The Sorcerers Stone (Part 1)
I don't own Girl Meets World, Harry Potter, or anything from the MCU!
These next chapters will be the first several years at Hogwarts condensed a little, just so I can start moving the story along a bit faster.
Althea Matthews Year 3, Harry Potter Year 1
Thea watched as the first years were sorted into their houses. She cheered with the rest of the Gryffindors when Harry Potter joined their ranks and clapped extra loud for Ron when he sat down next to Harry.
The feast was fantastic, though, as usual, Thea could hear the first years whispering behind their hands about "the American student," wondering what she was doing at Hogwarts. Thea had her fair share of people come up to her and tell her that because she was American, and muggle-born at that, she didn't belong at Hogwarts, that she should have gone to Illvermorny or Salem Academy of Magic. Usually they were from old, prejudiced, pure-blood families and Fred and George dealt with them quickly with a few well placed embarrassing pranks.
It was no surprise for her when, the next day, a boy's voice called out "Are you the American?"
Thea turned from where she'd been pointing out the way to Charms for a few lost first years and saw a small, blond, ferret like, Slytherin boy sneering at her "Yes, I am. Can I help you? You must be a first year, are you lost?"
The boy flushed scarlet "I am not lost! Why are you at Hogwarts?"
Thea mentally prepared herself for insults and pretended to think "Well, you know, I'm really not sure about this, but I think I'm here so I can get my magical education."
"But Americans don't go to Hogwarts." The boy seemed to think he'd won with that single statement.
"It is a bit strange, I'll admit." Thea conceded "But I got a special invite from Professor Dumbledore."
"And why would he do that?"
Thea shrugged "Not a clue. Why don't you ask him and, if he tells you, let me know."
She turned to head into the Transfiguration classroom when the boy shouted "Well, not only are you American, but you're also a mudblood! My father is on the Hogwarts board of governors, when I tell him about you, he'll make sure you're expelled."
Thea turned around with a sweet smile on her face "Oh, is that so?" The boy nodded triumphantly "Did you know that the school governors must all agree before a foreign student is invited to Hogwarts? That means that your father's known about me for the last three years at least, and not done a thing."
The boy blanched and Thea nodded sympathetically.
"Yeah, and, by the way, what's your name?"
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." Draco Malfoy puffed out his chest proudly.
"Okay, James Bond, I may be muggle born, but that doesn't make me any less magical than you. Some people say that those born to muggle parents actually have a stronger form of magic, did you know that?" Thea hid a smile as the outraged look on Draco's face changed to bewilderment.
"How on Earth did they reach that conclusion?" He asked.
"Well, the story about the origin of our magic is that witches and wizards were blessed by Lady Magic, many centuries ago, that we all came from people without magic and were given magic at birth." Thea smiled "The theories say that magic is diluted through the generations, but that Lady Magic still blesses us "muggle borns" with pure magic like she did in the beginning."
Draco Malfoy was spluttering indignantly now, trying to find an argument that Thea wouldn't be able to counter. He wouldn't of course, Thea had had three years of study to figure out counterarguments for almost anything.
"Miss Matthews, will you be attending my class today? Or are you too busy conversing?" Professor McGonagall's words were sharp, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes as she approached Thea and Draco.
"I'll be right in, Professor." Thea smiled politely "I was just pointing out the fastest way to get to Defense Against the Dark Arts from here for Draco."
Draco's face morphed into one of surprise, why was the American girl he'd been insulting not telling her head of house?
"Hmm," Professor McGonagall hummed "Very well, why don't you escort him to his next class. It wouldn't do to be late on your first day, Mr. Malfoy."
"Certainly, Professor." Thea chirped "It would be my pleasure. Come on, Draco, the DADA classroom is this way."
Her hand rested on Draco's shoulder and she steered him through the throngs of students towards a staircase.
Draco shook her hand off "Why did you do that?" He demanded.
"You may not be very nice, but you don't know any better." Thea shrugged "I think that treating people kindly helps them in the future. But, if you would rather I got you in trouble on your first day I think we can make that happen."
