Chapter Four
Hermione rushed to the mirror, pinching and prodding until she was sure that she would pop. She wanted, no, needed, to look good for Harry. After all, he hadn't seen her for the entire holidays. Letters aren't really that much to go by you know.
"You look lovely dear." Said the mirror, "Sure to impress that boyfriend of yours."
Hermione chose not to correct it as she was already halfway out the door. She thundered down the stairs and bumped directly into something hard and bony. She and whatever it was tumbled down the rest of the stairs.
As she recovered from the pain, she looked up and found a pair of green eyed peering down at her.
"Harry." She breathed
"I missed you Mia." He said, simply happy to be with her. "Those Dursley's have nothing on you"
She chuckled, and was about to reply, but alas, now was in this perfect moment that the patrons of the Leaky Cauldron butted in.
"Ahem?" began Tom, the owner of the establishment "You may want to continue that in a private room."
Harry and Hermione broke their eye contact and stood slowly, noticing the chuckles from the adults and glares from some specific redheads. Hermione looked sheepish and Harry ran his hand through his messy black hair.
THIS IS A BREAK LINE… FEEL FREE TO IGNORE IT… ONCE AGAIN…
Lunch was passing rather uneventfully at the leaky cauldron. Hermione, seated between Harry and Ron, was trying not to blush profusely every time Harry so much as looked at her.
It wasn't easy
"So Harry, did the Dursley's drive you over?" She asked, trying to stop herself from being tongue tied
"Nah, Remus apparated over with me. The Dursley's barely talk to me anymore. I kind of… forgot to tell them that I'm not supposed to use magic outside of school."
"That's the spirit mate!" Ron said, reaching over Hermione to high five Harry. His arm brushed very close to her chest.
"Ronald!" Hermione cried, jumping up. "I would appreciate it if you would not do things like that!"
"Like what?" He replied
"You brushed…You touched…ugh…just remember I'm a girl Ron!"
"You're not that much of a girl Herms." Ron insisted, not realizing that Hermione's eyes were tearing up. "You're just…Hermione"
She stood from the table quietly, calmly poured her drink over Ron's head, and stormed up to her room.
"What did I do?" Ron asked
"RONALD!" Ginny and her mother said at the same time.
"I cannot believe you would do a thing like that! You march upstairs and apologize to Hermione!" Molly continued
"You're an idiot!" Ginny cried, turning away from her brother, her arms crossed.
"I think Hermione's pretty upset at the moment. I had better go talk to her." Harry said softly
"Well, alright, Harry dear." Molly said. "But be careful, Hermione's turning into a little lady now, and she's very fragile."
'Hermione? Fragile? I don't really think so, but I'll try anyway…' He thought as he stood and walked up the stairs to Hermione's room.
"Mia?" he said.
Harry was the only one Hermione would let call her that. He thought it was a lovely nickname, but she didn't want it spread around. For some reason, he liked being to only one to call her that.
She was his Mia.
"Mia, you in there? It's me, Harry" he knocked again. Hermione pulled the door open.
"Oh Harry." She said in a rush, falling forwards into his arms…
LET'S LEAVE IT THERE FOR NOW, SHALL WE?
After hurriedly washing some of her things, finding her favourite books and rushing out to the store to buy a few last minute items, Sarah was finally packed. It had taken 3 hours to do it, and now all that was left was to find some sort of funds to buy her schoolbooks with.
"Sarah?" Karen said, knocking her door.
"Come in." Sarah said, putting the book she held back into her trunk. It was a red leather book, embossed with gold. She didn't want to leave it behind for Karen to find and give to Toby. She knew that if he found it and read it when he was older, he might remember what had happened that night, only a week ago.
'One week. It feels like an age! So much has changed since then…' Sarah thought.
"What did you want to talk about?" Sarah asked, grabbing a hair band to put up her thick brown hair.
"Well, in the wizarding world, Sarah," Karen said, almost uneasily, "They use different money to the American money, and to the English money. I have a little with me."
She handed Sarah a small velvet pouch, which was weighed down a little, but not much, with gold and silver coins. "I also have a bank account with Gringotts, the wizarding world's goblin bank."
"Goblin?" Sarah asked, stunned.
"Oh yes. Horrid looking creatures, but they're wonderfully clever."
"I see. Who's the head of the bank?"
"I wouldn't have a clue, dear. But I'm sure you can look it up somewhere. Now, there isn't a fortune in my bank account, but there is quite a bit. I was hoping to send Toby to school, if he showed any powers, but you are welcome to use it."
Sarah was overcome. After all the years she had spent hating her new family members, she now suddenly loved them.
"Thankyou!" she said tearfully, throwing her arms around Karen.
"That's quite alright." Karen replied, moving away from Sarah. "Now, be sure to get yourself an owl so you can send us plenty of letters. Although, the school probably has some you can use." Sarah nodded.
For the next half hour, stepmother and daughter spent their first amount of quality time together that both truly enjoyed. Sarah heard her stepmothers stories of her and her friends, and how much fun they had had at Hogwarts.
They were only interrupted when the doorbell rang.
"Sarah honey." Richard called up the stairs. "Your guide is here."
"I hope you'll have as wonderful a time as I did" Said Karen, hugging Sarah again.
"Thankyou Karen, for everything. I'm sorry about the way I acted before." Sarah said, reaching to pull her trunk down the stairs. She was stopped when it began to move on its own. Sarah, startled, looked up to find Karen holding what looked to be a magic wand.
"Much easier this way, wouldn't you agree?" Sarah laughed and hugged her stepmother for the last time before she would see her again. She hurried down the stairs to where her father waited with her baby brother.
"Goodbye Toby, I love you!" she cried hugging him tight, spinning him around, and then pulling him close again. He gurgled happily, wrapping his chubby little arms around his older sister's neck.
"I love you Dad, I'll miss you!" Sarah said, running over to her father and burying herself in his chest.
"I love you Sarah. Look after yourself. Write as soon as you get there!" He said, stroking the hair of his only daughter. She nodded, and turned to her guide.
"Hi, I'm Sarah Williams." She said.
"I know." He replied. "My name is Remus Lupin." He looked very bedraggled, slight scar tissue showing around his face. He had brown hair, and kind eyes. "I am going to take you to Diagon Alley, where you'll get everything you need to be a witch." His eyes twinkled. She smiled, liking him already.
She gave her family one last hug, then turned and followed her guide out onto the front porch.
He pulled a large white handkerchief out of his pocket and, reaching for the handle of her trunk, gave her instructions on what to do.
"Grab this and count to three." She did so
"1…2…3"
With a blinding white light, Sarah felt like she had been grabbed by the belly button with a hook, and was flying through the air.
"Don't let go!" Remus cried. Soon, they slowed, and he began to stroll through the sky.
"Do as I do, it'll make your landing easier." Remus said. Nodding, Sarah followed suit. They began to approach the ground, and Sarah appreciated his advice. Her trunk fell to the floor with a large thunk, and Sarah was saved that experience, as Remus grabbed her hand and held her upright.
"Ah, there we are." They stood on the roof of what looked to be some form of motel. "This is the Leaky Cauldron, where we'll be staying for the next few days. And through the back we'll be able to get to Diagon Alley. This way!" He said, using his wand to make her trunk float again, and walking towards a door that had been cut into the roof.
As they entered the shabby looking tavern, a cry was heard.
"Remus?"
