Izza the Bold and the Hogwarts Treasure

Izza the Bold and the Hogwarts Treasure

Chapter 1: Pleats for Stripes

"Awe, Da... Th' sleeve ain't even puffy. I don't really need these long clothes, do I?" the young girl complained, standing on a stool as she looked at herself in the mirror of the shop.

A booming voice came over her shoulder, "Now don't give me no lip, Eliza. It be right and proper that ye finish yer schoolin' here now that yer ma's gone, may she rest in peace."

"May she rest in peace," she replied.

"Squawk!" said the scrubby looking lime colored parrot, perched on the mirror.

"And ye best be dressed right for it."

Eliza Smythe, the only daughter of the famous pyrate, Captain Nathaniel Smythe, The Soothsaying Hooligan, and Lady Ezmerelda, of the renown wizarding family Ethereal, of the Ethereal Islands, may she rest in peace, stood in Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions sulking. She was a fairly tall and curvy sixteen-year old. She had deep olive skin, a gift from her mother. It was darkly tanned from spending sun up to sun down running about on her father's ship, The Defiant. Her ears were weighed down with several large gold hoops, many of which matched those that were collected on her wrists. This brings us to another strange characteristic of Eliza. She did not have a left hand. She had in fact, a hook. It was a brightly polished and sharpened curl of silver steel. She used it to prod the pointy black wizard hat that sat awkwardly on her long tangled mess of blonde locks. Eliza shifted uneasily in her new school uniform, as her father looked her over. Her usual clothing, or rather, assorted rags, were heaped on the floor.

"Na, thar be a good girl! Look as pretty as yer mother did the day I met her, may she rest in peace."

"May she rest in peace."

"Squawk!"

It felt like a strong breeze would blow the wizard hat off. What good was headgear that would blow off at a slight gust? And there wasn't a feather anywhere on it! She didn't like the grey vest and skirt. The vest wasn't tight enough and the skirt wasn't short enough. She examined the folded pleats and mused on the fact she had never owned such attire. All of her favorite things were striped and colorful and she dreaded having to be constantly in these monotone frocks. Even the socks were atrocious and plain! And who would wear these little black Mary Jane's on a regular basis? They were quite impractical and the buckles so small. The thing that Eliza hated the most was the tightness of the sleeves of the white button up dress shirt under the whole lot. They were straight and narrow and covered her shoulders.

"Da, can't we just do somethin' 'bout th' sleeves? No one would see...? They'll be under the robes all the time. They be so restricting...I can't even lift my arms." She flashed her dad an innocent look with her big green eyes, eyes she had inherited from him.

"Awe now lass, don't give me that look. Oh, arrrright."

He took out his wand and zapped her arms. The shirtsleeves grew out like sails and neatly bound themselves into five-inch long lacy cuffs. Eliza smiled hugely, jumped from the stool and hugged her father.

"Oh thar now, it weren't nothin', just to make ye feel a lil more a' home... Oh arrrigh' that's enough now..." He was tearing up a bit. "Let's get ye a nice black robe then. Arr! Aha! Ha!"

Eliza released her father from the embrace and jumped back on to the stool to be fitted for a robe. She honestly didn't see the need for all this fuss. Her lessons on the ship hadn't been this elaborate. Her mother had simply passed on her spell books and taught her basic magic a few hours each day. The crew had been kind enough to show her tricks here and there, and let her practice on them. She hadn't had to get all dressed up for it. However, it seemed to make her father happy, and that was good enough reason to play along. Captain Smythe dug into his pockets and dropped a handful of gold Galleons onto the counter.

"There ye go, Madam Malkin. We'll take ten of each! Ahr! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Squaaahhrr! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

"Shut up Scalawag!" Eliza scolded the bird.

Madam Malkin set to work to get the rest of the order ready, wrapped it all in a nice bundle and handed it over to the rough looking wizard. Captain Smythe was not dressed in traditional robes. This upset Madam Malkin slightly. She wanted to suggest he buy a few things for himself while he was here, and look like a proper wizard.

