-Author's Note: I know the last chapter was short. I wasn't sure how to write it. I've tried time and time again and nothing sounds good enough.
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Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were not exactly the sort of people that Brianna would have chosen for her Aunt and Uncle.
In fact Privet Drive was not the sort of street she would have chosen to live in.
The gloomy, red brick terraced houses with their stone steps and tiny narrow front gardens and small, square flagstone backyards were not inviting.
The Dursleys' house had grim looking dark windows and a faded and chipped red front door. The house had a total of seven rooms spread across two floors. Downstairs was a small front sitting room, a small dining room, and a modest sized kitchen. Upstairs were three decent sized bedrooms, and a tiny bathroom.
The house was very shabby, despite aunt Petunia's thorough daily cleaning, for it was in desperate need of upgrading and there was a long list of repairs that needed carrying out.
Brianna's uncle Vernon worked in the village's small, shabby post office. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, and very little mud brown hair although he did have a very large moustache.
Petunia Dursley, Brianna's aunt, was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours.
The Dursleys therefore relied on the small wage Uncle Vernon earned.
Brianna's cousin Hermione, was also a witch. W changeling like Brianna's mother had been. Brianna disliked her cousin for she was far too similar to Victoria.
Hermione had a bossy attitude and seemed to insist on being 'little miss perfect' or 'little miss know it all' or even 'little miss, infuriating, condescending cow'
Hermione was a month older than Brianna and was already eleven although she acted more like she was a hundred and eleven. Hermione seemed to keep forgetting that she was a child. Hermione was tall and thin like her mother, and had her mother's long neck, but she had her father's small little eyes, long nose and mud like brown hair. Hermione's hair hung down her back to her ribcage and looked like a river of mud sliding off her head and down her back.
When the Dursleys had awoken to find Dumbledore and Brianna on the front step that had been much confusion and astonishment as well as anger and displeasure. Brianna had not wanted to stay with her relatives but had allowed herself to be placed under their care. They were not as cruel as the Fairdales had been, but they were not exactly kind to Brianna. They mostly ignored her, choosing to favour their own daughter, but when in company they acted as though she was a great celebrity or someone who could give them something they desired very much.
Brianna dislikes their two facedness, their falseness and the fact they seemed to have no trouble in using her.
Brianna also disliked that any mention of her parents seemed to be banned in the house. Anytime she mentioned her mother, Aunt Petunia would get very upset and start shrieking and dcreaching. Brianna soon realised that what Dumbeldore had said about the two sisters falling out was true and aunt petunia still held the grudge.
Just over a month had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their niece on the front step.
In that time Brianna had started to find her bearings in the strange enchanted realm she had found herself calling home.
The realm was styled similar to England in the art deco period. (1910's-1940's) and Briannasoon became used to the slower, simple old fashioned aesthetic. Brianna who had been fascinated with the time period since was little loved the idea of living through a similar era. She loved the music, the fashion, the decor of the homes and the community spirit people had. There were some aspects she wished she could change, like some of the attitudes, the attitudes of exclusion rather than acceptance, the superiority complex, some seemed to have, oh how she wished she could change in favour of the modern inclusive and humble ones but overall she was happy to call the enchanted realm her home.
Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice which made the first noise of the day.
'Up! Get up! Now!' Brianna woke with a start as her aunt rapped on the door again.
'Up!' she screeched, and then Brianna heard her walking towards Hermione's bedroom on the opposite side of the landing.
Briannas bedroom overlooked the flagstone, high walled yard to the back of the house and was next to the bathroom. With her aunt and uncle's bedroom and Hermione's on the opposite side of the house.
The walls were half paneled with warm chestnut and half papered in a faded maroon, moss green vines of delicate burnished orange and caramelised gold leaves. the floors the same faded mahogany as the rest of the house. Warm, golden lamps hung in large interviews on the walls.
The furniture was all made of Cherry coloured wood.
There was a rickety desk, supported under one leg by an old story book. A matching chair that wobbled. There was a storage chest and a set of draws and a wardrobe, all clustered together in a corner, alongside a tall, narrow mirror. A soft burgundy coloured armchair, reading table,and bookcase clustered in another corner near the window.
