Chapter Text

The next afternoon, Korra dragged her parents out of their room and an abruptly cut-off discussion. Her mother coughed pointedly and gave Tonraq an expressive glare, and huffed when it became clear he was not going to say anything.

“Do you have everything you need for the day, Korra?” Senna clearly did- her purse was stuffed to bursting with emergency supplies.

“Yesssss! We’re going to miss the Porty, Mom!”

“Not so fast. Checklist.” The eleven-year-old rolled her eyes.

“Really, mom? You haven’t done that in years.”

“Phone.”

“Check.”

“Raincoat.”

“Check.”

“Gloves.”

“Chick, but I’m not going to wear them unless I have to.”

“Water bottle.”

“Chock.”

“Flare.”

“Chuck.”

“Rubber ducky.”

“Ch- wait, what?” Senna rolled up the paper and put it in the appropriate pocket.

“Had to make sure you were paying attention, didn’t I? All ready, dear?” Tonraq came in from the other room. He had on a balaclava, ski goggles, mittens, and a winter coat. Not an inch of his skin was exposed to the air, despite the temperature of the hallway.

“Ha! Bet their magic can’t get through this!” He nudged Korra knowingly. “They’ll have to get up earlier than that to catch a Pitka off guard, eh?”

“Dad. You’re embarrassing me.” He laughed heartily.

“That’s my job!”

“Whatever. It’s about to be one.” Tonraq tapped the side of his nose.

“Righto! Now where’s that string… he patted his pockets and shook his head.”

“Dad!”

“Just kidding, dear. Here we are.” He held it at arm’s length. “Grab on, I suppose.” Korra snatched one end, and Senna plucked the other out of the air. “Shouldn’t we have left by now?” They stood there for a few moments, and just as Korra relaxed she felt an immense tug behind her navel and the world started to twist. After a few moments, it did so again and spit her out onto some cobblestones. The first thing she noticed was a large yellow sign: ‘Portkey Arrival Area: Stay Well Clear’. There was a smaller one underneath it: ‘Next Arrival In Five Minutes: Please Exit The Marked Area’. As she stared, the ‘Five’ on the smaller one shimmered and turned into a “Four”.

“Magic.” She whispered. Hefting her backpack up onto her shoulders, she grabbed for her parents to head off toward the bustling crowd, but only found one hand. “Dad?” Senna was right there, taking a few deep breaths, but her father was nowhere to be found. “Mom, where’s Dad?” She seemed to recover, and started to answer before falling silent and suppressing a laugh.

“Your father is often too correct for his own good.”

“What do you mean- you don’t think?” Senna nodded mischievously.

“I think the Portkey needed skin contact.” At that, the giggles spread to Korra and the two were incapacitated, imagining Tonraq standing in the hallway, dressed to the nines, hand still extended, wearing what must be one of the funniest faces he’d ever unintentionally made. Finally, though, they composed themselves, just in time to see the sign change from ‘One’ to ‘Any Second Now’. “Good thing I had the list then, hm? We’d best be going before someone appears inside you. Now then, first is… Gringe-oats? I wonder where that is.” But Korra was not exactly paying attention. She was entranced by the tableau before her: hundreds of people dressed in everything from robes to fancy dresses to normal outfits, and every one of them more interesting than the other. As she stared, she caught a few snippets of conversation too:

“Please, Archie, that isn’t right either- “

“-says it’s the only House worth getting into- “

“-must be a Muggleborn.”

The shops were, if at all possible, even more so. Marionettes boxed, threw up, and disappeared with a flash in a colorful display labeled WEASLEY’S WIZARDING WHEEZES, while an assortment of animals, some of which looked decidedly strange, mewled, barked, and hissed from MAGICAL MENAGERIE. EEYLOPS OWL EMPORIUM appeared to be much more specialized- only superb birds graced the branches in its windows. But the one building to rule them all had to be the one at the corner of the intersection just ahead. It was majestic, in gold inlay and white marble, and above the pillars on either side of the double doors read, in a font that dripped grandiosity, GRINGOTTS WIZARDING BANK. Korra pulled on her mother’s hand and pointed mutely.

“Oh. Wow.” Senna also took a moment. “We do need to get everything on this list, Korra.” She nodded. They made their way across the thoroughfare without too much trouble, and then up the stairs. There was a sign on the wall by the right door, though, and she absolutely had to stop and read it. It was rather depressing.



Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed

For those who take, but do not earn

Must pay most dearly in their turn

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.



They did eventually enter a room more reminiscent of one of the ballrooms from Korra’s Disney movies than anything else. The cavernous ceiling and crystal chandeliers hung above, and the walls that supported them were no less ornate, with stained-precious-metals windows depicting scenes of magic.

They joined the line under the sign reading EXCHANGE, which was flickering through different languages. Korra impatiently looked around, but Senna seemed to know it would happen and kept a tight enough grip she couldn’t run off. There was so much to see here too- wizards pushing heaps of coins across the counter, tellers- were those goblins? – weighing lumps of metal, and, most interestingly, children being done with the boring part and leaving. They were at the front, and Senna exchanged the money she’d brought from her purse for a stack of gold coins, a dozen or so silver ones, and a pile of small bronze.

“Mommmmmmmm, can we go now?”

“Yes. Don’t get ahead of me, though.” Korra was already dashing for the door, ducking under elbows and through conversations, leaving Senna to apologize in her wake. After ages, her mother made it out and again consulted the list and a map she’d picked up from a stand near the Portkey area. “The closest shop we need to go to… is for your wand. And it is… this way.” Barely able to contain her excitement, she began tugging her mother along. “Alright, Korra, don’t pull my arm off! This says it’s right that way and is called Ollivanders. You can run ahead if you like.” Nodding gratefully, Korra took off. She was going to get a wand! She was going to do magic! Hidden between two of the more colorful shops was a simple, dark one. The displays were full of small boxes and above the door, in a simple font, was OLLIVANDERS. She pushed it open, setting off a small bell, and looked around. The store was full of towering shelves packed with more of the boxes except for a small area by the door with a counter and register. It was also completely empty.

“Hello? My name’s Korra, I’m here to get a wand?” There was no response from the back for several seconds, until a ladder screeched into view bearing one of the oldest men she had ever seen. He had silvery eyes, with white hair and skin to match. He peered down at her from his perch before hopping off and coming closer.

“Korra, hm? A wand… well, you’ve come to the right place! You’ll be heading to Hogwarts?” She nodded enthusiastically. “Good, good… Hold still there.” A tape measure, without any support or direction, was flying around, measuring her arm length, height, foot, and a number of other seemingly random values. “Ah…” He disappeared into the back again, and popped out with an armful of boxes. “Let’s try these to start.” He opened the first one and held it out. She stared. “Well, give it a wave!” Feeling rather foolish, Korra picked it out of the velvet lining the box and gripped it. She swished it in the air, and immediately the box jumped out of his hand and stuck to the wall. “Oh, definitely not. What about this?” That one stuck both of their hair on end, and the third just made a horrific screech. The fourth didn’t do anything at all, but when Korra touched the fifth she felt a flow of warmth run up her arm, and as she flicked it a stream of red and green sparks flew into the air and circled her head.

“Whoa… it’s-” Ollivander nodded.

“12 and a half inches, ash, with a unicorn hair core. It’s yours. For seven galleons, of course.” She began to explain that her mother would be there, but was interrupted by a soft hand on her shoulder.

“I saw the whole thing, Korra. It’s amazing.” Senna settled up with the elderly wandmaker, and then plucked the wand from her hand. “You still need to wait to use this until you know how. And do be careful when you do.”

The rest of the items required were not nearly as interesting- robes, books, and ingredients could not compare to an actual magic wand. Korra had dithered at the owl store for a time before deciding she didn’t want to get any animal that might not get along with Naga. She had made one exception- upon purchasing protective dragonhide gloves, she knew she had to find her own dragon, and if Naga couldn’t make nice then too bad.

They finished up with a stop at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour, where Korra got a massive sundae and Senna a modest cone. Just as the girl was taking the last bite, her mother’s watch began to beep.

“Ready to go, Korra? One minute to seven.” She rooted through the bottom of her purse and came out with the same string from only six hours ago. It seemed so much longer. “Hold on tight.” The familiar jerk came, and after a moment they were right back in their hallway, with the only evidence they’d gone at all the ice-cream still on Korra’s face and the various packages they had. Tonraq had set up a chair next to the spot and removed his winter apparel. His expression of intense worry cleared up the moment he saw that his wife and daughter were safe, and he pulled both into a family hug.

“How was it?” Senna just shook her head, but Korra knew exactly how to respond.

“I’m going to get my own dragon!”