The Wand Makers Apprentice

Chapter 17

It was late and I had a long day in the shop. It was harder now Rosie wasn't around to help, but there wasn't as many customers as most people buy their wands than in the holiday, so it wasn't too tough.

I walked to Rosie's bedroom as the door was swinging in the evening breeze. She'd left her window open from the summer, and left her room an enormous mess at that. I made a mental note to send her an owl tomorrow.

A cough sounded from the bottom of the hall. I narrowed my eyes. The last time I'd heard that cough was twelve years ago, the night I got my daughter.

I walked down the short distance to the portrait and pulled back the curtain. He didn't introduce himself formally as he did last time, he seemed more tired.

"Dumbledore would like to drop by." He said, with a yawn. "I wish you wouldn't keep that curtain shut, it gets awfully dark in here."

I rolled my eyes and shoved the curtains more violently than I should've done. I went into the lounge where I knew he would arrive. I perched myself on my favourite chair, and as predicted a gush a green emerged and out stepped Albus.

"Good Evening Garrick." He said, dusting himself off and taking a seat oppsite me in the seat which Rosie normally occupied. I waved my wand, making a tea set appear. I poured Albus some tea and he leant back in his chair, relaxing slightly.

My living room was quite a dark room. My Apartment after all only has two bedrooms, a lounge, a kitchen, libary and dining room. We don't need that much, and if Rosie did take over and had a family she could extend the place, but for the time being all the rooms in the house were quite pokey. Rosie always said it's cosy, just the way we like it.

"What brings you here this evening old friend?" I asked Albus, wondering why he had come such late at night.

"I need to discuss the matter of your daughter." Albus said, taking a long sip of his tea.

"Ah yes?" I said, and I mirrored Albus, taking my tea to my lips, but not really drinking it.

"Well you know the situation with Rosetta, ever since she came into your care." Albus began, setting his drink down on the mat infront of him. "She is much more than she appears on the outside and is set to do great things. The future of the Wizarding World rests on her shoulders."

"That's a lot of responsibility for a little girl." I began, protesting. I did not want my daughter to turn into one of Dumbledore's foot soilders as he had done with so many members of the Order during the last war. She was not getting involved as far as I'm concerned.

"She won't have to do anything major." Dumbledore began, noticing the anger starting to boil in me and the worry, even more so than Rosetta. "But if she doesn't do her part the Dark Lord will rise again, and this time he will be twice he was before."

"Why are you telling me this Albus?" I asked in a whisper, confusion sweeping through me.

"Because you have taken Rosetta on like she is your child and you have done more than I would have ever dreamed for you to do for her, in turn putting yourself in emense danger. You have a right to know."

"What do you mean emense danger?" I demanded, as Albus stood up and began to pace towards the fireplace, sprinkling floo in the grate. "Albus, tell me now!"

"In time you will know." He said wisely, and then he handed me his wand. I took it from him slowly, confused by his actions. He had never let me go near his wand and I'd always been curious about it as it wasn't I who had made it, nor had it been my fathers, or his fathers.

It took it and held it up to the light, squinting my eyes behind my glasses and examining it. All wands were beautiful as far as I was concerned. I had the Ollivander gift, I could hear them speak to me and this wand was not a normal wand. It's beauty echoed above all the others that sat in the shelves and it seemed to have old magic lingering in it's core.

I bring it down to my eye level and stroked the wood softly. Elder wood. I'd heard of this wand... but it couldn't be surely...

"Thestral core... Elder Wood... Albus, it can't be." I whispered, my hand sweating as I felt the wands magic shimmer through me, more strongly than it would with any other wand.

"The elder wand." Dumbledore said, a sad smile on his face. I gazed at him curiously, his eyes seemed disgusted by it, like it was a bad child. I handed it back to him and he took it softly and stored it back in his pocket.

"But why?" I asked, not really sure what I was asking.

"Rosetta is the guardian of the Hallows." Dumbledore began. I opened my mouth to protest their existence. They were just a fairytale... "Now don't argue with me Garrick, that wand proved they aren't just rumors and whispers of wizard tounge. Not only is she that of the hallows, but of there posseser."

"So, you then?" I asked, feeling stupid, like all the answers to my many questions were staring me right in the face, but I'm too blind to see.

"No." Albus said kindly. "I have only two of the hallows. The next person who has them will be the one she must protect. The next conquerer of death will be the one who defeats Lord Voldemort, but he cannot without Rosie's assistance. She is the most important witch in the wizarding world."

"I don't want her to be." I whispered, my eyes swelling with tears. The thought of my girl going anywhere near you-know-who terrified me. She was still only little...

"I have to get back to Hogwarts." Dumbledore said in a quiet voice, not looking me in the eye. "Goodnight."

And with that he disappeared into the fire.

I went into the kitchen were Penny our owl was kept. She was perched on the window ledge, obviously reading for her evening hunt. I quickly scribbled a note down for Rosie;

Rosie,

Hope you're not getting into to much trouble. Make sure you're keeping up with all your homework, I don't want anymore disturbing letters from Professor Sprout again.

You're bedrooms a tip, it looks like a pack of werewolves have been in there. The first thing you do when you get home is tidy that place.

I hope you're enjoying Dumbledore's lessons. It's important that you listen to them, you must understand. And make sure you're behaving for Severus. He's giving you those extra lessons out of the kindness of his heart and it's important that you do your best in them. You're a talented girl Rosetta, just don't let yourself down by being a Goblin.

Can you ask Hagrid to owl me some unicorn tail please. I need them urgently.

Lots of Love

Dad.

I attached the parchment to Penny and watched her fly off into the distance with it. I didn't want Rosie to think I was worried about her, by I want her to be safe. She's the only thing I have left in my life that's worth living for, I don't want her getting into He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's grasps.