The Sinner and the Traitor

“Silas! Silas! It came! It finally came!” I came bursting through the double black French doors of the house and nearly fell down in excitement. My Hogwarts letter had finally come via owl and I was just exploding with happiness. I was always upset when Silas was able to talk about his own stories of fun and adventure when I was stuck at home with the evil being called my parents. Thankfully when the Aurors came and claimed their lives Silas was old enough to take guardianship of me. I shed no tear when I heard they were gone, which angered Silas but there was nothing he could do. How could I be okay with them gone? Very easily. No more beatings just for liking music that muggles made, or being a fan of a Quidditch player who was a Gryffindor when they went to school.

Silas looked up from his Daily Prophet and smiled at me. I leapt into his arms to give him a hug. Finally, I was able to make my own memories and live life outside of these four walls called home. No more would the last name Beyer keep me from making friends. There was no way EVERYONE at Hogwarts knew how evil my parents were. Right?

“Just now? I got my letter WEEKS ago!” I growled under my breath and Silas chuckled. I didn’t realize we had company.

I let go of my brother and turned towards the evil little prat called Draco Malfoy. “Who let YOU in Malfoy.” I sneered at him in disgust.

“Your brother actually. My father stopped by to talk to him about some business but had to leave for a few minutes to-.” He paused then grinned. “Finish something at work.”

I knew exactly what ‘business’ he was referring to. That family disgusted me. I turned away from him and back to Silas. “When can we go shopping? Can we go now? Please!”

I was jumping up and down with excitement once more. I wasn’t going to let that silly little arse ruin ANYTHING for me. Silas put his hands on my shoulder to keep me from jumping out of my skin.

“Woah there sis! I’m glad you are excited but we have Draco with us right now-.”

“So leave him here to rot! I hope the house elves eat him!” I glared at the boy behind me and stuck my tongue out at him. Silas’s smile turned into a frown.

“Vanessa, you will stop insulting our guest. Immediately!” I flinched as his voice boomed at me. Silas had never struck me before but when he got angry it was enough to scare me into acting right. “Apologize. NOW!”

“Sorry.” I mumbled and I watched as Draco repeated my action and stuck his tongue out at me. I looked at Silas with a bit of resentment, fear, and a bit of hurt. He knew Malfoy and I didn’t get along but somehow we were always shoved together.

Silas pinched the bridge of his noise and sighed in defeat. “I’m sorry for yelling at you V.”

I didn’t look at him but merely nodded. I felt the stinging in the back of my eyes and I fought to keep from crying in front of Draco. That was all I needed was for him to see me crying and tell everyone at Hogwarts what a cry baby I was.

“Ah! There you are Silas. What’s going on in here?” Lucius came walking in fixing his gloves on his hand. I wonder who’s blood he had to wash off before coming back here? Then again, it’s best if I didn’t know.

Silas looked at me as I continued to gaze at the floor before he turned to Lucius and answered. “I was about to take Vanessa shopping for her school supplies. She just got her school letter in the mail.”

“Yes school will be starting soon. I completely forgot. Draco!” Draco stood up straighter and turned to his father. “Do you have your list on you?”

“No father.” He mumbled. Lucius’s eyes turned into slits.

“How can you possible know what to buy if you don’t carry what you need with you? Foolish boy.” I frowned at his quick Lucius was to turn on his son. What child in their right mind would care their school list around with them? I rolled my eyes.

“Dobby!” Lucius yelled and I screeched in fright as the Malfoy’s house elf magically appeared in front of me scaring me. “Grab Draco’s school list and come back here immediately.”

Dobby wasn’t even allowed to speak before being sent off as soon as he appeared. He returned with a folded piece of paper and presented it to Draco who snatched it out of his hands with a sneer. I frown at Draco. We Beyer’s may have house elves but at least we treated them nicely. Well, I did. Silas tried but failed all the time.

“Does Master wish for anything else for Dobby to do?” He quivered and I felt bad. I liked Dobby. I always offered him a smile and a small chat whenever I could. But in all honesty I avoided the Malfoy’s mansion as often as I could so I didn’t have to see them so I never really saw Dobby.

“No. Now get lost.” Lucius sneered at him and Dobby quickly vanished once more. “Now, you ready to leave Silas?”

Silas looked just as shocked as I felt. Did he really just invite himself on MY shopping trip with my brother? We never really spent any time together outside of the house as it was now I finally get the chance and I have to share it with them?! I looked to my old brother begging with my eyes to tell them to leave but Silas would never do such a thing. Not to Lucius anyways.

“Yes. Vanessa, go grab our cloaks please.” I stood there for a second before walking away to do as I was told.

When I returned everyone was ready and soon we apparated to Diagon Alley in front of Ollivander’s Wand Shop. I squealed in excitement and rushed for the door. Draco said something about girls being weird but I didn’t care. I pushed the door open and soon was the desk. Ollivander himself froze as I came through the door and I realized he looked nervous. I felt a pang. So he recognized me. I bet it didn’t help that I had Silas and the Malfoy’s with me either. Ollivander cleared his throat and walked towards me.

