Disclaimer: I don't own any of it.

Isabella

I'd heard all about Diagon Alley from my mother. She told me stories when I was younger. Bedtime stories. That's how I know what I do about the wizarding world. God knows that Dad wouldn't have taken the time to explain it to me. He doesn't even know where I've gone. Mum explained to me that if I ever went to a wizarding school then I would be subject to a lot of prejudice from what she called 'purebloods'. I didn't understand what she meant until I walked out of Gringotts and into Madam Malkins. I asked if I could get some plain black robes like it says on the list and while I was waiting for her to measure me up, a boy walked in with what i presumed to be his mother. They were dressed up fancy and the boy's mother looked down her nose at me. I shuffled my feet. She moved her gaze to Madam Malkin who was still measuring me.

"Young Regulas here needs new robes!" The lady announced imperiously. "You will get them for him immediately!"

I started to step down off the measuring stool but Madam Malkins stopped me. "It's alright dear. Mrs Black doesn't mind waiting until you're done. After all, you were here first." She beamed at me. I weakly smiled back.

But Mrs Black, as it turned out, did mind waiting. "You will measure Regulas immediately!" She cried in a shrill voice. The boy, Regulas, looked extremely uncomfortable.

"Mum, really, I don't mind waiting." He tried to calm her.

"Nonsense, Regulas! You are from the noble house of Black! You will not wait around for a blood traitor's daughter!"

I looked at Madam Malkins who was still measuring me as if she had not a care in the world and then back at Regulas. He winked at me and then started to speak, "Mum! Look! It's the Minister of Magic! Quick!" And like lightning he ran out of the store and into the crowd. Mrs Black threw us a filthy look and then departed after her son. I breathed a sigh of relief. After that incident, I quickly went to the other stores and bought what I needed. I scurried back to my room in the Leaky Cauldron and spent the rest of the day looking over my books and equipment.

Lucille

After we had collected enough money for Izzy, we made our way back up and Katrina made the exchanges of her money for ours. After that we split ways and I decided to go and buy some of my school gear before I met up with my parents for ice-cream. I wandered around until I reached the pet shop. I really wanted an owl because they were reputed to be really smart. I looked through the shelves until I found one that I liked. It was all black except for a streak running right down its back that was white. I purchased it and was thinking about a name when I heard someone yelling my name. I looked around and felt the blood drain from my face. It was my ex-boyfriend.

FLASHBACK

"I love you so much. You're everything to me. I will never let you go." he said as he ran his hands up my sides. "Please. Just give yourself to me. I'll love you forever."

He pushed me backwards, shoving me against the wall while running his lips over my neck.

"Eric. Let me go. I don't want this! We've only being going out a month. I want to save myself. Please let me go!"

He chuckled darkly. "You say that but you don't really mean it. Your body tells the truth." He added as he touched me under my shirt and my throat forced out a low moan.

"No! I don't want this! Eric! Let Me Go!" I tried to push him away but he was too strong for me. I opened my mouth to scream but my vocal cords wouldn't co-operate. He shoved me onto his bed and laid down on top of me, his hands roaming under my shirt as I struggled feebly against him.

"Eric! Stop! This is assault! Stop it! Please!"

He growled. "You WILL be mine, Lucy. Tonight you will be mine and no-one else's." He started unbuttoning my blouse as I desperately looked for something to help me. My eyes fell upon his wand, thrown aside in his fit of passion. I stretched my fingers toward it and grabbed it just as he finished on my blouse. His hands moved toward my skirt as I yelled, "Pertrificus Totalus!" He fell off me and onto the ground, completely paralysed. I fumbled with my blouse, doing up the buttons as tears spilled over onto my cheeks.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, "it's over. I can't be with you anymore Eric. I just don't trust you. I can't."

I looked away from his eyes. They were burning hot anger into my soul.

"I'm sorry," I said again as I stumbled out of his dormitory.

