But together, we are more than lonely stars drifting in the dark, we are constellations, galaxies, nebula, we are the universe, we are light, shining in each other’s lives. So, we can’t just give up, we can’t let nothing dim our light, because for every tragedy, there’s a miracle, for every departure, there is a reunion, for every regret there must be a success, and the longing for a future that could never be, can’t eclipse the present, the future that was, that cant be erased. At the end of the day, we aren’t just drifting in space, we are stars dancing in the dark.
So never stop, don’t give up, continue without regrets, boldly facing everything that the world has in for us. Letting our sparks become a prairie fire, illuminating this long night, let’s bring change to this static sky, just go on, dancing in the dark.
The Knight Bus is sure something, never had such a thrilling ride in my long, long life, it spent more time gathering my stuff, I didn’t know the ride was this turbulent, all my stuff got thrown around everywhere, I don’t know how people can sleep in the Bus, there’s not even a safety belt, maybe if I start my own Cab service, but that would be hassle, let’s leave it at that, the wizarding world seems trapped in time.
Note to myself “Try not to take the Knight bus, unless absolutely necessary”
I took my luggage off the bus, amidst the enthusiastic yet sincere service recommendations of the bus conductor, a young lad named Stan.
How can he not give such attentive service, for the luxurious price of eleven sickles, that’s almost a week worth of snacks for Biggie.
The record store was already closed, I carried my stuff to the flat, there I saw Old Bill in the kitchen, that was truly a one in a lifetime sight.
“What’s the occasion Bill”
- “I’ll close the store…”
“Why would you close my store, we are entering the busiest times of the year, the records will fly off the shelves, …”
- “First of all, it’s my store, not yours- “
“Yeah “my” store”
He looked at me more exasperated than angry, does it mean that he will really leave me the store, gotta get that in paper?
- “Second, I’m tired, I’m way passed my retirement age, you are going to a boarding school, and I can finally relax, maybe go out and see the world, time waits for no one”
I would like to joke with him, tell him that he’s still in his prime, that he shouldn’t go, that I still need him, but he looked really tired, maybe I didn’t had paid attention, but he was super old, an almost bald head with a few sparse white hairs, cloudy blue eyes, a slight hunch, and wrinkly hands. Well, I was aware of his age, but didn’t want to admit it. I didn’t want to admit that one of the constants in my life would someday leave me, that time was chasing us. Sure, he wasn’t gentle, he wasn’t fatherly, nor did he behave in any way, shape or form the way father’s would do, but he was the only paternal figure I ever had.
Tears were starting to gather in my eyes, something deeply deep inside my chest hurt, but I couldn't, nor shouldn’t, let an old man waste his sunset years trapped in a record store, taking care of a brat that never appreciated him, or thanked his daily work, tirelessly, punctual like a clock, absent but ever present, I’ll miss him, I will sure do. But I can’t be selfish, I shouldn’t, but I’m just a kid, a selfish, ungrateful brat.
“So, you’re leaving… when are you gonna leave?
- “Next Thursday… but I decided to close the store for good, I will only take care of some pending orders, tomorrow I’ll receive the new Guns n’ Roses single, I shouldn’t have ordered so many of them...”
He continued talking about his to do list, but I couldn’t hear anything that he said, the only thing that I could think about was that he was leaving. He continued talking even when we sat down to eat, I didn’t even know that he could cook, it wasn’t incredible, a little salty if you may ask, but it was delicious, just like my mother’s dishes, it gave me warmth and soothed the pain in my chest, a simple beef stew, a homely dish.
- “Don’t cry kid, I’m not dying, this will be just a new journey for the both of us, my departure doesn’t mean a permanent separation, its just the period before our next reunion.”
“I’m not crying, it’s just that I haven’t dusted the flat.”
- “you know kid, tomorrow will be a brighter day, you shouldn’t feel down, I know I don’t show it, but I’m proud of you, your mother would’ve been proud of you, what an excellent little gentlemen you have become.”
“I know…”
- “In all the years that we’ve been together, you never cried, not even when your mother passed away, why should you cry now?”
“Told you, I’m not crying”
- “I know, it’s the dust, just remember kid, you’ll meet new people, some may be lifetime partners, some just casual acquaintances, some may even be rivals or blood feud enemies, and you may have to say goodbye to some of them along the way, but at least you met them, they brought color to your life. And I know I haven’t been the best caretaker, but you didn’t need one, just a silent partner, sometimes I think that you could have been better off without me. So, I should thank you, for the company that you have brinded me all these years.”
“Will you comeback?”
