This is a link to the picture of Tabitha's small grey tabby kitten:
http/ which Tabitha is slightly crazed
Or
In which Tabitha goes to Hogwarts
Chapter Five:
The Summer went by quickly. I learned more and more about the magical world around me, and even more about the war and what part I was expected to play in it. I learned about the customs of the British, and the surrounding countries. Mr. Weasley didn't play a huge role in any of this, because according to Fred and George, he had a lot of 'ministry' work to do.
I did, however, come to find out that I would need a fair amount more of things from Diagon Alley, and got them when we went school shopping with Hagrid.
I also acquired a small brown Tabby cat. Ginny said that it was fitting, since they'd nicknamed me Tabby. It was quite cute. I named it Boots.
According to the countdown hovering above the kitchen table, there were only 3 more days until we arrived at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We had already packed our trunks, and Mrs. Weasley had given me a patchwork quilt. "Hogwarts gets drafty at night, if I remember correctly. I've given the other's one also." She had said, smiling at me. "I'm so very glad you've come to stay with us. Do you like it here?"
I nodded gratefully, and was pulled into a motherly hug. I smiled, I hadn't had one of those in years.
I had discovered this summer that I wasn't exactly related to the Weasleys, or anyone else for that matter. But I wasn't about to tell anyone else I knew that. I liked feeling like I belonged.
"SUPPER!" Rang a voice through the house. I had never quite gotten used to the magical surround sound that wands provided.
Eating meals was a favorite pastime of the Weasley family household and it's inhabitants. I couldn't believe how much food the boys could wolf down, but I began to realize that Hermione, Ginny, and I weren't much different. Even though Hermione and Ginny had had a head start, We three became almost as big of pigs as the boys, just by observing. Monkey see, monkey do.
It was after dinner, on the night before we left, that I was sitting outside in a large oak tree, watching the sun fall beneath the horizon. Suddenly, I heard a soft 'woosh' of a broom, and Ron appeared beside me, hovering right above the branch I had taken over.
"I used to sit exactly where your sitting." He said, staring at the orange glow that was now the sun, "Every night when all my siblings were at school. I used to wish I could be there with them, and not just sitting home with Ginny."
He stretched and turned his head to look at me, "And now that I'm back home, I never want to leave."
I smiled, nodding. There was a certain… aurora about the Weasley home. It was comforting and sleepy. It was as if you could just sit there forever, while the world was changing vastly around you, and there'd still be Mrs. Weasley bending over the stove, rocking with her knitting. And at evening meals you'd always see Mr. Weasley's hands dirty with oil from whatever muggle toy he was tinkering with in the garage. The twin's room blasting with explosions, Ron's room still shockingly orange, and the comforting embrace of normality in Ginny's room.
"But sometimes, it's all just too much. You want privacy. So I came here." Ron concluded. His eyes danced with a sudden twinkle. But it disappeared as soon as it was gone.
We just sat there for awhile, not saying anything. Just watching as the sun faded into oblivion and night fell like a soft blanket around us. The soft hum of Ron's broom slowly disappeared, it becoming as ordinary as the sound of breathing. It was then that I was jerked out of my reverie.
"Hop on." He said, scooting backwards to make room for me, "Mum will get worried."
I scooted over to the edge, and slowly transferred my body weight to the broom. It didn't take long, and soon, we were flying right above the Weasley forest, gliding towards the house.
"I'm glad you came here this summer, Tabby." He said smiling. "I remember that first day you rode a broom. You were clinging onto me for dear life."
I smirked, "But who can beat you in a broom race now, eh Ron?"
He just laughed, "yeah, yeah, shut up."
When we landed, I hopped off and kissed Ron on the cheek, "Thanks Ron. See you tomorrow."
"Alright dears, hurry up! Ron! You're forgetting Pig!" Mrs. Weasley said, pointing to a bird cage left on the empty trolley.
"Aww Mum! Can't Ginny take him this time?"
"Ronald Weasley he's your responsibility!"
Fifteen minutes later the large train left the station. Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Harry, and I were in the very last compartment, when someone knocked on the door.
It slowly slid open.
"Hey Harry. Is it alright if Luna and I join you?"
"Hi Neville. Yeah, sure. Come on in. Look, this is Tabitha. She's from America. She'll be in 6th year with Ginny."
A medium-sized boy with dark brown hair stepped into the compartment and smiled, "Hullo. I'm Neville, and this is-
"Luna Lovegood."
The girl was very strange indeed. I was beginning to get worried that all other magical people were like this, when Ginny leaned over and whispered, "Luna's loony. Don't mind her."
Luna had startling dirty blonde hair, and a butterbeer cap necklace. Her eyes were clear blue, and they had a frightening mist about them.
