Harry and Hermione turned to find an extended hand and a grin.
"I'm Leslie Walker."
"H-hi I'm Harry, this is Hermione." He said as he shook her hand. He couldn't deny that he was happy to see her. He was, for a moment, afraid she wouldn't show up.
"Nice to meet you," said Hermione smiling.
"And you," Leslie, Harry thought, looked to be about thirty-something, tan, with hazel eyes. She had dirty blonde hair and was very business-like, wearing a pinstriped skirt and matching blazer, with a white blouse underneath, "I suppose you should come with me then."
"Where are we going?" Hermione asked before Harry got the chance.
"Well to my house of course." She said laughing, waving after the two to follow her. It took a great effort, once again, to pull Hermione's luggage outside. When they finally reached the sliding doors the hot air rushed in on them, and Harry's conclusion had turned out to be right.
"Whoa, it's really hot here." Hermione said, "I don't think it's ever been this warm in London during the fall months."
"Well…uh…you know what's going to make it feel…uh… even hotter." Harry said as he hauled her luggage outside.
"No, what?"
"Pulling this bloody suitcase. What the hell did you pack Hermione?"
"It is quite strange isn't it? I swear I didn't pack that much."
"Taxi!" Yelled Leslie.
Harry hated awkward silences, but what's more awkward than being shoved into a taxi between two women. One that you don't even know, and one that you know too well, having luggage shoved into places it shouldn't be, afraid to breathe because your breath might smell bad. This went on for what felt like hours. When they got to the house it was around 5:45AM. The house was…beautiful. All the windows were open and the curtains billowed in and out with the wind. It seemed welcoming, nothing at all like the Dursley's home on Privet Drive.
"You guys must be hungry. Just dump your stuff at the door. I'll pick it up later," Leslie said as she walked towards, what Harry thought was the kitchen. The two tagged along slowly, "So what's your preference? We don't have any of the grand food Hogwarts has to offer but we do have…pop-tarts!"
"Did you go to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Me, no. My sister did. I wasn't lucky enough to be a witch." Said Leslie, "Nope, I went to a regular old school, and became a regular old doctor."
"Really, my parents are doctors. Well dentists." Hermione said, "I think it's great that you're a…what kind of doctor are you?"
"Oh, a pediatrician. I always loved kids," Leslie said giggling, "They're a lot easier to get along with than adults."
"Do you have any of your own?" Hermione asked.
"No none of my own, I did raise my niece though." Leslie answered as she poured some tea for Hermione, Harry, and herself. "So how do you two like Hogwarts?"
"It's great," Harry and Hermione said in unison.
"Yeah my sister loved it there too. She used to tell me great stories about secret corridors and ghosts."
"Is your niece a witch?"
"Yeah, top of class too." Leslie said grinning, "Didn't get that from me though. The goofin' off, that she got from me. "
"Is she a troublemaker?" Hermione asked.
"No…"She replied, "Well, yes but she's a good kid none the less. She just likes to have fun."
"Um…I don't mean to interrupt but, uh…why are we here?" Harry asked.
Leslie sighed and put down her cup of tea, "My niece, uh…I, we, Dumbledore and I, need you to take her…"
"Beep, beep, beep. Ah! Thump."
"Ah," Harry yelled knocking over his tea.
"Oh, Rosslyn's up."
-
"Get up you clumsy ass," Evan said as he extended a hand to Rosslyn.
"Ow, I think you broke my ass bone."
"Hmm, you think I could check that for you."
"Ha, you wish," She said laughing. She looked up slowly and saw that look in his eye. That 'challenge' look as she called it. She knew what it meant and she was ready. In her head she began to count '…3…'
"You hungry?" He asked her '…2…'
"Yup," She replied '…1' And they were off racing out of the room, making a left down the hall, a right down the steps.
"I'm gonna whoop your ass." Evan shouted.
"Oh really," At that moment Rosslyn grabbed Evan by the shoulders and pulled him downward. As his body landed on the floor she hurdled over it and ran her fastest. She turned the last corner and skidded into the kitchen on her butt. Evan who was following close behind collided with her. The two lay in a heap on the floor, laughing hysterically, neither of them noticing then three onlookers.
"You're such a cheater. Haha…"
"Haha…Okay this time you definitely did break my ass bone, haha…"
"G' Morning you guys. Hungry?" Asked Leslie as if nothing had happened.
"Yeah!" The two said in unison as they climbed over one another, still oblivious to Harry and Hermione. Evan stood and once again offered his hand to Rosslyn who, once standing, began brushing herself off. When she finally looked up Harry found her to be quite pretty, beautiful actually. Her uniform was quite different from that of the girls at Hogwarts. There was no cloak, considering the weather Harry could understand that, the gray skirt was a great deal shorter, she had a black tie, black knee socks, and she wore no sweater over her white blouse.
"Uh…hi." Rosslyn said awkwardly. By this time Evan had traveled over towards the counter where Leslie seemed to be mixing pancake batter, completely ignoring the two strangers.
"Hi I'm Hermione."
"Nice to meet you, uh, Hermione. I'm Rosslyn. And you are," She said directing her attention to Harry who had just finished scanning her appearance. He wondered if she noticed and he blushed.
"I-I'm…"
"Oh my God, you're Harry Potter!" Said Evan spitting out a mouth full of banana pancakes.
"Er, yeah nice to meet you." He said as he stuck out his hand. Rosslyn shook it and took a seat at the table, obviously not caring who he was.
"Oh good Lord Evan look at the mess," Said Leslie as she playfully smacked him across the back of his head.
"Hey!" Evan shouted as he took a seat between Hermione and Rosslyn, "That hurt."
