15 July 2022
Aldonton, The Redoubt
As the sun cracked the horizon and spilled its golden rays all across the land a most unwelcome thing occurred. A light, but unpleasantly persistent knocking spread throughout the room of one Eudora Hohenheim Pyrites. Recognizing the sound she slowly lifted the lids of her eyes before propping herself up and blowing stray stands of hair from her face.
"Miss, time to wake up. Breakfast will be ready shortly." The high pitched voice informed her from the far side of her bedroom door.
"Ugh, I'm up, I'm up."
Eudora hated mornings, hated them with passionate vigor. Why couldn't people do the sensible thing and wake up in the afternoon, when it was pleasant and warm, or even the night, when the sun didn't blast everyone with what she was convinced was the brightest light of the day? No, the vast and overwhelming number of people had decided that mornings were the time that everyone should awaken and rise to the day's challenges, and had drug her kicking and screaming along with them.
There was nothing for it though, and today was she might well have to go somewhere. For that reason she took a bit of extra time during her morning routine to pick a nicer dress and properly detangle her hair. 'It will be worth it,' she told herself as she looked in the mirror.
Eudora was no shining beauty, but mostly because of one particular flaw. She looked like a charcoal drawing. No matter how much time she spent outside, or what products she tried her skin refused to take color, remaining painfully pale. With hair that drank in light like a dementor drank joy. The only bit were her eyes, two shards of emerald which shone with vibrant light. Too vibrant for the rest of her look, making even a casual glance look like an intense stare.
When she'd finally readied herself fully she stepped to the door, looking at the sign plastered beside it with a sigh and opening the portal. There she met with a gaze no different from her own, save that its owner was older, male, and painted on the canvas. The image of her grandfather frowned as he looked her over.
"Took you long enough young lady," the painting said. "Emergency kit?"
"Must we do this every morning?" She tiredly asked.
"Yes, it is important to build good habits in youth Eudora, and your grandfather entrusted me with instilling those in his descendants."
"Very well." With a practiced movement she drew forth the small packet. "One bezoar, and one vial essence of dittany, happy?"
"Not at all, but I know you've not learned to make anything better," the grumpy painting said. "Alright, wand?"
"You know I'm not supposed to do magic." Not that she really cared about that rule, but the morning interrogation was a pain.
"And yet I also know you know some basics. Show me a wand-lighting charm, a levitation charm, and a jinx of your choice."
She withdrew the small implement she did have, a chestnut and dittany affair that functioned poorly, but still functioned. Before his death her grandfather had struggled through the basics of wandlore, skills he'd managed to pass down to her mother and brother, and then to Eudora herself. He'd considered everyone knowing just enough to make a functional wand by adulthood something like a basic life skill. Hers had been carefully made just this year, and while she knew it wasn't good, she was proud to have succeeded.
The spells he demanded weren't too hard, and within a few moments she was done. A knockback jinx was her go-to, and because of ease. Others were unreliable, and failing at this morning inspection would only get the painting angry at her.
Some people would have said that her grandfather was a paranoid old man who hated the Ministry and trusted no one who wasn't family trained directly by him. Those people would have been right, as Castor Hohenheim was indeed paranoid and quite unpleasant to most people. Though those he did view as his own found he was a rock of safety for them.
A light tapping on floorboards proceeded the appearance of her aunt, who upon arriving looked between the two of them with a frown.
"Dora dear, I don't know why you let that oil based old codger harass you so," she said squaring herself up for the same argument that happened at least weekly in this house.
"It is easier to do what he wants than have him follow me through the house all day pestering me," the girl answered, clearly tired of explaining this.
Her aunt sighed. "He won't if you're consistent, look at me."
"I don't bother with you because you're an up-jumped, weak-blooded, lush. My actual descendant has potential you sorely lack." The painting, much like its subject, did not like Aunt Jenny. She was only related by marriage, and not one he'd approved of.
Eudora watched on disappointed as they stared daggers at one another. Arguing with a painting was a waste of time. Their personalities were flat and two-dimensional, and would never change. This one did in fact want what was best for her, even if it was annoying, so there was no point being mad about it. Eventually the image huffed, and turned on its heel, walking out of the frame and off to elsewhere.
