Not mine just playing.
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I pushed open the door to the darkened pub that served as a gate way between the muggle and the magical worlds. The door way that would take me back to where I belonged. My true home the wizarding world. I was met with the strong odor of smoke and stale beer as I stepped inside it
took a moment for my eyes to adjust. Once I could see properly, I made my way to the owner of the pub Tom. He was behind the bar and gave me a merry grin showing his mouth full of disturbingly rotten teeth and I had to again shove the memory of the Grangers and there dental practice to the back of my mind.
" Hello there love ! What can old Tom do for a pretty little thing like you today ! " I tried to give him what I thought was a polite smile. Though, I think it might, not have come across quite like I had intended and informed him that I would be needing a room. " I see ! " He said seeming to think
about it." Mum and dad be comin along soon then I trust ? " I hadn't anticipated being questioned . " Uh n no sir just me. " I all but whispered. If he noticed he didn't let on. I was disgusted with how weak and unsure I sounded ." I see." Is all he said. A minute passed as Tom continued to wipe
down the bar and I was starting to worry he would turn me away when suddenly he said ." And what would the name on that be then ?" " Oh ! " I said, and I started to say Hermione Granger ,but caught myself in time. I was out without an Order escort this place could be crawling with death
eater spy's . I am all alone and no one knows who I am. Or was. Or ' UHG '. This is so confusing . This could be dangerous ! Best to be anonymous ! I thought. " Abigale Loyce sir ! " I tried to put a bit more steal in my voice this time and had ended up being a bit louder than I had intended. Tom
stopped where he had been wiping down the bar and looked at me. I noticed several other people stopped what they where doing and looked at me as well. The whole bar was getting quiet and now people where starting to whisper .About the time I was beginning to feel distinctly
uncomfortable and the urge to run away growing by the second . Tom spoke again This time there was a softness to his voice showing deep kindness he said. " Well, are you now ! " " Well we bess be getting you settled in then hadn't we? "
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Relief flooded through me. Finally, something was going right. Tom was going to let me stay and I released a breath I hadn't realized I had been holding." How much " I ask ? " No charge ! Unless your ugly like me. " He said with a grin and wink . I was surprised but smiled up at him and couldn't
help a small chuckle which only seemed to make his smile bigger. I thanked him as he grabbed a key from behind the bar and handed it to me. " Room A 7 ! " He said . " Up the stairs and to your right missy. Last door to the left. " " Thank you sir ! " I said and walked to the stairs as quickly as I
could without running. I wanted out of there. I wanted away from all the people looking at me and whispering. I wanted to lay down and close my eyes and make it all go away.
I was tired again and now I was lonely and heart sick as well. I found my room without incident and made my way inside locking the door behind me. I gave my room a quick once over. Dark scuffed wood floor's just like the rest of the Leaky Caldron light coat of dust every where like normal. There
was the standard king size four poster along the far wall. I could have done without the Slytherin green hangings but who was I to complain Tom was letting me stay, and for free. He hadn't even ask me for how long. I swept the room with my eyes there was a Wardrobe to the left ancient by
the look of it. A large desk , on the wall opposite the bed. There was even a window . It looked out on Diagon Ally bustling with shoppers all oblivious to the young girl watching them from above. I turned back to the room noticing a second door near the wardrobe and went to see what was
behind it. It was a small but clean bathroom it was white with a small shower toilet, sink and mirror just enough room for one person. Small bathrooms where quite odd in the wizerding word but growing up with muggles I was used to it and I found it to be just fine. I quickly noted that there
where plenty of clean white towels and several small bars of soap with a pleasant lavender scent. I nearly gave myself heart failure when I saw the strange girl in the mirror and promptly stumbled back sitting down hard on the toilet lid and to make matters worse I was forcefully reminded about
my bruised bum courtesy of my less than graceful exit from my home earlier this morning. I was very glad no one was there to witness me behaving like a cat faced with a bath.
