VISIONS

Marinette Dupain-Cheng gets accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Things are going amazing until suddenly she gets flashes when she looks through the eyes of someone else. And why does she get this fluttery feeling in her stomach whenever she passes by a certain blonde-haired wizard? And what does he have to do with the visions she's getting? All she knows is that there's something fishy going on between the merpeople and Lila Rossi...

Chapter 1: The Letters

A/N:

Hello, my people! This crossover is a MLB and HP fanfic. I hope you like it! BTW, I made up Nino's mum's name. I don't know if it's actually Elena Lahiffe. So don't pull me back on it! George is Gorilla aka Adrien's bodyguard. In France, it is normal to kiss people's cheek as hello and goodbye. Marinette's house is actually 32 minutes from the Paris CDG, I've done the research. Marinette knows Nino's password because Nino trusts her wholeheartedly. So haha. I love the part where Elena tells Nino to 'Woman up"! I got that from Big Hero 6. I love GoGo Tomago! Check that movie out, it is AMAZING! Because Marinette lives in Paris, she's meant to go to Beauxbatons, but it wouldn't be a Harry Potter fanfic if she didn't go to Hogwarts. Also, Nino brushes his teeth before breakfast and so does Marinette. Don't judge. BTW, check out the song Unstoppable by The Score. I Love It! (It turns out that I practically love everything.)

A little raven-haired girl sped around the park, a boy with brown hair hot on her heels. The girl tripped on a rock and turned herself over to examine her injury. "Nino, look! It's bleeding!" Marinette exclaimed. Nino gagged and ran over to Sabine, who was talking to Elena Lahiffe. "Mrs Cheng! Marinette fell over again!" he puffed, hands on his knees. "That silly girl," Sabine shook her head. "11 years old, but still falling every five minutes. This is the third time in 10 minutes!" Sabine stood up, grabbing her purse and sat down beside Marinette. Peeling a bandaid out and sticking it on Marinette's knee, she patted it and said, "All better. Now be careful, you," Marinette giggled. "Yes, Maman!" She shot up and dashed over to Nino, skidding on the path.

"Welcome home, ladies!" boomed Tom. "Papa!" squealed Marinette, giving her father a hug. Sabine sauntered in, smiling at the father and daughter. "Are we still doing video game night?" Marinette frowned. Tom chuckled and assured her that all was still going as planned. "Why don't you go up to see the sunset?" suggested Sabine and Marinette gasped and clambered up the steps. She flipped open the door to her room and scrambled in, scraping her knee on the step. Ignoring it completely, Marinette dashed up the ladder and pushed open a second hatch, leading to the balcony. She pulled herself up, raced to the rail, looking out over the Parisian rooftops. The sun was about to disappear, painting the sky a fiery red, then an orange, fading to a soft pink, before giving in to the midnight blue sky.

A sudden screech interrupted her and she jerked her head to the source. A tawny owl was flapping its way toward her balcony. She stared bug-eyed at the approaching animal. With one last hoot, it settled down on the balcony rail. Marinette backed away, ready to run down to the safety of her room if needed. A piece of paper fell from its claws and with a final shriek, it flew away. Marinette eyed the parchment warily. Was it dangerous? She shook her head; how could a piece of paper be dangerous? Marinette grabbed the parchment and unfurled it. A beautiful gold and turquoise emblem with a shining gold 'B' in the middle adorned the parchment. Intrigued, she read on.

Dear Future Student, Marinette Dupain-Cheng,

I'm here to inform you of your acceptance to the Beauxbatons Academy Of Magic, where magic meets magnificence.

At Beauxbatons, people of unimaginable nature attend to learn more about their gifts.

As well as improving our magic, we learn about etiquette, poise and more.

Please find an enclosed list of supplies and equipment needed.

Term begins in three weeks from now and we will sort you into one of three houses; Bellefeuille, Ombrelune and Papilonisse. We hope to see you there.

Madam Rochelle

Marinette gawked at the piece of parchment. Surely this was some joke. She looked around for camera's or the perpetrators but found nothing. There was a loud crack and Marinette screamed. A tall, thin wiry woman stood before her, wearing a pencil skirt and a silk blouse. "W-Who are you?!" Marinette whispered. "I am Madam Meghrima. I'm here to explain to you about Beauxbatons and our world. Have a seat," said Madam Meghrima, then she added with a smirk, "You are going to need it." Marinette sat on the chaise on her balcony delicately, watching the woman leaning on the rail and shivered. Picking up her courage, she timidly asked, "Mademoiselle, where did you come from?" Madam Meghrima raised her eyebrows before realising something. "I apparated," she said simply, as Marinette didn't need any more of an explanation.

"Well," continued Meghrim, "Since you are from a non-magique family, Madam Rochelle asked me to come and explain things to you before you leave for Beauxbatons. You non-magiques have no idea but, there is magic in the world. We are witches and wizards and we use our wands to channel the magic in us out through the wand through various incantations and motions." Here Madam Meghrima paused and pulled out what looked like a stick, intricately carved. Marinette watched intently, waiting to see what she thought to have been a hoax all her life. Magic. And she could do it! Meghrima took a deep breath and muttered, "Wingardium Leviosa," A pillow in her chaise lifted itself up and floated into her lap. Marinette gawked at the pillow then at Madam Meghrima and back to the pillow again.

"Can I try?" Marinette squealed. Meghrima smirked and said no. "You have to get your own wand. All of us are unique." Marinette suddenly thought of something. "So in this school-" Madam Meghrima coughed. "Academy," she corrected. "Academy," said Marinette. "So in this academy, I learn magic, so does that mean my Maman and Papa have magic too?" she asked. Meghrima shook her head. "Non, ma Cherie, they don't. We can't explain Muggle-born witches and wizards. They just pop up and we take them in. They can't deny their gifts." Marinette had one last question. "Will my friends have magic? Does my best friend Nino have magic?!" Marinette asked eagerly. Meghrima winced. There was no way to break it to her softly. "Marinette, you will have to leave your friends behind. They shouldn't know about the wizarding society, miel."