Draco huffed "Well, I certainly don't need your help finding the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. I'm more than capable of reaching it on my own." He started down a different flight of stairs.
"Whatever you say." Thea called "But you're going the wrong way."
Draco paused, heaving a deep sigh he turned to face Thea again "And which way do you suggest I go?"
Thea smiled "I know a shortcut."
Thea was reading in a corner of the Gryffindor common room when she heard the Fat Lady's portrait swing open accompanied by heavy breathing and several sets of loud footsteps rushing through. Glancing up from her book, Thea was greeted by the stunned faces of Harry, Hermione, Neville, and Ron, all red in the face and gasping for breath.
Thea sighed and closed her book "I feel like I don't actually want to know the answer to this question, but I'm gonna ask it anyways. Where were you?"
"We...um..." Harry floundered.
"We were just..." Hermione struggled.
Neville wheezed and Thea grabbed a glass and filled it with water for the poor boy.
"Ron?" Thea frowned as she handed the drink to Neville "Where were you?"
Ron glanced nervously at Harry and Hermione before ducking his head "Malfoy challenged Harry to a wizards duel. But he tipped off Filch and we had to run for it."
"Ron!" Hermione admonished.
"Mm-hmm? What else?" Thea hummed.
Ron groaned "How do you always know there's more?"
"I deal with your brothers on a daily basis. There's always more."
"There's a massive three-headed dog in the third floor corridor." Ron sighed "We may have accidentally hid from Filch in there."
"A cerberus?" Thea's eyebrows knitted together "That's odd. Are any of you hurt?"
They all shook their heads.
"And you weren't caught?" Thea checked.
"No." Harry spoke up.
"Well, then," Thea clapped her hands "Congratulations on your first successful sneak out. I'm impressed."
Hermione looked appalled "Aren't you going to tell on us? We broke school rules!"
Thea snorted with laughter "Tell on you? I'd be one hell of a hypocrite if I did that. I'll give you a lecture about not letting Malfoy get to you in a minute, if that makes you feel better, but for now I want to revel in this. I'm so proud of you!" She swept Ron into a quick hug.
"Agh! Thea, get off!" Ron complained half-heartedly.
Thea ruffled his hair quickly before letting him go "Okay, so Malfoy challenged you to a duel, Harry?"
"Yeah." Harry nodded "At midnight in the trophy room, but then he went and told Filch on us!"
"So...what did we learn?"
Hermione raised her hand automatically.
"Hermione?"
"Don't let Malfoy get a rise out of us?" Hermione asked.
"Well, yes, you do have to learn to ignore him. But also, none of you know how to fight a wizards duel. If Malfoy challenges you again, tell someone." Thea grinned.
"Like who?" Neville asked, finally catching his breath.
"Like me or Fred or George if you want to see him lose. Or Percy if you want to see him get in trouble." Thea snickered.
"Like Percy'd help us." Ron scoffed.
"He would." Thea insisted "If only to keep you out of trouble and avoid a lecture from Molly. Now, this Cerberus, it was in the third floor corridor, the forbidden one?"
"Yeah, what do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" Ron. asked "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."
"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" Hermione snapped "Didn't you see what it was standing on?"
"The floor?" Harry guessed "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."
"Valid." Thea nodded.
"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something." Hermione stood up, temper regained "I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed- or worse, expelled. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."
They all stared after her as she swept up the stairs.
"No, we don't mind." Ron glared "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"
Harry, however was deep in thought, wondering what the dog could be guarding. Hagrid had said that Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide- except perhaps Hogwarts.
Ron yawned loudly, drawing Harry out of his thoughts "I'm heading to bed too. Night, Thea."
"Night." Thea murmured.
Harry could almost see the wheels turning in the older girl's head before she shook herself out of her thoughts and her eyes landed on Neville, who was standing very still and looking just as frightened as when they had entered the common room. Deciding to leave it to Thea, Harry headed up the stairs to his own bed.