Thick burgundy coloured velvet curtains hung from the sides of the window, over the iron radiator that heated the space.
The last corner was home to a small bedside table and a low, sturdy looking bed. The thick scarlet and gold quilt sat on top of crisp white linen sheets, soft white pillows and a soft, sagging mattress.
Brianna, who had been given an entire new wardrobe, quickly got dressed. Choosing a pair of turned up, wide legged jeans, a pair of brown Oxford shoes and a white shirt and coffee brown hand knitted cardigan, that was extremely baggy on her small frame, She had left her wild, unruly hair loose, but ensured that her fringe hid her scar.
When she was dressed Brianna went downstairs, into the kitchen.
The small stretch of table where she had been seated at every meal was hidden beneath all her birthday presents.
Brianna smiled at the small collection of brightly coloured packages and then tanked her aunt and uncle and cousin.
Brianna walked over and with permission began unwrapping the parcels. Aunt Petunia had gotten her a very ugly, very frilly and flouncy pastel pink coloured dress. Brianna did not mind skirts and dresses, but she preferred simple styles and patterns and soft, darker, or more muted earth toned colours. Uncle Vernon who had obviously sent Petunia to buy the present gave her a brand new, rose coloured leather bound diary. Brianna had never kept a diary before and had no interest in keeping one. She found them to be an annoyance. Hermione, with no great surprise, bought Brianna a very large, very heavy, thick leather bound book called 'The enchanted realm and its complete, in depth history' Brianna wasn't sure if she would ever read the book, it seemed to be a very dull book. Once her presents had been opened she removed them from the table so that her aunt could serve breakfast.
Brianna wqw about halfway through her plate of egg and bacon when there was a sharp knock on the front door.
Aunt Petunia went to answer it and after a few brief moments she came back with Professor Dumbeldore in tow.
Dumbeldore wore a set of mulberry velvet robes and high soled knee high boots made of a rather scaly material in the same purple-red colour.
"Sorry to interrupt your breakfast. I thought I would bring these in person." he held up two parchment envelopes "Oh and if it is convenient I have made arrangements to take Brianna shipping for her school things today" Dumbeldore spoke these words in a tone that stated he did not care if it was an inconvenience, he would take Brianna anyway, "and of course Hermione too" he added in a pleasant, polite tone that still left no room for arguments. Petunia and Vernon shared a look and then after a moment Petunia said,
"Not an inconvenience at all, they would be delighted to go, we had no special plans for Brianna's birthday, just a special birthday tea once Vernon had finished work, and with the girls out of the house it will be easier to bake"
Dumbeldore smiled, he turned to look at the two girls, he briefly paused to look at Hermione as he passed her her letter. But his attention was focused more on Brianna.
"I also have a parcel from Hagrid" here Dumbeldore pulled out a small parcel from his pocket, tapped it gently with his wand and it expanded.
Inside was a rustic looking pink birthday cake, with the words 'Happy Birthday Brianna' written wonkily in green icing. Hagrid had obviously had trouble with the small, delicate task. Brianna didn't mind; she absolutely loved the cake, it reminded her of the one her adoptive mother had made when she was very young.
There was also a handmade card from Hagrid and his dog Fang and a shabbily wrapped present which turned out to be a collection of 'Honeydukes finest treats'.
Briwnnw was very surprised when she looked at the envelope. It was addressed so plainly there could be no mistake it was for her.
Miss Brianna Lily Potter
The Smallest Bedroom In The House
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp, Brianna was getting used to the fact that the enchanted realm did not use such mundane things as stamps and postmen. No owls and other birds were used to deliver letters and parcels
Turning the envelope over, her hand trembling, Brianna saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H', H for Hogwarts.
She pulled out the letter and read:
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 Miss Brianna Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books
and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
"It's the thirty first today" shrieked Hermione loudly as she too finished reading her letter.
"My dear girl, please call yourself" chuckled Dumbledore softly, "I take it that you wish to attend Hogwarts?"
"Oh yes please sir," Hermione was practically begging as she spoke.
"And what about you Brianna?" Dumbeldore said, turning to look at Brianna.
