Disclaimer: Harry Potter and related characters, situations, settings, and plots are the original work of J.K. Rowling and under copyright. While I enjoy playing in her sandbox, it's not mine and never will be.

From the Last Chapter:

Harry accidently ran into Albus Dumbledore while they were leaving. So that is where he gets his clothes. Maybe he is so in style that everythinks he is out of it. Irony at its best. Fortunately, other than a small "sorry" they did not elicit any special treatment, as they quickly left the wizarding world, for the much safer muggle one. Thankfully, Aruba had had the forethought to convert a fair sum of galleons into muggle money, and they soon found themselves in a well furnished suite of the Trafalgar Hilton, where they almost immediately fell asleep.

Chapter 4: The Hardest Part

Aruba sighed, placing her head into the palms of her hand. She glanced back at the sleeping form of of the fictional character on the other bed. She had no idea how she would survive in this world where no one knew her and there was no one she could really trust. She knew her best bet was helping Harry. She thought that perhaps if she sped up the story line of the books by helping Harry defeat Voldemort, there would be no "story" for her to remain part of and perhaps she would be able to return to her home universe. Or maybe the trick was waiting it out to the epilogue of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows . Or maybe the trick was simply dying out of this reality and into her own. Realizing the darkness of her thoughts, Aruba sat up stiffly: No. I promised. Never again. The sound of Harry shifting out of his sleep dragged Aruba out of the sad corners of her memory and into the present.

"Aruba? Are you still here?"

The sound of his panicked voice made a pang of guilt resonate through Aruba's heart. Here she was contemplating anything and everything that would let her leave while the poor boy was having to suffer through abandonment issues.

" Of course I am still here. Harry I will not leave you until you ask me to." The hardest part is always lying. I guess changing universes doesn't change that fact.

"Do you want breakfast? I was just about to order some?" Aruba asked, quickly changing the subject to the evident relief of Harry. Getting the expected nod, she picked up the phone receiver only to put it down again.

"You know what? We are in the middle of London on a beautiful (she glanced at the small complimentary calendar next to the phone) Saturday morning. I refuse to eat it a hotel room of all places. Let's go Harry it is time to go get breakfast.

And so Aruba created the pattern that the two would follow for the next month. They would spend the whole day soaking up some culture as they visited London Eye, British Museum and Tower of London. They only made three quick visits to Diagon Alley, and that too only to withdraw money from Gringotts to finance their explorations.

It was July 24, 1991 and Aruba was standing in the middle of Madame Tussauds London wondering if an alternate universe meant Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson were not going to get wax figures in this one. Suddenly, an owl swooped into the the hall surprising everyone present. Oh. Wasn't that supposed to come in the mail? But the bird did not stop. It circled around Harry twice and flew back outside. Harry, who had already been informed about the significance of the owl by Aruba, followed it outside with only a small motion to Aruba indicating she should follow. The small gesture made Aruba realize how much he had grown in a mere month.. He grew not only physically (due to daily potions from Madame Pimpernelle's shop) but also mentally. He was much more independent now than he had been that afternoon in Surrey Zoo. She had fed him a lie that second day after meeting him about how she was a seer and knew all that would happen. She hoped it would hold until her departure from this universe.

Outside Harry was reading the letter:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

It was followed by a page of requirements. "An owl would be the most useful," commented Aruba pointing to the second to last line on the second page: Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad.

"I suppose. I want to get my telescope and brass scales from the muggle world. I also refuse to use quills and parchment unless I absolutely must."

"OK. Maybe it is time for us to go to Gringotts again. And then shopping time."

Within the next few days, Harry was completely prepared to leave for Hogwarts. He had his owl, Hedwig, his school textbooks and supplementary books that both Harry and Aruba agreed that he would need, a trunk full of clothes, his wand (as Aruba had already explained the brother-wand-to-Voldemort thing to Harry, he was not surprised at all by Ollivander's comments), and a super-worried-yet thankful older sister who still could not believe that she wouldn't be able to see him for another nine months.

Come September 1, Harry held Aruba's hand to pass through to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. They said their goodbyes in a very teary fashion, as they had grown very close over the summer. Aruba watched as two redheaded boys Gred and Forge helped Harry onto the train. Not wanting to leave Harry, Aruba waited until the final whistle for the train's departure rang. Then, out of sheer impulse, and to the surprise of the few straggling parents, she boarded the train, just as it began its journey out of King's Cross Station. I don't know why or how, but I am going to Hogwarts.

Author's Note: I prefer to not have to force myself to write. I apologize the inconvenience this may result in. I also have set a 1000 word minimum for myself which also impedes any plans for quick updating. Sorry.

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