Marissa made her way back downstairs, passing her brother's room as he was
furiously trying to finish his homework before the start of term in a few
days. She continued through the living room to the kitchen where she found
her aunt.
"Hello dear. Glad you came down. Just making some chocolate chip cookies the muggle way. She held up a yellow package."Break and bake."
Marissa sat down at the table and ran her fingers over the leather covers of the photo album.
"Aunt Flo, I found this in my room."she said holding up the album. Her aunt turned around and a smile spread across her face when she saw the album.
"Ah yes. Must have thrown that in there when we were tidying up before you left last year. Well go on now, have a look."
Marissa opened the album to the first page. There was a picture of a young girl standing in what looked like the Griffyndor common room. She turned to the second page and saw the same girl standing in the common room only she had shorter hair. The girl began to wave at her.
"Are these pictures of you and mom at Hogwarts?"
"Thought the common room looked familiar now didn't it? Yes, that's me and your mum our third year at Hogwarts. I was always running around with my magic camera, taking photos at every chance I had. Almost got it confiscated by the headmaster when he caught me sneaking into the Slytherin house to investigate rumors of dark arts going on. Turned out just to be Lucious Malfoy screwing with his potions homework. Stupid git never could get anything right. Milk dear?"
By now Marissa was flipping through the album watching as the young students in the pictures smiled and waved back at her.
"Aunt Flo, who are these people?" Her aunt looked over her shoulder and slowly lowered her spectacles to examine the photo.
"Bless my soul dear child...That's Lily and James Potter." She took the book from the table and stared at the picture.
"Lily and James Potter?"Marissa said in disbelief.
"That's right. I remember this photo. Lily was a dear friend of your mum . Sweet girl, that Lily. It's no wonder James fancied her so much. "
Marissa turned the book and flipped to the next page.
"Ah yes. There's James on his broomstick. He was the Seeker for the house Quidditch team you know. Quite handsome. Had a crush on him myself, first year. I always remember he would let me interview him after all the games for practice. Told me I was going to be a great journalist one day. Good, loyal friends those Potters were. Terrible thing that happened to them. I remember your mum crying so terribly when she found out. Wouldn't come out of her room for days. You were too young to remember, dear."
Her aunt paused for a moment to wipe some tears that were forming in her eyes. Marissa looked down at the pictures and immediately thought of Harry, Lily and James' son who also attended Hogwarts and was in the same year as her brother.
"I go to school with Harry,"she said slowly."He's the same year as Gavin."
Her aunt looked up."Ah yes. Young Harry. I remember you and Gavin telling me stories about him. A miracle how he survived. Still has that scar, I'm sure."
Marissa nodded.
"Pity. James and Lily were so excited. Their first child. They loved him so much. She sacraficed herself for him you know. Not surprised she did, though. Even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named couldn't stop her from protecting her child. How's he doing?Harry?"
Marissa's mind began to recall the events that had occured since the year Harry arrived at Hogwarts. First with the Sorcer's Stone, then that horrible snake in the Chamber of Secrets and only last year the whole ordeal with Sirius Black, who was still at large. The thought of dementors made her shudder.
"He's doing well, I suppose. Definitely stirs things up at school. Always something to talk about when Harry's around."
"Well, he's no ordinary boy you know. Something about him...still puzzles the greatest wizards of today how he could have survived. Bet he looks exactly like his father....Well enough of this chatter. It's getting late. Why don't you hurry on upstairs. We need to get to Diagon Alley bright and early."Flo handed her a plate of cookies. Marissa took it from her along with the album and her glass of milk.
"And don't forget to give some to your brother." Marissa headed back to the attic, throwing some cookies into her brother's room, not paying attention to where she aimed.
Back in her room she quickly changed into her pajamas and took out the journal Aunt Flo had given her earlier in the summer for her 16th birthday. She tickled the wings of the fairy on the cover. The picture giggled and the journal unfolded onto her bed to a fresh page. She dug around in her trunk for her quill and ink jar and began to scribble down the events of the past few days.