"Neville?" Thea's voice seemed to jolt him out of his thoughts "You okay there?"
"I'm fine!" Neville squeaked, very clearly not fine "I'm just- just thinking."
"How did you wind up in the third floor? No offense, but you don't seem the type to sneak out." Thea asked gently.
"I was, I was coming back from the hospital wing." Neville explained, blushing "I- we had our first flying lesson today and I, well, I fell off."
Thea nodded sympathetically "My first time on a broom I crashed into a tree."
"Well, I couldn't remember the password to get in, so I just slept outside. I woke up when they came out." Neville finished.
"You slept outside?" Thea frowned "You don't have to do that."
"But I forgot the password."
"If you forget the password again, there's a painting just down the hall to the left, her name's Cora Carter, she's got another portrait over there." Thea pointed "If you go and ask her she'll run over here and get someone to let you in. You won't believe how many times I did that my first year."
Neville was looking slightly calmer but still nervous.
"Come sit for a minute, okay?" Thea offered "We can just hang out until everything slows down, all right?"
Slowly, Neville sank into a cushy armchair across from Thea. She offered him a chocolate frog and he accepted.
"How are you liking Hogwarts so far?"
"It's okay, I guess." Neville mumbled.
"But...?" Thea prompted him when he didn't go on.
"It's a little lonely, and I'm not very good at magic." Neville slumped in his chair "Malfoy and his friends like to pick on me, but I can't stand up for myself."
"Settling in can take time, Nev." Thea soothed "But I've heard you're something of a herbology prodigy. And, as for Malfoy, he's an idiot and a jerk. One thing I know is in the world outside school, when you're trying to get a job, they're more likely to hire people who are nice and get along with others than they are morons like Malfoy."
Neville giggled a little "But, I'm still no good at other magic. I'm doing terribly in transfiguration and charms, and I know I'm failing potions."
"Do you want advice? Or do you want to vent?" Thea asked "Which would help you most right now?
Neville frowned, thinking hard "Advice, I guess."
"I'm happy to tutor you in any subject you need help in, but if you need more help you can ask to make an appointment with Professor McGonagall or Professor Flitwick for help in their classes." Thea leaned in conspiratorially "Here's a secret, if you put in the effort, do the homework, and try hard Professor Flitwick won't fail you. You might not get a top grade, but you'll pass. Same with McGonagall, though she'll be tougher about it."
"What about potions?" Neville sighed "Professor Snape hates me."
"Professor Snape hates everyone. But, from what I've heard, he does seem to really dislike you. If it continues, we can make an appointment with Professor Dumbledore and bring the matter to him." Thea suggested "Snape shouldn't treat you the way he does."
Neville looked down and mumbled something about "Not wanting to make a fuss."
"Neville," Thea's voice was stern "You do not deserve to be treated the way Snape treats you. No one does. You're not 'making a fuss' you are standing up for yourself and your right to be treated like a human being. Okay?"
Neville nodded silently.
"Okay. Now, it's pretty late, I'll probably head up to bed soon. You can stay down here if you'd like, I'm happy to run and get some hot chocolate from the kitchens if you want it, or you can get some sleep. What do you think?"
"I..." Neville drooped "I think I'll go to bed."
"All right. Sleep well." Thea shooed him up the stairs.
The days before Halloween arrived with the smell of rain, falling leaves, and the addition of multiple large pumpkins to the Great Hall. And, of course, the twins, Lee Jordan, and Thea's annual prank war. They flipped a knut to find their partners, Thea against George as captains, Thea got Fred on her team and George got Lee. They all knew they would all wind up on the same team in the end for the massive prank on Halloween itself.
Thea and Fred were leaning over a book at breakfast as Harry and Ron joined the table.
"What're you two up too?" Ron asked, recognizing a conspiracy if he'd ever seen one.
Fred glanced up "Are you with us or against us, little brother?"
"Huh?"
"Are you spying for George and Lee?" Thea clarified.
"Why would we be spying for George and Lee?" Harry wondered.
