Tainted Blood

Chapter Five

Summer passes with the moon phases and soon enough, the morning I have to board the train, I receive my Hogwarts letter.

I sigh as I hold the thin parchment between my index finger and thumb. The letter welcomes me to the school and explains on a different sheet the school rules and how classes work. Crinkling my nose, I eye the supplies list warily.

Third year students will require:

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3 by Miranda Goshawk

Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky (if attending Divination)

Intermediate Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

The Monster Book of Monsters (if attending Care of Magical Creatures)

Numerology and Grammatica (if attending Arithmancy)

Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles by Wilhelm Wigworthy (if attending Muggle Studies)

Spellman's Syllabary (if attending Study of Ancient Runes)

The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts by Arsenius Jigger

Please note, Miss Moreau, that you are required to have a plain black robe for Sorting. We will provide you with your school robes afterwards. Thank you.

"Ugh. Why black? I hate black," I turn to my father," Papa! We have a lot of shopping to do!" Papa looks over my shoulder and whistles.

"Merlin. Which extracurricular are you planning on taking, cher?"

I glance back at the list of classes and frown. I have the choice of Divination, Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, Study of Ancient Runes, and Muggle Studies.

I hate anything to do with numbers so Arithmancy is out. I could care less about the 'alignment of the stars' rubbish. All I need to know are the moon stages, thank you very much. So that leaves...

"I think I'll take Study of Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures."

Papa smiles and pats my shoulder affectionately.

"Good choices, amoureux. Charlotte! Come on mon amour! We must Floo to Diagon Alley! We don't want Lexi to miss the train!"

"Coming, dear."

I groan and rub my temples, really wishing this summer never happened.

I just want to go back to Beauxbatons and be with Emmy and Fleur. I don't want to go to Hogwarts.

Mum glides into the room elegantly, holding a pouch of powder. A few moments later, I'm standing in the fireplace after my parents and Flooing to Diagon Alley from Toulouse, France. Crazy, I know.

I stumble out in a bang of soot and cough violently. Someone rubs my back and I look up to meet Mums' excited green eyes. "Welcome, love, to Diagon Alley!"

My eyes widen slightly as I take in the scenery around us. Shops of different variety litter the sides of the street with many witches and wizards bustling through the doors. Up ahead, a huge white building looms over everyone bearing the words 'Gringotts Bank'. Scents and sounds assault my hyperactive senses; musty old books, wood, different kinds of animals and creatures, candy, cakes, ice cream, and varieties of cologne and perfume. It's almost too much.