a/n so here's another chapter - I've decided to update every Friday (hopefully) and maybe on Mondays as well, but we'll see how it goes, eh? R&R!:)
Chapter Two
Amara's Worry
All in all, Amara was sad to leave France, she wouldn't see the Reynolds again for ages, and there was no way to contact Harry or Ron, for Amara did not have an owl. She decided that when she visited Diagon Alley for her new books, she'd buy one, so that contact would be easier. She was able to contact Hermione, because she was able to ring her on the phone. Jesse promised he would keep in touch when he went back to Beauxbatons, as he said he didn't have anyone except his parents to write too, and because his grandparents on his father's side (who were magical) didn't like Owls flying everywhere and making a mess on things and his other cousin went to Beauxbatons too, in a different house, but very annoying and stuck up. Amara sniggered at this, for she had met this cousin only once, and he was rather irritating. He swore that he could not speak a word of English the entire time Amara was there, but she had heard him talk to his mother in English in the kitchen. Tally said she'd keep in touch too, telling her how her first-year at Beauxbatons was like.
They said Goodbye to the Reynolds at their house, for there wasn't enough room in the car for all of them to fit. Amara hugged them all before leaving for their journey.
"Keep in touch," she said "You too Noah!"
Noah just grinned and gave a little salute. Amara rolled her eyes and hugged Tally again.
"Au revoir, Amara!"
"Bye!"
Louis drove them to the airport, Amara couldn't believe it had been three weeks already, she had enjoyed her holiday much more than she thought she would. Even Adeline said she'd write (occasionally) and send a picture of them all at the Ball she brought the dress for. Amara couldn't wait to see Hermione again though, so she had something to look forward to when she got back home.
They said goodbye to Louis at the airport, they got through all the customs before sinking into the seats, waiting for their flight again. Amara smiled as she realised it was the same as when they had come – Tessie, on Mr Matthew's Game Boy, Amara bored and Ethan, lying over two seats, but this time trying to snatch the Game Boy off of Tessie so he could play it himself.
The flight seemed quick, Amara looked out the window for most of the journey, she saw the whole of France and the Channel Islands and the Isle of Wight before landing in the airport.
-OOOOO-
Amara peered out the window expectantly. She had been excited the entire week she'd been home for this day. For the past two hours, she had been bouncing back and forth to the window, just to check if a car was coming up the drive.
"Amara, please stop bouncing like a ball, she isn't due to come for another hour yet," snapped Mrs Matthews from the sofa.
"Sorry mum," she chirped, before glancing out the window. "What time is it?"
Her mum sighed "Eleven thirty," she said.
Suddenly, Tessie shouted from the kitchen. "AMARA, an owl is here! Oh wait – I think it is dead…"
"What?" yelped Amara, running into the kitchen. There was indeed a dead-looking owl on the draining board. Tessie was prodding it with her crayon, but it seemed to still be breathing. A letter was tied to its leg, and Amara noticed Ron's scribbly scrawl on it. She stood the owl up on the draining board and gave it some water from a dish. It seemed to cheer up and was able to stand without flopping over again. She eagerly ripped the letter open.
Amara –
Have you heard from Harry yet? I've asked him to stay about twelve times, but he hasn't replied to any of them. I haven't asked Hermione yet – isn't she staying at yours? It's weird that Harry's not answering, he has Hedwig and the Muggles he stays with aren't exactly friendly people. Do you think something has happened? I'm going to write to him again when Errol gets back – sorry about him, he's ancient, he'll probably need some water. If he doesn't reply, I'll ask Dad.
From Ron
Amara frowned. She still hadn't gotten a reply form Harry either, it was really starting to worry her. She ran upstairs to her desk (grabbing Errol the owl too) and started to write her letter.
Dear Ron
I haven't had a word from Harry either, and by the looks of it, neither has Hermione. Write to him again before making rash decisions, but if he doesn't, write to us straight away, Hermione is staying at mine until the 9th, hopefully Harry has replied by then.
Love from
Amara
She sealed the envelope and tied it to Errol's leg.
"You OK to fly?" she asked and he gave a hoot. Taking this as a good sign, she opened the window and let him out, watching him fly away. She looked down momentarily and saw a silver car driving up the drive. She grinned as she saw a blob of curly brown hair in the front passenger seat.
