Chapter Text
Callum could hardly contain his excitement as he walked through the streets of London with his mom and half-brother. They were on their way to get his school supplies. But these weren't your average school supplies, and they weren't going to just any stories. They were on their way to Diagon Alley because Callum had received his letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
"But I want to go, too," whined Callum's little half-brother.
"You'll get your letter in four years when you turn eleven," their mother said.
"But that's not fair. Callum gets to go off to school, and I have to stay home."
"Ezren, we talked about this. Now you can either behave or I can get in touch with your aunt and she can take you home."
"I'll be good."
The three entered The Leaky Cauldron.
"Why are we going this way?" Ezran asked as he and Callum stayed close to their mother.
"Because you're too young to travel by floo powder. Now stay close," Sarai said.
The three exited the pup and entered the alley where Sarai used her wand to open the passageway to Diagon Alley. There were shops everywhere and all of them were for witches and wizards.
"You go ahead to Madam Malkin's and get fitted for your robes," Sarai said. "Your brother and I will meet you there after we get some money from our vault at Gringotts."
"Okay, Mum," Callum said as he headed for Madam Makin's Robes for All Occasions.
Entering the shop, he was met by the proprietor.
"Hogwarts, dear?" the witch said. "We have another getting fitted as well."
Callum got up on the stool provided for him, and a black robe was slipped over his head. While the hem and sleeves were pinned to match his height, he looked over at the other patron. It was a girl about his age with bleach blond hair and violet eyes.
"Hi," Callum said. "My name's Callum. Callum Katollis."
"Rayla Xadia," the girl said.
"Is this your first year at Hogwarts?" Callum asked.
He didn't remember his friends Claudia and Soren mentioning anyone at Hogwarts named Xadia, and they were starting their third and fourth years. The girl nodded.
"Where do you live?" Callum asked, thinking it would be nice to have a friend his age at Hogwarts.
"The Silvergrove," Rayla said.
"Is your family magic? Not that it matters to me. I have lots of muggle friends."
"My parents are a witch and wizard. They're studying dragons and other magical creatures in Africa. I live with my uncles. They're wizards. My Uncle Runaan works for the ministry and my Uncle Ethari crafts wizard amulets and wands."
"My step-father works for the ministry, too. My mum did as well until she had my half-brother. She plans to go back once Ezran is accepted to Hogwarts."
Both stood in silence for a while.
"What house are you hoping for?" Callum asked.
"I don't know," Rayla said. "Gryffindor, I guess. Maybe Ravenclaw. My mum and Uncle Runaan were in Ravenclaw and my dad and Uncle Ethari were in Gryffindor."
"My parents and Aunt Amaya were in Ravenclaw, but my step-dad was in Gryffindor. It doesn't matter to me much which house I'm in as long as it's one of them. Of course, Mum says no one knows until they get to Hogwarts."
"You're all done, dearies," Madam Malkin said to both Callum and Rayla.
As Callum and Rayla removed their new robes, they could see Sarai and Ezran waiting at the front of the store with a man with dark skin and bleach blond hair.
"Mum," Callum said. "This is Rayla. She's going to Hogwarts for the first time this year, too."
"It's nice to meet you, Rayla," Sarai said. "Are you excited about going to Hogwarts?"
Rayla nodded.
"Do you have all your supplies?"
"Just my robes," Rayla said. "I still have to get my books and other things."
"I have to get my other supplies, too," Callum said. "Can Rayla come with us?"
Of course, Sarai and Ethari weren't going to split up two already fast friends. The first stop was the Apothecary to get Rayla and Callum's basic potion supplies.
"It's smells funny in here," Ezran said.
"It's the potion ingredients," Sarai told him.
All three children looked around the shop. The shelves were lined with all kinds of potion ingredients. While Sarai and Ethari talked to the man behind the counter about the supplies that Callum and Rayla would need for school, the kids explored the shop. Ezran looked at the silver unicorn horns.
"Are those real unicorn horns?" he asked.
"They are," Rayla said. "Unicorns shed their horns kind of like a buck does it's antlers. My parents are studying them in Africa."
She picked one up and showed it to the brothers. Sure enough, there was an indentation where a new horn had pushed the old one off. Feeling relieved that the unicorns weren't hurt to get their horns, Ezran looked around the shop with Callum and Rayla. All three children did their best to stay out of the way of the other customers. The shelves were lined with all kinds of interesting things. There were dried plants of all kinds as well as other things that none of them could identify. After leaving the Apothecary, the group went to several other stores where Rayla and Callum each got a pewter cauldron, brass scales and crystal phials, ink, quills, and parchment, and a silver telescope.
