Heavy clouds masked the stars and the moon, making it almost impossible to see. As the wind howled ferociously, a hooded figure hurried along Huntington Drive carrying a strange bundle. The figure looked around as if terrified they would be spotted. Keeping to the shadows, the figure adjusted the bundle and walked up to the front door of number 12 and silently laid the bundle on the doorstep along with a letter. The figure sighed. This was the second time he had left a child alone on a doorstep, although this time the child was to go to a wizarding family. The figure straightened up and walked briskly to the end of the street where they disappeared with a loud crack. On the doorstep the bundle moved and a tiny fist closed around the letter lying along side it.
"London! London if you don't get down here in one minute-"
"Here I am!" From behind the gray velvet couch a young girl with wavy blond hair that reached halfway down her back jumped up, causing her father to take a step back.
"London, I thought I asked you not to do that?" London put her hand over her mouth and giggled.
"Oops!" London's father sighed. It had been ten years since London had been left on the doorstep of his home. He and his wife Cynthia had taken her in without fuss. They loved London like they loved her younger sister Ella. Ella was only seven and had brown hair that fell in curls around her face, just as her mother's did.
At the moment London was teasing her father Andrew, Ella and Cynthia were at the doctors, getting medicine for Ella's cough. That was one of the only things London didn't like about her parents. Cynthia was what Andrew's kind liked to call a muggle, meaning she was non-magic and had absolutely no faith in the wizarding hospital of St. Mungos. Andrew was a wizard and he had absolutely no faith in muggle doctors, so every time either London or Ella was sick Cynthia and Andrew would fight about where they were taken to be treated. In this case Cynthia had won, so Ella was waiting in a long line for some medication.
"London did you hear what I said?" London snapped back to reality and looked at her father.
"What?"
"I said, that your mother should be back with Ella in about an hour," Andrew repeated as a smile crossed his face. London grinned back and the two of them ran down to the room at the end of the darkened corridor. Inside was what Cynthia called the most curious objects she had ever seen, but to London the objects were what she would be using every day in just one more year.
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the one place London dreamed of going more than anywhere else in the world. She had heard wonderful things about the teachers there, and especially wonderful things about the school's current headmaster Albus Dumbledore. If anything, she mostly wanted to go to the school just to meet him. Her father had tried to talk to her, to tell her that he was a busy man and that he probably wouldn't have any time for her but she refused to listen to him. She didn't know how, but she knew that he would talk to her and even if it took seven years, she would work up the courage to talk to him back. Although London is not a shy person, the thought of talking to one of greatest sorcerer's in the world scared her more than the thought of meeting He Who Must Not Be Named.
"Today London, I will show you a simple spell called Aguimenti, which is used to create water." London immediately stopped daydreaming about Hogwarts and began watching her father intently. She was fascinated at how he could produce a jet of clear water from his wand just by uttering a single word and sometimes, no word at all. After awhile though it started to get boring and her bright blue eyes began to survey the room, taking in every strange object that she could see. Sneakoscopes, cauldrons, spellbooks, quills and parchment scattered around the room. Her father was never really one for cleaning up after himself. London watched Andrew continue to do simple spells until they heard the screech of her mother's car in the driveway.
"Quick Dad, she's home!" Andrew hastily shoved his wand into his pocket before ushering London out of the room. It wasn't that Cynthia didn't approve of magic; it was just that she was a little uncomfortable with him using it when she was around.
"Hi Daddy!" Ella exclaimed as she came bounding into the living room.
"Hi Princess," he replied, leaning over to kiss her forehead. "Did you get what you needed?"
"Yep!" Ella grinned, showing a gap where her baby tooth had been. London smiled as well. She loved the way her sister was just so free, the way she didn't have a care in the world except for making sure her favourite teddy wasn't put in the washing machine with her bed sheets. Cynthia walked into the room with a tired look on her face. While she looked very put together with her black skirt, white blouse, black blazer and black high-heels, London could tell she just wanted to soak in a hot bath for an hour before dragging herself to bed. London smiled again which received an inquisitive look from her mother.
