The setting was a small town in the English countryside. Hogsmeade, to be exact. At the start of a brand new day, a lone figured walked through the town. It was Kristin, the most beautiful—and oddest—girl in town. Her black hair was done in a simple bun, with blue streaks in it to match her blue dress. She carried a small wicker basket that held a book.

The sleep town was beginning to come alive, as different people gathered to wish each other a good morning and comment on that girl, Kristin. She, however, was preoccupied with going to the bookstore to return the book she had just finished. Maybe he would have something new for her to read.

She loved her books—they took her away from this small, pathetic town. Within those pages, was her escape. She could be a beautiful princess trapped in a tower, held captive in by a fire-breathing dragon. (Well, was there really any other type of dragon? She should know. She was a witch, like nearly every other person she knew). She was a pauper girl who hit it big and married the prince because of her kindness.

But her favorite story was where there was a heroine, not a hero. She was a girl who finds an enchanted palace, inhabited by a young prince who was trapped in an evil spell. Using her courage and intelligence, the girl defeats the villain and with her love, breaks the prince's magical bonds.

But no matter what the books contained, she was always nearly guaranteed a happy ending, unless she was in a foul mood and wanted to read a tragedy. She burst into the bookshop, ready to face whatever the keeper had for her.

"Ah, Kristin, back so soon? You were only in here, what, yesterday? What do I owe this pleasure?" the Keeper, Ollivander, asked in his eerie manner.

"I wanted to return the book," Kristin said, handing the man the parcel in her basket. She had a deal with Ollivander that she could borrow all the books she wanted since she and her father were facing tough money times. Kristin was able to cook some baked goods, if not all of her cooking was good. So, she lifted out another parcel, this one containing cookies—the ones that survived, that is.

"So, Mr.Ollivander, have you gotten anything new?" she asked, gazing across the selection. She prayed Ollivander would smile, wink and pass her a new book.

Unfortunately, he could only shake his head. "I'm sorry, Kristin. The wagon from Diagon Alley just left. It isn't scheduled to return for a few days. You should really learn to not read faster than the wagon travels," he said.

Kristin smiled at his joke, picking up her favorite book. She opened it, stroking the pages gently. "Ah," Ollivander said, magically appearing over her shoulder, "I see you have found your favorite. What draws you to this book time after time?"

"Because the girl is the hero, so different from the other stories I've read," Kristin explained. "And it is so adventurous. A prince under a magic spell, an enchanted palace, and a climatic battle. The list goes on and on. It's just so different from my life here in Hogsmeade." Kristin was now hugging the book, staring out of the window, but past the people that passed the shop.

Ollivander looked thoughtful for a moment. "Then you can keep it," he said. Kristin spun around, protesting. "Now I will hear none of that, my dear. I believe you deserve to keep it. Consider it an early—or belated—birthday present," he said, pushing the book towards her. Kristin thanked him and grabbed her basket, ready to face the town.


Meanwhile, girls throughout Hogsmeade were swooning as Sirius, the most eligible wizard bachelor in town, strutted through the town. His ever constant companion, Peter, was by his side. "Peter, today's going to be a big day in everybody's lives," he announced to his bumbling friend. "Today, I'm going to propose to Kristin."

"The inventor's daughter?" Peter said, surprised at his friend's announcement.

"Yes, the inventor's daughter. From the moment she moved into Hogsmeade, it was apparent she was the most beautiful girl in town. And as the best looking man in the whole of England, we deserve each other. Don't you think?" Sirius said, admiring his reflection in the glass.

"Well, here's your chance. She's coming this way," Peter said, nudging Sirius. Sirius checked his reflection in the window again and struck what he thought was a pose that said, "Over here, baby." But that message obviously didn't make to Kristin as she just walked on by. "Tough chance, Sirius. Hey, here come those stalker girls," Peter said.

"Tough chance? We'll see about that," Sirius said, marching towards the un-expecting Kristin. "Kristin, how's the most beautiful girl in town doing today?" he asked, taking her book away.

