Heather looked out her window to the scene surrounding her: buildings,
roads, and cars. It was far from the hills and trees she was used to. She
missed her old house, and her old parents. She knew deep inside that
whoever these people raising her were, they were no longer the parents she
grew up with. Those parents were kind and hardworking and always treated
their magic like a gift. These impostors shut out all magic and threatened
to lock her in her room if she used magic in any way. Her parents didn't
know that as soon as they were asleep, Heather took out her old wand and
practised her magic.
Heather sighed and shook her head from side to side, making her long red hair shimmer in the moonlight. She wondered if this arrangement would ever change. She hated the way her parents yelled at her whenever she showed the slightest sign of magic and the way they told friends that all those strange things happening around her were just coincidences. She wanted to yell out "I'm a witch!" but she was afraid of what her parents would do to her if she did.
Heathers thoughts drifted to her childhood. In her mind she could see her neighbour Rod, no, it was Ray... no, that wasn't it. No, His name was Ron. Ron Weasley. He and Heather used to play outside together when she was little. Ron was a wizard and they used to play small magical pranks on each other. Those were the days. But now her life was miserable.
A plan started forming in Heathers head. "Maybe I'll run away." she said to no one in particular. "I can stay at the Weasley's. Maybe I can even go to Hogwarts like I was supposed to." At first this sounded impossible. But as she thought about it, she found herself longing for the life she should have had.
As Heather began making plans she began to pack. She thought it was better to leave the following day. The next night she would bring anything she had from her witch days and go on the knight bus. She would travel to the Weasley's burrow and live with them. If they refused then she would take her inheritance from her vault at Gringott's and use the money for a home for herself. She had quite a bit in there and could live off it.
She quickly packed her Gringott's key and all her clothes. Her eyes darted to her closet where she was hiding her greatest treasure of all, her broomstick. Should she take it with her? After all, in the wizarding world it might definitely come in handy. But it would slow her down. Heather debated on it and realised that it was something she had to take. Like a blankie or a favourite stuffed toy, it went where she went.
Heather finished packing and sat down on her bed. "I might as well go to sleep. Tomorrow's the weekend and I need all the energy I can get for the journey ahead of me. She put her head on the pillow and began to dream of the night ahead.
***
Waking up, Heather could hear her parents arguing downstairs. They did a lot of that lately. And lucky Heather was always there for them to pick on afterwards. But that was all going to change. She wasn't going to be there for them to harass anymore. Whether they liked it or not, she was leaving that night for a whole new life. She smiled and imagined the way it would be once she got out of the hell hole she called her life. She imagined new friends and new boyfriends, magic classes where she wouldn't have to hide her gift, but best of all she imagined no parents making her miserable but instead the Weasley's comforting voices.
She got dressed and went downstairs just in time for. "Heather!!!" her mother screamed, "I don't know about you but the rest of us got up at 8!"
"Mom, calm down ok?" Heather shot back, "it's the weekend for god's sakes. You and dad are the only ones I know who insist on getting up early on a Saturday." Before her mother could reply, heather grabbed a piece of toast and her jacket and headed out the door. She did this so often that she wasn't surprised that her mother didn't stop her. She had no idea where she was going but she wanted to kill time before nightfall. Heather dug into her pocket and found her wallet.
Heather headed to the mall. Not that she really spent much time there, but she could always get a cup of coffee. Coffee was a must, after all. Maybe she could even spend some time with her friends before she left.
Heather nearly burst out laughing when she thought that. Did she just say her friends? What friends? There were no such things as friends here. The people who called themselves your friends turned around and stabbed you in the back. You couldn't trust anyone with secrets, Heather knew. Maybe it wasn't so in the wizarding world.
Well, she would soon find out.
*** Heathers alarm blared. She opened her eyes and squinted to see where it was. She shut it off and slowly got out of bed. Turning on her flashlight, Heather looked around the room for the bag she packed the previous night.
She tried to lift it and realised it was quite heavy. She tried to remember a spell she had learned from her dad. "Wingardium Leviosa." Levitating the bag beside her, Heather quietly climbed out the window and went to the curb. "Lumos" she whispered, looking around for the bus.
A loud crash and bang sounded out of the corner. That sound could only mean one thing.. "The knight bus" Heather whispered to herself, smiling. She was out of here! In just a few moments she would be on the bus that would change her life forever. As the bus slowed to a stop in front of her, Heather quickly put her wand in her pocket.
"No sense keeping it in my trunk now" she said to herself. The bus door slowly opened and in the doorway stood a pimply faced wizard.
"Welcome to the knight bus, I'm Stan Shun."
"Whatever," Heather snapped. "Stan is it? Get my bag, will you" Heather was in no mood to be nice. She had gotten no sleep, and she knew that the knight bus was famous for its horrible sleeping conditions. Heather glared at the conductor.
