Disclaimer: I do not own anything except Tammie and Melinda
Note: This is a "what if" type of story, in an alternate universe where Harry Potter defeated Voldemort while still a baby and got to live a normal life (though his parents still died). Until Melinda and Tammie showed up during his third year. Tammie and Melinda are third years as well but have a lot of secrets regarding their families history. Read, enjoy, comment. =)
1: Meet Tammie and Melinda
I sat on my bed in my room as I debated on which outfit I'd like to wear most that day. Most days I rarely planned what to do, but Melinda had asked if I wanted to come and I had happily agreed, now realizing I needed some company appropriate clothing. I stood up and walked over to my closet, shuffling through the blouses, skirts and jackets. It was still warm out, and most outfits I put off wearing during the summer, usually lounging around in shorts and tank tops.
I couldn't remind myself more how nice it was to be home relaxing, if only for a few minutes. I had just spent the last few days back-to-school shopping with my family at the mall, for the most part it was eventful, even the excitement of constantly yelling and chasing my younger siblings around. For once my parents did give me the usual job of aiding and watching them, but this time I got to wander around a bit while they sat and ate lunch. I spent most of my time in the bookstore, and then the remaining time trying on clothes. This year I seemed to want only red or green clothing.
"Tammie! We're leaving in five minutes!" I heard my mom call up. I ran to the top of the stairs but she was already out of sight and I doubted she'd hear me, even if I yelled. I walked back into my room, glancing down the hall to see if my sisters were awake from their naps but I didn't hear any loud voices or Disney music coming from their shared room. I went over to the dresser draw and pulled out a long pink blouse and switched it for the grey one I was currently wearing. I then changed into the only jeans I wore that seemed to be lighter than any other ones. I fixed my hair into a ponytail and reviewed myself in the full length mirror against my door.
Feeling that I looked decent enough I stuffed my feet into a pair of pink sneakers and headed for the stairs. Downstairs, my mom was folding clothes in the laundry room, looking over my appearance as I walked along to the kitchen. "Nice nail polish" I heard her say with a laugh. I looked down at my fingers, I had almost forgotten the night before I painted my nails lime green merely out of boredom.
"I'll be in the car" I told her as I passed the table. I noticed a crisp twenty dollar bill and looked around, wondering if I should even bother asking about it. I shook my head and carried on my way down to the basement, out through the garage and to the car to patiently wait for my mom.
After a few minutes I felt myself getting bored so I switched on my iPod and zoned out to music playing, even as my mom made her way into the car I could barely feel myself paying attention as she opened her mouth to talk to me. "What?" I asked pausing the music and looking at her. I saw her roll her eyes from the mirror as she backed out.
"I said, did you get the money?" she asked now putting the car in drive and heading down the driveway. I shook my head and she handed me the bill from the table. "What did you think it was there for?" she asked in a frustrated tone.
"I don't need that much, I have enough in my pocket" I said.
"You don't know that, you might go someplace else" she argued.
"I doubt it, we always go to Subway" I reminded her.
"Well, her mom is driving so she might take you guys someplace good" she shot back.
"Subway is good" I said.
"It's not really someplace you should take guests…" she said as if Melinda's mom was committing a sin. "I wouldn't take my friends there" she added.
"That's because you don't like it. I asked to go there and Melinda loves it" I told her.
"Can't you just say thank you for the money?" she asked still frustrated as she glanced back at me. I resisted rolling my eyes again.
"Thanks" I said turning my music back on turning up the volume.
Thankfully she didn't say anything else and the rest of the car ride was enjoyable. "Hey" I heard her say as she waved her hand. "Can you hear me?" she asked as I paused the music again, waiting for her to criticize something else.
"Yes" I replied dryly.
"Did you ever find those white blouses I told you to look for?" she asked. I shook my head, remembering back to the trip to mall when she asked me to look for some school appropriate white blouses. It was an odd request; then again, my mother always hoped our school would switch to uniforms. Then again, she might have wanted me to find new blouses in hopes of me getting into the school she already applied me to. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I thought about it. At the beginning of summer I had received a letter, but my mom took it almost immediately, I never even got the chance to see who it was addressed from. I did notice the fancy handwriting. My mom explained it was a private high school she had applied me to the year before but she hadn't heard from them. I had looked up all the private schools in the area but they weren't close by and I knew she had separation anxiety so sending me away to a school seemed far-fetched.
"I don't know if I wanna go to that school though, I don't even know what school you applied me to" I said pulling at a string in the seat. She looked at me through the review mirror but didn't say anything; which was strange; she generally always had something to say when I didn't agree.
"Hogwarts" she said after a minute or two of silence. I gave a loud laugh.
