Sunday, April 27, 2008
Continue Story (I copy and paste from internet) - Chapter 5 - 'SHE'S SO COLD'
CHAPTER 5
'Well, we can forget that. You don't need a wand, you've already got one.' Draco smiled and moved onto the next thing, but Clea stopped him before he had a chance.
'Actually; I do need a wand. A new one. I... I don't want to keep this one. It's not mine anyway, and... well I just don't want it. I only kept it this long for... safety reasons.' Clea surprised Draco by saying awkwardly, and he gazed at her for a moment, before looking away. He had learned by now not to ask too many questions; if she wanted to tell him, she would, but in her own time.
'Okay. We'll go to Ollivander's, the wandmakers first then.' Draco turned and guided Clea through the crowds with difficulty, arriving five minutes later at Ollivander's. Opening the door to an empty and dimly lit shop, a bell tinkled over head, making Clea jump slightly. Draco wondered silently why she seemed to nervous about anything, but once again, refrained from asking. The two approached the desk, and Clea pulled out the wand she currently possessed and placed it on the bench in front of her quietly, as Ollivander suddenly sprang from behind the desk, making Clea curse loudly and jump back.
'Sorry.' She quickly murmured, when Ollivander raised his grey eyebrows curiously. 'You startled me.' Ollivander's kind eyes smiled back at her, and then they narrowed slightly as they flickered from Clea to Draco, and back again.
'I apologize.' Ollivander's gentle smile had returned, and he turned to gaze down at the wand Clea had placed on the bench. 'You are returning a wand?' He asked; now it was his turn to be startled. Cles swallowed.
'Not exactly, Sir. This wand isn't mine; it's... someone elses. I was given it when mine was... misplaced. So I don't really know what to do with this one anymore, because I don't want it. I need a new one, so I thought I might as well bring this one to you.' Clea explained carefully, and Ollivander's expression grew more and more puzzled.
'Have you tried magic with this wand?'
'Yes, Sir.' Clea nodded, and Draco began wandering around the shop, letting his fingers graze over crystalballs and golden necklaces. He hadn't ever noticed Ollivander's sold this sort of stuff as well.
'And what were the consequences?'
'It worked fine, but I would prefer to find myself a new wand, a one that's truly mine.' Clea replied smoothly, and Ollivander nodded, picking up Clea's discarded wand gently. He turned it over and over in his fingers, his puzzled expression turning to suspicion.
'To whom did this wand previously belong, Young Lady?' Ollivander asked sharply, and Clea turned to glance at Draco, who had stopped browsing now and had returned to Clea's side. He was glaring at Ollivander.
'Is that any of your business?' Draco asked pointedly, and Ollivander snapped his gaze to Draco's.
'Indeed it is Sir, when this wand has clearly performed very dark magic.'
'Look, I just want a new wand, Sir. Please, you can do whatever you wish with that one - but I don't want it. I don't want it. I'd appriciate it if you'd help me find a new one.' Clea snapped slightly, but soon returned to her usual mild manner, an apology floating in her new softened tone. 'Please, Sir.' Ollivander stared at her for a moment, before nodding and placing the old wand back on the bench.
'Your name, Miss?'
'Clea Harvey.'
'Age? You are clearly not a first year.'
'Seventh Year. Seventeen.' Clea answered quietly, and Ollivander nodded.
'I don't recognize you though. Who are your family? Ahh, it sometimes helps when choosing a new -'
'It won't help this time.' Clea assured him sharply, and Ollivander, after a moments hesitation, gave a small bow, and then retreated down one of the many highly stacked isles, his fingers tracing over box after box. He kept glancing back at Clea, and then shaking his head and muttering things, before carrying on searching. Clea placed her hands on the bench in front of her, and Draco noticed they were shaking as she did so.
'Hey...' He reached and placed a hand on top of hers. 'What's wrong?' He asked, smilign gently at her. She shook her head, and he glanced tears in her eyes.
'Nothing. I just hate all of these questions. I guess it'll be worse when I get to Hogwarts. Everyone will want to know who I am, where I came from, who my parents are...' A single tear slipped from Clea's right eye, and she pulled her hands free of Draco's to wipe it away. He stared at her.
'Why does it matter? You don't have to answer anybody; your past has nothing to do with anyone but yourself.' Draco soothed, and Clea turned to look at him gratefully.
'I hope I'm in your house at Hogwarts.' She laughed tearfully, sniffing. Draco shrugged.
'Doesn't really matter if you're not, I suppose. But I expect you will be.'
