#Chapter 7 Guide | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kinshenewa · 6 months ago

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Eclipse smirked as he walked, relaxed and almost strutting fabulously as he led Cadence down a long hall, heading towards a specific door. They weren't on the station anymore, Eclipse had asked if she would come with him to his favorite nightclub, and she had decided why not.

She doesn't like social scenes, but at least she'll have someone safe with her.

They approached the building front, which was decorated with dark purple paint as a base and plenty of neon colors, mostly blue and pink.

Hey, those colors reminded her of a game she tried to play years ago. Sugar seduction or whatever it's called. She never figured out how to get the game to work beyond the start screen, but that game did have a nice beat.

She didn't recognize the lettering above the door, with curly symbols and some paw prints scattered throughout the text. It also looked like there was a snake as a letter and what looked like an O formed by what looked like two wolves curled with each other. Eclipse set his lower right hand on her shoulder as they walked in, him smirking confidently as he told her, "This is one of the best nightclubs I've ever been to. In a language you would understand, the name is Suudom."

They entered a simple cubical room, which was painted dark purple with some neon lights outlining the edges of the room. The door shut behind them, and a gust of cold air washed over them.

"They take sanitation very seriously," He murmured, "which is one of the reasons why I love this club so much."

There was a small beep, and a robotic arm came down from the ceiling, a blue line of light scanning Eclipse before the mechanical claw at the end spun and produced a white tie made of something glowing white, attaching it to his front.

Cadence looked at him confused, blinking as the same light washed over her, then jolted as she heard a click behind her. She looked around, and Eclipse chuckled as he now held the end of a glowing neon purple lead in his hand, gently tugging it and making her realize that the arm had put a purple collar on her.

"The fuck?" She said, reaching up and feeling the collar. It was smooth, without any details, and somehow the glow wasn't bugging the crap out of her.

"Seems the database sees you as more of a switch than a dom or sub," Eclipse teased, flicking the white bell attached to the front of the collar, "It's just a thing here, don't worry about it. Just stay close to me and you'll be fine."

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere else," She replied annoyed, frowning at him. There was a hiss before the wall in front of them slid away, revealing a bopping nightclub scene.

Cadence shrunk in on herself at the noise, but relaxed when the collar formed a pair of white headphones over her ears, muting only the music to a nice relaxing coffee shop cafe.

It doesn't make sense for a coffee shop to be relaxing, just like it doesn't make sense for an alcohol-serving place to be upbeat. They should switch.

They walked out, the main area they were in being mostly a walkway lined with C-shaped booths set in the walls, with shimmering grey fabric acting as doors for each entryway. Further than that was the food section, with bars scattered throughout and curvy insect beings skating around and serving food.

They look kind of like if someone humanized a bee. They had some fuzz, but mostly on their, what was it called? Thorax? The part that had the stinger.

Eclipse led her over to one of the bars, ordering himself something in a language she did not understand before turning to her and asking, "So, darling, what would you like?"

She shrugged, sticking to his side as she said softly, "Eh, I don't know. I don't really drink alcohol."

He nodded, eyes scanning over the screens above that seemed to have a menu of sorts (could Eclipse always move both sets of eyes independently of each other? One pair is looking at screens to his left and the other is looking at screens to his right), though she couldn't understand the language.

"How do you feel about a simple Fruit Brawl?" He asked, grinning at her, "It's non-alcoholic, and it's full of delicious fruits. None of your human kinds, but they are safe to eat."

She tilted her head, thinking for a moment before saying, "Sure, why not? I should broaden my horizons anyway."

He nodded, turning to the bartender (wow, that's just a shark. It has a humanoid body but its wearing a suit and its head is front-facing but looks just like an actual shark. It's kinda blue, too, kind of seems like a similar appearance to the Blahaj shark) and ordering her a drink too.

He turned and started walking again, one of his lower hands holding the leash attached to the collar and leading her back to the booths they passed.

Looking around, she could see there were other people with these glowing accessories, in a myriad of colors and styles. There were still people with collars, but some had harnesses on their whole torso.

That seemed reserved for the people who walked on four legs, though.

She looked back at Eclipse. In this light, he looked like he was white and blue instead of red and black. Even his tie was polarized, it was black now.

Cadence blinked, and that moment of confusion washed away, as he was looking like normal once she blinked.

He led her into a booth, which had plush couches shaped like a C around a seemingly glass table. He went and sat down, patting the seat next to him. She went and sat down, the fabric covering the door currently see-through.

She leaned into him, hands fidgeting nervously.

"This place is actually kind of nice," She remarked, right hand coming up to play with the fluffy headphones on her head, "Definitely a lot better than some of the clubs I've been to."

Eclipse smiled, his rays perking up as he looked down at her. "Oh? What kind of clubs have you been to?" He asked, masking the excitement in his voice. He could possibly have a new clubbing buddy! Better than the people he played Poker with.

She shrugged, petting the fluffy texture as she answered, "Ah, just places I had to go to for a bounty. Ya know, find and subdue the client, all that jazz."

He nodded in agreement, not too disappointed. He wasn't really surprised, Cadence seemed to prefer being in small groups and quiet environments. She never seemed too fond of physical contact with random people, as well.

"I understand that," He said. His eyes lit up as some people passed by the door before stopping and entering. He moved Cadence to his lap, waving happily at the humanoid sharks as he said in a friendly manner, "Hey Bass, hey Cuda. Good to see you here! Didn't expect to see you two for another week!"

The two sharks in suits chuckled, both having dark grey bowties made of that glowing substance.

"Heya, Eclipse. Who's this gorgeous dollface?" One of them said gruffly, beady eyes looking over Cadence.

