Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl Easter Holidays Two
DISCLAIMER: As I have said repeatedly throughout this story, I don't own the rights to Daria or to Harry Potter and its characters, plot or background. The Fink-Nottles are not meant to be portrayals of any characters from the writings of PG Wodehouse. I believe that I can say that both Edgar and Cuthbert Fink-Nottle are both descendants of Augustus "Gussie" Fink-Nottle. This story is written for my amusement and not for any sort of financial compensation.
I like positive reviews. How about posting one if you're enjoying my story?
Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl*Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl*Daria Ravenclaw: The Year of the Owl
"Where to next?" said Daria.
"Euston Station!" said Mr. Fink-Nottle. "We'll take a train from London to Birmingham, then catch another train home."
"Where's Euston Station?" said Daria.
"Not far," Mr. Fink-Nottle replied. "Less than a kilometer away. Off we go!" Unsure of just where Euston Station was, Daria decided to trust Mr. Fink Nottle's judgment and follow him as he led Daria and Cuthbert off the platform and out the main entrance. It was wet outside, but the weather was more of a drizzle than an actual rainstorm. She soon learned that if Euston Station wasn't right next to King's Cross, it was close by. Using her inner Highland measuring-stick, Daria guessed that the distance to the entrance to Euston Station was several football fields away.
They arrived at Euston Station around dusk. Daria wasn't that familiar with passenger train stations and only knew that she'd reached Euston Station by the signage and by seeing the pedestrian traffic going in and out of the entrance. Euston Station reminded Daria more of an airport terminal than a railroad station, but at least the Brits had them; passenger trains had been long gone from her part of Texas decades before she was born. They walked over to the ticket window and Mr. Fink-Nottle bought tickets to St. Humbert's Fold. "We'll have to change at Birmingham!" he said.
Huh, thought Daria. I've never been to Birmingham.
She looked around the main concourse. Most of the people there were non-magicals but she spotted several students with their families. One of them was an older Hufflepuff she recognized by sight: she saw her too and waved. Daria wondered if they'd be riding on the same trains or if they'd be taking different ones.
Mr. Fink-Nottle was still pushing the luggage trolley he'd picked up at King's Cross as they walked out on the platform. It'll be interesting to see what they do if they privatize the railways, he thought. Meanwhile, his son was anticipating seeing home and his Mum again and was looking for an empty carriage.
They passed through to the platforms. For her part, Daria was impressed. If the locomotives and coaching stock didn't look brand-spanking new, the equipment looked like it was in good repair. She'd heard talk that British Railways were old and worn-down, but what they had was a lot better than what most places had in the States. There was another difference between British Rail and the trains back in Highland: there were wires suspended directly over the tracks. These trains must be electrified, she thought. She wondered if that made them run faster or what. She was sure that it made them quieter: back in Highland you could often hear a train's rumble from miles away.
Cuthbert found a carriage with empty seats and, after grabbing her bag and Cuthbert's, Daria and Mr. Fink-Nottle boarded the car and took seats. The lighting seemed white and harsh after months of the more subdued lighting she'd been living with at the Castle and during her visit to the Warings'. On the other hand, that means less eye-strain, thought Daria. I can deal.
Shortly after they were seated, the train's PA system came on and announced that their train would leave shortly and listed the cities where it would stop, Birmingham among them. Safely seated with the Fink-Nottles, Daria found that she was tired. The electric locomotive pulling their train whistled, and the train started rolling. Daria remained awake just long enough to note that the train seemed to accelerate faster than the Hogwarts Express before she nodded off to sleep.
-(((O-O)))—
It seemed like only seconds later when she felt Mr. Fink-Nottle gently shaking her awake. "Daria, we're almost in Birmingham," he said. It took her a couple of seconds to re-orient herself. Train. Get off. Change platforms. Get on another train.
Mr. Fink-Nottle helped her and Cuthbert get their bags and they stepped off the train and on to the platform. They then walked over to a pay telephone where Mr. Fink-Nottle paused to make a telephone call. Considering how often she'd seen Mr. Fink-Nottle carried away by his enthusiasm, it was surprisingly short.
"Camille, I've got them," he said. "We're at Birmingham. I picked up both of them at King's Cross, then took them over to Euston where we took the train here. We'll be boarding another train for home and we should be at the station in about—two hours."
"You'll be waiting for us?"
"Lovely, see you then. Good-bye."
The ride to St. Humbert's Fold was a fairly short. Daria was just enough to see that it seemed to stop ever few miles to let people on or off. Daria wondered who would get on a train this time of night. Vampires, maybe? Did vampires even ride trains? A question for Professor MacRae, she thought.
Mr. Fink-Nottle told then that Mrs. Fink-Nottle would be waiting for them at the next station. Daria rose from her seat and followed Cuthbert and Mr. Fink-Nottle off the train. The station had a signboard with a name: St. Humbert's Fold. The station at Humbert's Fold was roughly the same size as the one at Hogsmeade, except that it was far newer and had far less character. Mrs. Fink-Nottle was waiting for them when they reached the exit.
"Cuthbert! Welcome back!" she exclaimed, hugging him.
