Chapter 4: New York City
Ashley could vaguely remember having an appetite when she entered the cab. However, the driver had apparently decided that New York City streets were actually the autobahn and the traffic didn't actually exist. About halfway to their destination she was forced to have the cab pull over and get out to vomit. Al had paid the cabby and simply got out there. Now she had no appetite and they had no clue where they were.
Across the street was an entrance to a large park which she thought looked very out of place in the middle of the city. It was the first park they had seen all day and it looked beautiful to her. "I think we should think over there, on a long, long walk," she said, adding a twinkle in her eye on the second half.
Al smiled, put down his bag and rummaged through the contents. Ashley could hear the sounds of metal on metal, wood on wood, wood on metal. She looked over at the bag, but her view was obscured by a large black cloak which Al pulled out and placed over her shoulders. "Now we go think over there."
"What do you have in that thing?"
"Oh, the essentials." Right. "Didn't you try out yours?" Ashley clammed up. "Ash?"
"Your grandfather has it. He believes it to be a 'misuse of a muggle artifact.'"
"I'm sorry. I didn't think it was wrong." After a long pause he added, "I got the idea from Hermione."
This had been the worst day in Ashley's life, but after 2 hours in the park she was feeling much better. She had even gotten Al to kiss her by the lake. It was almost as if she hadn't been arrested, traveled 3000 miles by portkey, almost been shot and then taken the taxi ride from hell. Almost. And it had all been because of Albus Potter. Why did she like this guy again? Oh right, he took 2 hour, romantic walks in the park. They were leaving the park, hand in hand, when Al's stomach growled. They both started laughing. "I think I'll take that lunch now," she said. Al smiled. "NO taxis though."
After the subway ride, Ashley was thinking much higher of the taxis. She had managed not to vomit however, which may have been because there was nothing left. She was leaving the tunnel, but the air was just as smoky as it had been on the train. They need some better air filters. "No more of those either."
"How would you like to travel? I'm running out of options," Al said in the lightest tone he could. He had a way of making anything sound like the words she had been waiting all her life to hear.
An hour later, Ashley and Al were standing outside after the best meal of Ashley's life. "I need desert," she said and headed for a street side vending stand, Al struggling to keep up behind her. He got her a King Size chocolate bar, which she ate while perusing the rest of the merchandise. Al was being harassed by the vendor, who wanted to know if he was interested in a radio, cup holder, headset combination. Al seemed interested, which was strange. Then she saw it. "Al, I think you should come see this." He rushed over.
"See what?" She pointed to one of the newspaper/magazines in front of her. Al picked it up like it was going to explode. He looked at the headline: Zombies attack Roswell. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"That we found your army. Yeah. But how did it get there?"
"Does it matter?" Al turned to the vendor, "How much for this?"
"That? I didn't picture ya for a tabloid guy. Tell ya what, I'll throw it in for free if ya get the headset. Can't beat that!"
"I'll take it." Al paid for the headset, stuck it in his backpack and then walked away reading the article. "This is definitely the army. We need to get to Roswell."
"How?"
"Same way I got here, appartate to the picture in the article."
"Oh, great." Ashley did not fancy apparating again today. "What are you going to do with that stupid headset?" Al smiled and turned down a small alley, his wand appearing in his hand. Well, at least he learned.
"I'm going to trade my grandfather that for your backpack. He's fascinated by crazy muggle stuff." He extended his arm, which she took tight. Then he starred at the picture, turned and vanished.