Chapter 8- "Chou Chang" von zwei

Chapter 8- "Chou Chang" von zwei

("Chou Chang" means melancholy in Chinese, and "von zwei" means "shared by two..." so it means "melancholy shared by two". why "Chou Chang" instead of "Melancholie"?? find it out here...)


Jamie was so amazed when she first set foot on Diagon Alley. She had been in a wizarding street before, in Munich's magical Vertig Allee where she buy her German magic books and other wizarding stuffs in Germany. it also had narrow, cobblestoned streets but Diagon Alley looks more colorful and lively than Vertig Allee. Bright lights shone on signs above the shops that sells stuffs like wizard books, cauldons and robes. The bright wizard books that are on display in some of the stores are written in English, Jamie noticed and felt a bit awkward since she is used to reading books in German or Chinese except for her English lesson books, Artemis Fowl novels, her Lord Of The Rings trilogy, and some American teen magazines. "Oh yes Jamie, here you'll need to get used to lots of English but don't worry you'll get along with it." Percy assured, "but first, we'll be getting your uniform, the black robes you'll have to wear underneath your casual clothes. don't worry about the money. it's the same thing we had in Germany-those Galleons, Sickles and Knuts, right?"
"Oh yes..." Jamie nodded and turned her head around the unique sights of Diagon Alley, the witches and wizards shopping around and all those wizard wares on sale or on display. She passed by a joke shop with a very colorful sign that says "Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes". The products displayed on the front window like skiving snackboxes, trick wands and other stuffs look far more amusing than their German counterparts. Jamie thought of going to that shop later when she's finished with her school supplies shopping despite of many wizards congesting around the shop. They stopped at the shop called Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Jamie once had a black robe from Vertig Allee but it looks a bit different from the ones Hogwarts is requiring as a unform. "The black robes you own looks more appropriate in Deutch North than in Hogwarts" Percy wisely said as Jamie was being fitted by Madam Malkin, Jamie then sunk into a corner chair while Madam Malkin sped off to find a robe that fits for Jamie.

When they got out of Madam Malkins', they went to buy some new parchment and quills, which of course looked a bit different than the ones in Germany. They also shopped for new potions ingredients and things Jamie doesnt have like an astronomical map in English and new brass scales. And then went inside the wizarding bookstore called Flourish and Blotts. It reminds Jamie strongly of a certain bookshop that she used to go in Vertig Allee but most of the books in Flourish and Blotts are in English and its variety of books are endless. from childrens' books like "Beedle the Bard" (transated from Ancient Runes by Hermione Weasley) to hard-hitting, best-selling wizard autobiographies like "Twilight: reborn and "dazzling" as a vampire"(Autobiography by Cedric Diggory) with a cover depicting a pair of pale white hands holding a dark red apple on a black background. Jamie was stunned with Cedric Diggory's surprising autobiography, "Dad, i thought Cedric Diggory was dead already. so how on earth did he manage to write an autobiography even though he's long dead?" Jamie confusingly asked. "Cedric was found being reborn as a vampire in America years after his death...apparently, he doesn't remember how he got into America, went back from the dead, and how he became a vampire. all he knows is that he was Cedric Diggory who was killed by Peter Pettingrew and he rose from the dead and became a vampire. his earliest memory as a vampire was the time an American vampire family, the Cullens, adopted him and changed his name to Edward Cullen. But sometimes Cedric prefers to use his name, like this one..." Percy explained as Jamie picked "A standard book of spells: Grade six" from a bookshelf, "Oh now i see...",

"Did you know before Cedric died as a wizard, his last girlfriend was your aunt Cho?"Percy said, then Jamie accidentally dropped an Herbology book in shock, "aunt...aunt Cho Chang?? Aunt Cho whom the last time i saw was some years ago??!" Jamie said in total surprise with her barely known aunt and laughed a bit until she caughted her dad's serious look. "yes seriously Cedric was your auntie Cho's boyfriend until he died. was sort of a big blow for her, so that's why even to this day your aunt still remained... melancholic about love. you see after Cedric, she and Harry Potter-", "Harry Potter? the dude who defeated Voldemort??" Jamie asked, "yes, Harry Potter... but they broke up soon after so that made your aunt melancholic even more. what's worse is that a few years after Cedric was adopted by the Cullens, he married a very beautiful muggle girl named Bella Swan and then aunt Cho found out that Cedric rose from the dead too late. But i don't know in Cedric's part if he still remembers Cho. So that's the story why your poor aunt is still single up to this day..." Percy said as they went into the counter and paid for Jamie's school books as well as a few books Jamie picked out of interest like "Quidditch through the ages" and Cedric Diggory's best selling autobiography as background reading. "Sigh....poor aunt Cho." Jamie miserably said and then a horrable idea went into her mind. What if she ended up like her aunt who is nearing her thirties but still single? she may not lost Johannes through death like aunt Cho lost her Cedric but Jamie felt a very deep melancholy inside her every time she thinks of Johannes. Jamie remained quiet with her dad walking around Diagon Alley. Weasleys Wizard Wheezes might have took her mind off Johannes for a moment but after she left the shop with her trick wand, Wonderwitch 10 second pimple vanisher and Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, her sadness came back and became silent again. While they are walking towards the Magical menagerie to buy a pet ( "Dad, do i have to have a pet?", "yes Jamie. it says in your list that they're now requiring all their students to have a pet, either an owl, a cat or a toad."), Jamie suddenly bumped into someone.

