30 Mar 2018, 21:03
A New Friend
While purchasing her supplies, Thora found her eyes could simply not take everything in. There were people walking about dressed in robes of every colour, carrying oddly shaped packages that made her want to ask what was inside of them. After all, she now carried with her a long, slim box in which sat her wand - her very own wand!
It was incredible to know that such a thing were possible - this magic. Hadn't she noticed the odd things around her for quite some time? And hadn't her horrible sisters done their best to ensure Thora knew that she wasn't special. She wasn't even the youngest - only the second youngest. Nothing could possibly be special about her.
But then, the second eldest of the sisters, had also turned out to be a witch so what did they know?
Thora couldn't help, but feel excited even as she tagged along behind her grim-faced mother, and Ava, who danced along in a frilly pink dress, oblivious, it seemed, to everything about her. Perhaps she had grown used to these sites in her four previous years, though Thora couldn't imagine ever growing tired of looking about her.
Just then, her eyes caught hold of a fluffy owl in a cage, and Thora stopped quite suddenly. She stopped so suddenly, in fact, that the person behind her knocked into her, and her books went spilling across the cobblestones. Her mother and older sister looked back, annoyance written clearly across their faces, and paused.
"Thora!" her mother scolded. Thora knew her mother felt uncomfortable around all the magical folk; she knew how much she disliked this world.
Lowering her eyes at once, Thora apologised, and promised she would catch up. They still had robed to buy, after all, and Thora felt certain she could find it on her own. Just keep going straight till she found the robe shop - Madam M...something's?
Her mother hesitated only a moment, watching as her daughter scrambled to pick up the fallen books and packages, but soon agreed, turning her back on Thora and disappearing with Ava into the crowd. As soon as they were out of sight, Thora sighed, finished picking up her packages with the help of the wizard who'd knocked into her, apologised again, then paused, looking in the direction her mother had gone.
Her eyes drifted, as though of their own volition, towards the shop window that had caught her eye. The fluffy owl hooted at her from its cage, rustling its feathers. What harm would it do if she just had a peek, after all? Just a quick peek?
She turned into the shop - the Magical Menagerie, the window called it - her mind set on just looking, the ominous sounds of wizard's money clinking in her pocket as she moved.
A tinkling bell announced her entrance, and a kind woman - witch? - behind the counter greeted her. "Hullo," said Thora, her eyes catching the various animals in cages and never once connecting with the woman behind the counter. "T'anks," she added, her voice quiet and distracted.
There were various creatures within - fluffy cats, dancing rats, and a whole manner of animals Thora had seen before, but had never imagined in a magical context. What she wanted, however, was to see the owls, whose cages hung in the window.
When she finally made her way through all of the piles of cages to the window, the owl who'd caught her eye hooted at her, and shook out its feathers. Thora smiled, watching it carefully. It had a vaguely heart-shaped face - though Thora would've called it an upside-down teardrop; no need to reference anything so girly as hearts - with brown and white speckled feathers, and a fluffy look, as though it were wearing a winter coat.
Its deep-set yellow and black eyes seemed to be examining her as keenly as she examined it, and finally the owl hooted, once again.
"He likes you," came the witch's voice over Thora's shoulder.
Thora jolted, badly, ducking reflexively and dancing to the side. The witch smiled, apologised, and then continued on. "Would you like to purchase him?"
She knew her mother would disapprove, she knew it. And yet... "Aye, but..."
"Ah, you're wondering what you'd do with an owl," the woman continued, and Thora found herself meeting the woman's large, brown eyes for the first time, and nodding. "They're quite useful," the witch told her. "Pardon my forwardness, but you come from a largely, if not entirely, muggle family, I take it?"
Thora hesitated, and then nodded, once again.
"Well, owls are more than just companions - they can be quite useful to witches and wizards. This owl is trained to carry mail and deliver small packages for you. It's one of the pets you can bring with you to Hogwarts, as well. Is it your first year, dear?"
Again, Thora found herself nodding.
"Wouldn't it be nice to have a friend with you from the very start?" the witch asked.
Thora's eyes turned to meet the owl's, who emitted a small chirruping sound, and blinked at her. She smiled, despite herself, feeling the odd coins in her pocket. It had been her birthday, recently, and she'd been given a bit of money that she could spend on a birthday present for herself, if she wanted, and she had yet to pick one out. This seemed like the perfect opportunity. She already knew what she would name him.
