Eloria was snuggled up in her bed, the side of her head buried in one
of the fluffy pillows. Then, in the middle of a wonderful dream about a
black haired cabana boy, she woke with a start. Eloria could have sworn she
felt a very sharp, piercing pain in her leg. She remembered her bruise from
traveling by Floo powder the previous day, and buried her head in her
pillows once again. Then it happened again. A sharp, pinching type pain on
her leg. Opening one eye she first forgot where she was.
"This isn't my bedroom...oh wait. Right. I'm there...wait, here...oh whatever," Eloria said out loud. It was too early for her brain to string together coherent sentences. Realizing she was staying at the Leaky Cauldron, once again Eloria proceeded to fall back asleep, and once again she felt the very sharp pain in her leg. Finally sitting up, Eloria rubbed her eyes. Her vision was very blurry, and from the darkness that consumed her room it must have been fairly early. After rubbing her eyes for a bit, she managed to see a bright-eyed barn owl staring directly at her. Perched on top of her thigh, the bird proceed to pierce her part of her leg that was not underneath any blankets with its very sharp beak.
"You feathered beast! Get...off...me...now!" screamed Eloria, kicking the bird with the leg it just nipped. Undaunted, the bird flew back and this time perched on her side of her bed, right next to her. Trying to think for what reason in the world would an owl, very early in the morning, be bugging her about she noticed a piece of parchment at the end of her bed labeled the Daily Prophet.
"So you are a mail bird? Great. Give me a second," Eloria mumbled. It was too early for her to enunciate. Looking around her for her briefcase which she had left on her bed, she noticed it had toppled onto the floor. The briefcase lay open, facedown on a large pile of junk that presumably fell out of it.
Putting her arm out, her hand open, Eloria narrowed her eyes and very sternly said, "Accio Wallet...ooh yeah and Accio Wand." From under a pile of papers, a rather large cauldron, and various other things a leather wallet and a wand flew up and onto her bed in front of her. Eloria then realized she had no idea how much to pay the bird.
"Well, its seems to know how to wake me up. I guess it will tell me when I have put in enough," thought Eloria. She looked down at her bruised, and down bleeding leg. "Great...."
Taking a large coin pouch out of the fold of her wallet she withdrew a bronze knut from its contents. The owl stuck out is leg which had a small leather pouch attached, and she dropped the single coin in. The owl proceeded to nip her hand. This went on until Eloria had stuck five knuts into the owl's pouch. It then flew out the small window located next to the dresser. Rubbing her eyes grabbed, Eloria her wand.
"Accio Watch," muttered Eloria, who was no rubbing her eyes with her free hand. A metal watch came zooming out from under a silver spray bottle. Looking down, Eloria nearly fell over and had a heart attack. Instead, she began yelling.
"FIVE MINUTES AFTER FIVE! FIVE MINUTES AFTER FIVE! THAT STUPID...BLASTED...STUPID...FEATHER-FLUFF BALL GOT ME UP AT..."
With an exasperated sigh, she stopped. Dumping her watch, wand, wallet and coin pouch onto the floor again, she snuggled back up in the pillows, and attempted to fall asleep again.
"Cabana boy...here I come," said Eloria, trying to get comfortable. Yet after tossing and turning for ten or so minutes she gave up her hopes of getting back to sleep. Practically throwing herself out of bed, Eloria looked longingly at the soft mattress and pillows. She never got up before 8 for school even, let alone 5:05 for some stupid paper. Remembering what the bird had delivered, she grabbed the rolled up parchment that lay at the foot of her bed. To her surprise a small note fell out of the paper as she opened it up to read the headline, "Darkmark Found Over A Muggle Home This Morning." Bending down to pick up the note, Eloria's sore leg bumped into the handle of a broomstick that was protruding out of her open briefcase. Swearing loudly, she stood up and hopped over to her bed. Recognizing the quick but legible writing, her eyes narrowed as she read.
Dear Eloria,
The Ministry has supplied you with a complimentary subscription to the Daily Prophet. We expect to see you today in the Auror Headquarters to arrange matters regarding your test at around ten. You shall also be meeting people today as well.
Sincerely,
Higgins
It was far to early for Eloria's brain to process that much information in that little time, so after rereading it several times the meaning finally sunk in. With a grunt, she hoisted herself off her bed and went to the dresser.