"You deserved it loser, oh and by the way I won the race."
"Oh you so did not."
This went on for a while and Harry found it quite amusing, Hermione on the other hand seemed to find Evan quite amusing. With his blonde hair and tan skin many girls found him handsome. He was muscular too, from years of surfing.
"Alright, alright cut it out you two. I swear your both worse than the kids I get down at the office."
"Aw, you know we're just jokin' Les," Said Evan smiling from ear to ear, "Aren't we Ros?" Rosslyn merely nodded in response.
"So are you guys related?" Hermione asked. The two tanned teenagers look at one another and busted out laughing.
"Us two…definitely not," Said Rosslyn.
"We are the bestest of buddies though!" Replied Evan as he put an arm around Rosslyn, "Besides I'm way cuter than her."
"Yeah, okay," Joked Rosslyn, "So…um why are you guys here anyway?"
"Uh…well"
"They were sent here from Hogwarts dear." Said Leslie.
"Oh that school in England right?" She waited for their nods before continuing, "Okay…why?"
"Because of you."
"Me? Why, what did I do?" She asked concerned.
"Nothing, nothing sweetheart. You didn't do anything." Said Leslie trying to calm her young niece, "They-they came here to protect you."
"Protect me from what?"
Leslie couldn't do anything but sigh. She put her head in her hands and began her story, no, not her story, Rosslyn's story.
"There-there's something you need to know Rosslyn. Something of great importance that…I've been keeping from you. But it's hard."
"Aunt Les, you know you can tell me," Rosslyn said trying to look her aunt in the eye, "Just tell me."
Leslie looked up and smiled as she grabbed her niece's hand and squeezed it gently, "As you know wh-when your, mother was eleven years old she got a letter in the mail. That letter changed your mother's life. I'd never seen her so happy as that day. She had been accepted into The American Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry, same as you. My parents and I were both thrilled for your mother, but she…well your mother always tried to out-do herself. You see my father, your grandfather had always talked about the fun he had at his old school Hogwarts, 'the most prestigious wizarding school in the world' he would call it, and that's where your mom wanted to go. Everyone told her that the academy was a respectable place to go but there was no stopping her. She said it was Hogwarts or nothing. She said it had roots. I think it was really just…your mom was always bigger than this place; she wanted to travel, be on her own. So next day she wrote a letter to the headmaster Dumbledore, there at Hogwarts and told him exactly what was up. And as we all knew he would, he let her in" Although Leslie shielded her eyes with her hand; Rosslyn sensed they were filling up with tears. She wanted to speak but allowed her aunt to continue, "So she got a summer job and paid for her ticket. Soon your mother was off to Hogwarts. She was so smart. You know she even played quidditch. She was a beater just like you. Well, she-she fell in love with a boy in Slytherin."
"Slytherin? What's that?" Asked Evan who was listening intently.
"It's one of the four houses at Hogwarts," Said Hermione, "There's Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Harry and I are in Gryffindor."
"And so was your mother. This boy, his name was," Leslie glanced over at the two Gryffindors and remembered what Dumbledore had said, "Well, I never did learn his name. Turns out, though, this young man got himself into some trouble with uh, You-Know-Who. After he was done school he began working for him…he never told your mother. She wouldn't have stood for it, but soon you came along."
"Wait, wait you mean to tell me, my father wa- was actually a supporter of Voldemort," Everyone but she and Harry winced at the name, but Rosslyn didn't seem to care.
"Yes."
"So he didn't actually die in a car accident?"
"No."
"And you've been lying to me this whole time."
"Please, please Rosslyn let me finish and you will understand," begged Leslie. Only when Rosslyn nodded did she continue with her story, "He loved your mother and he loved you too. When he told your mom the truth she begged him to leave it behind. He couldn't you know, if he tried to he'd be killed. That's why he had to give you guys up. If your mother would have stayed who knows what would have happened. He thought you, the two girls he loved most, were too good for him. He told your mother to move on and find a better life. He wasn't a bad guy, you know, just-just confused."
"So did she, my mother, really die from…?"
"A heart attack? Yes, shortly after she brought you back here. She came to stay with me. Her heart was broken. She wouldn't speak to me, or-or anybody. The only one she wanted around was you. You reminded her of him I guess."
"And is he…dead?"
"I-I don't know."
"Then why are these people here?" Rosslyn asked pretending they weren't in the room.
"They're here to take you back with them."
"With them where? To Hogwarts?" She asked horrified
"No!" Shouted Evan in protest, as he stood up from his chair.
"It's the only place where you'll be safe Rosslyn."
"Safe from what…" She asked but she already knew. In her gut she knew and it made her sick. She looked at Harry and for a moment she knew what it must have been like to be him, "He knows doesn't he, Voldemort? He knows about me."
"Yes."
-
So…what do you think? Worth the wait? Review me now bitches…
Helena
Long ago
Just like the hearse you died to get in again
We are so far from you
Burning on just like a match you strike to incinerate
The lives of everyone you knew
And what's the worst you take (worst you take)
from every heart you break (heart you break)
And like the blade you stain (blade you stain)
Well I've been holding on tonight
What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
Came a time
When every star falls brought you to tears again
We are the very hurt you sold
And what's the worst you take (worst you take)
from every heart you break (heart you break)
And like the blade you stain (blade you stain)
Well I've been holding on tonight
What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
And if you carry on this way
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
Can you hear me?
Are you near me?
Can we pretend to leave and then
We'll meet again
When both our cars collide?
What's the worst that I can say?
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight
And if you carry on this way
Things are better if I stay
So long and goodnight
So long and goodnight