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AN: The only thing I claim is Zora and Samson, oh and the mean girls and Mrs. Hopkins too.




Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


 

 

Chapter 2

~ HP ~

Ever since that talk with her dad Samson had been doing much better with introducing her to the world of magic. He took out his old Hogwarts trunk from the attic. It filled to the brim with old spell textbooks that he used at school. He wasn't ashamed to admit that he was a nerd at school. Each book had quill writing all in the margins and sometimes even had little doodles. They both decided that after Zora was done with her muggle schooling each day that they would have wizard lessons. Each day was devoted to a different subject. Zora didn't care about all the extra work that it meant for her. For the first time in her life she felt utterly free. For the first time she wasn't afraid if she accidentally did a bit of magic, and at some points she even actively tested her powers. These days at her muggle school seemed to drag on, it all seem so less important now that she knew that her schooling was going to be…else where.

Luckily for Zora the school term was almost over, which meant she could focus solely on her wizard studies. Her father said that she could come with him to work on the days that weren't so busy. She couldn't wait, she had never been to London as crazy as it seems. Her father usually apparated to get to work; by car it would have taken a little more than two hours. Samson deliberated on whether to take Zora to the ministry by apparition or by Floo powder; apparition wasn't the most comfortable experience in the world. However, Floo powder required a chimney and the soot was murder on his sinuses. The decision of side-long apparition was made hesitantly and so the only thing to decide was the day that Zora would be shadowing him at the Ministry. There was no talking Samson into allowing her to miss a day of muggle school so they agreed to have her come on the Friday after school term was over for summer. School was getting harder and harder to focus on when all she thought about was the impending trip to the Ministry. She didn't know what to expect honestly, even though her father was becoming more forthcoming about information on the Ministry and the wizarding in general there were still things that he refused to tell her.

" It's not that I don't want to tell you Zora but some things are top secret. On a need to know basis, hush hush type stuff, you understand don't you princess?"

" Yeah dad I understand." She mildly pouted but that didn't mean she had to like it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was going to be an odd day; Zora couldn't explain it but something was going to happen she could feel it. It was the last week of the school term and she was supposed to be happy, which she was but there was that feeling of uncertainty that she just couldn't shake. Middleton Academy for Young Girls and Boys wasn't the most boring place in the world but it was definitely not the most enthralling either. It was a typical muggle school. It had its teachers, administrators, cleaning staff and the of course the student body. With a mane she liked to call hair in pig-tails, and her school uniform recently pressed, Zora had her favorite breakfast cereal and waited for the school bus to arrive.

Zora was a very quiet girl when she was at school. While she wasn't necessarily friendless, the proper act of making friends was still a bit difficult. Making new friends required talking to new people, which she hadn't quite mastered as of yet. The people that she normally reacted to (talking implied a proactive action) were the people in her classes and those interactions never exceeded outside of class. Maybe it was for the best, Zora thought, at least when she left for Hogwarts she wouldn't have to worry about leaving anyone behind besides her dad. By leaving no one behind that meant that there was no heartbreak to be had. Although, Zora had to admit it would be nice to be able to talk to someone other than just Luna. With Luna being so far away she still felt a tad isolated. But the school year was almost up and the chances of her making a new friend were slim. So with a sign and an unshakable feeling in her chest she packed up her things and went out to wait for her dad. She walked out of the main building of the school towards the front lawn and then something caught her eye.

It was three girls in uniforms that were like hers. It looked like they were talking …or more like arguing.

" Come on Granger we know you have the answers to the homework. So why don't you just hand them over and stop being such a goody-two shoes." One of the girls said in a threatening tone.

" For the last time, I'm not going to give you two anything so why don't you all leave me alone and do your own homework." The girl had a bushy head of hair; she looked familiar…maybe she was in one of her classes?

" Wrong answer Granger…" the other girl that was there pushed the bushy haired one to the ground. And that was the final straw.

" HEY!" If there was one thing that bugged Zora more than anything else it was bullies. It was cowardice gone offensive. She may have not liked to talk much, but she would not allow someone to be bullied. She calmly walked up the girls with courage she didn't know she had and glared at the two girls.