She could feel her skin crawling, and she resisted the urge to just bury her face in Eclipse's chest.

"Yeah, 'nother prospect? She's mighty small, y'know, you sure she can accommodate?" The other one said, elbowing the side of the first shark.

Eclipse laughed it off, waving his hand. "Oh, boys, you doubt me? I'm offended!" He said, setting a hand over his heart before shaking his head, "But no, just a friend. I've known her for a while now, and I'm simply showing her one of my favorite places to go when I'm feeling frisky." He chuckled, his lower pair of arms wrapped around her waist.

"Ah, well, we see she's been taken," the first shark laughed.

"Keep your eyes on her. Such a small purty thing seems quite easy to snatch up," the second shark chuckled.

"Well, we'll be seeing ya, Clipsie," the first shark chuckled, blowing a kiss at Cadence and purring, "And see you later, dollface."

The two sharks turned and left, one of those bee girl beings skating in after they left, carrying a tray and serving their drinks. The drink Eclipse got was dark brown at the bottom and orange at the top, in a cylinder shape with a white ring on top and off to the side of the center, where he could drink from.

Cadence also noticed that the drink spot had some sort of suction part, like some sort of sippy cup to keep in the drink or something.

Cadence's drink was rainbow-colored, with red at the bottom, then orange, yellow, green, blue, and at the top, purple. With white on the rim. The cup was a hurricane glass type of cup, and the drink was chilly when she picked up the drink.

Sipping it revealed its taste to be a delicious mix of fruity tastes, the white powdery substance tasting similar to sugar or some sweet substance.

She turned to Eclipse as she asked, "This isn't like, cocaine or something, right?"

Eclipse quirked a brow at her, sipping his drink as he replied, "Cocaine? No, it isn't. It's a substance similar to what you humans would call 'sugar'."

She tilted her head as she asked, "Can I try your drink? Looks like Coca-Cola."

He chuckled as he shook his head, moving his drink away from her as he said, "Oh, definitely not. This drink has more alcoholic content than your little body can handle."

She blinked, sipping her drink. "So you have a higher alcohol tolerance than humans?" She asked curiously.

He chuckled, nodding as he replied, "Us Celestial Jesters have such a high alcoholic tolerance that we have our very own special alcohol. I've heard that a whiff of it can knock out a human, maybe even kill them. That's why it's served like this." He pointed at the top, shrugging.

Cadence nodded, falling into silence as she sipped her drink. Eclipse was equally silent, smiling and relaxed as he enjoyed his extremely hard alcohol.

He felt the familiar warmth of the alcohol, but knew it would take the entire bottle to even start to get him inebriated.

#CJAU #kinshenewas-writing #What's 6 times 7?#The chapter name is a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy reference

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ellie-e-marcovitz · 1 year ago

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Seven: Trolls in the Village!

To Hogsmeade we go! Ollivander's reveals a little more about what happened in Diagon Alley, along with nods to 1884's epilogue.

prev.

Pushing a door open, he was greeted with the sight of the castle grounds.

“This way,” Natty beckoned, before hurrying towards the fountain, closely followed by Eleanor. He laughed, before hurrying after them.

There was something exciting about escaping the confines of the castle, even for a couple of hours at most.

“I was glad Professor Weasley asked me to accompany you to Hogsmeade,” Natty started as he caught up.

“Really? I know we’ve talked some…”

She laughed, a rather delightful sound. “Yes. I had planned to ask you this evening if you wanted to visit on Saturday. I thought you might enjoy a Butterbeer after your first week of classes.”

Even Eleanor seemed to crack a grin at that, though she seemed intent on the book she had open.

“The timing of Professor Weasley’s owl was perfect,” she agreed, stuffing the book back in her bag. “And if Natty wasn’t going to offer, I was.”

Striding out of the portcullis, the nearby Floo Flame flickered on, and Natty gave a sigh of relief.

“I cannot tell you how good it feels to breathe fresh air,” she sighed, relaxing. “Especially after being cooped up in Ancient Runes.”

“Or potions.” Eleanor seemed equally as happy. “Professor Sharp seems particularly grumpy this year for some reason. What about you Cyrus?”

He nodded. “It’s certainly better than being in class, at least some of them.”

“I think it is a grave mistake to take Ancient Runes as an elective, Cyrus, believe me.” Natty continued, striding quickly towards the gate ahead. “Though, I would not call it ‘elective’ when my mother was one who elected that I take it.”

“Could you still drop it, though,” he asked. “Considering that you don’t want to take it?”

Natty shook her head. “Not without my mother knowing, no.”

Eleanor snorted, as if in agreement. “That would be unneeded chaos for sure.”

He wasn’t sure what to make of that. “I can certainly help you study, if you’d like?”

“I would,” Natty agreed, before switching topics. “Hogsmeade is beautiful this time of year,” she noted. “Everyone will tell you to visit at Christmastime, but that is one of the few times during the year I would rather stay indoors.”

He laughed a little. “Not much for the cold, are you?” He would love to see Hogsmeade at Christmas…

“No!” Both her and Eleanor replied, two different tones, as they passed through the gates.

“I do not mind that so much, but it has certainly taken some getting used to on my part. It’s the snow. I did not grow up with it, which makes it difficult to deal with.” Natty continued. “I am sure Eleanor would not mind showing it to you then, if you wish.”

His stomach gave a funny little flip at the thought. “That does sound nice,” he managed to say, before Natty spotted something.

“Oh, over here!” she beckoned them both over to a bush, which seemed to be engulfed in insects of some kind. “I often spot Lacewing Flies in this area,” she said, mainly talking to him, as Eleanor had paused several feet away.

