The Golden Quartet: Year 1

Chapter 1

“Mum! Where’s my list of school supplies?!” Astrid yelled and she tore apart her room.

Amilia sighed and poked her head into the door way, “Where was the last place you put it?”

“If I knew that I wouldn’t be asking you, would I?” Astrid said in a condescending tone and rolled her gray eyes.

“Oh, don’t you take that tone with me.” Amilia took a step into the room and placed her hands on her hips.

Astrid dropped the stack of papers in her hands onto the desk and turned to face her mom and said dryly, “Sorry.” Amilia raised her eyebrow threateningly, “Okay, okay, okay!” Astrid put up her hands, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

“What’s the point of being psychic, if you’re completely useless?” Athena stated as she leaned against the door-frame of Astrid’s room.

Astrid glared at her older sister, “It’s not my fault that visions come randomly! And I’m not useless. You’re useless.”

Athena rolled her eyes.

“Astrid,” Amilia walked over to Astrid’s bed and picked up a piece of paper. “Is this not the list?”

Astrid turned from Athena and took the paper her mother held out for her. “Oh, well, will you look at that…”

“You’re completely daft.” Athena quickly turned and left, whipping her long brown hair behind her.

“You’re completely daft…” Astrid mumbled.

Amilia rolled her eyes, “Children.”

“I am not a child!” Astrid began to follow her mother into the hall. “I am eleven years old.”

Amilia let out a laugh, “You’re like your father.”

“If by that you mean, extremely good looking, funny, and brave then, yes, yes I am.” Astrid gave her mother a charming smile and batted her dark eyelashes that outlined her gray eyes.

“Too much like your father.” Amilia stated flatly.