She ran down stairs like a torpedo, knocking into her dad as she did so.
"Sorry," she babbled as he laughed, and then took off once more.
She flung open the door as Hermione was getting out; she flew out the front door and gave her a hug.
"Hermione!" she said happily "It's been ages!"
Hermione smiled "Hello, I just saw an owl fly out the window; I'm assuming it was from you?"
"Yup," she said as they walked inside, and greeted Dr Granger, who had driven Hermione up. "It was from Ron, he's had no word from Harry, it is quite worrying."
"Hello Hermione," Mrs Matthews greeted Hermione warmly "And you Dr Granger, it's nice to see you again."
"You to, Mrs Matt- Bryony," said Hermione
She smiled "Would you like anything?"
"I better be going," said Dr Granger "Leave you ladies to it, goodbye, Hermione, Amara."
After he had left, Amara helped Hermione take her suitcase up the stairs.
"Gee, Hermione you're only staying for a week, not a year," Amara panted, as they paused on the landing.
"Oh, I added some books – I've been busy with school work,"
"What?" Amara gapped "Why, it's the holidays!"
"I know, but we have to keep up – you have done some, haven't you?" she demanded.
"Er, I've been away? Come on Hermione, we have school to learn things, we need a break."
Hermione tutted "Hmf, well, anyway, you should read the book I got – Hogwarts: A History, it's really rather interesting, you know."
Amara rolled her eyes discreetly "Fine," she sighed "But only that, OK?"
Hermione nodded happily.
-OOOOOO-
A few days after Hermione's arrival, the two of them were sat in the kitchen eating a sandwich when Errol zoomed in and whacked into the wall.
Mrs Matthews shrieked, as the arrival was unexpected.
"Calm down Mum – hey, it's another letter from Ron… oh dear, the Errol doesn't look too good, does he?"
"Let me take him," Mrs Matthews said, obviously recovering and releasing her fondness for animals "I'll see to him," and she walked out the room, with Errol laid carefully in her hands.
"What does the letter say?" asked Hermione, swallowing her sandwich.
"Amara and Hermione -
We can't let this go on much longer; Fred, George and I are rescuing him from the Muggles tonight. We heard from Dad he got a warning from the Ministry about using magic. Don't worry; we're going to be fine, we'll take him back to the Burrow, hopefully we'll find out how he didn't reply or get our letters.
Wish us luck – Ron"
"I hope they don't do anything dangerous," said Hermione worriedly as Amara finished her own sandwich. "And what's this about using magic? He knows we get in trouble!"
"Nah," said Amara thickly, trying to swallow, Hermione looked slightly repulsed. "They'll be fine; as long as Harry's safe at the Burrow – I'm assuming that's their house, cool name – I'll be fine. I wouldn't tell the Dursley's, by the looks of them, good way to scare them, don't you think?"
Hermione didn't look overly convinced.
Mrs Matthews came back in. "That Owl needs recovery, it's been knocked unconscious, poor thing, you'll have to send your letter back tomorrow."
The next day, at breakfast, their school lists arrived, and they opened them eagerly. The owls that had delivered them didn't crash into the wall; instead, they flew expertly through the open window, landing lightly on the wooden table. They stuck their legs out simultaneously before they ruffled their feathers importantly and flew off, as though they were superior to all the other owls.
Amara ripped open her letter with gusto, tearing the parchment slightly.
'Second year students will require:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 2) by Miranda Goshawk
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart
Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart
Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart'
"Who's Gilderoy Lockhart? The new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher must be a fan, how many books could this guy write?"
Hermione squealed "I've heard a little about him, he's really amazing in what he does, he's saved people from all these deadly creatures – I've always wanted his books, but I didn't have enough." She was pink in the face and looked excited.
Amara choked a little on her toast. "Ah, I wonder if Harry and Ron have got their letters? I really want to know the new teacher…"
"I don't know, when d'you think we'll go? We can ask Harry and Ron to come too!" said Hermione.
"Well, David and I can take Amara next Wednesday, if you like," said Mrs Matthews
"I think my Mum and Dad can take me," Hermione smiled.
"Shall we go write back?" Amara asked, finishing her apple juice.
