Hi everyone! I hope you like this fanfic, it's mainly written by me, Lizzy,
but Loralai helps out a lot as well. This fanfic was moved from my account,
mysticaldreams to our account Gid n Fab cos we hadn't had any fanfics on it
and cos Loralai thought I should put it on here cos she helps with it. Well
now that all that explaining is over and done with, it's time to get on
with the fanfic! Well I hope you like it, don't bother flaming cos I'll
just laugh at you, flames are very funny, call my sense of humour weird
but I won't be intimidated by any act of cruelty. Reviews are greatly
appreciated and constructive criticism is all good, I like to know how to
improve. Thanks and enjoy!
~*~Lizzy and (not technically) Loralai
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character or places that are stated in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling or anything else that's in this fanfic which is clearly affirmed in the book. Dain and Hanorah are my own work.
Some Things Never Change
Chapter 1: Becoming acquainted with sherbet lemons.
"Dain! Come down here quick! You'll freeze to your broom if you stay out in this weather and I already have enough patients without having to look after you as well" An elderly witch with white, fly away hair yelled through the torrential rain to her granddaughter.
Dain's head shot upwards and she halted her broom with a sudden jerk as she heard her name. Her new friend tossed the quaffle at her but it zoomed right past her to be lost in the on-going sheets of rain.
"Sorry Pete, I have to go" she shouted through the rain at a barely visible boy only a few metres away.
"Ok, nice playing with you Dain" he shouted back.
"Bye!"
Dain zoomed towards her grandmother's voice and after spotting her landed softly by her side, not seeming to mind the soaking rain at all.
Hanorah McCormack ushered her granddaughter into a small hotel that was currently housing them, Dain drenched from head to toe and looking positively delighted about it. On the other hand Hanorah looked thoroughly agitated about being soaked and took no means what so ever to hide it.
The few witches and wizards and occasional hags sitting lazily in the lobby turned to look at the two newcomers. No one would blame them for their incredulous looks, as even when Hanorah and Dain were not soaked to the bone they were looked at the same way, even in the wizarding world. Neither of them seemed to care, or take any notice of their on-lookers which was well expressed by the shocking colours of bright purple, orange, green and black all mixed into the same woolen jacket that the self-spoken witch healer was currently wearing.
Dain came bouncing in behind her, her short black hair sticking to her scalp from the down pour, all traces of the half a tube of gel she had used that morning ridden of. She was a reasonably good looking girl if you looked past the black leather, pinned pants and florescent top that read 'The voices in my head don't like you'.
The hearty middle-aged bar tender laughed as they approached the counter and he set down the glass he was cleaning with an old rag.
"If I told anyone you were the greatest healer in a century with viritaserum, looking at you now, they still wouldn't believe me!" he said, grinning at Hanorah.
"Don't judge a book by its cover" Hanorah huffed indignantly. She then threw a glare at Dain, who looked back at her innocently.
This made the bar tender laugh even more.
"And what if I told all of these good people that you used to play Puck in a Mid Summer Night's dream on a traveling road show, what would they think of you then Jim?" Hanorah asked slyly.
Jim stopped laughing abruptly and after a swift panicked expression flew across his face he grinned again.
"Don't ask me how you know everything you do, but we're even" he said tossing Dain the keys to their room.
Hanorah's crystal blue eye's glittered mischievously as they both retreated up the stairs to their small apartment.
Dain ran up with the keys and quickly opened the apartment door to reveal a small lounge room, painted a light blue, coming off it a kitchen and on the other side, a hallway that lead to two small bedrooms.
The two occupants had only been living here for a week, but their material possessions had slowly found themselves littered around the rooms. Dain's various bits of homework and quills were scattered all over the oak coffee table and Hanorah's many piles of healing books were sitting on top of the kitchen counter and table.
Dain sighed, no matter where she was, their possessions always made where they were staying feel like home. . .not that her grandmother and herself really had a home. Their home was together on the road, traveling, and that's what made Dain's life such an adventure.
As she heard her grandmother approach the door she tossed the keys carelessly onto the coffee table and ran towards the bathroom. As Hanorah caught sight of where Dain was heading she picked up her skirt and dashed after her, even though she was slowly growing older she refused to let her stride change in any way.
Dain slammed the bathroom door and locked it just as Hanorah reached the small hallway.
"Daina Candida McCormack open this door right now!" Hanorah shouted through the wood.
"I was the one who came out to get you out of the rain before you developed menacles disease! I deserve to be in that hot shower before you!" She screeched as her wet skirt dripped onto the carpet. However, all attempts of getting into the bathroom were to no prevail as she heard the shower start up and billows of steam started clouding underneath the bathroom door.
Realising defeat she grumbled to herself as she walked back into the small lounge room and switched on the wizarding wireless as she made herself a hot cup of tea.
About a half an hour later Dain emerged from the bathroom in her purple flannelette pajamas with her short hair sticky out at all ends in a wet mess.
Hanorah looked up at her sixteen year old granddaughter over her book and scowled. She had, by then, dried off completely and her hair was looking equally as wild.
Dain didn't take any notice of her expression and went over to pour herself a cup of tea.
"I need to talk to you about something" Hanorah stated, all grouchiness swept from her voice.
"I didn't send Meaghan that letter, it was Kirley!" Dain blurted out, her voice sounding panicked.
Hanorah's face of surprise suddenly changed to amusement.
"That's not what I wanted to talk about, but I'll be sure to tell your Aunt Catriona that it was you" she said with an evil glint in her eye.
Dain thought gloomily about her cousin playing Keeper for the Pride of Portree quidditch team and her own failed attempts of trying to get Meaghan to let her join the team. When Meaghan had said Dain was too young she sent her a packet of self-exploding dung bombs that had, unfortunately exploded right in front of Dain's Aunt Catriona's face.
"Though I do feel sorry for Kirley, everyone seems to blame everything on him" Hanorah affirmed calmly.
"Well he's Meaghan's brother, brothers usually do things like that" Dain said grumpily, cranky at getting caught.
"Not twenty-one year old brothers, they have better things to do"
"So what do you want to talk to me about?" Dain asked curiously, sitting down opposite Hanorah.
"Well as you know I've been a traveling healer for almost thirty years now and I am getting older-"
"Nan, just get to the point" Dain said irritably, "I'm not five anymore, you don't have to explain everything"
"Alright, alright" Hanorah sighed.