“Oh?” he noted. “What’s so special about them?”

“They are interesting to look at, but if you stew them a certain way, they can be used in potion-making as well.”

He briefly flashed back to one of the potions textbooks he’d read, remembering something about stewed lacewings. “That’s good to know. Thank you Natty.”

“Of course,” she grinned, before beckoning. “We need to continue.”

He grabbed a few, before hurrying after them. It was mostly silent between them, enjoying the scenery, before Natty pointed.

“Look! From the Forbidden Forest!” she called. “Hippogriffs! I wonder if something startled them.”

A low cry echoed, as a pair of steely grey beast emerged from the treetops. The three of them paused, watching them fly past, before resuming their journey.

“I heard rumours that there were Hippogriffs nearby,” Natty continued, with Eleanor nodding in agreement. “But I found it hard to believe until now.”

They passed a small cluster of students, each from a house.

“Do you think Poppy’s already seen the Hippogriffs?” asked a nasally Hufflepuff, pushing his glasses up.

“Absolutely!” came the blond Ravenclaw, seated on the bench.

“Likely already named them…” came the Slytherin, sounding almost bored.

“‘Prancehoof’ and ‘Sugarfoot’ are my guesses,” added Leander, who gave a tight nod as he passed.

Over a stone bridge, another Floo Flame caught his eye.

“That’s the Forbidden Forest, on your left,” Natty continued, pointing. “It’s considered off-limits to students by the teachers, hence its name.”

“Why is it off limits?” There hadn’t been anything like that at Ilvermorny.

Both her and Eleanor shared a look, one that bordered on mischievous. “The professors claim it is too dangerous, though it doesn’t stop people from entering,” Eleanor answered, shaking a finger between her and Natty. “We both think calling it that makes it more intriguing, not less so.”

He gave the dense forest a look. “If you say so.”

A little further on, enough to not see the forest entrance, Natty pointed again.

“See that ruin?”

He nodded, following her finger up. “Hogsmeade is there, just over the crest and past the ruin.”

Craning his neck, he could just make out the roofs through the trees. “Ah, I see it.”

Natty sighed again, a happier one. “I would spend all my time exploring if I could. This is much better than being kept inside a classroom.”

He laughed a little. Both her and Eleanor seemed to be more free spirits than anything. “I’ll admit I was surprised when Professor Weasley mentioned that you knew the area, since you’re relatively new here.”

Natty seemed surprised by that information, as she briefly paused, before moving over slightly. He did the same, noticing the carriage coming towards them, and Eleanor moved behind him. “She said that?” she asked.

He nodded, unsure of how she’d react. It was always a fifty-fifty chance…

“Hmmm… she knows more about me than I had thought.” She seemed concerned, but then concealed it. “I will say that, while I certainly learn a great deal in class, there is much that can be gleaned outside the castle walls as well.”

“I certainly agree with you there, Natty.”

Silence fell as they started gradually climbing and the scenery changed, closer to the forest they’d passed not too long ago. Eleanor had shifted from behind him to ahead of Natty, cursing the rise.

“How are you dealing?” Natty asked, breaking the silence. “I know that this was your first day, but I wanted to check in anyways.”

He shrugged. "I suppose I’ve settled in well, considering…” he hesitated. Considering that the nightmares haven’t started just yet.

“Well,” Natty had a concerned expression on her face. “I remember the weeks following my arrival at Hogwarts feeling quite strange. Everything was so… so new and unfamiliar.”

“I’m definitely getting used to things. It was quite a shock to find out. How about you? Do you finally feel settled?”

A shrug from Natty. “I still miss my homeland, I cannot lie. But it is also beautiful here too.” She gestured towards Eleanor, still ahead of them both. “And, getting out of the castle and exploring the area has helped to adjust quite a bit as well. Eleanor was a great help when I first arrived.”

Rounding a corner, he noticed a vaguely familiar man ahead, as Eleanor slowed.

“Hogwarts has become something of a home now, I would say,” she continued. “And I hope it will be for you as well.”

He nodded, not sure what to say. He ducked his head briefly, swiping at his eyes. Natty’s shout distracted him.

“Mr. Moon!” she called out, waving a bit and slowing a little. “He is the Hogwarts caretaker. Looks a little worse for wear.”

The man did look dishevelled, and as they approached, smelled rather of alcohol. He wrinkled his nose a little.

“Hello Mr. Moon,” Natty greeted. “Have you met our new fifth year?”

“Ple- Hic! -sure,” Moon hiccupped, clearly not of a right mind. “As I was just telling Miss Parkmoore, you might want to turn back Miss Onai. Turn an’ – hic! –run.”

Natty’s expression turned worried, while Eleanor’s annoyance stayed. “Is everything all right, sir?”

“Oh, it looked right at me! Eyes big as saucers!”

“What did, Mr. Moon?” Confusion joined Natty’s worry.

“Demi- Hic! –guise.” Mr. Moon shuddered. “Ugly and hairy and, ugh, terrifying!”

Eleanor was shaking her head, hand over her mouth. Natty just seemed stunned.

“I…” Moon continued, oblivious. “Shall be at the castle, where it is safe. Good luck to you all.” He wandered off, gait unsteady and weaving a little.

Natty shook her head, while Eleanor amused herself. “Poor Mr. Moon,” Natty said, as they continued on. “I think he had a little too much fun in the village.”

“I take it that’s not entirely normal?” he asked, and Natty shook her head.

“Not at all. Something must have happened for him to get that drunk. I have never seen him in such a state.”

