A/N: This story has been incredibly easy to write so far (two chapters in two days ;D), and I hope you guys like it as much as I liked writing it. Without further ado, Chapter 2!
When she'd been told that magic was real, she was expecting the cliché sparkles and unicorns and brightly colored, babbly magicians with outrageous hairstyles and cool pets. She was NOT expecting it to be so...normal.
The people— ehem, witches and wizards —crowding the streets of Diagon Alley all wore dark colored, flowing robes, but other than that they seemed like average shoppers. Most were immersed in conversation with one another, and paying little to no attention to the going-ons around them. The hustle bustle nearly matched that of Maya's hometown of New York, and she almost felt at home among the maze of stores and alleys.
That is, until she spotted the cloaked figure of what appeared to be a small goblin sidle past her. And the boys on the street over floating a few feet off the ground on broomsticks (of all things) in front of a, well, what appeared to be a broomstick shop. Not to mention the mysterious cawing and screeching coming from the brightly displayed...was that a pet shop?...by where she was standing. Maybe not so normal. Still, anything beat the torn up neighborhood where she grew up, and Maya was not complaining. She did want to complain, however, about how sore her feet were.
It was now nine o'clock AM, and Maya had arrived in London at six thirty that morning. It had taken her that long just to find the stupid wizard shopping district, and she had not been in the most pleasant of moods on the journey. She'd stopped nearly ten people on the streets outside the airport, asking for directions, before realizing that, of course, they were Muggles, and wouldn't know a thing about the whereabouts of Diagon Alley, a wizard hangout. After that, the only thing she really could do was wander around London, poking down mysterious alleyways and such to see if she could spot any magic folk (not that she knew what they looked like). At eight thirty, she'd spent five of her precious dollars, converted into pounds (the English currency), at a small café for breakfast. She'd finally lucked out there, overhearing a conversation between the family in the booth over and realizing that they were talking about the very place she needed to go— Diagon Alley. Thirty arduous minutes of chasing after them later, Maya was finally where she needed to be.
But she still had no idea what to do now that she'd arrived. Maya was fairly certain that wizards would not be using pounds or dollars to purchase their wares, and she wasn't sure if there was some magical ATM around for her to convert what little money she had.
"MAYA!? Oh my god, is that really you?!" Maya whipped around at the sound of the voice, strangely familiar, and was greeted by long brown hair and a dazzling smile. Riley?!
No way. In Maya's rule book, fate was not and never would be a thing. Good things like Riley Matthews did not keep happening to broken things like her. Yet...there Riley was, in all her glittery glory, wearing a robe exactly like those of all the people around her. She also toted a large shopping bag full of books in one hand, witch a broomstick sticking out at the top. She was still beaming at Maya, and Maya couldn't help but manage a weak grin in return.
"Hey Riley. It's nice to see you again."
"Oh my god, oh my god, I am FREAKING OUT here. When you mentioned a private boarding school, I didn't think you could have possibly meant Hogwarts, but–"
"RILEY! Stop wandering off so much! We still have a lot of shopping to finish up before we head to the train station!" The woman, man, and little boy (Riley's family) were at the end of the street, and Maya turned to bid farewell to her tall brunette "friend". But before any words had left Maya's mouth, Riley latched onto her arm and dragged her across the street to where her family was waiting.
"You haven't finished your school shopping yet, have you? You absolutely HAVE to come with me and my family!"
Maya's head spun. She and Riley had basically just met, and here Riley was with yet another traveling offer. Maya was conflicted about whether or not to accept. As great as Riley seemed, if there was one thing New York street life had taught Maya, it was to trust and depend on no one.
Yet, she admitted grudgingly, she couldn't lie to herself. There was no way she was going to get her school shopping done without at least a little guidance. Just this once, she promised herself. After this, Maya Hart would walk with nothing and no one.
"Mom, Dad, Auggie, meet my new friend Maya! She's the one I was talking to at the airport. I think fate must have brought us together because, well, what are the chances the one random stranger you choose to speak to happens to be going to the exact same school you are? And Hogwarts, a magical school at that!"
Riley had let go of Maya's arm, and was now babbling excitedly to her parents and Auggie, who Maya assumed was the name of the little boy standing with them (Riley's younger brother?). Maya couldn't help gazing in wonder at the brunette. Where did this girl get all her positive energy? She could tell by the way that some passerby were staring at them that they wondered it too.
"-and we're going to be the very best friends ever and-" Riley seemed even more hyped than before, and her mother gave her an exasperated look before turning to Maya. Maya gulped a little. Mrs. Matthews was a very nice looking lady, but Maya could tell that she wasn't stupid. Maya's ratty jeans and dark t-shirt, along with her combat boots and backwards baseball cap, gave her a dark, street-rat look that no mother in their right mind would allow their child near. Riley's mother, unlike her daughter, would not trust Maya so easily. Maya shook her offered hand firmly.
"Hello, Maya. I'm Topanga Matthews, Riley's mom. Are you going into your first year at Hogwarts too?"
"Yes. I-"
"Mom, don't interrogate her! You'll scare her off!" Mrs. Matthews rolled her eyes at her daughter, but didn't reply. "Anyways, I'm pretty sure Maya came here alone. Can she please please please come shopping with us?" Riley turned puppy dog eyes on her parents. Maya felt a sting at Riley's mention of her no-show parents, but brushed it off. After all, the innocent girl knew nothing about her home life.
"Of course it's okay with us." This time, it was Riley's father who spoke. He was giving Maya a scrutinizing look, and Maya suddenly got the feeling that he could see right through her. Maybe he could. It had to be possible in the magical world, right? "Maya, are you here with your parents or alone?"
"I-I'm alone, sir."
"Sir! Topanga, can you remember the last time somebody's called me "sir"? It's always 'Professor Matthews this' and 'Professor Matthews that' nowadays." His serious demeanor changed instantaneously, and he turned gleaming eyes on his wife. Maya thought his manner of speech greatly resembled that of Riley's. Another pang hit her heart. How much would she have resembled her father, had he stayed?
"Dad, stop rambling!" Riley gave her father a look. Maya stifled a smirk. Riley, telling someone to stop rambling? They'd spent less than fifteen minutes together, yet Maya already felt as if she had known Riley for a lifetime. Was this what friendship felt like?
"Maya, you should totally come with us. Shopping is sooooo much more fun with friends!" Riley latched onto Maya's arm once more, and they zoomed off down the street and into an entirely different world.