"I'm thinking of retiring"
"WHAT?!" Dain yelled in shock, jumping out of her chair.
Hanorah also jumped in surprise at Dain's outburst.
"Merlin's beard girl! You're going to give me a heart attack!"
"You can't retire! You're the best healer in a century!" Dain stated, still on her feat.
"I'm not giving up healing Dain, I'm just saying, that maybe it would be for the best if we stopped traveling and settled down somewhere so you could start a proper life, you're nearly out of school years and you've only learnt all the basics from home schooling for every other subject other than what you need to know for healing" Hanorah said evenly.
"I do have a proper life" Dain declared, "How more proper can a life be when you've traveled all over the world!"
"It depends on what you classify as 'proper' Dain, my proper life is to settle down in one place and continue my healing there, let you make friends and keep them and send you to school where you can have a proper education" Hanorah explained.
Dain looked sadly out of the window to see the rain pouring down over the fresh, grassy hills of Ireland. She'd been traveling all her life, she couldn't imagine living in the one place. Meeting new people and fitting in with different cultures had always been such an adventure for her, to throw that all away and settle down in one place seemed boring to her now. She then thought about how nice it would be to make close friends and be able to keep them close for the rest of her life. She had always found that on their trips at first it had been extremely difficult to make friends in the short time they were in the one place, but after a while, she had gotten used to it, and had learned to make friends with others quickly, but the longer they stayed, the closer her friends became, and she always found it teary every time she had to say goodbye.
"I guess it wouldn't be too bad" she admitted, looking down at her teacup.
Hanorah new who Dain was thinking about. The girl had practically met her twin soul in their stay at Australia. Peta had been just as mischievous as Dain and even livelier. Dain had wanted to stay in Australia the day they were to leave but new she couldn't.
"Ever since your grandfather died when your mother was young I've been trying to run away from the memories so I'd never stay in one place for too long, but now I think it's time that I face my fear" Hanorah said with determination.
Dain looked at her grandmother in awe, she never shared her emotions with anyone, Dain supposed that it came with the art of healing, that you could never let your emotions stir with a patient otherwise you would hate your job if you let them down. Only few people had ever seen Hanorah McCormack's soft side, but the one's that did never again would judge others on first impressions.
"So where were you thinking of settling down?" Dain asked quietly.
"London" Hanorah confirmed, "I was thinking of putting in for place at St. Mungo's hospital there"
Dain smiled slightly, she was pleased with prospect of living in the city. She loved the roar of traffic and never sleeping excitement of the packed streets and tall buildings. The city always gave off the vibes of exhilarating adventure, and adventure and Dain stuck together like peas and carrots.
"There is another reason why I chose to go to London" Hanorah ploughed on, "I was planning on sending you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"
Dain's eyes grew wide as she stared at her grandmother.
"I know the headmaster there; he's a good man and a brilliant wizard. I'm sure he'd allow you to attend in your appropriate year if you wanted to go. . ." Hanorah left the question hanging.
Dain just stared at Hanorah, surprised at her proposition, thoughts were racing through her head like bludgers, and at any moment in time they would all impact and she'd feel the full blow of her decision.
"I'd stay in London for your school year and then you can come home to live with me for the holidays" Hanorah said encouragingly.
Dain didn't know what to say, her whole life was changing in a matter of minutes, the prospect was positively frightful. She new Hanorah had planned this for a long time and was telling Dain this as a proposition to get her approval when really, she didn't have a say in the matter of moving. But somehow she knew that she had the choice of going to Hogwarts; it was her own decision.
For a moment, Dain was tempted to tell her grandmother that she would keep traveling even if she did not but when the absurdity of this statement hit her she immediately decided against it. She thought of her mother's diary that she had found amongst Hanorah's possessions and read and pondered on how she had always said in her diary entry's that she would love to learn more of the subjects provided in wizarding schools instead of only learning the higher qualities of transfiguration, potions, charms and herbology. She recalled how Joslen had taken such a great interest in Defense against the Dark Arts but only new the basics to counteract bites and stings made by dark magical creatures. In one diary entry in particular it said that she would give anything to be able to be taught the subject by a qualified teacher.
Dain had often wondered what it would be like to go to school. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. . .maybe she could do what her mother had never gotten the chance to do when she was alive. . .
Dain snapped out of her musings when Hanorah spoke up again.
"I know this is a lot for you to take in at the one time. But I think it's something that we both need to do Dain" she confirmed. She then patted her on the hand and stood up.
"Just think about it, I don't need an answer straight away but I think it would be very beneficial" she said, and then added, just as she was about to turn away, "I don't want you making the same mistake as your mother"
Dain new what she was talking about, and could see that unmistakable sadness that engulfed her crystal blue eyes every time Joslen was mentioned. Hanorah was talking about the fact that Joslen had fallen pregnant with Dain so young.
"If you had a chance, would you take me back, change the past so that she didn't have me?" Dain asked quietly.
"No m'dear, what is, is, and everything is done for a reason, you are a gift and as long as you are here I will love you always"
Dain didn't know what to make of this, she new she had gone too far to ask that question. She was practically asking Hanorah to pick between her granddaughters life, or her daughters, and she soon felt guilty for asking such a serious question. But at the same time she was surprised by the answer, this was too much emotion in the one day, she had never heard her grandmother open up to her like this, it was sort of freaking her out, so she decided to turn the conversation around.
"Did you go to Hogwarts?" Dain asked curiously.
"Yes, many magical students from Europe went to Hogwarts" Hanorah said proudly, smiling again.
"Di-did my father go?" Dain asked hesitantly, wondering if she was bighting off more then she could chew.
Hanorah's face hardened slightly and then she replied stiffly, "Yes, he was in Gryffindor house"
Dain didn't know why Hanorah's tone and face went suddenly dark whenever the topic of her father came about. She had first of all felt that maybe her grandmother blamed the pregnancy of Joslen on him but after a while, knew it was more then just that. She had tried to worm the reason out of Hanorah but she wouldn't tell her anything about him. 'It's for your own good' she always said, Dain didn't even know his name.
She decided to turn the subject back; she couldn't stand that expression on her grandmother's face.
"So what are the houses?"
Hanorah's face brightened as she started to explain all of the houses and their various meanings, they talked for a long while about Hogwarts until it started to get dark outside and Hanorah declared that she needed to have that hot shower that she had been waiting for.
As she started to head towards the hallway Dain's conscience started a war against her curiosity and after a short fight, the curiosity won and she found herself blurting out a question that she had, before hand, found she was too frightened to ask.