He gulped, realising why the caretaker had looked familiar. “I think I know why, though I’m not sure I’m ready to share yet…” He received odd looks from both Eleanor and Natty, but didn’t say anything.

They shared a shrug. “We’re nearly there,” Eleanor called, breaking the awkward silence that had descended, pointing towards a busy signpost ahead of them. “Just to the left.”

“There’s much to see outside of the castle walls and Hogsmeade,” Natty mentioned, gesturing to the various signs as they passed. “I, at least, am happy to explore whenever you’d like. Rumours being what they are about the goblins and such, it might not be a bad idea having a friend with you then.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, Natty. Thank you.”

Entering the village, he was surprised at how busy it was.

“And here we are!” Natty exclaimed, spinning around once. “It is hard to know where to start. The Three Broomsticks is the place for Butterbeer, and at Honeydukes, you can get any sweet you can imagine.”

“Or just about,” Eleanor added, a wide grin on her face. “It’s quite a lot to take in on your first trip.”

“I agree with that,” Natty quipped, an equally large grin on her face as well. “Considering that I still cannot choose a favourite shop. It changes with each visit. What I can tell you is that you are certain to find everything you need in Hogsmeade.”

Natty drew to a stop near an intricately decorated manhole cover, and pulled some parchment from her pocket. “Professor Weasley said that you need to get potions recipes, spellcrafts, some seeds, and…” she squinted at the list.

“A new wand.”

“Of course!” she exclaimed, handing over the list. “You will enjoy Mr. Ollivander. And, I am keen to see what you will do with your own wand.” A glance around. “You should be able to gather everything and still have enough time to explore a little as well, I should think. Experience the village at your own pace. We can meet up in the town circle, when you are finished.”

He and Eleanor nodded.

“I’ll likely be at Scrivenshaft’s, or at least that area, if you need me.” Eleanor added. “I’ll meet you by Honeydukes.”

He nodded again, looking around, trying to figure out where to start.

“And enjoy yourself!” Natty added. “I will see you soon!” She and Eleanor wandered off into the busy village and he quickly lost sight of them.

Where to start… he wondered, feeling more than a little lost. On a whim, he pulled out his field guide, thinking there might be something in there.

There was, in fact, something. A map of Hogsmeade and even the surrounding countryside. Complete with tiny icons denoting the different shops. His sisters had talked about Hogsmeade, but mainly Honeydukes and Gladrags.

He stuck the list into the guide, and the invisible hand started writing out the list, along with the shops needed. Both Tomes and Scrolls and Ollivanders were close, and he was split on which of the two to start at.

The spellcrafts sounded interesting, but he also really wanted his own wand again… And there was something else nagging at his mind, something was going to happen…

He headed towards Tome and Scrolls, before deciding to start at Ollivanders. Better to have his own wand sooner rather than later, really, even if it wouldn’t be his wand.

Reaching Ollivander’s, he paused just outside the door to the shop. There was a shop-shuddering bang, a wounded shout and the clattering of wood.

“Merlin’s. blooming. beard. Not again!” came a man’s voice, making him Mr. Ollivander. He stepped back, spotting a field guide page and grabbed it, before entering, despite the chaos.

Inside, it was surprisingly quiet, and he took an opportunity to look around the shop. Shelves packed with wands loomed over him as he approached the counter. Reaching for the bell on the counter, it rang itself at the touch of his fingertips.

“Ah, I’ll be right…” Mr. Ollivander said, emerging some from the back area, awkwardly clutching some wand boxes. “Oh! It’s you! Um… Just a moment, please.” He hurried into the back, boxes askew.

There was a disconcerting clatter, before he returned, dusting off his coat. “Ah. Hm…”

“H-hello, sir,” he started, his nervousness tripping up his tongue. “I’m looking fo-”

“For a new wand, yes.” Mr. Ollivander finished for him. “It’s about time.”

He blinked, startled. “Er, yes, I – About time?” His mind ground to a halt.

“Well, you’re our new fifth year student, are you not?” Mr. Ollivander surmised, his voice matter of fact. “Oh, what am I saying? Of course you are.”

A flick of his wand, and the counter flipped open to allow the wandmaker to approach. “Gerbold Ollivander’s the name! But, of course,” he formally introduced himself. “You’ll have heard of the Ollivanders.”

He nodded. “My family visited the shop in Diagon Alley about a year ago.”

A scrutinising look from Mr. Ollivander, and a moment’s pause. “Oh! Miss Gwyneth Northrup! You must be her older brother! It’s a pleasure to meet you at last, truly!” Mr. Ollivander took and shook his hand, before heading for the shelves.

“Now, come with me. Let’s find you the perfect wand…” he beckoned. “Shall we?” He gestured to the teeming shelves. “Hmmmmm… no, no, no, not you…”

All he could do was watch as Mr. Ollivander scoured the shelves.

“Ah, yes… yes, you should do nicely… Dogwood, 10 ½ inches, phoenix feather core…” Mr. Ollivander listed off, as he picked the box up and opened it, showing him the wand. “Here, give this one a try.”

He carefully picked it up, turning it over in his hand. The craftsmanship was excellent.

“Well, go ahead. Give it a swish!”

A quick swish, which only seemed to cause sparks, as if the wand was being cheeky.

“Hmm…” Mr Ollivander seemed confused. “How odd. Try it once more. Come on, really swish it.” He gestured, swinging an invisible wand through the air.

He steadied himself, pushing the magic. It did more than just spark – it flew out of his hand, up over his head and started making fireworks as it spun through the room, much like some of the fireworks he’d seen last November.