Instantly, he went to get her bag. Heathers glare had that effect on people. So did her smile. She was ravishingly beautiful but she had a "piss me off and you might not be alive tomorrow" sort of thing going. Dangerous, with a bitchy edge she had developed in high school. As Stan came back with her bags, she paid him.
"I want to go to the Weasley's Burrow," she told the driver.
"You know the Weasley's, eh?" the driver replied.
"Yes sir, they're old family friends." With that being said, Heather chose a bed and lay down.
As she had suspected, falling asleep was really hard. Heather began thinking about what she would do once she got to the Weasley's. Suddenly, a thought entered Heathers head. What if the Weasley's wouldn't take her in?
What if they refused? What then? She had nowhere else to go. And she couldn't go home. Heather felt a panicky feeling in her stomach. What if it really did happen?
Heather began to hyperventilate when her inner voice stepped in. "Get a hold of yourself!" It said, "They are going to let you stay! What If they don't? What are you, a 2 year old? You can take care of yourself!"
Heather calmed down a bit. That's right, she thought, I can take care of myself.
Feeling much calmer, Heather somehow drifted off to sleep.
***
"Hello? Hellooo. Miss. We're here." Heather woke up to see Stan hovering over her.
"Alright, alright, I'm up," she replied, jumping up excitedly. Out the window she could see the old yet familiar shape of the Weasley's burrow. Heather carefully stepped off the bus. She slowly walked up to the front door, holding her breath. Slowly, she knocked 3 times. The door opened to reveal her old friend, Ron Weasley.
He looked up at her and blushed. Obviously, he didn't recognise her.
"Ron!" she replied in a giggly voice, "Don't you remember me?"
Slowly, Ron's confused face faded into a smile. "Heather!" he yelled, "What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in forever. Wow you look great!" Realising what he had just said, Ron blushed. Heather grinned and pretended not to notice.
"It's a long story. can I come in?" Ron swung open the door completely and let Heather inside. Looking around, she saw that the place hadn't changed much since the last time she saw it.
"Mum! Dad! Get down here! You'll never believe who's here!" Ron ran upstairs to get his parents. Heather sat down at the kitchen table just as Fred and George walked in.
"Heather!" they said in unison. Heather grinned again. Here was a duo she could never forget. They used to play millions of tricks on her and Ron. But it was always hard not to laugh when they were around.
However, she had no time to talk to them as Mrs. and Mr.Weasley walked into the kitchen.
"What a surprise!" Mr.Weasley exclaimed. "But Heather, where are your parents?" Heather sighed. She knew this moment would come, after all when a teenage girl who disappeared ages ago suddenly appears at your doorstep alone; you can't help wondering where her parents are. However she had hoped this moment would miraculously not come. But now that it had...
"Well," she said," you might want to sit down. It's a long story."
Heather sighed and shook her head from side to side, making her long red hair shimmer in the moonlight. She wondered if this arrangement would ever change. She hated the way her parents yelled at her whenever she showed the slightest sign of magic and the way they told friends that all those strange things happening around her were just coincidences. She wanted to yell out "I'm a witch!" but she was afraid of what her parents would do to her if she did.
Heathers thoughts drifted to her childhood. In her mind she could see her neighbour Rod, no, it was Ray... no, that wasn't it. No, His name was Ron. Ron Weasley. He and Heather used to play outside together when she was little. Ron was a wizard and they used to play small magical pranks on each other. Those were the days. But now her life was miserable.
A plan started forming in Heathers head. "Maybe I'll run away." she said to no one in particular. "I can stay at the Weasley's. Maybe I can even go to Hogwarts like I was supposed to." At first this sounded impossible. But as she thought about it, she found herself longing for the life she should have had.
As Heather began making plans she began to pack. She thought it was better to leave the following day. The next night she would bring anything she had from her witch days and go on the knight bus. She would travel to the Weasley's burrow and live with them. If they refused then she would take her inheritance from her vault at Gringott's and use the money for a home for herself. She had quite a bit in there and could live off it.
She quickly packed her Gringott's key and all her clothes. Her eyes darted to her closet where she was hiding her greatest treasure of all, her broomstick. Should she take it with her? After all, in the wizarding world it might definitely come in handy. But it would slow her down. Heather debated on it and realised that it was something she had to take. Like a blankie or a favourite stuffed toy, it went where she went.
Heather finished packing and sat down on her bed. "I might as well go to sleep. Tomorrow's the weekend and I need all the energy I can get for the journey ahead of me. She put her head on the pillow and began to dream of the night ahead.
***
Waking up, Heather could hear her parents arguing downstairs. They did a lot of that lately. And lucky Heather was always there for them to pick on afterwards. But that was all going to change. She wasn't going to be there for them to harass anymore. Whether they liked it or not, she was leaving that night for a whole new life. She smiled and imagined the way it would be once she got out of the hell hole she called her life. She imagined new friends and new boyfriends, magic classes where she wouldn't have to hide her gift, but best of all she imagined no parents making her miserable but instead the Weasley's comforting voices.
