章 4: Diagon Alley
"Dear, are you sure you don't want us coming with you?" Gloria Molley asked her eager eleven year old daughter.
Ophelia nodded, smiling so widely that she felt her face stretch.
Truthfully, Ophelia Molley has never felt so excited about something in her life before. Her memories concerning her real mother have grown vague and insignificant. She could still remember Lillian's name and face but she could hardly remember how she sounded like when speaking or the things she did for her daughter. Ophelia spent three years in the orphanage before Gloria and Richard Molley adopted her and even though she didn't want to leave and start a new life, Dumbledore's words encouraged her to move forward. Life with her new family was greater than she ever imagined and when she became aware of her unique set of skills, her life became significant.
On the morning she received the letter from Hogwarts, Ophelia was eating her breakfast, not excited but not cranky either; just normal.
"What's this?" Gloria asked, finding a letter specifically sent to Ophelia. "Have you made a pen pal, Pheli?"
The girl looked at her mother confused before jumping on her feet and taking the letter. She read the first few paragraphs before she remembered the man in the park. She could never forget that pale face that felt so familiar, those cold eyes that made her feel cornered even if she could run away whenever she wanted to and the way he grew flowers in the air with what looked like a weirdly shaped stick.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mrs Molley,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"Owl?! Do they even use owls these days?" Gloria exclaimed, reading the letter over Ophelia's shoulder.
Curiosity has always been a trait of the Molley family and unknown to them they passed it on to Ophelia.
The birthday girl gave her mother the first page and continued to the second.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory
by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
Gloria snatched the page from Ophelia and read it twice, each time her eyes peeking over the parchment to see how Ophelia was reacting. She wasn't. That letter meant much more than anyone could imagine and the one thing she noticed right away was the name of the headmaster: Albus Dumbledore. That was the man that reached out to her and helped her when her mother died and he was the one sending her the best present as of yet.
"Where do these people live? Such peculiar stuff can't be found on the streets of Britain. Maybe a hundred years ago but not anymore." Gloria added, her ramble going on and on if someone wouldn't interfere.
At the right moment, Richard Molley walked downstairs and smiled at his daughter. He had something hidden behind but his surprise was cut off.
"Richard dear, Ophelia got a letter from a place called Hogwarts. It says here that it is a school for young witches and wizards. Have you signed her up for something and didn't tell me beforehand? Again?"
Richard looked very offended by his wife's incrimination but curiosity led him to find out what was happening. He walked passed his daughter and placed her present on the table before reading the letter. Much like Gloria, his eyes widened and he had to read it a few more times to fully comprehend it was real.
"Well, it is strange."
"I know the headmaster." Ophelia interrupted before the two adults would say something bad. "Albus Dumbledore, he visited me in the orphanage before. I'm sure he wouldn't send a joke to me on my birthday." She added, lying before worrying the Molleys further.
----------------------------------------------------
It took Gloria a whole week to calm down and understand that her daughter truly wanted something in her life and nothing could change her mind. Richard used his connections to the Scotland Yard in order to find more information about Hogwarts but no one knew anything.
Unfortunately, that led to a very ugly fight between Gloria and Richard, dispute that forced Ophelia to sneak out and wander the neighborhood on her own, at dawn.
The sunlight was dimming and the twilight was incredibly beautiful. Ophelia ended up in a newly renovated bus stop. It was a bit chilly but very comfortable outside making her feel content that she found a place where she could be by herself.
Now, after looking from side to side, making sure no one was walking by, Ophelia raised her hands in front of her and swayed them graciously. Sparkles of blue light were following her hands, moving cutely into different shapes when moving her fingers. She smiled, drawn into the magic she was doing. Yes, now she knew it was magic.
"You got the hang of it very fast, haven't you?"
Ophelia's eyes widened and the shapes vanished. She looked around, scared that someone actually saw her and would probably call her out on it.
But no. It was the man with eyes that could stir something in her, something that has been sleeping for a very long time.
"I know you. We met last year in the park. You were right, I can do things that my parents can't. It's amazing!" She said, a wide smile appearing on her face.
For a second, the pale man felt the desire to see Ophelia dead. The reason was her smile, which looked the same as Lillian's but then he saw the glint in her eyes and knew it was up to him to lead Ophelia towards the right path.
"I got a letter from a school called Hogwarts. My parents are fighting right now; my mum wants me to go because she thinks it would make me happy." She started, the pale man sitting next to her.
"You should go. Hogwarts is a good start for you. They will teach you everything you need to know and I can even help you, if you want it of course." Those gentle words didn't sound as gentle, especially when his eyes met hers.
"But what about the necessities and reply? I don't have an owl and-" She stopped when the handsome stranger opened his hand towards her.
"I can help you with that too. You only have to accept it."
"I don't even know who you are or at least your name." She said naïve enough to believe he would be explicit.
Those icy eyes of his twinkled bemusedly before he responded.
