CHAPTER 18

Maria felt like her insides were doing flip-flops. She was speeding up through--through space. She could see fireplaces whipping by, they began to just blur together as she started to feel queasy. She shut her eyes.

A second later she landed on her feet. She wasn't prepared for the impact and collapsed on to her knees and caught herself with her hands before she landed face down in the Leaky Cauldron's fireplace. About two seconds after that she was knocked over and landed on her shoulder practically rolling out of the fireplace.

"OW!"

"OUCH!"

"Liz, get OFF me!" cried Maria trying to get out from under her best friend.

Liz stood up and brushed soot and ashes off her dark denim jeans. Maria got up and did she same. They were quite a site with little specks of ash in their hair and smeared on their faces. Maria pulled the sleeve of her sweater over her hand and tried rubbing off the ash and then started rubbing Liz's face, not too gently.

"Owe, what, MARIA, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to make us look less like Cinderella and more like, like ... us"

Liz nodded and looked around the Leaky Cauldron. It was nearly packed with strange looking people who didn't seem to notice the two newcomers in their mist.

Tom, the bartender, also the innkeeper, noticed them and walked over. He looked like the grandfather type with a white apron tied around his waist.

"Why, I'll be. You looked just like your mother. You must be Maria", he said smiling with a twinkle in his eye. He turned to Liz, "And you must be Elizabeth. Amy told me about the circumstances and all about you. Why don't I show you two your rooms so you can freshen up? Would you prefer separate rooms or a joined one?"

Liz looked at Maria and looked at Tom, "A joined one would be great."

He smiled and led them up through a little hallway and opened a door with an old looking skeleton key. They peered inside and their suitcases were already laid neatly on their beds. The trunk was no where in sight.

*Damn* thought Maria walking in. Liz took the key from Tom.

"So you girls just a... make yourselves at home and uh..", he seemed to forget what he was going to say and stared off into space. "Oh, uh I'll send someone to get Windela and tell her that you're here." He once again smiled. "And uh, welcome to the wizarding world", he shut the door gently and left them to unpack.

"Oh my god Liz! Did you see those weird people downstairs? It looked like they were all dressed up and ready to go to a Halloween party!"

Liz laughed, "Well, like Tom said 'Welcome to the Wizarding world'

"Maria shoved her suitcase off her bed and jumped onto the bed. "Liz, I know this is weird, but think about it. The rest of the summer with no supervision and a brand new place to explore. This is so cool!"

Liz smiled and sat down on the bed, not seeming excited at all.

Maria looked at her best friend. "What's wrong, Hun?" she asked sitting down next to her.

"I miss the gang already."

"I know what you mean. I miss Michael and everyone else, too. But ya know what? We're stuck here for a while and let's make the best of it. Why don't we go downstairs, grab a bite to eat and go site seeing"

Liz smiled. Maria always knew the way to lift her spirits. They both took quick showers. Maria came out of the bathroom.

"Hey Liz? Do you see any electrical plugs in here?"

Liz looked around and realized that there weren't any. There were candles on the walls, by the bed stand and on the tables, but no electric sockets. *Ok, are we not in the twenty-first century?*

"Liz! Are there any around?" asked Maria coming out of the bathroom in her blue terry bath robe that had little green aliens patched onto the edges.

Liz shook her head. "It seems like they use candle light"

"What?! Then where am I suppose to plug in the blow dryer and curling iron? My hair totally frizzes if I don't blow-dry it! Oh this sucks! I'm in a new place where I can meet new guys and I can't even make my hair look the best it can be! I mean at least you're lucky, you have straight hair that all you need to do is run a brush through!"

Liz laughed as her friend's face began to turn the shade of cherries. "Chill Maria, I brought my battery powered straighter just is case, so you can at least straighten your hair."

Maria gave a shout of joy, "Oh great Liz, I am in your debt!" she said as she dramatically bowed down as if she were in front of the Queen of England.

"You may go, my humble servant" joked Liz gracefully waving her hand.

Maria gave one last bow before taking the straighter and sitting her self in front of the mirror. She turned back around, "Liz, if they have no electricity, then that means... no t.v. or radio. No t.v. means no Carson Daly or TRL or 'Friends' or ... oh no, no 'That 70's Show' which means I have to miss my FEZ!"

"Maria, trust me, you'll survive without FEZ. Besides hurry up, we better go before it gets dark!" said Liz.

Maria finished up and grabbed her tan leather jacket, while Liz pulled on her comfy old sneakers. They were just locking the door and turned around nearly smacking into a middle- age woman.

The lady's face lit up as she got a better view of the girls. "Oh Maria! You've grown up so much!" she said pulling Maria into a tight hug.

"Um, do I know you?"

The lady gave her a confused look, "Oh of course you wouldn't remember! I'm a friend of your mothers. I am Windela Definbonkers. Your mother and I use to room together at the Gryffindor house. What mischief we use to get into."

Maria and Liz smiled as he lady began to babble. Windela turned her attention back tot he girls. "Well now, we'll stop by Gringotts to pick up some money then we'll be off to get your school supplies"

Walking into Gringotts Bank was like being in a whacked out fairy tale. Instead of normal bank tellers, there were goblins, instead of security guards, there were curses and magical charms and Windela told them that the high security vaults that had dragons guarding them. They figured out that Gringotts must be miles below London, at least that's what Windela said.

A goblin led them to a small metal cart that was sitting on what looked like railroad tracks.

"Hold on tight girls!" shouted Windela as the cart began zooming through caves and intertwined with other tracks. Finally stopping in front of a vault, they stepped out. The goblin unlocked the door. Liz and Maria were both surprised to see the it were decent size vault that was filled almost all the way to the ceiling. Windela stepped forward and pulled out a satin fuschia bog about the size of a normal purse. She filled it with the gold, silver, and copper coins.

"That should last you girls a while" she said handing the heavy bag to Maria.

They got back into the cart and exited the bank. Evening began to settle around them. They got back to the Leaky Cauldron and Windela said to just tell Tom if they needed anything and he'd give her the message and tomorrow she'd take them shopping for school supplies.

After Windela left Maria bounced over to Liz. "Girl do you know how much money is in this bag? It practically weighs a ton! I can't believe mom didn't tell me that we're totally loaded! I can't wait to go shopping tomorrow!"

Liz rolled her eyes, "Remember we have to make it last".

"Oh pulease, Liz, loosen up. Besides we gotta light the candles" she said pulling a small emergency pack of matches she had in her suitcase. She lit it but the candles wouldn't seem to catch fire. She tried another match and another and another.

"Geez, I'll go get Tom" said Liz closing the door behind her. A couple minutes later Tom came in the room with a wood stick in his hand.

"These candles light by magic" he explained putting his wand up to the candle and sparks ignited it. Maria and Liz watched in awe as he grinned.

"You know you don't have to use candles. Magic lights the room too. But seeing as you don't have wands yet, I'll do it for you" ,said Tom as he flicked his wand, "Lumonizious!". Instantly sparks shot from the tip of his wand and the room was bathed in light.

"Cool trick" said Maria.