise.
*****
“Plum Cake.”
She was surprised when the statue of a gargoyle moving and stepped aside, revealing a circular stone staircase. Not giving her time to straighten from her shocked, she was dragged gently by the Headmistress toward upstairs which she assumed the Headmaster office, while glanced warily toward the stoned creature. Once she entered the office, she spotted two familiar figures. The messy brown hair man talking to Albus with an obvious anxiety in his voice while the pink hair lady looked up from the cluttered papers on the table, then smiled at her.
“You are the girl at the alley.” She recognized.
The two men in the room stopped their discussion and regarded their attentions toward her.
“Hermione.”
“The girl at the alley?”
Albus and Minerva said at the same time, while looking at her.
“Please everyone take a seat.” The Headmaster gestured them toward the chairs.
“Hermione, all done?” He asked as referring to her previous affair at Diagon Alley.
“I am, Albus. Thank you for everything.” She smiled at him, while ignoring other occupants in the room looked at her, baffled by the use of his first name.
“Well, all good.” He winked. “Now, as we are very happy welcoming you to Hogwarts, there is important matter that we need to attend to.” He looked at her. “Fenrir had escaped. But that is not what concerns us the most.”
“What concerned us that, his escape involved the lost of one particular book.” The shaggy man said, which his name is Remus, the ex-professor of Hogwarts.
“A book?” She looked confused.
“We do not have any information about the book. We only notified by the disappearance of the book from the elves.” He continued.
“Elves?” She shocked.
“Yes, elves…to our quarters. They refused to disclose about the book…said that to be hold by the right blood…” He trailed.
“Barmy those elves. Total mental.” Tonks shook her pink hair, or purple?
“Elves really are exists? I read about it, but seriously?” Still with her shocked.
The headmaster chuckled at that. “You might be surprised on what you will discover in Hogwarts.”
“Really?” She asked with such delight in her eyes, she managed to conjure smiles on their faces. Not that she really noticed that as her brain was busy planning her coming adventures.
Remus cleared his throat, breaking her fizz of excitement. “We need a clue about You-know-who…the book might be able to provide us any.”
“Hermione.” Dumbledore called upon her name.
“What are you planning, Albus?” Minerva questioned, already feeling distressed by his tone, and the visit from the members of the Order.
“Hermione, we need your help in this.” The room went quiet.
“No.” Minerva gasped. “No, Albus. She just a child!”
“Minerva.” He looked at her, pleadingly but everyone in the room knew there would be no ‘no’.
“Hermione, we are sorry to bring you along in this. But since your encounter with Greyback…” Remus said, remembered the damaged the girl had inflicted on the werewolf. He shivered at that memory. It was a surprise Greyback still alive with his torn bloodied skin.
“He will find me for vengeance.” Werewolf, he will track me. She looked up at Dumbledore. “He will find me, and you need the book.” She said, and seemed to be in thought.
“Albus, stop this ridiculous plan!” Minerva outraged by the notion.
“It’s okay.” Hermione said, trying to calm the lady. ““This is the deal, isn’t?” She stared at the eldest. “For my school, I need to pay with my life.”
“You are very talented.” He only said that, but both of them knew she is merely an asset, a thing to be used.
“We need you to help us for the greater good.” He said. Hermione knew it from the beginning they’ve met, and he saw to that.
The three other adults looked solemnly at her, understood what future she might held.
“We need your help to stop the coming war.”
“Okay.” She said with such intensity in her voice, but only she could feel how her heart thundered, from being disappointed liked that, for being used liked that. “But I will do it my way.”
“You need to work with us.” Remus felt infuriated by the way she dismissed them.
“Trust us, Hermione.” Dumbledore said, at the same time glanced at Remus to calm him down.
“I trust nobody.” Her voice sent chill to their spines. And that’s end to it. They had to accept her trade.