Sigh. A dozen thoughts, a dozen questions - but no answer. My head has been aching for the last 20 minutes, trying to figure out the solution to the puzzles swirling in my mind.

The snake-headed wand dangled by my fingers, pointing beneath the rock, as the cold waters of the lake lap at my feet. Truth be told, I didn't sleep well last night. I don't think I could even if I tried to. I lay awake for hours, trying to get over everything that happened the day before. Why did my hair turn black, why is it still black? Why did my eyes become blue with gold rings around them? Why did this wand choose me? Why did it emit such a strong burning light? What did Olivander had to say to my mom that I can't know? Those words... I wonder what they meant.

"Dangerous, obscurus, lives inside," those words just don't make sense. What could have he said to them? And that other one, "Can't argue with having Morgana in your veins?" I have what? In my veins? What is Morgana? It sounds like a name, so if it is WHO is Morgana? Why does this wand seem to be so special? Why are these questions stuck in my head? Why can't I forget them? I tried sleeping, drawing, reading, thinking of other things like what house I'm going to be sorted into, I even tried daydreaming about how my days in Hogwarts would go like. But whatever I do, the questions keep coming back and puts horrible notions in my head. What if I'm cursed, what if I still can't fit in? What if the things I can do aren't just not normal for this world, but for the wizards' world as well? What is this wand? Is it here as a mark? As an emblem of my destiny? If so, what is my fate?

What's going to happen to me as I step outside this haven?

Just then, my mother came out from nowhere and sat by my side. The strong gust of wind blew her long flowing hair backwards, revealing that soft sweet face of an angel. My mother is almost 50, but she seems not to age, instead grows younger, sweeter, and more beautiful every hour. She put her arms around my shoulder, caressing the still midnight mass of hair on my head, and drawing me closer to a giant hug.

"You're not yourself dear. I've been watching you from afar, something's clearly bugging you. Want to tell your mother all about it?"

I sighed. "It's nothing mother. I just have a lot of things in my mind, that's all."She kept silent and simply nodded as if to say, "Go on child, I'm listening."

"I'm afraid mother. There are a lot of things I don't understand. I can't comprehend myself. I want to go to Hogwarts and learn things, I want to try out things on my own. But somehow, something just frightens me. I don't want to leave Springfield. I don't want to leave home."

"Ah yes, I understand." She said as she patted my shoulders. "There are a lot of unknowns in the outside world, some you can solve, some you cannot. There is fear, there is doubt, there is risk, there is danger. But there will come a time when we have to learn how to stand up on our feet and make the right choices for ourselves in order to survive, in order to live, in order to thrive."

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean mother."

She chuckled, put her hands across my cheeks and looked me in the eye with a kind and gentle smile. "Oh darling, I know that going far away is going to be a hard thing to do, but it's the best for you. It might be a little scary at first, but you'll find yourself fitting in and hanging out with a bunch of friends not long afterwards. You might even get in Ravenclaw like I did. Don't you like that? We're gonna be in the same house, just imagine! I believe in you Alexa, you're going to do just fine."

Cheesy, I know. But apparently my mother just has that way of knowing exactly what to say in order to make you feel better. Sometimes I wonder how my life would be without her, and everytime I know it couldn't have been better.

"Thanks mom. You know exactly what to say, every single time. But, won't I get lonely, without any company?"

Without a warning, my mom snapped her fingers and leapt up in the air, unknowingly almost knocking me over when she jumped. "That's it!" She exclaimed with such vigor as if she just remembered something she should have long remembered.

"A company! That's what we forgot! I've been thinking about what we missed since the night you got your wand. It's a good thing you reminded me. Come, come, we are to eat breakfast and then go back to Diagon Alley. You need to meet your owl!"

"Meet who?"

"Your owl dear. We intended to buy an owl for you, but somehow it slipped my mind. The owl will surely keep you company when you're in Hogwarts, and besides it's the only way of communication, so we really have to buy you one."

