Chapter 22: I'm A Muggle?!
She closed her eyes and tried to drown out the noises in her head but they just wouldn't stop.
"YOU ARE A MUGGLE! YOU CAN'T BREW POTIONS!"
"YOU ARE NOT A WIZARD! YOU CAN NEVER BE A WIZARD!"
"YOU ARE NOT SPECIAL!"
"YOU ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A GIRL WHO KILLED HER FAMILY!"
"YOU ARE WORTHLESS!"
"YOU SHOULD KILL YOURSELF!"
She snapped open her eyes and exhaled a mouthful of air. With a face that could only be described as emotionless, she stared at the floor and blocked out the noises in her head by focusing not on herself but on other things. She had learned that the easiest way to block the noises in her head was to blame others not herself.
A sigh of defeat escaped her lips while she thought, 'The only thing that I thought I could do and the one thing that I was really looking forward to.... is now gone! Done! And.. of course, you could do whatever you want… as long as you are a wizard. Also, there has to be a thousand versions of the truth to make you even more confused.'
Another sigh escaped her lips. This time, it was filled with disappointment and she told herself, "What is the point of being in this world if I cannot do anything? What is the point if I just stay in bed all day and wait on the mercy of one or two people to take me out on an adventure, so that I don't forget what it is like to walk outside and breathe fresh air? What is the point of never being able to finish High School, come here, and do nothing? There's no point. I'm a good-for-nothing Muggle. I can't do magic. I can't brew potions. I need people to take care of me and protect me. I'm just a burden. I'm just.. I'm just..."
"I know what you are doing girl, and let me tell you it won't make you feel better, doing this to yourself. ", said the wand as its voice resounded in her head, putting a stop to her overthinking and self-blame.
'Oh God! Not now!', Annie thought. She barely found the strength in her to reply to it but still, she forced herself to do it, "Then what will?"
"For starters, get up off that couch."
Annie let the wand's words fall on deaf ears. Seeing that she didn't do what it asked, the wand took itself from the kitchen and flew toward her.
"What you can do to make yourself feel better is at least try.", the wand said while flying before her.
Annie lifted her head to look at the wand and it said, "Let me explain what I said properly. You cannot make potions on your own. You need the help of a wizard. But, you don't have a wizard here with you. Wizards rely on wands. I am magical enough for you to use my help."
"Yeah, right!", Annie scoffed and looked sideways, not wanting to face it.
"What would be the use of knowing everything about potions if I cannot even make potions on my own?", Annie asked looking in any random direction. She was not in the mood to talk to anybody right now. She had thought so much about what it would be like were she to make a business on her own that would make her filthy rich. She wouldn't have to stay at anybody's place, travel around the world just like she had promised her baby brother. Thinking about her brother brought a smile to her tired face which lighted up her mood a bit.
"Look, girl. I'm not here to be a therapist, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I don't know what it is like to be a muggle, but I think I can imagine. Especially watching and reading all about us, a part of you would've hoped that you have turned into a wizard yourself, and you have, partially. No ordinary person knows everything about potions, not even wizards who have been studying the art of making potions for decades can tell the property of every single one out of the hundreds out there. Sure, you couldn't be able to make a potion all on your own, but can the average wizard? Every wizard needs their wand's help, otherwise the potion would be incomplete."
Annie finally stared down at the wand and blinked, feeling much better now.
'What's stopping me from at least trying? If I don't brew anything, I just can't do it. I have to accept it. That's it.', She thought, reassuring herself.
"Okay, then. Let's make a potion.", Annie said resolutely and stood up from the couch.
"We can start with a more basic one so that you don't get overwhelmed the first time.", the wand advised.
"Sure.", Annie replied to the wand, "Especially since I don't know how to disapparate to the bakery. I'll have to walk back to the entrance of the suitcase.
"And, also I'm already feeling a bit sleepy.", She said, now suppressing a yawn.
It was true. She had to be quick and careful to not mess the potion up at the same time.
Right then, a small creature flew into the room and passed right through them to the potion station next to the cauldron. Before Annie could do anything, a big pile of fire came out of the creature's mouth and lighted up the cauldron.
Annie looked at the wand.
"Since I've given you my own little TED Talk and you came back to your normal mental state, we should get started.", the wand explained to the surprised Annie.
"Was this… the Hungarian Horntail?", She could see the sharp black skin and its eyes glaring at her, even when it was so much smaller than its usual size and exclaimed, "You enchanted it!"
"Yes!", The wand said, "You've made up your mind, so I can't see why shouldn't we start right now. I cannot waste any more time from my unexisting energy to play a girl's motivation guru."
Annie rolled her eyes and condescendingly said, "Of course, you cannot. But then, what are you doing here, helping me out? Your wizards and wands are so interesting. You act like you're superior to us, but deep down, you wish you were a normal human without powers. Even you."
"I said it once, I'll say it again. I can see a light in you. Ultimately, I think that you will change the world., the wand said with Annie staring at deep in thought.
"Now, should we start, or not?"