END FLASHBACK

Tears were streaming down my face. I hadn't seen him since he tried to rape me and I heard him call my name again. Without thinking about where I was going, I ran into the crowds, trying to get away from that dangerous voice. I dodged and weaved through streets that I didn't recognise until I couldn't hear him anymore. After a while I stopped running and sank to the ground, crying and shivering uncontrollably. I had almost forgotten what had happened and what he had almost done to me. I wiped my eyes and looked around. It was dark, darker than Diagon Alley could be at this time of day. I didn't see anyone that I recognised and everyone looked really dirty. I was in Knockturn Alley. My Mum had always warned me against going down here. I stood up and looked around again, trying to find a way out of here that didn't include asking directions. A voice to my right made me jump.

"Are you lost, dear?" asked a dwarfed, old lady with black teeth, "Do you need some help to find your way home?"

"N-no. I-I'm fine." I replied, trying to think of a plan.

"Ohhh. Its okay, lovey. Me friend's and me'll help you find your way." It was only then that I acknowledged that there were three men and two women surrounding me. "Come with us. We'll help you." One of the men said in what he obviously thought was a comforting way. They started leading me down a side street and I knew that if I disappeared with them, I probably would never see anyone ever again.

"No! I'm fine! Please move out of my way. My boyfriend is waiting for me." I added on pure inspiration.

The men smiled evilly. "Well. I'm sure he wouldn't mind sharing a pretty piece of horseflesh like you." His hand crept out and settled on my waist. I jumped and shivered away from his touch. I decided that this had gone far enough. I pulled out my wand quietly and pointed it at the man who was holding me.

"Pertrificus Totalus! Stupefy! Expelliarmus!" I cast spells at random and then ran for it. I could hear them calling to each other to catch me but it just made me run faster. One of them popped out from no where and shot a Trip jinx at me but I dodged it and kept going. Soon enough I was out of breath. Running from my ex and then these people really tires a girl out. I finally burst into sunlight and the unmistakeable street of Diagon Alley. I looked behind me and shuddered. I could see red eyes gleaming at me out of Knockturn alley. I checked my watch and almost screamed. It was 1:13! My parents were going to kill me!

I started running through the crowds and had Déjà vu all over again. 'When will I start to organise my life?' I thought as I dodged around an old couple. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even see the person that I ran into. All I know was that I was knocked off my feet and hit the ground hard. I quickly stood up and glanced at the person I had knocked down. I recognised her as one of the girls from Gringotts but didn't say anything. I stepped around her and kept running. I had to get to Florean Fortescue's! I finally skidded to halt in front of the ice-cream store, patted my hair down and walked in. The jingle-jangle alerted the other customer's that someone had walked in and everyone stared at me. I spotted my mum and dad and wound my way through the tables over to them.

"And just where have you been?" My mother asked before I could speak. "We've been worried sick!"

'Well, you certainly don't look like you've been worried sick!' I thought as I answered out loud, "I am so sorry! I was looking at owls and just lost track of time and then when I was coming to meet you, I accidentally ran into someone and I had to stop and help them! It's not my fau…"

"That's enough." said my dad, cutting across my babbling. "We expect you to be more responsible! In future, if you know that you are going to be late then call us! We didn't get these muggle contraptions so that they could look pretty!" He added, pointing at my mobile phone.

"Anyway, now that you're here we can go and get the rest of your school gear." said my Mum, releasing the tension.

We paid for the ice-creams and headed off down the road. We purchased all the necessary equipment and some that wasn't necessary but useful just the same. After a long day of shopping, we got the floo home. As soon as I'd tumbled out of the fireplace, I grabbed my purchases and ran into my room.

Katrina

After a while I got bored going through my new stuff so I decided to take a nap considering that I wouldn't be able to have much sleep over the next few nights. I packed everything up into my new Hogwarts trunk and slid it under my bed. Then I turned off my lights and shut the blinds so that I would be able to sleep. I slid into my bed and sighed. My eyes closed and I fell into a deep sleep before my brain could comprehend what was happening.

'I stumbled back out of the room and fell over onto the ground. I sat there trembling. I heard a sound and as I turned around I saw him. My mum's boyfriend. Except he was different. His face was distorted. It was melting, like hot wax. He was morphing into another creature. I opened my mouth to scream but no sound came out. Soon in his place stood another man. One that I recognised.

"Dad?" I asked uncertainly.

