Dogs can be really scary (┬┬﹏┬┬)

There was still a lot of rush present on the street though it had thinned comparatively. People were pushing each other to make way through the crowd, struggling to get to their destinations.

Sierra came out of the shop with the redhead, who was now trying to walk through the crowd. She followed close so as not to get lost once again. It took them about ten minutes to leave the more crowded area near the frequented shops.

"Hah. That was tiring. I'll kill George if he keeps me waiting after this," the boy sighed and mumbled.

Sia turned to her partner and asked, "What? Can you repeat, I did not hear you."

"Nothing. I'm just grumbling. You see, I am going to meet my brother at Fortescue's. And that guy has a bad habit of being late most of the time," the boy replied.

After a few minutes of silence, the boy asked, "Are you a first-year?"

Sia turned and looked at the boy before answering, "No. I am just nine this year."

The redhead smirked at that, "Sucks, doesn't it? I know how it feels. I had to go through that for eight years."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Sia said with mock sadness.

She didn't know who this boy was, how old he was, or where he was from, but he was a very outgoing guy. Usually, she would not open up to anyone so quickly, but he just had something that made her believe he had no ill intentions.

"How old are you, by the way?" Sierra asked, thinking she should also take a little initiative to continue the conversation. It was fun to talk with him.

The boy puffed his chest at that and said, "I'm twelve."

Sierra had to bite her cheek to stop herself from laughing at that. The kid looked so proud of it as if he had won a contest.

The two could now see the board with Ollivander's written over it in peeling gold letters hung a few meters away. Whereas the sign for Fortescue's was a bit farther.

"I think here's where we part. I will get going now. Thanks a lot for helping," Sierra said to the boy. Then she turned around and started walking away when he stopped her.

"Wait a second. I didn't get your name."

Sia looked at him, "Oh ya. My name is Sierra White, and you are?"

The boy grinned and replied, "I'm Fred Weasley. Are you by chance Karalyn's sister?"

Sierra just stared at the boy after hearing the first three words. She did not register the latter part at all.

'OH. MY. GOD. FRED. WEASLEY. THE Fred Weasley.' Sierra screamed internally.

On the other hand, the boy kept looking at her waiting for her reply. Completely unaware of what he had done.

After a few seconds of silence, Fred waved his hand in front of Sia's face.

"You there?" he asked and tapped lightly on her shoulder.

That brought Sierra out from her daze. She looked at him and asked, "Yes? You said something?"

"I asked if you were Karalyn's sister," the boy repeated.

"Oh ya. You know Kar?" Sia asked, trying to act as normal as she could.

Fred grinned and commented, "The most fun Ravenclaw I've ever met."

Sia smiled at that, "She told me about you."

Fred opened his mouth to say something, but just at that moment, they heard someone calling.

"Fred."

The two turned to see another redhead standing outside Fortescue's, waving his hand in the air.

"I should get going. It was nice to meet you, see you again," Fred turned to Sia and said before running away towards the boy.

Sierra sighed loudly, "Now that was unexpected."

She turned and went on her way to Ollivander's. She found her siblings standing outside waiting for Sten, who she guessed had gone inside to get his wand.

"Won't guess. I just ran into," Sia quickly said before she stopped on realizing what she said.

Everyone stared at her, confused.

"Um. I meant to say you won't guess whom I just ran into," Sia repeated.

"Who?" Sam asked with an excited look. The others also looked at her with interest.

"I met Fred Weasley," Sierra slowly said as if to create a dramatic effect.

Sam's eyes widened at that, whereas the other two just shook their head lightly while sighing.

"What is that?" Sia asked, annoyed at Al and Kar's lame reactions.

"We thought it was someone special, but it was just Weasley number four," Kar answered nonchalantly.

"You have met them before?" Sia asked, whining.

Alpheus smiled at that and said, "We all go to Hogwarts."

"That's so unfair," Sia huffed.

She was a fan of the Weasley twins. She liked how they pranked everyone and kept the mood light. She admired their will to work hard and fulfill their dreams even after much opposition. She had even cried a lot when Fred had died.

Meeting even one of them, in reality, was like some dream come true.

___

"Transfiguration is a branch of magic that focuses on the alteration of the form or appearance of an object via the alteration of the object's molecular structure," Sia read from the book leaning against the pillows.

"Hmm. So it's a bit like chemistry, I guess," Sierra commented.

"Usually, a wizard or witch attempting to perform a Transfiguration spell would often find it easier to transfigure one thing into something else provided that the state it was in had something in common with the final object. Due to the applied, precise nature of Transfiguration magic, there is a high potential for it to go disastrously wrong, even for the experts. If done improperly, the Transfigured object could become half-Transfigured or permanently stuck in one state."

"Let us start with some easy spells first. First, we will practice turning a match into a needle. Move your wand as per the instructions and diagram. The spell used for this-" Sia stopped reading and closed the book with a thump.

"Hah. It just goes about telling the spell and wand movement," Sierra sighed.

She had been trying to find out what happens during the transfiguration process. She had by now gone through all the transfiguration textbooks till the fifth year at Hogwarts. But no success.

By now, Sia was flopped flat on the bed after hours of sitting and searching in the library. There were many books on Transfiguration in the library, but all of those books were useless to her. They told how to perfect wand movement and spell the words correctly or on various transfiguration spells.

"Let's try something new," Sia murmured as she stared at three metal balls sitting on her palm.

When she had started practicing magic, Al had gifted her metal balls, saying how they had helped him practice.

