Sophia Brandt and the Brooch of Isolt Sayre

Return to Mayflower Landing

AN: This chapter is dedicated to @julezzy! Thank you so much for voting for the first book and adding it to your reading list! I hope you and everyone else reading is excited about this sequel!

It was fall in Mayflower Landing. The weather was crisp and the streets were filled with students in cranberry and blue robes, with their parents following closely behind carrying their books and things.

Sophia Brandt led her grandfather into the potions shop, where she had to purchase some new textbooks for her class this year. Her nose was pink from the chill autumn air outside, but her eyes were shining--in just a few hours, she would be back at Ilvermorny, this time as a second year.

She headed straight for the textbook section, trying not to stare too much at the new beautiful copper cauldrons the shop had on display. She was able to find the book she needed and handed it to her grandfather, whose arms sank under its weight.

"This is a heavy one," he told her, chuckling. "Are you sure you need it?"

"I'm sure," she said, chuckling.

"Do you need any more ingredients? They're having a sale on mandrake root."

Over the summer, Sophia had confessed to her grandfather how much she loved studying potions. She had always thought that her parents, the zoologists, would be disappointed that she didn't share their interests. But they were gone, and her grandfather, her sole guardian, was more than proud of her. 

"I can borrow anything I need from Professor Fleetwood, even though he isn't my professor this year," Sophia said. When she'd received her list of classes over the summer, she'd been disappointed to learn that she wouldn't be taking potions with him again. However, she was sure her new professor would be just as good.

"Let's take it to the front then," her grandfather said.

The pair got into the long line behind other families, and Sophia peered around the shop to see if there was anyone she recognized. She saw a few older students who looked familiar, and was able to spot the new first years in the crowd (they had nervous smiles on their faces, and their robes were a little too black and spotless). However, she couldn't find any of her friends. 

Sophia led her grandfather by the quidditch store to the botany store, where she'd been told to purchase a Shrivelfig plant, to be used in some of her first Herbology lessons of the year. To her surprise, the store was filled with many other students from her year and above. Sophia felt a little overwhelmed and surprised by the crowd, but then she heard the familiar quibbling of a group of three students, and knew exactly who they were. 

"Noah!" She said, and the boy in question, and his two older sisters turned around.

"Hey, Sophia," he said, giving her a quick hug before his sisters Grace and Daniella came to embrace her as well. 

"How was your summer?" Sophia asked, trying to make conversation while looking around for Rosie and Callum.

"Good," he answered.

"No, it wasn't," Grace argued. "He spent most of it complaining about how his friend had season tickets to the Fitchburg Finches."

Noah glared at his sister. "Thanks, Grace."

He then stepped closer to Sophia. "Hey, have you gotten your Shrivelfig plant yet?"

"No. Do you know where they are?"

He nodded. "Follow me.

Sophia had momentarily forgotten that she was with her grandfather, but quickly remembered.