"Great. Now since I'm meeting someone I have to actually care about how I look."
Looking over at all of her sweaters, jeans, shirts, robes she decided that not even for the most powerful wizard of all time, was she going to get dressed up. Pulling on beige knit sweater, some tighter fitting jeans, and a form fitting navy blue robe, she trudged over to the bathroom. After an attempt to battle her hair and makeup, she looked at herself in the full length mirror. Dark circles under her eyes, her hair looking as if someone rubbed a balloon against it, and her clothing somewhat wrinkled, Eloria was satisfied with herself for 5:20 in the morning. She was about to open to the door and go have some breakfast when she saw the large, and ever growing pile of things under and around her upside down, open briefcase. She narrowed her eyes again and a deep look of concentration filled her face.
"Accio Wand," she said, her arm extended. She was looking at herself in the mirror again.
"I am not a morning person," she said aloud, and to her surprise the mirror gave a chuckle.
"Quite right dearie," it wheezed.
Grabbing her wand, Eloria flicked her wrist very rigidly and much as her clothes had done the night before, the items unpacked themselves, some settling themselves in various spots int he room, others falling back into her briefcase which had moved to lay face up on her bed. Pocketing her wand, she walked over to her now organized briefcase, and pulled out her wallet and coin purse from it. Making sure it was latched very tightly, Eloria left it on her bed, and proceeded to walk out of the door.
Her feet seemed to stomp so loudly on the wooden stair cases Eloria was descending, a large booming echo filled the pub below. The few people sitting down eating and early breakfast turned their heads to glance at the somewhat mad-looking woman who was coming down. Settling herself down at the very same barstool she had sat at the day before, she saw the comforting, toothless smile of Tom.
"What do you want miss? Looks like you could do with something," he said, looking at Eloria's weary face.
"Well, I'm not one for breakfast, then again that's probably because when I get up, its time for lunch. Yet I should have something today. Can you do an egg over easy and some toast? Oh, and one of whatever you gave me yesterday please." Eloria began rubbing her eyes again, for her vision had become blurred. Her leg ached painfully, and as Tom brought over her food, she remembered she must find an apothecary.
"Tom? Do you know where I could find an apothecary?" she questioned, rubbing her painful leg.
Tom's eyes widened and with a great look of surprise on his face, went back behind the bar.
"Not from around here are you?" he questioned.
"Well I would have thought that was obvious."
"Well miss, you are right at the entrance of Diagon Alley. Any wizarding item you need will be there. Just go out there," Tom said, pointing towards a backdoor, "and into the small courtyard area. On the back facing wall, use your wand to tap the brick that is three up and two across. You'll be led right to it."
"Fank oo ferry mouch," said Eloria, her face full of toast and egg. Taking a swig out of the shot glass Tom had also given to her, she sat upright. Now she was somewhat awake at least. And she knew where she could treat her leg as well.
Before Tom could walk away, Eloria gestured for him to come over. An elbow resting on the bar, Tom listened as Eloria explained her experience with the post owl this morning.
"So you see, I was wondering. Is there any possible way in heaven to have the bird deliver it to someone down here, they take the money from my tab, or bill me or anything, and then I could pick the paper up later that day? As you can probably see, I do not do well when I am woken up at 5 in the morning," she finished, and began to rub her leg again.
"Well miss, I have never been asked that before," Tom began, but Eloria interrupted.
"I will pay you double the amount the paper costs. Triple if it so be. Just as long as I have no bird, anything on that matter, waking me up at five in the morning."
With a laugh, Tom replied, "No problem."
Finishing off her shot glass, she smiled and Tom and went to the back door. Tapping the brick third up and two across on the back wall, bricks started to move, making a hole in the wall. Eventually an archway formed large enough for anyone to get through and what she saw in front of her was amazing. A bustling street filled with shops and people lay before here. Signs swung in the gentle breeze, displaying the stores wares. Parents held children's hands as the shopped. Some witches were standing in a group, talking avidly about something.
"Now this is what I call shopping," Eloria said out loud.
Since she lived in America, she was used to the occasional wizarding shop stuck in-between a Starbucks or Borders. Most things you would order through stores on the other side of the country. Never had she seen a whole plaza of wizarding stores before. In awe, Eloria slowly walked down the cobblestone street, gazing at everything around her, only half-looking for the Apothecary. She nearly stopped dead at the site of the Quality Quidditch Supplies store, yet a painful twinge reminded her of her mission.
