Disclaimer: See chapter 1.
(A/N) Another chapter, another chance to thank all my loyal reviewers!
Queen of the Clarinets: You're laughing? Imagine me when I wrote that chapter!
Starry: Hopefully, this would cheer you up. I'm sick of writing sad things (for now!).
Lisette Jester: Dude, you only need to review 1 time per chapter! Aurora/Adriana is like me in a sense. The only thing I disagree with is that her father clearly thinks she's a freak, therefore, making him snap rather fast.
Alexi Serenitia: Thanks! I'm continuing!
Dragonsbane: Why do people insist on crashing brand new virtual cars? Thanks again for the holy water pistol. I'm suffering DSG writer's block yet again! Can things get any more depressing?
RoseFyre: I can't tell you that on here. Some people still haven't figured it out.
Special thanks to Dreamer22 and Queen of the Clarinets for helping me so much with this chapter! This is dedicated to you, girls!
Chapter 3: Runaway
By the time I stopped, the rain had cleared and night had fallen. I was cold, wet, and hungry, but I had a feeling that my so-called parents told all the newspapers, Muggle or otherwise, to be on the lookout for me. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I needed to alter my appearance.
First to go was the dark hair. I shortened it slightly by magic and made it lighter. I made my eyes a sultry gray, like that of my birth mother. No one besides me saw that picture, so no one would recognize me. Satisfied, I walked into the Leaky Cauldron.
I expected it to be nearly empty, but I was wrong. The place was buzzing with activity, most talking about "the runaway". My picture was on the front page of the Daily Prophet! God, how I hate that picture! It was taken right after I finished my fifth year at the Academy.
I could've blended in if the barkeep hadn't noticed me. It didn't matter. I needed a place to stay until school started.
"What can I do for you, miss?" he asked.
"Well, I need a room for about a week."
"We do have rooms available, miss."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I've forgotten my manners. I'm Adriana Jones." I needed to keep up this sweet innocent act for a week? This is going to be hard.
"Nice to meet you, Adriana. I'm Tom."
"Pleasure."
"I'll see you to your room," he said, taking a small key off the wall. "Follow me."
He led me down a dark corridor. "Why are you here alone?" he asked.
I bit my blood red lips. Luckily, he couldn't see my face. "Well, my parents on a business trip and couldn't take me because school starts next week. They gave me money and told me to stay here." There, I came up with that story fast.
"Don't you have any other family?"
"No, actually, I don't. I'm an only child."
"You're not from here, are you?"
"No, I'm not. I'm originally from America, but my parents were transferred to England. Like I said, they're away on business."
"That explains your accent."
Why can't he just stop with the damn questions? Why can't he just leave me alone? Finally, he stopped in front of a large mahogany door.
"Here we are," he said. "Room seven. When you've freshened up a bit, come down for dinner."
"Thank you, Tom," I said, placing my backpack on the bed. He shut the door, leaving me alone. Even though I was alone in the room, someone could walk in on me, so I couldn't take off the charms I placed on my face and hair. Ugh, I needed to shower. I needed to warm up.
I looked around the small room until I found another door. I was about to go in, but a small noise stopped me. Turning around, I noticed a snowy owl on my bed post with a letter in it's beak. Confused, I took the letter from it and turned it over, seeing the Hogwarts seal. It was addressed to Miss A. Jones. Well that's odd. No one knows Adriana Jones exists.
With shaking hands, I opened the letter.
Dear Miss Jones,
We at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry know that you are Aurora Sullivan under numerous charms; however, given the current circumstances, we will allow you full sanctuary at the beginning of term. After you arrive on the Hogwarts Express, you are to remove your charms and join your classmates. We will keep you as Adriana Jones, since no one knows that name exists.
Remember, you are to be at King's Cross Station on 1 September before 11 A.M.
Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
I didn't realize I was holding my breath. I thought I was in serious trouble for leaving those damn Muggles who called themselves my parents. Luckily, no one knew this disguise, with the exception of a few wizards and witches.
Setting the letter on a dresser, I walked into the bathroom for a much-needed shower. I needed to get the day out of my head, and get the day's grime off my body.
