Friday soon came, and it was time to go meet the Malfoys again. "Arabella! Come downstairs at once, we're going to be late!" I checked my watch, it was only 11:30, what were they thinking? I calmly walked down the stairs and put my shoes on. "Arabella!" my mother called again. "I'm coming" did they not understand that we had a whole hour before we had to meet Draco and his parents? Clearly not. I walked into the living room where my mother and father were dashing round, "Worthumble, will you go get our cloaks please, we need to leave soon" with my fathers orders the elfs vanished and then reappeared less than a minute later carrying 3 cloaks. He handed me mine, and then my parents. I put mine on over my jeans and baggy band t-shirt. It was new, I'd gotten it for my birthday, and felt smooth on my arms.
"Now, grab some flu powder, just like normal." I grabbed the powder, stepped into the fireplace and called "Diagon Alley" suddenly I was pulled through time and space, landing into another fireplace, obviously at Diagon Alley. I stepped out of the fireplace, and dusted down. I was shortly joined by my parents and we set off to Gringotts.
Once we got to the bank we went inside, I checked my watch again, 11:45. My mother went up to the head desk and handed a key to a Goblin, he looked at the key "Follow me," myself and my parents followed the goblin into a cart. We got transported to a vault, which the goblin opened and allowed us inside. My mother gave me a pouch which she'd just filled with money. "Here Bells, there's 5 galleon's, 30 sickle's and 60 knuts. That should last you throughout the year at Hogwarts." She also filled another pouch up with galleons, sickles and knuts which we'd most likely be spending that day. After this we left the vault and went back outside Gringotts to wait for the Malfoys. It was almost 12, and once we got outside we only had to less than a minute before they emerged from inside the bank. "Ah, Taylor." I heard Lucius say, "Malfoy." my father replied with. They nodded at eachother and Narcissa, accompanied by my mother, lead the way to the first shop.
Draco and I talked the whole way to Flourish & Blotts, where we'd be getting our books for the year. We arrived there and I gave my book list to my mother, as she went to collect the items and pay I browsed the other books, picking out one about Vampires for reading untill christmas. After I'd given my mother the vampire book and she waited in the que to pay my father too me down the road to Eeylops Owl Emporium, where I picked out a ginger-looking barn owl, a cage for it and some food (including treats). My father paid and once we got outside he called for our house elf, who appeared straight away and took my owl home. We then returned to Flourish & Blotts to meet my mother and the Malfoys. They'd paid and we decided to go get the rest of our things.
"Meet us at Florean Fortescue's at half past 1, it'll be quicker if we get things on our own" Nissy said to my mother, they both nodded and I went with Dorothy, while Draco went with Narcissa. Both our fathers went somewhere together to talk about something, I heard one of them mention Knockturn Alley, so I assumed they'd be going there.
I followed my mother across to Madam Malkin's where I got my robes fitted, my cloak and other clothing pieces. Mother paid and we went to Potage's Cauldron Shop, where we bought a cauldron, then into Slug and Jiggers Apothecary, where we purchased some brass scales and a set of crystal phials. We went into the Telescope Shop, where I got my telescope (obviously) and then finally we went across to Ollivanders, the wand shop. As we went inside a little bell rang, to let Mr Ollivander know we'd entered.
"Ah, Mrs Taylor is it? Welcome! I did wonder when your parents would be bringing you here, I remember when you were a child you'd stare through the window," he smiles to my mother "so, what should you need today. Hmmm, I wonder." he walked over to a shelf, climbed some ladders and pulled out a box, he came back down, opened the box and handed me the wand "Try this," I had no idea what to do, so I simply aimed the wand at a glass vase and waved it. The vase smashed, glass falling towards the ground. "No, that won't do." ask he went to fetch another wand my mother fixed the vase. "How about this?" I did the same thing, however this time once I'd touched the wand there was a quick connection that I felt flowing through my body. I knew this was the one. Pointing it at the vase again I swished the wand, the vase started to float then landed perfectly back on the desk. "Yes, that's the one for you." He took the wand back off me and put it in it's box. "So, a 10.5" precisely, walnut wood, with a unicorn hair core." he and my mother exchanged money and I got my wand.
We then headed over to the icecream parlour to meet the Malfoys, and my father. We got there and Nissy had bought Draco and myself an icecream, and ordered some tea and cake for herself and my mother. My father and Lucius were still gone, apparently they had business to attend too. I chatted to Malfoy for a while, we compared wands and talked about what we've heard about Hogwarts. Today was the 14th of July, which meant we had over a month to wait, but only two weeks untill I'd be staying at the Malfoy Manor, which I was looking forward to yet again this year, but even more-so because I could talk to Draco about upcoming school.
"Promise me we'll stay bestfriends at Hogwarts?" I nodded in agreement, "I promise Draco." "Good! So, you'll sit with me, Crabbe and Goyle on the train then?" I've only ever met Crabbe and Goyle three times, and they've been when I stayed at Draco's during past summers. I never really talked to them much, but from what I can recall they seemed alright, yet a bit clingy to Draco for they always follow him round like puppy dogs and obey his every order. "Yeah, I'll sit with you's, I'm guessing there going to be in slytherin too?" I was sure they were going to be, I'd read about Hogwarts since my birthday and I noticed the traits to go into slytherin, and Crabbe and Goyle fit into them more than the others. "Obviously."