"What was his name Nan?"
Hanorah slowly turned around to meet Dain's pleading eyes and knew she couldn't keep pushing her off forever.
Hanorah sighed, but after some quick thinking replied.
"His friends called him Padfoot" and then turned around and walked grudgingly towards the bathroom.
She then found her own mind once again arguing with itself over the same dispute it had been fighting over ever since Dain was born.
Ever since Dain was able to talk she had known that her mother had died in child birth and just like that, she had grown up with the false information that her father was dead also. Hanorah new that she had a right to know, she had a right to know who her father was, but she kept asking herself the same question, 'who would want to know their father was a murderer and traitor?' No she convinced herself best she thinks of him as someone to look up to. She told herself over and over again that it was fair enough to tell Dain that her father was dead, she had only been to the wizarding prison once; she had heard the screaming, the pleading, the begging and had seen the never ending vortex of misery that engulfed that darkened place, and she had known that when you were taken for a life's sentence into Azkaban, you were as good as dead.
Sirius Black was her father, and he deserved to be dead.
In a weeks time Dain and Hanorah found themselves walking up the steps to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to knock on the large oak doors.
Hanorah felt like she was eleven again, arriving at the school for the first time in, she didn't know how many years.
Dain's nerves were on end; eagles were flapping around her stomach as she knocked on those great doors and for about the fiftieth time looked up at the towering castle. It was beautiful in the moonlight.
They both listened for an answer and soon enough they heard brisk foot falls muffled slightly by the thick wood approaching.
The heavy doors swung open to reveal a tall woman around the same age as Hanorah herself who had her hair tied into a tight bun on the top of her head. At first impression she looked very severe and Dain new straight away that she would be an authority figure, not a person to cross with any nonsense. But to Dain's surprise as the woman studied the two visitors standing in front of her, her face lit up and a smile played across her lips.
"Hanorah McCormack! Oh, what a surprise!"
"Minerva! What chances of seeing you here!" Hanorah exclaimed and the two women gave each other a short hug like old friends.
Any of Professor McGonagall's students would have fainted on the spot if they had of seen their strictly professor show such emotion at that time, and Dain, who thought she had had this woman worked out at first glance was even shocked.
"Hanorah, it's wonderful to see you, how's everything going?" Professor McGonagall asked as they let go and she closed the doors behind her.
"Everything's fine Minerva, going well, though I've decided to stop traveling, I've put in a transfer to St. Mungo's. Dain's come to meet Dumbledore for a place at Hogwarts this year" Hanorah said gesturing to her nervous looking granddaughter.
"Oh so this is Daina is it? The headmaster only told me he was going to have an interview with a Daina, he never told me that she was yours" the Professor said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss McCormack" She said, holding out her hand for Dain to shake.
"Come with me and I'll show you to the headmaster's office" She continued happily, and they followed her along the hallways, Dain turning her head left and right, trying to soak in every bit of the magnificent castle.
"So are you a Professor here Minerva?" Hanorah asked as she looked around the familiar halls and many happy memories inched back into her eyes.
"Yes, yes, Transfiguration, I'm also Head of Gryffindor house and Deputy Head Mistress" McGonagall huffed importantly.
"Ah Gryffindor, I always thought Ravenclaw was the best!" Hanorah laughed childishly.
"Oh but you would, you were the one with the smarts Hanorah" Professor McGonagall chuckled to herself.
"So how do you both know each other?" Dain asked, tearing her eyes from a brightly sowed tapestry and towards the two elderly women.
"Your grandmother was in my year when I attended Hogwarts, she was in Ravenclaw and I was in Gryffindor" the Professor informed Dain.
"My father was in Gryffindor" Dain stated happily which earned her a stern look from Hanorah.
"Was he now? Well I might have taught him in my early years, or maybe I might have just missed him going through Hogwarts" Professor McGonagall pondered.
Hanorah did not like where this conversation was heading so she was relieved when Professor McGonagall announced they had arrived at Dumbledore's office.
They stood in front of a particularly horrendous stone gargoyle that Dain presumed, was blocking an entrance to the Headmasters office.
"Licorice wand" the Professor said monotonously, and then, the gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a spiraling, moving staircase.
"Cool" Dain said in awe and the three of them stepped onto the moving stairs and were carried up to a large oak door. The Professor reached for the brass griffon knocker and beat it against the wood firmly three times.
There was a shuffle heard from inside and then the scraping of a chair.
"Come in Professor" a calm voice came from inside.
They all stepped through the door as Professor McGonagall opened it to arrive in a large, round and immaculately clean room full of tiny, shining objects producing strange noises. Covering the walls were many portraits of the prior Hogwarts headmasters and mistresses all dozing lazily in their picture frames. Though, as Dain looked over at the wall where they all hung, she couldn't help but catch sight of a couple of them quickly lift an eye lid to gaze at her.
"Ah, Hanorah McCormack, One of my top students" Dumbledore's voice rang through the office.
Dain turned to come face to face with an old man with a very long white beard and twinkling blue eyes.
"It's a pleasure to see you again Professor Dumbledore" Hanorah said brightly as they shook hands.
"And this must be Daina, am I right?" he said, turning his gaze to look upon Dain.
Dain felt the eagles take flight in her stomach again and was overcome with nerves, this wizard was the most powerful in the world, and she, a girl of sixteen with bad fashion sense who still sleeps hugging her pillow at night, was standing right in front of him feeling very insignificant indeed.
"Y-yeah, thank you sir, you can call me Dain" Dain said a nervously.
He shook her hand and indicated that they may sit.
Dain couldn't help but stare at him in awe; he seemed to give off such a powerful and majestic aura that one felt compelled to show him the deepest of respect.
"So Hanorah, you have decided to stop traveling?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, yes, I think it's for the best Dumbledore, I want Dain to get a proper education" Hanorah said solidly.
"And I'm sure Hogwarts will be able to provide her with one!"
"Now Dain, you understand that your exclusion from the declaration of underage wizardry will have to be lifted so you will not be allowed to use magic freely when you are not at Hogwarts?"
"Yes sir"
"But I'm sure it won't be too much of a hassle as at the end of this year you will be able to perform magic whenever you like again, as you will be of age" he continued conversationally.
Dumbledore opened a draw at the side of his desk and took out a tartan tin. He then seized a yellow rapped lolly out of it and popped it into his mouth.
