"You're in my way."

Harry sighed. It was the middle of July, birds were too tired and sluggish to sing, the trees sagged with humidity. Drops of sweat formed on Harry's forehead as he leaned on a postbox outside of McDonald's. He was waiting for the Dursleys to come out, but he was sure they were making him wait on purpose. They probably wanted him to get heat stroke, or at least a really bad sunburn. He had taken off his glasses and couldn't see very clearly, but they wouldn't stop sliding down his nose. He heard an annoyed voice behind him inform him rudely that he was in their way again, and he pulled his arm off the postbox.

"Thank you." Harry saw a blurrly form go to the postbox, and mosty likely drop a letter in. He sighed again, this mailing process seemed so primitive. Owl post was much easier, quicker, and a lot more fun. He pulled out his glasses to see the person, sticking them at the top of his sweaty nose, he had nothing better to do. When the person came into view, Harry tried not to stare. She was tall, a few inches taller than Harry, and she had smooth shoulder length hair. It was a brown so dark it was almost black, streaked a soft reddish color. She had gold skin and dark eyebrows. He could have sworn she was a witch. He refrained from saying anything about magic to her, although he desperately wanted to know who, or what, she was.

She was looking at him strangely, then opened her mouth to say something to him. But Harry couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

"Why don't you use owl post?" he blurted out, then cursed his able tongue. Why did he say that?? She frowned, puzzled.

"The what?"

"Uh, it's what my friends and I call email, erm, sorry..." he tried to cover up his stupid blunder. He'd never actually used the internet, the Dursleys would never allow it, but he'd heard Uncle Vernon refer to "that damned email server" at dinner conversations. The girl smiled. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's your name?" she asked curiously. Harry trembled. She wanted to know his name! She wanted to know who he was! He smiled back to her; this was a new experience for Harry. Everyone in the magical world knew his name, and knew his scar. His hand jerked up to that scar involuntarily, and he traced the lightening symbol cautiously, with his index finger.

"Harry. Harry Potter." he breathed quietly. He looked into her eyes. She smiled softly and shrugged. Harry never thought it could feel so good to have someone not recognize you. Just in this moment, his happiness was broken by the Dursleys storming out of McDonalds and grabbing Harry, dragging him over to the Dursley car. He had no idea what had happened, and didn't really care, but he got the feeling that Dudley had raised some sort of fuss in McDonalds and the Dursleys were asked to leave. In any case, Harry was being dragged away from his beautiful muggle, and he wasn't too happy about it. He mouthed the word "bye" to her, as he was pulled off he saw her shocked expression. Before he was thrown in the car, she rushed up to his side, eyes still wide with bewilderment.

"I'm Amanda, by the way." she said apologetically. Then Harry's door was slammed, and they drove off, but looking through the back window, he saw she was still standing there as they headed home.




(don't own Harry Potter or McDonalds, but I do own Amanda till she gives me back myself)