- “Yeah, maybe not every year, but this year’s Christmas ill need your company”
“I didn’t know you could talk this much… heh heh…”
- “Oh, shut up, just eat, I should waste my words with you”
We just continued eating in silence, but I felt better, he was right, mom said once said “Don’t Cry, just think of me, and the times we had, I’ll love you till the end of time, till the heavens crumble to the sea, till hell get’s frozen and the universe ceases to exist, I’ll still love you, you know I never lied to you baby.”
I shouldn’t cry, I’ll just carry on my wayward ways, let’s welcome a better tomorrow.
That night, July 27th of 1991, was the first time that Old Bill stayed in the house, although we didn’t really sleep, we got busy cleaning the flat, organizing, my mother’s belongings, we made sure to dust every nook and cranny in the flat. After finishing with that he gave me an old chest, I suppose it was my mother’s, but I didn’t check it, maybe another day, I was exhausted, I laid flat in my bed and dozed off.
Next week, it was uneventful, I helped Bill at the record store, we completed some orders and sold some of the backlog to the store in Charing Cross Road, good luck selling them. While we were there, we had lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, I’ll hold on to my opinion, the place needs some cleaning and some better lighting, but they don’t need it, just being the entrance to Diagon Alley gave them enough customers.
A day before his departure, he told me something about himself apparently, he is what the wizarding folk would call a Squib, someone that despite being born from a lineage of Wizards, for some reason didn’t have magical abilities, or didn’t have enough to use magic, a common, yet rare occurrence.
He taught me some wizard common sense, and destroyed Operation Mr. Clean, he told me that the magic I envisioned already existed, it’s just that wizards liked the atmosphere that time brought them… to put it short, they’re lazy. I took him to stroll around Diagon Alley, and patiently taught me everything that he knew, he explained Quidditch, how it was played, the positions, and balls that were involved in the sport, and some more niche and riské variants of the sport. Not the sport for me, I just wish to remain grounded for the rest of my life. So, when he offered me to enter Brigg’s Brooms, I politely declined. I bought a barn owl, so that we could report to each other, I named him Radio G, he has rhythmic call, that reminds me of that Queen’s song.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
And just like that he left, we both had places to visit, people to meet, and new horizons to explore, I’ll miss the old crook, but we gotta carry on.
Yesterday we moved his record collection to my flat, the store will remain closed for the time being, I don’t know what to do with it, even after clearing the backlog of records, there were too many to count, maybe I should reopen it, at least to get the new releases on time. Maybe expand the scope of the store, selling VHS tapes isn’t a bad idea. Or just use it to display my very own record and movie collection, I gotta ask the goblins at Gringotts, they should have a way to turn some of my Galleons to Pounds, and let me keep the store running, who knows, after I return from Hogwarts, maybe my groove will no longer be cool.
One gotta work hard, to be the trendiest kid in town, no one wants to be the new kid in town.
After having wasted half of my day thinking about nothing, I decided to open the chest my mother left me.
Inside there were some trinkets’ inside, some photos I didn’t remember to have taken, just the two of us, a beautiful silver pendant, engraved with horned snakes, cats, birds and little men. Inside there was a photo of my mother. Judging by the way she looks, she just had graduated when she took this picture, the other compartment is empty, maybe I should take one magic picture to accompany my smiling mother.
I wore the pendant, and continued rummaging through the chest, inside there was an old broken wand, some colorful robes, some worn out books, alchemy items that clearly were out of magic, I shouldn’t play with them, I don’t know nothing about alchemy, so I’d better store them in a safe place, Gringotts should be okay with them, I can’t leave them in the flat, ill be gone for months, and no one can guarantee me that, no burglar will come to my house.
After rummaging through the box, I found a gift box, attached to it there was a letter.
My dear little Squab, how are you? How have you been? I’m so sorry, I couldn’t be with you all these years, you don’t know how much I wished to be with you for eternity and beyond, but that couldn’t be.
I had to go, I overtook you, and left you behind, but don’t cry baby, someday, after a very long a rich life, we’ll meet again, like some great wizards say, death isn’t the end, it’s just the begging of another great journey, so don’t worry dear, ill wait for you, wait for the stories you’ll have in store for our next reunion.
If you are reading this, then that means, that you’re ready to attend your first year at Hogwarts, I hope everything goes well, I wish for you to have as many friends as possible, never turn down a helping hand, and always lend one to those in need of one, you never know when you will need somebody to lean on.
I know you will hear somethings about your father, maybe some unpleasant things, don’t pay attention to them, if he ever knew you, I’m utterly and absolutely sure that he’ll love you as much as I do, so don’t take it on him, we just were young.