"And Daria, thank you for joining us," she said.
"Thank you for having me," said Daria. "I really appreciate it. I needed a break."
They walked to the car, Mr. Fink-Nottle carrying Cuthbert's suitcase, Daria carrying hers. Daria soon found that the Fink-Nottles were driving a hatch-back much like a station-wagon.
"Why is your bag so much lighter than Cuthbert's?" said Mr. Fink-Nottle. "Didn't you pack anything?"
"Actually I packed quite a lot," said Daria. "The difference is magic. I've got charms on mine that makes my bag seem lighter and allows me to pack more."
"Really?" said Mr. Fink-Nottle.
"I'm not sure how that works yet, but nobody's come with a warrant for my arrest for breaking the laws of physics," said Daria.
Mr. Fink-Nottle chuckled.
They all got in the car and Mrs. Fink-Nottle drove off. It was dark and Daria was tired when they arrived at the Fink-Nottles' home. The Fink-Nottles' new home was in what Mrs. Fink-Nottle called a housing estate. What little she could see of it reminded her of housing developments back in Texas, although the Fink-Nottles' place looked much nicer than her old neighborhood in Highland. The Fink-Nottles showed her inside and Mrs. Fink-Nottle led her upstairs to a small bedroom overlooking the back.
"This is the guest room," she said. "The upstairs bathroom is over there. You'll be sharing it with Cuthbert. You won't have any trouble with it, will you?"
"I doubt it," said Daria. "I share mine with Quinn and Veronica back home."
"Good, I think you can manage," said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "Well, have a good sleep, then." She turned around and left, leaving Daria alone in the guest bedroom. Daria saw a lamp on a bedside table and felt for the on-off switch. After finding it, she turned the lamp on and off. Ah, electricity, she thought.
Daria awoke the next morning to the sound of Mrs. Fink-Nottle gently tapping on the door and saying "Daria, are you alive in there?". She opened her eyes and took in the sight of a side table, lamp, and a non-descript looking dresser.
"I'm up," she replied.
"Good!" said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "Put something on and come down for some breakfast."
Daria put on her glasses and a bathrobe over her pajamas and went downstairs. Breakfast was surprisingly normal—at least for the Muggle world. Daria could sense that the kitchen was part of Mrs. Fink-Nottle's domain. It went without saying that the Fink-Nottles' kitchen and dining area was very Muggle, with an electric range and refrigerator. It seemed light and airy—large counter-tops, wooden cabinets lit by bright incandescent bulbs. There were pictures of flowers and Daria was amused to see some herbs growing in a bay window behind the sink.
Daria noted that despite what she thought was an early hour, Mrs. Fink-Nottle was already made up. She noted that Cuthbert's and Mr. Fink-Nottle's places at the table still had placemats although the plates and silverware had been cleared away. They must have already eaten, she thought. Her suspicions began taking shape.
"It looks like everybody else is up and at them," said Daria. "Are we going somewhere?"
"Yes, we're going to church," said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "I assume that you packed something nice to wear."
"I did," said Daria.
"Well, you might take a quick shower and then get ready to go," said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "The service is at 11:30."
Daria looked at her watch. No leisurely breakfast this morning, she thought. She ate quickly, then stood up. "What do I do with my dishes?" she said.
"Rinse them and put them in the sink," said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "We'll leave them here and then I'll wash them after we get back."
Daria took them over to the sink, rinsed them off, then slid them into the soapy water to mix with the Fink-Nottles' other dirty dishes. She then went upstairs to get ready to go.
Daria took a quick shower, brushed her teeth, and then went back into the guest bedroom to get dressed. Her Mom had gotten her to buy a couple of nice outfits in case she had to go out somewhere and Daria was now grateful that her Mom had overrode her resistance. She put on black leggings followed by a black short-sleeved dress. The dress' hem was supposed to go to mid-thigh, but had risen a couple of inches: I must be growing again, she thought. She then set about combing her hair. By the time she was done she had to admit that while she wasn't ready for the Easter Parade, she did look at least half-way respectable. She then went downstairs to face Mrs. Fink-Nottle's inspection.
Mrs. Fink-Nottle looked her with a critical eye. "You look nice," she said. Daria suspected that while she passed inspection, she'd only gotten a C-plus.
"You might have to go shopping for new clothes over the summer, though," said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "I think you're hitting a growth spurt." Her mouth quirked. "Still, I don't think you'll scandalize the congregation and that's what counts."
Daria rolled her eyes.
The Fink-Nottles and their house guest piled into the family station-wagon and set off for Church. The Church was in an older section of Saint Humbert's and Mr. Fink-Nottle was forced to park on a side-street several blocks away from the church.
The church looked old to Daria. Of course her frame of reference didn't mean very much. Britain was far older, and Daria learned that there was old, very old, medieval and, in a few cases, pre-Christian.
"How old is this church?" she asked Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "It looks very old. Is it Gothic?"
"It's not that old," Mrs. Fink-Nottle replied. "I'd say that it was Nineteenth-century. It looks like a standard Church of England design built for large villages and small towns."