It started to laugh. A horrible, high-pitched laugh. It kept going on and on. I tried to cover my ears but I couldn't move. I was frozen with fear.

"No" I whispered. "No, I don't believe it. You left us! Get away!"

He answered in a raspy voice, "No I didn't. Your mother kicked me out. Remember? You were there..."

His voice trailed off and the darkness around me started to take shape. I was standing in a kitchen. My kitchen. My mum was standing with her hands on her hips, glaring at my father who was sitting at the table reading the newspaper. I seemed to be invisible to them. Mum was yelling.

"You never do anything! You don't help around that house at all! You don't keep anything clean! When you go through a room it looks like a bomb went off! What good are you?!"

Dad stood up. He was mad.

"What do I do? Me?! I Work! I have a job and I support you and our daughter! If it wasn't for me then you'd be dead!"

"Being dead would be better than living in this hell-hole with you!" my mum retorted. Neither of them noticed the little girl who had stumbled into the kitchen. She stared, wide-eyed, at her parents.

"You should be dead! You don't deserve to live! And my mess doesn't even start to measure up to your piles of crap! Sometimes I don't know why I stay here!"

"Then leave! It's my house! It's under my name so why don't you just get lost!"

They were both breathing hard from their yelling but they still heard the little girl burst into tears and run from the room. They stared after her. My mum looked at my dad and whispered, "Get out. You made my daughter cry. Now, get out."

He looked at her in disgust but kicked his chair out of the way and stalked out of the house, slamming the front door as he went. The glass panel shattered as he did. Mum left the kitchen and the melting was man came back.

"You see? You were there after all." He said quietly. I shook my head and closed my eyes.

I woke up, crying and shaking. My skin was covered in sweat and my bed sheets were tangled around my legs. It was morning.

'Wow,' I thought, 'I slept through the whole night!'

I could hear my mum in her study. I got out of bed and changed into better clothes. I looked at my appearance in the in the mirror. My eyes were wide and fearful. Just like they'd been when I'd walked in to see my parents fighting so many years ago. I tore my eyes away from the mirror and stumbled into the bathroom. Once I'd washed the sweat from my body, I summoned up my courage and went to talk to my mum. She was messing about with her computer again.

"Hey mum?" I asked.

Whack! 'Ouch,' I thought as Mum hit her head, 'that's gotta hurt.'

"Ow!" She looked up. "Katrina! What are you doing here? I thought you were going to stay at Chelsea's last night."

"Yeah but I decided to come back early and I fell asleep. Weren't we gonna hang out today?"

She looked at her desk. It was covered in papers. She looked up at me, a guilty expression on her face.

"I'm Sorry. I had a break through and I completely forgot. Could we hang out tomorrow?"

I looked at her. I had to tell her now. I was going to boarding school and she still didn't know. It was time for me to face the music. I sat down next to her.

"Mum… I don't know how to tell you this but…" I broke off. I didn't think that it would be this hard.

"Go on Sweetie. It's okay." She patted me on the back.

"Mum, I've signed up to go to a boarding school. It's not that I don't want to go to school near you; it's just that I think I need a change of scene. A new beginning. I'm sorry that I have to go but I'm leaving tomorrow and I that's why I can't spend time with you then." I hung my head. I didn't want to see the disappointment or anger in her eyes.

"Sweetie?" I looked up to see her eyes shining with unshed tears. "It's okay. I mean, I would have liked to have you schooled near home but if you can choose a school and get all your books and get prepared for it then I think you're ready to go to a boarding school. I'll miss you." The tears were now flowing down her face freely and she tried to stem the flow with the back of her hand.

I hugged her tightly and mumbled into her shoulder, "Thank you so much! I'll miss you too."

She pulled away and laughed a little as she was cleaning herself up. "So what shall we do today then?" she asked.

I looked at her quizzically. "Don't you have deadlines?"

She looked around her a little guiltily and then shrugged, "They can wait."

So we went out and spent the day shopping and watching movies. It was the most fun I'd ever had with my mum. I was going to miss her a lot but I promised myself that I would write to her often. When I went to sleep that night, for the first time in many years, I was truly happy.

Please, you know the drill... R&R