Heartache In Hogsmeade

"Thanks again, Mr. Ollivander!" William said as he walked out of the shop's door. He placed his wand into its holster, which hung on his belt, and then he was on his way.

"Hmm?" William raised an eyebrow. He expected at least a small crowd after all the commotion he caused, but there was nothing besides the few men and women going about their day. 'Was the view of the shop blocked? They should have at least heard the roar. Did the glass break? If so, then why didn't they see or hear it?' William thought, his mind going into overdrive as he thought of possible ways the passersby didn't see his battle.

"Oh well," William said with a shrug. He walked through Hogsmeade with curiosity lining his mind. The buildings, indeed, were a marvel.

He traveled down towards the town bridge, his eyes locked on the small paper map his tome produced. William arrived in front of a smaller-looking business. Here, he would gather all anyone could need for the transfiguration class, and William needed a lot of information on transfiguration.

William opened the door and the loud ringing of a bell sprung everywhere as William entered the shop.

"Hello!" a friendly old black man called out to William. He had a long, thick, well-groomed gray beard, and the smile on his face told of his kind nature. "What would you like to buy?"

William walked over to the counter and said, "I'm here to pick up school supplies for transfiguration; I'm the new student."

"Ah yes, William, was it? You can call me Mr Brown," he said with a cogal smile before he looked under the counter and pulled out a small stack of papers. "These are the spell sheets Professor Weasley requested. I'm sure you'll put them to good use."

William looked at the papers that lay on the table with curiosity. "Summoning charms? I just barely turned a blade of grass into a clover, and she wants me to learn summoning charms?"

A loud laugh escaped Mr Brown's mouth, "The art of summoning isn't as hard as you think. Ms Weasley is a talented professor, and I'm sure she could even catch you up on transfiguration."

"Well, that's only the case if she actually teaches me. She basically kicked me out of her class to 'study by myself,'" William's face subtly scrunched, a look of annoyance forming.

"Look at me," Mr Brown said in a voice laced with authority. William looked up from the papers, meeting Mr Brown's eyes. "Transfiguration is the purest form of magic. Even the dumbest man in the world could figure out these charms. The reason is that transfiguration is about imagination. No incantation or wand movement will take away that fact." Mr Brown then looked around his shop as the walls and ceilings disappeared. "Imagination!"

A small laugh escaped William's mouth as he looked around. The streets became visible to William and Mr Brown, and the people around looked towards the two with incredulity marking their faces.

"Hey, Mr Brown!" A young boy shouted from the streets.

His smile returned to his face as he called the little boy, "Hey, Junior, how's your pa doing?"

"He's doing well! Anyway, have a great day!" The boy shouted back as he ran off.

The walls finally returned to the shop, and Mr Brown looked at William. "Ms Weasley said good things about you in the letter she wrote; I'm sure you'll be able to achieve a seat in her class in no time."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

—-------------------

William arrived at the next shop, where he would obtain ingredients for Wednesday morning's potions class.

When William arrived in the shop, he immediately called out to the man behind the counter, "I'm the new fifth year, and I'm here for my potion recipe charts."

"Ah, yes, here they are," The man, who appeared to be in his early forties, said. He patted a small stack of papers as he spoke. 

"Thank you!" William said as he picked up the bag and left the store.

The man was left there, shocked. "What a rude young man. He didn't even let me introduce myself."

—-------------------

William made his way past the potions shop and towards the edge of town. 

This shop's surroundings were whole fields of magical crops. Each one gave a small radiance that only William could see.

The plants were beautiful; their vibrant colors were even brighter than the towns. 

Some plants looked violent like guard dogs, but they were unmoving until a bird landed on one of the plants. The bird started to eat away at the plant it landed on with its beak. It didn't stay there for long, though, as a cabbage lunged out of the ground and swallowed the bird whole. Thanks to the cabbage's decisive move, the plant was safe, and the bird was no more.

"Wouldn't want to be on the other side of that! It'd take away a hand."

"It sure would! Mr Luis, I presume," an old man called to William. He was tending the fields, away from the dangerous-looking plants.

"Yes, sir," William responded as he walked over.

"Merlin's beard! Starting Hogwarts as a fifth-year, you must be positively reeling from it all."

"It sure is a change, but it's a welcome one."

"Well, bravo! Not everyone has the temperament to take things as they come. My name's Timothy Teasdale, by the way. And this is my shop, The Magic Neep," he said as he pointed to the cart full of plants by his house. "I keep the cart out here because I like a good chat. Can't very well be in the thick of things if I'm hidden away inside now, can I?"

William smiled warmly, "I suppose not."

"In addition to seeds, I have plenty of plants. Grow everything myself. My specialty is potion ingredients, and Pippin even purchases them from me.

"The potion shop owner? I didn't interact much with him," William said.

That's odd? He usually talks your ear off…" Mr Teasdale said with a curious expression. 

"He might have just felt sick today," William said with puffed-out cheeks.

"Well, what say we get you a packet of dittany seeds?"

"That would be great," William said, maintaining his charismatic smile as they walked over to the plant cart. 

Timothy grabbed the bag off the counter. "Here you go. You'd better be on your way. Dinner will be ready soon, so you'd better not miss it." 

"Yeah, I already skipped breakfast and lunch; I'd be screwed if I didn't make it to dinner," William said, walking away.

—-------------------

The fourth and final shop he was supposed to visit today was the broom shop, but it was closed. William looked into the shop's windows. The inside was dark, but he could make out the brooms lining the walls.