Marinette's face hardened. She wasn't going anywhere without Nino. Once in three lifetimes opportunity or not, without Nino, it was worth nothing."Please come back tomorrow. I don't know if I want to come to this Beauxbatons of yours yet. I need to think, Madame Meghrim." With that, Marinette turned away and slipped through the hatch, firmly locking the door. Up on the balcony, Meghrima sighed and pointed her wand at the hatch, whispering, "Alohomora." Slowly lifting the plank of wood, she peered into the pink room. Marinette sat directly under her, looking at a photo of herself with her arms around a boy with glasses and a pair of headphones slung around his neck. They were both smiling like there was no tomorrow. The memory of a similar boy from her own childhood made a ghost of a smile show in Meghrima's lips. She shut the door and locked it quietly, turning back to the now dark sky. Meghrima shut her eyes tight, imagining a beautiful castle with lights covering it, set in the mountains in Cannes, and as the last ray of sunlight disappeared, so did Madam Meghrima.

Marinette put down the photo of herself and Nino, her heart winning the tug of war between itself and her head. Common sense told her that she should take the opportunity. This was magic! A once in three lifetimes opportunity! She would be crazy to let this slide! But her heart was firm. She would not leave Nino. They were THE best friends. She was going to tell Nino. She was going to tell Nino about the world of magic around them. He was trustworthy. He would never tell anyone and Marinette was sure of that, very very sure. She walked somberly downstairs, not tripping once. Tom and Sabine were sitting on the couch, playing Mario Kart. Sabine briefly looked over her shoulder, before turning back to the game and calling over her shoulder, "Hello sweetie! I heard shouting upstairs, but I assumed that you were speaking to Nino. Are you alright?" Marinette sighed and slunk over to the couch and sat between her parents. A game over sign flashed across the screen and Sabine cheered, while Tom slumped on the couch, a look of defeat crossing his face. "Maman, Papa," began Marinette. Tom and Sabine looked at her, worried at her tone. Marinette wrung her hands, debating on how to say what was about to spill from her mouth.

"Well, the thing is, a lady appeared on my balcony and told me I was a, um, witch," she said, grimacing, waiting for the laughter. Tom and Sabine said nothing but simply looked into each other's eyes, somehow communicating that way. Marinette continued. "She told me that I have been accepted into a school where they teach me magic. But I," she took a deep breath. "I don't want to go," Marinette breathed. Tom and Sabine looked unfazed, smiling at each other knowingly. Marinette, frustrated by her parents' lack of reaction, shrieked, "What?! Is this normal to you?!" Sabine put a calming hand on Marinette's shoulder and she burst into tears. "I don't want to leave you, Papa and Nino, Maman!" Marinette wailed between sobs. Strong arms scooped Marinette up like a rag doll. Tom soothed her until Marinette was only sniffling. Then he sat down on the couch with Sabine by his side, letting Marinette down. Marinette shuffled onto Sabine's lap.

"Marinette, your papa and I know what's going on. A couple of years ago, I was looking through a family tree and one of your great grandmother's was a witch, back in the 1910s. None of our family inherited the magic but it seems you've piqued its interest. Don't worry though, darling, if you don't want the magic, there are rituals and sorts to get rid of it." Marinette shook her head. "I just don't want to go anywhere without Nino," Sabine smiled. "Maybe, sweetie, maybe." Marinette suddenly stood up and asked, "Can I sleep over at Nino's tonight, Maman?" Sabine considered this before reaching a decision. "I'll call Elena and ask if it's okay. Remember, no promises!" she called as Marinette skipped up the stairs. Sabine turned to Tom, tears in her eyes. Tom rushed his wife's side. "Sabine? What's wrong?" he said worriedly. Sabine looked up at him. "Tom, our beautiful daughter is so special. She's going to be the strongest, smartest, kindest young woman to walk the Earth. I'm sure of it," Tom hugged his wife close. "I know."

"Marinette!" yelled Sabine. "Yes, Maman?' called Marinette. "Elena says come over, and she'll drop you off tomorrow morning. So pack anything you need!" Sabine said. Marinette squealed and flew around the room, throwing things into a pink duffle bag. In went pyjamas, hair ties, a toothbrush, toothpaste, a pillow, a sleeping bag and a package of eclairs for Nino and macaroons for Marinette. All done. Marinette zipped the bag shut and slung it over her shoulder. Skidding down the stairs, she entered the bakery where Tom and Sabine were waiting, coats and hats on. Marinette wrapped a scarf around her neck and skipped out the door. Tom and Sabine chuckled and the family walked the short distance to the Lahiffe household.

Marinette knocked on the bright red door and Elena opened the door. "Marinette! Sabine! And Tom! How nice to see you all!" she exclaimed, her bubbliness hyping Marinette up. Nino peeked at her from around the corner and Marinette smiled. It was worth leaving behind Beauxbatons if she could see his smile every day. "Come on, Marinette!" said Nino, bouncing up and down. This was like Marinette's second home. She flung her duffle bag on the couch and raced up the steps to Nino's room. "Is my spot still here?" she asked. Nino nodded vigorously, dragging her by the hand to a corner of the large room covered with a green and blue curtain. Nino pulled the colourful curtain aside with a flourish, revealing a small mattress drowned in pink plush toys and pillows. A little bedside table with a dainty bed lamp on it sat quietly beside the makeshift bed. Marinette's eyes filled with tears and Nino turned to her, worried by his best friend's change of emotion. "Is it bad? Do you not like pink anymore? I knew I should have made it purple…" Marinette laughed and pulled Nino into a big bear hug, which Nino returned. "It's perfect," she breathed.