Athena came running down the hall holding a paper in her hand and yelled, “Okay, I’ve got my list! Let’s go to Diagon Alley already!”

~~~

“And Astrid,” Amilia looked down and her daughter with raised eyebrows, “for once, will you not wonder off on your own while we’re here?”

Astrid flashed her mom a smile but her eyes continued to look around at all the marvelous shops that made up Diagon Alley. “I can’t make any promises.” Amilia gave out a heavy sigh and rolled her light honey-green eyes.

“Fine. Here, just take this and go.” Amilia produced a brown pouch from her pocket and handed it over to Astrid who was beaming.

“Hey!” Athena protested, “Why can she go shopping on her own? I’m the older one!” Athena glared at both her mother and younger sister with sharp green-honey eyes with flecks of gray.

“Because, I’m stronger at magic than you are.” Astrid shot her a cocky smile.

“That’s not even true! You haven’t even practiced any spells! You don’t even have a wand!” Athena looked down at her sister who was only about an inch shorter than her five foot frame.

“Yeah, then how did I transfigure you into a donnkey that one time? Or made you vanish from the house? Or switched your hands with your feet? Huh? How?” Astrid placed her hands on her hips and looked up at her sister with a smug look.

“You did all that by accident!” Athena yelled in frustration.

“Nuh-uh. I just said that to mum so I wouldn’t get in trouble!”

“Excuse me?” Amilia raised an eyebrow and towered over Astrid.

“Uh, nothing! I’m gonna go get my wand now!” And with that Astrid ran off toward Ollivander’s wand shop. She bumped into many witches and wizards while excitedly running towards the shop earning a lot of “Hey’s!” and “Watch it’s!”.

A rough bump of shoulders earned Astrid a scolding, “Will you watch where you are going?! So rude!” from a bushy haired girl who looked to be around Astrid’s age, but Astrid kept on running and did not slow down until she was standing right outside the door of the famous wand shop. Many years she walked past the wand shop, dreaming of the day she would be able to go in and receive the wand that would become a part of her. With a deep inhale of air, she grabbed the door handle and pushed the old door open. A tinkling bell that hung on the door frame rang and Astrid quickly stepped in the dark shop and closed the door.

“Ah, I see we are greeted with another guest.” A mystified voice said and Astrid looked up to see an old man with wide, pale eyes and wiry white hair standing behind a dark and dusty counter.

Then Astrid’s eyes landed on a boy who quickly turned around to look at Astrid. He had a mess of dark hair on his head and circular glasses that framed around his vivid green eyes.

Astrid blinked a few times and then dismissed the presence of the boy, turned to look at Ollivander, and took a few steps into the shop that looked gloomy and had thousands of narrow boxes piled right up to the ceiling. “I’ve waited eleven years for this.” Astrid said and then quickly walked over to the counter and dropped the bag of coins. She held out her hand and flashed a smile, “My wand please!”

Ollivander took his wide eyes off Astrid and looked at the boy and Astrid sighed. “Oh alright, I’ll wait.” Astrid turned on her heel and went to sit on an ancient looking chair that was in the corner of the room.

“Here, try this one then. Ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy. Go on, give it a wave.” The boy looked away from Astrid and down at the wand Ollivander held out for him and then cautiously took it. He waved it once which caused a small glass vase to shatter and Astrid to jump slightly.

“No, no, definitely not.” Ollivander took the wand away from the boy and placed it down and then went to the shelves of wands. “I wonder…” Ollivander pulled a box from the shelves and turned his head to look at the boy with an ominous look that slightly crept out Astrid.

Then quickly Ollivander scurried over to the boy and held out the wand for him to take. Again with caution the boy slowly took the wand and held it above his head and then brought it swishing down and a stream of red and gold sparks shot out from the tip, causing the once dark shop to glow brilliantly.

Astrid noted the colors that shot out of his wand happened to be the same colors of Gryffindor and smiled lightly. Just as Astrid was about to introduce herself to the boy Ollivander spoke softly. “Curious… very curious…”

“Sorry, but what’s curious?” The boy asked as he put the wand back into its box.

Ollivander’s misty eyes were fixed on the boy’s face, “I remember every wand I’ve ever sold, Mr. Potter.” Astrid’s heart involuntarily jumped and her eyes widened dramatically as her eyes fixated on the boy’s head. “Every single wand.” Ollivander continued, not noticing Astrid slowly standing up from the chair. “It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather – just one other. It is very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar.”

Scar? Astrid thought. She strode over to the boy, placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him around, “Harry?” Astrid tried to keep her voice calm as the green eyed boy looked at her in slight wonder. “You’re Harry Potter.”

Harry gave a slight nod, “Yes, er, who are-“

But before Harry could finish, Astrid threw her arms around him and pulled him into a tight hug.

Harry kept his arms at his side as he blinked in bewilderment. Harry knew that people might react happily to see him, from his experience with all the people in The Leaky Cauldron, but he didn’t think someone would react like this.

“Harry Potter…” Astrid whispered and Harry felt her cool breath on his neck making him shiver slightly. Astrid suddenly went rigid and then jumped away from Harry. Before Harry could see anything she twirled around, whipping her long brown hair behind her.

“I am not crying, Harry.” She stated firmly and though she wasn’t looking, Harry nodded. Astrid inhaled a deep breath and rubbed her eyes profusely. Though she dreamed of the day she would receive her wand, she counted8 the days she would meet Harry Potter. Not because he was famous. Not because he stopped the darkest wizard ever to walk the Earth. But because they should have grown up together. She should see him as a brother or a best friend right now, not as a stranger. She knew much about his parents because of the stories her mother would tell, but she knew nothing of Harry. She didn’t know his favorite color, his favorite food, or his favorite Quidditch team.

Who was Harry Potter?

She turned around and held her head high and then shot out her arm, “My name is Astrid Moody.” Harry took her hand and shook it and gave a small smile. “Sorry about that hug. I don’t usually do that, but, you know, you’re Harry Potter.” Astrid wasn’t sure how much Harry knew of the wizarding world or if he knew anything about her or her family. She didn’t want to say anything that could possibly overwhelm him.

In the heat of the moment, Astrid even made the decision to go by her mother’s surname. Athena too made that choice when she was entering Hogwarts. Her mother gave them the option to go by Moody or Black. She wouldn’t force her children to be judged off the bat by a last name. She knew if they went in under the name of Black that they would be treated differently.

There was a tap on the glass window of the shop causing them to both jump and see a burly giant, known as Hagrid, at the window, holding up a caged snowy white owl. He waved happily at Harry whose eyes then gleamed in excitement and he grinned.

Harry turned back to Ollivander and paid him seven gold Galleons for his wand, “Mr. Potter,” Ollivander said before Harry could turn back to Astrid and then leave, “Remember, the wand chooses the wizard… I think we must expect great things from you, Mr. Potter… After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things – terrible, yes, but great.” Astrid clenched her jaw and fist and noted a shiver ran through Harry.

Harry then turned to Astrid who relaxed, “Er, I guess I’ll see you around?”

Astrid smiled and nodded and just then a tingling feeling ran through her likes waves of energy and vague images of her, Harry, a boy with red hair, and a girl would looked familiar, were together wearing Gryffindor ties, flashed through her mind. “Definitely. Especially seeing as we’ll both be in Gryffindor.”

“What?” Harry looked confused.

Astrid smile and waved him away, “Never mind. I’ll see you later, Harry.” Harry smiled back and left the shop.

Astrid turned to Ollivander, shot out her hand, palm facing up, and stated, “My wand, please.”

