The Life of Portia Boyd

Chapter One.

A Girl Does What a Girl Does Best: Shopping.

25^th of August 1971, six days until Hogwarts.

Portia woke up in her room; in the Leaky Cauldron.

It was nothing like her bedroom at home. The walls were plainly decorated; the bed wasn't as soft and the hinges on the cupboard doors were rusting; probably from age.

She wished she didn't have to come with her father to London and stay in this pub, though she also found she didn't want to go home. She had come shopping for some more of her Hogwarts needs.

She had already been there of course. But they couldn't get everything since her mother's pay from work wasn't in Gringott's at the time.

Last time she came, she got her books, cauldron and a lovely snowy white owl. Her father found these things the cheapest to buy at the time and suggested to buy the cheapest then and when her mother got paid they would buy Portia's wand, robes and any other things she needed.

Portia had always enjoyed shopping with her parents when they had money. It always meant she would get spoiled and she guessed this time it would be no exception.

Last time they went (after she got her Hogwarts letter) they couldn't spoil her and Portia was quite alright with that. If they didn't have a lot of money on them then she wasn't worried, it meant they would spend more money on her this time.

So she woke up. She walked over to the mirror and said, "God I look awful."

She then heard from the mirror, "I know dear, I can see you." Portia just ignored the last comment. Nothing was going to spoil her day. Today she would get her first wand. Ever since she was young she wanted one. She knew she had to be accepted into Hogwarts to get one, so she had always wanted to go. Of course as she got older she wanted to go to Hogwarts for lots of different reasons, but she still really wanted a wand.

She went to the cupboard and pulled out a pair of trousers and one of her best tops. She wanted to look her best, and it gave a reason to get some more clothes. Her parents would think that if she wore the tops too much it would not make them special, but casual, everyday tops. She walked to her bed and began to undress. While doing this, she felt something brush against under her arm.

Portia jumped a little and felt under her arm. She felt some hair.

"Oh god," she thought. "I'm becoming a werewolf, I'm going to be hairy and I won't be able to go to Hogwarts."

She quickly put on her clothes and ran out of the room. She went to her mother and father's room and banged on the door very loudly. She didn't want to tell her mother and father because they detested werewolves. But she knew her father would help her get out of it.

She kept on banging when some footsteps came up the stairs.

"Portia what on earth are you doing?" enquired her mother.

Portia quickly ran to her mother and began to cry. "Mother I'm turning into a werewolf."

Portia's mother laughed, "What do you mean Portia?"

"I'm getting hair under my arms, oh please don't disown me."

"Portia calm down, listen I have hair under my arms too, it's normal to get it."

Portia sniffed though tears were still coming down her face. "So why am I getting it?"

"Because you're growing up darling, everyone gets hair, even boys."

"Oh, so why haven't I got any hair then?" asked an unknown voice.

Portia pulled away from her mother and turned around. She saw a boy standing at the door that she was banging at. The boy looked the same age as Portia, but Portia knew he must be younger; he looked nothing like her father. He had black hair; just like the boy she saw in the alley so many years ago. But she knew it wasn't, though he might have been younger than her. He was dressed in a pair of black trousers and a grey type of top that had no sleeves.

"This boy has a strange fashion sense," she thought.

The boy smiled, like a jester. Just like that boy did. She had to admit he looked rather nice in the clothes he was wearing. She saw some lumps in the top and they looked rather cool.

"That's because young man you probably haven't begun to grow up yet," said Portia's mother.

The boy smiled even more and for some strange reason Portia really liked it. "That's okay, I like being a kid." He then looked at Portia. "Was it you banging on my door?" Portia nodded grimly. It was the first time she had talked to a boy and she had done something terrible to him.

"Well thank you," he said. "You reminded me that breakfast is ready soon, I was about to go down."

"Hold on he's thanking me for being rude, that's not right is it?" Portia asked herself.

"You're welcome," she said aloud.

"So why were you banging on my door?"