One of the balls rose about three centimeters high as Sia continued looking at them. She hummed lightly at that and concentrated on the next ball.

This time the ball turned into a wooden ball.

She sighed for the umpteenth time. She was able to transfigure the ball smoothly. But Sia could also feel that the magic was weak, and the ball would soon Untransfigure itself. It was not as strong as she would want it to be.

"Why don't you try another way?"

Sia turned to see Kar standing behind her.

"What brings you here?" Sia said without getting up.

"Well, you see, you have been holed up in the library first, then in your room. That's not usual, at least not when I'm home," Kar said.

"I just have a problem, which I want to solve," Sia replied.

"What problem?" Kar asked as she lay on the bed beside her sister.

"This," Sia pointed to her palm, which still had one floating ball, one wooden ball, and one metal ball.

"My transfigurations are weak~" Sia whined.

Kar smiled slightly, "They aren't that weak. Just not as strong as the others. You can never achieve permanent conversions by transfigurations. If you want something like that, try transmutation. Alpheus can get you some books."

"Hmm," Sia humped lightly, still not satisfied.

Kar realized it and said, "How about you change your approach? You see, Transfiguration is very different from other Charm spells. Here you are not changing or adding new properties to the object, but you are changing it altogether."

Kar smiled, "I'll get going as I have some work to do. This problem you should solve yourself."

Sierra just waved her hand absently. She has already started thinking over what Kar said.

She concentrated on the last ball. She could once again feel her magic form a layer around the ball like she had done with the first two.

But now, instead of trying to transfigure the object right now, she started trying to make her magic seep into the ball. After a while, when she was satisfied and felt that now her magic had seeped deep, she tried transfiguring the ball.

The ball turned into wood. This time the transformation felt more permanent than before.

"Wo hoo," Sia jumped on the bed and danced.

She ran out to the library with the three balls tightly held in her hand.

"Sis! you there?" She called loudly as soon as she entered the room.

"Don't shout," Kar answered from behind the bookshelves.

Sia ran to her and showed her the third ball that she transfigured.

Kar took it in her hand and observed it.

"This looks a bit like transmutation now. You could try that. I think you'll like that," Kar said.

"I thought the same. I'm going to send a letter to Al soon," Sia replied.

"Oh and ya. I'm planning on visiting Harry tomorrow," She said before leaving the room.

___

Harry stood in the corner, trying his best in the shadow of the backdoor. Loud noises were coming from the table in the hall.

"And then Dudley talked to that boy and told him to return his homework to him. He did not shy away at all and fought for what was his. That's my boy," Uncle Vernon said with pride.

Harry scoffed lightly.

Dudley had threatened the poor boy to hand his homework to him as he had not wanted to do that work. And the Dursley couple had taken it as their boy standing up for himself.

"That's my Dudders, just like his father, don't you think, Petunia?" Aunt Marge said, looking at Petunia.

"Yes, he is," Petunia put on a smile and looked at Aunt Marge, "Do you want some wine, Marge?"

"Oh, if you insist," Marge said as if she wanted to reject but could not.

But Harry knew she loved alcohol, and she never even considered rejecting.

Aunt Petunia turned to Harry, who was standing in the corner, "Go bring some wine from the kitchen."

Harry nodded and entered the warm kitchen. He took the bottle of wine and started making his way back. They will begin shouting if he is even a bit late.

He went near the table beside aunt Petunia and tried handing the bottle to her.

But Aunt Marge had other plans, "Don't you have any manners, boy?" she looked at him disgusted.

"Come fast and pour me," she ordered.

Harry started making his way to the other end of the table. But something suddenly came in his way, and he tripped.

Luckily Harry held the table on time and balanced himself. He turned back to see Dudley laughing.

Harry became angry and opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by a bark.

Woof woof woof woof

Harry turned around and looked down. He had stepped on the tail of Aunt Marge's pet bulldog Ripper. The beast was growling at him angrily.

Harry slowly tried to lift his feet and move away, but the dog started barking loudly.

Harry did the most reasonable thing anyone would do in that situation. He ran. He turned on his heels and to the other end towards the garden, hoping that the dog won't follow him.

But it did.

The others at the table also got up.

Aunt Marge ran behind the dog, who ran behind Harry.

Harry ran around in circles in the garden hoping in vain to get rid of the dog. After minutes of futile trials, he decided to climb the tree in the backyard.

He was not very good at beating people up, but he was light and good at running away.

Harry got up on the tree, trying not to mind the scratches and bruises that he got in the process.

The dog still kept barking as it too tried to climb the tree.

The others entered the backyard, and Aunt Marge immediately ran to the dog.

"Oh, Ripper. My poor Ripper, that hideous boy stepped on your tail. Teach him a lesson, my baby," Aunt Marge said.

Harry stared at the woman as if she was crazy.

From a few feet away from the tree, the other Dursleys stood. Dudley was laughing loudly with tears in his eyes.

"Aunt Marge, please call your dag back. I have to come down," Harry said.

Aunt Marge looked up at him with loathing and turned her head away.

By now, Harry was almost pleading, "Aunt Marge, please call him away."

But ignoring him, Marge entered the house with the three Dursleys behind her.

It was one in the morning when Aunt Marge finally called Ripper off. By then, Harry had started begging in desperation.

That night when Harry laid on his bed, his whole body ached. But he could only sneak some ice cubes from the fridge to reduce the pain.

He remembered that little girl he had met at the park. She had told him not to ignore his injuries. That's the only reason why he risked going to get the ice when the only thing he wished to do was to lay in his bed.