13 Aug 2021, 00:39
Wands...But Also Music
Reducio
[font=Book Anitqua]Wands...But Also Music[/font]
[font=Book Antiqua]London was a metropolis of tall, sweeping structures that cascaded down the streets, curving around corners in no particular layout. One might amble down a shopping street only to turn a corner and end up walking by a bunch of offices full of well-dressed, middle class employees, and in the middle of it all was a random Subway serving their lunch. London also possessed many additional features, features that one could only know about if they were a witch or wizard. The Leaky Cauldron was one of them.
The Leaky Cauldron was situated on Charing Cross Road, which led in the direction of Charing Cross at the south side of Trafalgar Square. And yet, the muggles walked past it without a care in the world. To them, it did not appear as a pub, but a broken down old shop. It was funny that, in a bustling city like London, none of the muggles questioned why the shop was never renovated or converted, but left to wither, an ugly blemish upon an otherwise vibrant road. Whatever the case, it worked in favour of the wizards, who used the "shop" as a portal to Diagon Alley. Pass through the pub, grab a drink along the way, and then pay a visit to the Leaky Cauldron's outdoor courtyard to gain access to the alley.
Two pairs of shoes tapped the concrete pavement as they pushed past the passers-by, heading with purpose towards the seemingly decrepit place. The first pair was small, black and made of leather, and the second much larger and a deep shade of maroon.
"Almost there," said the voice belonging to the larger pair of shoes. The voice was low and demanded authority. The smaller shoes quickened their pace to keep up with the larger ones.
"I can't wait to get there." She had light brown hair and a curious expression. Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
There was a pause. "Look." The lower-voiced one pointed to the building with a long, pale, spindly finger. To the two witches, it did not look decrepit at all. Instead, it bore a tall, black door and a sign saying The Leaky Cauldron.
"We're here," said the smaller one. She looked up at her mum. "You don't suppose we could visit the music shop first?"
"I think the focus of today should be on getting your Hogwarts supplies. We can stop in the music shop on the way out. Besides, you have been gushing all day about getting your wand. Wouldn't you rather do that instead?"
The smaller one nodded excitedly. "Let's go and get the wand!"
The taller one pushed open the door. The two of them stepped inside. By contrast to London's impressive buildings, the pub was dingy, lit only by a few lanterns, yet possessed a welcoming atmosphere. It was crowded with punters catching up on the latest wizarding gossip. Unlike the middle-class muggles of London, the wizards and witches in here mainly wore robes. It was probably better for everyone that the muggles and wizards were kept separate, or the muggles would think their fashion choices were very odd indeed.
But muggles were not needed to turn heads, for the punters had noticed something else. Though they tried to remain discreet, it was clear that at least a few of them had their eyes trained upon the taller one. They were excited to come face to face with Cadenza Steinway, a highly trained pianist who gave incredibly original performances. She wasn't an ordinary pianist, but also a shapeshifter, a gift that thrusted her into the limelight and garnered attention. The smaller girl, Allegra, was her daughter. Used to the attention that her mother received, Allegra merely trailed behind, mostly ignoring the punters but taking in the pub's decor.
The two of them arrived in the courtyard, at which point Cadenza retrieved her wand and tapped on various bricks on the wall. The specific combination of bricks formed a passcode. As the wand landed upon the bricks, the wall parted, revealing a gap, through which was Cadenza and Allegra's destination.
All of a sudden, they were thrown into what could be described as a wizarding high street. The place was alive with a mishmash of shops, plenty of families hustling and bustling, buying school supplies for Hogwarts, or having a general day out. To Allegra, it felt like being at home. It was a place where no muggles could visit; a place where she could be magical without having to blend in. She loved it so much that she bounded down the street at such a high speed that Cadenza could barely keep up.
Ollivanders, the wand shop that supplied so many witches and wizards across England, was only a short walk away. Stepping through the door, the chaos of outdoors faded, replaced by quiet and calm and the scent of cardboard. Shelves were lined with boxes. Hundreds and hundreds of them. Where did one begin when it came to selecting a wand? Allegra had been told that a wand would choose her - what did that mean? Were wands alive? Did they have feelings?
They were greeted by an old man. "Welcome to Ollivanders," he said. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Cadenza. I remember your wand...twenty-eight centimetres, hazel wood. Greatly in tune with the witch of wizard who can master their emotions. With a core of veela hair, uncommon for a witch who is not a veela. Temperamental indeed. And this must be your daughter?"
"My name is Allegra."
"Black walnut, 22 centimetres, with dragon heartstring," said the man, offering her the wand. The minute Allegra grasp it, a ball of light shot out of its tip. There was a loud smash, and a lantern instantly shattered. "Most definitely not," the man said. "You must possess some inner conflict or self-deception, it seems that black walnut does not favour you," he observed. Allegra shrank backwards. Inner conflict? What was he on about? "Never mind, we shall avoid that wood. Try this wand instead."
And so, the wand trialling continued. Luckily, most of the wands that followed did not react nearly as violently as the first, though Allegra hesitated before taking hold of them, wary of causing another disaster. Mostly, they did nothing, and Allegra felt herself beginning to grow impatient with each wand that failed.
"Ah...this one may be suitable. Twenty-five centimetres, aspen wood, with the feather of a phoenix."
It was paler than Allegra expected - many of the wands she'd tried had been darker or redder in colour. As the man handed it over, Allegra expected the same non-event to happen as with all the other wands. However, the moment Allegra's fingers grasped it, the wand warmed in her hand, and a soft glow of light formed around its tip. A pleasant sensation trickled up her arm. Allegra instantly loved it.
"Perfect," said the man. Allegra beamed. At the tender age of eleven, she finally had a wand to call her own. Although she knew no spells, she felt as if she'd found a friend. While Cadenza settled the bill, Allegra held the wand between her fingertips and stared at it. Soon, she would be using it to perform magic. In her moment of excitement, her eyes morphed into a deep blue and her smile became wide. Engrossed in the wand, and far away from any muggles, for once she had no care if anyone noticed.
"Time to go," said Cadenza.
"Can we go to the music shop now?"[/font]
Allegra Steinway
Stamina 5 | Evasion 4 | Strength 2 | Wisdom 7 | Arcane Power 7 | Accuracy 5