" What do you think you are doing? " The bullies looked familiar now that she had a closer look. It was Lauren Nostrum and her flunky Rebecca Plonk. The popular, girls; How original.

" Oh look Rebecca it speaks. McQueen, why don't you mind your own business? Granger here has something that belongs to us." Lauren Nostrum was entitlement and privilege personified. Always with the latest of everything she still she took what she wanted and wasn't afraid to go by any means necessary to get it.

" Yeah, McQueen mind your own business." Rebecca was no better than pet parrot. Not one original thought in her large, perfectly stylized head. Shame really.

"Well it seems to me that she doesn't want to talk to you Nostrum. And it's funny, I thought for an item to be demanded back it actually had to be yours to begin with." Zora did not like this girl.

"Funny girl are we? Look McQueen go away now and I will forget this little incident ever happened." Both girls stared at each other with daggers sheathed behind their eyes.

" I don't think so Nostrum, see I like to make impressions on people so I'll just stay right here and continue our little conversation. Because apparently you can't get it through your thick-heads that no one here is afraid of you two." The wind was starting to pick up and the clouds were starting to darken. Neither girl was breaking their impromptu staring contest. Unbeknownst to Zora, her eyes were beginning to darken. It wasn't until lightning started to appear that people were starting freak out.

" Um…Lauren maybe we should leave…the weather is acting weird…" Rebecca tried to gain her friends attention but it was a lost cause.

"Yes, Lauren why don't you listen to your friend, it's probably the smartest idea she's had in a long time." Zora never felt so angry. This girl had been a terror right from the off. Ever since they were in pre-school. She was tired of watching her bully people around. The weather was getting more ominous by the second. Something about this weather wasn't natural and Lauren was getting suspicious.

" What is this? What are you doing?"

" What do you mean Nostrum, I'm not doing anything."

" Yes, yes you are. Now stop it this instant! "

" Nostrum I honestly don't know what you're talking about." Then lightning hit the tree was helplessly rooted to that particular spot. Lauren and Rebecca screamed.

" Lauren let's go! " she dragged her frightened friend by the arm.

" McQueen you freak! " Were Lauren Nostrum's last words before running after her wayward friend.

Zora watched as the two girls ran away, the weather slowly began to clear up. Her eyes began to clear up. Zora was off in her own world until a girls' voice broke her out of her thought.

" Did you that?" the bushy haired girl watched the whole thing. There was nothing the weather report about dark clouds and certainly nothing about lightning. She sat on the ground amazed. Was it possible…?

" Do what?" Zora had no clue what just happened all she remembered was talking to Lauren Nosstrum and then …oh no…

" The lightning and the clouds, it all happened so quickly…"

" Zora!" Samson seemed to pop out of nowhere.

" Dad…" Zora felt lost and confused, could she have done all of that?

" Zora it's time to go…now." He dragged Zora and led her away from the bushy-haired girl who was still sitting on the ground in shock.

" Thank…you… by the way…my name is Hermione Granger…" the girl said quietly, no one else was there to hear it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The trip home was in silence. When they got there Samson just pointed towards the kitchen. Zora did have to be mind-reader to know what that meant. The kitchen was only used for two things: breakfast and punishments. She sat down at the kitchen table; she'd rather take on a dementor than deal with this lecture.

" Zora.."

" Dad I don't know what happened all I remember is feeling so…angry…Those they girls they were being so…so."

" Zora…"

" I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I don't know what got into me…"

" ZORA!" she instantly shut her mouth, her dad never yelled at her like that…ever.

"Zora." He said more gently, " It's okay."

"What?" that wasn't what she expected.

" Darling I understand, witches and wizards your age don't know how to control your powers yet especially since you don't have your wand. Emotions and concentration are the two most important things to be careful of when dealing with magic. You must always remember that."

" Yes dad." She sighed, then a thought struck her, " Dad what about the muggles… the Ministry…?"

" People have already been dispatched to handle the situation." He was still probably going to get an ear full at work tomorrow but she was already stressed enough as it was so he decided not to tell her.

" But won't I get a letter?" She knew that underage magic was forbidden…

"No princess, like I said before the Ministry understands that children your age can't control your magic yet, especially since you don't have a wand. But please Zora you must try to control yourself okay?"

" Yes papa."