"Would you like a sherbet lemon?" he offered, "I say, the most delicious muggle sweats I have ever tasted"
Dain was a little alarmed at this gesture; she started to wonder if this man was actually stable in the mind. He was a little bit. . .odd. She smiled at the thought, she liked different people, and she decided that Dumbledore was just different. She took one of the carefully rapped lollies and started to suck on it.
"Now, I'm afraid you shall have to take a basic test for a sixth year student to see if you will be able to stay in sixth year without losing your head" he said smiling, "nothing to be nervous about, if you do not get many of the questions right I'm sure we'll be able to work out something to let you stay in with those of your own age anyway" he winked at her.
Dumbledore walked over to a filing cabinet on one of the walls and started shuffling through a draw. After a few minutes of his failed attempts to find what he was looking for he looked up to an old, curly haired lady sleepy soundlessly in her portrait next to the cabinet.
"Elspeth, do you know where I put the sixth year basic examination papers?"
"Third draw, fourth down Dumbledore" The woman said without hesitation.
"Thank you Elspeth, I know I can count on you" he said as he pulled out a crisp piece of parchment.
Elspeth beamed proudly before sinking back into her maroon armchair and closing her eyes.
"Now, Dain, it's only a short examination on all subjects, but it should take a good hour so. . ." he handed her a peacock feather quill, "We will leave you in peace so you will not be distracted as you answer the questions, there are some matters that we must talk to your grandmother about" he smiled warmly at her.
"We will be back soon and good luck!" he walked over to the door, the silver stitching in his robes shining in the candlelight that filled the room. Hanorah and Professor McGonagall followed, Hanorah giving her granddaughters hand a short squeeze before she left.
Dain was left in the office on her own. She sighed and looked down at the paper; she thought she might as well get it over and done with.
As she started her nerves kept her from answering the questions as best she could and she kept having horrible thoughts of if she was put into first year at the age of sixteen and everyone teased her because she would have to hang around with the younger kids. But as she went on she found that the paper wasn't at all that difficult and soon could answer the questions with ease.
Dain finished in three quarters of an hour and she checked over the paper feeling very pleased with herself. She sat back in her chair and placed the long quill on top of her paper. She looked around the magnificent office once more, deciding that it was the only way to keep herself occupied until the trio came back.
Dain walked over to the window and stared out over the darkened Hogwarts grounds. She could see the looming forbidden forest; a shadowy mass in front of her. Hanorah had told her about the forest and Dain thought it was a cause for adventure, her grandmother had warned her not to go near it, knowing that Dain would be tempted, but Dain couldn't help but think of all the exciting creatures and hidden secrets that could be locked away in those thick amounts of trees.
She looked up to the stars and breathed in the fresh night air, yes, she would like Hogwarts, she was sure of it. As she breathed in the smell of pine needles on the wind she was surprised to find a tinge of smoke lingering in the air, it smelt like it was coming from behind her. She whirled around to find, to her utter amazement, a ball of fire levitating in mid air in front of her. She instinctively stepped back but bumped into the wall hitting her head.
"Owe!" she rubbed her head, still staring in wonder at the ball of fire, then, out of the flame emerged one of the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen; a large, gold and read Phoenix.
Dain stared in awe at the creature, her eyes wide as the flames around it vanished and it let out a trill note that seemed to vibrate off the walls. It seemed to stare back at her for a while, as if wondering what she was doing in the headmaster's office, and then, deciding that she wasn't a threat, it flew over and balanced itself on a wooden perch over the other side of the room.
"Whoa" Dain breathed, not daring to take a step closer to the magnificent bird.
"Yes, Fawks always has been one to make an entrance"
Dain's head shot up as she realized that the trio had come back from their walk and were standing in the doorway.
"I-is this your Phoenix sir?" Dain asked in wonder.
"Well I wouldn't say he is my Phoenix, Fawkes belongs to himself, he just chooses to stay with me for some obscure reason that I can not figure, but I am delighted to have him in my company" Dumbledore said, walking over to the Phoenix and smoothing out the feathers on it's golden crusted head.
"Now, how did you go with your test?" he asked, "Did you manage to finish it all?"
"Yes sir, it's all done"
"Good, good" he said walking over to his desk.
"Now if you would like me to mark it now, I shall be happy to do so but if you would rather wait to receive it in the mail and be on your way that can be arranged without hassle" he said calmly.
Hanorah looked over at her granddaughter, knowing very well what she would decide.
"If you could mark it now sir, I think I might be over taken with nerves if I don't find out the answers soon" Dain said, smiling weakly.
Dumbledore smiled at her "That will be fine"
It only took a short while to mark the exam as the questions were all pretty straight forward and took no professional to answer. By the time he was finished Dumbledore handed back the paper beaming.
"You did very well Dain and I'm happy to say that you will be going into sixth year with flying colours"
Dain felt like hugging the old headmaster at that moment but instead settled for looking over her examination.
"You'll need to work a little on Defense Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures but other than that, you are set for all of the compulsory subjects. You might, however like to brush up on those subjects that you are deciding to take for electives this year such as Divination and muggle studies" Dumbledore said.
"Thank you sir" she said, beaming back at him.
"Now this is cause for celebration!" Dumbledore said happily.
"Would anyone like another sherbet lemon?"
As Dain and Hanorah arrived by flu back to their apartment in Ireland Dain couldn't stop babbling on about how Hogwarts looked so fascinating. Hanorah had expressed her enthusiasm once or twice but otherwise seemed quite preoccupied. After a while of practically talking to herself Dain started to notice her grandmothers distant behavior.
"Anything wrong Nan?" she asked after keeping quiet for a whole minute.
"No Dain, just thinking, that's all" She said as she snapped back to reality.
"Oh ok"
Dain didn't question further as she was aware that her grandmother usually slipped in and out of daydreams but she still looked a little agitated as Dain started to make tea.
Dain asked a question in hopes of rising Hanorah's spirits a little from what she was thinking of, and with luck, it worked. The two talked about Dumbledore and Hogwarts until Hanorah finally looked at her watch and exclaimed that it was time to go to bed otherwise they'd never get up in time to visit Diagon ally the next day.
Dain walked into her bedroom in a daze. All the negative thoughts of ever stopping traveling were swept from her mind as she thought of some of the people she would meet in London. Suddenly life was wonderful: She was going to Hogwarts.