Thea stared for a minute "Right, you're firsties. We do our best not to involve firsties."
She dragged Fred back to the book and pointed something out to him. Ron looked over at Harry 'Firsties?' he mouthed. Harry just shrugged, he had a feeling he didn't want to get involved.
"Wait, give me your glasses, Harry." Thea ordered, sitting up sharply.
Harry hesitantly handed them over, watching as she tapped them with her wand and muttered a spell before passing them back.
"Do I want to know?" He asked, replacing them on the bridge of his nose.
Thea laughed "You'll find out soon enough."
Fred nodded "Best not get under the table in the meantime, don't want to look suspicious." He winked.
Harry and Ron both decided they wanted nothing to do with whatever they were cooking up and promptly scooted down the table away from where trouble was surely brewing.
As they started to eat there was a bang from the Ravenclaw table and lime green mist covered every student at the table. A second explosion went off at the Hufflepuff table, this time with canary yellow haze covering the students. Then, in perfect unison, bright clouds erupted over the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables, hot pink for the snakes and neon orange for the lions.
Every student's robes, face, hair, and bags were stained the corresponding color. Harry reached blindly for a napkin to clean his glasses, having squeezed his eyes shut when the mist coated them, but upon opening them found his glasses untouched.
A final boom came from the staff table and every teacher was drenched in bright purple. Snape looked livid, Flitwick and Hagrid were both trying to hide their laughter, while Dumbledore was openly chukling.
"A fine performance!" He chortled "An All Hallows prank for the ages. May I assume we're done now?"
The mist that still lingered in the air came together to form the words "Not even close"
"Ah, well." Dumbledore sighed "I don't suppose you wash off easily?"
The mist didn't bother to respond and instead promptly stuck itself to Dumbledore's robes, making him look even more garish and mad than usual. Dumbledore didn't seem to mind though as he continued to laugh.
Harry looked down at his plate, the food, though it should have been the ugly orange that was every student at the Gryffindor table, looked untouched.
"It's safe to eat." Thea informed him cheerfully "We weren't going to make the kitchens work any harder than they already do."
"Was this your doing?" Ron grouched, desperately trying to brush the orange from his face so you could tell where his hair ended and Ron began.
"Of course not!" Fred gasped dramatically "How could you possibly think that, little brother?"
"We would never!" Thea continued to bemoan "Such little faith! Such lack of trust!"
"Shove off, will you! How do you get this off?" Ron growled.
"Relax," Thea grabbed a biscuit "It'll go away on its own after six hours. It's not dangerous, just colorful!"
"Snape is going to murder you." Ron sighed "What'll you do then?"
"Laugh in his face." Fred declared.
Thea nodded "Honestly, we did him a favor, purple's a good color on him."
"Well, it was George and Lee's idea to do the staff table as well as the house tables." Fred pointed out "They should get at least some of the credit."
"Hm, quite so, quite so." Thea nodded agreeably "On the contrary however! They were too cowardly to face the prank and get misted like the rest of us!"
"A brilliant counterargument, dear Althea!"
"Thank you, I know."
"You two are weird." Ron rolled his eyes as he dug back into his eggs.
Harry held back a laugh as he looked around and saw several younger students struggling to clean the color from their skin, though most of the older students simply looked resigned.
He looked back to where Fred and Thea were joking with each other "Do you do this every year?"
"It's tradition." Thea informed him "We work in teams of two for a week pranking each other and anyone who happens to deserve it, then in the week before Halloween, we come together for a masterful display of hijinks and tomfoolery."
"And you don't get in trouble for it?"
"Of course we do!" Fred snorted "All the teachers know it's us, they just can't prove it! Snape and Filch will give us an extra hard time for a while."
"But Dumbledore doesn't mind." Thea jumped in "He thinks it's hilarious. So, really, they can't do much. We'll get a couple detentions and lose some points, but we'll earn those back quick enough. It's all in fun anyway, and we're careful that no one will get hurt by the pranks."