After about twenty minutes, I used some drying spells, put on my clothes, and re-joined the wizarding world. Most of the older crowd had left, but still, it was still crowded. I went up to Tom so I could at least get a sandwich or something. He gave me a toothless smile and handed me some chicken. As I walked to a table, which was vacant, I noticed that someone was staring at me.
I turned towards the moron, about to tell him off, until I looked into the person's eyes. They were a cold steely gray. He looked like the picture of my mother and her husband. Hell, he could've been their son for all I knew. I held his attention for a few more seconds, before his mother (my mother?) asked him something. I left them alone and walked to my empty table.
About half an hour later, I still hadn't left the busy pub for the safety of my room. A few witches sat at my table, asking me questions about the runaway, with that cold eyed boy still staring at me. I told them I knew nothing about her, which annoyed them to no end. After the women left, the boy decided to make his move. He walked towards me.
"Who are you?" he asked, sitting across from me.
"I'm Adriana Jones," I said, without skipping a beat.
"Draco Malfoy," he said lazily.
"Is there any reason you're here? Besides annoying me?"
He glared at me. "You Mudbloods are all alike!"
"Excuse me? You did not just go there!"
"Well, you are a Mudblood, aren't you?"
"I'm not exactly sure, you pureblooded freak!" I screeched before I poured my butterbeer on his head.
He gasped at my reaction. "You fucking little witch. Do you do this to everyone who insults you?" he sputtered, trying to get the warm butterbeer off his precious little body.
"No, just the ones I don't like."
He glared at me yet again. "If you keep this up, you'll never see the light of day. This I swear to you!"
Then something finally dawned on him. That was apparent. "What do you mean you're not sure about your heritage?"
I panicked. Should I tell this arrogant asshole about me? Oh why not? It's not like he's going to see me at school in this disguise! "I'm adopted," I hissed.
"Adopted, you say?" he asked, amused.
"Yes."
"Who were your parents?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out," I said calmly.
"Do you have any clue as to where they are?"
"What? You suddenly care? I wouldn't tell you if you were the last person on Earth!"
"What if I told you that I see right through your disguise and told you that I know who your parents are?"
"I don't believe you, since this is my natural appearance."
"It's not, Adriana. Or should I say Aurora?"
Luckily, no one was around when he blurted out my secret.
"Then what's my real appearance since you know everything?"
"You have waist length black hair and deep brown eyes."
I gasped. "How did you..?" But he wasn't finished. "Your mother is my mother."
"Wait, your mother is my biological mother?"
He nodded. "And you're my brother?"
"Half-brother actually."
"And my father?"
"She never told me that one."
"Draco, darling, we really must be leaving," his mother, wait, our mother said. "Oh, who is this?"
"Mother, may I present Miss Adriana Jones."
She looked at me strangely. "Oh my cover's blown," I thought sadly.
"Pleased to meet you, Adriana," she finally said.
"The pleasure is mine," I replied, remembering that I had to act like a sweet person for an entire week.
"I was just telling Adriana here about my older half-sister," Draco added.
She paled and sat with us. "I know it's her, Draco. Don't play dumb. This is my Adriana."
My Adriana? She called me "my Adriana"! My eyes filled with tears.
"Shh. It's okay, darling. It'll be alright. You don't have to live with those Muggles anymore," she said calmly.
"Then where am I going to stay? Your husband hates me!"
"You're my daughter, Adri. That's all there is to it. I'll pay the barkeep what you owe. Get your things."
"But, Mother, don't you think that Father would kick her out anyway?" Draco asked.
"We can just lie, Draco. Only we can see through her charms because we're related to her. Your father will never be the wiser."
"Alright," he said slowly. "I'll go help Adriana."
"It's quite alright, Draco. I don't need any help. All I have is a backpack."
"I'll still go with you."
I sighed. This was from the kid I was arguing with less than five minutes ago? "Fine."
We walked up the stairs to room seven so I could grab my backpack.
"This is all you have?" he asked, his eyes bulging.
"I told you already, brother," I said, putting the Hogwarts letter in my bag. "How are we getting to your house anyway?"
"Floo powder. And it's not a house, it's a manor."
I sighed. This was going to be a long night.
(A/N) Yes! She found her mother! Who guessed Narcissa Malfoy? *gives out virtual cars to all who got it right* Enjoy the cars! Please review!