Christmas, Part II

Excitement over Zach's success wafts the annoyance over getting an expensive gift out of my mind. Once I get home this summer I need to pick out some gifts for everyone and return Zach's idiotically expensive gift.

Scooping the boots up, I find the lack of heft to them surprising. So this is dragon leather? It feels… normal. Is it that powerful of a Concealment Charm? My mind fixates on the boots as my hands glide along the smooth leather, unable to feel any imperfections.

"Miss Catlyn! Cimsy sees more gifts!" Cimsy's gleeful cry shifts me back to the now as I set the boots farther away from the crackling fire.

I can't help but chuckle as Cimsy clumsily searches through the wrapping paper for two envelopes. Taking the envelopes from her, I examine them closer. Both are plain white with wax seals keeping them shut. The only difference being that one has my family crest and the other having the Hogwarts emblem.

My eyes bulge at the sight of the second envelope. Did he respond? Father's note falling to the waste side, I hesitantly peel open the envelope.

Dear Catlyn Ollivander,

Are you sure you want this? If you are, I am fine with the amount proposed in your letter. As long as your Father is aware of this and is fine with it then I am too.

From Albus Dumbledore.

Warmth rises within me and spreads into my face, widening my already pleasant smile. Turning to Cimsy, my sudden increase in joy confuses her, "What is it Miss Catlyn?"

'You're free!' I write with glee, only for that glee to be stomped out as fear rises in Cimsy's eyes.

"Why? Has Master Dumbledore found Cimsy's work bad?" I can only decipher portions of Cimsy's freakout as she Apparates throughout it, "Has Cimsy done something wrong? Has, has," Her Apparation slows down until it devolves into a whale.

The color drains from my face as I realize what I did. Stupid, stupid! Of course, she'd have this response for someone buying her freedom! What House-elf wouldn't! My mind uses its ability to multitask to simultaneously beat myself up and think of a fix as I dash to embrace her. What can I do? She's been so good to me this year. I have to do something. I can't free her, but I could make her life easier.

Petting her head, I'm forced to allow her to think she's unwanted until she looks up at my notepad, 'I miss wrote, what I meant to write is you're free from Hogwarts. I negotiated with Professor Dumbledore and I bought you from him. That is, if you want me to.'

It takes a moment for Cimsy's sobs to stop bouncing off the walls. Once she does, my patience gets tested as she takes a while for her deep purple eyes to look. It takes a moment for the words to twist through her mind and the information to be processed down. I don't let my affectionate smile waver as every passing thought is written on her face.

When the words finally make their way completely through her mind, Cimsy defines the H in A.D.H.D. as she squeals with glee and starts Apparating around like a madman.

"Is Miss Catl- I mean Master sure?" Her words boogie through the air at the speed of light.

'Miss Catlyn is fine considering it's technically my father that owns you,' I write, slightly annoyed, as I cringe at the word' own. He still made me pay for it though. There goes one, one and a half years of allowance. Looking at her displacing the air all over the place, only one thought enters my mind, worth it.

"But is Miss Catlyn fine with Cimsy? There are many better Elves here, far, far better than Cimsy."

'I'm sure,' Is all I write as I fight to not gush like a mother to her cute daughter.

"Cimsy's sure Gorsuch would much be-" She continues to speed through her words only for me to cut them off with a raised hand.

'Cimsy? For the last time, I'm sure. Are you going to keep on asking or do you want to see what your owner gave their daughter?' I keep a bright smile to make sure Cimsy doesn't misconstruct my words as threats to her. Her concerned frown turns to a mellow glow of joy as she jumps back down into her pile of wrapping paper.

Chuckling to myself, I take a seat beside her and look for the letter from Father. It's not like I want to be her owner. In fact, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure she's owned by the Ollivander family in name only.

Dear Catlyn,

First of all, this will be your only present. I know you don't like to be showered with gifts, even though I so much want to. I'm sorry this is my first time writing back to you after the beginning of the school year. It took a lot longer than I thought it would to get the Burkinabé Ministry of Magic to allow me to obtain some fossilized Runespoor venom as a potential wand core. I don't think they would have agreed to it at all if I didn't ask Newt to come with me. I had to let Newt in on the secret that the "Supreme Cores" are just the cores that most often and honestly choose an owner. The rest are either too picky or stubborn to fully accept a wizard. I showed him the back corner with the rare wands too stubborn to choose an owner. As to answer the burning question in your mind, it does not work as a wand core; Too viscous to ever listen to a wizard, but I'm getting off-topic. I scheduled your Wand Licencing Exam! You will be taking it next year during the second semester of school. I tried to get it sooner or not during school but that wasn't available. I already talked to Dumbledore and he's allowed you out for that day to take it. Speaking of my communications with Dumbledore, you really should have told me about your nonverbal magic lessons. It's not that I don't like you doing them, it's just that I wish you were more open to me telling you things. Don't stress about the Exam now and focus on your current studies or nonverbal lessons. Just focus on the here and now and you'll do just fine my Lumos. And just to make sure you do, I'm not giving you your Wand Permit until after the end of the school year.