Captain Smythe tied half his messy blonde hair back with a bit of string and topped it with a huge, black tri-cornered hat, rimmed with gold. His ears were both pierced with thick gold rings. He was wearing a long coat that was made of a thick green material. The coat was covered in a myriad of buttons, sashes, belts, patches, holes and bloodstains. Under it was the usual poofy and lacy pirate shirt, hastily tucked into black britches that ended at the knees. Conveniently, his boots began at the knees; they were thick black leather with large uneven cuffs. Shiny gold buckles jingled on the top of his foot. His clothing, however, was not the most menacing of his appearance. That would be the large cutlass stuffed into his belt. It should also be mentioned that there was a dagger in his boot, a flintlock pistol tied to his side and a large wizard's wand in a holster across his chest. He was armed to the teeth. Teeth that were now smiling at Madam Malkin as he accepted the bundle of Hogwarts school uniforms.

He walked to the door and handed the bundle off to the young seaman who was waiting outside.

"Here kid. Na, what else do ye need? Books...books...aye. That looks like the place." Captain Smythe strode off in the direction of Flourish and Blotts. Eliza followed close behind, with her parrot hanging tightly to her shoulder. Trailing both was the skinny little seaman who served as ship's boy, weighed down with several packages.

Inside the shop, her father brought the list up to the counter and began bargaining with the manager.

"...Na, it says here three Knuts for 'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six'. I'll give ye two..."

Meanwhile, Eliza wandered about looking at various titles. The only other place she had seen this many books was her grandfather's library on the Ethereal Island. The books were all unfamiliar; she had only ever read her mother's collection. Her fingers danced along the spines looking for something exciting.

The day had been both exciting and dreadful at the same time. Eliza, a young pyrate, loved to spend her plunder whenever the ship was at port so she had no real qualms about shopping at Diagon Alley, a place in England she had never been before. However, she usually wasted money on food, drink and shiny jewelry or rare knickknacks, not on boring clothing and school supplies. They had been to Gringott's bank and traded in the stacks of miscellaneous coins and treasure for the regular currency of the British wizarding world. After that the old pyrate led his daughter to the Apothecary to buy her a standard potion kit that would do for her schooling and store the potion things she already had, then to Scribbulus Everchanging Inks for all sorts of school supplies like parchment and quills. Eliza convinced her father to stop at the Leaky Cauldron for a bite to eat and a few drinks. A glass of good rum was something that she approved her monies to be spent on. Captain Smythe was in full agreement and they had a jovial lunch. However, after the plates and glasses had been cleared the Captain had been stern about going to get her uniforms and the rest of her supplies. In each shop they had gathered and packaged things she had never bothered to use or thought of needing and it only served to remind her of leaving the safety of her ship for a school she knew nothing of.

Eliza slid a book off of the shelf and began to peruse through the pages. Over the top of it she spied near the door, a pale, slight boy was verbally accosting another stern faced youth with messy black hair. Both looked about her age. She tossed the book aside and moved closer to watch. There was nothing like a good brawl, but to Eliza's disappointment some bushy haired brunette came in and dragged the dark haired one away. The pale pointy thing snarled and sauntered out of the shop.

"Anything else my wee one?"

"Na, Da."

Captain Smythe paid for the stack of schoolbooks and had them wrapped up. He tossed the package at the seaman, who ran forward to catch them before they hit the floor. The force of the impact and the weight of the books caused him to tumble backwards to the ground.

"Oi, what ye doin' down thar, man? Up! We got places to be!" Captain Smythe stepped over the struggling pyrate and took Eliza's hook.

"C'mon then, back to the ship to get ye packed."

Chapter 2: The Defiant

Swaying slightly, the huge vessel hovered at least twenty-five feet above Diagon Alley. Anchors five feet across of solid steel lay on the cobblestones on either side of the street. Large chains kept the fighting ship from drifting away into the sky. Supplies were being levitated from the street past the dark wood keel by several of the crew. It was two hundred and fifty feet long from bow to stern, truly immense for enchanted tall ships. The sides of the ship were painted a dark green, trimmed with a deep brown stain. The distance from the keel to the main deck was at least fifty feet, and it was tall enough to have several floors of cabins and holds. Along both sides of the top of the hold were fifteen large square holes, harmless looking enough but what the patrons of Diagon Alley didn't see were the fifteen cannons that lurked just beyond, and likewise on the other side. Above the large dark rudder were great stained glass windows that curved along towards the main deck rails. Along the front hull was a beautifully carved seawitch with her arms outstretched holding the bowsprit as if it were a giant wand. The bowsprit itself was so long it held four black triangle sails, called jibs, fluttering in the wind. The ship had three thick masts with six black and white striped square sails on each reaching into the sky.