"Besides," she thought, " It's a Quidditch store. Not a Quod one..."
Eloria left Diagon alley unwillingly, but it was already 9 o'clock and she was supposed to arrive at the Ministry at noon. She had gone to the Apothecary, and with the help of an elderly witch she bought some top of the line bruise balm, (for the purple color) and some essense of murtlap (for the bleeding) that she could use for her now very sore and painful leg.
Not being able to resist temptation entirely, Eloria went into Quality Quidditch Supplies. She looked the store over head to toe. Though she had tried Quidditch in the Seattle, and was a decent beater, she preferred playing Quodpot. She was amazed by the tiny fluttering snitches that were scattered about the store, the bludgers that fought their ties, and the moving posters displaying various Quidditch teams.
What really interested Eloria however, was the non-magical quaffle. As a Quodpot player, she was facinated to see the origins of her favorite sport. She picked a quaffle up off the wrack and began tossing it from hand to hand. She did this for a very, very long time, and in sporadic points would flinch, as if she heard a loud, sudden noise. Eloria's odd behavior had attracted the attention of a store clerk.
"May I help you?" the young wizard asked Eloria, who was still tossing the quaffle around.
"Oh no. I'm fine thank you," she replied, not even pausing her tossing for a minute.
"You sure?" the man questioned. It seemed he had not recognized her very obvious American accent which normally made Eloria stick out like a sore thumb. Turning towards the man, she stared at him, and caught the quaffle. Holding it as if she were giving it a hug, she spoke to the main with a tone that resembled a mother lecturing a son.
"Yes, I am sure. And if you are wondering what I am doing, you could have just asked for heaven's sake. Don't go in circles around the point. What I am doing though, is observing the origins of the quod if you must know. Also, unlike the quod, the quaffle is much lighter and has a slightly better gripping charm."
Once again she began tossing the quaffle around.
Laughing slightly as she remembered the experience with the sales associate, Eloria went through the magical passage way of Diagon Alley, and entered the Leaky Cauldron. She had just enough time to run up to her rooms, treat her leg, and get to the Ministry.
"And this time, I can use Apparation," Eloria mumbled as she took the stairs up to her room two at time.
"This isn't my bedroom...oh wait. Right. I'm there...wait, here...oh whatever," Eloria said out loud. It was too early for her brain to string together coherent sentences. Realizing she was staying at the Leaky Cauldron, once again Eloria proceeded to fall back asleep, and once again she felt the very sharp pain in her leg. Finally sitting up, Eloria rubbed her eyes. Her vision was very blurry, and from the darkness that consumed her room it must have been fairly early. After rubbing her eyes for a bit, she managed to see a bright-eyed barn owl staring directly at her. Perched on top of her thigh, the bird proceed to pierce her part of her leg that was not underneath any blankets with its very sharp beak.
"You feathered beast! Get...off...me...now!" screamed Eloria, kicking the bird with the leg it just nipped. Undaunted, the bird flew back and this time perched on her side of her bed, right next to her. Trying to think for what reason in the world would an owl, very early in the morning, be bugging her about she noticed a piece of parchment at the end of her bed labeled the Daily Prophet.
"So you are a mail bird? Great. Give me a second," Eloria mumbled. It was too early for her to enunciate. Looking around her for her briefcase which she had left on her bed, she noticed it had toppled onto the floor. The briefcase lay open, facedown on a large pile of junk that presumably fell out of it.
Putting her arm out, her hand open, Eloria narrowed her eyes and very sternly said, "Accio Wallet...ooh yeah and Accio Wand." From under a pile of papers, a rather large cauldron, and various other things a leather wallet and a wand flew up and onto her bed in front of her. Eloria then realized she had no idea how much to pay the bird.
"Well, its seems to know how to wake me up. I guess it will tell me when I have put in enough," thought Eloria. She looked down at her bruised, and down bleeding leg. "Great...."
Taking a large coin pouch out of the fold of her wallet she withdrew a bronze knut from its contents. The owl stuck out is leg which had a small leather pouch attached, and she dropped the single coin in. The owl proceeded to nip her hand. This went on until Eloria had stuck five knuts into the owl's pouch. It then flew out the small window located next to the dresser. Rubbing her eyes grabbed, Eloria her wand.
