Pandora Malfoy and the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter Ten: Two Young Witches

~ 30th July, 1991 ~

I'd planned on meeting up with Hermione the day after the Hogwarts letters came, but certain limiting factors (i.e. Father not being out for more than an hour at a time) meant I wasn't able to actually do so until almost a week later.

As usual, I'd slipped through the hole in the hedge, and paid my eleven Sickles to get the Knight Bus to Heathgate. I thanked Stan and Ern, jumped the gap between the bus and the pavement, then headed off to Hermione's house.

Hermione's parents were more than used to me randomly turning up at their house by now. I'm not sure what they thought of me, exactly — a girl who didn't seem to have parents except in her stories, and who frequently disappeared for days, weeks, or sometimes even months at a time without explanation — but I didn't really care. If I was right, and Hermione was a witch, they'd understand soon enough.

Hoping she was home, I rang the doorbell. There was slight wait, then the door was opened by her father.

"Hi, Mr Granger," I said, smiling. "Is Mione here?"

"She's up in her room, and has been for the past few days," he said, in a resigned voice. "Why don't you head up? She'll be pleased to see you, I'm sure."

He stepped back to let me pass, and I excitedly bounded up the stairs.

The house had six bedrooms, although two of them were used as an office and a library/playroom respectively. Hermione's room was tucked just around the corner, away from the noise of the rest of the house — especially that of her younger sister, Eurydice — and the furthest from the road. Smiling happily, I knocked on the door.

"Mione! Can I come in?"

There was a sudden noise of paper and books being moved around, and Hermione called, "Uh — just give me a minute!"

The door opened soon after, and Hermione practically launched herself at me, pulling me into a hug.

"Dora! I haven't seen you for so long!"

"Hey, Mione," I said, smiling happily as we both went into her room. "What was all that about?"

She glanced over towards her bookshelf and said, "I was just tidying up a bit, my room was a mess."

It was a sound reason, but I got the feeling she wasn't telling me the whole truth. Perhaps she'd been hiding things that could give away our world?

"How was your birthday?" she continued.

"Wow, has it really been that long since we saw each other?" I asked, a bit surprised as I counted the weeks on my fingers. "Yeah, it was great, thanks! I went shopping with my brother, finally got some things I've wanted since the beginning of time itself, and I even got a pet!"

"That sounds so good!"

We both flopped onto her bed, smiling happily.

"What kind of pet is it?" she asked. "A cat, or a dog, or a — er — a hamster?"

"It's a bird that I keep forgetting the name of," I said. "It's a kind of golden colour though, and it's so pretty!" I paused for a moment, then added, "What do you want for your birthday, by the way?"

Hermione suddenly looked a little awkward.

"Um — yes, about that." She took a deep breath. "I'm not going to be here for my birthday, Dora."

"Why not?" I asked, making sure I sounded suitably upset and confused.

She's got to be a witch! She's just got to be!

"Oh, well — um — I'm actually going to be at boarding school starting on September the first," she said softly.

"Wow, me too!" I said happily, giving her a big smile. "Maybe we'll be at the same school! When did you get accepted to yours? Because I got my acceptance letter on the twenty-fourth."

Hermione gave me a slightly odd look. "I got mine then as well," she said, matching my smile.

"No way!"

I bounced on the spot a little in excitement, trying to think of ways to subtly tell her I was going to Hogwarts. I couldn't tell her outright, on the off chance she was actually a Muggle, so I'd have to be a bit sneaky about it.

Eventually, I asked, "Are you going to get a pet to take with you, like — I don't know — an owl, or a cat, or a toad?"

"I'm not sure yet." She was giving me another odd look, as if trying to work out if I was implying what she thought I was implying. "What about you?"

"Well, normally my pet wouldn't be allowed at my school," I started, "but my father managed to make arrangements with Professor McGonagall — that's the Deputy Headmistress — for me to take it anyway."

"Dora, I think we're going to the same school!" Hermione said, smiling broadly. Then she made a face like she'd had a sudden realisation, and added, "When you went shopping for your birthday, did you see Ollivander?"

"Yes! Finally, after waiting pretty much all my life!" I tapped the side of my jeans, where my wand was concealed in a hidden pocket. "Mine's made of larch wood!"

"Mine's made of vine!"

I smiled excitedly. She was a witch! I knew it!

"Have you tried any spells yet?" I asked, knowing that — like everyone else — until she started at Hogwarts, she'd be allowed to do magic at home.

"Only a couple of simple ones, but I'm hoping I can do some more before term starts," she said, sounding quite proud of herself. "What about you?"

"Well, I have a bit of an advantage, since I come from a magical family—"

"You do?" Hermione interrupted. "Is that why I sometimes don't see you for months?"

I nodded. "Yeah, it is. Sorry about that, by the way, but I could only visit you when my family wouldn't miss my absence." I chewed anxiously on my lip as I thought of what Father would do to me if he ever found out about my friendship with Hermione. "If they knew I was here..."

"What do you mean?" There was a note of concern in her voice, and I gave a rueful smile.

"Listen, Mione... there's something I've got to tell you," I said.

"What is it?"

I hesitated, trying to think how to explain it.

"In our world — the wizarding world, I mean — there's some... well, I suppose you could call it racism, although really it's more blood-purism than anything," I started uncertainly. "There are some old Pureblood families — that is, families who have been all-magical for many generations — who believe that Muggles and Muggleborns are inferior."

Hermione seemed to let this information sink in, then said, "That's awful! Why do they think that?!"

I sighed quietly. "It's because your magical ability seems to appear from nowhere, and because you never even know about our world before you get your Hogwarts letter. Personally, I think it's all stupid, but you're likely going to have some trouble from the kids who follow their blood-purist family's views."

"These families all sound completely horrible," she said, her voice harsh.

I winced, then softly said, "Um — yeah, so — so I'm sort of part of one of those families..."

I looked away, waiting with apprehension for her reaction. Had I just lost my only real friend?

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