Looking around my room, I felt a sense of loss realising it would be a long time until I saw it again. I hadn't told Randolph, but my plan for school and beyond was to travel the world and learn what it had to offer; meaning that besides the odd letter and visit, I wouldn't be around as much anymore… if at all…
Even without me explicitly saying this though, Randolph seemed to know deep down what I intended to do in the future. His actions since we got the letter a few days back… they were again similar to my father's actions when I left home all those years ago. He knew he was letting me go and he knew I wouldn't be back for a long time.
I needed to figure out 'why' I was here after all… alongside this, whilst I felt comfortable here, I started to recently feel like I was becoming too comfortable. I needed to step out of my comfort-zone to grow. There was also the chance that me out-staying my welcome here could implicate Randolph with the Blighthearts.
If Jason ever tried to track me down, Randolph could be caught in the crossfire and if he was killed as a result of taking me in, I'd never forgive myself. Personally, I hoped that old bastard either died or thought I was dead but that was wishful thinking. I saw how resourceful he was, I wouldn't be shocked if he was still alive even after that brawl with the Blackfangs…
Sighing to myself, I noted this was not the right thing to think about currently.
My mind calmed as I started to look around my room. I stared at the wooden bed-frame, the white comfy sheets and out the window. Even though the room was bare, with just some clothes scattered and not a single TV, console or computer in sight, it was still a place I had grown to love for its security and peace.
Gathering my clothes that were scattered around the room, I placed them onto the bed in an orderly fashion. The amount of clothes I had were not exactly great in amount… but I wasn't one to complain. Randolph had already given me so much; it would be rude to demand more than this.
Randolph also happily obliged to buy my supplies for me which I was grateful for, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth. In the future, I needed to think of ways to gain capital as well…
Leading on from these thoughts, I thought about the supplies I had to get for school. When I went to 'The Wharf' I'd be getting my uniform along with the other supplies that were necessary for schoolwork. The supplies to get were very similar to the supplies Hogwarts students needed as well, with some slight differences here and there.
Looking at my current loadout though, negating the wood, gem and dawn-surge, it was very bare. It was a stark reminder I didn't have much in this world still, reinforcing the notion of gaining 'capital' in this world eventually so I could buy my own stuff.
Putting on the Polyglot's compass, I recalled Randolph's words about Beauxbatons he'd recently told me; how the school was built upon independent study.
Maybe it was due to the sheer number of students or just the cultural differences of countries that they decided to extend their curriculum, allowing independent study for all years, giving students more time to grow on their own…
From Randolph's words, I pictured the school as more of a university, you'd attend lectures on magic but some were optional and self-study was encouraged more thoroughly, especially compared to Hogwarts where self-study and 'free-periods' aren't introduced in abundance until later years. When Randolph told me about the way Beauxbatons functioned, I felt relieved I picked this school over Hogwarts in the end.
In a place like Hogwarts, self-study was important but it felt more constricted with timetables being less 'loose' compared to Beauxbatons. Also, considering future events that would occur, it was evident the freedom I would get at Beauxbatons would be far greater than that of Hogwarts.
I wouldn't have to worry about a basilisk impeding me, dementors swarming me or the school being infiltrated in some way… Thinking on dementors… I really needed to learn the patronus charm. They would probably see me as a 5-course meal from a Michelin star restaurant…
Looking at the amount I needed to pack, I chuckled to myself at how little stuff I had to sort through. My main worry though with packing currently was my broom and the wood I had gotten from the black forest. Randolph mentioned he had gotten me a suitcase, but I doubted it would fit these things unless it was charmed.
As if hearing my thoughts, Randolph knocked and opened my door with great timing.
"I see you are nearly ready" Randolph mused.
I nodded, looking at the wood on my bed with a difficult stare. Randolph could probably tell that I didn't want to part with it. He smiled as he came over to me, a pouch in his hand that was a decent size and could be attached to a belt on someone's trousers.
"This here is a pouch with an extending charm on it" He stated as he handed me the pouch. "My own work of course. As a broom maker, I use charms all the time so it wasn't too difficult to make… Take it as an 'enrollment' present".
