Kari didn't know of the trouble her parents were going through looking for her. In fact, she was rather enjoying herself in the company of these interesting, yet not unfamiliar, people.
"Kari," the woman said. "Would you like to have chicken strips?"
They were at a Perkins restaurant, not too far away from Ginny, Draco, and those Agents. A waitress was politely waiting for their order.
"I want pasta, though! Mommy always lets me have pasta!" At this, the waitress raised her eyebrow. 'Mommy always lets me have pasta'? This young woman wasn't the girl's mother? Perhaps it was an aunt, then…
"What kind of pasta, Kari?"
"Pasghetti!" she yelled.
"All right… one kid's serving of spaghetti coming right up!" The waitress said. As she began to walk away, a flash of magic caught her eye. Magic? She wondered. Now that was odd.
Kelsey Kendricks had attended a magical school. She knew magic when she saw it. This couple had better be careful, or their secret would be revealed. About to go tell them that, something caught her attention. The man seemed to be… looking at her oddly.
"Could I fill up your drinks, sir? Ma'am?"
"Yes, yes…" The man said with a lackadaisical wave of his hand. It seemed as if he was used to people falling over their own two feet to serve him. He didn't really notice what she was doing as she looked them over. The woman, however, seemed to notice that she was still standing there.
"Is there anything else?" she asked pointedly. Kelsey shook her head to clear it, and said,
"That was two waters, right?"
"Yes. What do you have for…" the woman looked around, then at the man, whispering, "What do Muggles call that drink?"
"I think around here they call it 'pop'." he whispered back.
"Ah… What do you have for pop?" the woman asked.
"-Coke- products."
"And those are…?"
"Coke, Mello Yello, Diet Coke, Sprite…" Kelsey trailed off, thinking, It's on the menu, moron.
"We'll take two Mello Yellos." The man said with an air of finality.
"Thank you. I'll be right back with those drinks, sir."
"Okay," he said with a wave of his hand. It was obvious to even the most casual observer that he thought of her as a fly that should be swatted. She was annoying him.
The man could be heard to whisper to the woman,
"Damn Muggles are so annoying."
"I know… remind me why we can't stay in the Wizarding world?"
"Ah, but that would be telling for anyone that has any ties to the magical community to hear, dear."
Kelsey, of course, only heard the comment about Muggles being annoying. While she wanted to rub it in their faces that she was no Muggle, she thought better of it. She had seen the murderous look on that woman's face, though…
No. It was best if she played her part as the ever-annoying Muggle waitress.
Reaching the kitchen, she got the two sodas and chocolate milk for the girl. What had they called her? She thought to herself. Oh, yes. Kari.
Walking back as slowly as possible, she observed the couple. She wasn't stupid. She could tell something wasn't right. But what?
There's something… off… about that man. And her… I know her. She thought. Was the woman in one of the classes ahead of her? It was obvious that she hadn't known her personally, or she would have known who it was.
The woman saw her, and said something to the man. There was a glint of light flashing from something on her finger. Ah. A ring. They were married, then.
Kelsey quickly walked over to give them their drinks.
"When will our order be here?" The woman asked impatiently.
"Now, now…" her husband said reproachfully.
"It'll be out soon, ma'am." Kelsey said, ever the dutiful waitress. "Now, if you'll excuse me, sorry, but I have other customers…"
"Yes, yes…" the woman said carelessly. As Kelsey walked away, the woman said to her husband,
"There's something about that girl. I'm not sure if she really is a Muggle. That's the second time I've caught her staring at us."
"Well, dear, we'll have to test your theory. Next time, drop a hint about… oh, what's the magic school here?"
"Pigsmole." She answered.
"Right. Pigsmole."
"Antie, I'm bored. You'we ignoring me, jus' like Mommy and Daddy!"
"Oh, I'm sorry, dearest!" the woman said, turning to Kari. "What would you like to do today? You know that I'm fun, not like your Mommy."
"Mommy's fun, see jus' haves scool."
"Of course, dear. What do you want to do?"
"Go see Antie Luna!"
"Kari, we can't go today! How about next week?"
"But, you pwomised I could go see Antie Luna!" Kari protested in her high whining voice. The woman said patiently,
"It's your relative, dear, not a bug. Aww-ntie. All right?"
"Fine! But I wants ta see Auntie Luna."
"Definitely a Malfoy." The man muttered with some amusement
"We'll go see her."
"I wants ta go now."
"We're waiting for our food to come, Kari." To her husband she muttered, "Where is the gods-damned waitress?"
"Auntie…"
"Maybe later, all right?" the woman said in frustration. Honestly, she didn't see how Ginny stood the girl. She was so insistent and annoying. Well, to each his own, she thought, then amended, or her own.
"All right!" Kelsey said. "We have a kid's spaghetti, a grilled chicken salad, and an angel hair pasta with marinara sauce."
"Sounds right." the man said gruffly. Then, without looking up, said, "So, how was Pigsmole?"