" Good, now go wash your hands while I prepare dinner. "

"Yes, papa." Zora began walking away and then another thought struck her, " Um, dad?"

" Yes darling?" Samson acknowledged, he was trying to figure out what they even had in the fridge.

" About that girl…the one that was being picked on…she seemed different from the others." Samson stopped and looked at her.

" What do you mean Zora?"

" I just mean that she didn't freak out like the others did. I don't think she knew for sure it was me who was making all that stuff happen but at same time I don't think she was surprised either. Do you think…?"

" Only time will tell darling, but do not approach her unless you're absolutely sure. Muggles are not supposed to know about us."

" Yes dad." That girl, there was something about her. Maybe that something she thought was supposed to happen from this morning actually did happen. She couldn't be sure but like her dad said only time will tell...

The last few days of classes were interesting; Lauren, Rebecca and everyone else were acting like Zora's little episode didn't happen. Curiously enough though, the bushy-haired girl seemed to have an almost eerie interest in everything she did after that day.

~ HP ~

Freedom. Finally. Zora made a sound of relief, no more keeping up appearances, no more worrying about if she was going to see that bushy-haired girl at any given moment. She was free. What could possibly be better? Today she was finally going to travel to London and visit the Ministry. She was nervous, excited and a whole bunch of other emotions that she couldn't name at that particular moment. In all of her 8 years of life this was probably going to be the best day of them all. She could barely sleep the night before due to excitement. She spent most of the morning trying to figure out what she was going to wear. Was a t-shirt and shorts too casual? Maybe something nicer?

" Zora Lilian McQueen this is the last time I will call you. I am leaving for work in ten minutes with or without you. Remember I have Mrs. Weatherbee's phone number and you KNOW how she loves baby-sitting…"That she should get her down.

" Coming dad!" Merlin, did he have to bring up that woman? Mrs. Weatherbee was the meanest old woman on the block. She didn't like anything. Sunshine, puppies you name it. The woman was a vortex of depression. Zora finally decided on a sundress that she had just gotten. It was a simple cotton white dress. She wore her hair in the usual pig-tails and had a white head band in her hair. She wore her favorite white sandals along with her three heart gold necklace. She rushed down the stairs just before her father picked up the phone. " And I am not a baby."

"Well now, some one looks very grown up. What's the special occasion? We're only going to the Ministry." Samson laughed.

" But dad I want to make a good impression and I can't do that if I don't look the part." Zora huffed. Samson just smiled and hugged her to him.

" Zora you look beautiful as always and besides its not what you wear that makes people come to you it's the way present yourself. Just be the wonderful girl that you are and people will love you just as I do." He bent down and kissed the top of her head.

" Thanks dad. "

" No problem darling. Now, lets be off we don't want to be late." They quickly went into the backyard. Before they left Samson wanted to explain a few things.

"Now Zora remember to hold on to me tightly while we apparate. Also when we get to the Ministry make sure that you stay close to me. The Ministry is a very busy place and we could get separated. Okay?"

" Okay."

" Alright then." 1…2…3

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was like being sucked through a tiny tube, they landed in London five minutes ago and her head was still spinning. She sat on a bench with her dad by her side rubbing her back. At least she didn't throw up then that would have been a disaster. She looked around her. The place, from what she could make out, was beautiful. She had never been to London but people were hustling and bustling with direction. Cars, double-decker buses it was new, exciting and bit frightening.

" You okay princess?"

" Yes." She said in a quite voice, the spinning was starting to subside.

" Can you walk? "

" Yes, dad." She was embarrassed, he could tell so he left it alone.

" Well then, let us be off before the first morning rush…"

The walked to a red telephone booth, Samson put in the correct of amount of change and dialed the number. They got their passes and down they went to the Lobby of Ministry of Magic. It was huge, in all her life Zora never felt so small. Everything looked so shiny, everything was and emerald-green black if had to guess. Chimneys were filling with green fire and other witches and wizards were popping up everywhere. So many people and they were all like her. An unconscious smile spread across her face as she took in the entire lobby. Samson looked down at his daughter and smiled to himself. This was barely the tip of the proverbial ice-burg; he couldn't wait until she saw the Hogwarts castle too bad he wouldn't be there when she did…

"Alright darling, you ready?"