We carried on talking until 2, when Lucius and my father came back. Gathering our things we said goodbye to the Malfoys and set off home. Once we got there my mother took it upon herself to place my name in all my clothing for the following year, and then she got Worthumble to pack everything into my trunk, which also had my name on it large golden letters.
Going to Draco's this summer was different, almost everyday Crabbe and Goyle were there. Usually it's a time for us both to just chill, talk and have fun but this summer it was like everything was planned, we had to be doing something when one of the guys were there. We couldn't just sit, or at least Draco never. Most days I just sat in the guest room where my things were and read the books for next year. It was actually very interesting, I managed to learn some spells off by heart, and know what we'd be doing over the year in some lessons.
"Bella!" I heard Draco at my door, he knocked delicately three times, "Come in Draco" I called. He walked into my room, and sat on my bed (I was sat crossed-legged against the headboard reading) "I've hardly seen you these last two weeks," he exclamed "You're always reading these days, there's never any time for you to hang around with me." Wait, what? He was blaming this on me? Seriously? "Draco.. It's because of your friends, you's are always off somewhere in the manor and I have no idea where to look for you, so I just read. Don't blame me for this!" I shouldn't have snapped, but I did. He looked at me, his eyes filled with saddness, "I'm sorry. Look, you're leaving tomorrow.. Spend the day with me?"
We spent the day relaxing in the garden, talking about everything we could think about. Hogwarts popped up a few times, he explained to me what he'd heard from older people, about teachers, lessons and houses. He mentioned about everyone he could think of about the school, and I asked questions in return. "I heard there's ghosts there?" "Well yeah, but they don't haunt or anything, it's just like a home to them" I honestly didn't know what I'd do without my bestfriend. He meant everything to me, I just hoped Hogwarts wouldn't change us, well... Not in a bad way anyway.
We also talked about how Crabbe and Goyle were sure we liked eachother, "That's stupid, don't they know were just really close friends? Draco, what did you tell them?" I laughed, he'd obviously been talking about me to them, silly boy. "Urm, they were just asking why you were staying here and stuff, nothing really.. Just random things" he smiled at me, then looked out towards the sunset. "Well, we should be getting inside, tea will be ready soon" He stood up then grabbed my hands to pull me up, and we walked into the manor arm in arm.
Finally, it was time to go to Hogwarts, I was getting the train today, so excited! My trunk was packed into our car, and I sat into the back seat with my owl, (which I'd named Rosina) I talked to my mother and father the whole way there about their experiences at Hogwarts. My father said about how when he went there he met his mother, however my mother was in Ravenclaw so his friends didn't agree with him liking her. He told me how he knew he was in love with her, so ignored his friends and asked her out. His friends didn't actually care after they got to know her, because they noticed that she made him happy. He said "Bells, if you find someone you really like, just go for it. If you don't it could be a big mistake." "Alright dad, I will" I smiled and then looked out the window, "We're here! We're here!" A huge grin made it's way to my face, we were finally at the train station.
We went through the wall, which I found rather weird but magical, and I found myself looking around platform 9 and 3/4. I looked around the whole area, there were kids in regular clothes, in uniforms, parents hugging their children and some crying. My parents got my things loaded onto the train and I hugged them goodbye. "Remember to write to us darling!" My mother called as I stepped on, I decided to go find Draco. I walked down the train, looking into each of the compartments, I looked into one and saw some 4th year guys messing on with magical things, suddenly their carrige filled with smoke. I quickly sped along, avoiding being at the scene incase something else were to happen.
I felt a tug on my arm, "Come with me Arabella, Crabbe and Draco are just down the train a bit more, Draco was starting to worry you wouldn't find us" I was Goyle, I followed him towards the middle of the train and into a compartment where Draco and Crabbe were sat. I put my bag (with my change of clothes and money in) above my seat and sat down. We all engaged into conversation about how we thought we'd be chosen into the houses. "Well," Crabbe started "I heard that you go into the hall infront of everyone and just sit down." "That's a lie! My older cousin went here and he said you get bombs thrown at you, and whichever colour it turns is what house you're in." Goyle's older cousin clearly liked to tease him. "Actually guys, I've read about it. It's a sorting hat, made by the four heads. They all put information into the hat as to what they wanted in their house, and then the hat can see what's in your mind, and sorts you into your house. Seriously, bombs? Goyle, your cousins just trying to scare you." I said smugly. "Well, we're not all bothered about reading, like you Bells, anyway you best change. We'll go for a wander once the trains set off and you can change."
Shortly, after waving to our parents from the window, the train went and we were on our way to Hogwarts. The three boys left the compartment and closed the blinds, I waited a few minutes and then changed. After about twenty minutes the boys came back, "Bells, you changed?" "Yeah, you's can come in" Draco walked in first, looking kinda angry. "What's wrong?" "We ran into Harry Potter" Goyle explained "He was with someone called Ron Weasley, you know what their family's like. But anyway, Draco asked Harry if he wanted to join us, instead of staying with the Weasley, but he said no." Draco started to rant about Harry, "Filthy half-blood, clearly has no standards. He obviously doesn't care about the fact Weasley has hand-me-downs, next Potter will be friends with mudbloods I bet." He ranted for a while, and then the woman with the sweet trolley came round. "Anything from the trolley my dears?" Draco got a box of 'Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans' and I got some chocolate frogs, Crabbe and Goyle got some sweets too. We spent the rest of the train ride talking, and then we finally got to Hogwarts. We got off the train and a really large man told the first years to follow him. We all got into boats and sailed over to the castle.