I decided after a moment or two of sitting there feeling quite stupid that it would probably be wise to take a better look at this evil.' Not me ! ' Seeing as I was going to have to be living with her for the foreseeable future and I had probably better get used to seeing her. Else I was going to keep
scaring myself and next time someone might be there to catch me out. A humiliation I was not ready to experience if I could help it. So after several deep breath's I screwed up all my Griffindor courage and stood up and looked my enemy dead in the eye. What I saw was not encouraging I could
see why Tom had ask if my parents would be along. Hermione Granger had been a tall, if plain, competent, young woman Someone, a person took the full measure of before deciding to cross .This girl, Abigail . She was small and looked younger than her years. With big blue eyes that seemed to
say. " Help me, I'm lost and breakable !" How pathetic ! Not to mention embarrassing ! I could see I was certainly less than 5 foot 3 though I hoped I was more than 5 foot even. Sadly I couldn't tell . Sure it would be nice to have good hair for once in my life, but I never saw myself as a blonde. I
had always thought of people like. Lavender Brown, when I thought of blonde's you know easy, airhead's , silly and giggling all the time. That's not me ! This girl isn't me ! Well at least I'm not ugly, that something at lest and my nose is alright. I guess it could be worse right ? So now what
shrimpo ? You got us into this now what ? Midget girl just stared back at me and I blew out an exasperated huff of air . Lot of help you are I said out loud. Uhg, ! I really need to get a grip and stop talking to myself. I decided to take a nap maybe that would clear my head. I left the bathroom
hopped up onto my bed and closed my eyes with any luck this was all just a nightmare.
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I woke up some time later. It was clearly no longer morning but. What time it was ? That was any body's guess. My stomach was making it's self heard and it was clear it wasn't happy about having been ignored for so long. Thinking about it now I realized that I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday
at the burrow. Was that only just yesterday ? It seemed like a life time ago. I was starving. So I got up and after extracting and enlarging my trunk I was able to locate my hair brush. And made my way to the bathroom. After washing my face I brushed out my hair I couldn't get over how easy it
was to manage. Alright ! I admit it . This hair is a plus ! I thought. I hadn't realized how long it was. It was clear to the middle of my bum. Well I suppose if I thought about it I did have fairly long hair before. It was just so kinked up it was difficult to notice and I was much taller before so yeah,
I guess this would be about right if you think about it that way.
Next item on the list my embarrassing lack of knickers both top and bottom's pardon my pun. Maybe some girl's feel it's alright to lark, about in the breeze but not I . No thank you ! I won't be having any of that nonsense. So after a bit of digging in my trunk I found them. A pretty set of lacey
white knickers with little red bows here and there. They where my favorite and with a determined swish and sharp flick they where shrinking though, without being sure how much smaller to make them I was taking them down just a little bit at a time and so it took several try's before I thought
they looked about right .Bottoms yes ! Top bit no ! It took a lot more work to get the bra to shrink to the right size. Is Abigale deformed or something ? I thought to myself. This seems like it should have been a simple shrink but it was turning into a major chore. I think I'm just going to need all
new undies this is to much work. That done and the wrinkle's removed from my blouse and skirt. I realized my sock's where lumpy and didn't belong with a skirt at all. So new sock's located shoes free of scuff's I felt I was presentable and went down stairs.
I entered the pub and scanned the room looking for a seat spotting a place along the wall in about the middle of the room and sat down. It wasn't long before the waitress was there with a lunch menu and water I realized it was one o'clock . Not to late in the day then . I looked over the menu
and decided I would have the grilled chicken sandwich with a side of chips and water to drink and I sat back to wait. I was feeling strangely calm. I watched the people in the room no one gave me a second glance it was quiet with most of the lunch crowd gone already. My food arrived and I dug
in and ceased to notice anything else for a little while. When my lunch was finished I ask for the check but the waitress said it was covered . Covered ? I ask by who ? She said she didn't know but that the tab for my stay was being taken care of. Who knew I was here I ask my self . Sadly I had
no answer for that. Maybe Dumbledore ? He knows everything. It must be him ! The Grangers must have contacted him and told him and he found me and took care of it . Yes that sounds like something He would do it must be him I decided.
Now that I was rested and I had eaten I felt that I could finally think rationally and being of practical mind and needing to do something with myself. I decided that first order of business should be a trip into Diagon Ally. Madam Malkin's Robes for all Occasions to be precise. I need to have my new
school robes exchanged for some that fit Abigale or me rather I suppose. So after a quick run up to my room to collect the items I was exchanging and grabbing up my cloak and my money as well just in case. I was back down stairs and heading out when I was stopped by Tom asking me where I
was headed in such a rush. Tom was a nice man and I was all to happy to tell him I was headed to Madam Malkins for school robes. He just smiled at me and told me be careful and don't be out to late. I won't. I called out to him as I walked out the back. Dumbledore probably ask him to keep an eye on me I thought.
