Introduction
A family of five was walking on a hard dirt path. The father was tall and well built. He was strolling beside his wife, a pretty perky woman. Her hair was straight and fiery red, and was tied up in a tight ponytail. Her sky blue eyes seemed to bore into her surroundings: a forest that encircled the path, the sky colored the salmon-pink of earthy dawn.
“George, Victor, Amalia, hurry up!” She called from the front. The result was immediate; two twins with identical features ran up to walk beside their mother.
However, the youngest, a little girl was bent down, examining a slowly crawling earthworm. She giggled as she brushed away a strand of golden hair of her face. When her mother saw what Amalia had picked up she blanched. “Amalia,” she scolded. “Put that filthy thing down, and come here.” Amalia sighed as she carefully set the worm down in the grass. After making sure that it was fine, she trotted happily to her father, “Daddy,” she whispered, tugging on his arm. “Are we really going to the Quidditch World cup?”
Her father looked at Amalia with a warm smile. “Yes, and we’ve got pretty good seats, too.” Amalia beamed a gap-toothed smile.
“Amalia,” came her mothers’ voice. “Go play with your brothers.” Amalia nodded and fell back.
“Harold, why in the world did we bring her along?”
“Fresh air. Healer McRealler told us she needed it. We’ve been through this before, Rose.” He looked gravely to his wife.
“And I’ve told
you that she gets plenty of fresh air when she degnoms the garden!” Rose exclaimed.
Harold sighed. “But does she even enjoy it?”
“It doesn’t matter!” Rose snapped loudly.
Amalia froze. She knew that her parents were talking about her. “Ah!” Harold said, picking up a worn Styrofoam coffee cup, “Here it is!” Everyone gathered around the coffee cup and touched it. Suddenly, the world began to spinning. Amalia felt her feet leave the ground. After a few dizzying moments, Amalia wearily opened her eyes. Everyone was lying on the ground. In the distance, music was playing. She sat up straight and stood, walking towards the music, her family behind her.
They had arrived!
The Vision
There was simply too much to hear, see and smell, Amalia decided, turning around to see everything.
Harold made a campfire and set up a brown, camping tent. “Everyone, get in.” he instructed.
Eagerly, Amalia ran in the tent and gasped, while her brothers ran in and whistled. “Sweet!”
It was huge. From the outside, it was a normal-sized tent, about three people could fit in quite comfortably, but in the inside… it was the size of an apartment! Amalia walked over to a small bed and placed a small messenger bag on it. She sat on the bed, a look of satisfaction on her young face.
She sat there for a moment or two, before her father got up with a wild smile on his face. “It’s time.”
Amalia could hardly believe it. It was basically a dream come true. She outstretched her tiny hands for her father and her brother, Victor to hold. He gripped his little sisters’ hand tightly as they made their way to the pitch. To Amalia’s surprise, her family were still together as they sat down on the crimson red velvet seats.
Then, the world stopped. Time slowed down.
Amalia opened her eyes and she felt like she was being pushed vigorously. She glanced around, but no one was touching her. She flitted her eyes back to the pitch, where a game was going on. In a flash, Amalia saw the whole game in front of her. “240, China wins to Scotland, 60!”
She blinked and everything was back to normal. Amalia scanned the pitch, but it was empty.
Weird, Amalia thought to herself.
Did I just see an entire Quidditch match go by my own two eyes? But the answer zoomed to the back of her head.
I think I just saw the future. The thought secretly terrified her, but then she had another idea: Why not take advantage?
“Daddy?” Amalia asked, fighting for her fathers’ attention. “I’ll make a bet with you,” Her father searched eagerly around, as if to see if anyone was watching. He keened in closer. “Yes?” He replied, his voice close to a whisper.
“Give me a galleon plus my allowance if China wins, 240 to Scotland, who has 60.” Her father nodded in agreement, and they shook hands on it,
Suddenly, the crowd went silent. The match had begun.
“Hello, everyone!” A voice announced. “Welcome to the Quidditch World Cup! I’m Elizabeth Jane Huntingford, your host for today. First up, we’ll have the nimble China!”
Seven small and skinny wizards with brooms in their hands walked up the pitch, nicely co-ordinate. Amalia thought that they looked like solders, marching into battle.
“Liu! Mai! Ying! Beh! Po! Kat! Aaand McIlwraith!” The crowd clapped loudly as the seven got in to order. “Scotties, forward! Morrison! Paterson! Mitchell! Young! Ross! Clark! Aaaand Taylor!” To Amalia’s amusement, the Scots were nearly exactly the opposite of the Chinese. They were large and well built-- nearly twice the size of the Chinese Quidditch players. Amalia watched every single detail as the two captains, Liu and Morrison shook hands. They both looked at each other as if passing a secret message.
You’re going down, Asians!
Going down, ha! We maybe be small, but we’re gonna whip you guys so bad, you’ll fly all the way back to your wittle mummies!
The referee blew the whistle and they were off, soaring threw the sky. The Scotish Beaters looked like they could tackle the whole Chinese team. However, China was fast and soon scored.
“Liu has it! She’s making her way towards the Scottish side! She throws! And she scores! 10 nothing to China! ”
Amalia had to admire Liu’s skill and fast thinking. Liu was her hero, and she wanted to be a chaser, just like her, not the stinking keeper that her brothers made her play. The game continued, Amalia watching intensely, learning new moves and new strategies. The game went by fast, or so Amalia thought so. Wasn’t there a saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun,”?
She saw a glint of gold sweep by one of the Scotland beater’s ear, and McllWraith went zooming passed him. The beater only later realized what was happening, and it was already too late. The match was over, and China had won.
Amalia got up and cheered with the rest of the crowd, grinning broadly as Elizabeth Jane Huntingford’s voice ran through the podium. “240, China wins to Scotland, 60!”