"All we have left to get are your books and wands," Ethari said as the little group made their way down the street.
But the kids weren't listening. They had found the broomstick shop.
"Look," Ezran said. "It's the new Shooting Star."
"I prefer the Sunbird. That's what I have," Rayla said. "What about you, Callum?"
"I have a Storm Dragon, so that's my favorite," Callum said. "I wish I could bring it to school and show you, but first-years aren't allowed to bring brooms."
"Children, come on," Sarai said. "We still have shopping to do."
The children knew that she was right. Callum and Rayla still needed to get their books and wands. Saving the wands for last, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. The store was busy but they managed to get Callum and Rayla each a copy of The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1), A History of Magic, Magical Theory, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Draughts and Potions, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Finally, it was time to get their wands.
"What's that?" Ezran asked pointing to a shop with drawn curtains.
"That's Eeylops Owl Emporium," Ethari said. "They sell owls there."
"Can we go in?" all three kids asked together.
"Maybe after we get your wands," Sarai said. "You never know how long it will take."
Sarai was right. It took nearly an hour before they were able to leave Ollivander's with two new wands (one twelve inch willow with a unicorn hair for Rayla and one twelve-and-a-half inch mahogany with a phoenix feather for Callum).
"Can we go look at the owls now? Please?" Ezran asked.
There was still time before their trains left.
"Alright," Ethari said. "But no arguing when we say it's time to leave."
The shop was filled with every kind of owl there was; all in cages hooting as if to say "Pick me. Pick me". There were big screech owls, tiny elf owls, beautiful snow owls, and quick-footed burrowing owls. Two barn owls, so white they could have been mistaken for snow owls, caught Callum and Rayla's eyes. They were so pretty and Callum and Rayla had both wanted owls. Nearly every kid in a wizard family wanted an owl and their letters did say they could have one.
"Can we have these two?" Callum asked.
"Please," Rayla said. "I still have the money Mum and Dad sent me for my birthday."
"And I have the money Aunt Amaya sent me for my birthday," Callum said.
They were both promised some kind of pet when they went to Hogwarts. With Sarai and Ethari's permission, Rayla and Callum left the shop with their new owls.
"They're real pretty," Ezran said. "What are you going to name them?"
"This is Zym," Callum said.
"And this is Zuiba," said Rayla.
The two families said goodbye at the train station after promising to get together before Callum and Rayla had to leave for school.
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Rayla's home in the country was spacious and far away from the Muggles that Callum and Rayla could fly on their brooms. It was a week before Callum and Rayla had to leave for school. Ezran was using Ethari's old broom and all three children were tossing a ball to each other. While the children played, the adults talked. And, considering that Harrow and Runaan both worked for the Ministery of Magic, they had a lot to talk about.
"The minister needs to rethink his policy on foreign trade," Harrow was saying to Runaan.
"I agree," Runaan said. "The amount of jobs that will open up is beneficial. And the children will benefit from learning about the magical communities in other countries."
"Unfortunately, he won't," Sarai said. "He doesn't trust the other governments."
It had been a topic of conversation. Even Ethari, who didn't work at the Ministery, and Sarai, who hadn't worked there since Ezran was born, knew about it. But their were other topics to talk about as well.
"Callum's been excited about going to Hogwarts ever since his friend Sorren got back from his first year," Saria said.
"Rayla's excited, too," Ethari said. "She's counting the days until we have to leave for the station."
"It's going to be quite with Rayla away at school," Runaan said. "She's been living here since she was a little girl."
That was the hardest part of sending Callum and Rayla to Hogwarts. With the exception of the Christmas holiday, they'd be away the whole school year.
"Kids," Sarai called. "The food's ready."
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Callum and Rayla's last week before school passed by quickly. Before long it was time to leave for King's Cross and Platform 9 3/4. While Harrow and Runaan loaded their trunks on the scarlet Hogwarts Express, Callum and Rayla said their goodbyes to Sarai, Ezran, and Ethari.
"We'll send Zym and Zuiba as soon as we're settled," Callum promised.
"And we'll be back for the Christmas holiday," Rayla said.
"Just remember to do your best and listen to your teachers," Sarai told them.
"And remember that, no matter what, we're proud of you," Ethari said.
Callum and Rayla joined the other students on the train and found an empty compartment. Looking out the window, they waved goodbye to their families as the train pulled out of the station and headed for Hogwarts.