A/N: Hey look, a repost! Hey again everyone, once again a few minor detail
changes and I'm back in business. Also once again, please review if you
are reading this, whether you like it or not, I'd like to hear what you
think. I don't own Harry Potter, but I do own Jess. . .she's mine!!! Well,
hope somebody out there is enjoying this!
Sammy Solo
P.S.-I know the timing isn't right in this story, but there will be a plot twist later for which I need the year the be the way it is. Sorry to anyone that that annoys.
P.S.S.- Thanks to reviewer Liz Black, who made me realize that it's the people you know who care most about what you write.
P.S.S.S (getting kinda annoying, aren't they?)- I don't know the distance between the US and England, and I didn't feel like looking it up. . .4,000 miles sounded good to me.
"Jess, are you ready yet?" Josh called up the stairs.
"Coming!" Jess yelled back. She crossed her bedroom, stopping in front of the calendar pinned on the back of her door. Pulling a pen from her pocket, she crossed off the date August 28, 2001. Underneath the number, sloppily written in pencil was the statement:
Leave for England.
'It's finally here!' Jess thought, taking a long look around her room. She wouldn't be back for about four months, and she needed to remember everything just as it was.
Through all her excitement, though, a hint of anxiety had set in. After all, she was going 4,000 miles away, to a country she'd never visited, attending a school from which she knew only one person.
"Jess, we need to get going!" she heard her mother call. Jess sighed and took a final look around. Satisfied that she had it all correct, she descended the stairs and came face to face with her mother's annoyed look.
"What?" Jess asked. "I wanna remember it right!"
"Maybe you could spend more time remembering if you actually packed before the day you have to leave!" Jennifer pointed out. Jess just smiled and stepped past her mother into the living room. Her suitcase was sitting in front of the fireplace, along with her smaller backpack and her broomstick. But there was something there that didn't belong. . .
"Where'd this come from?" Jess asked, approaching a small, metal cage. Inside sat a large owl, covered in black feathers with white spots. "He's an international owl," Josh said, stepping into the living room, an old, cracked vase in his hand. "Specially trained to make trips to other countries. After all, 4,000 miles is a long way to fly."
"So, he's mine?" Jess asked in awe, staring into the owl's deep, black eyes. The owl hooted pleasantly and blinked at her.
"Yes, he's yours," Jenn said. "We didn't even name him, figured you'd want to."
Jess examined the owl closely. "He looks like a starry sky. I'll name him Orion, like the constellation."
"Good name," Josh said, as his daughter embraced him in thanks. She moved to her mother and gave her a tight hug.
"Of course," Jenn said. "We expect to see a lot of Orion around here, carrying your letters."
"Of course," Jess said with a smile. She squinted at the vase in her father's hands. "Is that the portkey?"
"Yup," he replied. "This'll take us all the way to Hermione's living room. Speakin' of which. . ." He looked down at his watch. "This thing leaves in about a minute. Grab your stuff!" Josh reached down and grabbed the large suitcase and the broomstick, while Jess threw the schoolbag over her shoulders and grabbed the handle of Orion's cage. Everyone laid a hand on the vase. "Three, two, one. . ." Josh counted down. As his watch beeped, Jess felt her hand stick to the vase like glue. The world around her began to spin. She felt a rush of adrenaline. The trip with the portkey felt just like flying on a broomstick, and she couldn't help but smile to herself. Jess looked up, catching sight of her mother's face and subduing a chuckle. Jenn's skin had suddenly paled, and her eyes were shut tight. Jess knew she hated traveling magically.
After a few minutes, the spinning slowed. Jess felt her feet touch solid ground again. As everything came to a halt, Jenn opened her eyes. "Next time," she said, color beginning to creep back into her face. "We take a plane."
"Jess!" Jess spun around at the sound of her name. Hermione was rushing into the room, a huge smile on her face. The two girls embraced, then Jess turned to her parents.
"Mom, Dad, this is Hermione," she said. Hermione's parents joined them, and introductions went all around. The room contained two sofas, so everyone took a seat. They chitchatted idly, Mrs. Granger serving tea. Though Jess didn't like tea, she took the cup gratefully and set it in front of her.
"So," Josh said, starting another conversation. "I guess you both went to this Hogwarts too."
"Oh, no," Mr. Granger said with a chuckle. "We're both. . .what do you call us, Mya?"
"Muggles," Hermione supplied.
"Yes, that's it," Mr. Granger continued.
"Wonderful!" Jenn said. "So am I. What do you for a living?"
