A/N: I don't feel like writing a lot of stuff up here right now, so I'll just let you read the chapter :) Sorry for the wait, I'll try to get a grip on myself in 2016. Hope you had a nice whatever-you-celebrate, and happy new year!

Oh, and thanks to my lovely beta, Ar3emis

Chapter 3: The Leaky Cauldron

Emily was scared as hell as she walked around the crowded streets of London. She didn't know where to go, where to start. She stopped at last in the middle of Waterloo Bridge, looking down at the murky water below. She needed to think, to breathe, to concentrate. If she kept walking around like this, she'd get raped, killed, or both. She was already on the receiving end of a lot of interested and curious looks. She checked her watch. Soon seven. She needed to find a safe place to sleep before darkness came over the city. But where?

Emily sighed before turning away and walking towards a small grocery store on a corner. She had food, but not enough. She needed to stock up before the police started looking. Cameras were her enemy.

Seeing that the store was already closed, she groaned and kept walking down the road towards Trafalgar Square. From there she went up Charing Cross Road, looking for somewhere to eat or sleep. Her eyes fell at last on a small entrance between a book store and a music shop. A small sign told her it was called The Leaky Cauldron. It looked a bit shabby, so Emily thought the prices would be lower there. She went up to the door and pushed it open.

She walked into the most weird-looking pub she'd ever seen. The bartender had just about no teeth, the tables were grimy, and the people in there were kinda creepy. She froze as she stared at a... Something. It looked like a mix of human and horse, and Emily realised it was a centaur. But centaurs didn't exist..?

She was about to turn around and get out when the bartender finally noticed her.

"Hey, Miss, what can I do for you? Bit early for Hogwarts, isn't it?"

Emily gaped and stuttered. "I'm sorry," she finally managed. "But what exactly is this place? And what's Hogwarts? And..." She lowered her voice. "Who's that... Thing... Over there?" She nodded slightly towards the centaur.

The bartender, Tom (or so it said on the name tag), studied her intensely. "Excuse me a minute, Miss." And he disappeared.

Confused, she sat down by the bar, as far away from anyone else as possible. She'd been having more panic attacks recently, and could feel the anxiety creeping in on her. She took a deep breath to calm herself; it wouldn't do to panic in front of all these scary and weird people.

Meanwhile, Tom the bartender was in the back, desperately contacting Albus Dumbledore. The old Headmaster listened intently to Tom's tale, and promised to send one of the least busy teachers; the school year wasn't over quite yet, and he couldn't leave the school himself. Until then, Tom would have to look after the young girl to make sure she didn't get lost anywhere and preferably stayed by the bar or in the backroom at all times. Tom thanked Dumbledore and retreated from the fireplace, while the Headmaster started finding the best teacher to help this child.

When Tom came out to the bar again, there was a couple of wizards waiting to get another drink. He gave them what they wanted and turned to the girl. While she was certainly tall for her age, she was tiny. Her long, dark hair fell down on her pale skin. She seemed to have lost a lot of weight during short time, and her eyes showed that she hadn't slept well for a while. Tom's heart broke for her, looking so lost, and he went out to the kitchen.

Emily looked up as Tom came inside for the second time, carrying a bowl of soup and some bread. The smell made her stomach growl, and she felt envious of the person who'd get that soup. She hadn't felt properly full since her mother left. To her surprise, the man put the bowl in front of her.

"But I haven't got any money," she said quietly, even though she desperately wanted the food.

"Nonsense," he scoffed. "You look like you haven't eaten in months. It's on me, Miss, and just shout out if you want more."

Emily lit up. "Thank you, sir."

The soup warmed her up considerably and she felt content as she lay down to sleep in the backroom (at Tom's orders). She smiled; it felt good to finally be cared for again.

A/N: Please review, I'd like advice on anything I can do better