The Saga of the Sphere

The Saga of the Sphere

Part One

Chapter One

"Morning, Dad!" a shout came from somewhere upstairs, followed by loud thumping.

Sirius Black sat at the breakfast table, his legs crossed, reading the Daily Prophet. He paused before he drank his coffee to shout to his daughter, "Morning!"

A house elf stood at the doorway bearing a tray of pastries and drinks. A girl with sparkling blue eyes appeared, picking up a glass of orange juice. "Thank you, Dolly."

"Pastries, Miss Emily?" the house elf squeaked.

"Not hungry."

"Please miss, eat something."

Outside the mansion a horn honked.

"Got to go." Emily tossed her shoulder-length hair casually and it fell elegantly against her back, where it glimmered shining black against the room's sparkling chandelier light.

"Be nice!" Sirius called as she slammed the door and adjusted her bag around her shoulder.

The car waiting in the driveway was a red convertible and nearly full of people. Neville Longbottom was in the back seat while Ron Weasley sat in the front with his father.

"Morning!" Emily called as she slipped next to Neville, careful not to spill any orange juice on the leather seats of the car.

"Hey," the other two boys called. "Morning, Emily," Mr. Weasley nodded from the driver's seat. A boy was running out of the mansion next door, with black hair like Emily's, but which was permanently messy.

"Hello, everyone," Harry Potter called as he neared the car.

"Better trade seats," Neville suggested.

"Good idea." Ron climbed out and sat next to Emily. "Can't have the Em and Harry attacking each other and messing up Dad's new car, can we?"

Harry buckled his seat belt. "Very funny, Ron."

"Is this car new?" Emily asked Mr. Weasley. She finished her orange juice and the glass disappeared with a crack.

"Just bought it yesterday. A 1987 Cadillac," he announced proudly. Harry and the other two boys looked impressed, though Emily had no idea what it meant.

"Are we picking up anyone else?" Neville asked.

"Nope. Next stop, Diagon Alley."

*

All four of them had been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which made their respective families quite proud, and with good reason. Hogwarts was known to be the very best Wizarding school in all of England, one of the best in the Wizarding world. Their parents had all gone there and from the stories that their parents told so frequently, the four were quite willing to see the place where they had spent part of their childhood, met and became friends (and in some cases lovers), and where generations before them had set foot to learn the skills they would need to survive.

Diagon Alley was, as always, bustling with people and filled with noise. Mr. Weasley ushered them to various stores to buy the things on their supply list, their hands soon filled with new things. Emily grew excited with each store they visited. There were so many things to learn, she realized, only seven years to learn about transfiguration, charms, potions, the whole lot. The time suddenly seemed very short.

The second to last shop was Ollivander's. Originally they had wanted to go there last but Mr. Weasley didn't seem keen on having to watch four animals while they bought their wands.

The shop was small and dimly lit. As soon as they stepped in, Emily felt a change, as if she was in another world. There was a certain feeling about the shop that set it apart from the ones they had visited before.

"Nervous, Longbottom?" Old Mr. Ollivander asked in his mysteriously soft voice.

"A bit," Neville said, stepping forward. Emily snorted from her seat on a box in front of the window. The boy was shaking.

Mr. Ollivander thrust a wand at him and Neville nervously flicked it. The single light bulb lighting up the store lit out. After breaking a vase and somehow managing to make the carpet underneath him fall into shreds, he was finally able to find a wand that didn't do any destruction and instead spit out sparks. Happily tucking his new wand under his arm, he sat next to Emily and watched Ron pick a wand.

Ron went through the same process as Neville, breaking things here and there until finding a wand that popped out a dozen daisies, which made Harry snigger and Ron's ears turn pink.

"All right then, let's see you find a wand," Ron said indignantly and Harry stood.

Harry went through five wands; setting fire to a bunch of parchment on Mr. Ollivander's desk and making a mysterious box explode. Emily wandered how Mr. Ollivander managed to remain in tact each day. As Harry gave his money to the man, Emily stood.

"Let's try this one first," Mr. Ollivander said, hesitantly handing her a wand. She waved it, wandering what damage it would do. Instead of doing damage, however, out popped a single rose. She was surprised. This was her wand?

But Mr. Ollivander wasn't satisfied. "No, no, no. Absolutely not," he said and handed her another one. She barely held it before he snatched it from her.