"We're both dentists," Mrs. Granger said. Her brow furrowed as she glanced at Jess. "What's the matter dear? Tea too strong?"
"Nah, I just don't like tea," Jess replied, receiving strange looks from both of Hermione's parents.
The conversation continued for a little while longer, until Josh looked at his watch. "Well, as much as we'd love to stay, we've got to go," he said regretfully. "The portkey only makes one trip back." Everyone stood up, the adults shaking hands. Then Josh turned to Jess. "Be good, okay?" he said, hugging his daughter tightly. He planted a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm always good," Jess said, smiling mischievously at her father. Then her mother approached and pulled her into a hug.
"Maybe if I hug you long enough," Jennifer whispered. "We'll miss the portkey and be able to take a plane home." Jess laughed as her mother pulled away. "Call before you leave, okay?"
"Okay, Mom, I will," Jess said.
"And make sure you write at least once a week," Jenn said, her face looking strained.
"I will, Mom," Jess repeated.
"And make sure. . ."
"Jenn," Josh said, grabbing hold of her shoulders. "We really need to go."
"Okay," Jenn said, hugging Jess again. "Be safe."
"I will." Both adults grabbed onto the vase, and with a beep of Josh's watch they were gone.
"Come on, Jess, I'll show you my room," Hermione said, taking Jess's big suitcase.
"Mya, I can carry that," Jess said, but the other girl paid no attention. Jess grabbed her schoolbag, Orion's cage, and her broomstick and followed her friend up the stairs. They entered a small bedroom right in front of the steps. It was exactly as Jess had expected--nearly spotless. Bookshelves lined three walls, with the fourth mostly covered by a desk with a stack of books on it. Across from the desk sat a bed, and at the foot of the bed a small cot, obviously set out for Jess. The girls dropped the bags and Jess set the cage on the floor.
"Can I let him out?" Jess asked, motioning to the owl that was staring hopefully out one of the windows.
"Sure," Hermione said. She opened the window while Jess slid aside the lock on the cage. The owl hooted thankfully, then turned and soared out the window. "You never used him when you sent me letters," Hermione commented.
"That's 'cause I just got him this morning," Jess replied. "Special international owl. My parents are expectin' a lot of letters."
Once Jess was fairly settled in, she turned to Hermione. "Alright," she began. "Tell me again why I'm a fifth year at Salem but only a fourth year at Hogwarts."
"Well, it has to do with what you've learned," Hermione explained. "Since there are eight years at Salem and only seven at Hogwarts, Hogwarts students learn more in a year. If you were to come in as a fifth year, you might be behind the other students. So, as a fourth year, you might be a little ahead, but at least you won't be struggling."
"Makes sense," Jess said with a shrug. "Not that I'm complainin', anyway. At least I know someone in fourth year."
"Yes, that may also have effected Professor Dumbledore's decision."
"Speakin' of Dumbledore," Jess said. "What does he know about this Sirius Black guy that no one else does?"
"Nothing," Hermione answered quickly--too quickly. Jess raised her eyebrows as Hermione seemed to find something interesting on the floor.
"You know, you're a horrible liar," Jess said. "What's really goin' on?"
Hermione bit her lip nervously. "Professor Dumbledore never told me I could tell you," she said.
"Yeah, but he never said you couldn't either," Jess argued.
"Well, I suppose, as long as you don't tell anyone." Hermione leaned towards Jess, as though afraid of someone overhearing, even though there was no one else in the room.
"Sirius Black isn't really a criminal," Hermione whispered. Jess actually laughed out loud. "I'm serious!" Hermione said.
"C'mon, you've gotta be kidding!" Jess said, wiping tears from her eyes. "We studied this guy last year in History. He killed a bunch of muggles."
"No, he was framed," Hermione corrected. Fifteen minutes later, Jess was still sitting on the cot, rendered speechless by Hermione's story.
"You can't tell anyone," Hermione reminded her. "There are very few people who know. Besides, who would believe us anyway?"
"But Dumbledore knows," Jess said.
"Yes, he does," Hermione confirmed.
"That's how he convinced my dad!" Jess stated triumphantly. "I knew it had to be somethin' big." At the confused look on Hermione's face, Jess explained, "My dad didn't want to let me go to Hogwarts. He was afraid of Sirius Black bein' on the loose. But Dumbledore wrote him a letter and convinced him to let me go. That's what was in the letter."
"I understand," Hermione said. "You still can't tell anyone."
"I got that. I won't tell."
"Good. Are you hungry?"
"Sure," Jess replied, following Hermione's lead and standing up.
"Okay," Hermione said, leading the way out of the room. "I'll see what we have for lunch."