“Vanessa Beyer and Draco Malfoy. I figured you two would be here any day now.” He said with a forced smile.

“I’d like to purchase a wand please!” I said excitedly jumping up and down again. I could basically hear my brother rolling his eyes in annoyance at me. Ollivander looked at me, and I mean actually looked at me before a real smiled graced his elderly face.

“Well lets see what we can get for you.” He went to the back to go looking. Draco started huffing and moaning about how he was taking too long back there. I had to stop myself from telling him to shut up or punching him. Maybe both sounded good.

Ollivander came back with 2 boxes and handed them to us. One for each. Draco’s wand made a pretty little spark at the tip before it did nothing else. Ollivander frowned and muttered something along the lines of ‘Like father, like son.’

“That’s a 10 inch made of hawthorn wood with unicorn hair as the core.” He sounded almost bored saying that.

“Father look! It’s just like yours!” Draco said smiling at his father who looked proud for a split second. I picked up my own wand that was handed to me but nothing happened. Ollivander frowned before telling me to wave it. I did and one of the wand shelves was forced backwards violently. Ollivander looked at me before shaking his head.

“Definitely not that one.” He took it back and went looking again.

“Father can we leave? Obviously Vanessa had to take forever picking a wand.” Draco rolled his eyes at me and his father smacked him in the back of his head with his cane. I smirked.

“Draco. Manners.” Lucius said with a growl to his son but he himself looked bored yet slightly curious at what was going on. Did I do something wrong? Was I not a witch?! That couldn’t be though because I got my letter. What if it was a mistake??

I felt the blood drain from my face in fear at the thought. My brother noticed I seemed to stiffen but didn’t say a word. Ollivander finally came back with 6 more boxes. Each one was a no go and I was near tears once more. Unicorn hair wands didn’t even do anything for me and Dragon heartstring just ended violently with something exploding.

Ollivander was in the back again when I turned to Silas scared. “Vanessa? What wrong?”

“What if it was a mistake? What if I’m not a witch?” I whispered to him in hopes that the Malfoy’s wouldn’t hear me.

“V, don’t be silly. You’re a Beyer!” He said that like it was enough to make me feel better. Squibs do appear in pure blooded magically families so just saying I was a Beyer didn’t make me feel better. I turned back to Ollivander with the tears threatening to spill when I noticed he had a single box. I looked at him confused but he was staring at the box like it was a test. He handed the box to me and waited for me to do something. I looked at him confused before opening the white box and taking out the beautifully crafted wand inside. It was a medium brown colored wood that held a tint of red to it. The moment I grabbed it however was the moment I felt a sort of pleasure rush go down my body. There were little fireworks that flew out and filled the room along with a sort of little heat wave before they disappeared.

“That was very interesting.” Ollivander said staring at me in amazement.

“What? Is it supposed to do that?” I looked at everyone who was staring at me.

“That is a 8 inch wand made of Olive wood with a Phoenix feather as it’s core. No one in your family has ever had a wand made from Olive wood, let alone one with a Phoenix feather. I have a feeling you are going to be a very powerful witch Miss Beyer. One that will amaze everyone she meets.” He winked at me and I smiled pleased that I was worried for nothing. I turned to Lucius and Silas who were both frowning at me. I stopped smiling and froze.

“Let’s go. We have more shopping to do.” Silas said with a chilling tone. I didn’t say another word but hurried after him.

“You just had to ruin the day didn’t you?” Draco said rudely but honestly I had no witty comment for that. I just wanted to know why everyone was mad at me.

“What’s going on Draco? What did I do?” I asked quietly and I seemed to catch Draco off guard because he lost his angry face and actually looked at me confused.

“Your wand. It’s made of Olive wood made from Olive trees. Olive tree represent purity and goodness. No Death Eater would ever have a wand from an Olive tree.”

“But, I’m NOT a Death Eater.” I whispered. Draco looked at me sadly.

“You’re a Beyer. No Beyer has ever not been evil. You better get used to it Vanessa.”

Draco kept walking as I stopped to watch him leave. Was I always to be defined by my last name? Why did I have to be so different from my family? The way that Silas acted made me feel like I commited the highest of treasons against the family. The wand chooses the witch or wizard right? Then why was I being blamed for something a piece of wood did?

I stared at the wand in my little hands before I held it too my chest. For whatever reason, this wand chose me and I was going to care for it like it was a child. This wand was going to be with me till death. It will protect me, make me laugh, and even one day be buried with me. I will cherish it.

I kept staring after the Malfoy’s and my brother as they kept walking away from me down Diagon Alley. So I was different, so what? That just made life more interesting. Draco stopped and noticed I still hadn’t caught up.

“Hurry up there Beyer! We haven’t got all day.” At the sound of my last name a few shoppers quickly glanced my way before scurrying away in fright. I frown at Draco who merely smirked and winked at me. I swear the first curse I learned I would try out on him. I smirked myself at the thought. Yes, that sounded like a good plan.

With that I ran after them.