Give It a Year

Her back ached from its constant still movement, she was hunched over a book her older brother gave her in the dim lighting of a candle. It was a strain to read and her eyes were dry and irritated but she ignored the pain and continued reading the book.
She was small, the book was just about as big as her, but she let the brain do the heavy lifting by taking in all these chunks of information.

Piled beside her was a mountain of dusty used books, it reached higher than she could stand. Putting her brain on strain was for a reason though, in order for her to study further she must put in all the effort, she couldn’t disappoint her father, she just couldn’t. Not to mention her brothers reputation seemed quite large from what she has been told, she couldn’t ravish the family name.

Her name, why it’s Valora Diggory. A beautiful name of course, her mother named her before she passed after delivering her. Like the other Diggory’s she picked up the brown hair and grey eyes trait, better yet even the magic. You see, The Diggory’s are Pure Blood Witches and Wizards. They studied at the finest school yet, Hogwarts School for Witch Craft and Wizardry. Her Brother, Cedric, is going into his third year at Hogwarts this school year and Valora waits on the side silently praying that she’ll begin her first school year at Hogwarts.

Cedric was, I guess you could say, an over achiever, he seemed to get perfect grades and everyone just liked him. Their father Amos was proud, don’t get me wrong here, he was proud of Valora too, she was just younger and hadn’t even done a good achievement let alone gone to Hogwarts. Though she waited patiently and hoped she’d get that letter.

Her reading was disturbed by the quiet knocking of her brother. She huffed out a breath reluctant to move from her spot, but got up in a struggle and slowly opened the door.
Her brother was grinning, more than she’d ever seen him since he came back from his first year. His grin could’ve been from ear to ear it’s how big and wide it was. A simple gesture as to holding up a piece of paper with her name on it changed her life.

Her heart seemed to have stopped momentarily as she studied the small envelope, she screamed and jumped for Joy, yanking the envelope out of her brothers hand and hugging him ever so tightly. Now she and her brother were grinning ear to ear. It was a great day that only go better, her father joined the commotion confused as to why screaming echoed through the house and why the floor boards shook.

She held up the envelope and his eyes filled with joy, he was proud. Proud of her to be specific for once she could see it in his eyes how proud he was of her. “We have to go to Diagon alley right now father!” she yelled excitedly. The three rejoiced into her acceptance but her father put a large comforting hand on her shoulder and spoke calmer, “Valora dear, we’ll go tomorrow, Ceddy will take you, its far too late now and if we get in earlier we can fit you just right for your clothes. Ceddy will read through the requirements with you now.” He smiled brightly at her as she did him, then he kissed her on the forehead, leaving the two siblings to babble.

~Diagon Alley~

“I think you should get your wand first.” Cedric spoke over the commotion of shoppers and tried his very best to not lose his small sister in the ocean of witches and wizards. They had just barely made it out of Gringotts alive. The place is a mad house, as Cedric spoke only moments ago.
“Okay! What do you think I’ll get?” she jumped for joy, the thought of her very own wand amazed her, it was her time to come and she was well ready.

He chuckled and shrugged, he was very proud of her and very happy to see her so excited over small things like what her cauldron will look like or her set of brass scales. He pulled her into Ollivanders, he felt comforted as he was here only a mere 3 years ago looking for his wand.
Mr Ollivander rose from the back of his shop and greeted kindly to Cedric and Valora, “Ah Mr Diggory, so nice to you again. And ah my dear Valora, I’ve been expecting you.” Her eyes lit up as she looked up at Ollivander amazed, she was shaking, her whole body vibrating from excitement. “Got some energy, doesn’t she, ah I think I know just the one.” He hobbled around and picked a dusty box from the third shelf on the right in the second aisle.

When he returned he mumbled mumbo jumbo to her then he held the box down so she could lift the wand up and she carefully pulled it out of the box. “Give it a wave.” He nodded and encouraged her, she couldn’t help but feel reckless doing so but she did. A small flame sparked setting some papers on fire. She widened her eyes and sheepishly put the wand back in, she thought the excitement got the best of her.
“Oh dear, hmm ah this one shall do.” She hadn’t even noticed he’d gone to pick another, this time she was far more calm and listened to his mumbo jumbo, “11¾ inches maple and dragon heartstring.”

And she felt it, the tingle right up her arm, it was the one. She grew excited and grinned at Ollivander, “Thank you Mr Ollivander!” she looked between her brother and Ollivander, who both seemed to have smiled at her. She looked at her wand and wouldn’t take her eyes off it, even when her brother payed she was still mesmerised by it.
He sadly had to put her awe to an end, he didn’t want it getting lost so he put it back in the box but let her hold. “Where too next?” Cedric smiled at her. She decided getting her robes fitted would be appropriate then after that she wanted to choose her animal.

Her robes were fitted quicker than she thought, she added the robes to her piling tower of boxes to hold. “I’ll go get us some food, here’s some Galleons for an animal and I’ll take your stuff.” He smiled at her, she grinned back and ran inside eager to find preferably a cat for her time during Hogwarts.
She walked around, up and down aisles anxiously pacing until she found the perfect one. Although in the midst of her pacing she finally came across the perfect looking cat. She found it looked similar to the one in some book she read in Greek history, a Lynx.

It was a mere kitten that walked up the front of the cage and rubbed up against it.
“Oh she likes yer.” A gruff voice from behind spoke, she jumped with a fright and turned but didn’t see.. well anything. Her eyes move their way up and up and up and up until landing on a kind face surrounded by a mess of dark thick curly hair and a beard. “Sorry I er scared yer, I’m Hagrid, and that yer lookin’ at is a beaut of an animal, very loyal n kind.”

She grinned up at him and nodded eagerly, “Thank you mister, I think I’ll take her she’s beautiful .” somehow through all the noise she managed to get the attention of the shop owner who came to her side right away. She was small and plump, the owner was, dark hair and very welcoming. “She’s a handful though, don’t keep her cooped up inside all the time alright? her mother was just like her I’ll tell you right now, anyway, she’s a meat eater so give her some raw meat before bed.” She smiled at Valora than to the tall man Hagrid.

“you buying too?” the lady stopped and asked Hagrid. “oh no no, I er just came in ‘ere but maybe an owl will er work out better.” He smiled and made his way out.
Valora kindly paid and happily walked out with her new pet. Nyx she named her on her way to meet her brother.