A week later it was Halloween and Thea was heading down the hall when she was knocked into by a sobbing Hermione. Thea was quick to scoop up her books and follow the first year as she raced to the girls bathroom. By the time she reached the door, Hermione had locked herself in a stall.
"Hermione?" Thea called, knocking on the stall door "Are you okay in there? Did something happen?"
"Go away!" Hermione choked out.
"No can do, I'm afraid. I make it a rule not to let anyone cry in a bathroom alone." Thea joked "Seriously, though, what happened?"
"Ronald!" Hermione hiccuped through her tears "He-he called me insufferable and said it's no-no wonder I have no friends."
Thea bit her lip "Well, that wasn't okay. And it's not true."
"But it is true!" Wailed Hermione "No one in my year likes me, I don't have any friends."
"Not one?" Thea asked "Then what should we call the gal sitting outside your stall? 'Cause if she's not your friend, I'm a little worried."
Unable to stop herself Hermione giggled "Y-you're my friend? But Ron's like your brother."
"And that means I get to call him out when he says untrue and unkind things." Thea pointed out "And he can't tell me I'm wrong, because as his older sister, I am always right."
Hermione laughed a little more then opened the door "Thank you for following me."
"I'd do it again. Now c'mon, the feast will be starting soon. You can sit with Fred, George, and I and we'll have a great time. We can deal with Ron later." Thea swept her arm around Hermione's shoulders and gave a light squeeze.
"I think I'll join you later." Hermione sniffed "I need a bit of time on my own, if that's okay?"
Thea nodded "Of course. I'll save you a seat."
Hermione didn't make it to the feast, instead a troll escaped the dungeons, Harry and Ron tracked it to the girls bathroom Hermione was in, saved the bookworm, and knocked the troll out with its own club. That seemed to at least solve the problem of Hermione's lack of friends in her year, though Percy, Thea, and the twins all received letters from Mrs. Weasley demanding they keep a closer eye on Ron and stay far away from any more wondering trolls.
The first Quidditch match of the year was Slytherin versus Gryffindor and Thea, Fred, and George were already dressed in their scarlet and gold robes. Harry was clearly nervous as he changed, trying to put his scarlet and gold robes on backwards before Thea took pity on him and helped him.
Wood cleared his throat to get their attention "Okay, men,"
"And women." Angelina Johnson and Thea interjected.
"And women." Wood nodded "This is it."
"The big one." Fred parroted.
"The one we've all been waiting for." George continued.
"We know Oliver's speech by heart." Fred explained to Harry, gesturing to himself, George, and Thea "We were on the team last year."
"Shut up you three." Wood scowled "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."
He finished with a glare that seem to hold the threat "Or else."
"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you." Oliver grabbed his broom and led them out of the locker room.
Thea patted Harry's shoulder "Don't worry too much, you'll do fine."
The team trooped out to the field and, at Madam Hooch's order, mounted their brooms. The referee's shrill whistle pierced the air and the teams of green and red lifted into the air to start the game.
"And the quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina of Gryffindor-" Lee Jordan narrated "What an excellent chaser that girl is, and rather attractive too."
"JORDAN"
"Sorry, Professor." Lee didn't look the least bit sorry as he continued "And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Althea Matthews, back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH -!"
Katie's broom wobbled dangerously as she struggled to get her bearing, below the Gryffindor supporters booed Marcus as he seized the quaffle.
"That must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a bludger - quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a second bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!" Lee led the cheers as Thea gave Angelina a passing high five.
High above the crowd Harry started to do celebratory loop-the-loops before he went back to scanning the field for the snitch. He seemed to be having it easy so far, only one bludger had hurled itself after him and Fred had quickly swooped in and beaten it towards one of the Slytherin beaters.
"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the - wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"
A flash of gold by his ear caused Pucey to drop the quaffle as he turned his head trying to find it. The chasers had all frozen, watching as Harry and the Slytherin seeker, Terrance Higgs sped after the prize. They were all so entranced, none of them noticed when Marcus Flint began to move again, not going for the quaffle, but for Harry. Harry spun away, clutching his broom desperately trying not to fall.
