In Another Life

Year 1- Diagon Alley

It was just after breakfast. Percy was up in his room changing. Molly had sent Harry and Ron to Ron's room and Ginny, Annie and me to their room to get settled in.

"You can take my bed. You're our guest after all." Ginny and Annie offered at the same time.

"No, I couldn't do that either of you. I brought my sleeping bag. I can sleep on the windowsill."

"Won't that be uncomfortable?" Annie said curiously.

"Not as uncomfortable as a thin mattress on the floor. I wasn't as bad as Harry, but Vernon despised me for years. I didn't have my bed until I was eight. I went into their care at a bit over four months old, shared a crib with Harry until he was old enough to sleep in a bed. He then got moved to the cupboard under the stairs."

"As long as you're safe. As long as you're comfortable sleeping there." Ginny said in an almost defeated tone.

"I am, I promise."

They both then cleared out a few drawers for me. Ginny also grabbed my bathroom bag and took it to the bathroom. When she came back, she told me it was stashed with hers, Annie's and her mother's personal items. I was okay with it, as long as none of the boys found my personal hygiene items. I was eleven and had my woman's thing since I was ten. I had none of the usual things that lends a hand in early menstruation, such as obesity. I was fairly thin, but I guess it was something genetic.

"Kids! Come down here!" Molly yelled up.

I sighed, still not unpacked or having my bed set up. I knew school didn't start until September, and it was still only Harry's birthday. There was a whole month, the first of August to the first of September, between now and when we go to Hogwarts. Ginny, Annie and I ran downstairs and were quickly followed by the rest of the Hogwarts students in the house. We all met Molly and Arthur by the fireplace. Once we were all standing around the fireplace, Molly grabbed a flowerpot.

"Alright. Here we are, Harry. You go first, dear." Molly said as she took the flowerpot over to Harry.

"But Harry's never travelled by floo powder before, mum."

"Floo powder?" Harry and I questioned.

"Well, you go first, Ron. So, Harry and Allyson see how it's done."

Ron stepped forward, taking a handful of ash looking powder from the flowerpot. He went and STOOD IN the fireplace. My eyebrows knitted together in confusion at this. This is surely a wizard thing I couldn't understand, being raised by non magical people, apparently called muggles in this world.

Ron then, almost yelling, said, "Diagon Alley."

Ron dropped the powder and green flames erupted out of the fireplace. Molly then turned to Harry and me.

"Who's next?"

"I guess I will go, Mrs. Weasley." I said shyly.

"Alright, dear. Remember, clear strong voice. Don't want to wind up in an unwanted location."

I nodded and took some of the powder. It felt weird in my hand, as if I had a handful of ashes and sand. I stood in the fireplace and repeated what Ron had done. I soon was swirled into a busy looking shop. I was face to face with Ron and he helped me out of the fireplace.

"Um, Ron? Where are we?"

"The leaky Cauldron. An inn that connects the wizarding world to the muggle world. Only wizards and witches can enter from the muggle world, as muggles see it as just an abandoned shop. Parents of muggle born students are permitted to pass through, obviously, you don't want your young child to go off and buy more sweets than school supplies."