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The train rattled along the tracks.
Thalia sat by the window and looked out. Large raindrops were pattering against the glass. The sky was gray and comfortless, only now and then a ray of sunlight flashed through the heavy cloud layer.
In general, the bad, and yet for England so typical weather, completely suited Thalia's mood. She snuggled into her wool jacket, which smelled so much like home. She was feeling homesick, so much so that it almost hurt.
A sound made her look at Jonas, who was sitting across from her asleep and drooling lightly. Thalia had to smile, but that smile quickly faded. She wished so badly their parents were with them in the train, but it wasn't possible.
"Next stop: Kings Cross," sounded an announcement over the loudspeaker. A feeling of excitement struck Thalia. She quickly stood up and shook her brother's shoulder, who was six years older. He grumbled and opened his eyes. "We'll be there shortly!" she informed him. Sighing, he straightened up and stretched.
Then he helped his little sister lift the two suitcases down from the luggage rack.
As the train pulled into the station with squealing brakes and slowly stopped, the siblings pushed their way out through all the people getting on and off. After leaving the crowd behind, they took a quick look around and took their umbrellas out of their suitcases.
"Good," Jonas finally began. "Let's go, shall we?" Without waiting for an answer, he started walking.
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Quickly Thalia followed him, she didn't want to lose her brother in the crowds of London. While she struggled with her heavy suitcase, Jonas simply pulled his luggage behind him without difficulty.
Curious, Thalia eyed the area around her. It was not her first time in the capital of England, but she always discovered something new.
Moreover, it was her first visit without a parent, which is why, a bit anxious, she always stuck to Jonas.
"Well? Excited? Nervous?", he eventually broke the silence.
Hesitantly, Thalia nodded. With a smile, her brother put an arm around her shoulders.
"I was nervous back then, too, but believe me, you don't have to be. Hogwarts is one of the most beautiful places that I know. You actually feel welcomed right away and almost like.... home. The friendships you make there last a lifetime, and your house will be almost like a second family to you. And I'm still here, too," he tried to calm her down and ruffled her hair.
She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess so..."
"What is it?" he asked empathetically. "I know you, Thalia. I know something is going on."
The girl fought back the tears in her eyes. "I just wish Mom and Dad were with us here, that´s all."
Jonas sighed. “I hate it, too, but you know that it's just not possible right now for Mom to come with us. Dad's death affected her too much, she wouldn't have had the strength to come. The Death Eaters responsible have been brought to justice and are serving life sentences in Azkaban, and You-Know-Who has been dead for almost a year. There is nothing to stop us from living a good and peaceful life. We can do well in school to make our parents proud. Mum's main concern is that we're happy, so just enjoy your time at Hogwarts."
He hugged his little sister and then continued to pull her through the crowded, wet streets of London.
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Soon they were standing in front of the Leaky Cauldron. The sight of the run-down pub brought back old memories for Thalia. Jonas was no different. "Remember when Dad first came here with us?" he asked quietly. Silently Thalia nodded.
She remembered it clearly. That day had been bright sunshine. It was hot and most of the people were walking around with ice cream. She and her brother begged their parents for one, too, until they laughed and allowed them to have one.
The siblings were about to run to an ice cream parlor across the street when their father, smiling mischievously, said he knew a much better one. They visited the Diagon Alley for the first time and ate the world's best ice cream, Thalia was convinced. Since then, she ordered the same kind every time she visited.
Lost in thought, Thalia didn't even notice how Jonas greeted the landlord and asked him to take their luggage to their room. A short time later, the siblings were standing in front of the familiar brick wall.
Jonas pulled his wand out of his jacket pocket and tapped the bricks. The wall slowly opened to reveal the Diagon Alley. Witches and wizards hurried back and forth, chatting happily and looking at the shopfronts.
Although she had been here so many times before, in this place full of magic, Thalia always marveled at how beautiful and mystical everything was.
Side by side, the siblings wandered along the many buildings.
"So? What do we want to get first?", Jonas asked at some point, snapping Thalia out of her thoughts. She turned her gaze away from a shop window that displayed many different capes and looked at her brother.
"I don't know...", she admitted with a shrug. He reflected for a moment.
"How about we get your wand first? Then we'd have one thing already. After that, we'll have dinner, look for a pet, and then we can buy the rest tomorrow."
Thalia nodded, relieved that her brother was taking control and planning.
They made their way through the crowd and finally stood in front of Ollivander's. The old store with the dusty windows almost radiated an ancient magic. Thalia had been here before, back when her brother had gotten his wand.
Jonas pushed open the door and they stepped into the room. Like last time, Thalia sneezed as the dusty air hit her nose.
"Ah, Mr. Cooper!" Garrick Ollivander's voice sounded out of nowhere. Thalia jumped slightly in surprise.
"Beech, eleven inches, unbendable, core made of phoenix feather? You got it six years ago." As he said this, the wizard stepped out of the shadows into the light streaming in the room through the windows, all the while looking at Jonas. The young man nodded.
Mr. Ollivanders turned his gaze to the girl behind the tall boy. "So, you're Thalia Cooper!"
He smiled slightly. ,,The last time I saw you, you were much shorter. And now you're probably looking for your first wand. But remember; the wand seeks the wizard, not the other way around."
