The whole story

Chapter I

It came in the mail: the annual school letter. Even more, cream coloured than usual, with its red wax seal the nervous feeling of having to start school developed causing my neck hair to rise. 

This letter being to Hogwarts, of course, didn't set the expectations any lower, I was just happy I could go and annoy my brother any time of day now.

Walking back into the living room, my parent let out a big sigh grateful that I got accepted and questioning the owl since my brother got his letter a week ago. 

Not wanting to hear any more of their owls these days...back in MY days the owls actually worked and did their job... shenanigans.

My dad gave me nine galleons and 18 sickles for back to school shopping. My mom came tiptoeing and slipped me 2 galleons in that cool handshake way.

I grabbed my black ankle boots, my shiny leather skirt and my white satin top. I placed the pieces on my bed and smiled do myself because of how I was going to rock this fit. I put the clothes on gently because I just got my nails done. 

Having the usual black stiletto acrylic nails done, putting on clothes without breaking them was a task.

As I walked out of my cosy bedroom, I grabbed the black purse I had everything I needed: money, lip balm, nail file and my little stone.

My little stone was a secret of mine. The shiny round-edged little thing was brought to me from my best friend. I miss her. The stone always reminded me of her. She has this thing with animal facts, I guess it's the Ravenclaw in her. Anyhow, when she gave me the stone she said cheered:

"Penguins spend weeks finding a perfect pretty little rock that they then give to the penguin they want to confess eternal love to. So here is YOUR stone."

Always setting your expectations low but the bar hight was also a thing the stone reminded me of. Doing that I knew I would make her proud of me while getting surprised about all the things I could do.

I arrived at diagonally some minutes after. I always walk. That way I get healthier while strutting my fits. I mean can you get a better combo? I think not.

When starting a shopping trip, you need fuel, no matter if what your buying is looks or books. Obviously, my first stop and the first store were sugarplums sweet shop. Just needing anything I could get my hands on, I grabbed the first drink I saw, paid and left the store. 

To absolutely no surprise, I've already bought my favourite cup. A black cylinder with a green and silver shine to it and a glittery black straw. Nothing else would fit as perfectly to me, while still being a cup.

With the drink in my hand, I walked for a bit before stopping at the first stop on my list: Flourish and Blotts. The doorbell rang as I stepped into the store, but people didn't notice due to the amount of talking and chatting over books. 

I'm not saying I wouldn't do that I'm just indicating that chatting wise it's couture over literature for me.

A list landed on the counter and after a short look, the cashier came back with an ugly sack full of the books from the list. My intense starring at the sack caused the cashier to exclaim that:

"This sack is just full of the books for your grade, you can look over here and see which bag you want your books in."

You had me at bag. I rapidly went over to the bag section smiling to the clerk. Many sad-looking bags were hanging on the shelf behind the counter. They were either hanging dreadfully or in dead colours. 

Skipping those I found my favourite one: a simple tote in a cream colour with a note sticking to it.

Design your own bag! You chose the bag and what's going on it and we do the magic.

Spending most of the summer with my brother and his friends he brought home, I learned a couple of new saying. It's a gift to have a Ravenclaw brother with Ravenclaw friends. 

Them and their love for obtaining and teaching knowledge plus me with a rather intense obsession with Latin and quotes is a match too good to be from heaven.

"I'm sorry what"

The cashier babbled when I replaced my order for the print on the tote bag. While writing it down on a sticky note, I notice three seemingly known figures in the corner of my eye. While the clerk took care of my tote request, I yelled:

"Helloo"

Smiling at the people in the store reacting. My brother started laughing since me yelling and smiling was a rare sight. His big wavy hair jumped up and down in the air because he laughed so hard. God, I loved it. 

His best friend and basically twin compared to the amount of time they spend together giggled awkwardly looking at the last one in the group. I thought I knew who it was but seeing the weird and disgusted look on his face, I realised he didn't get the joke.

"What are you, twelve?"

He barked at me. The shock of comprehending my brother spending time with someone this disrespectful kind of took over me and I reacted solely on my instincts and gut, not that that's long from what I always do.

"Yes, on a scale measuring how bad I want to punch you, going from one to ten."

I bite back, turning on my heal, grabbing my tote engraved with: 

One wishes to acquaint your facial features with a rigidly edged item fundamentally used in building walls. Repeatedly.

Which basically is just a polite way of telling someone you want to hit them with a brick) and then I walked out of the door.

Walking onto Diagon Ally, the wind caresses my cheek and letting a fragrance of freshly made candy and other delicious things go to my nose. Deciding to follow the scent, I end up stopping on my walk because of a known voice.

"Hey, girl, damn you look good. How you've been?"

My best friend Alexia cheered. The bright smile, her dark blue curls and her soft cardigan wrapped around her like a grandma, ensures me that she is well and in a great mood. Answering her question, I exclaim:

"Girl, I FEEL good. I'm more than ready for starting school again. A bit nervous but mostly excited. When did you get here and how have you been?"

Alexia has been my friend since the small grades. My mom told me I used all of my time with her and every time she couldn't find me at home, she knew I was at her place. 

Ever since my family moved, therefore making me go from Ilvermorny to Hogwarts our friendship has been on a bit of a pause. But now she was standing in front of me and it was honestly hard to believe.

Trying to catch up after the last months with only an owl as contact, we ended up talking for hours at the leaky cauldron, while eating a nice lunch. Saying goodbye to her after being told to get three times was harder than saying goodbye the first time.

After getting home I went straight to my bedroom. Laying down on my bed, the air in my lungs flew out like someone stepping on a balloon. 

A breakdown starting slowly but surely, making tears stream down my face like a huge waterfall and hitting my mattress creating puddles.

I must have made a sound crying, even though I did it as quiet as I could because my brother walked in whispering in a voice.

"How are you, Isabella"'

"Well, you see I feel like fucking shit. How are you, Noah?"

I ask him, mimicking the funny voice.