“Oh, dear.” Came Mr. Ollivander, opening the box enough to let the wand settle back in. He felt like he was frozen in his half-crouch, as the wandmaker closed it again. “Well, this wasn’t a good match at all, is it?”

He shook his head, easing out of the awkward position.

“We’ll find you something, not to worry.” Mr. Ollivander continued to comb the shelves, pulling and replacing various wand boxes. “Hmm… no, not you… or you… Hm…”

He moved over. “Hmm… Ah, perhaps… yes… Cherrywood, 13 ¾ inches, dragon heartstring core…” he again listed, opening the box and revealing an equally handsome wand. “Let’s give this one a try.”

He again took the wand, marvelling at the delicate details etched into the wood. It was warmer than the dogwood wand, though he still didn’t feel a connection like before.

Giving it a good flick, the wand shot out of his hand, again. This time, it created a small vortex, sending Mr. Ollivander’s papers scattering all over the shop.

“Ah-! Oh! Oh my-! Oh, goodness!” Mr. Ollivander exclaimed, shocked, pulling his own wand, and fishing the cherry one back into its box. “Looks like its back to the shelf for you…”

He breathed heavily, heart racing, as the parchment settled around him. Mr. Ollivander returned the wand back to its appropriate place on the shelf. He slowly stood back up.

“This is proving to be trickier than I had anticipated…” the wandmaker muttered, though more frustrated than insulting. “How perplexing…” He returned to searching the shelves, as if he had one last option.

“Where are you? Perhaps you…” he mumbled, hands roving over the many boxes, before looking up to a shelf several feet above him. “Ah, there you are.” One silent summoning charm, and the battered looking box landing in Mr. Ollivander’s outstretched hand. “Yes… I think you might be the one…”

There was an odd, melodic ringing in his ears, as the box was turned towards him. His hand itched, and he wanted to puck the box straight from Mr. Ollivander’s hands.

“11 ¾ inches, Cypress wood, with unicorn hair, along with an unusual core element I can’t recognise…” Mr. Ollivander read off, not opening the case just yet.

“Veela hair,” he interrupted, his mind racing. “That’s my old wand. I thought I had lost it…”

“Lost it?”

“Last year, in Diagon Alley. Something happened and I lost my wand in the process. We couldn’t find it, despite that we searched everywhere that we could. Someone must’ve taken it to your shop for some reason or another…”

His heart joined his mind in speeding up, as Mr. Ollivander seemed to puzzle over the event that brought this wand to his shop. The anticipation felt like it was nearly killing him, being so close and yet so far.

“Well, I’ll be – ” Mr. Ollivander was suddenly cut off, by a ringing noise rising from the box, which grew louder as the lid was raised.

It was his wand! He eagerly grabbed it, sighing at the mended connection. The wand tip gently glowed in return. He would need to practice the newest spells he’d learned, but, otherwise, it felt as if no time had passed whatsoever.

Mr. Ollivander seemed in awe as well, and very nearly speechless. “Extraordinary! A reunited pair! Another bright and magical future!” There was a wide grin on Mr. Ollivander’s face, clearly glad that it had all worked out.

“I take it that feels much better?” Mr. Ollivander enquired, as he calmed.

He felt as if he was glowing, in a way. “It does. Like a part of me has been returned.”

“Good, good. I noticed you have a particularly powerful connection. Now, I’m not sure you’ll have heard this from the American wandmaker… but, just in case… your wand will learn from you as you learn from it. It is a matter of working in tandem with each other. Treat it well, and I doubt you’ll find no more dependable wand than yours, especially with unicorn hair. And I hope to see the bond between you and yours grow even stronger.”

“Of course, Mr. Ollivander. Thank you.”

“And do not be surprised that, despite the year, your wand may be able to perceive your intentions – most notably in a moment of need.”

He suspected that had occurred during that fateful trip to Diagon Alley, however blurry his memories.

“Do come and see me again, if ever I can be of assistance.” He nodded.

Five minutes later, he was heading off, after trying to pay a little for the well-keeping of his wand, even as Mr. Ollivander refused. He’d only paid to restock his cleaning kit, after it had been lost to the dragon as well.

Re-entering Hogsmeade, he paused outside Ollivander’s. Everything felt… brighter, than it had before. Clearer. Even stronger. He guided his wand through a couple of spells, just swishing it without saying a word. Lumos, Revelio, Levioso, Accio and Reparo, everything he’d learned or relearned since coming to Britain.

“Revelio,” he muttered. The rush of magic seemed more controlled, fanning through the area. He almost felt giddy. He shook himself. There were still a few more things to get.

Might as well explore the village while doing so.

He headed up, past the bright red shop that bore the name Zonko’s, and which appeared to teeming with pranks and toys. Something drew him to the left, missing another Gryffindor making his way to the Three Broomsticks.

Two things caught his eyes as he rounded the building – a bright purple store and a small pouch. On a nearby brick wall.

He grabbed the pouch, counting thirteen large gold coins. Each seemed to be roughly the size of his fist. Sticking the galleons in his pocket, he wandered over to the shop sign.

J. Pippin’s Potions, it read. Potions for all ailments. This must be the potions shop Professor Weasley had mentioned.

Staring at the sign, he was, admittedly, reluctant to go inside. No doubt, over the next few months of school, he would become very well acquainted with it. He decided to explore a little, before stepping inside.

He continued straight, finding himself in the rougher side of Hogsmeade, though it was still nicer than some of the rough spots in London. Briefly circling, he spotted a black cat with some of the greenest eyes he’d ever seen.

“Mrw?”

He crouched down. “Hello there,” he murmured gently, petting it as it purred against his knee. “You’re a nice cat, aren’t you?”