From the main topmast waved a symbol clear to all. The Jolly Roger bearing the sign of Captain Smythe flashed brilliantly in the English sun. Centered in a sea of black was a laughing skull. A bright red pentagram covered the left eye. Below the quivering chin of the skull were a wizard's wand and a sword, crossed. This was home to two hundred seawizards. This was home to Eliza Smythe. This was The Defiant.

A crowd had gathered below, in the ship's shadow. It was mostly students visiting Diagon Alley with their family to buy supplies for the up-coming school year. All were pointing and talking excitedly as the crew loaded the goods. Captain Smythe's mere aura parted the crowd as he approached with his daughter and over-wrought lackey.

Eliza's face broke into a huge grin. She ran awkwardly, due to her under developed land legs and her new horrible shoes, towards the supply line. Before the seawizard knew what he was doing, he had levitated the girl up towards the main deck like a sack of fresh fruit, which he had previously been sending up to the ship. She spun in the air and laughed boisterously. A large brute with a bedazzled eye patch caught her in his arms.

"Izza! Ye scoundrel!! Look a'chu in yer new school clothes. Har, har, har!" He set her down gently on the planks of the deck. She leaned over the rail and waved to her father. At this, the pyrate let out a strong laugh and slapped the young seaman on the back, causing him to fumble desperately with the heavy load. The boy looked like he was close to tears as Captain Smythe shook him back and forth in merriment.

Scalawag flew up and circled the ship once before landing on Eliza's shoulder. He nibbled affectionately on her earring with his black hooked beak.

"AA-Ahoy! AA-Ahoy," the green bird said.

"Ahoy thar, Scalawag." She dug out a small leather pouch of treats for the little thing. At the sight of the treats, Scalawag danced back and forth on his little claws and whistled. "Here ye go, my pet." She ruffled his feathers and handed him a treat as she walked toward the forecastle deck.

The fore stay sail and jibs strained against the breeze, dying to drag the ship off into the clouds. The gentle sway of the ship in the air soothed her body and calmed her soul. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. It was hard to imagine that tomorrow she would be leaving The Defiant. That she wouldn't see it, or its crew, or her father for probably two whole years. Oh, she had spent long vacations at her grandfather's on the Ethereal Islands, but she had always returned to her home on the open air, always returned to her schooling and training on its creaking planks and skyward masts. School had been the gentle voice reading from ancient text. School had been the voice of her mother, may she rest in peace. She sighed at the reflection.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the yell of her father. He was calling down to the crowd below.

"Hagrid! Ye old devil! Harrr! C'mon aboard! I owe ye a drink!"

A large man, huge really, landed with a thud on the deck next to Captain Smythe.

"Nathaniel, yeh old seadog. Good to see yeh!"

The men shook hands with powerful grips. Hagrid dwarfed even her father, who was considered sizable to the average man. They walked into the captain's quarters. Booming laughter rang out through the door. Eliza had seen many odd characters walk through her father's door, many of which even walked out under their own power, but she had seen none the likes of Hagrid. His head was covered in unruly dark hair; she doubted he ever got cold. His body was cloaked in this huge furry coat, which perhaps could use a little wash. He was not the usual sort her father had business with. Then again, Captain Smythe knew odd folks in every port. She wandered briefly how they knew each other.

She climbed into her own cabin, which was beside her father's in the stern of the ship, under the quarterdeck. Scalawag flew off of her shoulder and onto his tall wooden perch. Her new school things had been set on her small bed. She dragged her chest out from the corner of the room. It was a large chest, quite ornate really. It had been a gift for her twelfth birthday from her parents. It had once held an extensive amount of treasure that belonged to the infamous Dark Derek, the Savage Sage. It opened with a long screech. Eliza thought that it had a good note. Inside, it was plush and lined in velvet. She began packing her things; setting books, clothes, jewelry and some treasure inside. She paused as she began to clean off the contents of her desk. A picture of her mother and father, on the deck of The Defiant, smiled and laughed. Her mother's hair blew in the wind, her long white, linen robes flapped against her body.

Her parents' marriage had been based on the whole captive and captor thing. Captain Smythe boarded the ship Ezmerelda Ethereal had booked passage on in a whim to see the world. To Nathaniel, it was love at first sight. He knew she was the only one for him, which is why he took her prisoner. She resisted, which was, of course, the thing to do. But as he bound her wrists behind her, she looked into his emerald eyes and found the world she was looking for.

