3
On the way to the Leaky Cauldron
Kayla looked at the Head Girl duties and badge and her book list and then sent the owl out through the bay window. She ran down her private spiral staircase to the library and into the hall, grabbing her dressing gown from the library coat rack. She skipped down the main staircase followed by Kenshin who kept telling her all about a stray cat he met trying to steal one of his chew toys that was unfortunately zapped by one of Kayla's dads protection charms.
"Morning Mum, morning Dad!" said Kayla cheerfully.
"Good Morning dear," said her mother, "you look tired, you were studying late last night weren't you?"
"Oh now Carol the girl is focused," said her dad with a grin, "so she stays up a little late, at least she gets her work done."
"Thank you Dad," said Kayla sweetly, "I got my Hogwarts letter today! You'll never believe what happened! I've been made Head Girl!"
"Wow! A seventh year already and Head Girl," said her mother with a tear in her eye, "my little girl's growing up so fast."
"Anyway," said Kayla looking at her Mum with a look that was half embarrassment and half trying not to laugh, "tonight we leave for our annual Diagon Alley trip right?"
"That's right," said her dad as he signed her form, "we'll leave right when I get home from work."
Kayla smiled and sat down to her scrambled eggs. She finished her eggs and was about to go up and pack for her trip and for school when the fire in the hearth turned purple and her best friend Matt's face appeared in it.
"Hey Kayla how's it going?"
"Just great, I was just about to start packing for the trip tonight. Yourself?"
"Finishing Batty Binns' essay. Otherwise I'm ok."
"So what did you have to talk to me about?" said Kayla sniggering at Matt's nickname for Professor Binns.
"Well, I was just going to give you Chris and Ben's Unofficial guide to fun in Hogsmeade and to tell you that I have been made Head Boy! I'm sure you have been made Head Girl." He said handing her a piece of paper. Chris and Ben, Matt's two younger brothers were in Gryffindor and they stuck to the motto "rules are meant to be broken". They were going into fifth year just like Kayla's cousin Nikki.
"Ok, well this should be useful," she said jokingly, "and yes I'm Head Girl,"
"Great! Congratulations, but I must say, was there ever any doubt."
"Thanks and I guess there wasn't a doubt!"
"Well I will see you in a few hours."
"Yeah, Bye."
"Bye."
The fireplace went back to normal.
Kayla went upstairs to start packing. Her Dad had left for work a little while ago and her Mum had gone on her usual cleaning spree. As she was folding her school robes into her trunk Kenshin came in and dropped onto his cat bed.
"You know it really isn't fair that you have to leave me home well you're at school."
"Yeah, I know, but I didn't make the rules." she said putting her wand (unicorn hair holly twelve inches) into her trunk.
"I still don't get it," he said, "you can't bring me because I can talk. Right?"
"Yep."
"What does me talking have to do with anything?" he questioned.
"I think it has something to do with the fact that you know the curriculum because you were once a wizard and they don't want you helping me or anyone else," she said as she crammed as many necessities (books) that she possibly could while leaving room for the things she'd buy in Diagon Alley.
"Well I don't see how it's my fault," he said licking himself, "I didn't choose to be hit with an unknown potion. Blame the person who did that."
"I'm sure they would if they could," said Kayla locking her trunk, "but you don't know who hit you so there's no reason to get mad. You get to spend the next eleven days with me."
"I guess your right," said Kenshin leaving.
Kayla grabbed her cauldron and her Firebolt 5 racing broom and rolled them with her trunk to the stairs. Her broom hovered behind her and as she approached the stairs they turned into a slide for easy pulling. (A tricky bit of transfiguration on her father's part) She rolled down her stairs and down the main stairs and set her trunk, cauldron, and broom at the side of the stairs.
She then took a nap on the overstuffed living room couch while Kenshin was doing his job of chasing doxies out of the house. She woke up hours later and her father was standing at the entrance to the living room with Matt and a substantial amount of luggage.
"Come on Kayla," he said, "you all packed?"
"Yeah," she said with a yawn, "is it time to go already?"
"You betcha," said her dad smiling, "now come on the kitchen fireplace is the biggest."
Kayla's family and Kenshin and Matt and Matt's barn owl Larissa clambered trunks and all to the kitchen fireplace. Matt and Larissa got in first.
"What room am I in?" he asked grabbing some dust from Mr. Foster.
"Eight," he said, "go ahead and remember to speak clearly."
"Right," said Matt, "the Leaky Cauldron room eight!" he said throwing down the dust." With a flash of green flame he disappeared.
Kayla followed suit and landed in her private room adjoined to Matt's.