"My dad's the editor of the Quibbler. So your from America? What part? I hear the south has a devastating infestation of wrackspurts."
"Erm, uh. What?" I turned to Harry for help, "what?" I whispered, shifting my eyes between Luna and him.
"just nod you're head, and don't tell her any details."
I turned back to Luna and nodded.
"So you've heard of them? Have you ever encountered one?"
I shook my head no twice.
"So you haven't heard of them?"
I nodded my head.
"So you have heard of them?"
I shook my head, no.
She became antsy, and said, "Oh Well, uh, I'll just go see where the trolley is."
As soon as the compartment door closed, I put both my hands over my heart, and fell over onto the floor.
"what on earth is she?" I cried, finding someone's shoe and holding onto their leg for dear life.
"that my dear," Came a voice from the leg's owner, "Is Luna Lovegood."
I sat up and frowned, letting go of Ron's leg. "But that's her name! What do we call her species?"
Harry patted my head, "Loony."
"Hey!"
"Her, not you." He said, defending himself.
I smiled, and crawled back up into my seat. "oookay."
Ginny turned to me, "Are you okay Tabby? No… woozy feelings?"
"I thought I felt a wrackspurt in here!" Neville cried, standing up. "When it comes out, catch it, will you? I'll give it to Luna for Christmas!"
Ginny looked up at Neville, "You're kidding, right? Please say your kidding."
I laughed, and laughed and laughed. This eventually caused Ginny to laugh. So we sat there, laughing our hearts out.
When I finally calmed down, I laid back with my feet in Ginny's lap, "You magical people really are crazy, you know that, right?"
Harry nodded, "But your magical too. You're not even half-muggle. You're pureblood."
I sat up, "What's that mean?"
"That both of your parents' parents were born into the magical world, and that their parents' parents were too, and so on and on until the world was formed.
"Hmm.." I sat there for awhile. I had never really known my parents. They passed when I was three.
Ginny frowned, "Most purebloods go into Slytherin."
"Tabby wouldn't go there. She hasn't a mean bone in her body." Ron said. His eye was twitching.
"hahaha, that's what you think!" I said, scooting over to Ron's ear.
"But I know for a fact, that when Harry gets up, something very bad will happen." I whispered, then scooted back over to Ginny.
He looked at me, "Will it be funny?"
I looked at him after I lied back down, "Ohhhh yes. Very."
He nodded, content with my answer, then lied down and promptly started to snore.
I fell asleep, as did almost everyone in our compartment, and was woken up by the frantic voice of Hermione.
"Shoo! Go! We've got to get changed!"
I sat up woozily, relieving Ginny of my feet.
"wha?" I said, and Hermione nodded.
"That's right, up we go, get dressed now. Into the robes we go."
We had to wait until the last sleepy boy got out of the compartment. Finally, we were alone, and I was glad that Luna hadn't come back.
I don't recall actually changing into my robes, but I do remember that once I was done, I sat by the window.
A large castle came into view.
"W-woah." I said, finally waking up.
Hermione smiled, "Amazing, isn't it?"
Ginny groaned, "Oh Gods, Tabby, She'll have you reading 'Hogwarts; a history' in no-time now!"
I just laughed, "I think it'd be nice to know it's history."
Hermione and Ginny gasped, but for different reasons.
"FINALLY! I KNEW THERE WAS SOMEONE ELSE LIKE ME OUT THERE!" Hermione cried, wrapping me in a large bear hug.
Ginny grasped her arm, "no! No! YOU CAN'T TAKE MY TABITHA! YOU WILL NOT TEACH HER YOUR UN-DYEING WAYS!"
Ginny ran to the door and flung it open, just as the boys were about to knock.
"QUICK! HELP!" Ginny screamed at Ron and Harry. "SHE'S TURNING TABBY INTO ANOTHER HERMIONE! SHE'S GOING TO GET HER TO READ 'Hogwarts; a history' OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTILL SHE'S MEMORIZED IT!."
Ron's eyes grew large and he walked over to me.
"No. You will not read 'Hogwarts; a history.' Say it with me. "No. I will not read-
"Oh shut up you two. I'm not turning into a bookworm, or whatever you call it."
Ginny sighed with relief, and the train suddenly stopped.
We all fell over.
"What? No slowing down? No warnings? Just stop why don't you?" Ron cursed the train.
"I think it did Ron."
He turned to give me an evil glare, "Shuddup."
And we stepped off the train.
A/N: Okay.. so. The last part of the chapter was a bit… odd. But I think that just shows what kind of mood I'm in. I know I shouldn't be writing when I'm in this mood, but I can't help it. It's addicting. Even though it makes my story sort of … flop.
Cookies and dryer sheets to my reviewers!
▲Why? Because they smell good!
