Hello everyone!
Here is this week's chapter! In this one you will meet Addy's parents! How excitinggggg :)
I hope you will like it. I am a bit nervous about it so please tell me what you think.
Thank you to everyone who reviewed and put this story on alerts. I am so grateful for your support!
Enjoy xx

wildest dreams
VOLUME II

CHAPTER THREE

Three months earlier

It was very windy that day. I had left Hogwarts two weeks ago – and already felt nostalgic. But it was probably only because I felt more nervous that I had ever been before. I hadn't been able to sleep at all. My muscles ached, my hands were curled up into fists, my legs jittery and weak. I felt sick. Today was the day. Today was the day I met my parents.

Their names were like two haunting sounds in my mind – Sophia and Connor Harlowe. It almost didn't feel real. We shared a surname, but the names were so unfamiliar. The names of two strangers. The knot in my stomach kept on tightening during my journey on the train. I rarely used Muggle Transportation – but since I didn't have my Apparition license, and that my uncle had had a concert the night before and was sleeping soundly, it was the only option I had.

I got off the train and headed for the address scribbled on the parchment in my right pocket. I had read the few words so often they were burned in my mind : 145, Agretto Road, London. I had never been in that area of London before, but it was very nice and quiet. I glanced at the houses as I walked – brick walls, flower beds, green, freshly cut grass. There were children playing some sort of sport in the streets, carrying wooden sticks. I finally got to number 145, and inhaled slowly.

It took everything in me to knock. One, two, three times. Breathe in, breathe out. Not five seconds later, the door opened. It was like the air had been knocked out of my lungs.

"Er – hello," I said, my voice sounding much higher than usual.

"Hi," said the man in front of me.

"I'm – er… I'm Addy."

He nodded, like he already knew. I smiled awkwardly as he stared at me. It was odd that his face looked so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. The curly, brown hair, the pale, blue eyes that looked so much like my own – I had never seen this face before, and yet it was like I had known it my entire life.

"Of course. I'm Connor. I'm – I'm your father."

Oh, bloody hell. That was so weird. So, so weird. I couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. He smiled at that, and opened the door wider.

"Please, come in."

"Thank you."

I entered the small house, and he closed the door behind me. I glanced around. It was simple, but pretty – and it smelled like lavender.

"Sophia, she's here."

Sophia. My mother.

Not a second later, she appeared in the hall, a bright smile on her face. For a second, I was confused. It was like looking at an older, shorter version of me. The same golden hair. The same pale skin. The same small mole on the right cheek.

"Hello, sweetheart. Thank you so much for coming to see us" she said, stopping next to her husband, who stroked her arm.

"Thank you for having me," I replied simply.

"Would you like to sit down?"

"Sure."

They led me to the living room, where stood two couches, a fireplace and a big, wide black object. I stared at it curiously, but decided it was best not to ask. I sat down one of the couches, facing the two of them. I smiled awkwardly again.

"You have a lovely house," I said quietly.

"Oh, thank you. It's our friend's house – they're letting us stay while they're on vacation. Until we find our own place, of course," explained Sophia.

"Have you been in England long?"

"Just a few weeks."

I nodded. There was a short silence. I suddenly felt like sinking six feet underground.

"So, er – you were in America, right?"

They both nodded.

"Yeah, you have the accent," I said with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh, do we?" giggled Sophia. "That's funny, because all our American friends tell us we still have our British accents."

I smiled at her amusement, not feeling very amused myself. I strangely felt out of place.

"Would you like some tea?" asked Sophia.

"Oh – yes, thank you."

She nodded, smiling softly before standing up and disappearing in what was probably the kitchen. I looked down at my own hands – and realized they were shaking. I quickly joined them, pulling them tightly together, hoping neither of them had noticed.

"Am I going crazy, or can I hear a hint of a Scottish accent in your voice?"

I glanced at Connor. He looked curious. I cleared my throat.

"Er – yeah. I grew up with my uncle's band – er, Myron, I mean, Myron's band – and half of them are Irish you see, three are Scottish and the rest are English. So I like to think that I inherited a little of everybody's accent… which makes mine quite weird at times."

"It think it sounds beautiful."

It sounded so genuine, I couldn't help but smile.

"Thank you," I muttered.

"How is he? Myron?"

"He's good. He had a few concerts in London this week, but we're leaving this weekend for South America. We're going to be traveling for a bit."

"South America? That sounds like fun."

I nodded, still smiling. As Sophia re-entered the room, carrying a tray with three mugs and a teapot, I felt myself relaxing a little. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, after all.

"Sugar and milk?" she asked.

"A little of both," I nodded.

She soon handed me one of the cups – I thanked her quietly with a 'cheers', sipping the tea slowly as they prepared their own cups. She took it black – he, only with milk.

"So, Adelaide…" started Sophia.

I held my tongue – my name sounded good coming from them.

"… you're seventeen now, aren't you?"

"I am."

"That's a big year, isn't it? For – hum… for wizards."

I noticed how her voice had trembled at the last word. I glanced at Connor – he was looking down at his tea. Blimey.

"It is," I replied. "It's – er – it's the year we come of age. When we can finally do magic outside of school."

"You can't do ma - magic before you're seventeen?" asked Sophia.

"Only at Hogwarts."

As I took a sip of my tea, I saw their confused faces. That's when I understood – they really didn't know anything about our world. Nothing at all.

"That's – that's our school. Where we learn, er… well, basically everything."

"And are you still in school?" asked Connor.

"Yeah. Next year's my last, though."

"Oh."

"Yeah. It's a bit weird. Because we go to Hogwarts for such a long time – I mean, we're there from September to June every year for seven years. It's basically home. And leaving, it's just… It's weird."