"Accio Watch," muttered Eloria, who was no rubbing her eyes with her free hand. A metal watch came zooming out from under a silver spray bottle. Looking down, Eloria nearly fell over and had a heart attack. Instead, she began yelling.
"FIVE MINUTES AFTER FIVE! FIVE MINUTES AFTER FIVE! THAT STUPID...BLASTED...STUPID...FEATHER-FLUFF BALL GOT ME UP AT..."
With an exasperated sigh, she stopped. Dumping her watch, wand, wallet and coin pouch onto the floor again, she snuggled back up in the pillows, and attempted to fall asleep again.
"Cabana boy...here I come," said Eloria, trying to get comfortable. Yet after tossing and turning for ten or so minutes she gave up her hopes of getting back to sleep. Practically throwing herself out of bed, Eloria looked longingly at the soft mattress and pillows. She never got up before 8 for school even, let alone 5:05 for some stupid paper. Remembering what the bird had delivered, she grabbed the rolled up parchment that lay at the foot of her bed. To her surprise a small note fell out of the paper as she opened it up to read the headline, "Darkmark Found Over A Muggle Home This Morning." Bending down to pick up the note, Eloria's sore leg bumped into the handle of a broomstick that was protruding out of her open briefcase. Swearing loudly, she stood up and hopped over to her bed. Recognizing the quick but legible writing, her eyes narrowed as she read.
Dear Eloria,
The Ministry has supplied you with a complimentary subscription to the Daily Prophet. We expect to see you today in the Auror Headquarters to arrange matters regarding your test at around ten. You shall also be meeting people today as well.
Sincerely,
Higgins
It was far to early for Eloria's brain to process that much information in that little time, so after rereading it several times the meaning finally sunk in. With a grunt, she hoisted herself off her bed and went to the dresser.
"Great. Now since I'm meeting someone I have to actually care about how I look."
Looking over at all of her sweaters, jeans, shirts, robes she decided that not even for the most powerful wizard of all time, was she going to get dressed up. Pulling on beige knit sweater, some tighter fitting jeans, and a form fitting navy blue robe, she trudged over to the bathroom. After an attempt to battle her hair and makeup, she looked at herself in the full length mirror. Dark circles under her eyes, her hair looking as if someone rubbed a balloon against it, and her clothing somewhat wrinkled, Eloria was satisfied with herself for 5:20 in the morning. She was about to open to the door and go have some breakfast when she saw the large, and ever growing pile of things under and around her upside down, open briefcase. She narrowed her eyes again and a deep look of concentration filled her face.
"Accio Wand," she said, her arm extended. She was looking at herself in the mirror again.
"I am not a morning person," she said aloud, and to her surprise the mirror gave a chuckle.
"Quite right dearie," it wheezed.
Grabbing her wand, Eloria flicked her wrist very rigidly and much as her clothes had done the night before, the items unpacked themselves, some settling themselves in various spots int he room, others falling back into her briefcase which had moved to lay face up on her bed. Pocketing her wand, she walked over to her now organized briefcase, and pulled out her wallet and coin purse from it. Making sure it was latched very tightly, Eloria left it on her bed, and proceeded to walk out of the door.
Her feet seemed to stomp so loudly on the wooden stair cases Eloria was descending, a large booming echo filled the pub below. The few people sitting down eating and early breakfast turned their heads to glance at the somewhat mad-looking woman who was coming down. Settling herself down at the very same barstool she had sat at the day before, she saw the comforting, toothless smile of Tom.
"What do you want miss? Looks like you could do with something," he said, looking at Eloria's weary face.
"Well, I'm not one for breakfast, then again that's probably because when I get up, its time for lunch. Yet I should have something today. Can you do an egg over easy and some toast? Oh, and one of whatever you gave me yesterday please." Eloria began rubbing her eyes again, for her vision had become blurred. Her leg ached painfully, and as Tom brought over her food, she remembered she must find an apothecary.
"Tom? Do you know where I could find an apothecary?" she questioned, rubbing her painful leg.
Tom's eyes widened and with a great look of surprise on his face, went back behind the bar.
"Not from around here are you?" he questioned.
