The Begining
The field, as always, had been transformed overnight. No longer a dry, dusty stretch but now a new world of colour and sound. The rides were always first, big mechanical splashes of light, the tents below screaming their colours into what seemed like a world of barely-hidden delight. Alysha always preferred to watch from a nearby hill, this uprising into the twillight sky. It was the only part of the carnivale which truly held any magic to her. She saw her own family's tent, green and purple against the sea of red, yellow and orange. The twinkle of the lantern meant it was time to return, to begin the evening of fortune-telling. She pushes the thin mask onto her face, covering only her nose and mouth, and with a rustle of skirts makes her way down the hill.
Decending upon the midway, she greets the other workers, who are now like family to her. Tiny bells tinkle from her belt, ankles, and wrists, making her walk a musical gait. She approaches her tent, only to see an odd woman, dressed in royal blue robes, talking to her mother. She ducks behind the tent and creeps up, trying to hear the conversation.
"I believe you realise, that my daughter has never been in formal schooling." said Adrianna, looking a bit skeptical at the woman she was speaking to. "You can't honestly expect me to believe you've come all the way here just to recruit her."
"Yes, actually, I have. See, we keep tabs on things like this in the Ministry." the robed woman said, her voice warm and rich.
"Ministry? You mean...?" Adrianna started, but was cut off by the woman.
"No no.. we have our own Ministry. You might want to invite me inside, and I'll explain." And with that, the woman ushered Adrianna toward the tent.
Alysha crept around, slipping in the back opening behind the living portion. She assumed her mother would seat them near the fortune-telling table, and she was correct. She bunched herself near the water-barrel, where she could continue to listen to their conversation.
"As I was saying, witches and wizards have their own Ministry, which governs us. We were alerted to Alysha because of her abilities in making potions and divination. She shows all the signs of being a witch, just like you." The woman held up her hand, before Adrianna could speak.
"You are, just untrained. You'll find most women of your line were. You've just been... remote perhaps. Never been schooled." She pulled out a wand, conjuring a cup of tea. Alysha nearly gasped, but years of lurking had taught her silence. Adrianna, however, did not seem impressed.
"So you want to take my daughter to your school, and train her?" She picked up her own cup, made previously by her own hand rather than magic. The woman nodded, setting down her cup. "That I would.", she said. At this moment, Alysha panicked. She didn't want to leave her family, not for some school. She gathered up her skirts and stood up, walking into the main room of the tent.
"I don't want to go!" She exclaimed, not really caring about getting scolded for eavesdropping. The woman turned and looked at her, smiling warmly. Adrianna remained impassive, she already knew her daughter was listening. The woman introduced herself as an official of Hogwart's, and explained briefly the school and it's activities. Alysha listened carefully, sitting at the table.
After an hour or so, Adrianna seemed sold. She was not a cold woman, but a shrewd one. She picked up on the subtle notes that Alysha could study and make the family more money trained. And Alysha herself was warming to the idea. She carefully weighed her options and thoughts, and the more she did, the better it sounded.
So at the end of that summer, Alysha Dark began her journey to the school, expectations and dreams filling her head.
Decending upon the midway, she greets the other workers, who are now like family to her. Tiny bells tinkle from her belt, ankles, and wrists, making her walk a musical gait. She approaches her tent, only to see an odd woman, dressed in royal blue robes, talking to her mother. She ducks behind the tent and creeps up, trying to hear the conversation.
"I believe you realise, that my daughter has never been in formal schooling." said Adrianna, looking a bit skeptical at the woman she was speaking to. "You can't honestly expect me to believe you've come all the way here just to recruit her."
"Yes, actually, I have. See, we keep tabs on things like this in the Ministry." the robed woman said, her voice warm and rich.
"Ministry? You mean...?" Adrianna started, but was cut off by the woman.
"No no.. we have our own Ministry. You might want to invite me inside, and I'll explain." And with that, the woman ushered Adrianna toward the tent.
Alysha crept around, slipping in the back opening behind the living portion. She assumed her mother would seat them near the fortune-telling table, and she was correct. She bunched herself near the water-barrel, where she could continue to listen to their conversation.
"As I was saying, witches and wizards have their own Ministry, which governs us. We were alerted to Alysha because of her abilities in making potions and divination. She shows all the signs of being a witch, just like you." The woman held up her hand, before Adrianna could speak.
"You are, just untrained. You'll find most women of your line were. You've just been... remote perhaps. Never been schooled." She pulled out a wand, conjuring a cup of tea. Alysha nearly gasped, but years of lurking had taught her silence. Adrianna, however, did not seem impressed.
"So you want to take my daughter to your school, and train her?" She picked up her own cup, made previously by her own hand rather than magic. The woman nodded, setting down her cup. "That I would.", she said. At this moment, Alysha panicked. She didn't want to leave her family, not for some school. She gathered up her skirts and stood up, walking into the main room of the tent.
"I don't want to go!" She exclaimed, not really caring about getting scolded for eavesdropping. The woman turned and looked at her, smiling warmly. Adrianna remained impassive, she already knew her daughter was listening. The woman introduced herself as an official of Hogwart's, and explained briefly the school and it's activities. Alysha listened carefully, sitting at the table.
After an hour or so, Adrianna seemed sold. She was not a cold woman, but a shrewd one. She picked up on the subtle notes that Alysha could study and make the family more money trained. And Alysha herself was warming to the idea. She carefully weighed her options and thoughts, and the more she did, the better it sounded.
So at the end of that summer, Alysha Dark began her journey to the school, expectations and dreams filling her head.