"Take this one," he said and she was just about to flick it when he snatched it away again. Emily was puzzled and feeling a bit put out. Why wasn't he letting her try out the wands?

After making a dove appear from a wand and having three more snatched from her, Emily was beginning to feel butterflies in her stomach. Something was wrong, she felt. Why was it taking such a long time for her to choose a wand?

"Is - is something wrong?" she asked.

"Hm?" Mr. Ollivander's voice came from the back of the store.

"Why is it taking such a long time to choose a wand?"

"Because, my dear, we don't choose the wand. The wand chooses the wizard, never the other way around. The wands I asked you to try simply do not want to serve you."

"Why not?"

"There are certain factors. A wand can sense the potential of your magic and chooses the wizard who it can guide. That's one factor. A second factor is personality. If the wand likes your personality it will work with you much better. The final factor is where you are likely to go in the future magic-wise." Mr. Ollivander popped in front of her carrying a pile of boxes in his arms, his wild white hair barely peeping over the top. "Try these."

She tried two more wands, which he snatched away from her immediately, and Emily sensed that he seemed happier, more eager. "Difficult customer," he murmured delightedly, "Very difficult."

She could hear Harry yawning mockingly and she glared at him as she waved a wand, shooting a thin vine of thorns. Mr. Ollivander snatched that one out of her hands. "Can't have that," he said.

She went through the load of boxes and still there was not one wand that seemed to satisfy the old man. He seemed more energetic with each passing wand and was almost hyper by the time she finished the last wand in the pile that he had selected. He disappeared into the very back of the store.

When he came back, he looked dark, even menacing. "I wonder," he said softly, but the shop was suddenly very silent and they could hear him plainly. "Try this one," he said slowly and carefully gave it to her.

This time the feeling was noticeably different. Her arm tingled and her whole body seemed to respond to the wand - or was the wand waking something inside her that had been asleep for the last nine years? She felt a surge of some sort of energy, an electrifying wave that she knew was her magic. It ducked through the wand and she felt it grow as it traveled through the other end, giving off a swirl of bright light that made the light of the sun dark.

"Very interesting," Mr. Ollivander said, but no one heard him this time.

*

After the stifling grimness of Mr. Ollivander's shop, the outside air was very welcome. Mr. Weasley looked up, the man he had been talking to walking away. "Finished? Let's get your pets."

Each of them wanted an owl so they only had to make one stop, to Eeylop's Owl Emporium. The atmosphere was a sharp contrast to Ollivander's, noisy, crowded, and cheerful. After looking at more owls than she ever wanted to look at for the rest of her life, Emily chose a small black owl with large, mysterious green eyes.

"Creepy," Ron muttered as he stroked his own brown barn owl. Neville popped up with a large, almost vulture-sized owl that reminded Emily strangely of a turkey and Harry bought a decent-sized snowy owl, which Emily grudgingly admitted was beautiful (thought not as beautiful as her own).

Finally done with shopping, they found a shop and ate lunch at a small round table outside. While the guys talked about cars and muggle sports and argued about Quidditch teams, Emily found herself quickly finishing her lunch and her attention wandering. It was guy talk and she couldn't join in. She watched the people pass by instead, spotting quite a few with bundles of boxes like their own. Among the crowd, she spotted a lost-looking girl with who seemed to be her mom, dad, and younger sister.

Noting that the others were still deep in discussion, she headed over to help.

"Hi," she greeted them, ducking under a large pole that a wizard was carrying rather irresponsibly.

"Hi." The girl had rather bushy hair and large front teeth, Emily noticed.

"Do you need any help?" she asked, "I'm quite familiar with the area."

The girl looked quite relieved. "Oh, thank you. Could you show me where Gringotts is? I heard you have to go there to get wizard money, but I don't know where it is."

"You must be Muggle-born," Emily said.

"Is it that obvious?" she said worriedly.

"Any Magical-born child would know Diagon Alley like the back of the hand. Don't worry. Being Muggle-born isn't unusual. I'm Emily, by the way. Emily Black." She stuck out her hand.

"I'm Hermione Granger." Hermione gestured to the people around her. "This is my mom, dad, and my little sister Annie."

"I'm not little!" Annie pouted. She was quite pretty, but small and thin.

"How old are you?" Emily asked.

"Seven," Annie declared.

"My, such a lady. Hermione, how could you call her 'little'?" Emily winked and Hermione grinned.