'I want to be though; you're the only friend I have.' Clea whispered, locking her eyes with Draco's. A single second slipped past where they held eye contact, before Ollivander came bustling back in, holding out a box eagerly.
'Oh that was awful... that poor man's shop was almost destroyed when we left. I never realized choosing a wand could be so... tricky.' Clea nibbled her lip, thinking back to the damage her attempted magic with several wands had done to Ollivander's shop.
'He'll repare the rest in no time, don't worry about it. It was only the desk. And shelves. And the windows... and the door was a bit... none existant...' Draco murmured, before laughing and shaking his head as Clea walked by his side. They had finished almost all of her shopping now, apart from getting an animal, but Clea had been fretting over hoe badly things had gone at Ollivander's. But at least now she had her own wand; a one which she clearly felt more comfortable with.
'Oh dear... maybe I should send him some galleons to help repare the damage?' Clea suggested, which only made Draco laugh more.
'I wouldn't. He's a wizard, remember? Everything'll be fixed already, without so much as a knut spent.'
'Oh... yes, of course.' Clea nodded, laughing a little awkwardly now too. 'Anyway... I still need an animal. I've decided I definitely want a cat.' Clea stopped where she was and peered over the top of people's heads as she stood on tiptoe. 'Which way is it?' She questioned, and Draco slipped his hand into hers again and lead her away through the people, arriving at the magical pet store moments later.
'Let's go then, you can help me choose.' Clea smiled brightly, taking the lead for once and tugging Draco by the hand into the store, her eyes flickering around the shelves and cages of many animals, a lot that she had never seen before, and wouldn't have a clue where to start naming them. Clea approached the desk; no one was queing, although the shop was quite busy with people browsing.
'Excuse me. Do you have any... well, normal cats?' Clea asked with a polite nod at the woman who turned to serve them.
'Normal cats? Well we got some where their eyes change color? You want one o' those?' The woman asked, and Clea frowned.
'Umm... no, not really. Anything else?'
'Some where they change how they look... tabby one minute, black and white the next. Want one?' The woman asked, leaning on the desk and raising her eyebrows.
'No, thanks. Any... normal cats? Just, a cat? That doesn't change and doesn't do anything other than be a normal cat?' Clea stressed the 'normal' part, as the sales assistant clearly wasn't understanding.
'Normals cats... why'd you want one normal? We got ones that clean up. We got ones that attack enemies. We got ones that-'
'She just wants a cat. No special powers.' Draco sighed; he was getting bored with the conversation. 'I'm sure you have plenty.' Draco held out his hand. 'Draco Malfoy.' The woman's eyes widened quickly, and she opened and closed her mouth several times, before shaking his hand slowly.
'Yes Mr Malfoy, right away.' She turned and hurried off, and Draco and Clea noticed her accent had taken a certain higher class quality after being introduced to Draco. Clea frowned as the woman walked away, long grey hair hanging down her back.
'How strange.' Clea observed, turning to Draco. 'She only-'
'Black or white? Black and white? Tabby? Tortoise shell? Ginger? We got a pink one that had an accident with muggle hair dye. And one with bright red eyes, no one's even asked to look at that one yet...' The woman sounded genuinely puzzled as she called this out, and Clea raised her eyebrows, turning back to where the woman had dissapeared from.
'Umm... tabby, please.' Clea shrugged, and the woman returned, carrying the cat by the scruff of the neck. Clea winced at the cat's painful 'meow's and took satisfaction in taking the cat from the woman's arms. It instantly stopped the crying, and even settled down with Clea in a few moments.
'You want that one, Mr Malfoy?' The woman asked, now under the impression she was serving Draco. Draco turned to Clea, who nodded.
'Yes, please. How much is it?'
'
'Fine, ten galleons.' He reached into his pocked.
'Oh no...' Clea said instantly. 'Hold on one moment and I'll get my purse-'
'It's fine, this can be my welcome gift for you.' Draco handed over the galleons before Clea could protest anymore, and he reached and turned the cat gently towards him, noticing it was purring already. 'What will you call it?'
'Is it a he, or she?' Clea quickly asked the assistant.
'She.'
'Hmm. I don't know. What should I call her?' Clea asked, kissing the cat gently on the top of the head. The cat turned to nudge it's head against Clea's chin fondly.
'No idea.' Draco shrugged. 'Come on, let's go, we can decide later.' Draco turned to get the door to hold it open for Clea, and found himself face to face with Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
# posted by Sek Koon @ 8:41 AM 