Looking at the answer to all my problems, I thanked Randolph as he handed it to me. The pouch was a light brown, unassuming, but on the pouch was stitched the letters AE in black. Seeing my initials on the pouch hit me a bit harder than I could ever had guessed as tears threatened to surface. With a soft voice I choked out a "Thanks".
Randolph's gaze softened, seeing I was truly grateful. "Don't mention it Axel, you are my god-son after all. I want to treat you from time to time…. Something like this is just a simple task for me…".
He played it off but I knew that wasn't true, I could see the slight scratches and blood dried on the end of his fingertips. It must have taken him some time to personally stitch the letters in especially as a beginner if he hadn't stitched before. He could have done it with magic, but it seems he wanted to make the pouch meaningful in more ways than one by personally doing it himself as well. A testament to the mans work ethic, even though this wasn't a broom he still had his own way of working and didn't use magic to make it easier.
I briefly gave him a hug, thanking him again, before turning back to my bed, eyeing the wood laying on it.
Grabbing the piece of wood, I stuffed it awkwardly into the pouch barely getting it to fit. The broom however refused to fit and I sighed seeing this, noting I'd have to carry it myself. Randolph laughed at my plight, bringing the suitcase he had gotten me into the room.
With a delicate flick of his wrist, Randolph's vine wood wand charmed the folded clothes on my bed, bringing them to life. The clothes danced over to my suitcase and dived into the empty space within with grace. When all the clothes had entered the suitcase, Randolph calmly swished his wand again, closing the suitcase and locking it up. Finished with his work, he looked over to me with a smile.
"Don't worry about the broom Axel" Randolph said. "Nobody is going to worry too much about you carrying a broom around. After all, I told you some students start younger than 11 at Beauxbatons so its not uncommon to see kids your age with a broom".
My worries cleared as I heard Randolph's words. It seems I was being too careful again.
With everything packed, we headed down the stairs into the living room. Realising where Randolph had led me to, I spoke in an exasperated tone.
"Randolph… how are we getting there…".
Randolph smiled devilishly. "The fireplace of course, Floo powder is just easier".
I groaned deeply and asked him. "So, what German words do I have to learn to pronounce properly and say this time?"
Randolph seemed to think for a moment before speaking. "The Magic Jug"
The Magic Jug? Randolph's mouth didn't match the words I heard from him at all… Wait a minute…
I took off the polyglot's necklace for a moment and Randolph laughed.
"Oh, you had that thing on! I'll say it again then… Der Zauberkrug".
Der Zauberkrug… At least it wasn't as difficult to pronounce as Eisenklau Schmiede.
Randolph spoke further, giving me information on where we were heading. "Der Zauberkrug is a wizard's pub on The Wharf. Its at the centre of the Wharf and will be a good place to start from, heading to the shops we need to visit from there. The Magical Barge that will take you to Beauxbatons is at the end of the Wharf, a specialised transport for students based in Germany and the surrounding area".
The magical barge… that was a simple name. It made sense for the mode of transport to be unique to the area especially as Beauxbatons was a school that housed students of different nationalities.
There were probably other places like Wunderwasser Wharf, scattered in different countries with students travelling from each one to Beauxbatons. It made me wonder what modes of transport were used in those places, perhaps landlocked countries used the carriages… Whereas Germany used the magical barge as it could go around to France from the ocean.
Randolph gave me a sly smile. "Do you want me to repeat the name of the pub a few more times?".
I grumbled before saying. "Yes please…".
After numerous attempts of getting the pronunciation right, I finally got confident enough. Putting the Polyglot's Compass in my pocket, I grabbed some Floo Powder from Randolph and entered into the fireplace.
Throwing the powder down into the fireplace, I spoke clearly.
"Der Zauberkrug".
.
"I will never get used to this feeling…".
Once again, I was picking myself up from a floor, a wooden floor, that seem to have a slight sticky feeling to it as if drinks had been spilled here before. Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed the Polyglot's compass and put it back around my neck.