"Marinette! You left your bag on the couch! And by the way, dinner's almost ready! Her, I'll bring up your bag, Marinette." called Elena. Marinette grimaced. Elena's shining face popped through the door and handed Marinette her bag. "Sorry, Mrs Lahiffe." Elena smiled warmly. "Dear, you can call me Elena. Now, I better go downstairs. My little monkey Chris has been quiet for a bit. Expect he's up to something." Elena disappeared and Marinette tucked her duffle bag into a crook in her corner. Then she pulled Nino into her 'room'. Nino blushed. He didn't like Marinette, but something about a girl taking him into her room was triggering him. Marinette saw this and said, "Nino, what are you doing? This isn't like you!" Nino gulped and his blush subsided. "It's nothing, Marinette. I'm fine." Marinette huffed and sat down on the mattress, motioning for him to do the same. He sat down, shuffling in between the stuffed ladybugs Marinette had brought from home a year ago. "Do you promise that you will believe anything I say?" said the downcast eleven-year-old. Nino nodded. He had complete faith in his best friend and wouldn't doubt her for a second.

"So, I was visited by a lady who apparated or something-" She was cut off by an inquisitive Nino. "What does that mean?" Marinette frowned. She had asked how the lady had gotten there so Madam Meghrima must have apparated there! "She just appeared. Then she told me something. You won't believe it-" She was cut off once more. "Marinette," Nino growled. "Please stop doubting me. I believe you. Whatever you say." Marinette nodded meekly. "So there are such things as witches and wizards in our world. And they can do magic!" she said, growing more and more excited by the second. "And I'm a witch! I can do magic with a stick and I can make potions and I can fly on a broomstick and I can have a magic wand and-" Before Marinette could continue, Nino stopped her in her tracks. "Wait so let me get this straight. You are a witch," he said incredulously. Marinette nodded excitedly. "And you can fly on a broomstick?" Marinette nodded. "And you can make potions?" Nod. " And you can do magic with a wand?" Marinette sighed exasperatedly. "Yes, Nino! And it's all true!"

There was a gust of wind and the window burst open, sending goosebumps over the children's arms. "Shut it, Marinette! Help me shut the window!" screeched Nino. Marinette laughed and dragged her feet over to the window. A blur of white shot through the window and Marinette ducked to avoid being hit. A beautiful, white snowy owl circled the room, looking for a place to land. It finally settled on the cluttered desk and motion to his leg. Marinette looked at it. A tightly bound scroll, not unlike the one she had received this afternoon, was tied to the owl's leg. Wary of the impatient bird, she bent over, her deft finger untying the tight knot with ease. A seal of wax secured the scroll shut and Marinette slipped a slender finger underneath, giving it a clean break. Nino peered over her shoulder. In curly handwriting, it read:

Dear Mr Lahiffe,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at the Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list of all the necessary books and equipment. Term begins on the 1st of September. We await your owl by no later than the 31st of July.

Signed, Professor Alejandro Ramirez

The words bounced around her skull. Nino was a wizard. NINO WAS A WIZARD! Nino stared blankly at the page. And screamed. Marinette clapped her hands over her ears. Who knew her best friend could produce such an ear-piercing sound? Elena ran up from downstairs, rattled to the bone from the racket sounding above her. She flung open a door to find Marinette leaning away from a screaming Nino, both of her hands on her ears. "Nino, honey! Stop!" she screeched. Nino stopped and stared at his mother in surprise. Then smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Why were you screaming in the first place?" asked Elena. Marinette loved that she rarely ever got mad, whether it was a prank or an accident. She always managed to see the bright side of everything. Nino held out the parchment to her. Elena squealed. "When Sabine told me, I'd hardly believed her! But it's true, oh it's true!" Elena bounced around the room waving her hands in the air. She caught them staring at her and she stopped, smiling. "This is amazing!" she shouted. "So you knew about these wizards and witches? AND DIDN'T TELL ME?!" exclaimed Nino. Elena shrugged. "It had to be kept a secret," she said plainly. Then she looked at the piece of paper. "'We await your owl by no later than July 31st'? That's next week! And where do we get an owl from?"

As if on cue, the snowy owl glided into the room silently, pruning its feathers on the desk. "Ah, perfect!" said Elena, snatching a pen out of the holder on Nino's desk. "'Hello there! We would love to come! But we have no idea what to do. Thanking you graciously, Elena Lahiffe and Nino Lahiffe' That should do it. Maybe they'll send us a person to show you the ropes," Elena smiled. Pulling a strip of tape out of its holder, she secured the piece of paper and taped it to the owl's leg. The owl screeched and Marinette scuttled behind Nino, while Nino tried to shove himself behind Marinette. However, Elena continued taping the note to the owl's leg, unfazed. Once the paper was secure, Elena straightened up, admiring her handiwork. "Off you go," she said as she gently picked the owl up. Stroking its head, Elena let it fly into the night, firmly closing the window after it. "There," she said, brushing her hands off. "Dinner's ready, darlings. Come on down soon." The door shut and Marinette let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "We're going to have so much fun together!" said Nino, swinging Marinette around. Marinette looked down. Nino would go to Hogwarts, and she would have to stay here. "Nino, but I need an invite to come. I got one from Beauxbatons, not Hogwarts. I can't go with you," she said looking downcast. Nino put on a face. He had a plan. He was prepared for this.

"Hey, you guys! Come down or you'll have cold food!" Elena called. "Coming Mum!" called Nino. "Come on, Marinette," he said soothingly. "I have a plan." Marinette gave him a small smile and let Nino lead her down the stairs. They slid into chairs and Elena came in carrying a little boy. Pulling up a high chair, she settled Chris down and set down plates in front of the two friends. Elena scooped mashed potatoes and gravy onto their plates, alongside schnitzel and green beans. Nino poked at his beans and groaned. "Mum! Do I have to eat everything?" he moaned. Elena waved her fork at Nino and motioned to Marinette, who was shovelling food into her mouth as fast as humanly possible, moaning at every mouthful. "Marinette appreciates it. Woman up, Nino." Nino sighed and started eating. After dinner, Marinette and Nino skittered up the stairs to watch a movie. Marinette grabbed his laptop and dragged him over to her mattress. Nino sat down and watched Marinette enter his password and pull up Disney movies. "So which one? I don't mind Brave, Tangled or Mulan. Big Hero 6 is great and so is Onward. Any other suggestions?" asked Marinette. Nino considered this and picked his favourite movie of all time. "Brave should do it," he said in a Scottish accent. Marinette giggled and played the movie, snuggling up in the pillows. By the time the curse had been reversed, both of them had fallen fast asleep. Little snores floated around the room. Elena peered into the room. Marinette's head lolled onto Nino's shoulder and Nino was resting his head on top of hers. Elena smiled and laid a blanket over them both.

