The sort of quiet that came from people settling in for a busy day ahead of them, rather than relaxing after one—chairs pulled closer, voices lowered, conversations stretching instead of moving. I soon finished wiping tables and returned the cloth to its hook, hands clean, posture straight as I was taught.
I was about to head upstairs to get my money pouch,school supply list and go get the rest of the supplies, when I noticed a little girl.
She couldn’t have been older than six, seven at most. Brown curls pulled back with a ribbon that had lost its battle with gravity sometime before breakfast.
She sat on a stool much too tall for her, feet swinging idly, eyes tracking everything with open curiosity. Hands crossed tight, in what seemed like a small argument with her parents about not being allowed to do magic yet.
Her parents were mid-conversation behind her. Important conversation, judging by their tone. The sort that assumes children will entertain themselves.
She noticed me looking.
I nodded politely and looked away again intending to move towards my room.
A moment later, I felt it—that particular sensation you get when you’re being watched with intent.
I glanced back.
She was staring at my hands.
“Did you do magic today?” she asked suddenly, arms unfolding and fingers waving as she mimicked what she thought was magic casting.
Her voice cut through the low murmur of the room with perfect clarity.
Her parents froze.
Several heads turned.
I did not panic.
“No,” I said calmly with a smile “Not wizard magic anyways. ”
She frowned. “Then what kind?”
I smiled to her
“You know there are a whole host of people who can't use magic at all?” I started to explain with a low calm voice.
I pulled a silver sickle from my pocket and started to roll it over my knuckles, like I taught myself to do a few years back when a Magician performed to the kids of the orphanage for Christmas.
"They had no magic of their own you see, yet yearned for wonder of magic nonetheless. So they made up an art of doing magic, without magic. Just to entertain each other in the cold winter nights by the fire. As well as evenings spent under stars in a warm summer air ” I said
painting a vivid picture for her as the glinting light on surface of the silver sickle mesmerized her eyes making them wider by the second
I suddenly stopped the coin at my fingertips prominently on display
“May I?” I asked,holding it up.
She nodded immediately.
I placed the coin on the palm of my left hand and closed its fingers over it. I raised a single finger from my right hand to get her attention from the fist
“Watch carefully,” I said with a low voice as if not to startle the magic away, but clearly enough that everyone watching heard well.
I gently blew air towards the fist and opened it again slowly one finger at the time.
Her mother, startled and turned to properly look at my hands,instead of sneaking glances from the corner of her eye“What—?”
The coin was gone.
“He’s a magician!” the girl announced proudly,her eyes widened with excitement.
I kept a small smile.
“Where did it go?” I asked her, looking at her scrutinisingly with a playful and judging look. As if to say surely you must know.
She leaned forward, scanning my sleeves, my other hand, the table. Eyes wide in excitement and smile wide in amazement
“I don’t know, I didn't see it at all ” she whispered, scandalized.
Her mother,looking at me equally curiously now.
I tilted my head, thoughtful. “That’s odd,I could have sworn it got attached to you”
Then, gently, I reached up and picked up a coin tucked behind her ear.
“There,” I said. “It just wandered a bit, perhaps it likes you”
She gasped. A full, sharp intake of breath, followed by laughter so sudden and delighted it turned several heads again.
Her father turned now too to look what the commotion was about.
The father smiled at her child's happiness.
The girl wasn’t done.
“Do it again,” she demanded.
I shook my head solemnly. “It only works once. Coins get shy you see”
I explained and vanished the coin again but it didn't reappear anymore, even though she looked.
“It's hiding now, perhaps you'll find it later since it seemed to like you, but only if you behave” I winked at her father and sneakily slipped the coin into her robe pocket.
She giggled at that,still feeling behind her ears with both hands.
Someone nearby chuckled.
A man at the next table slid a sickle across the wood toward me, tapping it once with his finger.
“For the show,” he said.
I hesitated—just long enough to be polite—then inclined my head.
“Thank you. ”
Soon a galleon appeared on the edge of the table next to the silver.
Then another.
Then a knut, then a sickle.
No one said anything. They just smiled. Parents did that particular thing parents do when someone made their child laugh without asking for anything in return.
The family drifted toward the washrooms, the girl babbling excitedly about the magic as if her parents hadn’t been there to see it themselves.
Almost all patrons that were following along dropped a coin or two next to the first sickle, and soon there was quite a pile there. I kept my face calm and showed none of the giddy excitement that I felt about the possibility of getting a book or even two more.
