Hi everyone! Sorry it took me so long to update! But now I have finally updated! Yey! Thank you for the reviews they were most appreciated. I hope you guys will continue to enjoy the story! Please drop by a review at the end. It would be most appreciated! Any ideas and comments or thoughts would be interesting and welcome!
Chapter 2-Getting Into Stride
The duo's destination was not too far away. James' family lived on a modest property in London, and they had walked to the taxi rank in silence, which was about one hours walk from Grimmauld Place. The two teenagers were currently on their way in a taxi. It was lucky that Sirius had met Ambrosia in a way, as he had no muggle money and she had to pay for the taxi ride to the other side of London. The traffic was moderate and the ride would take about an hour.
The driver was silent, and the lull of the car's motion was relaxing, and Sirius had calmed down enough from the fight with his family that he finally had a bit of time to think. He shifted his gaze slightly to his right, Ambrosia was fast asleep on his shoulder, her honey-coloured hair covering her face in golden waves and all the way over her knee-length aqua colour dress, which was slightly ruffled. Her breathing was deep but slow. She had a hold of one of his hands, and her position was one of an embrace like nature.
She had been so anxious, and then so exhausted that as soon as they got in the car that she that she collapsed off to sleep. Sirius had smelt her fear and uncertainty, and felt even more so her complete trust that he would take care of her.
It was strange, over the past couple of hours he had known her, he already felt the need to protect her. Still, so much was unknown about her and she was odd, but he sensed her sincerity. Their displacement form their homes was something he felt they were destined to deal with together, and he definitely did empathise. She just seemed so new to this, like she was displaced not only from her home, but form 'something-somewhere' else. He couldn't explain it. But he knew. And he also knew Ambrosia hadn't told him everything, but he would leave her until she was ready to divulge.
They finally pulled into the driveway of the Potter's home, and the vehicle pulled to a stop. Ambrosia still had not awoken. Sirius shifted gently, and pressed lightly on her shoulder.
"Ambrosia!" Sirius whispered.
"Wake up! We're here!"
'mhmm…" she murmured sleepily, nuzzling her face back into his shoulder. Sirius' cheeks tinged slightly.
"Ambrosia!" he said more loudly.
Ambrosia raised her head and blinked.
"Sirius…?" she asked groggily.
"We're here." He repeated gently.
"Oh…" she trailed groggily, sitting up and wiping her eyes.
"Sorry."
Sirius patted her on the arm to let her know it was okay.
The taxi driver turned around and gave her a fond smile.
"You have a nice sleep there Miss?" he asked, in a friendly, amused tone.
Ambrosia smiled shyly.
"Yes, thank you. I needed it!" she expressed positively.
He smiled and nodded.
"So that'll be eighty-one pounds Miss!".
Ambrosia sighed. At least she had money from her birthday which was a few days ago in her coat.
She shuffled and rummaged through her coat until she pulled out four fifty pound notes and five twenty pound notes.
Holding the notes up into the car's light she began to scrutinise them carefully, looking at the date. Manufactured in 1995, 2006, 1976, 1976, 1979, 2010, 2011, 1969, 1975? Ambrosia gave a visual groan. This could be a problem!
The taxi driver was looking at her as if she had grown another head.
"Something the matter Miss?" he asked, troubled.
Ambrosia smiled sweetly.
"Not at all! Sorry, I just need to talk to my friend for a second!" she said, before hauling Sirius unexpectedly out of the car, and shutting the door so they couldn't be heard.
"Wah!" he exclaimed in surprise.
"What-' but he was blocked off by one of her hands around his mouth.
"Sirius, don't ask questions, Just do as I say. Please recite the date for me. Today's date!"
Sirius looked at her unnerved. She waited.
He raised his eyebrows and looked at her expectantly.
"Oh" she said quickly, removing her hand from his mouth.
"Now!"
"Wednesday, June the 15th, 1977" he said confused as to why this was relevant.
"Thank you" she quipped, as she grabbed two twenties and a fifty and handed it to the driver.
The driver took it and handed her the change.
"Have a good night Miss and Sir!" he motioned to Sirius, gave them one last odd look then drove off.
