The Muggleborn
Disclaimer: I don't own the vast majority of these characters (they're either Jo Rowling's or based upon people I know) the only people who are truly mine are Julian and Adia. Credit goes to Jo Rowling for inventing Hogwarts, and such. Hogwarts isn't mentioned for some of the chapters, because half the time is spent in the Muggle world.
In the duration of this Fanfiction, lots of different songs are mentioned. I strongly recommend you look them up, they're really inspiring.
I awoke to the sound of the front door slamming. That didn't necessarily mean someone was in a bad mood, our front door needed to be slammed in order to close it properly. I sat up slowly and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. Today, I decided, is going to be a good day. I got out of bed and checked my phone for texts, of which there were none. Pulling on a hoodie and a pair of socks I padded downstairs, finding a note on the kitchen table
Adia,it said. Catherine and I are gone to pick Lorna up from Rathdrum, then walking the dogs in Glendalough. Back by 4, lunch in the fridge. Xoxo Dad.
After reading it through twice, I whooped. A whole five hours in the house alone! I made some strawberry jam cracker sandwiches as a quick breakfast, a day plan already forming in my head. After I finished eating I cleared away my plate and skipped upstairs to get a shower. I gathered together my favourite clothes and switched on the water before stepping into the shower. I basked in the warmth (in my mum's house, the water was temperamental). I washed myself and my hair, inhaling the delicious scent of Aqua de Florida soap and peach shampoo and conditioner. Just as I was rinsing the conditioner out of my hair, the bathroom door opened and a dark shape was revealed. I screamed and tried to cover myself up, despite the fact that I was obscured by a steamy shower door. The intruder gasped and slammed the door closed. It took a minute to get my breathing back to normal, and when I did I got out of the shower and dried and dressed myself as fast as I could. Stop being stupid, it was probably Catherine or Dad having forgotten something… although the gasp didn't sound like either my father or his girlfriend…
I left the bathroom in a state of shock and a little bit of fear, in case it was an axe murderer going to kill me. So much for a good day. I brushed my naturally brown, highlighted blonde and blue hair quickly and tied it up in plaits, then crept downstairs barefoot. I sneaked through the hall and reached the sitting room before stopping abruptly in the centre of the room. There was somebody at the kitchen table, bent over a book, wearing what looked like a faded Green Day t-shirt. The person looked like a guy, but he was too thin to be my dad, and had about ten times as much hair. His hair was shaggy and too short and dark to be Catherine, and my sister Lorna had electric red hair, so that ruled her out. I grabbed the first vaguely weapon-like object (a porcelain angel about the size of my forearm) and advanced on the stranger, fear creeping into my chest with every step. Just as I reached the door to the kitchen, the stranger looked up.
"What are you doing!" he cried, jumping up
"What am I doing? What are you doing in my house?"
"My dad is ploughing the garden! Catherine gave him a key! Please, put down your- whatever it is you're holding" he said. His voice was rather nice, kind of deep, laced with a British accent.
"Nobody told me any of this… I thought you were a… never mind. Hey, I remember you! Didn't I hit you in the face on the last day of school?" last week, school drew to a close for the summer, and my friends and I were having as mock-fight. I accidentally hit a stranger in the face… the same stranger who was sitting at our kitchen table, drinking Elderflower cordial. His open face triggered the memory of my friends Erin, Kate and Rhianna (no joke, that's her real name) marvelling over how hot he was. The teen frowned in confusion, and then realisation dawned.
"I do remember that. You left quite a bruise, you know. Hard to explain to a nosy older brother, you know. Anyway, sorry for scaring you. And… walking in on you in the… shower." His beautiful face reddened – quite a nice face, really. Shaggy straight black hair (like Cristofer Drew's only black) framing a slightly tanned face, with a small nose and kind of upturned lips. Then there were the eyes; wide, so-brown-they-were-almost-black, and easily the most beautiful I'd ever seen. I instantly felt sorry about the fact that not three minutes ago, I'd been going to beat this person over the head with a porcelain ornament. So he'd been the one to walk in on me
"Oh, that was you, was it? It's alright, just don't do it again. So, do you have a name?" I sat down and put the angel on the table. The teen followed suit
"Julian Long. How about you?" he even had a beautiful name. You have a boyfriend said a small voice in my head. It was true, though I didn't want it to be. My boyfriend, Adam, was needy and annoying
"Uh, I'm Adia McMahon. Isn't your dad a Gregan, though?" I'd met Julian's dad on numerous occasions.
"I took my mum's surname. I don't see the point in taking my dad's name if I don't live with him." Julian shrugged. I nodded
"Fair enough."
"So, what year are you in? Second?" was Julian's next question
"Just finished first, I'm guessing you're in… third year?" he certainly looked it
"I actually just finished first as well." I was genuinely surprised. Julian was easily a foot taller than me, and looked like he might have some muscles under his Green Day shirt.
"You so don't look it. I mean… never mind" Way to keep cool, Adia.
"Neither do you… so, what kind of music are you into?" Julian asked, covering the awkward moment easily
"Rock and Alt. Never Shout Never, Black Veil Brides, stuff like that. You?"
"Mainly rock. Green Day – obviously" he gestured to his shirt "Black Veil Brides, You Me At Six, that kind of stuff. And there's me thinking that none of the girls my age had good music taste" Julian grinned at me, making my heart do a back flip in my chest. I laughed
"I may be the only one. All the other girls in my year are obsessed with auto-tuned crap that somehow passes for music, and that is based around the fact that they are rich, or they want to be rich, or how many 'chicks' they 'scored'"
"That's exactly right! It's quite refreshing see someone take an interest in lyrics. You, Adia McMahon, could be the only sane teenager in Arklow." Julian smiled, and I noticed that one of his top front teeth had a chip out of the bottom corner. I wasn't a flaw so much as another endearing detail. We continued talking like this for what seemed like ages, until Pat Gregan, Julian's dad, appeared through the back door
"'Lo, Laura, is it?" for a second I was surprised at the difference between Julian's smooth British accent and Pat's bordering-on-harsh Irish one.
"It's Lorna, and no, I'm Adia." I smiled briefly. Pat nodded as if I only thought my name was Adia, and that he knew it was really Laura.
"Right, well, I'm finished down there, so we'll be going." He landed a heavy hand on Julian's shoulder. Julian scowled but stood up
"See you around, Adia" he smiled, making my heart contract
"Uh… yeah, see you" I grinned back. I watched Julian and his dad leave, and then sighed deeply. It was then that I noticed Julian's battered copy of City of Glass sitting on the table. I grabbed it and ran outside to see if I could see Julian or Pat. There was no sign of either of them, so I walked back to the kitchen, put the book on the table and made a sandwich. Just as I finished the last bite of soft white bread and ham, there was a knock at the front door. I got up and sauntered to the door, swallowing the food before opening the door
"Hey, I think I left my book here" it was Julian.
"Yeah, I found it. Come on in" I smiled and let him in to walk with me to the kitchen. I handed him the book.
"Thanks. Hey, I'd like to… get to know you better, so… can I have your number?"
"Uh… sure" I replied, somewhat dazedly. Julian took out his phone and I rhymed off my number to him
"Cool. Thanks, and I'll text you, yeah?" that smile really was beautiful
"Yeah. See you" I said as he left. He's gorgeous. Just. Plain. Gorgeous. I thought as I sat down to contemplate the day's happenings.