Chapter 2
For someone who has been taken care of for eleven whole years, the real world can be very scary.
She couldn't get to London without any money. And she couldn't get any money without going to London.
It was six a.m. the next morning when Arabella found herself standing on the side of a busy muggle street, her thumb gestured before her.
She had a seen people do this before when they needed to get somewhere. And right now, that was something that Arabella did need.
She had felt like sobbing all day. Her heart was dying inside her chest, she had bitten her lip so deep she could taste metal flowing into her mouth.
All of it had happened so quickly, she didn't know what she had done to deserve it. It just didn't seem any fair.
But all of it left her mind when a beaming man pulled over to where she stood, in one of those things Daddy called cars.
"'Lo there, sweet lips. Care for a ride?"
Arabella nodded fiercely, and pulled the handle on the door to the backseat.
"So, babe, how old are ya'" He asked, peering at her nervous face in the rear view mirror.
"I'm eleven!" She said, then silently cursed herself.
"Really." He laughed, raising a black eyebrow that looked simply silly under his bleach blond hair.
"I'm just kidding around, mate. I'm twenty."
"Surprised to find you speaking English. I'm guessing you're not from around here?"
She shook her head, and giggled, "Not at all."
"Well, where do you need to go?"
"London."
He smiled, "Well, it's good for you that that's just where I'm heading too, ain't it?"
"Oh, really! That's so wonderful. Thanks a bunches!"
The night had approached, and Arabella was confused as "Paul" as he had introduced himself, pulled over.
"All righty, sweetie, there's something I want you to do." The engine's buzzing had disappeared from hearing, there was barely any light.
She heard the squeaking of leather as Paul crawled next to her in the backseat.
She screamed as he toppled himself onto her, pining her down to the carseat.
"Paul, what are you doing?" She screeched, mumbled out when he pressed his lips against hers.
'Oh, god. I'm only eleven! Why God, why are you DOING THIS TO ME??'
She managed to struggle out of his grip, when his hands were distracted to other places that made Arabella want to scream.
She fell out of the car into the prickly grass, and began to run as fast as her legs would pump her.
"Aw, baby! How you gonna get to London, Sweet Pea?" He laughed cruelly as she disappeared into the distance, past the field, past the houses.
She was running so fast she didn't have time to cry. Or time to notice the cat lingering behind her feet.
She had been walking for so long, everything seemed to blur around her. The sun came up, and she didn't notice when she was back in her eleven year old body.
She collapsed beneath a tree, breath heavy, head heavy, thoughts heavy.
Soft fur brushed against her arm, and Arabella looked down at a small cat, that seemed to be smiling up at her.
"Hello kitty." She purred back at it.
Why hello! I've never heard of a human speaking to me before.
Arabella looked around, than back at the cat, "Are you saying you can hear me?"
Of course I can!
"That's amazing. Has anyone else every talked to you before?"
The cat shook its head, and Arabella felt warm.
"So I'm the first person you've talked to."
I think that would be self evident, dearie.
"What's your name?"
Arabella couldn't help but think she heard the cat sigh, Mr. Jingles.
Arabella giggled, "Really? That's a cute name."
Well I don't think I'd like to be particularly cute. I'd also like to be called something else seeing as I am a female cat, and not a Mister in anyway whatsoever.
"Well, who named you?"
My idiot master.
"Oh."
Would you like to be my new master?
"Would that be all right with your master now?"
She doesn't matter. I don't like her.
"All right. Well I'm Arabella." Arabella paused, putting a small chubby finger to her cheek, "And you will be…Mrs. Mittens."
Oh, Lord.
Take the night bus. Don't you have a wand?
"No, I don't. I'm only eleven."
Isn't that when most people get their wands?
Arabella heaved a sigh, the shade from the tree shielding her eyes from the bright sun as she poured a bit of the green liquid from the gallon.
After swallowing the nasty liquid down, and was back in her adult form, she turned to Mrs. Mittens.
"Well, I'm a squib if you must know. That's why I don't have a wand."
Well, I know of a portkey, if you'd like. It's quite the unusual portkey, because it will take you anywhere you want to go. It just so happens someone used it last night to come to my master's house. It doesn't disappear after like most portkeys…
"That's great, except that I don't know your master and doubt she would be obliged to let me use that portkey."
You'd be surprised! I said she wasn't smart, not that she wasn't nice. And besides, if she doesn't let you use it, we can just sneak in…
Disclaimer: I own Arabella's family, Mrs. Mittens, Paul, you know, anything you don't recognize from the books. The rest is JKRS.
Thanks To:
Square Peas, thanks so much for your review! I'm glad you enjoy my obscure fanfic subject, and the start of my story. I know I read some of your stuff, and I'm pretty sure I reviewed. I love "Ron's Spiders!"
For anyone else who's reading this and NOT reviewing (you evils, you) please, I need input to continue!
Love,
May
