The Wandmaker's Granddaughter

The Wandmaker's Granddaughter Lives with Disappointment

Professor Longbottom walked up to Amelia at breakfast a week before Christmas break was to begin.

The room was filled with the excited chatter of Christmas plans and scrapping silverware. A light snow fell from the enchanted ceiling as Athena showed Amelia and Lucy her new Sketchy Pad.

"You can send notes to anyone," she explained to Amelia and Lucy showing them what appeared to be just any regular note pad. Quickly Athena wrote a quick 'hi' and sent it. A response came back within moments from her Hufflepuff friend across the room.

"So it's like texting?" Lucy asked before taking a bite out of her sausage.

"What's texting?" Amelia asked. It was then that Professor Longbottom tapped Amelia on the shoulder. She turned around as did her friends to see who it was.

"Excuse me girls, Ms. Ollivander have you received a letter from your grandfather?" Professor Longbottom asked.

"No I haven't, is there something wrong?" Amelia replied.

"Well, we need to have your grandfather's confirmation that you will be going home for Christmas otherwise we can't let you leave," he said apologetically.

"Didn't you say your grandfather was expecting you home for Christmas?" Athena asked.

"That's what he said before I came to Hogwarts but I haven't heard from him since I arrived," Amelia said looking down slightly.

"Then I'm afraid, unless we get a letter in the next day or two, you won't be able to go home for Christmas," Professor Longbottom said putting a hand on Amelia's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

He stayed an awkward moment longer than he probably should have before walking back up to the teacher's seats.

"You haven't heard from you grandfather at all?" Lucy asked popping her last bit of toast into her mouth.

"No, he's probably hunting for more Pheonix feathers or rare wand woods in some remote location. He does that some times," Amelia said with a hint of sad disappointment ringing into her words.

"You could come home with me for Christmas . . . but you'll probably need your grandfather's permission for that too," Lucy said.

"It's alright," Amelia said looking down at her plate of food.

The school began to empty as most students excitedly packed up and left for the Christmas holiday. Lucy was the last of the Gryffindor first years to leave giving Amelia a Christmas present and a hug before leaving Amelia alone in the tower.

The room felt big and empty without anyone else to fill it. As Amelia wandered down to the common room the entire Gryffindor tower sat silent. Only the wind remained to fill the silence closing in on Amelia.

On Christmas Eve Amelia found herself sitting at an empty Gryffindor table. Throughout the room only a handful of students remained and the only teachers remaining were the headmistress and Professor Sanchez.

Amelia looked across the hall at the Slytherin table were Nero also sat alone looking just as lonely as she felt. He caught her eyes and for the first time, rather than malice or distaste, a sense of understanding and compassion snuck in.

Of course it was only for one terrifying moment that the two shared this brief encounter before returning to their usual competitive selves.

Amelia picked at a bit more of her mince pie before going to bed in an empty tower and feeling more lonely than she had felt, perhaps her entire life.