Turning to the witch, Thora reached into her pocket. "How much?"
It was incredible to know that such a thing were possible - this magic. Hadn't she noticed the odd things around her for quite some time? And hadn't her horrible sisters done their best to ensure Thora knew that she wasn't special. She wasn't even the youngest - only the second youngest. Nothing could possibly be special about her.
But then, the second eldest of the sisters, had also turned out to be a witch so what did they know?
Thora couldn't help, but feel excited even as she tagged along behind her grim-faced mother, and Ava, who danced along in a frilly pink dress, oblivious, it seemed, to everything about her. Perhaps she had grown used to these sites in her four previous years, though Thora couldn't imagine ever growing tired of looking about her.
Just then, her eyes caught hold of a fluffy owl in a cage, and Thora stopped quite suddenly. She stopped so suddenly, in fact, that the person behind her knocked into her, and her books went spilling across the cobblestones. Her mother and older sister looked back, annoyance written clearly across their faces, and paused.
"Thora!" her mother scolded. Thora knew her mother felt uncomfortable around all the magical folk; she knew how much she disliked this world.
Lowering her eyes at once, Thora apologised, and promised she would catch up. They still had robed to buy, after all, and Thora felt certain she could find it on her own. Just keep going straight till she found the robe shop - Madam M...something's?
Her mother hesitated only a moment, watching as her daughter scrambled to pick up the fallen books and packages, but soon agreed, turning her back on Thora and disappearing with Ava into the crowd. As soon as they were out of sight, Thora sighed, finished picking up her packages with the help of the wizard who'd knocked into her, apologised again, then paused, looking in the direction her mother had gone.
Her eyes drifted, as though of their own volition, towards the shop window that had caught her eye. The fluffy owl hooted at her from its cage, rustling its feathers. What harm would it do if she just had a peek, after all? Just a quick peek?
She turned into the shop - the Magical Menagerie, the window called it - her mind set on just looking, the ominous sounds of wizard's money clinking in her pocket as she moved.
A tinkling bell announced her entrance, and a kind woman - witch? - behind the counter greeted her. "Hullo," said Thora, her eyes catching the various animals in cages and never once connecting with the woman behind the counter. "T'anks," she added, her voice quiet and distracted.
There were various creatures within - fluffy cats, dancing rats, and a whole manner of animals Thora had seen before, but had never imagined in a magical context. What she wanted, however, was to see the owls, whose cages hung in the window.
When she finally made her way through all of the piles of cages to the window, the owl who'd caught her eye hooted at her, and shook out its feathers. Thora smiled, watching it carefully. It had a vaguely heart-shaped face - though Thora would've called it an upside-down teardrop; no need to reference anything so girly as hearts - with brown and white speckled feathers, and a fluffy look, as though it were wearing a winter coat.
Its deep-set yellow and black eyes seemed to be examining her as keenly as she examined it, and finally the owl hooted, once again.
"He likes you," came the witch's voice over Thora's shoulder.
Thora jolted, badly, ducking reflexively and dancing to the side. The witch smiled, apologised, and then continued on. "Would you like to purchase him?"
She knew her mother would disapprove, she knew it. And yet... "Aye, but..."
"Ah, you're wondering what you'd do with an owl," the woman continued, and Thora found herself meeting the woman's large, brown eyes for the first time, and nodding. "They're quite useful," the witch told her. "Pardon my forwardness, but you come from a largely, if not entirely, muggle family, I take it?"
Thora hesitated, and then nodded, once again.
"Well, owls are more than just companions - they can be quite useful to witches and wizards. This owl is trained to carry mail and deliver small packages for you. It's one of the pets you can bring with you to Hogwarts, as well. Is it your first year, dear?"
Again, Thora found herself nodding.
"Wouldn't it be nice to have a friend with you from the very start?" the witch asked.
Thora's eyes turned to meet the owl's, who emitted a small chirruping sound, and blinked at her. She smiled, despite herself, feeling the odd coins in her pocket. It had been her birthday, recently, and she'd been given a bit of money that she could spend on a birthday present for herself, if she wanted, and she had yet to pick one out. This seemed like the perfect opportunity. She already knew what she would name him.
Turning to the witch, Thora reached into her pocket. "How much?"
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. And rains fall soft upon your fields.