"Definitely."

-DM-

He didn't know why he was here especially on his birthday (June 5); usually his father didn't want him trailing along behind him. Most times he felt that his father didn't like him being in the same room with him. Nothing he ever did ever seemed to make Lucius Malfoy happy, at least where his son was concerned. If he wasn't doing something wrong then he wasn't doing anything. There was rarely a time when Lucius was proud of him, however that did not keep him from trying. So imagine his surprise when he was woke up to his mother telling him to get ready to spend a day with his father at work. He had no clue why his father was bringing him to the Ministry but he wasn't about to question it. The moment they gotten to Ministry his father was instantly bombarded by people from the various departments. Draco let out a bored sigh, he would rather just go and sit in his father's office than just stand around and watch as sniveling, incompetent buffoons talk to his father all morning.

" Father…" No response, not out of the ordinary. His father was busy talking to some department underling to take notice of him. So he stood quietly next to his father.

He watched as hundreds of people and inter-departmental notes sped past and none of them caught his interest. He had been to the Ministry before a few times. It was when his mother would bring him with her to visit his father so the layout of the underground building, as well as the people that traveled it, all looked the same. The day had barely started and he was already bored out of his skull. Why couldn't something interesting happen for once…hello…Who was that? That girl…he'd never seen her around her before… That was probably since there were hardly any other kids running around here.

The people around him seemed to all slow down and a clear path from himself to her. She was standing next to a pale, grown man looking at the large fountain in the lobby. She had brown hair that seemed to be barely contained her pigtails. Her skin reminded him of a milk chocolate frog. It contrasted nicely against the white dress that she was wearing. The girl wore a smile on her face that seemed to lighten the up the entire room, her eyes were full of enthusiasm and happiness. The man she was with suddenly pointed to the elevators and they started to walk from the main part of the lobby. He unconsciously moved closer when she moved further away. Not once did his eyes deter from her. By chance or by fate the girl, for whatever reason, turned her head and seemed to have noticed him. It was only a second but that second put everything that would happen that summer into motion.

" Draco." His father called him but he didn't move.

" Draco." Still nothing.

" Draco." A gloved hand settled on the young boys' arm firmly breaking him out of stupor.

" Yes, father?" Draco finally turned his head from where the curly-haired girl disappeared to look at his father.

" I told you it's time to go. Tardiness is unbecoming." His voice was cold and unrelenting.

" Y-yes father, of course father." And so Draco Malfoy quickly walked to catch up and follow his father, but all the while his thoughts still had not moved from the girl in the white dress.

-DM-

I love magic. Zora was having a blast at the Auror department. Her father had to go to a meeting with the other Aurors, something about increasing security at Gringotts, so she was spending her time with Mallory Hopkins, her dads' secretary. Mrs. Hopkins was a giggly woman who walked on the plump side of life. She had a box of chocolate frogs on her desk and was willing to share. They sat around just talking and eating chocolate frogs. Ms. Hopkins explained to her that she could collect the cards that came with them. So far she had gotten a Nicholas Flamel, a Helga Hufflepuff and a Rowena Ravenclaw. She was learning little things about the Auror department and the Ministry itself. Mrs. Hopkins was telling her a little bit about Hogwarts and the current headmaster Albus Dumbledore. The more she heard about Hogwarts the happier she got, Mrs. Hopkins could tell especially since her eyes turned a distinct gold. Mrs. Hopkins screamed, just as the Aurors were coming out of their meeting. Samson rushed to where the screams were coming from.

" Zora, Mrs. Hopkins what's wrong?" Samson panicked, Mrs, Hopkins was clearly freaked out and she pointed at Zora, who was also freaking out.

" Dad what's wrong?" Her eye color changed again to bright yellow.

" Um, okay first I need for the both of you to calm yourselves." He motioned them to take deep breaths, once their breathing was normally. He bent down on his knees to look closer into Zora's eyes. They were slowly turning back to their normally muddy-blue state.

He thought it was only a one-time thing, the last time anything like this happened Zora was only a baby. He wasn't sure before and he wasn't completely sure now but…

"Zora, darling, I think you're an Metamorphmagus."

~ HP ~

 

 






Chapter End Notes:

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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.