Then Portia suddenly remembered. That wasn't his room.

"What are you doing in my mother's and father's room?" she asked folding her arms. She felt extremely silly since about one minute earlier she was crying in her mothers arms and he saw her.

"I'm not in your mum's and dad's room, this is my room."

"He called my mother and father different names, is that a bad thing?"

"Are you sure?" asked Portia

The boy nodded. "Where has your mum gone?"

Portia looked behind her and looked back at him. "Well sorry."

"You must have made a simple mistake that's all, don't beat yourself up about it."

"What the hell did he mean by that?"

"What's your name?" he asked Portia.

"Portia Boyd, what's yours?"

"Sirius Black and don't laugh!"

Portia just smiled. "I like that name."

Sirius smiled too, but differently. It would have been the perfect moment but then....

"SIRIUS BLACK!!!!!" A young girl came out of one of the other room. She had long blonde hair. Portia wasn't guessing they were brother and sister.

"Yes dearest cousin?" asked Sirius, putting on a sweet voice. "Is there something wrong?"

The girl looked very angry. "Yes there is, you haven't been using my owl have you?"

"Why yes I have, I thought I would say hello to dear Lucius."

"Wonder who Lucius is."

"I thought so; you told him I was having boys in my room here."

"Well you have." Sirius looked like he was enjoying himself.

"He mustn't like her very much."

"The only boy's that have been in my room are you, your brother and Tom the innkeeper."

Sirius smiled like the jester again. "He was in there for a very long time though; I thought Lucius should know that his girlfriend was in a room with another man."

The girl looked like she was going to hit him. The girl then turned her attention to Portia. "What are you looking at? Have you got a problem?"

"No," said Portia quickly. "Sorry."

"Don't say sorry Portia, it is only Narcissa."

"Oh shut up Sirius," she looked at Portia again. "Are you a pureblood?"

Sirius looked ashamed once Narcissa had said this.

"What do you mean?" asked Portia.

"Are your parents wizards?" asked Narcissa. Portia nodded, wondering why she wanted to know.

Narcissa nodded and then she turned to Sirius, "Maybe you might end up like us after all."

Sirius scowled at her as she walked back into her room. "Just ignore her," he said to Portia. "She knows she's had boys in her room."

"You don't like her?" asked Portia. Sirius nodded.

"Come on, let's go for some food, I'm starving."

Portia followed Sirius down the stairs. But she kept thinking about what Narcissa said when she found out Portia had wizard parents. Why did she want to know so much anyway?

I mean what was wrong in having muggle parents anyway? They couldn't punish you because if they did you would blast them into pieces, wouldn't you?

When they reached downstairs, some people called Sirius over to them. Sirius smiled and said, "I'll see you around then" and went to the people which Portia guessed were his parents. Portia decided she better find her parents, though she was guessing her mother had told her father about her thinking that she was a werewolf. It was going to be a long day.

Three hours later Portia's father had finally stopped laughing her. He again pointed out that Portia would think of the stupidest things sometimes.

Portia stopped listening after the first ten times her father kept bringing it up. She started to think of what Narcissa had said again.

"Purebloods must be highly thought of," she began to think. "But Sirius didn't like it when she asked me. Maybe he doesn't like the thought of classes or something."

They reached Madam Malkin's robe shop. Portia had bought most of her needs except robes and a wand. Her father kept disapparating and apparating every time they bought something. Portia found this very annoying because they lost him five times already.

They walked into the shop, which in Portia's opinion was a bit old fashioned. She didn't have time to see most of the shop because a woman ran up to her and her family.

"Hogwarts first year?" she asked quickly.

"Yes I am."

"Come then dear, there is someone else in the back so you won't be lonely."

Portia found that she didn't care how lonely she was, just as long as the woman didn't bother her too much. She had a funny smell about her; like a wet dog smell.

Portia was taken into the back room and put up on a stool. Next to her was a girl.

She had black hair which was quite wavy and stopped at her shoulders. She was looking down at the floor.