I left you at the care of your grandfather, don’t take it personal, he’s just the way he is, between you and me, he’s the loneliest of us, just give him a hug for me.
I love you, and will love you till the end of time, just remember, I’ll be in your heart till eternity does us part.
Happy Birthday Squab, I believe you’ll like my present. Enjoy it…
XOXOXOX
I know that I shouldn’t cry, but I miss her…
But, to think that that old smelly bugger, is my grandfather… life sure is shrouded in mystery.
I sure took my time processing this bomb, the grumbling in my belly woke me up, Bille gave me some pounds before leaving, so I ordered some pizza, from tomorrow on, I should go to the leaky cauldron for my meals, I don’t have enough pounds to eat take-out every day, and grocery shopping is such a hassle.
“Oh… Tom, dear Tom, pardon my rude words, leave your shabby place just the way it is and let me enjoy your cuisine, don′t let me go hungry.”
After some little prayers, my pizza arrived, I ate it with relish and got back to thinking.
Inside the gift box there was a strange device, the size of two palms, it looked like the midpoint between a Jukebox and a Walkman, it just had one Record inside, beside the strange J-max (patent pending), there were some strange headphones, they were big, and had antennas in each speaker. I put them on, and the antennas automatically extended, I went to my dressing mirror, and I couldn’t recognize myself, I looked like an alien, I just needed a visor, and my Halloween costume will be ready.
Having returned to the living room, I started inspecting the J-max. I could strap it to a belt, it had some switches and knobs at the sides, I figured how to turn it on, and heard some white noise, adjusted the volume and heard.
“Pardon me Squab, I know you’ll most likely attend Hogwarts, but your mama, was, and will always be a proud Ilvermony Thunderbird, don’t let them fool you, the best school song in the world is ours, and it will always be, and I know I am the best singer but let me show you some good music.”
(Caw-caw, caw-caw!)
(Purr-purr!)
(Stomp, stomp, stomp.)
We stand as one united,
Against the Puritan.
We draw our inspiration
From good witch Morrigan.
For she was persecuted
By common wandless men.
So she fled from distant Ireland,
And so our school began.
Oh! Ilvermorny-Massachusetts!
We choo-choose it!
We choo-choose it!
The wizard school supreme.
Your castle walls, they kept us safe.
The days with you, a dream
You taught us all our magic
And now one thing's quite clear
Where'er we roam
Where'er we roam
Our one true home
Our one and own
Is Ilvermorny dear!
I didn’t know my mother could sang so beautifully, maybe I should go to Ilvermony, but my reply to Hogwarts has been sent a long time ago. After the song ended, the J-max spewed a note
“To load more records in the Music Storage Player Recorder Apparatus for Home and Travel, turn the yellow, green and blue switches three times, turn the red knob two times and the blue knob one and a half times, if correctly followed the instructions, you should be able to put your records in the device. Enjoy your music. - Nicholas Flamel”
What a long name, at least the headphones don′t have such long and complicated instructions, just put and play.
I spent the rest of the day organizing and storing all my records, I took some from Bill’s collection, he won’t miss them, and I’ll give them a better use. I’ll take the rest to Gringotts tomorrow, I gotta expand my wardrove, just three sets of robes won’t suffice.
Maybe something akin to Luke′s fit in the first Star Wars, or the ones he used in Return of the Jedi, the utility belt will surely come in handy. If could use my wand like a light saber, I could go around saying “Hello, my name is James Acrux Solé. You Killed my father. Prepare to die.”
Let me see, in Standard Book of Spells, there has to be a spell that could let me do just that, well, there just the Wand-Lighting Charm, hmm… Lumos, but it just illuminates the tip of my wand, it does look nothing like the lightsabers, and it’s just white, I don’t know if they will teach me how to expand the light, or change its color.
There’s also the Fire-Making Spell, but sometimes it just spews sparks, I can’t make a light saber with this failure rate, how embarrassing it would be, to activate my lightsaber, and just get some sparks.
But maybe, just maybe if a practice these spells, I could do that, if nothing goes as planned, then I can only ask the professors at school.
So much to do, so little time,
The next morning, I prepared myself, for a busy day, I had to go to Gringotts and inquire for a way to let the shop function while am away, deposit my belongings in the vault, go to Madam Malkin’s Robes for All Occasions and customize some clothes, get some footwear at Blinkhorn’s workshop. Make sure I have enough ink, quills and stationery, the letter of acceptance didn’t say anything about the amount of supplies.
I shouldn’t forget to get something to carry all my luggage. I don’t see myself pushing a trolley everywhere with all half of my house in tow.
Let’s go, keep on going, keep on dancing. Let’s set this world ablaze.