They courted in the usual pyrate/prisoner manner. He would untie her for short periods of time, allowing her to take her meals with him in his cabin, where he could keep a close eye on her. He showed her his collection of weapons and various rare objects found or stolen. She would talk casually of life on Ethereal Island. Gradually the periods of time she spent out of the brig became longer and longer, until she was totally free to move about the ship. Ezmerelda soon moved into the cabin Eliza was now sitting in.

One sleepless night, Captain Smythe stood on the quarterdeck, lamenting on his feelings for the beautiful island captive, when she gracefully climbed the stairs to join him. She was also unable to sleep.

They exchanged greetings and nervously looked at one another, trying to find the words to express their thoughts. At that moment, a shooting star passed close overhead, flaring promisingly over the pair. Before either knew what happened they were locked in an embrace from which neither would be the same. They pulled into the nearest port the next day and were married. The Smythes' love had been deep and passionate, and only increased at the birth of Eliza, their only child.

Eliza's wall shook with the laughter of her father and the stranger; both sounded as if they were hitting a bit of Rouge Red Rum. She smiled and set the photo in her chest carefully and resumed packing her old trusty quills and ink from her desk. She was at last satisfied that she had everything she needed. She closed and locked the chest. She lay on her bed and her thoughts drifted again to leaving and imagining what school would be like. The whole idea was foreign to her. School, in a building, on land nonetheless! The faces of many of the students she saw during the day flashed through her mind. They all seemed happy enough, she wondered...

"ELIZA! C'MER! I WANT YE TO MEET SOMEONE!" Her father pounded on the wall, as often he did to get her attention. She jumped up and ran outside and through the door next to hers.

"This be Hagrid, luv." His cheeks smiled pink.

"'Ello, Eliza. Oh now, I think the last time I saw yeh, yeh were only three!"

Eliza shook his giant hand and smiled broadly.

"Ahoy Hagrid!"

"Hagrid be th' gamekeeper an' Care o' Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts," Captain Smythe said, albeit a little drunkenly.

"That's righ', I'll be one of yer teachers Eliza. And yer pa wants me to keep an eye on yeh." At this statement, Hagrid tapped below his right eye with one thick finger teasingly. "Tomorrow when yeh get off the train, just follow along with me'n th' firs' years."

"Sounds like a plan to me, Hagrid!"

"Well, I bes' be going now. Good ta see yeh Nathaniel, have a safe journey. See yeh tomorrow, Eliza."

"Bye Hagrid," Eliza shook his hand again and stalked off to the main deck.

Her father walked Hagrid to the edge of the rail and shook hands. He slapped the man on the arm a few times and said something in a hushed tone. Both smiled and they parted. Captain Smythe went back into his cabin singing to himself and Hagrid left the ship by jumping over the rail.

The young pyrate turned and found herself face to face with a younger member of the crew, Jacque the Blade. He was leaning against the base of the main mast, carving a small chunk of wood with a small sharp knife. He barely glanced up when Eliza approached him. She didn't speak, she only crossed her arms in front of her chest and waited for him to say something. He continued to focus on his carving.

"Leavin' tomorrow, T. Izza?"

"Aye, Jacque."

They were silent again except for the sound of blade against wood.

"Oo ye yi," he said quietly.

Eliza knew from spending years with the Cajun he was expressing his sadness at her departure.

"Now, don't pout beb," Eliza said with a small smile. He hated being teased by the girl.

"Me? Making a bahbin?" He threw his right hand up as if to brush her comment off. The knife flashed in the low sun.

"Are ye comin' to see me off?"

"Mias, alohrs pas! Got to be on watch. Skeleton crew and all."

"Aye." Eliza understood. This was their good-bye. Her friend and companion since she was about ten years old, the tall thin Louisiana born seawizard pushed off of the mast and started to walk away.

"Take care, T. Izza."

"Aye, beb." He was already out of earshot and Eliza suspected he would not seek her out to talk to her again before she left. She felt slighted but knew he just upset. She had expected their parting to be bitter.

Eliza climbed up on to the shrouds, which were huge rope nets that extended from the main deck rail to the main boom. It swept out over the open air. Eliza laid face down on the netting, her chin and forehead resting on thick pieces of rope. She silently watched the activity on the street below. Tonight she would mourn her leaving the only home she knew. Tomorrow, though, she would relish in the new adventure.