-Chapter One-
Into the New World
I am an adventurer. One of my greatest wishes is to seek out adventures at different parts of the world. Of course, I cannot actually go through the adventures like those of Harry Potter or the Hunger Games. However, I have booked my plane ticket for a month of exploration at the tropical parts of North Carolina and am now waiting in the airport lounge for the gate to open. "Excuse me miss, would you like to enjoy a cup of tea at our café?" A slightly plump woman who was distributing flyers approached me at my seat. I was about to decline her offer kindly when an announcement played saying that my flight has been postponed for 2 hours due to a delay in landing. So I thought why not I have a drink and relax since I still have to wait? So I grabbed my camping bag and walked towards the café just diagonally on my right.
Half an hour passed. One hour. One and a half hours. One hour and forty-five minutes. An airport attendant finally announced that my gate was open for boarding. Hence I sipped in my last drop of cappuccino and headed to the restroom to wash up before boarding the plane. As I entered the restroom, a rather stumpy woman who was wearing a navy blue cloak was standing by the last sink. The washroom was empty except for this strange woman, who seemed to be muttering to herself. I tried to mind my own business as her back was facing me and I entered the first cubicle as quietly as possible. But before I could even remove my backpack, a blinding flash of light hit me and the last thing I could remember was that I was being sucked headfirst into the toilet…
"Hey look! Someone's fainted!" I could hear someone shouting a distance away from me. Apparently some unfortunate soul had passed out. At least I thought it was someone else until the scurrying footsteps became louder and louder. Opening my eyes, I saw a ginger haired boy about my age lifting my head up so that I could see my surroundings better. I stared blankly into his familiar face and before I knew it, I pointed at him and shouted, "Ron Weasley! You're Ronald Bilius Weasley aren't you?" He was taken aback by my sudden remark but returned me an awkward smile. "Do I know you?"
Holy cricket! It is indeed Ron from the Harry Potter series! My jaws had dropped to the point where I actually began to drool. Unable to believe that this was really happening, I pinched myself hard in my waist and immediately winced at the pain of it. Oh my goodness. I am not dreaming. I am seeing Ron Weasley in person! Before I could contain my excitement, another piece of shocking news came. "Are you alright? I think you better come and rest in my house." This time, the words came from a small blonde girl whose hair was braided into two and a bit of her oversized blouse was tucked out at the back. "Prim! Primrose Everdeen!" She too, was amazed at my knowledge of her name and gave a surprised look at Ron. Nevertheless, she acknowledged herself and brought a limping me to her house at the nearby village with the help from the equally bewildered boy.
It was just as I read in the books, Prim's house is large and grand, and even had a staircase leading to the second floor. They carefully sat me down onto the red velvety sofa and placed my camping bag beside it. "I'll go get my mother and I think Hermione's looking for you Ron." "Thanks Prim, I'll just leave her in your care then." With that, Ron left the house. What? Hermione is also right here in this village? I could not believe my ears and grabbed Prim by the wrist and asked her if this is the Victor's Village in District 12. She furrowed her brows slightly and said, "Yes, this is called the Victor's Village and it is District 12. How do you know?" "A hunch." I lied. I reached for my iPhone in my brown cargo's pocket. There is Internet connection but no phone signal. This is weird but whatever. I got onto Google maps and tried to identify my location but it says location unknown. Undeterred, I tried to check in on Facebook but it denied my request. The same thing happened for Twitter. Now I'm done for. I'm stuck in an unknown place where the supposedly fictional characters are living in. Oh lord, where on Earth am I?
The door of the house unlocked and a girl with a side braid tossed her leather jacket onto the dining chair. She had just closed the door when she saw me and looked at me as though I am a burglar who is stealing in her house. "Prim, who is this?" This girl, whom I instantly recognised as Katniss Everdeen shouted across the living room while she still eyed me suspiciously, two freshly shot rabbits in her hands. Not wanting to cause any misunderstanding, I introduced myself and told her my unlikely but true story right from the beginning.
"So you're Angela Jo Weasley? Nice to meet you, I'm Katniss Everdeen and this is my sister, Prim." I shook her extended hand as calmly as possible as my insides are threatening to explode in excitement. This is the girl on fire. I told myself. This is the face of the rebellion. And I am looking into her deep grey eyes at this very moment. "She's got a sprained ankle." I snapped out of my trance and turned to my left to find Mrs. Everdeen examining my left ankle. I told her that I had no idea on how I sprained my ankle because the last thing I remember is that I fell into a toilet bowl. I swear that I saw Prim giggled and Katniss trying to maintain her poker face but both of us ended up smiling as well. "Sorry about that, it's just too ridiculous that I had to laugh it off to believe it." "No problem, if I were you, I'd do the same thing." I joked. However, they were kind enough to tell me that all I need is a good week of rest and that I can take up the empty guest room beside the kitchen for the time being. I gave a grateful thanks to the Everdeens and proceeded to my room with Prim's help.