~~~

“Rowan, phoenix feather, thirteen and a half inches.” Ollivander said as Astrid looked down at the wand in her hand. A feeling of warmth and pure magic coursed through her like the blood that pumped through her veins, giving her life. “This wand is powerful and precise, though it might be unpredictable at times. It has a deep impact on an inner nature of things and due to that fact it can be used in high-level magic practices… very good for active defense…”

“It’s perfect…” Astrid whispered. She grinned and quickly paid Ollivander. “Thanks!” She turned on her heel and left the store, beaming down at the wand in her hand.

“Have you got your precious wand then?” Astrid eyes landed on Athena who was carrying a covered cage in each hand and stood next to their mother, who was carrying several bags.

Astrid held it up, “Yes! It’s amazing, isn’t it? He said ‘this wand is powerful and precise… it has a deep impact on inner nature’ or whatever and ‘it can be used in high-level magic practices’ and it’s ‘very good for active defense’! Aha! Isn’t that great?!”

Athena put down the cages and quickly snatched the wand from her sister’s hand and inspected it. “There’s too much going on with it. I prefer a wand that is more elegant and simpler and-“

“Dull.”Astrid snatched her wand back. Astrid then crouched down and went to lift the cover of one of the cages but Athena grabbed her wrist, “That one is mine. I had to get one, seeing as Warty has yet to show up.” She glared at Astrid who averted her gaze. “That one is yours.”

Astrid turned to the other cage and slowly lifted its cover. Astrid’s eyes widened at the sight of a hawk. Its chest was white, its wings and head were brown and gray, its beak was yellow at the base but the rest of it was also gray, and its sharp eyes were beautiful liquid silver.

“It’s a Ferruginous hawk. They're quick and very precise. It’s also known to be very aggressive. So, naturally, we knew he was meant for you.” Amilia stated with a wave of her hand.

“He’s gorgeous! Does he already have a name?” Astrid asked with glee in her eyes.

“Nope.” said Amilia.

“I named mine,” Athena lifted the cover off of the other cage to reveal another hawk that was both smaller and of different coloring than Astrid’s bird, “Aldara. It means ‘winged gift’ in Greek. She’s a Red-shouldered hawk.” Its body and head were a light red-clay color, its wings were black and white, its beak was yellow at the base and the rest was black, and its eyes were dark brown.

Astrid looked back at her hawk and pondered for a moment before saying, “Xander.”

“What? But it’s tradition for our family to give names that start with an ‘A’.” Athena said. “Our great grandparents were Amilia and Archer then they had our grandmother, Aubrianne Amilia, who had our uncle, Alastor Archer, and our mom, Amilia Aubrianne, who had me, Athena Aubri, and you, Astrid Anne. See? ‘A’ is tradition.” Athena let out a heavy breath of air.

Astrid rolled her eyes, “What a stupid tradition... Fine, then, Alexander. Or just, Xander for short.” She smiled in triumph.

“Xander is just fine.” Amilia said. “Come on, we still need to get your cauldron and robes.”

As Amilia walked ahead, Astrid leaned over and whispered in Athena’s ear, “I met him.”

Athena raised an eyebrow, “Met who?”

“Harry Potter.”

Athena stopped dead in her tracks and nearly dropped her hawk. She gawked at Astrid, “What? Where? When?”

“He was in Ollivanders before I got there.”

“What did you say? What did you do?”

“I sort of… hugged him.”

“You hugged him?”

“Yup. It was just a reaction, you know? He was just there, some random kid, and then Ollivander called him, ‘Mr. Potter’ and mentioned his scar-“

“His scar! Did you see it?”