"Well I would have thought that was obvious."
"Well miss, you are right at the entrance of Diagon Alley. Any wizarding item you need will be there. Just go out there," Tom said, pointing towards a backdoor, "and into the small courtyard area. On the back facing wall, use your wand to tap the brick that is three up and two across. You'll be led right to it."
"Fank oo ferry mouch," said Eloria, her face full of toast and egg. Taking a swig out of the shot glass Tom had also given to her, she sat upright. Now she was somewhat awake at least. And she knew where she could treat her leg as well.
Before Tom could walk away, Eloria gestured for him to come over. An elbow resting on the bar, Tom listened as Eloria explained her experience with the post owl this morning.
"So you see, I was wondering. Is there any possible way in heaven to have the bird deliver it to someone down here, they take the money from my tab, or bill me or anything, and then I could pick the paper up later that day? As you can probably see, I do not do well when I am woken up at 5 in the morning," she finished, and began to rub her leg again.
"Well miss, I have never been asked that before," Tom began, but Eloria interrupted.
"I will pay you double the amount the paper costs. Triple if it so be. Just as long as I have no bird, anything on that matter, waking me up at five in the morning."
With a laugh, Tom replied, "No problem."
Finishing off her shot glass, she smiled and Tom and went to the back door. Tapping the brick third up and two across on the back wall, bricks started to move, making a hole in the wall. Eventually an archway formed large enough for anyone to get through and what she saw in front of her was amazing. A bustling street filled with shops and people lay before here. Signs swung in the gentle breeze, displaying the stores wares. Parents held children's hands as the shopped. Some witches were standing in a group, talking avidly about something.
"Now this is what I call shopping," Eloria said out loud.
Since she lived in America, she was used to the occasional wizarding shop stuck in-between a Starbucks or Borders. Most things you would order through stores on the other side of the country. Never had she seen a whole plaza of wizarding stores before. In awe, Eloria slowly walked down the cobblestone street, gazing at everything around her, only half-looking for the Apothecary. She nearly stopped dead at the site of the Quality Quidditch Supplies store, yet a painful twinge reminded her of her mission.
"Besides," she thought, " It's a Quidditch store. Not a Quod one..."
Eloria left Diagon alley unwillingly, but it was already 9 o'clock and she was supposed to arrive at the Ministry at noon. She had gone to the Apothecary, and with the help of an elderly witch she bought some top of the line bruise balm, (for the purple color) and some essense of murtlap (for the bleeding) that she could use for her now very sore and painful leg.
Not being able to resist temptation entirely, Eloria went into Quality Quidditch Supplies. She looked the store over head to toe. Though she had tried Quidditch in the Seattle, and was a decent beater, she preferred playing Quodpot. She was amazed by the tiny fluttering snitches that were scattered about the store, the bludgers that fought their ties, and the moving posters displaying various Quidditch teams.
What really interested Eloria however, was the non-magical quaffle. As a Quodpot player, she was facinated to see the origins of her favorite sport. She picked a quaffle up off the wrack and began tossing it from hand to hand. She did this for a very, very long time, and in sporadic points would flinch, as if she heard a loud, sudden noise. Eloria's odd behavior had attracted the attention of a store clerk.
"May I help you?" the young wizard asked Eloria, who was still tossing the quaffle around.
"Oh no. I'm fine thank you," she replied, not even pausing her tossing for a minute.
"You sure?" the man questioned. It seemed he had not recognized her very obvious American accent which normally made Eloria stick out like a sore thumb. Turning towards the man, she stared at him, and caught the quaffle. Holding it as if she were giving it a hug, she spoke to the main with a tone that resembled a mother lecturing a son.
"Yes, I am sure. And if you are wondering what I am doing, you could have just asked for heaven's sake. Don't go in circles around the point. What I am doing though, is observing the origins of the quod if you must know. Also, unlike the quod, the quaffle is much lighter and has a slightly better gripping charm."
Once again she began tossing the quaffle around.
Laughing slightly as she remembered the experience with the sales associate, Eloria went through the magical passage way of Diagon Alley, and entered the Leaky Cauldron. She had just enough time to run up to her rooms, treat her leg, and get to the Ministry.
"And this time, I can use Apparation," Eloria mumbled as she took the stairs up to her room two at time.