~*~
Well that's that! I hope you liked it, reviews would be awesome and I promise that next chapter will have Harry in it, but I won't post it until I have at least a couple of reviews, thanks!
~*~Lizzy
By the way I would just like to point out that Lizzy wrote this chapter all on her lonesome!! So any thanx should go directly to her!! Ok so I hope you liked it! I certainly did!
*_* Lorelai
~*~Lizzy and (not technically) Loralai
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character or places that are stated in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling or anything else that's in this fanfic which is clearly affirmed in the book. Dain and Hanorah are my own work.
Some Things Never Change
Chapter 1: Becoming acquainted with sherbet lemons.
"Dain! Come down here quick! You'll freeze to your broom if you stay out in this weather and I already have enough patients without having to look after you as well" An elderly witch with white, fly away hair yelled through the torrential rain to her granddaughter.
Dain's head shot upwards and she halted her broom with a sudden jerk as she heard her name. Her new friend tossed the quaffle at her but it zoomed right past her to be lost in the on-going sheets of rain.
"Sorry Pete, I have to go" she shouted through the rain at a barely visible boy only a few metres away.
"Ok, nice playing with you Dain" he shouted back.
"Bye!"
Dain zoomed towards her grandmother's voice and after spotting her landed softly by her side, not seeming to mind the soaking rain at all.
Hanorah McCormack ushered her granddaughter into a small hotel that was currently housing them, Dain drenched from head to toe and looking positively delighted about it. On the other hand Hanorah looked thoroughly agitated about being soaked and took no means what so ever to hide it.
The few witches and wizards and occasional hags sitting lazily in the lobby turned to look at the two newcomers. No one would blame them for their incredulous looks, as even when Hanorah and Dain were not soaked to the bone they were looked at the same way, even in the wizarding world. Neither of them seemed to care, or take any notice of their on-lookers which was well expressed by the shocking colours of bright purple, orange, green and black all mixed into the same woolen jacket that the self-spoken witch healer was currently wearing.
Dain came bouncing in behind her, her short black hair sticking to her scalp from the down pour, all traces of the half a tube of gel she had used that morning ridden of. She was a reasonably good looking girl if you looked past the black leather, pinned pants and florescent top that read 'The voices in my head don't like you'.
The hearty middle-aged bar tender laughed as they approached the counter and he set down the glass he was cleaning with an old rag.
"If I told anyone you were the greatest healer in a century with viritaserum, looking at you now, they still wouldn't believe me!" he said, grinning at Hanorah.
"Don't judge a book by its cover" Hanorah huffed indignantly. She then threw a glare at Dain, who looked back at her innocently.
This made the bar tender laugh even more.
"And what if I told all of these good people that you used to play Puck in a Mid Summer Night's dream on a traveling road show, what would they think of you then Jim?" Hanorah asked slyly.
Jim stopped laughing abruptly and after a swift panicked expression flew across his face he grinned again.
"Don't ask me how you know everything you do, but we're even" he said tossing Dain the keys to their room.
Hanorah's crystal blue eye's glittered mischievously as they both retreated up the stairs to their small apartment.
Dain ran up with the keys and quickly opened the apartment door to reveal a small lounge room, painted a light blue, coming off it a kitchen and on the other side, a hallway that lead to two small bedrooms.
The two occupants had only been living here for a week, but their material possessions had slowly found themselves littered around the rooms. Dain's various bits of homework and quills were scattered all over the oak coffee table and Hanorah's many piles of healing books were sitting on top of the kitchen counter and table.
Dain sighed, no matter where she was, their possessions always made where they were staying feel like home. . .not that her grandmother and herself really had a home. Their home was together on the road, traveling, and that's what made Dain's life such an adventure.
As she heard her grandmother approach the door she tossed the keys carelessly onto the coffee table and ran towards the bathroom. As Hanorah caught sight of where Dain was heading she picked up her skirt and dashed after her, even though she was slowly growing older she refused to let her stride change in any way.
Dain slammed the bathroom door and locked it just as Hanorah reached the small hallway.
"Daina Candida McCormack open this door right now!" Hanorah shouted through the wood.
"I was the one who came out to get you out of the rain before you developed menacles disease! I deserve to be in that hot shower before you!" She screeched as her wet skirt dripped onto the carpet. However, all attempts of getting into the bathroom were to no prevail as she heard the shower start up and billows of steam started clouding underneath the bathroom door.
Realising defeat she grumbled to herself as she walked back into the small lounge room and switched on the wizarding wireless as she made herself a hot cup of tea.
About a half an hour later Dain emerged from the bathroom in her purple flannelette pajamas with her short hair sticky out at all ends in a wet mess.
Hanorah looked up at her sixteen year old granddaughter over her book and scowled. She had, by then, dried off completely and her hair was looking equally as wild.
Dain didn't take any notice of her expression and went over to pour herself a cup of tea.
"I need to talk to you about something" Hanorah stated, all grouchiness swept from her voice.
"I didn't send Meaghan that letter, it was Kirley!" Dain blurted out, her voice sounding panicked.
Hanorah's face of surprise suddenly changed to amusement.
"That's not what I wanted to talk about, but I'll be sure to tell your Aunt Catriona that it was you" she said with an evil glint in her eye.
Dain thought gloomily about her cousin playing Keeper for the Pride of Portree quidditch team and her own failed attempts of trying to get Meaghan to let her join the team. When Meaghan had said Dain was too young she sent her a packet of self-exploding dung bombs that had, unfortunately exploded right in front of Dain's Aunt Catriona's face.
"Though I do feel sorry for Kirley, everyone seems to blame everything on him" Hanorah affirmed calmly.
"Well he's Meaghan's brother, brothers usually do things like that" Dain said grumpily, cranky at getting caught.
"Not twenty-one year old brothers, they have better things to do"
"So what do you want to talk to me about?" Dain asked curiously, sitting down opposite Hanorah.
"Well as you know I've been a traveling healer for almost thirty years now and I am getting older-"
"Nan, just get to the point" Dain said irritably, "I'm not five anymore, you don't have to explain everything"
"Alright, alright" Hanorah sighed.
"I'm thinking of retiring"
"WHAT?!" Dain yelled in shock, jumping out of her chair.
Hanorah also jumped in surprise at Dain's outburst.
"Merlin's beard girl! You're going to give me a heart attack!"
"You can't retire! You're the best healer in a century!" Dain stated, still on her feat.