Sunlight streamed through the window and Nino blinked, his eyes adjusting to the light. He lifted his head off Marinette's, waking her up. "Nino?" she said, her voice slurring. Nino rolled his eyes. Marinette was not a morning person. At their last sleepover, Nino had tried to wake her and she almost hit him over the head with one of her mannequins. Nino shuddered at the memory. Marinette was not a force to be reckoned with. He slid out from the blanket that had mysteriously appeared overnight. He suspected the mother of the house. Oh well. Nino trudged over to the bathroom and almost fell asleep brushing his teeth. He walked back to his room to see Marinette, sadly staring at her hands. Nino frowned and put a hand on her shoulder. "What's up, Marinette?" he asked worriedly. Marinette gave him a pained smile and mumbled a yes, before turning away to hide her the tiny twitching of her eye. Nino scowled. "I know you're lying, Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Marinette looked at him curiously with a look that clearly asked, how? "Your eye twitches when you lie. Just a little bit. Three times." Marinette sighed and said, "I don't want to leave you." Nino raised his eyebrows in surprise and smiled. "Like I said last night, I have a plan. And it's a secret, so don't even," he chided when he saw Marinette interrupt eagerly. Marinette smiled and nodded.

They trooped downstairs and were eating cereal when Nino remembered that in one weeks time, it would be the 31st of July! "A minute!" he said as he slurped down the rest of his cereal milk and dashed upstairs. Marinette, however, planned to take her time and sat daintily sipping at her milk. Nino burst into his room puffing. He looked out his window and breathed a sigh of relief. Whoever sent the owl must have known that he would need one today. He scribbled a note and taped it shut. Nino paused. Was he supposed to yell at the owl to come here? He opened his window and gingerly said, "I have a note for, whosit, Ramirez or something like that." The owl gave him a sceptical look. Or as close to a sceptical look as an owl can produce. Giving a bored hoot, the owl flapped over to him. Nino gulped. He was afraid of owls. Nino stuck the note out in front of him, not wanting to look at the owl's beady eyes for any longer than necessary. The note left his hand and he opened his eyes cautiously to see the white feathers disappearing through the clouds. He smiled wildly. "That was a nice thing to do for her, you know," said a voice behind him. Nino jumped a meter into the air, before whipping around to see Elena.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Don't tell her?" said Elena. Nino nodded, feeling excited again. "Don't tell her what?" asked Marinette. Nino and Elena panicked. "That we are going on a trip to London so we can get Nino to his school of MAGIC!" Elena blurted. Nino gasped. Then tried to pretend he didn't. Marinette gave him one of her looks. Okaaaaaay then," she said suspiciously then stalked off to find cookies. "Phew," breathed Nino. "But are we really going to London?" he asked. Elena nodded excitedly and squealed, "It was going to be a surprise. I've always wanted to go to London anyway." With that, Elena left Nino to sort out the events of the morning alone. They were going to London. But hopefully, he would get a reply to his letter before that.

Marinette stuck her hand in the cookie jar and chewed on the cookie, feeling a weird heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Footsteps thudded down the stairs. Some little voice paused time and asked Marinette, "Don't you think you should hide?" Marinette raised her eyebrows and said, "Why it's probably only Elena or Nino." The little voice clicked its tongue at her and she said, "Alright alright." Sighing, she ducked behind the door. Nino skipped down the stairs, widely. Marinette rolled her eyes at the voice inside her head. The little voice whispered, "Wait for it…" Marinette waited. Nino sat at the table waiting expectantly and a hoot acknowledged him. Nino clapped his hands before looking around sheepishly. A white owl streamed through the window holding a roll of parchment in its claws. Dropping it on the table, it gave one last annoyed hoot before swooping back out the window. Nino broke the seal scattering bits of wax everywhere. Marinette watched as his eyes quickly skimmed the contents of the parchment. Nino squealed loudly and Marinette almost fell out of her hiding spot behind the door.

"Mum It worked!" he yelled then raced upstairs yelling for Marinette. Marinette's eyes widened. She dashed upstairs and shut herself in the bathroom and opened the door when Nino walked past. "There you are, Marinette! I've been looking everywhere! I have awesome news!" Grabbing her hand. He led her into his room. Nino jumped up and down, a gleeful smile donning his face. Marinette quirked an eyebrow. "You can come too!" he shouted, grabbing her hands and swinging her around. "Come where?" she asked, still confused. On holiday with them so that she could say goodbye to Nino? Nino didn't stop whirling her around. "To Hogwarts, to Hogwarts, to Hogwarts!" Marinette stopped twirling. Nino screeched and fell into the little corner of the room where they watched the movie last night. "How?" she said in a shaky voice. Marinette's quiet voice scared Nino. "Did you not want to come? I sent a letter this morning asking the professor if he had a spare spot for you and he sent a letter just now saying that it was okay. If you don't want to come, it's fine, I can just send him another letter saying that he should just ignore everything I said or-" he was cut off by Marinette hugging him so hard that he had to hold his breath. "Marinette? Need to breathe…" Marinette gasped and let him go, leaving Nino to pull some air into his lungs.