"What was all that about?" Sirius asked perplexedly. "Muggle money not work on certain days or something?"
"Never mind." said Ambrosia decisively, stuffing the rest of her notes in her coat's pocket.
Sirius shook his head.
"Whatever".
Ambrosia gave him a shy smile and then her face turned serious.
She then stalked over to his side, grabbed his arm and hugged him.
"What if they don't like me?" Ambrosia asked unsurely.
Sirius looked down at her.
"What James and his folks!? They like anyone! They would literally take their shirt off their backs to help someone out! Don't worry about it!".
He didn't understand her, but he wanted to ease her discomfort. James was his best friend, he knew him like he knew the back of his hand, and his parents were the nicest people he had ever had the fortune of knowing. That's why he had come here, knowing that James and his family would take him in as they see him like a second son, and hoping they could help Ambrosia out.
Just as if some deity was listening in on their conversation. The Potter's door burst open, and James and his family walked out.
"Hey Siri!" James greeted happily as he trotted up and embraced his friend. Sirius hugged him back as equally as thrilled.
"How you been?" he asked.
Sirius withdrew slightly and looked at him. "I'll tell you when we get inside."
James looked at Sirius' face and could see the pain reflected in his friends eyes.
"Alright mate!" he said as he rubbed his friend's shoulder.
He then looked up at Ambrosia who was a few metres behind Sirius, staring at everyone with wide eyes, like a doe caught in headlights.
James' first thoughts were that she was very pretty. A moderate size girl with long willowy honey hair, framing a fair skinned curved apple shaped face. The second was that she looked tense. Sapphire coloured eyes, looked at him nervously, and pink limps were now being worried as she looked at him . One of her fists were clenched in her pleated aqua coloured dress. 'Almost' as pretty as Evans! He thought wonderingly. She was the kind of girl James would expect Sirius to chase.
"You never told me you had a girlfriend Siri! You should have brought her for a visit sooner" he said happily as he clapped his friend on the back.
Ambrosia blushed a deep shade of red at the comment.
"She's not my girlfriend!" he snapped embarrassingly.
"Actually we only met today"
James faltered for a minute then grinned.
"Okay a one night stand then?". Sirius swatted his friend up the head.
"Idiot!" he said as he started to walk inside to talk to James' parents.
Ambrosia's face was now puffed like a tomato, her eyes holding a minute trace of incense.
James rubbed his head goofily.
"Sorry…" he said apologetically.
"I noticed Siri was upset, I was only trying to lighten the mood."
Ambrosia sighed, looked him over once more then suddenly let out a giggle.
"That's okay. Although embarrassing. It was pretty funny!" she said amused.
James laughed.
"I'm James by the way!" he said in a gentleman-like manner as he held out his hand.
"Are you Siri's new friend?"
She shook it and nodded.
"My name is Ambrosia. I met Sirius today when he left his home to come here. He-We have a circumstance in common. Let's go inside and we'll explain everything".
James nodded and led the way for her into his home.
The Potter's ended up understanding Sirius' eviction from his home as they had known his family situation for years, and automatically agreed to let him stay with them. The interest for Ambrosia's identity and situation had been sort by everyone in the room, including Sirius again. She ended up telling them at best most of the truth, trying to relate some of her personal experiences to this situation as she hated lying. It was painful and each person in the room saw the pain reflected in her eyes.
She told them that she was displaced from her parents' home from a muggle town in London and that there was no way for her to go back. She explained that her parents had separated, her father had left her and her mother, and her mother couldn't stand magical people anymore so she kicked her out and left. She said that she had been home schooled by her father all these years, but wanted to go to Hogwarts this year. She expressed that she was alone in the world now, had nowhere to go and that it was too painful and stressing for her to talk about her family.
At home in her world this was true. Ambrosia's mother had been a world renowned actress and her father was a budding scientist. They both had worked full time.