A few minutes later when all who wished to give me money had done so, after I swept all the coins in my robes pocket and asked Tom if he needed a percentage about this sudden windfall since I was technically on his time even if on the later end of it and definitely this was his place.
“No need for that lad,if you plan to make a regular show then we talk about such things, but one trick here and there just brings character to the old place” he said with jolly wave and laughter
”That was a neat bit of magic you did there, didn't you say you just learned about your magical side a few days ago so how did you do that?” he asked curiously.
I nodded politely with an enigmatic smile” l did indeed learn about my magical side,as you put it. Just a day before yesterday. ” I smiled more earnestly and added“ but this particular bit of magic, I learn independently, years before I ever even hear of Hogwarts" I added with a wink
Tom guffawed” ohho hoo Alex, it might be that me taking you in for the month might become my greatest fortune instead of me doing some charity for a polite, go-getter, orphan. ” Tom said straightforwardly without guile or malice accompanied by an appreciative nod. ” It seems I have a young prodigy in the house.
I just smiled back and turned to go to my room and noticed the little girl and her family ready to leave.
The girl waved at me as the family moved towards Diagon Ally entrance. The family was probably going to do their school shopping for the older child who had been silently reading a book next to his father. The girl was waving the sickle in her hand as she waved happily with a wide smile that split her whole face in two as she yelled” I found it! it was hiding in my pocket! Can I keep it?” She asked with an imploring smile.
I waved back with a smile and a nod.
The girl squeezed the coin to her chest with a happy smile and gave it a hug of pure delight.
Then she glanced victoriously at her parents and brother as they walked out.
Later, upstairs, I counted the coins carefully and set a portion aside. Goodwill was not something you should hoard so I intended to invest most of it in books.
A small bit was left aside for emergencies.
Always have a back up plan or three,that way when it rains you know what to do if the door happens to be locked.
Mary used to say that often, usually adding that standing still in the rain only guarantees you get soaked.
I took with me the list of supplies I still needed to get so I wouldn't forget anything. My intention is to get most, if not all supplies I need for the coming semester today so I can start to study and determine what extras I should possibly get.
I smoothed my jacket automatically — and froze. The fabric was creased.
Of course it was creased. We used to iron and fold everything each night at the orphanage—presentable at all times, just in case someone important walked through the door. Perhaps someone who intends to adopt one of us.
A knock sounded before I could decide whether I cared about it or not.
Tom didn’t wait for an answer before pushing the door open a crack.
“Are you planning to go out dressed like that?”
I glanced down at myself.
“It is structurally sound, although I must admit that I have neglected it a bit in my new found freedom from the orphanages rules and routines” I replied.
“It looks like you wrestled in it. Besides as my employee you need to look proper at all times if possible” Tom said dryly but clearly amused
He stepped inside without ceremony, a wand already in one hand, a small book in the other.
I went still,but didn't react any other way.
Tom gave my jacket a critical look, then a short, economical flick.
“Pressio. ”
The air shimmered faintly — subtle, contained. The wrinkles smoothed as if an invisible hand had run across the cloth. The fabric settled flat and clean against my frame.
Another flick.
My slacks followed.
He did not embellish the motion. No flourish. No wasted energy.
“I would do same to your shirt too but its a finicky bit of magic and dress shirts are so thing it might hurt you to do it while wearing it, well with my skill anyway, someone like Madam Malkin probably does it without a thought daily, but then again clothes are her life”
Tom rambled on then he tossed the book he was holding onto my desk.
Practical Domestic Charms, Revised Edition.
I picked it up carefully
The spine cracked faintly when opened.
“Household spells,” Tom said. “Cleaning, pressing, minor mending, temperature adjustments and many,many more— the sort of things schools rarely bother teaching. Things children raised around magic grow up using without thinking. ” He gave me a pointed look. “Might serve you well. Especially in the House I suspect you’ll land in. ”
There it was.
I ran my fingers lightly over the book’s cover.
“You mean Slytherin house” I said evenly without looking up from the book. It was silent for a moment then I continued
“I read about the Houses yesterday at Flourish and Blotts. ”
Tom grunted but didn’t interrupt.
“If there’s a choice, Ravenclaw might suit me better,it would seem much safer at least” I continued. “But if there isn’t… I reached the same conclusion you did. ”
Tom harruphed “ well yes what else is there your so clever and ambitious it almost shines through you physically”
I chuckled a bit “ I guess you're right. I assume this is not a gift?”
“It’s a loan. ”
I looked up from the book at Tom now with a sharp gaze
“Terms?”
Tom folded his arms.
“You do not cast outside your room. ”
I nodded
“You do not practice where guests can see. ”
Expected obviously. I gave another nod.