“Mrow,” it replied as he stood up. He missed his kneazle Matilda, considering he hadn’t been able to bring her, partly out of concern.

The cat wandered off, slowly making its way along the street, and he watched it, weighing his options as well. Pippin’s potions or Tomes and Scrolls? Both were close…

Might as well cross off Pippin’s, and get it over with.

Hurrying back up the steps, he paused at the door. He wasn’t even sure what he was looking for, even with Professor Weasley’s list. All she’d put were ‘potions recipes.’ Auror Roberts, one of the aurors who had worked with Auror Asher, had been the one asked to pick up all his supplies.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door. The bell above it jangled cheerfully as he entered.

“Welcome to J. Pippin’s Potions,” came a thick Scottish voice, and he spotted the shopkeeper near the register. He gave a half-nod, looking around the cramped shop. Spotting a rather sizable trunk, he quietly popped it open, finding a scarf at the bottom.

How odd. Shrugging, he stuck it in his bag, before facing the shopkeeper.

“Pardon me, sir -” he started, silently wishing Kendal or Eleanor (Eleanor?!) were with him.

“Oh, thank goodness,” the shopkeeper startled, noticing him. “For a moment, when I heard the bell, I thought you were Miss Lawang. Though, not that she deigns to come here.”

He blinked at the unexpected information. “Um-?”

The shopkeeper continued. “Although, I don’t believe I’ve seen your face here before either.”

He flushed, still feeling awkward. “It’s actually my first time to Hogsmeade.”

“Is it!?” the shopkeeper exclaimed, before introducing himself. “Well, Parry Pippin at your service. And this is J. Pippin’s Potions – Potions for All Ailments.” A pause. “You’ll have read it on the sign, of course, but grandfather always made me say it in full, regardless.”

He gave a small grin. That sounded very much like his own grandfather.

“Now, how may I help you today?”

“Professor Weasley sent me to pick up some recipes. I’m new at Hogwarts.” He fidgeted with his robe a little. Hopefully, some of his other clothes had made it.

“Oh! You’re the student she sent the owl about! I set your things aside immediately when I received it.” Mr Pippin seemed particularly enthusiastic. “I suspected if you’re anything like I was at your age, you’d want your potions supplies. Let’s get you those recipes, shall we?”

Mr. Pippin hurried for the stack on the far wall. “Is it not the most fascinating art, potion making?” he asked, gathering it all together. “Rivals anything you can do with a wand, I’ve always said.”

“Are they really that versatile?” he asked, a little sceptical. He’d melted a few cauldrons while at Ilvermorny, not that he liked to remember that fact.

“It may not be as showy as spellwork,” Mr. Pippin noted, bringing the neatly stacked pile up. “But, make no mistake, they’re just as powerful. They can heal, destroy, protect – all of which you will discover soon enough.”

He mulled that over, as Mr. Pippin made notes to his book.

“And, considering its your first time here, I should also mention that it’s not just potions recipes that I sell, but also ready-made draughts for all manner of uses,” Mr Pippin mentioned. “And I release new ones from time to time. Pop in whenever you can, so that you don’t miss out on anything.”

“I will certainly try my best,” he promised, taking the stack of recipes as Mr. Pippin handed them over. “Thank you, Mr. Pippin.”

“Of course,” Mr. Pippin returned. “Do come back soon.”

He nodded, before exiting the shop. Stuffing the recipes in his bag, he continued his wandering.

Lighting the nearby Floo Flame, he followed the path over the bridge, finding another field guide page (Naiads), and ending up at the Magic Neep.

It reminded him strongly of the seed shop that his mother frequented back in Massachusetts, complete with the chickens running loose. Carefully moving through them, he managed to not get his ankles pecked. Or chased by one.

“Well, hello there!” came the cheery voice of the shopkeeper, clearly enjoying the momentary break in the rain.

“Pardon me, sir,” he greeted. “I’m here for the seeds Professor Weasley arranged for me to collect.” The shopkeeper stood.

“Ah, the Dittany for the new fifth year! I take it that’s you, then?” He nodded, still not used to being a year behind. “Merlin’s beard! Starting Hogwarts as a fifth year! You must be positively reeling from it all.”

He was, in fact, reeling from the fact. But… “I’m choosing to see it as a big adventure, in some ways.”

“Well, bravo,” the shopkeeper replied, somewhat surprised by his response. “Not everyone has the temperament to take things as they come.” He cheerfully stuck his hands in his apron pockets. “Name’s Timothy Teasdale, by the way.”

“Cyrus.”

“Nice ta meet you, Cyrus. This is my shop, The Magic Neep.” Teasdale gestured to the cart beside his seat. “I keep my cart out here because I like a nice chat. Can’t very well be in the thick of things if I’m hidden away inside, now can I?”

“I suppose you can’t,” he agreed.

“In addition to the seeds, I also carry plenty of plants, grow everything meself. M’speciality is potions ingredients. Even Pippin buys from me.” Teasdale gestured towards the shop not far from his own. “But, what say we get you a packet of Dittany seeds to start, eh?”

He nodded. Hopefully, he wouldn’t ruin them. Looking at the others, he also realised that he would need some more Galleons. He’d managed to scrape together 150 from various containers, but he would definitely need more. And maybe a couple other coins…

“Here ya go,” Teasdale said, holding a neat packet of seeds and breaking him from his thoughts. “One packet of Dittany seeds, and my regards to Professor Weasley.”

“Thank you, Mr. Teasdale,” he replied, taking the packet.

“Anytime, and it’s Timothy. Hope to see you again soon.”