With that last line she ushered me into the house, made breakfast, and soon we were assembled in the living room, ready to go to Diagon. There was one thing amiss though. Usually, mom puts out the fireplace before we leave but today it was left open. It seemed, even, that it had only been kindled. The blaze was only beginning to burn.

I watched my mother as she climbed the top shelf and procured a small pot filled with peony pink powder. I wonder what it's for. She walked back towards the fireplace, tossed a little bit of powder, making the fire green and turned to my father. To my surprise he stepped inside the pit of green flames, shouted "Diagon Alley" and vanished into thin air.

I stared wide-eyed at the place where my father dissappeared. Mother now took my hand and smiled in assurance. I followed her, not really knowing what to do but placing my whole trust and confidence in what we're about to do. The fire glowed even greener as she tossed more powder into the flames. We stepped inside the fireplace. It wasn't hot. Instead, it only emitted a pleasant warmth. "Diagon Alley" My mother's voice echoed loud and clearly.

Suddenly the world seemed to sway beneath my feet. My head was spinning round and round, my heart skipped beats, my lungs kept contracting, there was no air to grasp. A moment later I was back on my feet again, leaning into my mother's arms for support. It took a few seconds before I can walk again, and a few more moments to turn back into myself. That was my very first acquaintance with floo powder, and I definitely did not like it.

"Eeylops Owl Emporium"

Well that sounds fancy. We walked inside the shop. It was a very spacious shop, the low ceiling keeps the air around cool even with the summer heat. The walls were covered with matte paper filled with forests, and the ceilings were decorated with many different colored ornaments, making the place look like a paradise of an owl's natural habitat. I looked at the owls, their large bulging eyes stared back at me in awe. All of them had beautiful plumes even if they were of different types but none of them grabbed my attention. Nothing seemed to be interesting in these owls, I can't feel any connection with them. They just sit there, like dolls staring at you likea figurine. The eyes are the windows to the soul, they say. But in the eyes of these owls I see nothing, nothing but a blank empty look, dull and boring.

I was on the verge of giving up when something swooped down above my head. I turned around to look on what it is, but I didn't find anything. I scratched my head, wondering where could the creature have gone, and there on top of my head, I felt claws and feathers. I wiggled around, trying to get the bird out of my head, but it wouldn' t budge. I tried pulling at it, but it stayed unshakened, rooted to my hair. In vain, I went to a large mirror sitting in the corner to at least take a glimpse of the large bird and stare at it until it gives up. And there it was, a large screech owl, standing majestically at my crown. Its large and bushy eyebrows curved indignantly as it accepted my staring challenge.

"Oh dear!" Mother exclaimed as she saw the owl perched on top.

"It's too stubborn. It won't get off of me, I can't shoo it off. Go you, shoo! Shoo! Get down from my head will you?" To my surprise, I saw the owl shake its head through the mirror. It's brows get even curvier and even seemed to smile as if to tease me 'You can't make me go away.'

My mother simply laughed at it. "I don't think its gonna budge dear, until you agree to bring it home. It likes you." "I don't bring home owls which piss me off by climbing up my head, sorry." As swift as the wind, the owl swooped down from my hair and perched itself on my shoulder and soon on my hand, from which I examined it. It really was powerfully built, it stood like it was the King of the owls, not to be swayed from his convictions. It had beautifuk saucer-sized hazel eyes - and there were something in them. It wasn't dull and empty like the others but full of energy, of vigor, of indignance, power and determination.

As mad as I was earlier, I took an immediate liking to it, as if there had always been a special bond between us even if we had just met. I looked back at my parents who were watching the staring contest between us. "I'm taking this one home." The pretty young lady at the counter smiled. "You picked a good companion." I paid her 3 galleons and 11 sickles.

What are you gonna name it?" My mother asked. "I don't know." I said as the playful creature once again made a nest of my hair.

"Oh you bloody Merlin's owl, does my hair look really that messy you always mistake it as a nest?"

Hey wait, that's it! Merlin's owl!

"Who?"

"Merlin's owl! Archimedes!"

I looked back at the owl perched comfortably in my head. "Archimedes. From now on, I'll be calling you Archimedes."