“You do not light anything on fire. ”
I gave a laugh at that” perhaps we can negotiate on that point some” I said only half a jest
Tom sputtered” absolutely not, you would probably burn down the whole house”
“And,” he added, voice flattening just slightly, “you keep in mind that underage magic outside school is illegal. ”
I looked up.
“illegal and heavily monitored?”
Tom’s eyes narrowed faintly.
“Yes,from a certain point of view. There's something called a trace on your wand, it can notify your magic use to the Ministry ”
A pause.
“Now,” he continued, “The Ministry can’t trace spells inside the Alley. Too much magic about. All muddled. But that doesn’t mean they won’t act if someone complains. ”
So only in non-magical environments should my magic be detectable to the Ministry.
“I see. ”
“Most families teach their kids a few charms early,” he said casually. “Just don’t get caught showing off. ”
I closed the book.
“I have no intention of showing off. ”
“That’s not what I’m worried about. ”
That earned a brief pause from me,and a raised eyebrow.
Tom pushed off the doorframe.
“You’re methodical,” he said. “Methodical lads push limits too, quieter perhaps than normal kids, but they still do it ”
I didn't deny it.
He gave me a long look.
“Be smart about it. ”
“I always am. ”
“That’s what all you kids claim, then boom!no more room. ” Tom exclaimed theatrically, with a knowing smirk.
Then he turned and headed back downstairs.
The door clicked shut.
I remained still for a moment lost in thought.
Then I looked at the blue book again, sighed then reluctantly put it away on my desk.
I had much to do and an ever growing list of things to do.
Books first? Or supplies?
Scribner’s Exchange might stretch the coin further…
No. Better secure the essentials first.
I stood for a moment longer, weighing the order of operations. Then I stepped toward my trunk. I would need it in order to get all my supplies back with me without a hassle. I slipped the new book Tom loaned for me inside the trunk. Partly to keep it safe and mostly just to have excuse to use my wand again as I shrank it with a tap and muttered “parvus”
I slid my wand back into its holster and took my suitcase sized trunk as I headed out with a heavy bag of money in my pocket practically burning a hole to my robe.
The Alley was properly awake already. I joined the crowd and instead of walking on its edges like before, I merged myself into the current. Less bothered by the crowds than before, hard to believe it was just a few days ago I joined the magical world.
I headed to Potage's Cauldron Shop,it took me little to no time at all to get there and soon I entered a narrow, metal-scented shop lined wall to wall with stacked cauldrons of different shapes, sizes and materials. Cauldrons hung from hooks like dull moons.
Some were put on a pedestal, they were made of more exotic materials to catch the eye, there were few scattered all over the shop. Particularly eye-catching one that seemed to have been made from a single piece of diamond, a huge one at that.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“First year student yeah? You’d be wanting the pewter,standard size two cauldron then,” said a calm voice somewhere near me. A voice jolted me out of my admiration of the jewel cauldron.
With a small effort I managed to rip my gaze off from it and locate the amused looking older gentleman who was most likely the proprietor.
“Yes indeed” I nodded with a slightly embarrassed smile.
The shopkeeper gave me a quick once-over. Not unkind.
Then he went to pick up a Cauldron that looked quite small in my opinion. Pewter cauldron was plain, solid, and balanced.
He checked the thickness of the base. The smoothness of the rim. Nodding to himself approvingly.
“I think it’s a good thing that the potions master of Hogwarts made it standardized,for students to use pewter cauldrons since there’s no real need for anything fancy at your level of potions. ”
He said in a conversational tone with a firm nod, as he packed the cauldron in a package. With a single flick of his wand and with another he shrunk the whole thing to ring box sized.
”In the not so distant past,there was no such thing, you see. Some folks with more money than sense went and bought their kids first cauldrons made of diamonds,gold or in one particular case, fire crab shell. Ha can you imagine the explosion that one made when a novice brewer put it on the flame without knowing it needs no flame at all”
I nodded without comment or actual knowledge of why the last cauldron didn't need any flame, and could easily imagine it exploding spectacularly if someone else who similarly had no idea about it did exactly that.
Payment was made without haggling. This was not a place to bargain. Tools are not where one cuts corners. The cauldron vanished into my trunk with a practiced tap to enlarge and similar arrangements to shrink with a muttered “parvus” in the end
“You know boy, you can put things in your trunk without enlarging it every time? As long as they fit from the suitcase frame inside. ” Shopkeeper said amused
I looked at him a bit owlishly then I felt the heat rising to my cheeks in embarrassment “ thank you I didn’t even think about that, and to be honest I just enjoy doing magic so it wasn’t much of a bother” I admitted to him, still a bit ashamed of my ignorance
Although I will probably do it proper way from now on,as to not stand out or to look stupid
I thought as I waved goodbye, and practically ran from there.
