The blessed girl's destiny (a harry potter fanfiction)

Chapter 3

A few weeks had passed, and Vanessa was slowly but surely getting used to the Order. Despite the occasional breakdowns and panic attacks that still gripped her, she could feel the steady signs of improvement. She felt the warmth of this place settle into her bones. Life at number 12 Grimmauld Place was, all in all, enjoyable. She found herself laughing often: at the twins' antics, at Ginny's boldness, at Hermione and Ron's bickering, and at Harry's sarcastic wit. She still had a few days until the start of her final year at Hogwarts, but if Hogwarts was anything like the Order, she thought with a cautious optimism, she would be fine.

"Catapult!" The shout came just before the weight of two bodies landed on her, knocking the breath out of her as she lay on her bed.

"Aaaaaaaa, get off!" she gasped, trying to push them away. After a few moments of wrestling and fits of laughter, the twins finally rolled off of her.

"Mom says we're going to Diagon Alley," they said in unison, wearing identical mischievous grins.

"Diagon what now?" Vanessa asked, blinking in confusion.

"You'll see! We're leaving in ten minutes, so don't be late!" they chorused in a sing-song voice before vanishing as quickly as they had appeared, leaving Vanessa a little dazed but excited as she rushed to prepare.

Vanessa had never seen anything like it. The moment they stepped into Diagon Alley, she was overwhelmed. The streets were alive with color, laughter, and magic in the air. Doors opened and closed in rapid succession, children darted between bustling shoppers, and the sheer energy of the place was palpable. Everywhere she looked, there was something new—a floating broomstick display, enchanted cauldrons, and wands gleaming behind polished windows.

"This is incredible," she breathed, eyes wide.

"Well, wait till you see Hogsmeade," Ginny said with a grin, clearly enjoying Vanessa's awe. Now, Vanessa was even more excited for what Hogsmeade had to offer.

The afternoon passed in a blur of shop visits, ticking off school supplies from a long list Molly had handed out earlier. From spell books with moving illustrations to potions ingredients that glowed and bubbled in their jars, Vanessa was amazed by everything around her. But without question, the highlight of the day came when Fred and George decided to levitate all their school supplies. Their intention, it seemed, was to stack everything neatly, but instead, they created a mile-long line of floating items that blocked the entire street.

Vanessa was in fits of laughter, tears streaming down her face, as confused shoppers tried to step around the floating procession. For the first time in weeks, she felt a little lighter—like she could breathe.

Eventually, the twins seized her by the arms and dragged her into Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"So, why are we here?" she asked, assuming they had some prank up their sleeves.

"To buy you an owl, obviously," they said, still grinning.

"Umm...why?" Vanessa asked, now thoroughly confused.

"To communicate, of course," George replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Vanessa furrowed her brow. "Why would I use an owl to communicate?"

Fred looked at her like she'd just said something outrageous. "Because that's what everyone does! Wait, do you not use owls in Romania?"

Vanessa chuckled. "Well, some people do, but that's considered very old-fashioned. Most use telegraphs."

"Telegraphs? You mean that Muggle thing?" George asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Sure," Vanessa said with a shrug. "And in any case, I already have a sort of owl."

The twins were immediately intrigued. "What? I thought you said you used telegraphs."

"I said most people do," she said, turning to walk back toward the others, a smirk playing on her lips. As the twins trailed after her, bombarding her with questions, she gave them one answer:

"You'll see—it's a surprise!" She winked, adding exaggerated jazz hands for emphasis.

Dinner that evening was unusually lively, thanks to the news that Harry had won his trial and would be returning to Hogwarts. The entire room buzzed with relief, and the conversation naturally turned toward Hogwarts itself.

"Did all of you go to Hogwarts?" Vanessa asked, curiosity getting the better of her. She couldn't shake the feeling that everyone seemed to know more about this school than she did.

"Oh yes," Sirius said proudly, leaning back in his chair. "Most of us were Gryffindors."

"Gryffindor?" Vanessa repeated, her brow furrowing slightly.

"There are four houses at Hogwarts," Molly explained, smiling warmly at her. "Each student gets sorted into a house during their first year—it's like a family for your time at school."

"And how do you know which house you belong in?" Vanessa asked, feeling a flutter of anxiety.

"The Sorting Hat decides," Lupin said, his voice calm and reassuring. "It's an enchanted hat that reads your thoughts and chooses the house that fits you best."

Vanessa's heart sank. A hat would decide? Based on her thoughts? How could a hat know more about her than she knew herself? The idea of someone—or something—poking around in her mind made her incredibly uneasy. What if it got it wrong?

Tonks, noticing Vanessa's growing anxiety, offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Hogwarts is full of good people. You'll find your place."

But Vanessa wasn't convinced. If anything, their reassurances only made her more nervous.

"Why houses, though?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Well," Lupin began, "each house values a different trait. Gryffindors are known for bravery—they do what is right. Hufflepuffs are kind—they do what is good. Ravenclaws are wise—they do what is logical. And Slytherins are...well, they do what is necessary."

Vanessa nodded, though she could barely focus on Lupin's words. She found herself thinking about her own life—about the choices she'd made, about how she didn't fit neatly into any category. The more they talked, the more daunting it all seemed. What if she wasn't brave or wise or kind? What if she didn't belong anywhere at all?

That night, as she lay in bed, Vanessa's mind was still racing. The image of that hat sitting on her head, picking her apart piece by piece, wouldn't leave her thoughts. She had learned to expect the unexpected in life, but this was different—this was the start of something new, something big.

As she stared at the ceiling, she thought about what Lupin had said. Four houses. Four mantras. Could her entire self really be defined by four little words? And what if she couldn't live up to them?

The anxiety was heavy in her chest, but as she drifted toward sleep, a small voice in the back of her mind reminded her: all big changes are terrifying. That didn't mean they weren't worth it.