"Oh im sorry..." said a calm but strangely familiar voice. Jamie and Percy stopped walking and looked behind. Then in a very ironic twist of fate that really surprised them, they realized it was Cho's voice and they saw her standing a few steps away, who was also shocked to see them. Cho had a very long and silky black hair and strikingly beautiful features but had a short stature for a thirty year old that she is barely as tall as Jamie. Jamie also noticed that her aunt was wearing a black longsleeved turtleneck shirt, a long blue plaid skirt and sassy high heeled periwinkle boots underneath a sparkling black wizard robe with a silver necklace. "Percy, is that you?" Cho asked, "... and oh my gosh, is that you Jamie? you're all grown up. the last time i saw you you're still a little kid." she added as she glanced at Jamie like the last time she saw her was many years ago, in fact they did, when Cho visited them on Hamburg herself when Jamie was 12. "Uh...hehe..." Jamie smiled awkwardly to her aunt. "So what brings you here? i thought you guys are in Germany..." aunt Cho asked. "Jamie got her Hogwarts letter very, very, very late. i mean she already took her O.W.Ls in Germany and then she got an offer from Hogwarts to study there for her N.E.W.Ts." Percy told in English to his cousin Cho who said "Oh, i see. so are you complete with school supplies?", "well yeah, but i still don't have a pet..." Jamie said, her cheeks turning a bit pink. "Not to worry, we should go to the Magical Menagerie..." Cho said "... That's the place we're about to go, if you want you can come." Percy smiled, "Sure, why not?"

Jamie, Percy and her aunt Cho are now on the magical menagerie and began looking for a very good pet for Jamie. "Don't you like an owl for your daughter? even though it's quite expensive, your kid can send messages to you..." The shop keeper shop-talked to Percy, who just payed little attention to him since he knows Jamie can send letters to him with their family owl, a Eurasian Eagle owl named Frank. "Seen anything you like?" her aunt asked Jamie, "Not yet, aunt Cho..." Jamie shooked her head. Then they both went near a wide glass box with cats of any kind in it. some are playing, some are eating and others are yawning and sleeping. "a cat might be good..." Jamie said, "Yeah..." Cho said as she stirred her mind and looked deep into the cats. What would be a good cat for her niece, she wondered. she scanned every cat she would get her eyes on the glass box. A red tabby cat looks nice but it looked like it had a terrible case of Pixie Fleas and could make Jamie's bedcovers very itchy to use since the tabby is scratching its fur very hard. she saw a small Siamese cat but it doesnt look intelligent enough, a ominous looking part kneazle, and then in a split second, a black persian cat suddenly caught Cho's attention like thunder. Its long and messy black hair and its green eyes strongly reminds her of someone; someone she had loved just after she lost her Cedric. Its striking dark green eyes staring at her intensely reminds her of the kiss she got underneath a mistletoe many years ago and then another loss she felt later on. Cedric is gone... Harry as well. Cho's heart seemed to twitch and her eyes seemed to trickle some tears and seemed to lost herself trying to recall the wonderful past that has been gone, crying silently until...

"...uhh, aunt Cho, are you alright?" Jamie asked, then Cho realized she was holding the black persian cat with it's face facing hers. "Oh, nothing... nothing dear, i am okay." Cho said as she wiped her tears and covered herself with her sleeves as if she was wiping off some sweat so she can conceal her hidden melancholy. Jamie looked at the cat her aunt was holding and she looked interested, "Nice pick aunt Cho!!! i really love this cat, he looks so perfect!!!" Jamie said delightedly. Percy came along and asked "You found something?", "Oh yes dad. I think it's the perfect pet ever!!" Jamie said as she grabbed the cat from her aunt's arms, the cat purred at Jamie- a gesture that it likes her. Then the shop keeper arrived, "That persian cat is male and is around a year and a half old." he said, "We'll take it..." Percy said as he looked into his pockets for his wallet but Cho was fast that she got some money from her purse and quickly brought the cat for Jamie, "Percy, you don't need to pay for the cat. i paid it off, consider it a very late birthday gift for Jamie.", Jamie looked at her and said "Vielen Danke...", Percy looked stunned and a bit red as they left the menagerie.

Sunset came and the three ate at a restaurant in Camden Market for dinner. as they waited for their food, Jamie wondered what will she name her cat. "What do you think is the best name for my kitty?" she asked, "whatever you like dear..." Percy said as he looked at the cat with great fondness, "But i have no idea though..." Jamie sadly said as she massaged her cat's tummy. "I know the perfect name for him..." Cho said, "What is it then, aunt Cho?", "... Since he reminds me of my very close friend from Hogwarts a long time ago, i decided he would be better off as... Harry.", Harry is a good name for the cat, Jamie thought, "Then Harry it is!!" Jamie laughed as she relaxed with her dad, her new cat Harry and her reunited aunt Cho.