"One condition," Jess said.
"What's that?" Hermione asked.
Jess smirked. "We have somethin' other than tea to drink."
Sammy Solo
P.S.-I know the timing isn't right in this story, but there will be a plot twist later for which I need the year the be the way it is. Sorry to anyone that that annoys.
P.S.S.- Thanks to reviewer Liz Black, who made me realize that it's the people you know who care most about what you write.
P.S.S.S (getting kinda annoying, aren't they?)- I don't know the distance between the US and England, and I didn't feel like looking it up. . .4,000 miles sounded good to me.
"Jess, are you ready yet?" Josh called up the stairs.
"Coming!" Jess yelled back. She crossed her bedroom, stopping in front of the calendar pinned on the back of her door. Pulling a pen from her pocket, she crossed off the date August 28, 2001. Underneath the number, sloppily written in pencil was the statement:
Leave for England.
'It's finally here!' Jess thought, taking a long look around her room. She wouldn't be back for about four months, and she needed to remember everything just as it was.
Through all her excitement, though, a hint of anxiety had set in. After all, she was going 4,000 miles away, to a country she'd never visited, attending a school from which she knew only one person.
"Jess, we need to get going!" she heard her mother call. Jess sighed and took a final look around. Satisfied that she had it all correct, she descended the stairs and came face to face with her mother's annoyed look.
"What?" Jess asked. "I wanna remember it right!"
"Maybe you could spend more time remembering if you actually packed before the day you have to leave!" Jennifer pointed out. Jess just smiled and stepped past her mother into the living room. Her suitcase was sitting in front of the fireplace, along with her smaller backpack and her broomstick. But there was something there that didn't belong. . .
"Where'd this come from?" Jess asked, approaching a small, metal cage. Inside sat a large owl, covered in black feathers with white spots. "He's an international owl," Josh said, stepping into the living room, an old, cracked vase in his hand. "Specially trained to make trips to other countries. After all, 4,000 miles is a long way to fly."
"So, he's mine?" Jess asked in awe, staring into the owl's deep, black eyes. The owl hooted pleasantly and blinked at her.
"Yes, he's yours," Jenn said. "We didn't even name him, figured you'd want to."
Jess examined the owl closely. "He looks like a starry sky. I'll name him Orion, like the constellation."
"Good name," Josh said, as his daughter embraced him in thanks. She moved to her mother and gave her a tight hug.
"Of course," Jenn said. "We expect to see a lot of Orion around here, carrying your letters."
"Of course," Jess said with a smile. She squinted at the vase in her father's hands. "Is that the portkey?"
"Yup," he replied. "This'll take us all the way to Hermione's living room. Speakin' of which. . ." He looked down at his watch. "This thing leaves in about a minute. Grab your stuff!" Josh reached down and grabbed the large suitcase and the broomstick, while Jess threw the schoolbag over her shoulders and grabbed the handle of Orion's cage. Everyone laid a hand on the vase. "Three, two, one. . ." Josh counted down. As his watch beeped, Jess felt her hand stick to the vase like glue. The world around her began to spin. She felt a rush of adrenaline. The trip with the portkey felt just like flying on a broomstick, and she couldn't help but smile to herself. Jess looked up, catching sight of her mother's face and subduing a chuckle. Jenn's skin had suddenly paled, and her eyes were shut tight. Jess knew she hated traveling magically.
After a few minutes, the spinning slowed. Jess felt her feet touch solid ground again. As everything came to a halt, Jenn opened her eyes. "Next time," she said, color beginning to creep back into her face. "We take a plane."
"Jess!" Jess spun around at the sound of her name. Hermione was rushing into the room, a huge smile on her face. The two girls embraced, then Jess turned to her parents.
"Mom, Dad, this is Hermione," she said. Hermione's parents joined them, and introductions went all around. The room contained two sofas, so everyone took a seat. They chitchatted idly, Mrs. Granger serving tea. Though Jess didn't like tea, she took the cup gratefully and set it in front of her.
"So," Josh said, starting another conversation. "I guess you both went to this Hogwarts too."
"Oh, no," Mr. Granger said with a chuckle. "We're both. . .what do you call us, Mya?"
"Muggles," Hermione supplied.
"Yes, that's it," Mr. Granger continued.
"Wonderful!" Jenn said. "So am I. What do you for a living?"
"We're both dentists," Mrs. Granger said. Her brow furrowed as she glanced at Jess. "What's the matter dear? Tea too strong?"
"Nah, I just don't like tea," Jess replied, receiving strange looks from both of Hermione's parents.
