Still Holding On
written by Nina Rosier
It's not going to be easy, attending Hogwarts at the same time as Harry Potter. Even harder when you're a pureblood Slytherin and before long, everyone will know about the impending war. When you're written amongst the sacred twenty-eight, you don't choose sides, they choose for you.
Last Updated
05/31/21
Chapters
7
Reads
685
School Shopping.
Chapter 1
"Ow," I complained as I was poked once again with a small needle. The witch who haphazardly waved her wand was old, very old. Her hands contained a tremor that was so pronounced I expected it had been there her whole life.
"Ollivanders after this, darling. Then I think we should be almost done." My mother commented absentmindedly, ticking off the various tasks from her list.
"But couldn't we just…?" She looked up at me and my question was cut short without the need for an answer.
"First years are not allowed their own brooms, Nina." She repeated. But I'd already seen the Nimbus 2000 in the window on the high-street, other wizards and witches of my own age with their noses pressed against the glass. I sighed in defeat as the fantasy of breaking the rules of Hogwarts before I'd even got there were whisked away.
My attention was diverted to the pedestal next to me as the bell jingled and a boy stepped up next to me. White-blond hair was slicked back, drawing further emphasis to his sharp and pronounced features. He examined his own reflection in the mirror before turning to me, a gesture I replied to with a slight smile. His eyes flickered down to my mouth before his eyebrows furrowed and he turned away.
"That's you done then, dear." The old witch sighed before charming the pins of out my jet-black robes. Plain from head to foot, the robes were yet to be adorned with the house that I would find myself in by tomorrow night. My mother stuffed her list back into her purse, paid the witch for her services and ushered me from the shop.
"Now we just need to find your brother and father," she commented as she kept the brown string-tied package clutched close to her chest. Eventually, outside the apothecary, we found my father, who was piling small jars and vials into the arms of my brother. He rolled his eyes through the new glasses he'd had to start wearing over the summer and I stifled a giggle.
"Did you get everything?" My mother questioned. My father nodded in response but it was clear my mother didn't believe him.
"Are you sure? The books?" He nodded and sighed.
"Alec picked them up whilst I got her cauldron." My mother ran a manicured nail down the list for what must have been the hundredth time that day.
"Ok, I got her gloves, hat, cloak, and robes."
"I also got her telescope, crystal phials, and the scales. Is that everything?"
"No! My wand." I remembered, suddenly brimming with excitement as I spotted the windows to Ollivanders. I had taken off and entered the shop before my parents had the chance to follow.
There were boxes piled from floor to ceiling, varying in colours but every box was the same size, dust clung to some of them and cobwebs to others. The old man at his desk had looked up the moment I'd stepped in and waited for my eyes to locate him amongst the wands. My parents and brother quickly stepped in after me and settled the other things they'd bought for my first year at school on the window ledge.
"Ah, Miss Rosier? Is it that time already?" I nodded as he looked at my parents. "Finally of to Hogwarts alongside your brother."
"Remind me, Miss Selwyn, what wand chose you again?" My mother pulled her wand from her purse, smiling proudly at its delicate features and white colour.
"Ah yes, Aspen wood. Phoenix feather if I remember correctly?" My mother nodded.
"It's served me well." She replied as he handed it back and repeated the action with my father.
"Beech." Ollivander smiled as he ran his old fingers along the groves of my father's wand. "For those wise beyond their years and full of understanding." My father cleared his throat and I couldn't help but notice him tilt his chin upward slightly. Ollivander handed the wand back and leaned over his desk to me. He examined my face before retreating to the back of his shop, returning moments later with a purple box in hand. He removed a wand of English Oak and my hand clasped around the handle, it felt cold to the touch and made my palm itch but I waved it none the less. My brother laughed aloud as we heard a scream from down the street. I quickly placed the wand back on the desk. Ollivander sighed and returned to the shop, returning this time with two boxes, one grey, and one green. He opened the grey one first and handed it down to me.
"Yew." He said simply and I waved it again. My mother jumped as two of the floorboards ripped themselves up from under her feet and combusted into thousands of tiny splinters.
"No, I didn't think so but I like to check anyway. Here." He took the wand away and handed me the third one. As soon as I touched it, warmth spread throughout my hand and arm and I felt instantly attached to the stick of wood in my hand. I waved it slightly and several silver wisps emerged from the end and floated around the air, dancing to their own silent song.
"Yes. Yes, I think that is the one for you, young Miss." I reluctantly handed the wand back as he wrapped it in its green box and tied it shut with black ribbon.
"A questing wand, it is always seeking out the next great adventure. It will become dangerous if left to the mundane activities that occupy so many of our lives."
"Sounds like you're destined for Gryffindor in that case, Moonshine," Alec smirked, I grimaced and looked up at my father.
"Leave your sister alone, if I remember correctly, weren't you almost a hatstall? Wasn't it almost Hufflepuff? We all know how much yellow doesn't suit you and the shame it would have brought on the family name." A rose tint appeared on my brother's cheeks as my mother hushed them both, paid Ollivander and we left the shop.