“Of course.” He headed back out, being carefully to not trip over a stray chicken. Back by the bridge, there was a chilly ripple of energy, and he shivered a little, feeling unnerved. Sticking the seeds in his bag, he pulled out the scarf, along with the field guide.

The field guide had some information, though he only glanced at it, before tossing the scarf on. An incantation appeared, and when he muttered it, the scarf seemed to vanish. He could still feel the weight of it, but it otherwise blended into his uniform.

Flipping to the list, he crossed off the wand, the potions recipes and the seeds. All that was left were the spellcrafts at Tomes and Scrolls. Then meeting Natty and Eleanor in the village square.

Which meant Honeydukes had to be there. Speaking of which…

He spotted Eleanor chatting with a Ravenclaw, waving a little as she spotted him. She waved back, before ending her conversation and meeting him at the bridge.

“Ready to see Honeydukes?” she asked.

“Almost. Still have Tomes and Scrolls to visit. Want to join me?” His stomach did another series of flips, as he clutched at his bag.

“Might as well. Don’t tell Professor Weasley, but…” she dropped her voice. “I might have also lost the spellcrafts I’d been asked to bring as well. Younger sibling problems.”

He laughed in agreement, as they started back over the stream. Eleanor somehow managed to balance on the edge of it most of the way down, even as the water splashed her shoes.

Sticking close to her, they ended up right where they’d started earlier, before heading for the shop near the village entrance.

“Here we are,” she noted, before pushing the door open.

“Ah, inquiring minds…” came the deep voice of the shopkeeper.

“Hello Mr. Brown,” greeted Eleanor, as they stepped inside. He took in the shop, admiring the various tomes filling the shelves. It reminded him of a small library in some ways, as Eleanor gathered the spellcrafts he needed.

Eleanor finished, he stepped up. “Erm, pardon me, I’m here for the spellcrafts Professor Weasley ordered.”

Mr Brown grinned. “Ah, Matilda’s new student. I thought I might be seeing you soon. I am the proprietor here, Thomas Brown.” Mr. Brown held out his hand.

He shook it. “Cyrus Northrup.”

“Pleasure to meet you Mr. Northrup. I take it you have had a Conjuring lesson then?”

He shook his head. “I’m afraid I haven’t yet, sir.”

“Ah, but you will soon enough,” Mr. Brown said, knowingly. “It is magic at its purest, creating something from nothing. It is, of course, not without its complexity, but that is where my spellcrafts come in.”

“Oh?” There was something intriguing about this branch of magic.

“Stay the course, and you could soon impress even Professor Weasley.” Mr. Brown’s knowing look was resolute.

“That’s certainly something to aspire to, Mr. Brown,” he acknowledged. “I look forward to that day.”

“And I to seeing it,” Mr. Brown agreed. “Spellcrafts are incredibly useful for conjuring unique items, like custom pieces of furniture or decorations. But I shall let Professor Weasley be the one to teach you about them. For now, let’s get you the ones you need.”

Mr. Brown pulled a pair of small tomes over, each stamped with items on the covers. “One small potting table, for growing the likes of Dittany and Fluxweed; and one potions station, correct?”

“I believe so, sir.” Unless he wanted to dig the field guide out again, it was those two.

“Good,” Mr Brown noted, wrapping the two tomes before tying them together. “Nothing like growing your own plants and brew what potions you want whenever you want.”

He gestured to the books on the shelves nearest them. “If you wish, you can look at the others that I carry. The collection cycles monthly. Here you go.”

He took the wrapped spellcrafts. “Thank you, Mr. Brown. I shall certainly come back.”

“And you. Have a good afternoon, both of you.”

“Well, that’s everything,” he said, sticking the spellcrafts in his robe pocket.

Eleanor beckoned him out. “We should go meet up with Natty, then, before it gets too late,” she said, waving goodbye to Mr. Brown. He nodded in agreement, just avoiding having the door closed on him, as they entered back out into Hogsmeade.

“She did say she would be waiting in the village square,” he noted, as they headed up. “Why don’t you meet up with her, and I’ll join you both once I’ve explored a little more?”

Eleanor seemed sceptical of that. “If you’re sure…”

He nodded. “I am.”

“Suit yourself,” she acknowledged. “Just be careful.”

There was something cryptic about her comment, enough that he would heed it. “Of course.”

She hurried off, heading past the Three Broomsticks with a longing look. He headed towards Zonko’s again, eyes looking towards the sky, hoping to spot another field guide page somewhere.

(He later realised that he’d completely missed the one by the entrance to Zonko’s.)

Passing Zonko’s, he noted the stairs to his left headed up to the square, before continuing up the stairs he’d passed earlier. He noted that they seemed to be blocked off. Climbing halfway, he spotted a field guide page flapping not too far away.

Grabbing it (Celebrations), he reluctantly headed for the square.

Passing several more shops, he entered the square (which really was more like a circle) and explored some. Honeydukes looked interesting and he even found a page about Hengist of Woodcroft.

Natty and Eleanor were chatting near Gladrags, Eleanor tense, while Natty seemed more relaxed. It was Natty who spotted him first.

“Hello again Cyrus. Find everything?”

“I did,” he noted. “And I can see what you mean by not being able to pick a favourite shop here. Is everything okay, Eleanor?”

“Fine.” Her expression said otherwise, a brooding mixture of apprehension and scepticism. The weird cold feeling from earlier was also back, and he noted a few more things around the various shops.

“We should walk around a bit more,” Natty started again, clearly not comfortable with the tense atmosphere. “Perhaps, today is the day that I -”

There was the sound of breaking brick and stone, and any leisurely activity seemed to come to a stop. Several patrons at a nearby tea shop fled inside.