After putting the necklace on, my gaze rose to look at the surroundings. I saw a bunch of different witches and wizards looking in my direction. Gripping my broom tightly, my gaze remained cold as I watched each of them carefully. Their interest was only fleeting though, as they went back to drinking and chatting soon after.
The pub itself was very different compared to the likes of the Leaky Cauldron. The tables were circular and dotted around the pub's interior. The seats around each table were cushioned and candlelight illuminated the surroundings. Each table also seemed to have its own hovering candle at each one's centre, sitting in an adorned candle holder that sparkled. On the ceiling was a skylight, but instead of a sky it showed a nebula as if you could see the stars from your seat.
Randolph, as usual at this point, appeared behind me pulling along my suitcase. Putting his hand on my shoulder he spoke with a cheeky smile;
"Looks like you are getting better with German words Axel… You made it safely through once again".
"Barely" I added to his statement. "I can't get used to the nausea".
Randolph laughed. "That truly does get easier with time-".
As Randolph was speaking to me, the witches and wizards surrounding focused their gazes in the direction of the fireplace again. This time though, their expressions were filled with awe and surprise. Whispers started to echo through the pub, their mouths didn't match the words I heard but they came out in English thanks to the compass around my neck.
"Isn't that Randolph Spudmore? From Ellerby and Spudmore brooms? He never shows his face in the Wharf!"
"I heard he was mainly recluse, yet he appears here with a boy so suddenly?"
"Could that be his son?"
The rumours started to spread like wildfire. The gossip of man and woman permeated through every surface of the pub as Randolph's expression became cold. Randolph's cold expression seemed to fill the pub with a chill in an instant. Silence filled the air as Randolph coughed, clearing his throat and bringing all eyes within the pub onto him;
"Just to clear any misconceptions... This boy is my god-son, not my true son. He's someone I've taught some broom-making skills to and is my protégé in a way. Don't come up with any ridiculous notions".
Randolph's words were rough and stern, contrasting the fatherly tone Id usually hear. It reminded me that this man was a businessman underneath his usually warm demeanour, being able to project his voice so domineeringly through a room like this.
The people in the pub acknowledged Randolph's words with nods and affirmations before returning to their conversations. Some whispers still remained, but not as pronounced as before.
Randolph looked down at me with a warm smile, parallel to his stern and cold expression from moments ago. "Let's head outside".
He led me through the pub quickly, giving me no time to look around. I was glad to get out of there in honesty as the eyes all placed onto me made me feel itchy.
As we exited the pub, the smell of the ocean filled my nose and the lights shining outside blinded me for a moment as we stepped onto the pavement. As my eyes adjusted to the glowing lights, the sight in front of me came into vision.
Wunderwasser Wharf was a wharf as the name stated. A long river, similar to Venice in structure, went through the centre of two long roads heading down to what I could assume was the ocean due to the smell in the air. On either side of the river were boats going down as far as the eye could see.
As I looked around the wharf, Randolph spoke pointing out different shops and places. "Over there is Grimwort's Groves, the plants they sell are vicious but potent, good for potions. That boat over in the distance is where that sweet smell is coming from… I think it is called Mystic Morsels? Their confectionary is exemplary and rivals Honeydukes in Britain despite the shops small size… Oh! and Spectral Stitches over there in the distance, that's where we will grab your uniform in a bit…".
Listening to Randolph, my expression remained stagnant looking around the wharf. I could only think of how cluttered it seemed and the smell of salty sea bugged me. Despite Randolph trying to sell it to me, my mind was viewing the wharf in a cynical way.
Each building either side of the river had a pub, a shop or some other wizarding business. Randolph continued to name a few places of interest as I stared at the floating lanterns above the river. These lanterns illuminated the river, reflecting light off its surface that made me squint.
The place was much longer and bigger than Diagon alley, but it made sense as this was a hub in Europe rather than a street in England. It was bustling with activity all over, each boat that lined the wharf to the end had customers stepping onto the boats deck conversing with the market owners. All manner of people were here and I could tell the culture was diverse at just a glance.
