𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐

"I leave for one bloody night and my best friend's daughter gets an early Hogwarts letter"

James muttered in a matter which displayed his fear of being heard there, in that moment. The Potters had decided to rush back the second they heard the news, since well- this had never happened before. Absentmindedly pacing, Lilly took a firm and sudden hold of his tense arm.

"James, Shut. Up."

She spat sternly, soon followed by a "please" in a lowered voice. Lelia still didn't understand what was going on, nor did anyone else but she knew what to do.

"I'm not at all sure what is going on but I feel a mental breakdown coming up in about thirty minutes, and if I have to hear anyone mention Hogwarts again my last brain cell will go to shit so i'll be eating yesterday's leftovers and crying in my room." Lelia took in a deep breath, blurting out panicked sentences like that was quite unlike her usual self. She smoothly swivelled on her heel and made her way out of the crowded room, along the oak flooring and straight to the well decorated kitchen.

Soon after Lelia abruptly left, all of the adults had a muted exchange; asking each other, what had just happened? A groggy, six year old Harry Potter lay in their peach fuzz textured sofa, mumbling something along the lines of
"well this is just brilliant".

•••••• time skip (a few days) ••••••

Lelia made her way through Diagon Alley, hand in hand with her parents. She was only nine after all, and you don't really need a reason to express love to your parents. At least that's what her oblivious self chose to believe, contrary to the judgemental opinions of others. Soon enough, they had made their way around Ollivander's, Flourish and Blotts, Potage's and about half a dozen more. She was making her way to get her quidditch supplies while her parents made a quick trip over to Gringotts . She ran into a young witch about her age- brunette hair, fair skin and a slight bounce in her step.

"Excuse me, hi there. My name's Lelia-  sorry to bother you. I just wanted to ask if you're going to Hogwarts as a first year in September? It'd be nice to have a friend before going to school, so I wouldn't have to go through that awkward stage."

she blurted out, all in one go. The poor girl faced her in confusion, eyes wide, before she coolly answered

"I'm Poppy. Poppy Halern. I don't think of this as a bother but more of an awkward blessing"

Lelia's nose scrunched. Did she just call her awkward?

"And before you get offended, I mean it in the nicest way possible. I'm not too keen on having to go through that thing where you don't have friends for a week and then a funky smelling kid is all you know. My parents are away right now, so i'm here alone. Do you want to hang out? I know it's a tad bit unsafe but, oh well, doesn't really affect me either way."

A smile overtook the worried expression Lelia had- glad, to have a friend. They started their way to Quality Quidditch Supplies, bumbling on and on about their hopes for the new year.

•••••• time skip (five hours) ••••••

A brief five hours later Lelia felt languid yet excited for the upcoming weeks. School at Hogwarts, a new friend, studying in an aesthetically pleasing library. What's not to love? Her fun was ended suddenly when Sirius informed his daughter that they needed to go home since it was getting late. The time was seven pm and- SEVEN PM? They had hung out for five whole hours? Before she even got the chance to react to the time, Poppy's parents came to pick her up from the semi-deserted Diagon Alley.

••••••••••••••••••••••

"It's not fair, how come she gets to have a pet- but I don't?"