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It was just a normal day in Diagon Ally the street was full of people dodging passed. Arm's full of shopping the air had a bit of a chill to it signaling the end of summer . I took my time looking at the window displays as I went . I passed Weasley Wizard Weezes and tried to decide if I should go in.
What would I say ? What would they say ? What if they want proof ? Do I have proof ? Maybe not on me per say, but I could prove it if I had to I'm confidant. Perhaps I should go in after I get my robes sorted. Things are sure to get hectic once the truth comes out and I'm not ready to be shunted
back to the burrow just yet. I don't think I can face anyone yet. I just need more time. So with that thought in mind I continued on my way. I made it to madam Malkin's at about three o'clock the bell over the door rang as I entered. The head of Mrs. Malkin popping up back in the fitting area
mouth full of pins." I will be right with you dear." She said. I told her that would be fine and decided to take a turn around the shop as I waited .They're were a fair amount of people browsing around the shop though it wasn't to crowded and it wasn't long before it was my turn." Well now what
can I do for you today young lady." Mrs. Malkin said . Smiling back I told her my robes where the wrong size. She opened the shopping bag on the counter and had a look inside. Well they had in fact come from her shop and upon a closer inspection they where clearly to large for the petite young
woman in front of her." Oh dear how did this happen ! " she exclaimed. " No matter, we will get you sorted in no time dearie. " And with that I was herded to the back of the shop where she immediately set in measuring me this way and that way. That's when a question popped into my head.
" Madam Malkin ? Could you tell me how tall I am ? " Measuring tape still in hand she smiled at me." Of coarse dearie ! " and after a moment of checking she said ." Just a quarter inch shy of five feet. " " Wh What ! " I said flabbergasted. " I'm not even five feet ?" " Well your only missing it by a
quarter of an inch dearie, why that hardly worth anyone's notice. " Why is this happening to me ? I thought. This is absolutely horrid.
All four sets of new robe's finished and in the bag. I had enuff money for a few new set's of knickers. I was having trouble finding my size and it would appear my humiliation for the day was not yet over. My normal 36 C looked like it could fit nearly two of me and I didn't know where to start
looking for the right fit. When madam Malkin suggested the young miss section. How embarrassing ! That was the section for second and third year girl's. I felt my face getting hot and my eye's where prickling. You will not cry over something so ridiculous I told myself firmly ! I made myself give
Mrs. Malkin a small gracious smile that she seemed to take for me being shy. Something she seemed to find endearing. She quickly selected out a couple size's and we discovered that. I was in fact a deformed freak. I was a size 30 around but I was to big to be an A but I was no where near big
enuff to fill out a B. In the end we settled for shrinking the B's to fit. ' That ! ' Was awful. I had planed to stop by the Weasleys shop after, but now I just felt to demoralized . Plus something odd happened as I was getting ready to pay. She ask me my name and I told her." Abigale Loyce " and
she just wrapped my purchases and handed them to me as if that was all. I just looked at her for a moment before I ask. " How much ? " She seemed confused by my question until she suddenly shook her self out of it and said." Oh !" " Oh dear me I'm sorry. No dear all your purchases where
already paid for by your father he came in just before you did . Said to put it on his tab. " She replied warmly. " I I see. "Was all I said. " Have a good day dearie. " she called to me . I gave her a small smile and a wave as I left the shop.
My father ? Not Mr. Granger that's for certain . An order member ? Uh, I wracked my brain for who it could have been . This is troubling I found myself looking around feeling nervous. Was I being watched ? Was someone following me ? Maybe Tom told someone where I was going . He had ask
where I was going before I left and I had taken my time getting there they could have easily gotten there first. Or did Dumbledore have an Order member posted in the Leaky Caldron to watch me and he just over heard me talking to Tom and and. I don't like this I thought feeling nervous I just
wanted to get off the street and get to my room and shut out the world. I quickened my pace making it back in good time. I greeted Tom and went strait up to my room and locked the door.
SO tell me what you think people !