"FOUL!" The Gryffindors screamed and Madam Hooch agreed, giving the Gryffindors a free shot.
Lee was finding it hard not to take sides "So after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"
"Jordan!"
"I mean after that open and revolting foul-"
"Jordan, I'm warning you-!"
"All right, all right." Lee grumbled "Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, knock him off his broom, Thea, come on!"
"JORDAN!"
"So a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Matthews, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."
Play continued, with McGonagall only threatening to take away Lee's megaphone a few more times. Thea and Angelina both scored once, putting Gryffindor firmly in the lead. It was only when the crowd started to scream the players noticed that Harry had floated off, his broom twitching and bucking madly. A particularly sharp jerk had caused Harry to fall off and he was now clinging, one handed to his broom as it continued to roll and twist.
Fred and George flew towards the youngest player, trying to pull him to safety on the back of one of their brooms, but Harry's Nimbus didn't seem to pleased with that idea and spun further away. Fred and George gave up that plan, joining Thea circling lower in hopes of catching Harry if he fell.
More screams and yells echoed from the stands, and Thea glanced down, hoping nothing else had happened. Whatever it was seemed to be in the staff seats, Snape was a furious shade of violet as he stamped on the hem of his robes. High above everything, Harry had scrambled back on his broom and started pelting towards the ground.
Fred and George pulled out of the way, trying to catch their seeker, or at least slow his descent, Thea raced neck-in-neck, reaching for her wand to cast a cushioning charm on the unforgiving ground.
Harry clapped his hand to his mouth and tumbled off his broom, landing on all fours on the now, slightly softer, field. Thea landed next to him a bit more gracefully and started pounding on his back. Harry coughed once, twice and something gold fell into his waiting hands.
Triumphantly lifting his fist in the air, he called "I've got the snitch!"
The stadium burst into applause while the Slytherins screamed in frustration.
"He didn't catch it! He nearly swallowed it!" Marcus Flint howled.
But his complaints fell on deaf ears, Gryffindor had won one hundred and eighty points to sixty.
Wood was crying tears of joy "I knew it! I knew it! I told you, didn't I? I told you this would be the one! He's brilliant! Catching the snitch in his mouth! I've never heard of someone doing that, have you?" He rambled.
Thea offered him a tissue, patting his shoulder "Yes, Oliver, you did tell us, not that we ever doubted Harry, of course."
"Party in the common room!" George called out "Let's go everyone!"
The team found themselves lifted on the shoulders of their classmates, and they were carried out of the stadium back towards the castle.
New York City, The Matthews Apartment
Topanga was putting Auggie to bed when there was a familiar tap on the window, and opening the curtains, she saw Thea's owl, a thick letter and package tied to its leg.
"Auggie, sweetie, we got a letter from Thea!"
The sleepiness of the little boy slipped away and he bounced up "What's it say? What's it say?"
"Let's go downstairs and we can all open it together." Topanga suggested, hefting her son into her arms.
Cory was sat at the kitchen table grading papers when his wife and son came back downstairs "I thought it was bedtime?" He joked.
"We just got a letter! We just got a letter!" Auggie sang.
"I wonder who it's from!" Cory finished the song with a laugh "Could it be from Thea?"
"Open it! Please!"
The three state down on the couch and opened the envelope.
Dear Mom, Dad, Riley, and Auggie,
School has only just started and it's already crazy. It's Ron's first year and he's made friends with a boy named Harry Potter and a girl named Hermione Granger. (They seem to get in as much, if not more, trouble than Fred, George, and I) Classes are interesting, I've started tutoring some of the first years in a couple subjects.
This year I'm also taking Care of Magical Creatures, Ancient Runes, and Arithmancy. We have a new DADA teacher, Professor Quirrell, who's been all over the world. He took a year off to get "real world experience" but I think it just scared him. There's a rumor he met a vampire in Egypt and now he stuffs his turban full of garlic to ward them off. I'm not sure how true that is.