A couple of neatly dressed women passed by them, and they turned around.

To face a mountain troll coming up from behind several buildings. A scream rent the air nearby, followed by shouts, as the troll crashed into the square, its club swinging forward as it landed.

It also had the same dark red glow of dark magic on its rudimentary armour. This was far from ordinary.

The two women drew their wands, throwing unknown spells at it, as if they would drive it off. He threw a basic cast, which was enough to get it to face him and not them, even as he was now faced with fighting it.

This certainly seemed different that a classroom duel. Natty, then Eleanor, each threw ones of their own, though they only seemed to agitate the troll, which raised its club.

“Bombarda!” came a woman’s voice, the spell crashing into the back of the troll. It stumbled, revealing a lady in black robes, neatly embroidered with an elegant ‘M’, who started barking orders at the two people flanking her. “Draw it away from the buildings! Away from the village!”

“Yes ma’am!”

“Stay here!” Eleanor called out. “Stay with Natty, Cyrus! I’m going to help!” She sprinted off, following the troll and the uniformed lady.

Natty seemed stunned. “It’s a good thing there were aurors…”

Suddenly, there was shaking, enough that it threatened to topple him, let alone Natty, before the house now in front of them seemed to explode in wood and stone.

An even bigger troll emerged from the rubble, also with dark red tinted armour and a bigger metal club. Oh sh-

It ran at him, club poised and pointed enough to do some damage. He dodged, managing to roll to his feet, and also managing to hold onto his wand.

He threw a couple of basic casts, before dodging out of the troll’s way, as it barrelled towards where he had been. Adrenaline thrumming through his body, he also tried his best to not get in Natty’s way too much.

He panted, hearing yells coming from another part of the village, probably where the aurors were fighting the other one.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, MISS PARKMOORE!?” came the lead auror’s voice, as he dodged more blows.

“Are we weakening him at all?” he half-bellowed at Natty, over the grunts and roars of the troll, and the sound of wood breaking.

“Keep at it!” Natty bellowed back, as he got knocked aside by the troll, groaning. This was not going to be fun tomorrow morning. “We’ve got to wear him down!”

He dodged more attacks, the both of them throwing all that they could. Natty also took a hit, the troll swinging its club this way and that.

He scrambled to his feet after dodging, before somehow flinging a barrel at it.

“What was that?!” Natty asked, as they both dove out of the way of the club.

“Think… trying to beat him at his own… game?” he panted out, not used to the ferocity of this creature. Another barrel, before dodging another club blow.

“Whatever it is, I like it,” Natty asserted, throwing another basic cast. “It seems to slow it down. Do more of it!”

He nodded, laughing a little, before diving back into the fray.

It felt like he was having to dodge more than actually throw spells. He threw another barrel, but even that didn’t seem to help the fact that Natty was getting walloped.

Throwing further basic casts, he drew it away from her. He just needed to be careful not to have it focus on him too much. Despite his confidence, he didn’t know nearly as many spells.

A tag team attack, him with a barrel and Natty with “Arresto Momento��, seemed to slow it some. Protego, while less effective, did help as well. Stupefy even more so.

A crate did even more damage, which helped immensely.

“Look!” Natty shouted. “He’s faltering!”

“Took him long enough!” he shouted in return.

“We need to make sure he stays that way!”

A few more basic casts, followed by another barrel… then something… unusual happened. Something, he supposed later, that Mr. Ollivander had predicted in his shop.

There was a strong surge of energy, followed by the tip of his wand glowing blue. A very familiar blue. One he hadn’t seen from his wand since that afternoon in Diagon Alley.

OH NO! was his only thought, before… the troll exploded into tiny little pieces as he pointed his wand, and the surge of energy tapered off.

Eleanor hurried up, hair askew, along with her uniform, complete drops of Wiggenweld decorating her shirt. “Oh my gods you’re all right!” she exclaimed. Healing cuts littered her face, as she enfolded Natty in a huge hug, before insisting on her drinking at least one Wiggenweld.

The aurors weren’t far behind her, looking in much better shape.

“Are you alright?” the lead auror asked him, and he nodded dazedly. “What happened?” she asked further, taking in the broken wood and stone decorating the area.

“There was a second troll,” he said, still trying to wrap his brain around what had just happened. His wand was warm, and almost humming with the exercise it had received.

“Goodness,” the auror exclaimed. “A second troll?!” She glanced between him and Natty, still ensconced in Eleanor’s tight hug. “Did you two take on a fully-grown troll? By yourselves?”

He nodded again, now also spinning with the fact. “I suppose so… It’s – it’s all a bit of a blur, to be honest.” He shifted his collar, now noticing that his hands were shaking.

“Merlin’s beard,” the auror exclaimed. “Are you all right?”

“Think so.” The aches hadn’t set in yet. “And we were glad to help.”

“Well, I’m not sure Miss Parkmoore’s father is going to be please that his daughter helped fight a troll in Hogsmeade, no matter how much she did help. But, I’d say ‘help’ is an understatement with you two,” she continued, acknowledging Natty with a brief nod. “Nerve like that? You certainly have the making of an auror, if you ask me.”

Another glance at Natty, who had now extracted herself from Eleanor’s hold, and was dutifully taking a Wiggenweld with a long suffering look. “If you are unharmed, perhaps the three of you wouldn’t mind helping me put a few things back to where they were?”

“Of course, auror…”

“Auror officer Ruth Singer. And, thank you, again, for your help.”

“You’re welcome, Officer Singer.”

Chapter 8

#fic #A Fifth Year's Guide to Hogwarts Chaos #chapter 7 #cyrus northrup #hogwarts legacy

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