"What are you up to?" She asked. London giggled again.
"Nothing!" Andrew stood up straight and Ella stopped examining her bottle of medication to stare at London. London took all of this in before answering. "Seriously Mum, I'm not doing anything." Cynthia frowned.
"London go and help Ella put her bottle in the medicine cabinet, Andrew could I see you for a moment in the kitchen?" Andrew nodded and he followed his wife into the kitchen. London was tempted to stay and eavesdrop but a tug from her younger sister meant she couldn't. If she did, Ella would just be a tattletale and tell their parents and then London would be in trouble. Deciding it wasn't worth it, London allowed herself to be dragged into the bathroom in order to help Ella place a bottle of cough medicine on one of the shelves in the cabinet.
"What?" Andrew growled. He refused to believe what his wife had just told him.
"London has to go and live at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix," Cynthia said sadly as she pulled her own brown curls into a bun. Andrew took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his short blond hair. He couldn't imagine why London had to go and live there, but it didn't look as though he had a choice. That was the agreement he and his wife had made when they took London in.
"What's the Order of the Phoenix?" He asked his wife. If his adopted daughter was required to go and live there he wanted to find out why.
"I don't know exactly," Cynthia began slowly, her face painted with an expression of deep concentration. "All I know is that Dumbledore formed it back when they fought, when they fought Him last time, you know before his disappearance?" Andrew nodded. It made sense that Dumbledore would have reformed this organisation now that He Who Must Not Be Named had once again risen to power. He had no clue of what any of this had to do with London, but he did know that there would be a good reason for sending London there.
"I'm not letting her go." Andrew said forcefully. "She's only ten and she's not ready to live away from home just yet."
"I know honey, I understand what you're saying but do you remember what the letter said? You know, the one that was left with London?" his wife replied.
"Yes."
"The letter said that if He Who Must Not Be Named returned to power, as Dumbledore knew he would, then there would come a time when London would need to leave us. She'll be coming back though. It's not permanent."
"I know that and you know that, but I'm not sure if London will understand that." Cynthia gave Andrew a look which he understood immediately. They would not need to tell London anything in order for her to understand. "When will she leave?" Andrew asked, accepting defeat.
"They said it would be best if she left almost immediately."
"They?"
"The men who came and spoke to me while Ella was in the playroom at the surgery. I didn't catch their names, but they said they would come to our house at five o'clock today to pick her up and take her straight there." Andrew nodded and opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by his wife, "They're using brooms," she added as an afterthought, answering her husband's unasked question. Both Andrew and Cynthia looked at the ground. Now there was nothing left to do except to tell London. They could hear both London and Ella re-enter the living room, and grasping hands they walked out to join them.
When her parents emerged from the kitchen London felt uneasy. When they told Ella to go and play with her dolls she felt nauseous. Her parents asked her to take a seat on the couch she had only recently been hiding behind. They then took seats opposite her on an identical couch, but without letting go of each other's hands.
"London," her father began slowly, "you know we love you very much right?" London nodded and Andrew continued talking. "Well, keeping in mind that we are considering everything, we have decided that you need to go and live somewhere else for awhile." London was shocked. Her parents were sending her away for who knew how long. She didn't understand what she had done.
"Have, have I done something wrong?" She asked timidly on the verge of tears.
"No of course not honey!" Cynthia said quickly, "we just feel this would be best for you and your gift." London sat back and thought for a moment about her gift. She was able to understand people's intentions better than anyone else. She stared at her parents, searching their faces for some sort of clue that would tell her why she was being sent away.
"You're sending me away because you think I'll be able to better control my gift with some careful training?" Cynthia and Andrew nodded simultaneously. The ability London had meant that no one needed to explain things to her in full detail, but it also meant that no one could do something without her knowing why they were doing it.