"See, 'Mione?" Annie said, punching her sister lightly in the ribs.

"I see, I see," Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Now if you're done chatting - " Mr. Granger began.

"Oh, yes! Gringotts is that way," Emily pointed. "You just turn left at that shop over there, then take the first right, and keep going until you see it. It should be right in front of you. Are you going to open an account?"

"Yes," Mrs. Granger said.

"Here, better take this." Emily took a card out from her robe. It was her father's business card. "A reference like this will make it much faster."

Mr. Granger took it. "Why, thank you."

"No problem. The line's pretty lengthy and it moves really slowly. The goblins like to ask quite a few questions and they ask even more if you don't give a perfectly honest answer. They'll know if you lie. This card should get you to your own line and they tend to trust you more if you have an honorable acquaintance, meaning less questions and only the questions that matter."

They listened so intensely Emily was sure they could recite every word she just said.

"It's not a perfect world," she ended, shrugging.

Mr. Granger chuckled.

"Emily!" Mr. Weasley shouted.

"I have to go," she said. "Have fun shopping. You're going to Hogwarts, right?" she asked Hermione, who nodded.

"Well, if you run into any difficulties - some of the smaller shops might decide to give you high prices, just to pick on you - just flash the card. But if you go to these stores ... " Emily hurriedly took out a quill and scribbled a set of names on the back of the card.

"Emily!" Ron bellowed.

" ... You'll be fine," she continued, waving Ron off, "These are the best stores to go to and the owners are very reliable. If you need help, you can ask them."

"Thank you," Mrs. Granger said gratefully.

"Emily!" Harry yelled.

"I'm coming!" she yelled back, "Some patience won't kill you!"

She rolled her eyes and turned back to the Grangers. "Well, I've got to go." Turning, she waved, "See you at Hogwarts, Hermione!"

*

Emily stood on Platform 9 ¾, hugging Sirius one last time. Her trunk was next to her, and her owl, now named Ebony, hooted to the other owls scattered about the platform.

The train whistle blew. Only five more minutes.

"Well, I've got to go," she said, though she didn't make any move to let go.

Sirius didn't say anything as he tried to fight back tears. His daughter was off to Hogwarts. It only seemed yesterday that he had held her in his arms, a newborn, so tiny and frail.

Emily, fighting back tears herself, finally pulled away. The tears were going to start any minute now and she didn't want him to see her cry. Blinking furiously, she turned and started gathering her things.

"Write," Sirius managed to say hoarsely.

"Of course." Emily felt a tear slide down and hurriedly turned, wiping her eyes with the back of her cloak sleeve.

"Aw, is poor little Emily homesick already?" Harry's voice appeared next to her ear.

"Not now, Potter," she said as she handed over her things to an attendant. She already had her school clothes on.

"Oh, such hostility. I was hoping we could start our Hogwarts experience on the right foot." Harry grinned.

Emily narrowed her eyes, looking up. All traces of tears were gone, Harry noticed.

She didn't trust him. Whenever he smiled and his green eyes twinkled like that, it meant he was planning something.

"Whatever." Emily walked off.

*

Harry watched Emily go and then boarded the train, walking to the last compartment, where he, Ron, and Neville had agreed to meet. Seriously, he had tried to be friendly, but since Emily hadn't taken the offer... all the more fun at Hogwarts. He grinned. When he knew more magic... ooh the havoc he would wreak on Emily. It would be fun.

*

Emily found an empty compartment and spotted Hermione, who joined her. She took out a deck of exploding snap and she was just about to teach Hermione how to play when an Asian girl popped in.

"Can I share this compartment with you?" she asked.

"Sure," the two of them said and the girl smiled, her black ponytail bouncing as she sat next to Hermione.

"I'm Melanie O'Keyfe," she announced. "Chinese mother, Irish father."

"Cute hair tie!" Emily squealed.

Another girl popped into their compartment. "Mind if we share? The others are full."

"Already?" Emily mused.

"Well, except for some who are mainly occupied by annoying gits," she said, rolling her bright green eyes.

"Take a seat," Hermione said.

"Thanks," the girl sat next to Emily, her chestnut hair falling smoothly around her shoulders, darker than Hermione's but not dark enough to be black.

"I'm Valentine Calder," she said.

"I'm Hermione Granger."

"Emily Black."

"Melanie O'Keyfe."

"Ack!" Emily shouted as the train lurched forward and she fell.