Errol had woken back up and they were able to write a letter back.
"Do you think Harry is there yet?" asked Hermione as they sat at Amara's desk.
"It depends whether Errol took ages getting here," Amara said, setting her ink and quill out.
Dear Ron and Harry, if you're there,
We hope you got Harry out safely and everyone's OK, because Hermione says that if you did anything illegal, Harry will get into trouble too, and that's not fair. We've been really worried and if Harry's alright, can you please let us know at once, but you really need to use a different owl, because Errol got knocked out whilst delivering your last letter, and had to have a day to wake up. Hermione somehow is doing schoolwork, but that's just weird, right?
Hermione and I got our school lists this morning, and we're going to London next Wednesday to buy the new books (Hermione says Lockhart's great, I have no clue who he is, he sounds irritating already to me) Why don't we meet in Diagon Alley? Outside Gringotts, everyone needs to go in there.
Love from
Amara and Hermione
Amara tied the letter to Errol's leg and took him to the window.
"Have a safe journey," Amara said, a little doubtfully. Errol hooted and took off, nearly hitting into a lamppost as a neighbour gasped at the sight of him. Amara shut the window quickly – her mother had told her the neighbours thought that an owl's nest or something had got into the estate, and she had encouraged the idea – the neighbours loved gossip. Especially their closest neighbour, Mrs Sutton, who was a widower and didn't have anything to do. Amara swore she had ears the size of Dumbo's with what she gossiped.
Amara and Hermione went for a walk before lunch, around Winchester where Amara lived, to see the shops. They walked around, looking inside, until Hermione dragged her to the Cathedral to see the history. Amara grumbled most of the way, muttering about 'having to see it' again and 'we have enough in History of Magic'.
"You need to listen in that lesson," Hermione said as they walked back after an hour of browsing. "You were lucky last year that I leant the notes to you. And this is muggle History, not History of Magic, so you should read it!"
"Oh c'mon, Hermione," Amara said "It's the worst subject ever, I would be more interested if we just read textbooks, at least then we'd get the information."
"He's not that ba-," Hermione began
"Have you listened to Binns? He has the most monotone voice, it's unreal," Amara interrupted. "And anyways, I know a lot about the muggle world already, I think I'll focus on the wizarding world now, for there seems to be a hell of lot going on there."
By the time they had got back, Mrs Matthews had finished making lunch.
Tessie and Ethan were already in the kitchen, slurping up the soup and ripping off hunks of bread. Amara grabbed a bowel and bread herself before tucking in, Hermione much more politely tucking in.
"Amara, eat nicer," said Mrs Matthews.
"Wha? I'm hung'y!" Amara struggled, swallowing the bread in a gulp.
"You're turning into Ron," Hermione grinned and Amara laughed, but took heed and started eating nicer.
Hermione left a few days after and Amara was alone in the muggle world again. She didn't mind that much; she went to the cinema with her family and went to different places. The excitement still hadn't worn off for Tessie and Ethan, and she hoped that they would get their letters too, some day. It would be sad if they didn't get a letter, as they had heard all the stories Amara had told them of her adventures in her first year. They were expecting to have more or less the same amount of fun. It seemed Tessie was still as jumpy as she had the first day Amara found out she was a witch, but this probably because she still had three years until she would find out, but Ethan would find out next year, in the summer before Amara's third-year. Louis said it was more than likely that they were, because a lot of kids in Beauxbatons had a muggleborn sibling too.
She had also, a few days after Hermione left, got a reply from Ron. She was pleased to know that Harry had finally escaped the Dursleys.
Amara
Harry's here now, we used Dad's car to get him out, it flies, by the way, but don't tell Hermione, because she'll explode. How can she do schoolwork? We're on holiday! Mum says Wednesday is fine to get our books, Fred says the new Professor must be a witch, because apparently everyone loves him.
I can't use Hermes, because Percy 'needs' him for some reason, don't know who he is writing to, probably someone boring, so I have to use Errol, he's alright, really, gets the job done.
From Ron and Harry
Amara grinned at the letter. It was great to know that Harry was safe – even though it wasn't the greatest way to get him out. Amara thought flying a car would be pretty cool to do, unless you hit an aeroplane in the process.