"Hello dear. Glad you came down. Just making some chocolate chip cookies the muggle way. She held up a yellow package."Break and bake."
Marissa sat down at the table and ran her fingers over the leather covers of the photo album.
"Aunt Flo, I found this in my room."she said holding up the album. Her aunt turned around and a smile spread across her face when she saw the album.
"Ah yes. Must have thrown that in there when we were tidying up before you left last year. Well go on now, have a look."
Marissa opened the album to the first page. There was a picture of a young girl standing in what looked like the Griffyndor common room. She turned to the second page and saw the same girl standing in the common room only she had shorter hair. The girl began to wave at her.
"Are these pictures of you and mom at Hogwarts?"
"Thought the common room looked familiar now didn't it? Yes, that's me and your mum our third year at Hogwarts. I was always running around with my magic camera, taking photos at every chance I had. Almost got it confiscated by the headmaster when he caught me sneaking into the Slytherin house to investigate rumors of dark arts going on. Turned out just to be Lucious Malfoy screwing with his potions homework. Stupid git never could get anything right. Milk dear?"
By now Marissa was flipping through the album watching as the young students in the pictures smiled and waved back at her.
"Aunt Flo, who are these people?" Her aunt looked over her shoulder and slowly lowered her spectacles to examine the photo.
"Bless my soul dear child...That's Lily and James Potter." She took the book from the table and stared at the picture.
"Lily and James Potter?"Marissa said in disbelief.
"That's right. I remember this photo. Lily was a dear friend of your mum . Sweet girl, that Lily. It's no wonder James fancied her so much. "
Marissa turned the book and flipped to the next page.
"Ah yes. There's James on his broomstick. He was the Seeker for the house Quidditch team you know. Quite handsome. Had a crush on him myself, first year. I always remember he would let me interview him after all the games for practice. Told me I was going to be a great journalist one day. Good, loyal friends those Potters were. Terrible thing that happened to them. I remember your mum crying so terribly when she found out. Wouldn't come out of her room for days. You were too young to remember, dear."
Her aunt paused for a moment to wipe some tears that were forming in her eyes. Marissa looked down at the pictures and immediately thought of Harry, Lily and James' son who also attended Hogwarts and was in the same year as her brother.
"I go to school with Harry,"she said slowly."He's the same year as Gavin."
Her aunt looked up."Ah yes. Young Harry. I remember you and Gavin telling me stories about him. A miracle how he survived. Still has that scar, I'm sure."
Marissa nodded.
"Pity. James and Lily were so excited. Their first child. They loved him so much. She sacraficed herself for him you know. Not surprised she did, though. Even He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named couldn't stop her from protecting her child. How's he doing?Harry?"
Marissa's mind began to recall the events that had occured since the year Harry arrived at Hogwarts. First with the Sorcer's Stone, then that horrible snake in the Chamber of Secrets and only last year the whole ordeal with Sirius Black, who was still at large. The thought of dementors made her shudder.
"He's doing well, I suppose. Definitely stirs things up at school. Always something to talk about when Harry's around."
"Well, he's no ordinary boy you know. Something about him...still puzzles the greatest wizards of today how he could have survived. Bet he looks exactly like his father....Well enough of this chatter. It's getting late. Why don't you hurry on upstairs. We need to get to Diagon Alley bright and early."Flo handed her a plate of cookies. Marissa took it from her along with the album and her glass of milk.
"And don't forget to give some to your brother." Marissa headed back to the attic, throwing some cookies into her brother's room, not paying attention to where she aimed.
Back in her room she quickly changed into her pajamas and took out the journal Aunt Flo had given her earlier in the summer for her 16th birthday. She tickled the wings of the fairy on the cover. The picture giggled and the journal unfolded onto her bed to a fresh page. She dug around in her trunk for her quill and ink jar and began to scribble down the events of the past few days.