"Hello," said Portia. It seemed she didn't like being alone after all.

"Hi," mumbled the girl still staring at the floor.

"Are you okay?" asked Portia.

"Yes," said the girl looking up. "Sorry, thought I saw something on the floor."

"Quite alright, my name is Portia Boyd."

"Katie Taylor, It's nice to meet you Portia."

"It's nice to meet you too," replied Portia.

Portia felt a tape measure go up her left side. Katie looked down at what Madam Malkin was doing and she giggled.

Madam Malkin noticed that she giggled and said, "Don't worry young lass you're next."

Katie frowned. "That's nice to know, all I need is a tape up my leg."

Portia looked up suddenly. She had never heard any young people talk like that to a grown up before. She had often heard her mother and father speak like that to each other, but never a child.

"Maybe you should learn to hold your tongue young lass; I don't like lippy young 'urns."

Katie just looked away from Madam Malkin and surveyed the room.

"Well anyway lass you're done, let's see what we can find." Then Madam Malkin strode off over to the robe rack located on the other side of the room.

Portia looked at Katie, who had just turned to look at her.

"Never heard anyone talk to a grown up like that before," Portia confessed to Katie.

"Never met someone so polite and truthful," replied Katie smiling. "You always like that?"

"I think so, I thought I acted normal."

"You most probably do act normal Portia, well more normal than me."

Portia thought she might have offended Katie a little so she thought she would say, "Sorry."

Katie raised an eyebrow. "What're you sorry for?"

Portia just shrugged because honestly she didn't know herself. She then felt a robe go over her shoulders.

"Now keep still dear, yes I think this is the right one, first robe too, how lucky."

Portia took off the robe and stepped down off the stool. She turned to face Katie who looked a little saddened.

"Bye Katie, I hope to see you again."

"Yeah same to you Portia might see you on the train."

"That's if Dumbledore will let you in, which I think he shouldn't," said Madam Malkin suddenly. Katie rolled her eyes and let Madam Malkin proceed on to her.

Portia smiled and left the fitting room, carrying three robes in her arms. Her mother and father were waiting near some formal wear section. Personally Portia didn't like the formal wear; It was much to old fashioned for her liking, but her mother said all fourth years had to wear formal robes so she realised she had to get some soon.

Portia's parents bought the robes in Portia's arms and left the shop. Her father turned to her and said, "Give them here Portia."

Portia handed her father her robes and he disapparated. Her mother took hold of Portia's arm and dragged her away from the spot.

"Your father is meeting us at Ollivander's wand makers, so we better get going now or we'll loose him again."

Portia and her mother walked down Diagon alley until they came to a shop.

The shop had a black sign with gold writing saying 'Ollivander's'. The bricks were a crimson red that looked like it had suffered a few storms.

Portia was pushed inside by her mother. When she got inside she saw her father talking to a man. The man had brown hair which looked like it had been greying for some time and he had silvery eyes.

The man turned his attention to Portia and smiled. "At last I meet the child of Henry and Jayne Boyd, young girl, your father has just been telling me about your scare this morning."

Portia looked quickly at her father. He couldn't have told this stranger about her private business. Portia looked then at the man who was smiling.

"Don't fret young one; it's not your fault your mother and father forgot to mention about the facts of growing up."

Portia smiled gratefully at the man and then she realised he wasn't blinking. "I'm glad to hear sir you think it's not my fault for being foolish, on the other hand I have to disagree." She looked at her father who was glaring at her. "I think it is my fault."

Her father then smiled at her. "We were also trying to guess what wand you will have Portia." He then looked at the man. "Mr. Ollivander was saying that he remembered my first wand."

"That I do Henry, willow, eleven inches." Mr. Ollivander looked at Portia's mother. "And Jayne Boyd, as I remember your wand was seven inches, holly and unicorn hair, I suspect you are a healer now, because that wand was good for healing charms."

Portia's mother smiled. "You are always right aren't you Mr. Ollivander?"