Silence followed my words. I didn't really know why I had told them that – it was just how I felt. But clearly, they had no idea how to respond to it.

"And – hum, have you got any plans for after school?"

I nodded, slightly relieved that Sophia had broken the awkward silence.

"Of course. I want to work at the Ministry of Magic – that's kind of our government, in a way. I've wanted to work at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement my whole life."

"Law? So you want to be a lawyer?"

I had heard the word in my Muggle Studies class – so I knew what it was. I nodded.

"Yeah. A bit like a lawyer."

"Oh!" exclaimed Sophia.

I frowned – she seemed a little shaken.

"What is it?" I asked, nervous.

"It's nothing, my dear – it's just… My father – your grandfather. He was a lawyer, too."

I stared back at her – oh, well. So that's where my love for law was coming from. I let out an amused chuckle. I couldn't hold back the next question.

"Where is he now? Could I meet him?"

The looks they gave me told me everything before they did.

"I'm sorry, Adelaide, but I'm afraid that's not possible. He passed away a few years ago," said Connor.

"Oh – I'm sorry."

"It's all right. I'm sure he would have loved to meet you."

I gave Connor a little smile. My grandfather. A hundred questions burned my tongue. What about my grandmother? Did I have other uncles? Aunts? Cousins? Did I have a whole family out there, that didn't know who I was, that I would maybe never meet?

"So, last year at school… do you have exams? A-Levels, or anything of the sort?"

I had no idea what A-Levels were – but I didn't have the heart to ask. Despite the fact that I had just drank an entire cup of tea in a matter of seconds, my throat felt dry.

"We have exams," I nodded. "We have them in our fifth and last year. They're all right, just very nerve-racking. I nearly fainted during a Charms class, two years ago, my boyfriend and his brother are still making fun of me because of it –"

"You have a boyfriend?" interrupted Sophia.

I smiled. Thinking about George already made me feel better.

"Yeah. His name's George."

"How long have you two been together?"

"It's been… six months? Yeah, about six months."

"That's wonderful. How did you two meet?"

"On the train. We were going back from Hogwarts to London for the holidays, and he and his twin, Fred, hid in my compartment because they had put Scratching Powder on the driver's seat."

I laughed at the memory.

"They locked the compartment door with a spell they had read in a book – only, they couldn't remember how to unlock it, so we were stuck in there for the whole ride. So we talked, and seven years later, here we are."

"What a beautiful story. Does he –"

And then we talked. We talked for a good hour, it seemed. About everything, anything. I told them about George, and Fred, and Angelina. I told them about Charms class, and Potions. I told them about Quidditch and my love for it. I told them about Weasley Wizard Wheezes, and about Dumbledore, and about the Hogwarts Express. They listened, smiled. They didn't say much. But they were listening, at least.

And then, we were suddenly interrupted by a loud, aggressive noise, that echoed all around us. I jumped in surprise, looking around me, searching for the source of the noise. Connor stood up without a word and disappeared in the hallway.

"It's the phone," explained Sophia.

"Oh."

Hermione had told me about those – and about the time Ron had tried to call Harry at his aunt and uncle's house. That story had had me in tears of laughter. Connor came back into the room not a minute later, looking nervous.

"Who was it?" asked Sophia.

"It's Billy. The truck is acting up again, they need me."

There was a short silence – and then, both of their eyes landed on me. I felt myself blush furiously.

"I'm sorry, Adelaide. It's work. I need to go."

"Oh! No, no - right, of course! Of course, you need to go. I'll – I'll be on my way."

Silence fell as I settled my cup on the small table in front of me and stood up, soon followed by Sophia.

"I'm really sorry…" started Connor.

"It's all right. Don't apologize, I understand."

I smiled, breathing out as I walked towards the front door.

"Are you good to get back?" asked Sophia.

"Yeah, thank you. For the tea, and… and everything."

"Of course. Come back anytime you want, darling."

"Yes – you're very welcome here."

"Thank you. I'll write."

"Please do."

They nodded, smiling. So I nodded too. I smiled too.

"Cheers. All right."

I opened the front door, stepped out in the cold rain.

"See you soon."

"Good luck at school."

The door closed. And that was it.

"'Good luck at school' ?" repeated the twins.

I nodded slowly, the sound of the door closing abruptly still resonating in my head.

"Gits," said Fred.

"They're not gits," I sighed.

"Yes, they are" he insisted. "'Good luck at school' ? It was only July, Addy. They still had two whole months to see you before you went back to Hogwarts – clearly, they didn't want to…"

"And you don't think I know that already ? I know what it meant, Fred!"

There was a silence. I felt George's hand squeeze mine.

"Did they write to you?" he asked.

I shook my head.

"No. I did, though. Right when I got back. Still haven't got an answer."

I could hear that door closing, again, and again, and again.

"Well, in that case… I'm sorry, Adds, but Fred's right. They're gits."

I sighed again.

"I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. I mean, they had you right there, in front of them! If they couldn't see what they've been missing out – if they couldn't see how smart and interesting you are – I mean, if they couldn't see that, well they're bloody mental. My point is, who could meet you and then not want more of you?"

I closed my eyes. The tears were burning. I let them fall.

"Hey, don't cry. Bloody hell – I didn't mean to make you cry."

I shook my head, hiding my face in my hands.

"I'm sorry," I whimpered, unable to stop the tears.

"Don't apologize."

I felt his arms around me, holding me tight, holding me so I didn't fall apart. Soon, I heard Fred standing up from his bed, and sitting down on the other side of me – he took my hand, and squeezed it hard.