"Pigsmole?" she asked, taking it in stride, though she was secretly surprised that he asked that. "What a terribly awful name. What is it? An ingredient?"
"Never mind, then. I can see you have no idea what I'm talking about." The man said. He was grateful that the girl wasn't a witch. That was one less problem he'd have to deal with.
Kelsey walked away, palms sweating. She didn't know how they had known, but at least she hadn't shown anything that she didn't want to. The man had seemed a bit disappointed, but Kelsey wasn't. To tell the truth, she was scared. There was something going on. What it was, she didn't know, and she had the sinking feeling that she didn't want to.
Unfortunately for her, there was the "two bites/two minutes" rule. She walked back with a smile plastered on her face.
"So, how's the food? Can I get you anything?" she asked politely. They looked up at her.
"No. Everything's fine. Thanks."
"All right, just yell if you need anything." She said, walking away. She attended to the other people eating when she heard a voice behind her.
"Miss?" It was the man. She walked over.
"Can I help you, sir?"
"Yes, can we get the bill now?"
"Are you sure you don't want to try any desserts from our dessert menu?" she asked, the familiar line rolling off her tongue.
"I wants dessert, Auntie!"
"Kari, not now. We'll stop for ice cream later, all right?"
"Oh-tay." She said, sounding as though she had been deprived of oxygen, rather than having to wait for dessert. Kelsey smiled.
"Hi. What's your name?" Kelsey asked nicely. The little girl looked at her with wide blue eyes.
"Mommy says I'm not apposed ta talk wit stwangers."
"Does she now? Well, I'm Kelsey. So we're not strangers anymore."
"I'm Karissa Ann Malfoy." Karissa said with pride. No one could say that Draco hadn't already instilled a sense of pride of being a Malfoy.
Kelsey almost couldn't keep her eyes from widening. A Malfoy? In a Perkins? Fortunately, she gave no response. She hadn't noticed the couple watching her. If she'd have given any reaction, she probably would've been dead the moment she stepped out of the restaurant.
"Karissa? What a nice name!" Kelsey said in the voice that she used to talk with children.
"I likes your name too." Kari said politely. Kelsey smiled.
"I'll be right back with the check, all right?"
"Sounds great." The woman said. She turned to her husband and murmured,
"No reaction at the Malfoy name. I really don't think she's a witch. But I wonder why she was watching us? Are we really that suspicious-looking that Muggles, the blind fools, notice us?"
"Just count our blessings, dear. I mean-"
"Auntie, where's the nice wady?"
"She's coming back now, Kari."
And it was true. Kelsey was making her way through the restaurant to give them their check. She finally reached them, and handed it to him.
"You can pay up at the register, sir." She informed him.
"Kelsey! Kelsey!" Kari said. She tugged at her arm.
"Oh, hi, Karissa." Kelsey said.
"Can you make sure she doesn't run out of the restaurant for a moment, Miss?" the man asked.
"Sure." Kelsey replied. The couple stood up and walked out of the dining area. She looked at Kari.
"So, how are you?"
"I'm good! Auntie says she'll take me back to see my favorite auntie! My Auntie Luna!"
"Ah, so she's your aunt?"
"No, not weally. Mommy says that she's just a good fwiend." Kari told her secretively.
"Really?"
"Yes." Kari replied. "And, Mommy says I'm apposed to be nice to people. Here." Kari handed Kelsey something.
"Don't tell anyone." Kari ordered her firmly.
"Yes, ma'am." Kelsey said, slightly sarcastic.
"Hide it, before Auntie and Uncle come back!"
"All right, Karissa." She put the 'something' in her pocket, shrinking it magically so it wouldn't stick out. "Thank you. Your aunt is coming back now, I see."
The woman walked back over, brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"All right, Kari. It's time to go." She turned to Kelsey. "Thank you, Kelsey." She said.
"You're welcome."
And the woman left with the little girl. Kelsey proceeded to clean the table when she noticed something.
"Damn. No tip."
----------------------
Of course the people who kidnapped Kari are so evil that they'd have the waitress watch their 'kid' and not give her a tip!
Dun dun dun! Who could they be? I'll give you a hint… no I won't, because of the small fact that then you'd guess… but if you do guess anyway, it's okay…
Thank you for the reviews (that wasn't too hard, was it?). I just wanted to say that once I get at least three reviews on this chapter, I'll post the next chapter. And that will be my policy from now on.
-Lili
(and Looney-Lovegood… I laugh. I appreciate your humor. Thanks!)
--I'm not sure if Perkins (with a trademark, I'm sure) serves Coke (trademark) or Pepsi (trademark) products. But I believe they serve Coke (trademark) products. As it is, Pepsi (trademark) has gross products. That is strictly off-the-record, of course. nudge, nudge, wink, wink Besides, I wanted to put Mello Yello (trademark) in the story. Ha!
--and the 'Pigsmole'- I couldn't think of anything else. Hog = pig, warts = mole. Eh, I know…
See you next chapter!