I cleansed my body with the towel in the bathroom and tried to avoid the medication on my ankle. Then I unpacked my bag into the wardrobe in the room and chose a set of more comfortable clothes to change into. I decided that I would wear my pink hoodie and grey track pants for dinner. Right after I changed my clothes, Prim entered the room with a small tub of medicated cream and telling me to apply it every night before turning in. As she sat down on my bed, my curiosity got the better of me and I started to ask her about this place and her background. "Is it true that your sister and Peeta survived the Hunger Games? As well as the rebellion and stuffs?" Prim looked a little overwhelmed at this and said "Sorry Angela, but I have no idea where you got your information from. It is true that she and Peeta did survive the Hunger Games last year, but there is no uprising or rebellion at all. There is a funny thing though, that our President Snow suddenly announced the abolishment of the Hunger Games at the beginning of this year. It's like he turned into another person." Just then, Mrs. Everdeen knocked on the door and told us that dinner is ready. So I staggered out of the room while holding onto Prim for support.
Dinner could only be described in one word: Fantastic. I did not infer from the books at all that not only Mrs. Everdeen is a good healer, but a good cook too. One roasted rabbit, a pot of rabbit stew with some carrots in it, a steamed grouper, 2 plates of greens and 7 cobs of roasted corn. And the most amazing thing is that I get to eat in the same dining table as Peeta Mellark, Gale Hawthorne and Haymitch Abernathy! That was why throughout dinner, I kept giving glances at all of the characters at the dining table and smiled like a retard when spotted. They must be thinking that I am mentally unstable but I can't blame them. Who would not react the same way as I do if they get to witness their favourite characters face to face? Anyway, they did not seem to mind my abnormal behaviour and treated me as though I'm family, which I am absolutely thankful for. I retold my story thrice as Peeta, Gale and Haymitch arrived subsequently before dinner. To be honest, I was getting a little annoyed by the time Haymitch came in but nonetheless restarted my story to him.
"You said you got sucked in by the toilet? Unbelievable!" Peeta commented while scooping up some greens into Katniss' bowl. I nodded my head and took a piece of rabbit stew from the pot. It tasted delicious. "Why don't you tell us what you're planning to do now that you're here?" Gale asked before ripping off a rabbit leg from the roasted rabbit. "Good question Gale, I've never even thought about it." That is true; I was totally captivated by the wonderful things that happened that I didn't try to find out how to escape from this place back to reality. Maybe this is reality just that I've been dreaming for the past 18 years. "Well, do you think you can teach me how to hunt?" I turned to look at Katniss and then to Gale, waiting for their consent. Below the table, I had my fingers crossed. They gave each other a reproving look before Gale said, "Let's wait till you're able to move about freely. We give you our word." Merlin's beard, good news for me again! Being stuck in this world might be better off after all.
I suddenly remembered a question that I wanted to ask ever since I entered the house. "By the way, how do you guys know Ron Weasley?" To my amazement, Katniss replied indifferently, "He is our neighbour, just two houses down the street after Gale's and Haymitch's house. I was wondering how you know him instead. You both have the same surname." Neighbour? That is interesting. "I see. So I'm sure you know that he is a wizard right? Along with Hermione Granger and Harry Potter of course." I said while beaming at them but stopped immediately after I see their shocked faces. "Ron as a wizard? I don't think so. He works with me at the bakery!" Peeta laughed. "Hermione always come hunting with me in the woods and I've never seen her perform magic." Katniss added. Haymitch, whom I thought was too drunk to speak, started "And that Potter kid works at the ministry, as an auror. I'm surprised that he could be an auror at his age." "Aurors are supposed to be catching the evil wizards like the death eaters!" I replied defensively. "Are you sure you had not read too many books sweetheart? Aurors are people who destroy the mutations that are lurking in the forests!" Unable to win the majority in this conversation, I reluctantly kept quiet until the end of dinner and limped back to my room.
How could it be that Ron, Harry and Hermione are not wizards? There must be a mistake somewhere. I applied the medicated cream on my ankle and crawled underneath the warm, furry blanket. I lay on the bed and thought to myself that tomorrow will be the day where I will meet the trio and clear things up. And not long after the decision, I ended up in a deep slumber, not knowing if I will still be in this world when I awake.