"I'm not giving up healing Dain, I'm just saying, that maybe it would be for the best if we stopped traveling and settled down somewhere so you could start a proper life, you're nearly out of school years and you've only learnt all the basics from home schooling for every other subject other than what you need to know for healing" Hanorah said evenly.
"I do have a proper life" Dain declared, "How more proper can a life be when you've traveled all over the world!"
"It depends on what you classify as 'proper' Dain, my proper life is to settle down in one place and continue my healing there, let you make friends and keep them and send you to school where you can have a proper education" Hanorah explained.
Dain looked sadly out of the window to see the rain pouring down over the fresh, grassy hills of Ireland. She'd been traveling all her life, she couldn't imagine living in the one place. Meeting new people and fitting in with different cultures had always been such an adventure for her, to throw that all away and settle down in one place seemed boring to her now. She then thought about how nice it would be to make close friends and be able to keep them close for the rest of her life. She had always found that on their trips at first it had been extremely difficult to make friends in the short time they were in the one place, but after a while, she had gotten used to it, and had learned to make friends with others quickly, but the longer they stayed, the closer her friends became, and she always found it teary every time she had to say goodbye.
"I guess it wouldn't be too bad" she admitted, looking down at her teacup.
Hanorah new who Dain was thinking about. The girl had practically met her twin soul in their stay at Australia. Peta had been just as mischievous as Dain and even livelier. Dain had wanted to stay in Australia the day they were to leave but new she couldn't.
"Ever since your grandfather died when your mother was young I've been trying to run away from the memories so I'd never stay in one place for too long, but now I think it's time that I face my fear" Hanorah said with determination.
Dain looked at her grandmother in awe, she never shared her emotions with anyone, Dain supposed that it came with the art of healing, that you could never let your emotions stir with a patient otherwise you would hate your job if you let them down. Only few people had ever seen Hanorah McCormack's soft side, but the one's that did never again would judge others on first impressions.
"So where were you thinking of settling down?" Dain asked quietly.
"London" Hanorah confirmed, "I was thinking of putting in for place at St. Mungo's hospital there"
Dain smiled slightly, she was pleased with prospect of living in the city. She loved the roar of traffic and never sleeping excitement of the packed streets and tall buildings. The city always gave off the vibes of exhilarating adventure, and adventure and Dain stuck together like peas and carrots.
"There is another reason why I chose to go to London" Hanorah ploughed on, "I was planning on sending you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry"
Dain's eyes grew wide as she stared at her grandmother.
"I know the headmaster there; he's a good man and a brilliant wizard. I'm sure he'd allow you to attend in your appropriate year if you wanted to go. . ." Hanorah left the question hanging.
Dain just stared at Hanorah, surprised at her proposition, thoughts were racing through her head like bludgers, and at any moment in time they would all impact and she'd feel the full blow of her decision.
"I'd stay in London for your school year and then you can come home to live with me for the holidays" Hanorah said encouragingly.
Dain didn't know what to say, her whole life was changing in a matter of minutes, the prospect was positively frightful. She new Hanorah had planned this for a long time and was telling Dain this as a proposition to get her approval when really, she didn't have a say in the matter of moving. But somehow she knew that she had the choice of going to Hogwarts; it was her own decision.
For a moment, Dain was tempted to tell her grandmother that she would keep traveling even if she did not but when the absurdity of this statement hit her she immediately decided against it. She thought of her mother's diary that she had found amongst Hanorah's possessions and read and pondered on how she had always said in her diary entry's that she would love to learn more of the subjects provided in wizarding schools instead of only learning the higher qualities of transfiguration, potions, charms and herbology. She recalled how Joslen had taken such a great interest in Defense against the Dark Arts but only new the basics to counteract bites and stings made by dark magical creatures. In one diary entry in particular it said that she would give anything to be able to be taught the subject by a qualified teacher.
Dain had often wondered what it would be like to go to school. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. . .maybe she could do what her mother had never gotten the chance to do when she was alive. . .
Dain snapped out of her musings when Hanorah spoke up again.
"I know this is a lot for you to take in at the one time. But I think it's something that we both need to do Dain" she confirmed. She then patted her on the hand and stood up.
"Just think about it, I don't need an answer straight away but I think it would be very beneficial" she said, and then added, just as she was about to turn away, "I don't want you making the same mistake as your mother"
Dain new what she was talking about, and could see that unmistakable sadness that engulfed her crystal blue eyes every time Joslen was mentioned. Hanorah was talking about the fact that Joslen had fallen pregnant with Dain so young.
"If you had a chance, would you take me back, change the past so that she didn't have me?" Dain asked quietly.
"No m'dear, what is, is, and everything is done for a reason, you are a gift and as long as you are here I will love you always"
Dain didn't know what to make of this, she new she had gone too far to ask that question. She was practically asking Hanorah to pick between her granddaughters life, or her daughters, and she soon felt guilty for asking such a serious question. But at the same time she was surprised by the answer, this was too much emotion in the one day, she had never heard her grandmother open up to her like this, it was sort of freaking her out, so she decided to turn the conversation around.
"Did you go to Hogwarts?" Dain asked curiously.
"Yes, many magical students from Europe went to Hogwarts" Hanorah said proudly, smiling again.
"Di-did my father go?" Dain asked hesitantly, wondering if she was bighting off more then she could chew.
Hanorah's face hardened slightly and then she replied stiffly, "Yes, he was in Gryffindor house"
Dain didn't know why Hanorah's tone and face went suddenly dark whenever the topic of her father came about. She had first of all felt that maybe her grandmother blamed the pregnancy of Joslen on him but after a while, knew it was more then just that. She had tried to worm the reason out of Hanorah but she wouldn't tell her anything about him. 'It's for your own good' she always said, Dain didn't even know his name.
She decided to turn the subject back; she couldn't stand that expression on her grandmother's face.
"So what are the houses?"
Hanorah's face brightened as she started to explain all of the houses and their various meanings, they talked for a long while about Hogwarts until it started to get dark outside and Hanorah declared that she needed to have that hot shower that she had been waiting for.
As she started to head towards the hallway Dain's conscience started a war against her curiosity and after a short fight, the curiosity won and she found herself blurting out a question that she had, before hand, found she was too frightened to ask.
"What was his name Nan?"
Hanorah slowly turned around to meet Dain's pleading eyes and knew she couldn't keep pushing her off forever.
Hanorah sighed, but after some quick thinking replied.
"His friends called him Padfoot" and then turned around and walked grudgingly towards the bathroom.
