In this chapter...you actually meet a character that you should reconize.
Benjiy. I dial the number and it rings a couple times. Finally the friendly voice of Benjiy is heard.
"'Ello?"
"Benjiy! Thank God. It's Addi, you drove me and my stoned mother from the Heathrow to Chelsea today."
"I know who you are, darling. What do you need? Isn't a bit early for the parties?"
"I went to go get food. And now I'm lost." Yeah, I'm pitiful.
"Well where are you?" I look around the general area.
"Uh. It's kind of nice. I mean, I would have no problem living here. On one side of the street are woods or a park or something. Uhm...it's the weirdest street ever. There is a number eleven and a number thirteen but no twelve. I am so confused. But...the street is called..." I step out of the phone booth and walk toward the end of the street.
"Grimmauld Place?" I hear a hint of laughter in his voice. I then see the street sign. Holy shit, he's right.
"Yeah. How did you know that? Are you ba-psychic?" Dude, this guy is amazing.
"I run by there often on my route. I'll be there as soon as I can." I hear the line go dead. I sigh loudly as I close the phone. When is soon? I look around the street. Deserted. I put my iPod on and wander down the street. Benjiy comes here often? Why? I hear a plate break from inside one of the homes. Great. This is insane. Why don't I just go in the opposite direction? Because you an incompetent fool. Hey! That's not nice.
Oh God. I'm talking to myself. I finally sit on the curb and just stare into space. This trip has started out horribly. I open a bag of chocolate that I bought. My life sucks. Angst, angst, teenage angst. Crap, I'm a walking cliché. I finally notice that I'm not alone on my curb and I try to sneak glance to my left to see who or what has decided to darken the streetlight.
A little girl stands somewhat beside me. Her hands grasped in front of her while she sways from side to side.
"Hi!" The little girl calls to me.
"Hi there," Still don't like kids.
"Are you lost?" Damn this little kid cut straight to the point.
"I'm waiting for my cab actually."
"Is it Benjiy? My family normally rides with him."
"Yea, I'm waiting for Benjiy." I glance down the road. Benjiy, if you love me, you will hurry up.
"You're not from around here are you?"
"And why do you guess that?"
"You have an American voice." Little smartass.
"You're right. I am American."
"I've never met an American before; I've only heard them on the tele. My names Tonks, I'm six." Poor kid, what kind of name is Tonks. Then again, I have a weird name too. I think my mom was high when she named me Aradia. Now you see why I use Addi.
"I'm Addi. Nice to meet you Tonks. Do you live around here?"
Tonks shakes her head, "No. We're visiting family. What are you doing here?" Nosy little child.
"Shopping with my mother."
"Fun. Do you want to come inside while you wait for Benjiy?" Well, the kid looks legitimate. And there is a park type thing in front of me. Prime hideout for a serial rapist. But what does my conscious say? I wonder if they have coffee. Oh God I'm insane.
"Which house is your's?"
"Number twelve." Okay I changed my mind, I don't want to go with the crazy kid. Hell no.
"Honey, there's no number twelve."
"Yes there is." I'm not going to fight with this little kid about a house. So I decide to change the subject.
"How about you wait with me until Benjiy comes, so I won't feel lonely?" Hey, I still don't like little kids, but this one is started to get on my good side. She nods yes and sits down beside me.
"Will you sing me a song?" Tonks looks at me with huge violet eyes. Damn...little kid is going to get more guys than she will be able to handle.
"I'm not a very good singer. And uh..."
"Please? Pretty please?" Now her eyes are turning a bluish color, weird. She goes on like that for a couple more minutes.
"Okay, okay. You probably won't like it but here we go.
Pretty girl is suffering while he confesses everything
Pretty soon she'll figure out what his intentions were about
That's what you get for falling again
You can never get him out of your head
That's what you get for falling again
You can never get him out of your head
It's the way that he makes you feel
It's the way that he kisses you
It's the way that he makes you fall in love
See I told you that you wouldn't like it." This kid is still staring at me.
"That was amazing. Do it again!" Tonks is literally bouncing while she sits.
"I can't just sing the same song again. Besides, do your parents know that you're out here?"
"They were fighting, so I left."
"You're parents were fighting?" Hell no, I'm about to go do a marital counseling session.
"No, mum and her family. They don't like my daddy." Oh, that kind of fighting. I can't help that. Some families are just like that. Like mine. I can never seem to find a boy that both of my parents like.
"Oh. I understand that."
"I don't like my mum's family. They're mean." My eyes go wide. Little kids tell no lies. Well about people and character. That is one of the things I have learned over my years. I hear a woman call out. I spot a woman who I would guess to be in her early to mid twenties. Very beautiful woman. Damn...I feel fat now.
"Oh goodness Nymphadora there you are! Have you been bothering this poor girl? I am quite sorry, she just wandered off. Nymphadora come on, you had your father and I very worried." So this is Tonks' mother. Wait, Nymphadora? That poor child has it worse than me.
"She was no trouble at all, just keeping me company until my cab got here. You have a very well behaved daughter." Yeah compliment the mother and the daughter will get less punishment.
"She's waiting for Benjiy!" Tonks added in while going to her mother's side.
"Oh, I'm Andromeda Tonks, and you have already met Nymphadora-"
"Mum...call me Tonks." I smile at the mother and daughter. At least some families can be normal.
"Addi West, nice to meet you."
"Well, thank you for entertaining my daughter an-" Andromeda is cut off by a cab pulling up and Benjiy hopping out.
"Well if it isn't little Andromeda. Never thought I'd actually see you around here ever again. And hello to you little Tonks." Benjiy bends down and picks up Tonks and swings her around.
"Hello Benjiy, when did you start taking personal cab calls Benjiy?"
"Ah, this one's special. Met Addi and her mum at the airport today, best cab ride I've had in some time." Is he hitting on me? I'm so confused.
"Oh. Well Tonks and I must be off. Addi, it was nice meeting you. Come along Nymphadora." Andromeda takes the little girl's hand and drags her back down the street. I could hear Tonks whine, "Muuuuum…" I laugh slightly to myself.
"So, you ready to head home?" Benjiy opens the door for me.
"Please." And off we went.
I was doing some creative thinking about Tonks's age. And I guess-tamated that she'd be youngish...so yeah.