The Salem Chronicles

Chapter 2

~ Zoe ~
"Look, mister, I don't have anything but dollars! I'm a student from the US, if you couldn't already tell, and I need to get this stuff for Hogwarts!" I gestured at the several textbooks and cauldron on the shop counter.
     "We only accept wizarding money here miss," the man behind the counter said, flustered. "And why do you need Year 7 books? You look like a fourth year to me." I sighed for the millionth time, hiding my hands beneath my long robes to count money in my wallet.
     "Alright, how much did you say it was again? I may have some Galleons." Preparing for a glamour charm, I snuck a look outside the shop window to make sure my father wasn't watching. -Turnes Totemous- My second attempt at a nonverbal charm hopefully had worked.
      "Six Galleons, eight sickles, and twelve knuts is the total today."
      "Okay just one second," I reached in my wallet, calm on the outside but going crazy on the inside. My fingers closed around small metal circles and I fought the urge to sigh in relief.  Counting out the pseudo-coins, I placed them into the mans hand as he counted them out.
      "Have a good day...!" he said to the next person in line.
      "Dad, come on, we have to go!" I tugged on my fathers jacket urgently. How long would that glamour charm last?
      "Okay, okay, just give me a second," he took one last glance around Diagon Alley before turning to me again. You couldn't really blame the guy. He had come to Hogwarts with the Indian transfer program about ten years ago. It was still magical for him.
     "We need to go to..." I scanned the short list on my fourth year Hogwarts letter Headmistress McGonagall had sent me. "the pet shop! It's just over here."
      "Why do you need an animal? Oh, right, mail," he tapped his head playfully. "Duh."
      "Well, at the rate we're going, the Owls are all going to be sold out and- Dad is that a cat please can I have it," I pressed my face to the pet shop window to gaze at a beautiful brown tortoiseshell cat. "Let's go inside."
•••
Long story short, I walked out of that shop with a magical cat. The pet owner said that this cat (who I had decided to call Doce, which was Portuguese for "sweet"), could understand, the but not speak, English. My dad had paused for a moment to "talk with this friend, and then we'll be well on our way, Zoe."
      While I waited, I spotted a pair of boys that I knew from school back in Michigan. Mark and Oliver, I believe. They were fairly popular, and I hadn't really seen a point in talking to them before we had all gotten the acceptance letter from Hogwarts.
     I turned back to Doce who was playing with a wad of paper in a corner. There was a tremendous shout from behind me, and lots of crashes. Mark had somehow landed on Oliver, both of their faces bright red. Well, well, well. I had a feeling things were about to get interesting.