From Ollivander.

Wait, Father knows Newt? As in Newt Scamander? Why has he never introduced me? Dang it, I was excited to see a new type of wand core. Wand Licencing Exam? The one test that determines if I'm legally able to make and sell wands and he decides to only give me a little over a year to practice! I really should have told him about the lessons. I'm able to read until the second to last sentence before his words trigger something in the back of my mind. Of course! How did I not realize?

Letting the letter fall to the waste side, I rush upstairs. Scrambling through my drawers, I throw on an oversized, faded, red pullover, and a green plaid skirt. Jumping down to the first floor, I grab the nearest shoes available, the dragon leather boots, and lace them up.

"What's happening Miss Catlyn?" Cimsy asks, still sitting in a pile of wrapping paper, as I slip my wand into my boot and grab my pocket watch, notepad and pen.

'Oh, I just realized something and need to try it. You're free to stay here and finish dealing with the wrapping paper,' I give her the note and store the rest of my stuff in small pockets hidden in the pleats of the skirt.

"Ok, Cimsy wishes Miss Catlyn a good time," Cimsy responds, still slightly confused as I slip out of the room and lock it. Adding the Silver Shield crest to my pockets, I waste no time in speeding out the Ravenclaw Labrinth and down onto the bottom floor of the Ravenclaw common room.

The knee-high boots hug every inch of my legs perfectly as they take me through a side door along the wall. The scenery of carpet, dark wood, and natural morning light completely flip to brick walls, torch-lit, and damp. Desks for potion making are scattered about the room as cabinets filled with potion ingredients take up parts of the walls.

Crossing the square room, I move in front of a portion of the wall different from the rest. Unlike the other stone bricks, the ones in this area are decorated in a seemingly random pattern of blue, white, and green shapes. Scanning the wall, a smooth indent takes the place where a brick would be protruding. I stand there for a moment to figure out the moves I have to make. Looking up to the indent in the top left corner, I yell with all my might; Slightly liking that even if I scream with all my might no one would hear.

Grabbing a chair, I judge the height and immediately leave. Begrudgingly grabbing a railed ladder, I bring it into the potion practice room. Finally finding a way up there, I lean the ladder on the wall. I'm forced to slowly make my way up the ladder, not wanting it to roll or fall over.

Putting a hand on the brick next to the smooth indent, I slide the brick-looking tile over to the left. It takes a bit to move all of the tiles into place as well as get to the tiles, but I'm eventually able to complete the Sliding puzzle. Taking a step back, the now unjumbled picture of a potion bottle starts to glow. As the glow gets brighter and brighter, the room begins to rumble.

Now used to the rumble of moving stone, I stand unfazed as the portion of the wall flips around. Where the sliding puzzle used to be is now replaced with a portrait of a swirling potion bottle identical to the old. Grabbing the frame, I use it as a door and step through; having to jump to make it over the lip.

The dull candlelight of the dungeons greets me as I look around to see the wall flip back to the portrait of the potion bottle. Making a few turns, I approach the potions room. Using the potion room as a starting point, I retrace the path to Snape's room.

I reach up to knock on the door only to stop myself. How can I knock when my fist can't make any sound? Stepping back, I take my wand out and slip off one of my boots. Setting my boot in the middle of the floor, I take a step back.

Clearing my mind, I clutch a gold Mana bead in one hand as I open myself up to Mana. Letting the Mana flow into me, I do something I've never done before. I cut myself off. I don't just let the presence fade into the background or stop focusing on it, I completely shut the presence of Mana out of my mind.

Keeping a clear mind, I only let the feeling of the spell's Mana, the look of it, the rudimentary aspects of it slip into my mind, And with a swish of my wand, the boot begins to lift off the ground. Rising slightly higher, the boot acts as if a ghost is possessing it, landing a kick on the door with a bang.