"You okay?" Melanie asked worriedly and Emily rubbed her head.

"Exploding snap?" she asked weakly.

*

The trip was long, but with her new friends, Emily felt the time pass swiftly. In almost no time at all the train slowed to a stop and everyone rushed off the Hogwarts Express.

"Firs' years over here!"

Emily recognized the person who was calling them. "Hagrid!" she shouted as she led the way.

"Em'ly," he said in his deep voice.

She bent her neck back to look at his face. "You haven't changed a bit," she said.

"Neith'r have you," he chuckled.

"Still want a dragon?" she teased.

"Get in th' boat."

Emily laughed as she climbed in one and Hermione, Melanie, and Valentine followed.

"Wow. Is that a giant?" Hermione asked.

"Nope. He's half giant," Emily said. "Giants are probably twice his size."

When the other first years boarded the boats, they started rowing. It was dark outside, but the light shimmered on the lake and the moon's light lit the sky, leaving a peaceful feeling. As they rowed forward, Emily saw twinkling lights far in the distance. As they neared, she realized that it was Hogwarts sitting majestically on a cliff, its towers rising high. Millions of lights shimmered from the windows and like a fleet of ships drawn to a lighthouse their boats found their way to its shores.

*

Emily stood expectantly, waiting to be Sorted. The hat had already sang its song and the four girls waited nervously, eager to find out where they would be for the next seven years.

"Black, Emily," Professor McGonagall called out in the commanding and nonsensical voice that had greeted them when they walked down the grand hallway toward the Great Hall.

Emily walked toward the Sorting Hat. Suddenly, her heart began thumping and she was sure she was going to trip. Doubts filled her mind. What if she didn't belong? She came from a magic family, of course, but what if they had made a mistake when they sent the letter and addressed it to the wrong Emily Black? Black couldn't be too unpopular of a last name.

She felt all eyes on her and it made her even more nervous. She found herself in front of the Sorting Hat and picked it up, feeling its soft fabric against her skin. She somehow felt better, reassured. She quickly sat on the stool and had barely put the hat on when it bellowed, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Emily jumped off the stool, startled by the shout. Realizing that it wasn't a mad roar around her but a wave of cheering and clapping, she hastily took off the hat and ran toward the Gryffindor table, grinning like a hyena.

The rest of the Sorting passed with a flash. Hermione was sorted into Gryffindor, as well as Melanie, though Valentine became a Ravenclaw. For boys, there was Harry (much to Emily's chagrin), Ron, Neville, and Benjy Fenwick Jr.

Emily's stomach rumbled.

"Hungry!" she moaned.

"Poor Emmy," Melanie grinned.

Emily rubbed her stomach.

"Headmaster Dumbledore should be up there soon. I heard he always makes a speech." Hermione craned her neck to look around as she talked.

True to her words, Dumbledore stood. As he did so, everyone in the room shushed. Fred and George Weasley looked at him with a respect Emily never knew they had for anyone.

"Welcome! Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"

"Thank you!" Dumbledore sat back down.

Emily wasn't surprised. She had met Dumbledore quite a few times before.

"Is he okay?" Hermione looked bewildered.

"Of course he's okay. He's only the best wizard in the world!" Emily said.

Hermione didn't know what to say about that. She was saved from saying anything when the food suddenly appeared in front of the ravenous students. "Whoa," she breathed.

"Yep. Welcome to the world of magic, Hermione," Melanie said, biting into her muffin.

*

Harry ate his dinner gladly. He had been starving. Around him, Ron, Neville, and Benjy all stuffed their faces, too. His stomach somewhat filled, he looked around him as he sipped his pumpkin juice.

There was Emily, a girl with bushy hair he didn't know, and another girl who had her hair tied in a ponytail. Them and what he already considered "his gang" made up their Gryffindor class of 1998.

Ron said something with his mouth full.

"What?" Benjy asked, puzzled.

Harry reached over and handed a muffin to him, knowing what Ron wanted.

Benjy looked impressed.

"We've known each other since we were babies," Neville explained.

"I see. I feel like a ... fourth wheel," he said, though he didn't seem sad.

"Don't worry. We have seven years to get to know each other. It's not like we we'll reject you or anything," Ron said.

"Eh, whatever. Isn't it so great to be here?" Benjy changed the subject.

Harry grinned. "Yes. It is."

Hogwarts.

He wondered what it had in store for him.