"One tries Jayne."

Portia chose to speak. "Mr Ollivander how do you remember all of this?"

"I don't honestly know young Portia; maybe it's something in the children that brings it all back or connections between wands and people."

Portia nodded.

"Now which is your wand arm?"

"I'm right handed sir."

"Right, well stick it out then and let's measure you up."

Portia wasn't keen on being measured again. Mr Ollivander's smell was as bad as Madam Malkin's, in this case he smelt of butterbeer, a drink that tasted really good, but its smell was a bit off putting to Portia. He smelt like he drunk it for every meal of the day.

He finally stopped measuring and went to some boxes over on a shelf. He pulled out three boxes.

He placed them on the desk opposite Portia. He opened one box and pulled out a dark coloured piece of wood. Portia realised that it was a wand.

"Here you are Miss Boyd, try this, eight inches unicorn tail hair and holly."

He gave Portia the wand and waited for about one second. "No, not that one."

He took the wand from Portia and placed it back in the box, and then he opened another box, pulled out the wand and handed it to her. "Try this, beechwood and dragon heartstring, eight inches."

Once Portia grasped the wand it let out some blue and white sparks.

"Well done Miss Boyd, second wand out of three, not bad." He put the other wands away back on the shelf and looked at Portia's father.

"That will be five gold gallons Henry, and knowing you, I'll be seeing you soon."

Portia's father chuckled. "You are probably right; well we shall take leave goodbye sir."

"Yes goodbye Mr. Ollivander nice to see you again," said Portia's mother.

"Bye sir," said Portia nervously.

Mr. Ollivander merely waved his hand as he was checking on some boxes.

When Portia got outside she confessed to her mother about her thoughts.

"Mother that man is really creepy, he hardly blinks, he smells of butterbeer and he must be really old because the sign here says that this wand shop was established three hundred and eighty two years before Christ."

Portia pointed at the sign over the door which indeed said:

Ollivander's: makers of fine wands since 382 BC.

"Portia, please don't speak ill of Mr. Ollivander," pleaded her mother. "I admit he can seem quite strange on first appearances, and yes it is very shocking when he doesn't seem to blink, but he isn't that old."

"This shop is a family business and it has been there for years as the sign says."

"Well I don't want to go back very soon, is that bad of me mother?"

"No Portia of course not, the only reason we would go back would be the case that you needed a new wand, so we would have to waste another five gallons, like we do every four months, don't we Henry?"

Portia's father, who had been reading something, looked up at Portia's mother. "We don't waste the money dear, it's not my fault my wand gets eaten or damaged at work."

Portia's mother just walked ahead with Portia, leaving her husband strolling behind.

When they got back at the Leaky Cauldron, Portia ran upstairs and packed her belongings in her trunk. She wanted to go shopping as soon as possible in Beverley. Her mother had promised Portia she could buy clothes for the Christmas and Easter breaks.

"But we need to go home first and check our post and then we can go the next day," Portia's mother said before they entered the pub.

Portia was packing her tops when she found a blonde strand of hair.

Portia found it very strange that there was a piece of blonde hair on the bed she slept in; when her hair was brown. She decided not to make much of it, so she finally packed her trunk until it was full and heaved it downstairs.

"No, no miss, I'll do that," said a voice.

Portia turned around to see Tom the innkeeper pacing quickly behind her. "Can't have you breaking your arms can we miss?"

"Quite, er Tom can I ask you a question?" asked Portia suddenly.

"Yes, miss you can."

"Did someone with blonde hair go into my room today?"

"Yes, miss they did."

"They did?"

Tom nodded.

"Do you know who it was?" asked Portia eagerly.

"Aye, miss, I do."

"Oh, who was it?"

Tom chuckled. "It was the maid miss."

"Oh."

And Tom left Portia standing there, leaving her feeling like a fool. Portia shook her head and then departed down the stairs after Tom, ready to do what she did best: SHOPPING.