Slug and Jiggers was right next door and Tom told me you can buy a potion kit,designed for first years there. One with all the vials,scales and rea-agents you need already included in a neat bag with ten sickles.
Glass clinked softly as he selected a modest but clean set. No ornamentation. No etched sigils. No unnecessary expense.
Dragon-hide gloves required a brief internal debate.
Perhaps I could make them with help from Madam Malkin but it might take magic to handle dragon hide. . so perhaps I should just buy these and take it as an investment.
I examined the stitching carefully before committing the coin. If they last seven years, they are cheaper than replacing inferior ones twice.
Lets be honest inferior ones would be the only kind I would be able to make with only months time.
I thought to myself as I purchased then stored my new dragonhide gloves in my suitcase. It was weird seeing everything in the suitcase shrunken down, and as I threw the gloves in they shrunk too in front of my eyes I could feel a wide grin trying to sneak on my face and suppressed it ruthlessly.
it would look like a country bumpkin, newly joining a magical community. Although that's pretty much what I am. Well all the more reason to act like I'm not.
I was all set to start to rush out of the shop, when I noticed telescopes near the door and remembered I needed one.
I pumped the proverbial brakes to my haste and beelined to the telescopes. The telescope I picked up to test and inspect for flaws,was a clean brass and wood instrument and smelled vaguely beeswax. I looked and turned it around carefully but couldn't find any faults with it, so I deemed it adequate and returned to the counter to pay.
After putting my new telescope away in my magical trunk. I eagerly headed towards the used books store eager to get the books I need and more so to get some extra if any money is left.
I returned to Scribner’s Exchange with coins in my pocket and a clearer idea of what I wanted.
oh I should ask about Occlumency from him? Perhaps he has a book about it.
I thought excitedly as I stepped in.
The bell chimed as I entered, the same dull sound as before. The shop was still cluttered, still dim, still quietly hostile to anyone who didn’t belong there.
Essentially everyone then.
I thought vaguely amused
The man behind the counter glanced up. “Back again,” he observed without expression or much of an intonation of any kind, just a dry statement of a fact.
“Yes,”I admitted easily. I approached him with measured steps, eyes on the man for some reason. It felt a lot like keeping my eyes on a dangerous predator in the wild. Not that I have much experience in that either but I get the sentiment.
“I require the first-year texts and was hoping to not spend all my money on new ones if possible. ”The old man sniffed softly.
“Requirement,hm? Not want or need?I assume you came straight here? good instinct boy, nothing good comes from being wasteful"
Apparently my frugality earned the faintest twitch at the corner of the man’s mouth. He waved a hand and one of his book shelves turned on itself like a carousel and there was a more colorful collection of books. Far newer too, judging from the spines that were legible for most parts and not faded whatsoever.
Used copies, first years.
announced a crooked self written note on the top of the shelf.
“May I inspect these? since there's no risk of me not buying after all,Since these are all required materials.”
I asked politely. The man actually smiled a bit and nodded.
“Smart kid, always ask questions. That's the way to learn, trick is of course to know from whom and what questions you can ask”
He chuckled low to himself as if it was a great joke. In all fairness it might have been I just didn't see it, but that's fine. Since it didn't seem to have been meant for me anyway.
I checked margins for excessive annotation. I checked bindings for weakness. Checked page edges for moisture damage. I didn't rush.
The Standard Book of Spells Grade 1.
Magical Theory.
A Beginner’s Guide to Transfiguration.
Magical Drafts and Potions.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.
A History of Magic.
He hesitated at that “New copy,” the old man said without prompting. “No one ever sells them back for some reason.”
I considered that. Perhaps there is a reason for that
I took it anyway because I needed it.
After paying for the school books the old man slid one thinner volume across the counter.
“Focus and Foci of the ages”
“Bonus,” he muttered. “Margins are…spirited. ”
I quickly leafed it through and saw at the beginning the same red warning as in the other book. I smiled at him and thanked him genuinely
He studied me for a moment longer than necessary, then nodded once.
“Then speak,” he said. “What are you really here to buy?”
I didn’t answer immediately. I packed the school books in my suitcase and watched them shrink to tiny books and land neatly next to my cauldron package as I collected my thoughts.
“I don’t really know what I should buy,” I said finally. “But I know what I need. ”
That earned me his full attention.