"That's definitely everything now." My father said. "I want to go home and have some well-deserved dinner. It's an early morning start tomorrow after all. The train will leave at exactly at 11 am."
"Ollivanders after this, darling. Then I think we should be almost done." My mother commented absentmindedly, ticking off the various tasks from her list.
"But couldn't we just…?" She looked up at me and my question was cut short without the need for an answer.
"First years are not allowed their own brooms, Nina." She repeated. But I'd already seen the Nimbus 2000 in the window on the high-street, other wizards and witches of my own age with their noses pressed against the glass. I sighed in defeat as the fantasy of breaking the rules of Hogwarts before I'd even got there were whisked away.
My attention was diverted to the pedestal next to me as the bell jingled and a boy stepped up next to me. White-blond hair was slicked back, drawing further emphasis to his sharp and pronounced features. He examined his own reflection in the mirror before turning to me, a gesture I replied to with a slight smile. His eyes flickered down to my mouth before his eyebrows furrowed and he turned away.
"That's you done then, dear." The old witch sighed before charming the pins of out my jet-black robes. Plain from head to foot, the robes were yet to be adorned with the house that I would find myself in by tomorrow night. My mother stuffed her list back into her purse, paid the witch for her services and ushered me from the shop.
"Now we just need to find your brother and father," she commented as she kept the brown string-tied package clutched close to her chest. Eventually, outside the apothecary, we found my father, who was piling small jars and vials into the arms of my brother. He rolled his eyes through the new glasses he'd had to start wearing over the summer and I stifled a giggle.
"Did you get everything?" My mother questioned. My father nodded in response but it was clear my mother didn't believe him.
"Are you sure? The books?" He nodded and sighed.
"Alec picked them up whilst I got her cauldron." My mother ran a manicured nail down the list for what must have been the hundredth time that day.
"Ok, I got her gloves, hat, cloak, and robes."
"I also got her telescope, crystal phials, and the scales. Is that everything?"
"No! My wand." I remembered, suddenly brimming with excitement as I spotted the windows to Ollivanders. I had taken off and entered the shop before my parents had the chance to follow.
There were boxes piled from floor to ceiling, varying in colours but every box was the same size, dust clung to some of them and cobwebs to others. The old man at his desk had looked up the moment I'd stepped in and waited for my eyes to locate him amongst the wands. My parents and brother quickly stepped in after me and settled the other things they'd bought for my first year at school on the window ledge.
"Ah, Miss Rosier? Is it that time already?" I nodded as he looked at my parents. "Finally of to Hogwarts alongside your brother."
"Remind me, Miss Selwyn, what wand chose you again?" My mother pulled her wand from her purse, smiling proudly at its delicate features and white colour.
"Ah yes, Aspen wood. Phoenix feather if I remember correctly?" My mother nodded.
"It's served me well." She replied as he handed it back and repeated the action with my father.
"Beech." Ollivander smiled as he ran his old fingers along the groves of my father's wand. "For those wise beyond their years and full of understanding." My father cleared his throat and I couldn't help but notice him tilt his chin upward slightly. Ollivander handed the wand back and leaned over his desk to me. He examined my face before retreating to the back of his shop, returning moments later with a purple box in hand. He removed a wand of English Oak and my hand clasped around the handle, it felt cold to the touch and made my palm itch but I waved it none the less. My brother laughed aloud as we heard a scream from down the street. I quickly placed the wand back on the desk. Ollivander sighed and returned to the shop, returning this time with two boxes, one grey, and one green. He opened the grey one first and handed it down to me.
"Yew." He said simply and I waved it again. My mother jumped as two of the floorboards ripped themselves up from under her feet and combusted into thousands of tiny splinters.
"No, I didn't think so but I like to check anyway. Here." He took the wand away and handed me the third one. As soon as I touched it, warmth spread throughout my hand and arm and I felt instantly attached to the stick of wood in my hand. I waved it slightly and several silver wisps emerged from the end and floated around the air, dancing to their own silent song.
"Yes. Yes, I think that is the one for you, young Miss." I reluctantly handed the wand back as he wrapped it in its green box and tied it shut with black ribbon.
"A questing wand, it is always seeking out the next great adventure. It will become dangerous if left to the mundane activities that occupy so many of our lives."
"Sounds like you're destined for Gryffindor in that case, Moonshine," Alec smirked, I grimaced and looked up at my father.
"Leave your sister alone, if I remember correctly, weren't you almost a hatstall? Wasn't it almost Hufflepuff? We all know how much yellow doesn't suit you and the shame it would have brought on the family name." A rose tint appeared on my brother's cheeks as my mother hushed them both, paid Ollivander and we left the shop.
"That's definitely everything now." My father said. "I want to go home and have some well-deserved dinner. It's an early morning start tomorrow after all. The train will leave at exactly at 11 am."
