Chapter 3: At First Glance

Rick woke up the morning of the 25th of August eager to start in on this new life of his. His mother had told him that they would be leaving at 4:30 AM to be at the airport at 5 in order to make their plan to London at 7 AM. So Rick had all of his bags packed the night before. Martha had told him that they were going to be meeting up with an old friend of his father who would be their connection to the Wizarding World. The woman, Johanna Beckett was supposed to be able to get them into some place called Diagon Alley. Also this witch was supposed to have a daughter that was going to be going to Hogwarts for the first time. Well at least he might know someone when he goes to Hogwarts. He hated the idea of going in blind.

Before he knew it he was in the car on the way to the airport. During the car ride Rick didn't really notice any of his surroundings. He was too wrapped up in the world of his own imagination thinking about what would be happening to him the next few days and the months to come. Would he fit in at Hogwarts? Would he do well in his classes? Would he be teased because of his background? So many questions raced through Castle's mind that hour before they finally made their way onto the plane.

"Sweetheart why do you go find your seat, I'm going to store my carry-on," said Martha.

Rick looked down at his ticket. It read 25 A. 'Ok, whatever' he thought tugging his bag along down the aisle. When he got to his row he looked down to see a girl about his age with light brown hair sitting in what he assumed to be his seat.

Excuse me," said Rick "I think you're in MY spot."

"Um no, my ticket says 25 C that's the aisle. MY seat" the girl responded pointing to her seat beneath her.

Determined to get his way and get the aisle seat he puts up an argumentative statement: "Uh, no you're wrong that's my seat."

"Fine then PROVE it." The brunette chanted, staring him down. He wasn't going to win this one.

"I don't want to prove it and I shouldn't have to," said Rick, getting very irritated for apparently no reason. Rick's brow furrowed and his nose scrunched up as it always did when got mad. Then to make the situation all the more fun his mother chose that moment to show up.

"Ricky, what are you up to?"

"Nothing," and then in a voice he thought only the girl could heard he again stated, "she's in my seat."

"Oh dear, no she isn't. Your seat is 25 A, by the window." Rick sighed in defeat and took his actual seat, glaring at the feisty brunette as if to say 'this isn't over'.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kate, that he is causing so much trouble," he heard his mother say to the girl wondering how on Earth his mom knew this girl's name. That's all he managed to hear of the conversation between Kate and his mother.

"By the way, It's Rick, not Ricky," the boy pointed out before turning to the front and doing his best to ignore her but all the while, thinking back on this interesting turn of events. Why did his mother know who she was? Could this possibly be the daughter of this mysterious Johanna Beckett his mom had spoken of earlier? Was it just a strange coincidence that they were seated this closely to one another with his mom between them? Well at least he would have to talk to her that way. But he also noticed that she appeared to making an attempt at sleep, her eyes were closed after all.

Finally he decided it would be better to busy himself with something else and turned his attention to the in flight movie that had started to play.