Disclaimer: Unfortunately it's still not mine... :)
When I awake the next morning it is still dark and the first thing I am aware of is my Father shaking me.
"Lils.. Lils come on, we have to leave in an hour," He whispers shaking me.
A groan escapes my lips as I take in my surroundings " What?" I say my voice rough from sleep.
"We have to leave for London in an hour, Hogwarts remember?" He pauses awaiting my ascent before continuing. "I'll leave lyou to get changed I expect to see you in the kitchen in 15 minutes." He nods before turning and exiting my small bedroom.
I quickly glance towards the small analog clock on my wall, it reads 3:32. I groan, definitely too early to be awake.
I slowly drag myself out of bed becoming more and more aware of my surroundings as the time passes. After sitting on the bed for five minutes doing absolutely nothing useful I decide it's probably time to start getting dressed.
After pulling on the first outfit that touches my hand, and running a brush through my hair I trudge into the dimly lit kitchen where my father is toasting bread on the dying fire. His brow is furrowed and he is clearly lost in deep thought.
A floorboard creaks as I tentatively step forward jolting him out of his thoughts, and he swings round to face me plastering a bright and very fake smile onto his face.
"Morning Buttercup," He says then he looks me up and down and a very real smirk appears on his face. "That a new fashion?" He asks gesturing towards my bright purple disney princess top, sunshine yellow trousers and mismatched trainers.
I blush red and mumble something about it being dark in my room.
My Father merely smiles, and pulls the now toasted bread from the prong and hands it to me. "Enjoy, you need to finish it quickly we have a lot of packing to do," He smiles and disappears into his bedroom.
By the time I've eaten my toast and had a drink of water my Dad has reappeared holding a small canvas shoulder bag.
"You finished?" He enquires, "Good you've got packing to do. Come on, I'll help," He finishes, and before I get a chance to respond, yet alone answer the first question, he's already vanished into my bedroom.
I sigh, as I place my glass in the sink and follow behind my ever mysterious father.
0o0o
"So all of my stuff is in that?" I ask incredulously once we've settled into the car. By my Dad's feet are two canvas shoulder bags, one in navy and one in purple.
My Dad sighs. This must be the fourth time I've asked that question, but still it's quite miraculous.
"Yes sweetie it's called an extension charm. Very advanced magic, basically you could put as much stuff as you wanted in the bag and it would never get any bigger." He explains also for the fourth time.
This time though I don't end my enquires there, this time I for some reason to ask some more stupid questions. "What about a fridge?"
"A fridge?" My Dad asks, "what has a fridge got to with anything? We don't even have one," He"s frowning again.
"No, Sophia does though, it's huge. Would a fridge fit in there without making it any bigger?" I question smiling in my Fathers direction.
My Dad sighs, "Yes Lily, a fridge would fit in there," He sounds exhausted, he looks it too. I wonder how I didn't notice that before.
Biting back the other questions that are hovering on the tip of my tongue, I decide to observe my surroundings. We are sat in a ministry owned light blue truck with just two seats at the front and storage space behind us (I wonder if the ministry forgot about the extension charm?) I have never been in a car before, but I've seen them, you see the tributes being taken away in them. That's always at the beginning of the Hunger Games montage we are forced to watch every year from our crackly TV in the lounge. The Capitol cars are always much fancier though, sleek and black with shaded windows so you can't see the tribute's tears. Those cars are harsh and unforgiving, if a District 12 citizen is riding in one of those they're going to their deaths.
This car however, is much more inviting, since it is leading me out of my miserable district life and into something much more promising. Just as I'm thinking about cars and the Hunger Games something snaps. "What about the Games?" I ask, still facing away from my Dad.
My Dad frowns again, the Games are a touchy subject not mentioned unless necessary and never brought up out of the blue like this. "What about them?" He snaps.
"Well when I'm 12 my name will go in there just the same as everyone else's so how am I going to come back?" I ask knowing there's no way I would be let off the Hunger Games because of my schooling. It would arouse why too much suspicion and make them seem like they can't control their own citizens: Magical or not.