Amalia looked at her father proudly, her hand outstretched. “I’ll give it to you at the end of this week, when I give you your weekly allowance, alright?” Amalia couldn’t say anything; she was too busy smiling to herself.
This was a dream come true for Amalia, a lonely girl, age seven, who's only dream is to play Quidditch.
It was all a dream
Amalia woke up with a start, sweating and gasping for breath. Her eyes flitted from her ceiling to her best friend, Savita who slept on, undaunted.
She leaned on her bed and took her crystal ball that one of her friends, Kyle had given to her as a Christmas present. She gazed into the orb, but the only thing that she could see was Hogsmeade under snow. Amalia sighed and put the crystal ball away. Not long ago, she had spoken with Kyle and Scott, and they had decided together that she was a Seer; she had even seen a prophecy in which Scott and she were to take part off.
How could the best time of her life become a nightmare? But Amalia wasn’t quite sure about it. It seemed more like it was warning her. Something important, she was sure of it but what?
Amalia pulled herself back underneath her warm, comforting silk covers. She turned around to face her neat desk; a stack of parchment nearly in a corner; her eagle quills in a metal cup. She closed her eyes, an effort to sleep. She sighed and opened her eyes after a few moments.
This was not working.
Amalia got out of bed and walked to her bookshelf, taking out “Quidditch Through the ages”. Amalia began reading, but her heart simply wasn’t in it. She put the book away in disgust. When Quidditch couldn’t take her mind off things, it was very, very sad.
Amalia put her night dress on, and went downstairs to the common room, with a glass of hot chocolate and whipped cream. She sat on the armchair next to the blazing, hot fire that was still going, despite that it was three ‘o’clock in the morning. Amalia sipped the warm drink and hugged her knees. She loved this drink, her father would always fix it up for her when either she or the weather were feeling down.
Amalia sat there for a long time, lost in thought, Even after the chocolate and cream was long gone, she sat there, untouched, her thought now in her future.
Tears
Weeks later, a beautiful Sunday afternoon, Kyle, Amalia, and Savita went to Hogsmeade.
They were strolling down the snowy streets, bundled up in scarves, cloaks, hats and mittens. The village cottage-like houses were dumped with snow, looking more like a Christmas card. The snow itself was falling lightly down on to the villagers below. Amalia giggled as one fell on her nose.
She was happy. Her nightmares were long forgotten. Oh, so happy! She didn’t have a care in the world.
But that was going to change, in a matter of seconds.
"Amalia! Amalia!"
Amalia turned around, frowning. In front of her, she saw a woman with brown hair and eyes. She had a tall figure, and was holding several bags.
Amalia looked at the woman in confusion. "Um, do I know you?" As if on cue, her friends tilted their heads and looked at the woman. Do we attack?
The woman laughed richly. "Of course you don't. The last time you saw me was when you were two years old!"
Amalia blinked. "What?"
The woman smiled kindly. "Why don't we go to the Three Broomsticks? There's much to discuss."
Amalia stared at the woman as if she was insane. "Are you out of your mind? I'm not entering a cafe with a stranger!"
The woman shook her head. "I am Amalia too. Your mother's best friend."
Amalia looked at her in confusion. "Rose?"
Amalia Jr. shook her head once more. "Helena. You're adopted, Amalia. Rose is your foster mother. After Helena and Benjamin were forced to put you away in an orphanage, Helena and Benjamin both told me that I was to watch over the child. And I did."
Amalia peered at the woman. "Why don't I remember you?"
"Because a memory charm was casted on you when you were young."
“Holy shit,” said Savita. Without her comment, you could have heard a pin drop. This made Amalia feel much more comfortable. It reassured her that her friends were still there, and they were going to stay there no matter what. Amalia looked at her feet, in the awkward silence.
Should I go, or not?
She debated in silence, and it was a great surprise when made up her mind. "Alright," Amalia said, bitterly. "Let’s go."
They foursome made their way to the Tree Broomsticks, a nearby pub. It was filled with Hogwarts students, either standing or chatting happily, or sitting at the tables, their heads put together. Amalia Jr. led them to a table in the corner.
Amalia sat down at a table, facing Amalia Jr. "Alright then," she said as she ordered four butter beers. "Start from the top."
"Your parents were very young when they had you. It was only a year since they had graduated from Hogwarts. They were happy together and you, but it wasn't enough to keep the family together. They became so poor that they didn't want you to live such a life. They gave you away, promising that they would work hard to earn you back again, so you will live with your parents again.
As we were saying good-bye to you at the orphanage, your mother pulled me close and told me to watch you. I agreed to do so. Your father then pulled out his wand and cast the spell that changed your life forever.
I've watched you ever since then."
There was a sickening silence, and Amalia buried her head in her arms. Tears were streaming down her face, which made her friends uncomfortable. They didn’t exactly know what to do if she cried, because, well, she never did.
It was too much to take for her. She felt her friends comfort her, saying that everything was going to be okay. If
a) Realizing that the family that you’ve lived with for your whole life wasn’t your real family is okay
b) Being told by a total stranger that you were being watched is okay
c) Your parents were much too poor to raise you is okay
d) Now those exact same parents want you back is okay
e) All of the above okay√
Then sure! Everything was going to be just fine.
Her mother's best friend got up and put a slip of paper on the table and left, her cloack swaying behing her. It had two addresses on it.
Benjamin and Helena Gredlune,
48 June st.
London, EN
Amalia Nurp
307 Bendazaa Rd.
London, EN.
Amalia didn't look up in till most of the pub had disappeared. The snow had stopped falling, and the sky was dark.
Amalia had never felt more alone in her life before, yet her two best friends were at her side, comforting her.
The End.