"Oh, yes, I mean. I would love to attend Hogwarts, um, Professor Dumbeldore sir" Dumbeldore chuckled again
"Then attend it you shall, both of you. Now if you get your things together we shall depart. School shopping does seem to take a lot of time"
Brianna and Hermione both got up and left the room.
Hermione was very excited, she was looking forward to Hogwarts. Hermione had been thrilled when she had learned she was a changeling, not just because it meant that she could do magic but it meant that she would have a proper education. Muggle children did not receive a formal education, they were taught what little they knew by their parents or by life itself. Mother's sometimes took it in turns to look after the children and teach them what they could about a topic or subject.
Brianna had quickly realised that in this realm the unenchanted, the muggles were not treated fairly, they were the bottom of the pile. They were left to fend for themselves doing what meager jobs they could. Brianna wasn't sure what she thought about this system. It did not seem fair but was it any different to the realm she had left when the poorest families were left without proper education, working dead end jobs for scraps.
No world was perfect after all.
Brianna just considered herself lucky to be among the fortunate and not the unfortunate few, for only about ten to fifteen percent of the population were muggles. The rest were Witches and Wizards, werewolves, vampires, house-elves and other magical creatures.
When Brianna returned she saw her uncle had left for work and her Aunt Petunia was paying the small postal owl, 5 bronze Knut's for delivering the daily proffit. Her heart sank.
"Um Professor Dumbeldore I don't have any money….and…" Brianna started but before she could finish what she was saying Dumbeldore interrupted
"Don't worry about that Gringots will be out first stop"
"Gringotts?" Brianna asked puzzled
"The bank, the bank everyone uses, it's in London and it's goblin run" Dumbeldore explained
"Goblin run?"
"Oh yes, we will make that our first stop and then you can withdraw the money you need from your personal vault, you won't be able to access your family's vault until you turn of age at seventeen. Now Brianna only you, as the last Potter you and only you can access either vault. However if you wish someone else to have access either temporarily or permanently you will need to give them authorisation through a note." Dumbeldore explained.
"Do the Dursleys have access to my vaults as my guardians?" Brianna asked thoughtfully
"Oh no, as they are muggles they do not. You have a magical guardian who has access to the vaults within reason. They have a limit which they can not exceed at any time"
"Who is my magical guardian?"
"That would be myself" said Dumbeldore " I have only accessed it once to date and that was to allow your aunt and uncle to buy you whatever you needed to ensure you settled into you're new home"
Brianna frowned, so she had been worrying about costing the Dursleys money for no reason. They had been able to pay for everything she had needed and how they had managed to buy Hermione brand new furniture and clothes and huge piles of books without worrying about the cost. They had been spending her money and not their own.
She then understood why Dumbeldore was telling her all this information
Aunt Petunia had gotten a hungry, greedy look in her eyes when he mentioned the vaults, and was now looking awkwardly at the latest revolution.
She and uncle Vernon had insisted that Brianna help around the house, doing a large share of the chores since she'd arrived, and Brianna had been happy to help, since her aunt applied that she would be paying them back for their kindness.
"You'll have to buy a lot of your things second when I'm afraid" Petunia told Hermione, who scowled as she accepted the small leather pouch with her meager amount of spending money.
Brianna looked down for a moment, wondering whether to help Hermione purchase what she needed. Brianna was very torn. On one hand she wanted to help but on the other, Hermione had not exactly been friendly or kind towards Brianna.
"As a matter of fact" said Dumbeldore changing the topic of conversation "I need to visit Gringotts myself anyway. Hogwarts business, have you got everything?" The two girls nodded. Both had long traveling cloaks on. Brianna's was an amber coloured cloak stopping at her ankles. Hermione had chosen a knee length lilac coloured cloak with sleeves to go over the top of her pale lavender coloured sundress. She wore white pumps and a white cardigan as well.
Brianna followed Dumbeldore out onto the street. The sky was a brilliant shade of blue and was quite clear, a few trailing piffs of clouds scattered here and there. And the brass number four gleamed in the bright summer sunlight.
They walked over to the nearest red teleportal and stepped inside.
"Diagon Alley" said Dumbeldore in a clear, calm voice once they had all settled into resonalit comfortable positions and Hermione had closed the door behind them.
In the blink of an eye, the street was gone and they were standing outside a shabby looking pub called the leaky cauldron.