From the age of her birth to about ten years of age her father had been the one to spend most of his time with her. He absolutely adored his little princess! He thought she was enchanting, magical and endearing! They hunted for insects together in the garden, grew crystals and looked at microbes under the microscope. He even use to take her away on two week camping trips for his astronomy work. They use to sit under the stars and name the constellations. Her father loved stars! He also used to retell the Greek myths behind the stars and his love of Greek mythology led to her name, one that she was proud of. It was thanks to her dad that she had a quick-thinking mind and good grades at school.
Her mother on the other hand was a different story. Fame had made her vain and indifferent. She had never planned for a child, but accidentally fallen pregnant, and had had Ambrosia because her father had wanted her so much, and she had loved her father a great deal. From the moment she was born, she was referred to as 'the child' or 'the girl' from her mother. Her mother's comments of coarse had hurt her as a little girl, but Ambrosia had her dad, and most especially her aunt who was like her mother to her and her uncle who was like a second father to her. Not to mention her cousin Clara who was one of her best friends!
Her aunt was her father's sister, and her and her husband were both doctors. Clara was as much as a fanatic about the things Ambrosia liked as she was. The most cutting thing in Ambrosia's life was losing her dad. Her mother cheated on him with some big hit celebrity which had caused her father to consume too much alcohol and go out driving and killed himself. This happened when she was ten years old.
From that moment, Ambrosia had gone through a psychological panic. She kept hugging her mother and seeking comfort from her, clinging to her to try and erase the pain even though she knew her mother hated her. Even though she was always pushed away. No matter how many times she was pushed away, she just kept clinging to her mother, enduring the pain of her shoves. This pain was better then losing her father. Her mother couldn't take it anymore. She didn't want this intimacy with her child, so she gave her to her aunt and uncle, and her mother bought a million dollar mansion in America and moved away.
Ambrosia never really liked to talk about that part of her life, as she had convinced herself it didn't matter anymore. She had her aunt and uncle. Her cousin Clara had been a big help to her as well. That's all she had ever needed. Some form of a loving family and she had it. She didn't think she could have done it without her aunt, uncle and cousin.. She however, did make a shrine every year for her father, who she missed a great deal. Perhaps he had sent her this chance to be in this world. Maybe through a shooting star?
There were however occasions where she couldn't stop the pain, like right now.
Ambrosia had finished explaining her situation, before she looked away.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered wretchedly, before she suddenly burst into tears, her hands reaching up to cup her face to shield her from the world. She then bolted out the door!
Sirius stood immediately and ran after her. The Potters and James looked after the girl, sympathy written on every inch of their faces.
Ambrosia was sobbing behind a tree in the backyard. She looked up the starts twinkling brightly in the sky.
Oh dad I miss you she thought sadly. I should be thrilled about being in my favourite universe, but the truth is dad, I'm scared. This is more than I ever thought I can handle. What if I can't handle it? Can I even belong here!? What if I'm a muggle and not a witch? And the authorities find me and they erase my memories or give me to the dementors? What if I run into Voldemort? What if Sirius finds out all this and he hates me!? This is such a mess! She buried her head into her hands once more and cried.
A light touch suddenly pressed on her shoulder. "I'm sorry" the voice whispered sincerely.
Ambrosia sniffed and turned around to meet Sirius' grey ones., her eyes soft, looking up at him.
"I know." She answered gratefully.
Sirius gathered her in his arms and laid his chin on her head.
"I know what it's like to have your family hate you and you wanting to be loved, but it can never happen. It's not something anyone should have to go through."
"No, it's not" Ambrosia agreed.
"I haven't known you for long Ambrosia. But I feel your pain. I want to be here for you. And if there's anything I can do let me know."
Ambrosia smiled and squeezed Sirius briefly before detaching herself.
"I will. Thank you for all you've done for me."
Sirius gave a happy smile in return. "And thank you for what you have done for me Ambrosia".
Their sweet affinity was interrupted by the sound of James calling from the back door.
"Siri! Ambrosia! Tea's ready! Come in and have some dinner and dessert! Then we'll show you to your rooms!"
Ambrosia turned to Sirius in surprise.
"See I told you they'd let you stay" he said smoothly.
Ambrosia smiled. "The Potters are truly a nice family."
Her last thought before she walked inside was I'm sorry Harry never got to know the love and comfort of his grandparents.