She then found her own mind once again arguing with itself over the same dispute it had been fighting over ever since Dain was born.
Ever since Dain was able to talk she had known that her mother had died in child birth and just like that, she had grown up with the false information that her father was dead also. Hanorah new that she had a right to know, she had a right to know who her father was, but she kept asking herself the same question, 'who would want to know their father was a murderer and traitor?' No she convinced herself best she thinks of him as someone to look up to. She told herself over and over again that it was fair enough to tell Dain that her father was dead, she had only been to the wizarding prison once; she had heard the screaming, the pleading, the begging and had seen the never ending vortex of misery that engulfed that darkened place, and she had known that when you were taken for a life's sentence into Azkaban, you were as good as dead.
Sirius Black was her father, and he deserved to be dead.
In a weeks time Dain and Hanorah found themselves walking up the steps to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to knock on the large oak doors.
Hanorah felt like she was eleven again, arriving at the school for the first time in, she didn't know how many years.
Dain's nerves were on end; eagles were flapping around her stomach as she knocked on those great doors and for about the fiftieth time looked up at the towering castle. It was beautiful in the moonlight.
They both listened for an answer and soon enough they heard brisk foot falls muffled slightly by the thick wood approaching.
The heavy doors swung open to reveal a tall woman around the same age as Hanorah herself who had her hair tied into a tight bun on the top of her head. At first impression she looked very severe and Dain new straight away that she would be an authority figure, not a person to cross with any nonsense. But to Dain's surprise as the woman studied the two visitors standing in front of her, her face lit up and a smile played across her lips.
"Hanorah McCormack! Oh, what a surprise!"
"Minerva! What chances of seeing you here!" Hanorah exclaimed and the two women gave each other a short hug like old friends.
Any of Professor McGonagall's students would have fainted on the spot if they had of seen their strictly professor show such emotion at that time, and Dain, who thought she had had this woman worked out at first glance was even shocked.
"Hanorah, it's wonderful to see you, how's everything going?" Professor McGonagall asked as they let go and she closed the doors behind her.
"Everything's fine Minerva, going well, though I've decided to stop traveling, I've put in a transfer to St. Mungo's. Dain's come to meet Dumbledore for a place at Hogwarts this year" Hanorah said gesturing to her nervous looking granddaughter.
"Oh so this is Daina is it? The headmaster only told me he was going to have an interview with a Daina, he never told me that she was yours" the Professor said.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss McCormack" She said, holding out her hand for Dain to shake.
"Come with me and I'll show you to the headmaster's office" She continued happily, and they followed her along the hallways, Dain turning her head left and right, trying to soak in every bit of the magnificent castle.
"So are you a Professor here Minerva?" Hanorah asked as she looked around the familiar halls and many happy memories inched back into her eyes.
"Yes, yes, Transfiguration, I'm also Head of Gryffindor house and Deputy Head Mistress" McGonagall huffed importantly.
"Ah Gryffindor, I always thought Ravenclaw was the best!" Hanorah laughed childishly.
"Oh but you would, you were the one with the smarts Hanorah" Professor McGonagall chuckled to herself.
"So how do you both know each other?" Dain asked, tearing her eyes from a brightly sowed tapestry and towards the two elderly women.
"Your grandmother was in my year when I attended Hogwarts, she was in Ravenclaw and I was in Gryffindor" the Professor informed Dain.
"My father was in Gryffindor" Dain stated happily which earned her a stern look from Hanorah.
"Was he now? Well I might have taught him in my early years, or maybe I might have just missed him going through Hogwarts" Professor McGonagall pondered.
Hanorah did not like where this conversation was heading so she was relieved when Professor McGonagall announced they had arrived at Dumbledore's office.
They stood in front of a particularly horrendous stone gargoyle that Dain presumed, was blocking an entrance to the Headmasters office.
"Licorice wand" the Professor said monotonously, and then, the gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a spiraling, moving staircase.
"Cool" Dain said in awe and the three of them stepped onto the moving stairs and were carried up to a large oak door. The Professor reached for the brass griffon knocker and beat it against the wood firmly three times.
There was a shuffle heard from inside and then the scraping of a chair.
"Come in Professor" a calm voice came from inside.
They all stepped through the door as Professor McGonagall opened it to arrive in a large, round and immaculately clean room full of tiny, shining objects producing strange noises. Covering the walls were many portraits of the prior Hogwarts headmasters and mistresses all dozing lazily in their picture frames. Though, as Dain looked over at the wall where they all hung, she couldn't help but catch sight of a couple of them quickly lift an eye lid to gaze at her.
"Ah, Hanorah McCormack, One of my top students" Dumbledore's voice rang through the office.
Dain turned to come face to face with an old man with a very long white beard and twinkling blue eyes.
"It's a pleasure to see you again Professor Dumbledore" Hanorah said brightly as they shook hands.
"And this must be Daina, am I right?" he said, turning his gaze to look upon Dain.
Dain felt the eagles take flight in her stomach again and was overcome with nerves, this wizard was the most powerful in the world, and she, a girl of sixteen with bad fashion sense who still sleeps hugging her pillow at night, was standing right in front of him feeling very insignificant indeed.
"Y-yeah, thank you sir, you can call me Dain" Dain said a nervously.
He shook her hand and indicated that they may sit.
Dain couldn't help but stare at him in awe; he seemed to give off such a powerful and majestic aura that one felt compelled to show him the deepest of respect.
"So Hanorah, you have decided to stop traveling?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes, yes, I think it's for the best Dumbledore, I want Dain to get a proper education" Hanorah said solidly.
"And I'm sure Hogwarts will be able to provide her with one!"
"Now Dain, you understand that your exclusion from the declaration of underage wizardry will have to be lifted so you will not be allowed to use magic freely when you are not at Hogwarts?"
"Yes sir"
"But I'm sure it won't be too much of a hassle as at the end of this year you will be able to perform magic whenever you like again, as you will be of age" he continued conversationally.
Dumbledore opened a draw at the side of his desk and took out a tartan tin. He then seized a yellow rapped lolly out of it and popped it into his mouth.
"Would you like a sherbet lemon?" he offered, "I say, the most delicious muggle sweats I have ever tasted"
Dain was a little alarmed at this gesture; she started to wonder if this man was actually stable in the mind. He was a little bit. . .odd. She smiled at the thought, she liked different people, and she decided that Dumbledore was just different. She took one of the carefully rapped lollies and started to suck on it.