After taking a deep breath London nodded. Although she was unhappy with the decision that had been made she understood why her parents were doing it, and she had nothing to offer in her defence.
"When do I leave?"
"Someone's going to come and pick you up in fifteen minutes. Do you need me to help you pack?"
London nodded feeling very small and upset. Her Mother smiled at her kindly, took her hand and walked her upstairs. Andrew watched them go before putting his head in his hands. "She'll be fine," he murmured to himself. "She'll be okay."
Upstairs London and Cynthia were busy packing London's trunk. Cynthia had just folded up London's favourite dress, which was orange and white with a flower pattern, when there came a small knock at the door.
"Come in!" She called and little Ella crept into the room.
"What are you doing?" She asked inquisitively watching her older sister pack a pair of white ballet flats to go with the orange dress. London looked at her Mother before answering.
"I'm going away for a little while Ella, but I'll be back before you know it," London said, trying to sound positive. Ella was silent as she watched London and Cynthia pack two pairs of jeans and a few jumpers. As London was packing her sneakers she spoke again in a soft voice.
"London I don't want you to go," London looked at her Mother who understood. London sighed and motioned for Ella to follow her out of the room.
"Listen here Little Miss Ella," London said kindly using her pet name for Ella once they had sat down on Ella's bed, "I'm not going away forever, I'll come back." Ella looked up at her sister with her large brown puppy-dog eyes. "I will come back," she repeated a little forcefully as if she was not just stating a fact to her sister, but was making a promise to herself. "Whatever happens Ella, I promise I will come back." Ella said nothing, but hugged London tightly around the chest before retreating down to the living room where Andrew was still sitting. London returned to her bedroom where Cynthia was now sorting through books to take.
"Mum?"
"Yes sweetie?"
"I am coming back aren't I?" Cynthia fixed her daughter with a kind stare.
"Yes London. You will be coming back but I'm not sure when it will be." London looked at her Mother and realised that she would always be coming back to live with her parents no matter how long it took.
Five minutes later, London trudged down the stairs holding her coat while Cynthia dragged her trunk. It was absolutely freezing outside, like it was everyday in the city of London, which was where she and her family lived. There wasn't one joke about her name being the same as the city where she lived that London hadn't heard. As she walked into the living room her kitten Nala brushed past her leg.
"I haven't forgotten about you sweetie," she whispered to the kitten as she scooped her up and placed her inside a carrier case. Nala was named after the character in the Lion King, as one of London's many muggle traits was her love for Walt Disney. She was first in line for every new Disney movie, book or TV show that came out. In the living room was Ella who looked small and had puffy red rings around her eyes. London felt a pang of guilt as the realisation of her leaving came into effect. She felt as though she was abandoning her baby sister, but she immediately thought of the promise she had made and attempted a weak smile at Ella which was not returned. As well as her father there were also two men that London did not recognise. One was tall with dark skin and the other had lighter skin, but looked shabbier in a way. London stood in the doorway, unsure of what she should say. Luckily her father spoke first.
"London, this is Kingsley Shacklebolt and Remus Lupin. They'll take you to the place you'll be staying." London stared at the two men and attempted to read their intentions. They intended to get her to headquarters safely and as quickly as possible. London also read a sense of impatience in Kingsley's body language, so she got into saying her goodbyes quickly.
"Goodbye Daddy, I'll miss you," she said, standing on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. He kissed her briefly on the top of her head before wrapping her in a bear hug. When he let go of her she turned to her mother, whose eyes were sparkling from tears. "I love you Mum," London whispered into her mother's ear.
"I love you too." Mother and daughter shared a hug that seemed to London it lasted a century. When they finally broke apart London was almost knocked down by the force of which her sister had latched onto her. Ella didn't say anything, but London read the intentions she had placed into the hug and immediately understood how her sister was feeling.
Kingsley cleared his throat and London hastily pulled on her coat, scarf, beanie and gloves. With one final wave goodbye she turned and walked out the door, ready for whatever adventures were in store.
