A Blue Raven [1] // Harry Potter // Draco Malfoy

Janus Thickery Ward

CHAPTER TWO: Janus Thickery Ward

"Celyn hurry up," Neville called from behind my door.
"I've almost done, Little Brother!" I called back as I tucked in my t-shirt and buckled the black belt around my hips.
Rushing downstairs, I picked up my white trainers with three black stripes from the last step and met up with my Gran and Neville by the unlit fireplace.
"Celyn Juliet." Gran tutted," why do I spend hours matching your socks when you're at school just for you to wear odd socks?"
I looked at my feet, on my left was a yellow sock, on my right was orange – I shrugged my shoulders.
"I wish you were more like your brother," Granny said as she filled her bag with toffee," He does what he's supposed to, you have your head in a fantasy world. It's time to grow up. Now did you take your potion today?"
"Yes." I lied, pursing my lips putting my hands in my jacket pockets.
Neville stood by the sink with Trevor, in a grey t-shirt and a blue and white cardigan with Greek patterns with a pair of wash down jeans and shoes.
"Hurry up, we are already late," Gran said putting on her blue overcoat and tapestry designed bag.
I nodded my head with a sad smile, I found it hard to see my parents – they just sat there, maybe once in a while they will walk around but the never talked to us.
"St. Mungo's Hospital."

I was taken up in Green fire then when it cooled down, I am standing in the foyer of the hospital. It's a nice place that was clean and white, it always has the subtle smell of roses. Running ahead of Neville, I was taking two steps at a time to get to the Fourth floor before him. As I made it to the second floor, I waved at some muggles whose relatives had been injured by a curse or three. When, if, their families recovered they wouldn't remember this hospital or what happened. For their safety.
On the third floor, weaving through people, I jumped onto the receptionist's desk with a smile.
"Celyn, you will find you name tag on the side, and they are exactly where they should be, "Sophie, smiled at me greatly," in the Janus Thickey Ward."
Neville soon joined us, out of breath and wheezing," Next time, can we take the lift?"

Granny took all three of our name tags in her wrinkled hand, pushing us along toward the ward.
Both my parents were on a single bed on the same side of the room, the curtain that separated patients had been pulled back so they could still talk to each other.  Dad held the morning paper in one hand and a ballpoint quill pen in the other; his glasses carefully balanced on his nose. Mum had pulled the table over her bed and laid out playing cards, one line had a King at the top the others are still covered.
Dad looked over at us before going back to his crossword.
Dropping my bag by the side of his bed, I put my hand on his," Hi dad."
Neville was with Mum and Gran, probably talking about plants.
"Well, I learnt a couple of new songs on my old guitar, Gran keeps telling me off because music isn't a worth wise career option. Neville brought another killer plant into the house again, it almost killed Trevor and Tallulah, the owl. Oh, I finished Muggle School, which was fun, I was the top of my class for maths and English – I was kind of sad I had to leave some of them behind, but I can't wait to start Hogwarts! Part of me wants to be sorted into Gryffindor like you and mum but I think I'm more of the Hufflepuff type." I sighed," I remember it, ya know – that day. Dumbledore keeps posting this potion Severus brews to keep the visons at bay till I'm at school, I just wanted to tell you (again) that it wasn't your fault, Crouch didn't hurt me he kinda just left me."
Granny took her coat off the chair after the fourth hour passed," We have to go, but I'm sure we'll be back for Christmas."
"See ya later dad, who knows – maybe this year will be different."

I wrapped Neville up in a hug as we walked towards the entrance of the ward, mum walked up to us holding a purple sweet wrapper. Her pixie cut had grown out and her once blonde hair had grown grey and wispy that fell over her shoulders. The eyes I once remembered had lost the shine they had as she chanced after me in the garden or when she watched dad and I dance around the living room with me standing on his toes. She took Neville's hand and wrapped his fingers around it.
"Thanks, mum. "He smiled as she walked back to her bed.
Gran looked down at us," Neville, put it in the bin – you can almost paper one of your bedroom walls."
I stood next to Neville as he debated throwing it away, however, he slipped it into his pocket as we walked out of the ward with Gran waiting by the front desk with her arms crossed.
Placing our badges on the front desk; nodding farewell to the receptionist on the phone. Running down the stairs back to the lobby, Gran kept pulling on the back of my top, so I didn't run too far in front.
"Right, Celyn go first," Gran commanded, pushing me forward into the fireplace.
"I'll put the kettle on when I get it." I told her," can't do much damage doing that."
She looked at me through her eyebrows; I put my arms up in surrender and took a handful of flop powder from the jar and stood on the dark wood before she had the chance to hit me with her handbag.
"Vicarage Farm Stoke-upon-Trent" I dropped the powder and was taken up in a green fire.
As the green fire dissipated, stepping out of the fireplace and the first thing I saw was Tallulah the barn owl. She was perched on the kitchen sink, two cream envelopes clutched in her beak.
Stepping out of the fireplace, brushing down my bare legs before walking up to the owl who dropped the letters in my hands. From the bowl by the window, I took several owls treats in the palm of my hand – the owl took the food as a type of tip then swooped out of the open window.
Waiting for Gran and Neville to come back, I put the kettle on over the hob and lent the letters on a red crisp apple that was picked just yesterday.
The fire flashed green leaving the two of them standing on the even logs. Gran looked at me than the table, she rushed forwards; turning the envelopes over so she could see the clear crest of Hogwarts imprinted on the drying wax.
"Oh my!" Gran gasped," Both of you?"
"Why wouldn't it be both of us?" Neville asked taking a seat around the kitchen table.
Gran waved it off," Open it, then I have to owl your Uncle Algie – he owes me a bottle of fire whiskey."
Trying not to break the wax seal as I opened the letter, however, it didn't work, and it split the crest in two Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff on one side and Slytherin and Gryffindor on the other. Emptying the contents of the letter on to the surface, I picked up one of the sheets of Parchment.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Celyn Juliet Longbottom,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

After reading the first letter, folding it back into the envelope for safekeeping, I picked up the second folded sheet of parchment.

UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.

COURSE BOOKS All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS

ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK

Yours sincerely, Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions.

Looking at gran as looked like she was going to faint, with a quill in her hand, she scribbled a note to Uncle Algie who dropped Neville out of the window two years ago.
Rolling my eyes at her happiness about this, I locked myself upstairs listening to Bon Jovi and Guns'n'Roses on dad's old record player. All his and mum's Vinyl's sat on my shelf under the player – they kept everything even their Queen tickets from their first date back in 1975.
"Celyn!" Gran shouted, probably from the bottom of the stairs, "Neville! Dinner's done!"

On the table was a bouquet of flowers in an old milk jug, two glasses of water and a fresh steaming steak pie and uneven cut chips.
As dinner went on, we were laughing and joking about what could happen at Diagon Alley, how we could trip on cobblestones or laugh at teenagers with ice cream stains on their faces.
With the cutlery placed horizontally over the plates, wiping her hands on the pale blue apron Gran gave us a stern look.
"Bed, the both of you – we have a long day tomorrow." She stated," Bright and early so we miss the hustle."
Groaning because I'd miss Twin Peaks but there was no arguing with Gran – not tonight that is. I had a shower, brushing my teeth at the same time before changing into my Pyjama and settling in bed.
I closed my eyes when I though Gran was coming into my room but all night, I was thinking about Diagon Ally and all the colours that lined the streets as I finished reading The Hobbit. My eyes wandered to my left were on a dusty shelf the original hardback of Alice in Wonderland; the bookmark mum put in back in 1981 still in the spot she left it.