She got dressed and went downstairs just in time for. "Heather!!!" her mother screamed, "I don't know about you but the rest of us got up at 8!"
"Mom, calm down ok?" Heather shot back, "it's the weekend for god's sakes. You and dad are the only ones I know who insist on getting up early on a Saturday." Before her mother could reply, heather grabbed a piece of toast and her jacket and headed out the door. She did this so often that she wasn't surprised that her mother didn't stop her. She had no idea where she was going but she wanted to kill time before nightfall. Heather dug into her pocket and found her wallet.
Heather headed to the mall. Not that she really spent much time there, but she could always get a cup of coffee. Coffee was a must, after all. Maybe she could even spend some time with her friends before she left.
Heather nearly burst out laughing when she thought that. Did she just say her friends? What friends? There were no such things as friends here. The people who called themselves your friends turned around and stabbed you in the back. You couldn't trust anyone with secrets, Heather knew. Maybe it wasn't so in the wizarding world.
Well, she would soon find out.
*** Heathers alarm blared. She opened her eyes and squinted to see where it was. She shut it off and slowly got out of bed. Turning on her flashlight, Heather looked around the room for the bag she packed the previous night.
She tried to lift it and realised it was quite heavy. She tried to remember a spell she had learned from her dad. "Wingardium Leviosa." Levitating the bag beside her, Heather quietly climbed out the window and went to the curb. "Lumos" she whispered, looking around for the bus.
A loud crash and bang sounded out of the corner. That sound could only mean one thing.. "The knight bus" Heather whispered to herself, smiling. She was out of here! In just a few moments she would be on the bus that would change her life forever. As the bus slowed to a stop in front of her, Heather quickly put her wand in her pocket.
"No sense keeping it in my trunk now" she said to herself. The bus door slowly opened and in the doorway stood a pimply faced wizard.
"Welcome to the knight bus, I'm Stan Shun."
"Whatever," Heather snapped. "Stan is it? Get my bag, will you" Heather was in no mood to be nice. She had gotten no sleep, and she knew that the knight bus was famous for its horrible sleeping conditions. Heather glared at the conductor.
Instantly, he went to get her bag. Heathers glare had that effect on people. So did her smile. She was ravishingly beautiful but she had a "piss me off and you might not be alive tomorrow" sort of thing going. Dangerous, with a bitchy edge she had developed in high school. As Stan came back with her bags, she paid him.
"I want to go to the Weasley's Burrow," she told the driver.
"You know the Weasley's, eh?" the driver replied.
"Yes sir, they're old family friends." With that being said, Heather chose a bed and lay down.
As she had suspected, falling asleep was really hard. Heather began thinking about what she would do once she got to the Weasley's. Suddenly, a thought entered Heathers head. What if the Weasley's wouldn't take her in?
What if they refused? What then? She had nowhere else to go. And she couldn't go home. Heather felt a panicky feeling in her stomach. What if it really did happen?
Heather began to hyperventilate when her inner voice stepped in. "Get a hold of yourself!" It said, "They are going to let you stay! What If they don't? What are you, a 2 year old? You can take care of yourself!"
Heather calmed down a bit. That's right, she thought, I can take care of myself.
Feeling much calmer, Heather somehow drifted off to sleep.
***
"Hello? Hellooo. Miss. We're here." Heather woke up to see Stan hovering over her.
"Alright, alright, I'm up," she replied, jumping up excitedly. Out the window she could see the old yet familiar shape of the Weasley's burrow. Heather carefully stepped off the bus. She slowly walked up to the front door, holding her breath. Slowly, she knocked 3 times. The door opened to reveal her old friend, Ron Weasley.
He looked up at her and blushed. Obviously, he didn't recognise her.
"Ron!" she replied in a giggly voice, "Don't you remember me?"
Slowly, Ron's confused face faded into a smile. "Heather!" he yelled, "What are you doing here? I haven't seen you in forever. Wow you look great!" Realising what he had just said, Ron blushed. Heather grinned and pretended not to notice.
"It's a long story. can I come in?" Ron swung open the door completely and let Heather inside. Looking around, she saw that the place hadn't changed much since the last time she saw it.
"Mum! Dad! Get down here! You'll never believe who's here!" Ron ran upstairs to get his parents. Heather sat down at the kitchen table just as Fred and George walked in.
"Heather!" they said in unison. Heather grinned again. Here was a duo she could never forget. They used to play millions of tricks on her and Ron. But it was always hard not to laugh when they were around.
However, she had no time to talk to them as Mrs. and Mr.Weasley walked into the kitchen.
"What a surprise!" Mr.Weasley exclaimed. "But Heather, where are your parents?" Heather sighed. She knew this moment would come, after all when a teenage girl who disappeared ages ago suddenly appears at your doorstep alone; you can't help wondering where her parents are. However she had hoped this moment would miraculously not come. But now that it had...
"Well," she said," you might want to sit down. It's a long story."