"Right…but see, I'm supposed to get a letter by owl and secondly, I would've gotten a letter when I was eleven, I'm thirteen now" I told her. She shook her head, probably disappointed that I took time to memorize useless information from a fantasy book rather than my school books. I was more surprised she even remembered the name of the school; she generally tuned out anything I said regarding Harry Potter and fell asleep during all the movies. When she didn't say anything I went back to toggling with my iPod, suddenly noticing a dark spot on my elbow. I scratched at it for a bit, it didn't hurt, but it felt weird, I shrugged and put my arm down, figuring it was probably sunburn. Even though I was dark-skinned I was still capable of getting sunburn, I just apparently didn't notice it. I'd have to remember to show Melinda, it always amazed her that I could get darker, but mainly because I didn't stay out in the sun for that long.
We finally made it to Melinda's house; Melinda was outside eating a popsicle at the small kiddie table. I said good-bye to my mom and strolled over to her.
"Look!" I said showing her my elbow. "I get even darker!" I said with a smile.
"Impossible!" she joked moving a bit closer to get a better look. "Wow!" she joked again now laughing. "Hey, do you want one?" she asked showing me her treat. I shook my head and patted my stomach.
"If I get that I won't want Subway" I told her. She frowned and looked down at her stomach then looked at me.
"I really hope you grow out of that…" she said as she finished off her orange treat. "I'm still starving, that did nothing" she said pointing at the popsicle stick. We fell silent and glanced over to our parents, who seemed to be in deep conversation. I looked at Melinda who seemed to have noticed the same thing. "I think that's the longest they've ever talked" she said. I laughed as I nodded my head.
"Yeah, she's probably trying to convince your mom to let you go to some fancy private school" I told her.
"I thought you said it was a boarding school" Melinda asked lifting her giant sunglasses up a bit to get a better look at me. I shrugged as I glanced back at our folks.
"Whatever it is" I said. "Did you know she called it Hogwarts in the car" I said with a laugh. Melinda looked at my mom then me, then my mom again, then me again.
"Blasphemy!" she hissed. I let out a louder laugh this time, quickly covering my mouth with my hand as our parents looked over. "Does she even know what Hogwarts is?" Melinda asked but I just shrugged.
"Who cares, I'm not going to any school but ours, with my friends" I said happily.
"Nice nails" Melinda said sarcastically. I wiggled my fingers proudly.
"Yeah, they're kinda awesome" I said looking down at them.
"I still need to repaint mine for school" she said looking at her own nails.
"What color?" I asked.
"I was thinking blue" she said now holding her hands up. I looked at her again and smiled. "I'll probably end up going with purple again" she said.
"Probably" I added with a short laugh. "We're still going to Subway, right?" I asked glancing over at her mom.
"Yeah, why?" Melinda asked. I bit my lip, debating on telling her the car conversation. Finally I shook my head, deciding not to tell her.
"Just making sure" I said with a light smile. I felt her look at me curiously; even as I turned away to absently look around her yard.
"Why are they taking so long?" Melinda asked as she rested her head on her arm. "They never talk…" she said glancing up to look at them.
"I don't know" I said with a shrug, even though I was barely paying attention to anything around me I felt myself wonder off again, my ear buds still in my ears so Melinda thought I was listening to something. Even though I knew she was smatter than that, also, there was no sound anywhere between us.
"So, what are you listening to?" she joked. I couldn't help but smile, happy I could predict my friends almost as well as my parents.
"Whatever" I responded. Before I could tell her what I had been listening to her mom walked over to her, happily waving at me.
"Hi Tammie" she said cheerfully. I waved back.
"Hi Mrs. Hennings" I said taking the ear buds out of my ears and shoving my iPod in my pocket. "How are you?" I asked as I watched my own mom wave good-bye and head back to the car, looking back once and waving once more before she settled inside.
"I'm good, how are you?" she asked still smiling. I debated on responding, she looked like she was patiently waiting to tell me something that didn't have anything to do anything. I gave her a thumbs up and she nodded approving. "Did Melinda tell you that we're getting a new pool early next spring?" she asked, her eyes sparkling. I giggled to myself as I relaxed a bit.
"We haven't really talked about that, we were just talking about food" I told her, still smiling. She shook her head and playfully tapped Melinda who half rolled her eyes.
"She apparently doesn't share good news" Melinda said.
"That's because you guys never actually said we were getting it, you said you saw it was a really good price and better looking than the other ones you saw but that's it" Melinda explained, pushing her sunglasses up.
"I thought I told you the other day we decided on that one?" Mrs. Hennings asked.
"Nope" Melinda said flatly.
"Huh, I could've sworn I did" Mrs. Hennings said again looking over at the spot where I assumed the new pool was going to go.
"If you did I'm pretty sure I would've told her" Melinda replied now getting up.
"Where are you going? We're going to leave in a second" Mrs. Hennings said as Melinda showed her the popsicle stick. "She didn't offer you one, did she?" Mrs. Hennings asked me. "Melinda…" she added jokingly.
"No, she did…I just didn't wanna fill up on sweets, I need to eat actual food" I explained standing up as Melinda walked back over from the green bin by the front door of their house and looked me then her mom.
"So, can we go?" she asked impatiently. I gave a laugh as Mrs. Hennings shook her head—but smiled—and started toward the car as we followed.