"Thank you, Nino. So much." Nino smiled. "That's what I'm here for," he grinned. Marinette's smile dropped. "What about Maman and Papa?" she asked, worry etching her tone. "Mum's taking care of that," Nino said, the grin never leaving his face. A big booming knock sounded through the house. Marinette grinned. She would recognise that knock anywhere. She bolted down the stairs, three at a time. Elena opened the door just as she got there. "Papa!" yelled Marinette, flinging herself into his arms. Nino peered out from under his mother's arm and grinned at Tom, who awarded him a wink that practically said, 'I have eclairs left over from yesterday'. "Papa, did you know?" Marinette said, looking at her father. Tom smiled. "Mrs Lahiffe called us just now. I told your mother and she has said that it's fine for you to go to Hogwarts. I'm fine with it as well, but you'll have to come home to pack a few things before you four leave for London," smiled Tom. Marinette frowned. "Four?" Elena giggled. "We can't leave little Chris, now can we?" Marinette giggled a no. "So I've come to pick you up, bug!" said Tom, waving bye to Elena. Marinette waved goodbye too. Marinette's silk shirt flapped in the winter wind. Tom wrapped her up in his scarf and Marinette snuggled up against his big bulky figure, smelling of bakery warmth. A sudden wave of heat hit her and she poked her head out from the folds of her father's jacket to see the inside of the bakery, bustling with customers old and new, taking shelter from the awful weather.

Marinette jumped down from her father and grabbed a hoodie from the living room before coming down into the bakery to help her mother with the morning rush. She smiled at the usuals and welcomed the newcomers, showing them the offers and specials. "Marinette!" cried Manon. "Hello, Manon! Hello, Mrs Chamack!" said Marinette brightly. Everyone knew Tom and Sabine's daughter. Smart, sweet, kind and beautiful, no-one had a bad word to say about her. There was a knock on the bakery door. The twenty or so people turned to see who was next. Marinette slipped through the crowd and opened the door. A grubby old man with a tangled beard and hair looked up at her through squinted eyes. His tattered coat hung limply over his bony frame, as though it had given up as well. Marinette looked at the man for a while, before smiling and saying, "Are you cold, Monsieur?" Then she let the old man shuffle in. Sabine gasped in horror and rushed to the man's side, taking off his cloak, and rushing up the stairs with it. The frail old man raised his hand out after her in protest but Marinette put a kind hand on his and simply said, "She's just going to wash it for you. We'll get you some warm clothes." With that, she settled him down on one of the tables and the kindly people of Paris offered him their warm treats.

Sabine hurried back, one of Tom's big fluffy sweaters and Tom himself in tow. Sabine dragged the man off, chattering about washing his soiled shirt and giving him free breakfast, no excuses. Marinette came back with a freshly made pie and coffee and set them down on his table. As she trudged up the stairs, Manon came tottering behind her. Marinette smiled. She had a soft spot for the cheeky toddler. Mari lifted her up saying, "What's up monkey?" Manon smiled at her nickname. "Where going?" Everyone stopped talking to listen. No-one wanted Marinette gone. "B-Boarding school." All at once, all the women stood up and rushed over to Marinette and gave her a hug. She thanked them and smiled saying, "You don't want your drinks to go cold!" The women subduedly back to their tables and carried on with their conversations. Marinette sighed at the scene. A warm, brightly lit bakery, smells of chocolate and pastries wafting around, people chatting and laughing together. Together. Marinette skipped up the stairs, her happy mood rejuvenated. There was a huff behind her and turned around, curious. Tom was lugging a huge trunk up the stairs. "It's for you to pack your stuff in, bug," grunted Tom.

The trunk was heaved into Marinette's room and Marinette kissed her father's cheek. "Thanks, Papa!" said Marinette. "Anytime, bug," smiled Tom. He trudged down the stairs, leaving Marinette to label her trunk. "Aha!" cried Marinette. Throwing open one of her drawers, she whipped out a reel of gold string and a sewing needle. She threaded the thread through the needle's eye and secured it. Pressing the tip of the needle's tip into the hard fabric of the trunk, she began to embroider her name into the front of her trunk. Soon enough, 'Marinette Dupain-Cheng' was embroidered into the cover of the trunk, glittering in the dim morning light. The sound of a tinkling bell alerted her that a customer had just entered the shop. Marinette hurried downstairs, tripping on the last step and somehow falling on her back. Getting up, she dusted herself off and tottered back to the register. Elena smiled back at her from the other side of the bench. Marinette grinned and gave her a hug saying, "Hello Elena! Can I help you?" Elena giggled and said no, sitting down after snatching one of their croissants. A group of people got up, tipping their empty cups into the bin. Theo tapped his credit card and said, "Thanks Marinette! It was delicious, still the best bakery in all of France, I see!" Marinette blushed and giggled, "Oh no, Theo. Thank you for coming! See you tomorrow?" Theo nodded and he and his friends left the bakery, bellies full of warmth.

Slowly, the morning rush trickled down to a few people grabbing lunch to go and the bakery was empty. Elena still sat at the same table, fingers flying over her computer keys. Marinette grabbed a sandwich for lunch and sat down in front of her. "I'm not interrupting, am I?" she said, not wanting to intrude. Elena smiled and said, "Of course not, dear. I'm just booking flights!" Marinette squealed. "You can get to packing your trunk now. We'll leave tomorrow at noon," Elena said, not looking up from her screen. Marinette was about to go up to her room when Sabine walked out with the old man, now in fresh clothes, new shoes and a tamed beard. Sabine packed a bag with pies and pastries and handed the bag to him. "There you go! Drop by anytime!" she said with a bright smile. The old man timidly said in a scratchy voice, "But Mademoiselle, I have no money to repay your kindness." Sabine waved away his protests with a hand before ushering him out into the bleak sunlight. The old man smiled at Marinette. "My good luck befall you and your loved ones." and with that he left the bakery behind, shuffling off. "I'm going to pack my trunk with what I've got!" shouted Marinette. "Ok bug! Don't leave anything you might need," called Tom.