“Go on. ”
“I’ll be at Hogwarts soon,” I said. “They’ll teach spells. Incantations. Theory. What I’m looking for is something that makes all that…better. More usable?” I explained as well as I could.
He leaned back slightly.
“Define usable. ”
“Something that improves how magic behaves,” I said carefully. “Not what it does, but how controlled it is. Something practical. Something I can build on, instead of replacing it later, something I can use now and even years from now. ”
Silence.
Then he exhaled slowly, as if amused despite himself.
“You’re asking the right question,” he said. “Which is inconvenient to your teachers later boy”
He stepped out from behind the counter and motioned for me to follow. He slapped the book shelf that held the first year books and it swiftly rolled back to the books it held before or at least they looked the same to my eyes.
“Most students want results,” he continued as we moved between shelves. “Fire. Light. Noise. boom and awe. You want practical things like an adult who knows better. ”
We stopped in front of a shelf I hadn’t noticed before. No labels. No display cards.
He pulled out a thin, unremarkable book and held it up.
“Do you know what runes are?” he asked.
I shook my head. “Only as decoration on some old norse burial site Found in Norway, I read about it in muggle papers”
“Really? they found one such place? interesting, well actually Norse were one of the oldest rune users known to the modern wizarding world” he said in a voice that sounded like he had taught students for years and knew how to hold their attention .
He handed me the book.
“This is what runes were before our dear Ministry in their infinite wisdom, decided to take a collective piss on the whole tradition and learning of runes. Those morons made them little more than pretty ornaments and forgotten alphabets of ancient wizards.” Old man practically growled to me he seemed genuinely furious about the subject.
I opened it.
There were no spells inside,no wand movements.
Just symbols. Lines. Angles. Diagrams that looked more like engineering sketches than magic. The whole book was focused on runes of ElderFuthark and how ancient Norse wizards used and learned their runes.
“Runes don’t create magic,” he said. “They confine it. Tell it where to go. Where to stop. How to fail. ”
“How to fail?” I asked.
He nodded. “when a spoken spell fails, usually nothing happens. A bad rune fails spectacularly and more often than not with violent consequences ”
I looked down at the page again.
It showed a simple enclosure. A boundary. A termination mark.
“Why this book?” I asked.
“It is a practical book for practical people. It teaches runes as tools,art comes from the use of it and making them part of the whole, not just slapping a cool looking one on your door and pumping mana into it like some dunce, hoping it keeps the door hidden and doesn't make it explode”
He growled and muttered to himself about:
“stupid cousin kissing, goblin huggers who wouldn't recognize an good idea even if it bites them in the ass in mid shitting. . ”
I caught at that point, suppressing a laugh at the particularly vivid litany of curses. My noises seemed to get him out of his rage induced mutterings.
He looked at me then the book I was holding then he named the price like nothing happened. He looked like he was waiting for me to haggle it but I paid without hesitation.
He was all smiles now as he wrapped it, he added,“This won’t make you stronger immediately. It will make you think differently about magic though. Both runic and wand based. ”
“That’s exactly what I want,” I said.
He snorted quietly. “Figures. ”
I took the book and put it immediately in my suitcase for safe keeping. I was just about to leave when I remembered.
“Hey! I came up on a term I didn't recognize in the book I got last time. Perhaps you could help me with it? Occlumency was written in the margins of the book. I feel this one was about magic to protect or strengthen the mind, perhaps meditation? So do they teach it to us soon in Hogwarts? I'm just curious and wanted to know ahead of time”
I smiled awkwardly
The old man stared at me for a long time then sighed “of course you thought that, it would make sense indeed to have your mind,body and soul protected. Especially when messing about with arcane energies designed to transform and enchant anything and everything it touches would’t it?”
I nodded carefully at that, but his tone made it clear I wouldn't like the reality of things.
he sighed again “ yes it is indeed a magic for the mind, designed to protect the mind from penetrative mental attacks such as legilimency or obliviations spells. One is designed to search your recollections and memories for knowledge and information, the other is to erase it or parts of it selected to be erased”
I swallowed nervously” That seems an important thing to learn. So do we learn it at the very beginning then?”
Old man shook his head” no, you do not”
I looked at him appalled ” what? When,then? second year? fifth?” I sputtered annoyed
He looked at me a bit pityingly, “ lad, Hogwarts won't teach mind arts at all. The only reason it isn't illegal is the fact it is very obscure and not widely known. Obviously our ministry wouldn't know about anything, they didn't write themselves in to that Merling cursed rag they calla a newspaper ”
I stared at him” not at all..Please tell me you have something that can tell me about it and it's cheap as dirt?” I asked hopefully
The man laughed” good one lad, didn't I not just mention the art is obscure and almost illegal? That usually means expensive. ”
He said immediately
“Let's make it clear, we are talking about hundreds of galleons here, boy,”he added.