Looking around at the congested surroundings, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable in a way I couldn't describe…
Randolph stopped pointing out different shops and looked down at me.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Randolph stated.
I could only nod in reply. I felt a bit hollow looking at the Wharf and hearing Randolph trying to sell its beauty to me. Despite the sights, I didn't feel anything. This was a bit sobering as the damage from Jason and the obscurus was making me dissociate, giving me no emotion despite the view of all the shops and people. I couldn't feel anything… I looked forward to coming here and wanted to feel some wonder yet my own mind betrayed me.
Randolph patted me on the shoulder with a smile, he looked a bit worried as my expression didn't change. He was probably expecting me to look around in excitement but was betrayed by my current countenance. "You'll get time to look more as we walk, looking at your list of supplies we will need to walk around the wharf quite a bit… so let's get moving".
I nodded again, silently following Randolph as I took in the surroundings. Every shop we entered, every place we visited, the food Randolph bought us both, it was all new experiences that should have left me in awe and whilst some things were surprising, I didn't feel the emotions I expected I would. I was noticing the bleakness of places, the cobwebs in the back of some shops and frustration at simple things like queueing for food at market stalls.
The feeling of pure whimsical bliss I wanted evaded me. I felt aggravated over my current emotions realising that I was so naturally dismissive to these sights. I wanted to enjoy myself but there was something in me that didn't allow me. I found my eyes looking around, watching people and keeping a guard up without me intending to.
Every time a witch or wizard cast a spell near me, I flinched visibly, causing Randolph's gaze to show deep concern. This was the first time I had truly gone out into the Wizarding World and my trauma was being put on show to all. Each wave of a wand gave me flashes back to Jason's dark wand cursing me over and over.
I forced smiles for Randolph, but no genuine smile could be mustered. Every dark corner of the wharf I spotted, every person that seemed 'off' was brought into my vision instead and I felt as though I was a lamb given to wolves and needed to be ready for when I was attacked. The scars of the past truly still plagued me more than I could have imagined.
After gathering nearly all the school supplies needed, we continued to walk down the wharf. As my eyes darted around taking in every part of the wharf, my gaze landed on a shop with magical beasts inside.
A menagerie of beasts could be seen in the window, some I recognised and others I could only guess at what they were from the distance I was at from them. Seeing this shop, I turned to Randolph and spoke for the first time in a while. "Does the list mention that I need a pet at all?".
Randolph shook his head. "It's not required… you're probably thinking of how Hogwarts asks students to get an Owl, Cat or Toad usually. Beauxbatons operates differently, leaving it up to the student's discretion. Consider carefully on this because, as I mentioned, self-study is emphasised there…".
I fell silent for a moment, wondering if I needed a pet realistically. After some thought, I decided against it. I didn't want to look after something at the school and unlike Hogwarts, since Beauxbatons placed a lot of trust in students and had the whole 'independent study' line of thinking, I imagined they would solely make students look after any pet they had… that was what Randolph was hinting at within his words.
As harsh as it sounded, it would be a waste of time for me, looking after a pet. Besides, I always had the chance to get a pet in the future if I wanted or needed one.
Walking past the magical beast shop, Randolph scanned the list and noted everything we had.
"Looks like the last thing is your wand… Lucky there's a great wand maker here currently. I heard he usually sets up shop randomly around Europe but he's come back recently to man the main shop he left…".
Hearing the word 'wand' being mentioned made me steel myself. I was long, long awaiting this moment. Having a wand might give me the security I needed to get over these feelings of constant pressure and worry.
As we walked down the wharf, Randolph stopped near a certain building. The building seemed dreary, with dark bricks and barely any lights illuminating it. The sign outside was the only thing that stood out with its white text. Reading the sign, I noted the shops name.
As I read the name, I felt my mind stop. I couldn't believe I hadn't considered the possibility of this happening…
The wand-makers shops name was 'Gregorovitch Zauberstabe'.
I was going to meet one of the previous owners of the Elder Wand…