Marinette skipped up the stairs. She threw open her cupboard. She neatly folded up five silk nightshirts and tucked them into a little pocket to the side of the trunk. Five pairs of track pants. A loom of hair ties. Five pairs of socks. Should I pack anything nice? she thought. Nodding, she looked through her closet. Three dresses hung there. One big, blue poofy one she had worn to her mother's friend's wedding. Marinette scrutinised it. Nope. Moving it aside, she inspected the next one. A pink dress that was just the right size. Marinette picked it up and turned it around. Then frowned. There was a big tear. She would need to sew it back together again later. Putting it back with a sigh, she picked the last one up and smiled. Her father had gotten it for her 10th birthday as a present. A floor-length slim dress, one strap to hold it up, a gold belt at her waist with a gold ladybug with glittering red gems inlaid in it as the spots. At the neck of the hanger, the gold bracelet with the same ladybug charm lay alongside a plain gold necklace. Marinette smiled to herself. Perfect. She neatly folded up the black dress, making sure to put the accessories in as well. The trunk was very spacious and it all fit in with plenty of room for books and sorts later. Marinette sighed in relief and trudged down the stairs into the living room. Sabine welcomed her with open arms, guiding her to her seat. "What's going on?" she asked, confused.

"It's your last night in Paris, isn't it sweetie?" smiled Sabine. Marinette smiled sadly. If there were two things she would be sad about leaving behind, it would be her parents and Paris. Marinette smiled sadly. "Yeah…" she said. "So I've made a treat! Cordon Bleu au poulet!" laughed Sabine. Tom scurried into the room and sat in the seat next to Marinette. "Thank you, Maman! And you, Papa!" laughed Marinette. "Anytime, bug!" said Sabine in a deep voice, imitating Tom. The family had their dinner and all was peaceful. The stars glittered outside and on the other side of the house, there was a loud crack. A tall thin woman wearing a hooded cloak appeared on the Dupain-Cheng's balcony. A pale hand slipped out from the folds of velvet that encased her, holding a long stick, patterns engraved in it. The woman muttered something under her breath and there was a click, letting the woman open the hatch into the girl's bedroom. The lady stared in and saw the trunk alongside a copy of the equipment needed for wizarding school. "Ah, Hogwarts," mumbled the woman. She slipped out, locking the door behind her. A gust of wind knocked the woman's hood back, revealing her face for a brief moment before she quickly pulled it over her face again. Once again, there was a crack and Madam Meghrima disappeared.

Marinette blinked. Sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, shining in her eyes. There was something special about today. She just couldn't remember what it was. Her eyes landed on the trunk at the foot of her bed, the gold thread shining in the sunlight. Then it clicked. She was going to London today! The chatter downstairs caught her attention and she listened in, hearing her Papa, Maman and Elena talking. Chris was nattering about something and she heard Nino's laugh. They were all here. She hopped out of bed and dashed into the bathroom. Careful to brush her teeth for two whole minutes, she got changed into a pair of black stockings and a white, long sleeve shirt. Then she threw on some overalls that had a little ladybug embroidered on the pocket and brushed her hair back into two pigtails securing them with two red hair ties. She smiled at the girl in the mirror and flipped open her trunk. After double-checking everything, she hauled the trunk downstairs and the grunting caught Tom's attention. "Here bug, let me help you," he said as he lifted it up, out of Marinette's hands. "Thanks, Papa," Marinette smiled. Sabine fumbled with a bag and handed it to Marinette. "There are macaroons in there and a few pastries too, in case you get hungry." Marinette grinned wildly and clutched it tightly. "Here," said Tom, as he passed a grey backpack to Marinette. She tucked the parcel inside alongside a book, her copy of equipment for Hogwarts and a plush ladybug. "Hey Marinette!" said Nino brightly. "Ready to do some magic?" he said, waving a knobbly stick in the air.

"Yeah!" cried Marinette, jumping into the air. Suddenly, the stick Nino was holding started floating. Then as soon as it started, it dropped to the floor. "Did you see that?!" The two kids shrieked. "See what?" asked all the adults. "Nothing," mumbled Nino. Sabine handed a bag to Nino. "Same as Marinette's except there are eclairs, not macaroons," she said. Nino smiled and put it in his blue duffle bag. "Thanks, Mrs Cheng!" Elena checked her watch, tapping her foot. "Sorry to break it to you, but if we want to be at the airport by noon, then we need to leave now. It's 10:00 and it takes around 32 minutes to get to the Roissy Charles de Gaulle. And our flight leaves at 12:07. So we need to be going." Sabine sniffed and wrapped Marinette in a big hug. "I'll miss you, sweetie. Send me letters every day, okay?" Marinette hugged her mother back and said, "Okay, Maman. I will. Say goodbye to Manon for me." Sabine agreed and let her go. Marinette turned to her father. "Come here, bug." Marinette skipped into her father's arms. "It's not goodbye. It's more of a see you later," Tom said softly. "Yeah. See you later… I like the sound of that." Tom released her and the adults said their goodbyes. "Bye Maman, bye Papa!" yelled Marinette yelled out the window. Tom and Sabine waved back, both sad to see their daughter go.

They drove past the Seine and the Eiffel Tower in all their glory. People and buildings whizzed by as Marinette and Nino chattered in excitement about the upcoming week. Five days in London, not counting today, then Hogwarts! In what seemed like a few minutes, they arrived at the airport. They put the trunks away to be taken to the main loading dock and whizzed past customs and checkpoints with no problems. Soon, they were boarding the plane. An air hostess asked Marinette for her passport and Marinette handed it over. "Thank you. Enjoy your flight." Marinette shuffled down the aisle behind Elena. "Here's my seat! Chris is next to me in the window seat and Nino is in the aisle seat which leaves you, Marinette," said Elena. Marinette started to worry. What if she couldn't come? Would she have to drop out of Hogwarts? "Oh there it is, you're in front of us. Is that okay with you?" asked Elena, concerned. "No, it's okay, Elena," Marinette said happily. She slipped into the seat, her trunk safely stowed underneath the plane alongside Nino's. "But George, I'll be fine in my own seat!" Marinette looked to where she heard the voice. A boy with golden hair was standing in front of a huge man, who made a grunting noise, then nodded. "Yes! Thanks, George!" said the boy, pumping a hand in the air.

