Hi! This is a story idea that I have been toying with for very a long time. It took a while for inspiration to hit me. But I'm very excited to be finally working on this story. In this chapter, we meet our protagonist Lola, and get a glimpse into what her daily life is like. There is no magic involved yet, but Lola will look back at these times as some of the best in her life. Next chapter, things get very strange as a woman we all know visits the Allen house…
Disclaimer: Of course, I don't own anything apart from my own original characters.
Bored.
That's how Lola felt as she sat on the sill of her bedroom window, gazing out at the expansive barnyard where her brother Lance was tending to their sheep. The thought of the delicious yogurt they would soon culture from the milk put a smile on her face, even as boredom gnawed at her. Her birthday was tomorrow, and she couldn't help but wonder if her father might set aside a small portion of the yogurt for her.
Making sure her earphones were securely in place, she plucked her well-worn copy of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" from her bookshelf. As Avril Lavigne's "Keep Holding On" filled her ears, she began her descent down the stairs, making her way to her favorite spot in the world – the stables.
Princess, their elegant Selle Français horse, greeted Lola with an enthusiastic whinny, eager for their daily interaction. Lola knew that Princess cherished their time together, not for the grass hay she held, but for the fun that always followed.
With her earphones removed, Lola led Princess outside.
Princess moved gracefully by Lola's side as they ventured into the morning sun. Although the day was just dawning, weak but promising rays of sunlight kissed Lola's copper hair, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.
As she made her way towards their usual route, leading to a massive oak tree by the river, Lola whispered to the endless expanse of green, "What should we do today?"
Princess seemed to respond with an insistent nudge, as if saying, "Walk me, duh!", Or at least, that's how Lola chose to interpret her equine companion's whinny.
Princess and Lola took their routine path, filled with large rocks scattered along the river's edge. Lola had fallen in love with this serene location, and she visited it almost daily, finding solace in nature's gift.
"Good girl!" Lola cheered as Princess gracefully leaped over rocks, her movements resembling lightning in the morning light.
After reaching their destination, Lola climbed into the hammock, selecting a soothing tune on her iPod, and continued reading the seventh book of the Harry Potter series. Emotions welled up as she read about Snape's tragic fate and the loss of beloved characters, yet she couldn't stop reading. The Harry Potter books were her portal to escape the mundane routine of her life.
By the time she reached the epilogue, the midday sun blazed overhead, and Princess was quenching her thirst from the river. In haste, Lola stored her book, grabbed her phone, and noticed two missed calls from Lance, along with an hour-old message from her mother, "Your breakfast is getting cold, honey."
Lola swore quietly, quickly securing a head collar to Princess's halter and leading her back to the farm. Once they reached the barnyard, she left Princess to graze and hurried back to the house.
As usual, her mother had prepared a cheese and mushroom omelette, accompanied by baked beans and a side of leftover tomato salsa. As the sole vegetarian in the household, Lola's dietary options were limited, despite being the daughter of hardworking farmers.
Lola finished her uneventful breakfast and returned to her room, where she started tidying up. A few hours later, her phone buzzed in her pocket.
"mornin, babe x," a message from Ellie, her best friend, appeared. "what r u up 2 today?"
Lola sighed and texted back, "At home, not much happening. Wanna come over?"
Ellie's response was swift, "Can't, babe, soz :( Gotta look after lil bro. See u tomorrow at school tho? we could flunk last period & go 2 the movies with jake..."
Lola sighed again, typing "Sure" with less enthusiasm. Jake was Ellie's boyfriend, whom her parents had never approved of, and Lola's presence served as a watchful eye whenever they met.
Lola tossed her phone aside in frustration and lay face down on her bed, seething with disappointment. Her 17th birthday was just a day away, a milestone she hoped would be special, yet it seemed destined to be like any other ordinary day or perhaps even worse.
Thoughts of Harry and his 17th birthday celebration consumed her. Despite being an orphan confined to the realm of fiction, Lola couldn't help but envy the attention and warmth that the Boy Who Lived received on that significant day. She daydreamed, perhaps for the billionth time, about what it would be like to live in the magical world of Harry Potter. She didn't just wonder; she wished for it.
Slowly, Lola drifted into a peaceful nap, her daydreams whisking her away to the adventures of a witch at Hogwarts.
When she awoke, her mother's concerned face loomed over her.
"Sweetheart," she spoke gently, "Are you feeling alright?"
Lola groaned as she turned on her side to avoid rays of sunlight creeping in through the blinds. Blinking, she met her mother's bright blue eyes. "Yeah. Just tired…" she replied sleepily.
Her mother looked even more concerned. "You've been sleeping for more than fifteen hours, honey. Are you sure you feel okay? I can call Dr. Riby if you don't feel well."
Lola's eyelids fluttered open. She looked at her mother as if she had seen her properly for the first time in years.
"Mum…" Lola said slowly. "Dr. Riby passed away two years ago, remember?"
Evelyn Allen laughed nervously, confusion in her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, honey. He came to check on Leona a few weeks ago when she swallowed her blue toy, remember?"
Lola certainly remembered... Only problem being that it had happened more than 6 years ago!
A/N: Thanks for reading! Please leave a review about what you thought; good and bad, both welcome! See you next chapter. X
