What If? Year 1

Chapter 58

As soon as we get to the mall, I remember how chaotic shopping with my whole family is. Harry and Evie both immediately get distracted by candy dispensers and Dad tries to pull me into the sports store.
"Alright," Mum says, "James, why don't you take Harry into the sporting store. He'll enjoy it. The girls and I will got get some clothing shopping done and you will get some fun outside things for us to do over the summer, right?" Dad lets go of me and nods.
"Yes, Lily dear." Him and Harry rush off to do their jobs and Mum pulls out four coins and hands them all to Evie.
"Get us all a gumball, Evie." Evie nods and rushes off.
"Now, I know the both of you are not supper comfortable using our money, but I'm going to have to ask you to. Just get things that you like, alright? Please?" Ara and I nod as Evie rushes over and hands us both a gumball.
"What's this?" Ara asks me, sheepishly. I pop mine into my mouth.
"It's muggle gum," I tell her, "You just pop it into your mouth and chew on it." Ara does so and her eyes light up.
"This is really good," she says, making Mum chuckle. Ara takes my hand and Mum leads the way to the first store.

After a full day of shopping, Ara and I start to unpack out new stuff into rooms. We very quickly learned that Ara and I have a very similar taste in clothing and we are the same size in everything. We decided that if we both liked it we would get it and share clothes.
"We'll split each type of thing and you'll keep half of it and I'll keep the other half." I say, splitting the jean shorts in half and giving her one half.
"Yeah," Ara replies, splitting t-shirts. I take half of them and set them in my room. She pulls out her new sandal and tosses me my slippers.
"Are you going to immediately start studying tomorrow?" she asks me, quietly, "or are we actually going to do somethings together?"
"We can do something tonight," I reply, "And I'll try to free up my evening so we can do things, okay?" Ara nods and hands me some jeans. I start to put the clothes away in my drawers. Harry barges up the stairs.
"We're going to play a game outside," he says, "if you'd like to play."

We ended up playing lawn marbles. Ara soon learns that we are very competitive and when someone would loose it would end in then pegging someone with a marble. It was mostly Dad who had bruises all over his back. It was mostly his own fault when he would tease Harry or Evie he got hit. Mum only laughed at him. We decide to end the game after Harry hits me in the leg and I go to hit him back.
"Don't you dare throw that, Goldie," Mum scolds, "I don't care that he hit you.. we're done with this game. Why don't you all get ready for bed?" I drop the ball and go up to my room. I put on some soft shorts and a t-shirt and then my slippers. Ara knocks on my door and smiles at me.
"Are you actually going to bed?"
"I might, or I might stay up and read for a while, why?"
"I thought maybe we could take for a minute?"
"Of course! What'cha want to talk about?" Ara comes and sits besides me on my bed.
"I'm a little worried about next year," she says, "you're not going to be our class anymore and well.. I think I'm going to miss you."
"I'll be fine, Ara," I answer, "when I confessed the same fear you told me it would be okay."
"I wasn't think about it," she replies, "but I have now. I mean, we'll be fine, but I'm gonna miss you." I nod.
"I understand. I think I'm going to be in the same dorm room as you though. Just because I don't think that there will be enough room for me to switch." Ara nods.
"You promise that you'll do stuff with us in the evenings?" she asks.
"Yeah, I promised Cedric and Regulus that I wouldn't just study over break."
"Have you gotten a letter from him yet?"
"No, but I expect there might be one in the morning."
"Maybe one evening you'll have to go out with him and do something. If your dad'll let you." I nod and smile.
I should tell her about Aunt Mari... I've told her about the other people that I've seen.
"I saw a new person last night." I try to interject smoothly. She looks at me.
"Who was it?"
"My Aunt Mari," I tell her, "she was my mother's sister."
"I didn't know your mother had a sister."
"Two, actually. But Mari was a witch as well. Aunt Petunia is a muggle and doesn't like us very much." Ara nods, and she realizes something.
"Is she the person who was watching Harry sleep?"
"Yeah, I think so.. she's the only ghost that I've met here, so. I'll tell her not to tonight."
"How was she? Like is she like how you remembered her?"
"I never met her.. she died before I was born."
"How old was she?"
"Eighteen I think."
"That's terrible."
"Yeah, I know."
"Were you named after her?" I nod. Ara sits there for a while.
"Does that mean Regulus and Mari were in the same year?"
"They were friends, believe it or not." I hear footsteps walking up the stairs and I motion for Ara to be quiet.
"Are you girls getting ready for bed?" Dad asks, "Goldie, you've got a letter." I rush out of my room and take it from him.
"Did you read it?" I ask, without thinking.
"No," He laughs, "Why would I read your letter?" I glare at him, but smile anyways.
"Okay, thank you dad. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Goldie. Ara! Love you both."
"Love you too, Dad." I go back into my room and carefully open the letter. I sit down besides Ara and slowly read it.

Dear Goldie,
I already miss you so much. We might have to plan a date for a weekend because I do not think that I can wait until school starts back up to see you again. I hope that you aren't only doing school stuff. It's the first true day of summer, and you should be doing something. My parents and I caught up about the school year today and they were both very interested in you. They were hoping that maybe they could meet you before we get on the train. I thought that would be okay, but thought I would ask first anyways. I am looking foreword to your reply.
Love,
Cedric

I can hear Ara giggling, but I ignore her and grab a piece of parchment from my bedside table.
"Are you just going to giggle or are you going to help me write back?"
"I'll help!" I sit back down besides her with my quill and ink.

Dear Cedric,
You will be happy to hear that my whole family and I went out today. I have also promised Ara that I would mark my evenings free so that I could spend time outside of studying and sleeping. A date sounds wonderful, and I also really miss you. As for meeting your parents, that would be wonderful. If they are anything like you, I am sure that I will like them. And maybe tell your owl to give me your letters and not just the Potter Manor. My dad is kind of nosey and will sink down to reading my letter. I do not think he read this one, but just in case. You will have to decide when that date is going to be.
Love,
Marigold