"Now, I'm afraid you shall have to take a basic test for a sixth year student to see if you will be able to stay in sixth year without losing your head" he said smiling, "nothing to be nervous about, if you do not get many of the questions right I'm sure we'll be able to work out something to let you stay in with those of your own age anyway" he winked at her.
Dumbledore walked over to a filing cabinet on one of the walls and started shuffling through a draw. After a few minutes of his failed attempts to find what he was looking for he looked up to an old, curly haired lady sleepy soundlessly in her portrait next to the cabinet.
"Elspeth, do you know where I put the sixth year basic examination papers?"
"Third draw, fourth down Dumbledore" The woman said without hesitation.
"Thank you Elspeth, I know I can count on you" he said as he pulled out a crisp piece of parchment.
Elspeth beamed proudly before sinking back into her maroon armchair and closing her eyes.
"Now, Dain, it's only a short examination on all subjects, but it should take a good hour so. . ." he handed her a peacock feather quill, "We will leave you in peace so you will not be distracted as you answer the questions, there are some matters that we must talk to your grandmother about" he smiled warmly at her.
"We will be back soon and good luck!" he walked over to the door, the silver stitching in his robes shining in the candlelight that filled the room. Hanorah and Professor McGonagall followed, Hanorah giving her granddaughters hand a short squeeze before she left.
Dain was left in the office on her own. She sighed and looked down at the paper; she thought she might as well get it over and done with.
As she started her nerves kept her from answering the questions as best she could and she kept having horrible thoughts of if she was put into first year at the age of sixteen and everyone teased her because she would have to hang around with the younger kids. But as she went on she found that the paper wasn't at all that difficult and soon could answer the questions with ease.
Dain finished in three quarters of an hour and she checked over the paper feeling very pleased with herself. She sat back in her chair and placed the long quill on top of her paper. She looked around the magnificent office once more, deciding that it was the only way to keep herself occupied until the trio came back.
Dain walked over to the window and stared out over the darkened Hogwarts grounds. She could see the looming forbidden forest; a shadowy mass in front of her. Hanorah had told her about the forest and Dain thought it was a cause for adventure, her grandmother had warned her not to go near it, knowing that Dain would be tempted, but Dain couldn't help but think of all the exciting creatures and hidden secrets that could be locked away in those thick amounts of trees.
She looked up to the stars and breathed in the fresh night air, yes, she would like Hogwarts, she was sure of it. As she breathed in the smell of pine needles on the wind she was surprised to find a tinge of smoke lingering in the air, it smelt like it was coming from behind her. She whirled around to find, to her utter amazement, a ball of fire levitating in mid air in front of her. She instinctively stepped back but bumped into the wall hitting her head.
"Owe!" she rubbed her head, still staring in wonder at the ball of fire, then, out of the flame emerged one of the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen; a large, gold and read Phoenix.
Dain stared in awe at the creature, her eyes wide as the flames around it vanished and it let out a trill note that seemed to vibrate off the walls. It seemed to stare back at her for a while, as if wondering what she was doing in the headmaster's office, and then, deciding that she wasn't a threat, it flew over and balanced itself on a wooden perch over the other side of the room.
"Whoa" Dain breathed, not daring to take a step closer to the magnificent bird.
"Yes, Fawks always has been one to make an entrance"
Dain's head shot up as she realized that the trio had come back from their walk and were standing in the doorway.
"I-is this your Phoenix sir?" Dain asked in wonder.
"Well I wouldn't say he is my Phoenix, Fawkes belongs to himself, he just chooses to stay with me for some obscure reason that I can not figure, but I am delighted to have him in my company" Dumbledore said, walking over to the Phoenix and smoothing out the feathers on it's golden crusted head.
"Now, how did you go with your test?" he asked, "Did you manage to finish it all?"
"Yes sir, it's all done"
"Good, good" he said walking over to his desk.
"Now if you would like me to mark it now, I shall be happy to do so but if you would rather wait to receive it in the mail and be on your way that can be arranged without hassle" he said calmly.
Hanorah looked over at her granddaughter, knowing very well what she would decide.
"If you could mark it now sir, I think I might be over taken with nerves if I don't find out the answers soon" Dain said, smiling weakly.
Dumbledore smiled at her "That will be fine"
It only took a short while to mark the exam as the questions were all pretty straight forward and took no professional to answer. By the time he was finished Dumbledore handed back the paper beaming.
"You did very well Dain and I'm happy to say that you will be going into sixth year with flying colours"
Dain felt like hugging the old headmaster at that moment but instead settled for looking over her examination.
"You'll need to work a little on Defense Against the Dark Arts and Care of Magical Creatures but other than that, you are set for all of the compulsory subjects. You might, however like to brush up on those subjects that you are deciding to take for electives this year such as Divination and muggle studies" Dumbledore said.
"Thank you sir" she said, beaming back at him.
"Now this is cause for celebration!" Dumbledore said happily.
"Would anyone like another sherbet lemon?"
As Dain and Hanorah arrived by flu back to their apartment in Ireland Dain couldn't stop babbling on about how Hogwarts looked so fascinating. Hanorah had expressed her enthusiasm once or twice but otherwise seemed quite preoccupied. After a while of practically talking to herself Dain started to notice her grandmothers distant behavior.
"Anything wrong Nan?" she asked after keeping quiet for a whole minute.
"No Dain, just thinking, that's all" She said as she snapped back to reality.
"Oh ok"
Dain didn't question further as she was aware that her grandmother usually slipped in and out of daydreams but she still looked a little agitated as Dain started to make tea.
Dain asked a question in hopes of rising Hanorah's spirits a little from what she was thinking of, and with luck, it worked. The two talked about Dumbledore and Hogwarts until Hanorah finally looked at her watch and exclaimed that it was time to go to bed otherwise they'd never get up in time to visit Diagon ally the next day.
Dain walked into her bedroom in a daze. All the negative thoughts of ever stopping traveling were swept from her mind as she thought of some of the people she would meet in London. Suddenly life was wonderful: She was going to Hogwarts.
~*~
Well that's that! I hope you liked it, reviews would be awesome and I promise that next chapter will have Harry in it, but I won't post it until I have at least a couple of reviews, thanks!
~*~Lizzy
By the way I would just like to point out that Lizzy wrote this chapter all on her lonesome!! So any thanx should go directly to her!! Ok so I hope you liked it! I certainly did!
*_* Lorelai