the moon

Freedom And Pickpocketing

The ride to Diagon alley was anything but eventful, but Enola felt like she was embarking on a new adventure. And when she was dropped off at the Leaky Cauldron she seemed to realize the Wizarding World wasn't as shiny as her memory made it out to be. But she was still happy to be out of that godforsaken orphanage. She didn't even mind the subtle smell of mold when she walked into the pub.

She had been told the Leaky Cauldron doubled as an Inn but as far as she could tell it was just a rowdy pub with drunk customers. She didn't know who to approach about getting a room as everyone in a twenty-foot radius of her was on the verge of passing out from all the liquor they had drunk.

But then Enola noticed a strange man writing furiously in a small brown book. She could tell the man was having a rough time and was wary of approaching him. But she moved forward. As she got closer she saw the man in a clearer light. He had sandy brown hair and eyes the color of chocolate. But the most interesting thing about him was the scars that littered his face. Now Enola had to approach him. He seemed cool, badass even.

The man didn't notice her approaching him until he heard a flat voice.

"Cool scars sir."

Only one person had ever complimented his scars in the same manner. And that person had been Sirius black. When he looked up from his work he felt a strong sense of deja vu. The young girl in front of him could have been no older than thirteen, and she awkwardly carried herself. She had dark hair and eyes like the moon and a look on her face that told the man she was nervous.

"Hello." Was all he could mutter out.

"Been a while since you've had a conversation, I get that, don't worry I just want to know where I can get a room. Do you know who owns this place?" She spat out in a single breath.

He smiled " and what might a child need a room for?" He said in a sarcastic voice.

"Ran away," Enola replied with a huge smile. She was proud of it.

"I'm afraid I won't help aid a runaway in her adventures." He said with a frown.

"I'm not a runaway, I'm Enola, and you are?" She replied.

"Remus, nice to meet you, Enola. I suppose if you aren't a runaway I should be able to help you with that ankle of yours."

Enola herself had forgotten about her ankle but as she remembered the adrenaline wore thin and the throbbing pain returned.

"Right, suppose you can heal it then, yeah? She said sticking her ankle in his face.

The man pointed his wand at Enola's swollen ankle and spoke "pedio emendo" in a clear voice.

And just like that, the pain was gone. Enola felt immense relief and let out a content sigh.

"Bloody hell. That is incredible, I suppose you'll have to teach me that one some other time. For now, can you point me towards where I can get a room?" She said once again in a single breath.

Remus pointed her towards a man who seemed elated when he saw a new potential customer. And before Enola walked away she sneakily took the leather wallet sitting on the table. She needed money, sure he had patched robes and was not well off but Enola didn't care. Even if he had been kind to her.

"Thanks, Remmy," Enola said with a grin.

"Of course Enola," Remus said with an equally bright grin. Remus thought she was thanking him for healing her ankle, in reality, she was thanking him for the wallet.

They parted ways as Enola made her way toward the presumed owner of the establishment. Their paths wouldn't cross until two years later. When Enola would finally return his wallet.

But for now, all Enola was focused on was sleep. She got to her room, hung her tattered leather jacket on the closet door, and fell asleep for once in her life her sleep was nightmare free.

The next morning, Enola woke up feeling free. Her plans for the day consisted of pickpocketing unsuspecting wizards. And purchasing her very own muggle record player. As a child, she would always walk to the nearby town and spend her days listening to music in the record store.

And that she did, as a matter of fact, she spent the entire week collecting as many wallets as she could. While simultaneously collecting records. She would get completely lost in the music. And she found her favorite album to be 'ziggy stardust and the spiders from mars." The music was wonderful. Her freedom was wonderful.

She never saw Remus in the pub after that day, but she kept an eye out for him. Wishing to return the wallet after the guilt settled in. But she never saw him. So she spent that week with well-deserved solitude and music.

And as she fell asleep on August 31st she couldn't help but feel anxious about the day that awaits her.

Tomorrow Enola would board the Hogwarts Express.