-Chapter Two-

Mother Knows Best

Vivian Prewett was an unyielding woman. If she could, she would have stopped her children from having magic. When those letters had arrived last year, and her husband had told her the truth about his family, she had been furious. Furious at her husband for lying to her about himself and a whole secret world that existed along her own- but, like she has always done in life, she dug in her heels and stood her ground, determined not to lose her family completely. She adapted the best she could.

"Meredith- Mafalda!" she yelled from the kitchen, "come and eat! We need to leave for London soon! Molly said she'd be at that magic place by twelve o'clock."
Meredith walked into the kitchen, already dressed and ready to go. Mafalda was right behind her. Meredith had gone from being sad about Silas, to now being annoyed by it- and so had decided to do her best to pretend that he never existed.

"It's Diagon Alley, mum," Meredith added, talking through a mouth full of toast, "and we wouldn't have had to leave so early if you'd just agree to taking the floo network."

"Don't talk with your mouth full."
"It would be a lot quicker," Mafalda said, making sure to swallow before talking, to avoid her mothers wrath. "Now that our house is set up permanently, we could be there and back much quicker."

"And what about our shopping?" Mrs Prewett asked, annoyed, "will your chimney travelling keep all your new things clean and safe? No- I did not think so."

Meredith had to hide her smile as her mother reached the height of her anger, because her portuguese accent always came out when she was especially annoyed. This happened often when having a conversation with the girls.

Not long after breakfast, they found themselves in Mrs Prewett's little silver car. Meredith was sat at the back after losing a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors to Mafalda- who got the front seat as a result. Meredith and Mafalda had to spend the car ride assuring their mother they knew how to get to Diagon Alley. Meredith had the letters with the instructions that Mrs Weasley sent in her pocket, just in case.

They decided to find as close a parking to central London as they could, which is no easy task. After driving for an hour, they were now way behind schedule.

It didn't take long for an argument to break out when they were heading forward on foot. Meredith tried her hardest to block out the noise as she read the directions from Mrs Weasley's letter.

Eventually, they found the street they were looking for. It was a little beaten down compared to other parts of London, and there weren't streams of muggles on the pavement. Mrs Prewett was looking close to panic when they finally stood in front of the Leaky Cauldron.

"It'll be fine, mum," Meredith said assuredly. Mafalda patted her mother on the arm like she was a startled horse. This was the first time their mother would really see the lives her daughters had lived the past year- and she was terrified.

They entered the shabby looking pub, staring around at all the grubby patrons. Meredith waved at the barman and headed straight towards the back of the pub, where a door opened up to a courtyard. She took out her wand and walked towards the old brick wall. She glanced shyly at her mother, aware that this was the first time she had seen her wand.

"I thought you can't use magic out of school," her mother remarked.

"I don't think this really counts," Mafalda said, pulling out her own wand. "I want to do it, Meredith."
"No, you got to sit in the front so I get to do this."

Meredith checked the letters one more time. The right brick to tap was three bricks up and then two across, three times. Meredith counted all the bricks and then with one last glance at her mother, she tapped the brick with her ebony wand.

The bricks moved away from Meredith's wand like they were scared of it. She heard her mother's little gasp as Diagon Alley appeared before them. Meredith smiled happily at the bright street, with all of it's wonderful storefronts.

"Come on then," Mafalda said, dragging her mother and sister forward.

First they went to find Gringotts bank. Mrs Prewett hadn't uttered a word as they walked, too much in shock at the sight before her. Gringotts towered over them with it's rising white pillars. The goblins watched everyone who entered suspiciously, more guarded since the break-in last year.

After exchanging their muggle money for some wizarding gold, they headed back to the friendly stores.

They entered Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions, since Meredith and Mafalda had grown a couple inches and needed their Robes fitted again. Their mother's eyes widened as the measuring tape whipped around the girls without any help, but she otherwise didn't remark on it. Wanting to come across as unbothered, so as not to embarrass her daughters, she pretended she'd seen it all before.

Their last stop was to be Flourish and Blotts, where they'd be meeting the Weasley's and Hermione, but first Meredith wanted to try and convince her mother to let them get an owl.

"They're really useful- we'd be able to send you letters all the time," said Meredith, using her best salesman voice. "And I wouldn't be so miserable when it comes to the holidays because I can keep in contact with my friends- please mum."

Mrs Prewett pursed her lips. "And you will share this bird?"

"I want nothing to do with it," Mafalda said, shaking her head. "Owls and birds really freak me out."

Meredith gave her sister an angry look.

"But I do think it's a useful thing to have," amended Mafalda.

As Meredith started listing off all the great things about owls, the door to the Owl Emporium opened with a ding. Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass walked in, and stopped when they saw them. Meredith immediately stopped talking, and instead watched as Mafalda seemed to change before her eyes. Mafalda's spine went straight like a board and she flicked her braided hair behind her back, her whole body basically screamed that she thought she was better than everyone. It was quite a sight to behold when Mafalda transformed herself, and Mrs Prewett flicked her eyebrow in inquiry.

"Mum," Mafalda said with a lowered voice, "can I go spend time with my friends? I'll meet you at the bookstore before we leave."

Mrs Prewett nodded her head and stared thoughtfully after her daughter as she walked towards her friends and ushered them out of the store.

"Should I ask?" she said to her remaining daughter.

Meredith scoffed. "No, it's nothing really- so about that owl..."

After more pressure, her mother finally agreed to at least having a look at the owls. The store had owls perched all over the place. They were in cages or free roaming. Huddled in the corner seemed to be a particularly shy barn owl. Meredith slowly made her way towards the bird, noticing it's beautiful sandy back, streaked with blue and white. It turned it's pale, apple shaped face towards her and stared at her with unblinking, pitch black eyes.

"That one there is a barn owl. He's quite the coward," said the lady behind the desk. She said it fondly, with a doting smile on her face. She reached up and the owl stepped off his perch and nestled on her arm. He dropped his eyes lazily.

Meredith gently stroked his white chest.

"He's very pretty," Mrs Prewett said, "I suppose he would do."

Meredith grinned happily at her mother.

"Does he have a name?" she asked the desk lady.

"Oh no- not really," she said as she led them over to the section of the shop with the owl cages, "but we do often call barn owls hobgoblins, silver owls, straw owls and many more names like that. They've had a lot of names throughout history."

"I like Hobgoblin," Meredith said, while her mother sighed in exasperation.

"That's a horrible name," she said with a laugh, "what about something more charming? Like Moon-Eyes?"

"That's so boring," Meredith said, "he needs a name that will give him confidence."

Hobgoblin screeched and swivelled his head, as if he agreed.

They made their payment for the owl and bought all the necessary equipment.

Meredith was so excited to show the gang her owl that she practically ran to Flourish and Blotts. She didn't expect the long line that streamed down the road as she got there. Luckily she saw the red heads of the Weasleys, already halfway up the queue.

Meredith pulled her mother into the fray.