"Standard church designs?" said Daria.
"The Church of England is the established church of the United Kingdom and they have the money and scope to develop standard plans," Mrs. Fink-Nottle replied. Daria boggled at idea: back in Texas, most church congregations paid for their church buildings themselves.
Daria sidled up to Cuthbert. "I didn't know your Mom was a church-goer," she said.
"She wasn't," Cuthbert replied. "We started going after I got my letter from Hogwarts."
"Who came to your place to talk about Hogwarts and Wizardry?" asked Daria.
"Professor Snape," said Cuthbert.
That would do it, Daria thought. Her introduction to the magical world had been relatively painless, but some of the kids raised in Hellfire and Brimstone religious environments had a much rougher time.
The Fink-Nottles walked into the church and entered the Sanctuary. Daria was immediately struck at how much more elaborate religious services were here compared to the Methodist church services she'd attended with her family back in Highland: genuflecting, genuflecting again when you entered the pews. She noticed that there were tiny book-racks behind each pew: each was equipped with a hymnal and another book titled The Book of Common Prayer. The service began shortly after they sat down.
The service started with a procession, acolytes bearing the cross, the minister following, everyone bowing. Daria bowed too: the last thing she wanted to do was to cause a scene. After the cross had passed her pew, she used the opportunity to look around at the other parishioners. There weren't that many of them: a lot of them were older women, with a mixture of older men, middle-aged women, some mothers with children. There were also some people Daria mentally tagged as immigrants: at a guess Afro-Caribbean or possibly West African.
The singing was already underway. Daria noted that this church didn't skimp and make do with an electric keyboard: this place had a real organ. The church didn't have much of a choir and the parishioners had to take up the slack. After they finished the first hymn, Daria decided that nobody was going to be winning any Grammys.
The service went on: readings from the Old and New Testaments, with some responses similar to the ones she remembered from Highland, more hymns, and then the sermon. To her surprise, the minister wasn't English. She thought he might be American but the way he pronounced his vowels made her decide that he was probably Canadian. His sermon wasn't as boring as Professor Binn's lectures or as frightening as some of the religious rants she'd accidentally tuned in on while channel-surfing back in Highland, but tolerable, which was something she could deal with.
The sermon was followed by Communion, which was another novelty for Daria. There were more readings from the pulpit, more responses from the congregation, prayers, kneeling, and finally the process of taking communion. Mrs. Fink-Nottle got up, as did Mr. Fink-Nottle and Cuthbert. Daria chose to remain seated and watch from the pews. The older Fink-Nottles took communion, Cuthbert got the priest putting his hand on his head and a blessing. An evil part of Daria's mind quipped "Better on his head than on his butt." She decided not to share that thought.
The service ended with more prayers, the minister leading a procession from the altar down the pew, then people rising out of their seats, most pausing to genuflect as they made ready to leave.
The Fink-Nottles stopped at the front to greet the minister. The minister introduced himself as Father Grace and Daria soon learned that she'd guessed correctly: he was from Canada.
"Nice to see you again, Mrs. Fink-Nottle, and I see that you brought along Mr. Fink-Nottle," he said. "And this fine young man must be your son Cuthbert. And who is this young lady?"
"This is Daria Morgendorffer, our house guest," said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "She's staying with us over the Easter holidays."
"How do you do," said Daria, letting her Texas accent slip.
"And how is it that you know the Fink-Nottles?" said Father Grace.
"Mr. Fink-Nottle was a friend of my Dad's and Cuthbert went to the same school I did in Texas," said Daria. "I later got an invitation to go to school here and renewed our friendship when I discovered that Cuthbert was going to the same place." There, she thought, no mention of Hogwarts or hocus-pocus.
"Are you an Anglican?" asked Father Grace.
"My mother's an inactive Methodist and my Dad's Jewish," said Daria. "I'm not even sure there's an Episcopal church in Highland or anyplace between Midland and Sweetwater."
"Well, speaking as one of many ministers in the Anglican communion, we'd love to have you and the rest of your family even if they'd find attending my church might prove a bit difficult," the minister replied.
Daria smiled. She wasn't interested in converting but she found the minister's invitation much more pleasant than some of the obnoxious proselytizing she'd gotten from some of Highland's Evangelicals.
"A question," said Father Grace. "Why is Sweetwater called Sweetwater?"
"Because most of the water where I'm from tastes like minerals and Sweetwater's doesn't," Daria replied.
"I see," said Father Grace. He looked thoughtful. Dollars to donuts he's going to use that line in a future sermon, she thought. She wondered how he'd use it but suspected that she'd be back at Hogwarts by then.
The minister and the Fink-Nottles made their goodbyes and the Fink-Nottles walked back to their car. A short time later they'd returned to their home. A short time later, Mrs. Fink-Nottle said that she wanted to speak to both of them. "I'm glad you're here for the holiday," she said, "but I need to ask you a question. Did your teachers give you any written homework before you left your school?"
Daria and Cuthbert looked at each other.
"I gather that's a yes," said Mrs. Fink-Nottle. "I think it's best that you get it written and over with before you have to go back."