Epoximise: Ginny x Fem! OC

Chapter 2

August 31st, 1992

Rory woke to the smell of Aunt Teenie brewing coffee, and smiled so wide her round cheeks nearly covered her eyes. This was her last morning in this bed, the morning they were leaving for London, and the following day, Hogwarts. She rolled onto her side and pulled back the curtains beside her.

Rory hadn't expected to grow so fond of Dorset in her short time there, but the English coast was so different from the busy life she grew up within New York. It was hard not to fall in love.

The summer had been quiet, mostly consisting of helping Uncle Newt and Aunt Teenie as they unpacked and settled into their new home. There were however a few occasions where Newt allowed Rory to tag along on research excursions. She spent several weekends camping with her guardian- observing merpeople by the coast, carefully tracking a couple of Jarvey through a forest, or even (however begrudgingly) removing several Bundimun from a neighbors house.

Rory enjoyed time alone with Uncle Newt. He wasn't a particularly chatty fellow, and in the downtime of their trips, Rory discovered a type of quiet that filled her to the brim with warmth and peace; a sort of silence that exists in true open country, but never in a place like New York City. She would miss her new little home, but the promise of even fresher air up north in Scotland sent a chill up her spine.

After showering, Rory began to collect the last items to pack in her trunk. She grabbed her blue traveling cloak, and muggle Walkman before plopping herself in front of the large bookcase that took up the back wall of her room. Rory had spent nearly a week organizing her collection when they first moved in- changing from sorted by subject, to alphabetical by author and back again. She scanned through the shelf of books by muggle authors and settled on the large, leather-bound, Shakespeare anthology.

"Really? That one? Out of any book to bring, you choose the heaviest one you could find" Aunt Teenie tutted, entering the room with a bagel and lox. She placed the plate beside Rory whose hair had turned a rosy pink that matched her blushing cheeks. She knew she would have access to a whole library soon, but these books were her treasures, coming from every corner of the earth that Uncle Newt had explored.

"Thought you'd like one last bagel before a year's worth of Brit food," Tina smiled and took a finger swipe of schmear.

Rory grinned gratefully and took a hulking crunch from her breakfast, sighing as the smoky fish melted on her tongue. "Oh don't worry, Uncle Jacob already told Rolf and me that he'd send us treats from his shop whenever we ask '' Rory responded between chews.

"I'll be surprised if he doesn't attempt to hand-deliver them at least once this term" Tina added, and they both chuckled at this. Uncle Jacob was a muggle with an endless interest in the wizarding world, and he had a particular soft spot for Rory. Most of the family did, considering her circumstances. She wished they all treated her a bit more normally, but when you're eleven, you're still "too cute" to seem brave.

Just then Uncle Newt hollered up the stairs, "Nearly ready ladies?"

A knot settled in Rory's stomach and her hair faded from its pale pink into a murky grey. She glanced down at the silken locks that cascaded from her head and grunted, grabbing a scrunchie off her wrist.

"It's alright to be nervous, love" Aunt Teenie said, rubbing the girl's back as she tied up her hair.

"I know that, I just wish it wasn't so easy for everyone to see it." Rory had never viewed being a metamorphmagus as a gift. She had little control over it, so her change in appearance tended to reveal more than it disguised. Especially amongst people who knew her well and had taken to memorizing what her colors meant. Rory shut her eyes so tight it made her whole body shiver, and as she inhaled sharply, her hair returned to brown.