“No, I actually completely forgot about it. Athena… his eyes! They’re just like Lily’s. But he looks like James! He even has the glasses and horribly messy hair!”

“Alright, alright, so what happened when you hugged him?”

“Well, like I said, it was just a reaction, so when I realized what I was doing I, of course, stopped.”

“Did he hug you back?”

“Would you hug some random person who decided just to hug you?”

“No.”

“Exactly.”

“Then what happened?”

“Nothing much. I just introduced myself to him.”

“As what?”

“… Moody.”

Athena gave her a meek smile, “I think that was a good choice. Make friends first, and then when you’re ready, tell them. If they’re your true friends, it shouldn’t matter.”

Astrid searched Athena’s face, “Have you told any of your friends?”

Athena looked to the ground and after a moment looked back up at Astrid, “No… I’m not as brave as you are.”

“But you’re in Gryffindor.”

“Sometimes bravery doesn’t come as easily to some as it does to others.” She said with a shrug as they proceeded to walk.

“Should I tell mum?” Astrid asked.

“Not now. When we get home. If you tell her now, she’d hunt him down and probably try to take him home with us.” They both smiled.

“So... you think I’m brave?” Astrid had a cocky smile.

Athena rolled her eyes, “Just like dad.”

~~~

“What do you mean you met Harry?” Amilia placed her hands down on the kitchen table and towered over Astrid.

Astrid shrunk into her chair and put down her fork and looked at Athena for help who shook her head and shrugged, not knowing what to do or say. “I met him in Ollivanders. It was very brief, mummy.” Astrid finally said looking up at her mother.

Mixed feelings jumbled in Amilia as she looked down at her daughter. She was happy that Harry was okay and managing, sad because she hadn’t seen or talked to him, and angry at her daughter for barely telling her at dinner.

“Why didn’t you tell me while we were there?” Amilia demanded.

“Well, we figured it would be best if we told you here, at home.” Athena finally spoke up.

Amilia practically snapped her neck when she quickly turned her head to look at Athena. “Oh, and you know what’s best, do you?”

Athena shrunk into her seat and looked down at her plate, “No…”

Amilia looked back at Astrid who looked terrified, “Well, why didn’t you tell me? You know-“ her voice wavered and she began to breathe heavily. She inhaled a deep breath to calm down and sat down in her seat across from Astrid. Amilia placed her elbows on the table and held her face in her palms. “You know how much… how much he means to me.” She whispered. “You know that I’ve wanted to see him, everyday since… Why would you not tell me he was there?”

“Well, what would you have done, mum?” Athena spoke, sitting up straight. “Say we found him at Diagon Alley, what would you have done? Would you have just said ‘hello’ and given him a hug and we’d go on our merry way? No. You would have hugged him and probably never let go. You would begin spilling who you are and about his parents and about everything. Don’t you think that would have been too much for him? Too overwhelming?”

Amilia raised her head and looked at Athena through the corners of her eyes, “You’re twelve. Why the bloody hell are you so rational? That’s not normal.” She cracked a smile and the atmosphere lightened.

“Ha! You’re abnormal!” Astrid laughed.

“Your face is abnormal.” Athena mumbled and Amilia laughed lightly.

“What? Why is it when she does it you laugh?” Astrid asked her mom.

“Because when she does it, it actually makes sense.” Amilia stated honestly.

“Pah! Mine do too make sense!”

“No they don’t.” said Athena.

“Your face… don’t… Ah, forget you guys!” Astrid left the kitchen to her room as her mom and sister laughed.

~~~

“Mummy?” Astrid called for her mom once she tucked herself into bed.

After a short moment Amilia stepped into the room, “Yes?”

“When can I hear the story again?” Astrid asked with a small pout.

“What story?” Amilia asked.

“The one about you and dad. I haven’t heard it since I was five. I can barely remember any of it.” She mumbled.

Amilia sighed and walked over to her daughter’s bedside and sat on the bed. “That’s a very long story.”

“I know… but I can’t remember it. I wanna remember.”

Amilia began running her fingers through Astrid’s soft black hair and Astrid’s eyes began to flutter close, “I know you do…” It had been over a decade since the Marauder days at Hogwarts and it made Amilia feel bereaved that she could barely remember it herself.