My face must have been a sight since he started to look uncomfortable” look boy, you're not in such a rush as you believe. First three years or so of Hogwarts and your mind should be fine no matter what school spells you use. I can promise to hold on to those two books till then..unless someone is really desperate for them and pays double the price then its tough luck kid.” He said soothing at first then back to business at the end
I took a breath to collect myself. “Alright, now I really need to make money. I won't walk around my mind unguarded like child in candy store” I crumbled
“That's the spirit lad, oh and don't dabble with dark arts at all or your mad as a hatter in a week” he added cheerfully with a pat on the back as he pushed me towards the door
I left Scribner’s Exchange with less money and more direction than I’d had, for most of my life, possibly two lives.
Also incredibly annoyed.
“Fucking Minstry of morons screwing me over” I cursed to myself, apparently the old man taught me some bad habits.
The walk to Madam Malkin’s felt shorter this time. Not because it was.
who knows perhaps it was shorter. Perhaps there's a mind altering magic on the cobblestones to make travel time feel faster or something
I forcefully stopped my paranoid thoughts and paused outside the door to take a deep breath and adjust my grip on the suitcase handle. Then I stepped inside. The bell chimed softly overhead.
Madam Malkin was already in motion — fabrics suspended mid-air, measuring tape orbiting obediently around a boy my age who looked moments away from either fainting or fleeing.
She spared him a brief glance.
“done with Tom for the day?”
“Yes, Madam.”
I stepped just inside the doorway, keeping my suitcase in front of me,“I apologize for bringing a suitcase but I was shopping for the other school supplies and decided to come straight here,”
She glanced at my suitcase” did you splurge on the trunk? It looks to have few enchantments. Muggleborns won't usually learn until third year to ask for those and orphan ones rarely if ever can afford one that expensive?” she said with curious, questioning tone
I smiled at her politely” it has a finicky shrinking charm so it was on sale. Naturally I leapt at the chance since this will be with me for the next seven years.
The measuring tape snapped into her hand.
A pause.
Then, faintly—“Mm. Smart choice indeed”she said nodding approvingly
“Put it there,” she said, indicating a narrow strip of wall between two display mannequins. “If someone trips over it, you’re repairing their robes for free. ”
I nodded “Understood”
although I suspected that nobody would have the opportunity to trip over it since it didn't stick out at all.
Madam Malkin finished with her current customer and sent him off with a crisp,“Thank you please come again if you need any new clothing or alterations done to the old ones”
Then she turned fully towards me.
“Now let's start with niceties shall we. Good day Mr Hawthorn, did you get your school shopping done?”
“Good day and yes Madam I did” I answered immediately like reflex
“All of them?”
“All the essentials. Books included.”
Her brows rose slightly. “Already?”
“Yes.”
She nodded once, approval neat as a pin. “Efficient.”
“I try to be.” I nodded modestly
She gestured toward the basket of scrap fabric beneath the cutting table. “Very well. Let us see if your confidence survives linen.”
Madam Malkin did not hover after telling me to begin.
She moved through the shop as if I no longer existed—pinning hems, adjusting sleeves, greeting customers with the calm efficiency of someone who had done this for decades. But every so often I felt her attention pass over my work like a measuring tape drawn across cloth.
The scraps remained on the table for several minutes before I touched them.
Repair work I understood. Construction was different. It demanded planning before action, so I measured first. Then measured again. Rearranged the pieces. I turned them to check the weave and grain of the cloth. Only when I was satisfied did I begin cutting.
Time passed quietly after that.
Customers came and went. Sunlight shifted across the floorboards. The steady rhythm of scissors and needlework replaced conversation for me. When a seam pulled wrong, I unpicked it and started again. Slowly the scraps stopped looking like scraps and began resembling something deliberate.
By the time the afternoon light had faded toward evening, a simple linen vest lay on the table.
Plain. Functional. Structurally sound.
Not elegant.
But mine.
I slipped it on and tested the fit. It sat well enough across the shoulders and chest, though the lines could have been cleaner.
Madam Malkin appeared beside me without a sound.
She inspected the seams first.
“You favor durability over speed,” she said.
“Yes.”
She nodded once, then reached into another basket beneath the counter and pulled out several far finer scraps—richer cloth, smoother weave.