The boy turned around and caught her eyes. He had the most beautiful green eyes, as green as newly sprouted grass in the spring. His hair shone like the sun in the light and his smile made her want to smile as well. In her head she nicknamed him Sunshine, to match his hair. Marinette wasn't the best at nicknames. Sunshine looked at his boarding pass and his eyes skimmed the signs above the seats. He finally found one that matched his ticket and made his way down the aisle. To Marinette's surprise, Sunshine came and sat down next to her! George set himself down in the next aisle and grunted, picking up a magazine and flicking through it. Sunshine boy smiled a dazzling smile and stuck his hand out. "Adrien Agreste. Pleased to meet you, Mademoiselle…?" Marinette blinked. No-one had called her mademoiselle before! "M-Marinette. Um, Marinette Dupain-Cheng," she said, shaking his hand. "Part Chinese? Father's just enrolled me in Chinese lessons but then I got my letter,`` Adrien said. Then he stopped short. Marinette's eyes widened. "What letter?" she said shakily. "Um, I have a photoshoot in, um, London. Yeah, photoshoot in London," he said. "Photoshoot?" asked Marinette. "You don't know who I am?" asked Adrien, looking excited. "I'm a model for my father's brand." Marinette gasped. Adrien Agreste. Son of Gabriel Agreste! "Gabriel is my idol!" she said excitedly. "I love fashion designing and he inspires so many of my works!" she nattered. Adrien giggled. Nino coughed behind them.

"Oh!" said Marinette sheepishly. "Adrien, this is Nino. He's my best friend. Nino, this is Adrien." Nino narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Adrien stuck out his hand again and said. "Hi! I'm Adrien! Pleased to meet you, Nino!" Nino abandoned his cause and smiled brightly. "Nino," he said, shaking Adrien's hand. Adrien turned back to face Marinette. He had just opened his mouth to say something when there was a small ringing. A voice over the plane speaker interrupted him. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Air France 1680, where the local time is 12:10 pm. The outside temperature is 21 degrees Celsius. Our flight will last one hour and twenty minutes. For your comfort and safety, please remain with your seatbelt fastened until the aircraft comes to a complete stop and the seatbelt sign has been switched off. Should you wish to use your mobile phones, please do so after the seat belt sign has been switched off. Before leaving the aircraft, make sure to take all of your personal belongings with you by checking the seat pocket and the overhead locker. If you have a connecting flight, make sure you're at the gate not later than 45 minutes before departure. For any assistance, ask our staff. We thank you for choosing Air France and hope you will enjoy the flight with us. We look forward to serving you. Thank you!"

The little ringing noise sounded again and the air hostesses began to demonstrate safety procedures. What to do if there's a fire, what to do if oxygen masks come down, what to do in emergency landings, that sort of thing. Then the air hostesses came around, checking if everyone had their seatbelts on. A hostess with the name tag Aria stopped at Marinette and Adrien's row. "Are you unaccompanied minors?" she asked. Elena quickly spoke up. "No, ma'am, the girl's with me. And I believe the boy is with the gentleman over there," Elena said, motioning to a fast asleep George. "Okay. Thank you, ma'am," said Aria. Then she strolled along the aisle looking for anyone else who needed help with their seat belts. Adrien sighed and settled back. Then the plane began to rumble along the runway. Marinette whimpered. The noise was deafening. It was like it was hitting the inside of her ears as hard as it could and Marinette put her hands over her ears. She looked between the gap between the seats. Elena was looking excitedly out the window. The noise wasn't affecting her. Chris was looking out of the window as well, marvelling at the way everything sped past. Nino was falling asleep. Modes of transport did that to him, it was like the vibration would send him to sleep. Knowing him, he'd be out cold the whole flight.

The rumbling got louder before it wasn't even a rumble any more. It was roaring. Marinette clutched her hands over her ears, willing for the aching in her ear to stop. "Are you okay, Marinette?" said Adrien. He'd gotten worried when the girl had put her hands over her ears. "It hurts," she whispered. "Oh," said Adrien, surprised. He'd been doing modelling from a very young age, meaning he had to go overseas regularly. Adrien lifted the hand rest and shuffled as close as he could go to her while still wearing his seat belt. Marinette looked up at him. And smiled. But then she went back to whimpering as the noise intensified one last time. Adrien frowned and put a hand on her back, stroked her back in circles, calming her down. The plane lifted off from the runway and the noise decreased. But the shock of being off the ground had scared Marinette so much that she had to muffle a shriek. Adrien was very surprised when she turned around and buried her face in his chest. "A-Adrien, I'm scared," she stammered. Adrien put one arm around her and one hand to his face, trying to rub the blush from his cheek. "U-Um, hey, it's going to be okay. Just take deep breaths." They stayed like this for half-an-hour, breathing and just being. Marinette had nodded off, and when the seatbelt sign switched off, he clicked her seatbelt off and laid her head on his shoulder.

The two children lay in their seats, leaning against each other. The rattling trolley woke Marinette and she mumbled something unintelligible, waking up Adrien. Adrien blushed a deep red. Marinette sat up straight, blushing an astonishing crimson. "I-I'm so sorry! Are you okay? Oh my god…" Adrien laughed and hugged her. Marinette blushed even harder if that was possible. She hugged him back. "Thank you, Adrien," she whispered. "It's fine," he whispered back. They broke apart and Marinette slid into her own seat, tucking her legs underneath her. The trolley rattled along and Aria stopped beside them. "Would you like anything from the trolley?" she asked. Marinette sighed and politely declined. Adrien asked her what she had. "Macaroons and pastries!" giggled Marinette. Adrien smiled and ordered two packs of sushi. "Two? Are you that hungry?" laughed Marinette. Adrien tapped a credit card and said, "No, silly. One's for you." Marinette blushed. He had bought something for her. She took out her bag and rummaged through it. She pulled out the package of treats. But unbeknownst to her, her parchment of equipment had fallen out of her bag, onto the floor.