"Should remove that..." the older woman muttered, as if she'd not already tried to dislodge or destroy the old man's painting several times to no avail.
"While I have you thinking about him," Eudora said, interrupting her train of thought. "Some of the defensive charms need maintenance. One of the curious muggle boys that comes by to look about made it nearly into the garden the other day." They were a real irritant, and Eudora didn't want them knocking on the front door as a dare.
"It's fine Dora dear, I'll see to it. Oh, I came to get you though, today's the big day! Nincy is so excited she's made you all your favorites!"
"Has the mail come in then?" Eudora asked as he aunt excitedly took her by the arm and led her to down to the kitchen.
"Not yet, but I've no doubts. You've been doing magic almost since you were born, and I know you do a few little spells every morning." She gave a slightly reproachful look. "Even those tricks your brother taught you."
The morning spread was impressive, and Eudora could plainly see how the house-elf had gone out of her way to make sure everything was as good as possible. While most of the family up until her generation had forgone attending Hogwarts, getting your letter was still an event for the family. It not only confirmed that the rest of the world viewed you as worthy of instruction, but marked where serious schooling would begin. In some ways it was like a coming of age.
Halfway through the meal a pair of owls swooped in through the open dining room window, the first dropping a cream colored envelope on Eudora's lap, while the second delivered a copy of the Prophet to Aunt Jenny. Her aunt didn't even pretend to read her paper as the girl broke the wax seal, unfolding the letter within.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmistress: Minerva Mcgonagall
(Order of Merlin First Class)
Dear Ms. Pyrites,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Filius Flitwick,
Deputy Headmaster
The second page held all the supplies, along with the warnings of pets and brooms given to all first years. None of this was a surprise to either of them; Jenny had herself attended Hogwarts, and so knew what to expect.
"I'm in," Eudora declared to her beaming guardian.
"Well, we'll need to send them an owl, and of course go to pick up your supplies..." she began.
"I've got some of these, but I really need a good wand auntie." Now was as good a time as any to get that desire fulfilled.
"Naturally, we'll go to Ollivander's, and robes, you'll need robes, and books. Oh, I remember my first year! We'll go right after breakfast."
"Which is wonderful by the way," Eudora said as she gave a smile at a small form darting by to take away the dishes. She knew that Nincy didn't much like being seen, but a few kind words every now and then made the house-elf happy and far more apt to aid her even when she opposed her aunt.
The house belonged to Eudora's parents, but as they were not here and her brother no longer amongst the living she was the only member of the family to give the little creature official orders. There was a snag though, Aunt Jenny. Her aunt was her legal guardian, and should be able to, if she was aware of them, impose her will upon the power her niece might exercise. She never did know though, and Eudora would never tell her. For all that her aunt took care, she also made a mess of things, never taking the care she should, and spending far too much of Eudora's funds on herself, her excuse that she was simply supplying the house. It would likely continue until young girl was old enough to remove her, something which would happen upon her seventeenth birthday.
Nincy was a key part in keeping things running. The house-elf had power of her own, which she could exercise with much less oversight, as long as her mistress allowed it. Oh how pleased it had made Eudora to come up with ways to curtail her aunt's authority, particularly when she'd never be the wiser to it even happening. Kind words and smiles were a pittance compared to the loyalty of Nincy.
"Anything interesting in the paper?" Eudora asked, hoping to keep her aunt talking while she finished her meal.
"Hmm, not much. Ministry is pushing some new law about imports on magical beast parts... Some woman named Carlotta Pinkstone released from prison for the fifty-third time, breaking her own record for stints in Azkaban... Oh, here's a congratulatory message to all the new Hogwarts students, how nice... And looks like Skeeter found some dirt on a bunch of obliviators, good on her. Other than that just the usual advertisements for jobs."
"Nothing new then I guess," Eudora said as she popped the last of her tomatoes into her mouth before setting down her silverware. "So, when are we going shopping?"
Her aunt looked up at her with a smile. "Immediately, if you're ready."