"Sirius, give me my book back please?" she asked, scowling at the braggart. "Now, if you don't mind?"

"You know, Kristin, it isn't right that you should always be reading these books. Most of the people in the village are talking about how unnatural that is," Sirius said, casually flipping through the book. "How could you read this anyway?"

Kristin stifled a giggle. "Most people prefer to read it this way," she said, turning the book in his hand right side up. "There, Sirius, maybe you can understand it now. Or do you need pictures?" She finally got the book free from his grasp.

Sirius and Peter blocked her escape route. "Where you going so fast? Why don't we pay Madame Rosmerta a visit and you can admire my trophies," he said, draping his arm around her shoulders.

Kristin once again freed herself from his grasp. "How about we don't, but say we did she," she said, giving him a fake smile.

The three blonde Sirius admirers, the Gryffindor Sisters, all peaked over the town fountain where they were hiding. "What is she doing?" Gryffindor Sister 1 said. Her sister agreed, saying, "She's crazy, Sirius is the handsomest man in town!" Gryffindor Sister Three added, "I would die if he asked me to Madame Rosmerta's."

"Listen, Sirius, I have to go. My father needs my help today," Kristin said, still trying to take her leave from the duo.

Peter started to laugh. "He needs help everyday, the old loon," he said, causing Sirius to laugh with him.

Kristin grew indignant. "How dare you! Both of you! Good day!" she said. At that moment, a loud bang came from the meadow her house was built on. With smoke coming from the shed behind the house, Kristin ran out of Hogsmeade as Sirius and Peter laughed on.


Kristin ran to the shed behind her house. "Papa! Papa, answer me! Papa!" she screamed, taking off her apron to wave away the smoke that filled the room. "Papa! Please," she cried, tears spilling out.

She soon heard coughs as a figure emerged from the cloud of smoke. "Papa!" she cried, hugging her father. His face was covered in soot, his red hair had suddenly turned black, and he too was waving the smoke away. "Don't ever scare me again like that!" Kristin scolded. "You're all I got since Mama passed away," she said.

Arthur hugged his daughter, much to her protesting about her dress getting dirty. "Never you worry, Kristin. I've got a few years left in me," he said, wiping himself off. "Now, what did I do wrong this time?"

Kristin cleared off a nearby stool and sat down. "How can I not worry?" she asked, concerned. "It's just you and me, and you're always nearly killing yourself with these muggle contraptions," she said.

Her father shook off some more soot and his daughter's comments. "Kristin," Arthur said, "one day, I'll prove that these muggle contraptions are of value to us in the wizarding world. Then, the Minister will finally appoint me a department head, give me a better salary and we'll be rich. We then can move away from Hogsmeade and back to London, where you could have the adventure you always dreamed of. We'll be the happiest wizard and witch there ever was!"

Kristin smiled at her father's excitement. "Whatever you put your mind to, Papa, you can do," she said, kissing her father's cheeks. "Now, why don't you try to fix this and I'll try to fix us some dinner," Kristin said, turning to leave.


An hour later, Kristin had managed to make a decent dinner—with a little magical help. She figured she should really just give up attempting things the muggle way and just use magic all the time. At the same time, her father came riding up to the window on his newly fixed contraption, something the muggles called a tractor. "You got it working?!" Kristin called out, running out of their cottage.

"And I've enchanted it to do twice the farming the muggles created it to do," Arthur said. "This will turn those Ministry people on their heads! I'm off to London. Are you sure you don't want to come with me?" he asked.

"I'd love to, Papa, you know that, but someone has to take care of the house," Kristin said. "Besides, it'll be easier for you to go to London by yourself and finding lodgings. I'll stay here, alone and bored." Arthur smiled at his daughter's fake pout and kissed her goodbye.


A/N: I hope you enjoyed this! I also hope it isn't copying someone else's idea, but it was just so right (and I wasn't looking through the millions of Harry Potter stories to see otherwise!). Please review…MacW