CHAPTER 14
Everything seemed blurry, she could make out shapes. Her vision cleared up and Maria realized she was Liz's room. Sitting up slowly, she propped herself on her elbows. She still felt slightly weak.
*What am I doing here?*
Then her memories rushed back towards her. Her father, he wanted her to come join him. She was confused, a man she hadn't seen in nearly ten years all of a sudden pops back into her head telling her to come with him to Never Never Land.
She looked out the window *Stranger things have happened* The house had an eerie silence hovering about. Maria slowly lowered her feet to the mauve carpet. She crept out into the hallway and slowly made her way downstairs. She headed to her locker to get some aspirin out. Her head still had a pulsating ache.
As she downed two Tylenol, her mother along with the Parkers. Ms. DeLuca was carrying a suitcase and so was Mrs. Parker. Mr. Parker was dragging a trunk behind him. The same trunk that she and Liz had found in the attic. She ducked behind the lockers to keep out of view as she watched Mr. Parker set the trunk by the small fireplace that he had left when they'd updated the whole building, he thought it gave the modernized room a 'homey' touch.
"Ok, let's go get the girls" said Ms. DeLuca sternly.
"Shouldn't we give them time to say goodbye to their friends?" asked Nancy Parker.
"No" said Amy, "If their friends knew they were leaving they'd want a reason why. We can't let normal 'muggles', er humans know about the wizarding world. Plus, it could put Maria and Liz along with their friends in more danger than they already are".
Both of the Parkers nodded understanding. They both went upstairs to get Liz, who had fallen asleep on their bed. As soon as her mother left the room too she ran over to the trunk and tried to left the lid. There was no lock, yet it seemed as if it were glued shut. Hearing her mom's footsteps coming down the stairs, she quickly ran through the flipping door leading to the front cafe. A second later her mother came out the same way.
"Maria, where the hell have you been? I swear, you nearly have me a heart attack"
Her daughter didn't say anything but stared at her blankly. "Mom what's in the trunk?"
Amy almost grew angry for a second, almost. "Honey there's nothing important in the trunk. It's just some magic things that I want to donate to Hogwarts. Speaking of Hogwarts, you and Liz will be staying near it for the rest of the summer."
Maria looked at her shocked, "Are you crazy?! You just expect me and Liz to pick up and leave? We have lives and friends that we can't just leave behind!"
Amy walked up to her daughter held her shoulder, "Maria, I'm trying to keep you safe. Hogwarts and the wizards there will be able to keep you away from harm. There are things in this world that you know nothing about, things that can hurt and even kill you. Now you two are going to a place called Diagon Alley. It's just a small place and it's close to Hogwarts so Professor Dumbledore will be able to keep and eye on you. The wizards there are very nice and will help you with whatever you need."
"It's just-- mom, this is just happening too fast," said Maria starting to get tears in her eyes.
"I know sweetheart", said Ms. DeLuca hugging her daughter, "It's going to be hard at first but you'll get used to it and then it'll get easier. You'll learn the things you need to know to protect yourself. These past years I swore to myself that I'd keep you away from all the evil magic and from the wizarding world all together, but I never counted on the evil wizards to come get you. I always thought I could keep you in a small town where half the people think aliens actually exist! But now this are different and I can't keep you safe anymore, so I'm sending you to the safest place I know where you'll have lots of protection."
"I still don't" whispered Maria trying to hold back a sob, "I still don't want to go".
Ms. DeLuca went into mother mode, "Well, you and Liz are still going. You'll get use to it, I promise. And at least you'll have Liz with you."
Maria nodded. She pulled herself together and stood up and followed her mom upstairs to get Liz and the Parkers. Liz and Maria stood side by side by their suitcases. They were both quiet, trying to memorize their friends the last time they'd seen them.
"Wait!" cried Liz running up the stairs, "I'll be right down!". She returned a couple minutes later with her photo album. She looked at her parents and gave them a hug.
"How exactly are we getting there?" asked Maria.
"By Floo power, of course" answered Amy DeLuca, turning around and looking at the two girls.