The conversation continued for a little while longer, until Josh looked at his watch. "Well, as much as we'd love to stay, we've got to go," he said regretfully. "The portkey only makes one trip back." Everyone stood up, the adults shaking hands. Then Josh turned to Jess. "Be good, okay?" he said, hugging his daughter tightly. He planted a kiss on her forehead.
"I'm always good," Jess said, smiling mischievously at her father. Then her mother approached and pulled her into a hug.
"Maybe if I hug you long enough," Jennifer whispered. "We'll miss the portkey and be able to take a plane home." Jess laughed as her mother pulled away. "Call before you leave, okay?"
"Okay, Mom, I will," Jess said.
"And make sure you write at least once a week," Jenn said, her face looking strained.
"I will, Mom," Jess repeated.
"And make sure. . ."
"Jenn," Josh said, grabbing hold of her shoulders. "We really need to go."
"Okay," Jenn said, hugging Jess again. "Be safe."
"I will." Both adults grabbed onto the vase, and with a beep of Josh's watch they were gone.
"Come on, Jess, I'll show you my room," Hermione said, taking Jess's big suitcase.
"Mya, I can carry that," Jess said, but the other girl paid no attention. Jess grabbed her schoolbag, Orion's cage, and her broomstick and followed her friend up the stairs. They entered a small bedroom right in front of the steps. It was exactly as Jess had expected--nearly spotless. Bookshelves lined three walls, with the fourth mostly covered by a desk with a stack of books on it. Across from the desk sat a bed, and at the foot of the bed a small cot, obviously set out for Jess. The girls dropped the bags and Jess set the cage on the floor.
"Can I let him out?" Jess asked, motioning to the owl that was staring hopefully out one of the windows.
"Sure," Hermione said. She opened the window while Jess slid aside the lock on the cage. The owl hooted thankfully, then turned and soared out the window. "You never used him when you sent me letters," Hermione commented.
"That's 'cause I just got him this morning," Jess replied. "Special international owl. My parents are expectin' a lot of letters."
Once Jess was fairly settled in, she turned to Hermione. "Alright," she began. "Tell me again why I'm a fifth year at Salem but only a fourth year at Hogwarts."
"Well, it has to do with what you've learned," Hermione explained. "Since there are eight years at Salem and only seven at Hogwarts, Hogwarts students learn more in a year. If you were to come in as a fifth year, you might be behind the other students. So, as a fourth year, you might be a little ahead, but at least you won't be struggling."
"Makes sense," Jess said with a shrug. "Not that I'm complainin', anyway. At least I know someone in fourth year."
"Yes, that may also have effected Professor Dumbledore's decision."
"Speakin' of Dumbledore," Jess said. "What does he know about this Sirius Black guy that no one else does?"
"Nothing," Hermione answered quickly--too quickly. Jess raised her eyebrows as Hermione seemed to find something interesting on the floor.
"You know, you're a horrible liar," Jess said. "What's really goin' on?"
Hermione bit her lip nervously. "Professor Dumbledore never told me I could tell you," she said.
"Yeah, but he never said you couldn't either," Jess argued.
"Well, I suppose, as long as you don't tell anyone." Hermione leaned towards Jess, as though afraid of someone overhearing, even though there was no one else in the room.
"Sirius Black isn't really a criminal," Hermione whispered. Jess actually laughed out loud. "I'm serious!" Hermione said.
"C'mon, you've gotta be kidding!" Jess said, wiping tears from her eyes. "We studied this guy last year in History. He killed a bunch of muggles."
"No, he was framed," Hermione corrected. Fifteen minutes later, Jess was still sitting on the cot, rendered speechless by Hermione's story.
"You can't tell anyone," Hermione reminded her. "There are very few people who know. Besides, who would believe us anyway?"
"But Dumbledore knows," Jess said.
"Yes, he does," Hermione confirmed.
"That's how he convinced my dad!" Jess stated triumphantly. "I knew it had to be somethin' big." At the confused look on Hermione's face, Jess explained, "My dad didn't want to let me go to Hogwarts. He was afraid of Sirius Black bein' on the loose. But Dumbledore wrote him a letter and convinced him to let me go. That's what was in the letter."
"I understand," Hermione said. "You still can't tell anyone."
"I got that. I won't tell."
"Good. Are you hungry?"
"Sure," Jess replied, following Hermione's lead and standing up.
"Okay," Hermione said, leading the way out of the room. "I'll see what we have for lunch."
"One condition," Jess said.
"What's that?" Hermione asked.
Jess smirked. "We have somethin' other than tea to drink."