My Father turns to face me with a sad look in his eyes, this is the first time we've ever really talked about the games and my inevitable role in them. "There are a few other kids from Panem, you'll use the floo network to get here the day before, you'll go to the reaping, stay the night and then go back to Hogwarts," He says firmly not even thinking about the possibility that I could get picked.
"But what if I.. what if I uh get picked?" I say the last two words quickly, knowing my Dad will not react well to this possibility.
"You're not going to get picked Lily," He says confidently, and in a way that leaves no space for discussion.
"Ok," I sigh, before turning back to face the window again.
0o0o
I must have fallen asleep, because I wake to my Father shaking me for the second time today. "Lily come on or we'll miss the train," He says softly, pushing me out of sleep.
I yawn loudly, and stretch my arms back before nodding, and grabbing the purple canvas bag that contains all of my required belongings. "Ok, let's go," I jump down from the truck, and offer my Dad his bag.
He takes it with a grin, clearly pleased that all talk of The Hunger Games is over. "Right then Missy, platform four," He says before marching off in another direction.
I notice we're in a small train station, and judging by the metal melting factories, and the quality of the district I'd say it was District 1. I've never been outside District 12 before, and I am awestruck. Everybody here looks so elegant, so poised. The children are clean and happy playing in the streets whilst the parents worked. It was a world away from the grunge of District 12.
After a second I realise my Father is a long way from me, far away from the station mouth way that I am standing in. I swivel around and take off in a run after him.
0o0o
We have all been loaded onto the train, and are well into the journey by the time a small, stoat rosy cheeked man comes to collect our tickets. "Tickets, and passes, tickets and passes," I hear his calls the second he steps into the carriage.
My Dad puts his arm into his jacket and pulls out two train tickets, and two id cards. One has EDUCATION PASS printed at the top, and the other states ESCORT PASS at the top.
He flashes them towards the ticket man who examines our faces for a moment before nodding and continuing down the train.
"What are they?" I whisper pointing towards the ID cards.
"These are to say we are allowed out of Panem, you have to apply for them specially, mine say's I'm only allowed out until the day after you go back to school, and yours says you won't be back until summer, if we didn't have these we'd be in prison." He smiles at me as if I would be worried by this news.
"OK," I say smiling and turning to face out the window as we begin to speed through the capitol.
The Capitol is outstanding enough on TV but in real life it is breathtaking. The bright sun glints of the tall glass panelled buildings, and the river that flows into a waterfall is a beautiful sky blue. The people dress in strange multi coloured outfits, and dye their hair, but they look happy, happy and wholesome. The children are well fed and dressed. I thought District 1 was heaven, and it's nothing in comparison to this.
It's hard to believe that District 12, and the Capitol are in the same country, and it makes me angry. How can these people have so much, while we have nothing? How can they make a joke out of the Games while we dread them every year? And why is no one saying anything? It disgusts me.
I close my eyes and try to block out all thoughts of the Capitol for the rest of the trip.
0o0o
Three hours later the train grinds to a halt in somewhere different all together. The people here are rich, and healthy but dressed normally. They are in suits, and carrying briefcases, they are walking down steps seemingly leading underground, but they're not mining. They are happy, but not extravagant. I like it.
"Where are we?" I whisper to my father.
"England, well London to be precise. I lived here before I came to Panem," He explains as we begin walking.
"Why did you leave?" I ask incredulously, not understanding how anyone could trade a place like this for District 12.
"I... uh, some stuff happened," He replies, making no move to elaborate further.
I shrug and follow my Dad through the magical streets.
He stops in front of a large block of huge bleak houses. "Well here we are, Grimmauld place.."
Wow that was quick, I'm getting better at this! Still pretty short, sorry! Hope you guys all had good Christmas, and new years. Thanks for reading!
I have also changed my pen name from potterhead934 to FlooPowderPowerx , so yeah it's still the same person.
Please review? :)