“Watch.”
Her wand flicked once.
The fabric pieces lifted from the table as though caught in a silent breeze. They turned, aligned themselves, folded, stitched, and settled together in a blur of precise motion.
A vest took shape in the air.
Seams closed. Edges straightened. Buttons appeared. The finished garment dropped lightly onto the table.
Seconds.
The same work that had taken me most of the afternoon.
She glanced at me.
“Magic,” she said simply, “is often just knowing how to skip the slow parts.” She said kindly and offered the newly made vest for me
“From tomorrow you will make things in the back, you will learn some spell work, and yes it is allowed since I am a master of my craft and as such allowed to teach magic pertaining to my area of mastery.” She said with obvious pride in her voice. Then she winked at me and continued,
“law does not specify the age of the recipient of such teaching, although it does imply Hogwarts fifth year and upwards. If you find yourself bit out of the loop and not understanding some parts be patient you have time”
She looked over the vest again, then at me.
“You’ve shown me something today that most of my apprentices take two years to reach,” she said, her voice kind but firm. “These spells I use—they have a requirement you see. You must know how to do the work by hand first.”
She gestured lightly toward the vest.
“It makes sense when you think about it. Who else would have created such spells in the first place, if not seamstresses?”
She chuckled softly.
“There have been discussions about simplifying them. Making the learning easier.” She shook her head. “I hope they never do. Work like ours would become sloppy, I think. It would lose something. In lack of a better term I would say the soul of the craft suffers and eventually vanishes.”
She said then glanced at the wall clock. Elegant thing of brass that seemed to reflect the time and seasons outside with an ever changing carvings on its surface.
“Oh my time does seem to fly when you are having fun, let us end it for today and continue from this tomorrow hmm.” she hummed satisfied
“Yes madam” I said and offered the vest back she made to prove a point.
“Oh no, Mr Hawthorn that is for you to keep, as reminder and as a work outfit whenever you come here, if Tom can give you one then so can I” she said with smile
I didn't argue with her since there was no point.
“Thank you Madam Malkin, very considerate of you”
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Alley had begun to dim by the time I stepped back outside.
The crowds were thinner now, the afternoon rush giving way to the quieter rhythm of evening. Shop lights glowed warmer in the fading daylight, and the air carried the mixed scents of parchment, potion ingredients, and distant cooking from somewhere deeper in the Alley.
I walked back toward the Leaky Cauldron with the suitcase in hand and the new vest folded carefully inside my trunk.
The walk felt shorter again.
Perhaps familiarity had already begun to dull the strangeness of this place.
Or perhaps Madam Malkin was right.Magic often skipped the slow parts.
The Leaky Cauldron was lively when I returned. Voices rose from the common room, laughter rolling through the low ceiling beams, tankards clinking somewhere near the bar. Tom caught sight of me as I slipped past.
“Back already?”
“Yes,” I replied simply.
He gave a short nod and returned to polishing a glass that had likely been clean several minutes ago.
Upstairs, my room greeted me with quiet stillness.
I closed the door, locked it out of habit, and set the trunk beside the bed before enlarging it with a soft tap of my wand.
The trunk expanded smoothly. I removed the vest Madam Malkin had made and examined it again.
The workmanship was flawless.Of course it was.
I folded it carefully and set it beside my own attempt before sitting down at the small desk.
The notebook lay where I had left it that morning.I opened it and considered the blank page for a moment.
Planning first.Acting second.That has served me well so far.I dipped the pen and began writing.
Immediate Priorities
- Self-care and appearance
Living alone meant there was no matron to enforce standards anymore. If I wanted to remain presentable, it would have to become a habit again.
Clean clothes.
Pressed seams.
Proper grooming.
Household charms would help, but relying on magic alone seemed unwise.
- Domestic spells
Cleaning charms.
Pressing charms.
Minor mending.
Temperature control.
The sort of magic that made daily life easier..
- Wand handling
I paused there for a moment,then added another line. Drawing speed and controlI,I set the pen aside and stood.
My wand rested in its holster against my side. Slowly, deliberately, I wrapped my fingers around the grip and drew it free. No hurry, no wasted motion. I returned it to the holster and repeated the movement. Again and again.There was a saying I had heard once.Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
If the motion became natural, speed would come on its own. Ten repetitions became twenty,twenty became fifty.
Each movement is smaller and cleaner. More efficient. Eventually the wand left the holster and returned again with barely a whisper of movement. That was enough for now,this would be my new evening ritual. I sat down again and added one final line to the page.