Thalia nodded in agreement, as her father had always told her that too.
"My sympathies on the death of your father," the wandmaker continued. Thalia froze, and Jonas looked uncomfortable as well. It was always a sensitive topic.
A lot of people said they were sorry, but those words made Thalia feel more upset and sad than happy. After all, most of them said it simply because it was part of decency and good manners, but they didn't mean it. And this made Thalia angry. No one would ever understand how much she missed her father. But Mr. Ollivander really sounded like he meant it.
"Did you know him?" the girl dared to ask.
He nodded. "Yes, Brandon, your father, was often here. At some point I stopped counting how many wands he destroyed. Your brother, fortunately, takes after your mother, Grace, and still has his first wand. Let's hope you take after her too," he smirked.
He clapped his hands in excitement. "Now, let's find your wand." With these words he disappeared behind a shelf. Meanwhile, a measuring tape flew to Thalia to measure her. Nervously, she looked at her brother, who only smiled reassuringly at his sister.
Mr. Ollivander was soon back. The old wooden floor creaked softly under his steps.
In his hands he held a stack of boxes. A feeling of excitement traveled through Thalia. Inside one of those boxes might be her first magic wand. Carefully, the wizard opened the first box and handed her a beautiful wand. It was slightly decorated at the handle, but otherwise relatively plain.
She took it in awe.
"Juniper, unicorn hair, eleven inches, elastic. Try it out," Mr. Ollivander said with a smile.
Hesitantly, Thalia moved the wand. She felt some kind of energy, but somehow it didn't fit. In the aftermath, she could no longer describe the feeling, because it was so strange.
Clanking, an old, dusty flower vase shattered. Water flowed through the broken pieces, and the flowers fell onto the table.
Thalia cringed in guilt.
"I guess it wasn't that one," Mr. Ollivander said cheerfully, and with a wave of his own wand, he made the remains of the vase disappear. Then he handed her the next wand.
,,Oak, Veela hair, ten inches, slightly elastic. Here you go."
Again, it was not the right one. With a loud thump, the stack of boxes collapsed.
"And I guess it wasn't that one either," the wandmaker chuckled and handed her the next wand.
But this one too, made of beech and dragon heart fibers, nine inches, bendable, did not fit her and burned the curtains. Then Mr. Ollivander, smiling, handed her another wand.
Thalia picked up the wand. The handle felt soft in the palm of her hand.
Pure joy tingled through her. It felt as if a sea breeze had just blown through the room.
Happily, Thalia remembered the many days she had spent on the beach with her family. She felt safe and secure, it was almost as if some part of her found its way to her.
Out of pure gut instinct, she waved her wand.
Golden threads of light broke from the tip of her wand, floating through the room and spreading a feeling of safety and warmth. All of her bad mood and the sadness that had dominated for most of the year seemed to vanish into thin air.
Thalia gazed in amazement at what was happening.
Slowly, the soft gold rays faded, leaving behind a grinning Jonas, a stunned Thalia, and a satisfied Mr. Ollivander.
"Maple, phoenix feather, eleven inches, unbendable." The old wizard gently took the wand from her hand.
,, Represents harmony, peace and calmness, and the combination of opposites. Take good care of it, Miss Cooper."
He handed her the box and Thalia took it carefully as if she were afraid of breaking something.
"Have a nice day," Mr. Ollivander wished them. "And take good care of yourself."
The siblings smiled and said their goodbyes as well. Then they left the store. It had stopped raining and rays of sunlight crept through the cloud cover.
Thalia blinked into the bright daylight after the dark wand store.
"Ice cream?" asked Jonas, grinning mischievously. She nodded and the two made their way to an ice cream store.
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A while later, they were sitting at a table, each with a huge ice cream bowl in front of them, eating the hot specialty with enjoyment.
Thalia remembered how she had been surprised that the ice cream was warm and yet did not melt, but as the child of two magicians, you discover new things often.
She put another spoonful in her mouth. Jonas stole a strawberry from her cup. She glared at him.
They quickly emptied the bowls. "Let's see your wand again!" her brother prompted her.
Thalia proudly took the box out of her pocket and put it on the table, opened it and took the shiny wand out of the case. Her fingertips tingled at the touch.
Now in the sun, she could look at it even better.
The light maple wood was turning dark in some spots and actually looked like a pretty, smoothly polished piece of driftwood. It was kept plain, with only a few cracks in the wood, but she wasn't afraid to break it because the wood felt very solid and strong.
She gave it to Jonas, who looked at it with interest. Then he gave it back to her. "So? Shall we look for your pet now?"
Thalia happily agreed and stood up. Jonas followed her, laughing.
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In the evening, Thalia sat on her bed in the Leaky Cauldron and looked at her magic wand again.
It was a very special feeling to hold it in her hand. An indescribable warmth crept from her hands to her heart and made the girl smile. Gwen, her new little screech owl, munched on a cookie with delight.
Looking at her school supplies, Gwen, and the wand, Thalia looked forward to Hogwarts hugely.
She was determined to enjoy her first year. She would become a great witch, make some friends, and stay strong, she promised herself.
"I'll make you proud, Mum and Dad, I promise," Thalia whispered softly into the darkness before she laid down next to Jonas and fell asleep as well.