"Oh, well," William said, walking to the town square.

Sebastian was waiting for William. The former was sitting at a table outside, and the latter just sat down. 

"Did you find everything you needed?"

"Yeah, except a broom," William said. "Did you get everything you needed for Anne?"

"Yeah, I think this will definitely help her. I'll be visiting her tomorrow. Could you come if you like?"

"Thanks for the opportunity, but I already made plans with Imelda to go flying."

Sebastian raised an eyebrow and donned a devilish smile, "You like her?" 

"She's nice… when she's not screaming your ear off."

"Haha," an amused laugh exited Sebastian's mouth. She's definitely a handful. Always has been."

"Do you like anyone, Sebastian?"

"Ah, haha, umm, Nerida Roberts," Sebastian said, tripping over his words.

"Oh! You like her bad! I've no clue who she is, but good for you!" William said, leaning over the table and patting Sebastian's shoulder.

An awkward laugh escaped Sebastian's lips, "Why don't we return to the castle? It'll be dinner soon.

They both stood and started to walk.

"AHHHHHH!!" Screams erupted from all over the town.

A man came running from around That building into the eyesight of William and Sebastian. He screamed, "Troll!"

A grotesque humanoid monster appeared from behind the man. It ran behind him and grabbed him. The man's face was the picture of fear.

The troll brought the man to its mouth; his bloodlusted screams could do nothing in the mouth of the giant abomination. It ripped his head off with its teat, then swallowed. 

"NO! EXPULSO!!!" A woman cried. Tears streamed down her face, and a stream of blue fire shot out of her wand. The blue fire hit the troll; then, it was consumed by barbarous blue explosions. 

The explosions destroyed everything in the area. Houses were downed, and their residences were dead. 

"Stop her!" A woman dressed in a police uniform demanded of her fellow officers. They grabbed the destructive woman, immobilizing her. Her spell was immediately canceled, and the explosions stopped and revealed the troll; it only had small burns, as its collar started to glow red. 

The troll threw what was left of the man's body to the crowd; its face was the picture of rage.

"Ahhh! My husband, it killed my husband!!!" The woman screamed as the police restrained her. The charred, headless body of her husband lay before her. The smell of the charred corpse wafted into everyone's nose. This just made her screams more blood curling, and her eyes water further.

"Bombarda!" The police chief called as orange flames erupted from the face of the troll. "We need to lead it away!" She said as they started to back out of the town square. The troll chased as they threw spells at it.

The town was full of screams, but no one was in William's sight.

"Get ready!" Sebastian yelled. Buildings crashed down as a troll barreled itself through it. The screams of its resistance echoed through the square. They thought they were safe in their homes, but the troll proved them wrong.

William and Sebastian readied their wands as the troll Approached them. It swung, its club through the air, as it looked down on them. 

Then William saw it. "The collar, like the Dragon!" He looked around in fear. The troll could be killed, but if Ranrok was here, everyone was dead.

"Depulso!" Sebastian screamed. The troll just kept walking as if the spell had no effect.

It started to run, lifting its club into the air and smashing it down on the two. Sebastian and William dodged out of the way. "Bombarda!" they both called. Large explosions shouted out of their wands and engulfed its torso and head.

William couldn't see it earlier with the other troll, but the red from the collar shot forth all over its body and protected it from The blasts like a shield charm.

William and Sebastian then ran to its sides and called again, in perfect sink, "Bombarda!"

The troll was undamaged, its skin flawless gray, just as before. The only reaction it gave was a roar. 

"It's not working!" Sebastian yelled to William.

"Its barrier is going down; I can see it! Keep up the attack!"

"I don't see any barrier!" Sebastian yelled as the troll started to run towards him. "Bombarda Maxima!" Sebastian called as the spell shot forth and consumed the troll, along with most of the town square. William and Sebastian were both knocked off their feet and flung into the walls behind them.

"Ahh," a groan escaped William's lips. The explosions disappeared, and all that was left was an untouched troll. Even its giant club was reduced to a spear, but the troll remained.

It started to walk to the unmoving Sebastian. He stared defenselessly at his aggressor, his eyelids barely opened and blood watering from his mouth. In one hand, he held his wand, and in the other, he held a potion. It was the gift he would give his sister. He looked at that potion as if thinking, 'I've let you down.'

William stood with heavy breaths, "Expelliarmus," he murdered.

Just as the troll was extending the spear towards Sebastian's heart, the weapon flung out of its hand. 

The troll glanced at William. It expected to see a broken pile of meat pie, but it was pleasantly surprised. It turned to William, a foul smile adoring its face as it walked slowly towards him.

Sebastian pulled every last fiber of strength out of him and stood. He followed the beast with shakey steps. He pointed his wand towards himself, whispering all the healing spells he knew.

It arrived. It stood over William, looking like an eclipse the way it blotted out the sun. Its imposing visage becoming the darkness of the world. 

William just held his wand up to its face and said one word, just one. "Die," he muttered in a soft tone as if he were talking to a baby. A white ethereal fog covered his face and body as his eyes glowed a light blue. All the light then ran to the tip of his wand. Its black spikes became white as if filled with the energy; then, just as William commanded, the wand shot the pure white-blue light into the skull of the monster standing before it.

As the troll stood there, cracks started to appear on its skin. Fissures of purple and white escaped from its body until it exploded into black and purple dust.

William fell down to one knee, and his normal blue eyes returned. A hand reached to pick him up. When William looked up, he saw Sebastian.

"Come on, let's go," Sebastian said as William stood.