We had the first quidditch match of the year yesterday. Gryffindor won! Harry caught the snitch in his mouth! Oliver was in tears he was so happy. The Slytherins weren't too pleased, they tried to say it didn't count, since Harry didn't catch it in his hands. But there's no rule that says you HAVE to catch it with your hands! Just that you have to catch it!
I'm sorry I haven't written sooner, I've just been so busy with homework, tutoring, quidditch, and keeping an eye on Ron and his friends, I've barely had a minute to breathe! I did grab you some gifts from the first Hogsmeade visit though!
Mom, I got you some sugar quills and a few wizarding history and law books I think you'll find interesting. Dad, I've put a few boxes of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans (now with new flavors including broken computer and defeat!) in for you and some joke products from Zonkos (Do NOT use these on Mom, I mean it). For Riley I got some earrings that change color based on your mood and cauldron cakes. Auggie, I've got all the chocolate frogs I could carry, the newest Mad Muggle comic, and a pack of Exploding Snap cards. I'll teach you how to play next time I see you.
Which brings me to something else. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are going to visit Charlie for Christmas this year, so Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and I are planning to stay at Hogwarts for the holiday. You know I'd love to come back to the states and visit but I don't know if that's the best idea yet. And I'm going to have SO much homework! It'll give me lots of quiet time to study in the library with everyone gone.
We can see about the Easter holidays, but I know you'll still have classes, Dad, so if that doesn't work out, maybe we can figure something out this summer? I really do miss you guys and I can't wait to see you again. I'll write again soon, send me a letter back with Iris.
I love you all,
Thea
"Thea's not coming back yet?" Auggie asked, lower lip starting to quiver.
Cory brushed his curls out of his face "Not yet, kiddo. But soon, I hope."
"I miss her."
"Me too buddy. Me too."
The touching moment was interrupted as Riley, Maya, Farkle, and Lucas came in.
"We're going upstairs!" Riley announced.
Farkle noticed the subdued atmosphere clouding the living room "Is everything okay, Mr. Matthews?"
Topanga quickly wiped the tears from her own eyes "Yes, Farkle, everything is fine. We just got a letter from Thea."
Farce's face lit up "Really? How is she?"
"She's good, she's staying at school again this Christmas."
The genius deflated "Oh, that's too bad. It would have been nice to see her again."
"Yeah," Lucas agreed, turning to Riley "I've known you guys for a year and I've never met Thea, and you never talk about her. Where does she go to school anyway?"
Riley didn't answer, choosing instead to focus on her shoes.
"Scotland, it's a boarding school." Topanga explained "She got accepted when she was eleven."
"Really?" Lucas asked "And, what, she just never comes home?"
"She came home once." Auggie grumbled "But somebody ruined it."
"I didn't ruin anything!" Riley tried to defend herself "If Thea hadn't-"
"That's enough." Topanga put her foot down "Riley, Thea sent you these."
She handed her younger daughter the small box labeled with her name and the package of cauldron cakes. Riley opened the box and a little folded note fluttered out.
Riley,
You saw these in a shop window when I first went to school. I tried to find them again but they were sold out. They just got some in at Gladrags.
Love you,
Thea
Inside were a pair of flowery pink earrings. Riley bit her lip, she'd made the offhanded comment that day in Diagon Alley, the only day she'd gone shopping with the rest of the family, that those were pretty. She hadn't thought anyone had heard, let alone Thea. Riley carefully traced one of the intricate petals and the color shifted from pink to blue.
Riley snapped the box shut and shoved it in her backpack "We're going upstairs." She hurried her friends up to her room.
Word count: 5802 words
I'm so sorry for the wait! I know it's been over a year, but I pinkie swear this story isn't abandoned! And I have no plans for it to be! If it is I will tell you, I promise.
Please don't forget to comment, vote, and add to your reading lists! #BlackLivesMatter #FreePalestine #SaveOurChildren
Love,
The Author