- Magic practice — small, controlled
I closed the notebook and leaned back slightly in the chair, listening to the distant murmur of voices downstairs.
Only a few days ago, magic had been something that existed in stories.
Now it was becoming routine.
That thought alone was enough to make a faint smile appear.
Tomorrow will be busy again.
Good.
Busy means progress. I felt tired but decided I needed to clean my clothes and I didn't have anything else but Tom book of household spells to go with so might as well start learning magic from there.
I opened the book Tom gave me and picked my first spell to be a cleaning spell specifically made for cleaning clothes.
Garment Cleaning Charm
Incantation: Vestimenta Pura
Effect:Removes dirt, dust, sweat, and minor stains from clothing without damaging the fabric. It does not repair tears or remove strong magical contamination, but it restores garments to a freshly washed state.
Often used by traveling wizards who lack access to laundry facilities.
Typical Wand Movement:
Small circular motion directed over the garment.:
Ideal for maintaining appearance when living alone. Particularly useful for robes and jackets that would otherwise require frequent washing.
I was satisfied and decided to begin from this.
I took off the grey over robe and threw it over the mirror again. I pulled out my wand and hesitated and glanced at the book page again to see how the movements and incantation vent. I took a deep breath and focused wholly on getting my robe cleaned
“Vestimenta Pura” I said firmly and drew a circle with the tip of my wand to encapsulate the whole robe. A shiver seemed to run through the robe and the muffled “oh my, thank you dearie“ from the mirror told me it had worked. My first real bit of magic.
“ha! haha” I laughed out loud. I looked at the small pile of dirt underneath my robes and the mirror frame.
Perhaps an all purpose cleaning spell next or should I take off my outfit and do it all at once?
I decided to take my sleeping attire out of my orphanage suitcase, now that I have realized I need to clean my own things, sleeping in my day attire doesn't sound like a good idea anymore.
I put my outfit on the table and proceed to clean them all one by one with a clear incantation and circle. Soon my uniform and tie are all clean and neat.
perhaps that ironing charm next.
I went back to the blue book
Pressing Charm or Ironing Charm
Incantation: Pressio
Effect:
Smooths wrinkles and creases in fabric as if the cloth had been ironed. The spell works best on clean, dry fabric and requires controlled wand movement to avoid scorching delicate material.
A skilled caster can press entire garments with a single sweep, while beginners usually manage small sections at a time.
Typical Wand Movement:
A short horizontal sweep followed by a downward flick.
Notes for Alex:
This is the charm Tom demonstrated. It is simple but demands control — too much force can stiffen fabric or leave unnatural creases it says in the book.
I try with the robe again first,although I decided to not do it over the mirror in case I mess it up.
“Pressio” I sweep my wand and flick it down to my robe and another shiver goes through it, this time it looks like invisible iron is smoothing it out.
“ I love magic” I mutter and watch, satisfied that what usually would take me and hour at least is done with a few sweeps and flicks. Soon all my clothes are neat,clean and ironed ready for tomorrow. Only my dress shirt was a bit tricky to do since I did the movement, probably a little too tight or something since nothing much happened, only a small patch on the front got ironed. next try went much better though.
I decided to try one more since I saw a personal hygiene spell I might need some day so better practice that one too.. Also I'm too tired to bathe today anymore. I opened the blue book again and found the right page immediately.
Personal Hygiene Charm
Incantation: Corpus Mundare
Effect:
Cleans the caster’s body — removing sweat, dirt, and surface grime while leaving skin and hair feeling freshly washed.
The spell does not replace proper bathing long term but is commonly used by travelers, duelists, and field researchers when bathing facilities are unavailable.
Typical Wand Movement:
A slow upward spiral motion starting near the chest.
As I thought of a practical spell to learn early.
I focus one more time, this time much more self-assured and lift my want to my chest high
“Corpus Mundare” Slow spiral up.
The sensation was… strange.
Like standing in rain that wasn’t wet.
A cool sweep across skin and hair, the feeling of sweat and grime simply lifting away.
When it ended, I inhaled and realized the air around me seemed clearer.
My hair felt lighter.
My skin felt cleaner.
“Aah time to sleep,more work to be done although from now on much more magic involved”
I talked to myself
Then the mirror spoke again, drowsy and offended.
“Very nice, dearie. Could you be quick about it? Some of us are trying to sleep.”
I snorted, threw the robe back over it, and silenced the commentary mid-sentence.
My wand slid into its holster.
This time I didn’t argue with myself about sleeping with it.
I simply lay down.
Tomorrow will be busy again.
Good.
Busy means progress.