Adrien flipped open his table and Marinette did the same. She opened up her package and took out three macaroons out of her six and held them out to Adrien in a napkin. Adrien licked his lips and glanced over to Goerge. "Thanks, Marinette!" he giggled softly. Marinette grinned and watched as her stuffed one into his mouth. Adrien moaned and ate the other two so fast Marinette just stared wide-eyed. Adrien swallowed and laughed. "Sorry! But these are the BEST! Where do you get them?" Marinette blushed at the praise and said, "My Maman made them. We run a bakery back home." Adrien gasped and said, "Where in France? I live in Bordeaux but we came to do a photoshoot and to inspect the area. Father was thinking of buying a house here. Well, mansion, not a house." Marinette sighed and said, "No, we've lived in Paris for a long time. Ever since I can remember. And Nino's lived here for as long as I can remember as well." Adrien giggled and passed her the tray of sushi. "Thanks, Adrien!" said Marinette. "I love Japanese food!" She dug into the sushi and sashimi and so did Adrien. "We will be landing in a moment. For your safety, please fold your food trays in and put on your seatbelts. We suggest that you also take this moment to pack your personal belonging up. Thank you for your cooperation," said the speakers. Adrien stuffed the rest of his sashimi into his mouth and Marinette laughed at the mess he was making.

She pulled out a napkin and handed it to Adrien, who took it gratefully and cleaned himself up. The trolley came rattling along once more and Marinette and Adrien threw their trash into the bin. Adrien spotted the parchment and his heart stopped. Was this what he thought it was? He picked up and was about to unfurl it when it was snatched out his hand by a flustered looking Marinette. "Wh-What is that?" asked Adrien. "Um, it's nothing. Nothing important" lied Marinette. No-one was meant to know! Marinette shoved the parchment into the depths of her backpack. Adrien shook his head and told himself that it was nothing. The seatbelt sign switched on and Marinette raised an eyebrow, shutting Adrien's food tray for him. "Oh," said Adrien sheepishly. He clicked his seatbelt on and Marinette did the same. The plane began to descend in spirals, dropping in altitude. Marinette gripped the edge of the seat tightly. She did NOT like planes. Adrien watched her and took her hand. Every time the plane dropped, Marinette would clench his hand so tightly that he would almost regret it. Almost, but no, he didn't regret it yet. Marinette was his first friend other than Chloe. And Nino, of course. Any friend of Marinette's was his friend, too. After a few minutes, the plane landed with a rattle and Marinette sighed in relief.

Adrien laughed and looked at Marinette, her face pressed up against the window, staring as the runway rolled away letting the Aerobridge connect to the plane. Elena shook Nino awake. "Honey, we're here!" she smiled. Nino jerked awake. He asked his mother, "Where's Marinette?" Marinette giggled and said, "I'm right here, Nino, don't worry!" Adrien looked Marinette wistfully, wishing he had that kind of bond with Chloe, or even better, Marinette. Adrien unclicked his seatbelt and slid out of his seat. He padded over to George who was still snoring and tapped him. George shot up and Adrien smiled at him. "We're here!" he said cheerfully. George grunted and flipped open the overhead locker, taking out Adrien's small suitcase. Marinette slid between the seats and into the aisle. "Nino, we're here! I'm so excited!" she squealed. Nino laughed and from where he was standing, Adrien watched them. Was this how best friends were supposed to be? Laughing, joking and just being themselves? He and Chloe were never like this anymore. They were, once. But not anymore. Father had told him that if you show the real you, they'll leave you for being imperfect. But Marinette and Nino were the best of friends. And Adrien could pick out dozens of flaws! Marinette would laugh at anything and everything, even when Nino was being serious and Nino would snort every time she said something funny. They were imperfect. But he loved that.

Everyone in the plane got in line to leave. Adrien snuck himself and George in behind Marinette and Nino, listening to their conversation. He wasn't eavesdropping, just listening! But Marinette was observant. She turned around and smiled at Adrien. "Hi. Adrien! I hope you have fun at your photo shoot!" Nino raised an eyebrow. "Photoshoot?" he asked. "Adrien is the son of my idol, Gabriel Agreste, remember?" she said, an accusatory tone in her voice. "Yup! Totally!" said Nino, giving Marinette an unconvincing grin. They all shuffled forward and soon enough, they were at the head of the line. "Bye Adrien!" said Marinette sadly. Adrien prepared to say goodbye as well, but the thing she said next took him by surprise. "I'll miss you." She gave him a peck on the cheek and dashed off to catch up with Nino, Elena and Chris. Adrien watched her backpack bounce into the distance when George grunted and gave him a little push forward. "Sorry," said Adrien dazedly. He touched his cheek where Marinette had kissed him and sighed. He sure hoped they would meet again someday. Marinette, Elena, Nino and Chris all caught a bright yellow taxi. All of them were fluent in English, so speaking to them was not a problem. They drove to their hotel and spent the rest of the day settling in. The next few days were spent in anticipation, waiting for someone to come and show them how to get to the shop to buy their things. Then one rainy day, someone did. A very big someone.

A/N:

Thanks for reading guys! Next chapter's coming soon and let me tell you, I did SOOO much research on this. Took me a long time. Anyway, I hope you learn a little about, *ahem* Diagon Alley in the next chapter. In case you were wondering, I aim for approx. 40 paragraphs or 20 pages on a google doc at font size 12 Quicksand. I'm not sure if I'm going to include Ladybug in this fanfic. I'm trying to think of ways, but I don't see why they would need superheroes when they could easily stop it with magic. If you have ideas, then please send them to me in reviews! Oh, and before you ask, yes, Tikki, Plagg, Trixx, Wayzz, and Pollen are in this fanfic. With all of the other kwamis, too. And a few kwamis of my own creation. All right, see you later! Bug out!