"You and I, we're the same, Ophelia. We belong to a world far above what usual people can see. We have magic; old, strong magic and we can do wonders with it. You just have to trust me."
Those words were only the beginning of what Tom Riddle was about to create. Oh, he was going to craft Ophelia into his heir and he was sure he would not meet any defense because Ophelia's desire and curiosity for unknown were going to lead her right into his nest.
----------------------------------------------------
Ophelia Molley has always been a girl who thought that nothing in the world could make her squeal in delight, not after her childhood has been engulfed in uncertainties. Once she grabbed Tom's hand, she felt like her world slimmed and felt her stomach turn upside down. Her surroundings passed by incredibly fast and when they finally stopped, Tom pushed her forward and let her see the world she was part of.
There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Ophelia had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon and other stuff that she could not even name.
"Diagon Alley. Every student buys his necessities from here." Tom explained, pulling his cloak over his head.
"But what about money? I don't have any right now and-"She stopped when she saw Tom putting his finger on his lips as a gesture to shut up.
Tom smirked under his cloak, assured that Lillian definitely left her daughter enough for a comfortable life. Therefore, he led her towards a magnificent building down the northern part of Diagon Alley. Ophelia's eyes widened when they got in front of it and gasped when she saw someone very small, about a few inches smaller than her, standing at the door.
"What now?" She asked, looking at Tom for answers.
But the man vanished. Ophelia licked her lips and fidgeted nervously, afraid that something will happen and she won't be able to get out, like back in Aviemore.
"Is there something wrong?"
Ophelia's eyes widened even more and she spun around in order to face whoever was behind her.
Unlike what she imagined, it was a boy older than her with grey eyes and long blond hair. He was looking down at her with some kind of authority which was strange because he didn't look that important. No one around them seemed to pay attention to him.
"You're blocking the entrance." He spoke again, his tone low and impolite.
"What is that?" She asked, seeing how he was the only person she could ask.
The blond raised an eyebrow, a bit appalled by this little girl in front of him. His eyes narrowed at her, scanning her face thoroughly. Those elongated pale green eyes made her look like a fox but at the moment, she looked scared.
"Are you a mud blood?" He asked, leaning in. "You know, muggle born. You woke up one day and you could make things that others around you couldn't."
Ophelia blinked, her eyes' glint shifting from fear to confusion and curiosity. She nodded slowly, unsure if she should take that as a good sign or not.
"What are muggles?" She asked, making the blond react with even more stupor.
"Where have you been living?!" He exclaimed, "Muggles are people with no magic. Mud bloods are witches and wizards born from muggle parents. There's also half bloods which are wizards born from a muggle and a witch/wizard. And then, there are people like me, pure bloods, born from both magical parents. Now, which one are you?"
"I don't know. I came here with-" Ophelia stopped, realizing the stranger never told her his name. She groaned, frustrated that she let such an important detail bypass her. "He said he's like me. That our magic is old and strong."
The blond leaned back and seized the little girl up. She was probably eleven years old and she came to buy her stuff for Hogwarts. Her hands were empty and she was dressed in light clothing, didn't have a wand and looked thoroughly like a lost puppy.
"That's Gringotts Wizarding Bank. You can exchange currencies from muggle money to wizarding money." He explained, his tone still apathetic and still looking down at her from the corner of his eye, like she was a pest.
"But I don't have any right now." She continued, having no idea what to do.
The blond sighed and nudged her aside, "Then don't block the entrance, stupid mud blood." He grumbled, walking up the stairs and entering the bank.
Left all alone, Ophelia moved aside and looked at everyone passing by, with no idea where to go or what to do.
It was a few hours later when she found herself in front of a shop called Eeylops Owl Emporium. She peeked inside and smiled when a brown sharp looking owl turned and stared right into her eyes. Those black eyes of his seemed to be speaking to her so she entered and went straight to him.
"Interesting owl, isn't he?"
Ophelia felt her heart beat out of her chest when she felt a cold hand touching her shoulder. She looked up at him and frowned.
"You left me alone in front of the bank."
Tom couldn't help but chuckle lightly. She was frustrated and was finding him strange and a bit suspicious but she still followed him out of the store.
"That owl looked lonely. " Opelia started, "He looked at me with so much intensity and sadness. It made me feel bad for him."
"You do need an owl. Sometimes, they choose you to be their master. Owls can be very loyal if they get attached to their master." Tom explained, his mind going back to Lillian's white owl that vanished from the face of the earth. "Some choose to die when their master dies." He continued.
"Well, that one looked like he would just fly away if his master dies. He looked independent but lonely." She said, her eyes following a pair of children her age that were running with sticks in their hands. "What are those sticks for?" She asked, stopping when Tom did.
"Here." He gave her a few gold coins before pointing at the store across the street. "These are enough for a wand. Afterwards, I will take you home. It's getting late."
"But what about the other stuff and-" She stopped when she realized he already vanished from her side.
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