We board the purple, triple-decker bus, and Stan hauls our trunks on. Soon, are whizzing toward The Leaky Cauldron.
"Why did you leave the home?" asked Harry.
"I am sick of the owner, she is terrible." "She couldn't be as bad as my aunt and uncle." "At least you get warm meals," I joke. And I immediately regret what I said.
Later, I sit with Harry eating Vegetable Stew, my first real meal since the end of the year feast.
"So what you said back there. About not eating warm meals, was that true?" I nod. "Yeah. Um... she rarely feeds us much like your family to you. I work at an apple orchard during the summer. The owner gives me apples and money to buy other food. Meat is the most expensive so we don't buy it often. It's rough, but I deal." He nods understandingly and we keep eating. He tells me about his meeting with the minister. I tell him about my family at the orphanage and how I can't write to them and how I wish I had siblings who were magic. We both knew I was muggleborn, or else I wouldn't have been targeted last year. Eventually, we both go to our separate rooms. Once alone, I feel the soft tug of sleep and I drift away.
***
Harry and I endup spending a lot of time hanging out. We went and got our school stuff toggether and some more clothes(some that actually fit Harry). The only reason I could pay for any of it is because Mr. Olivander turned 50 of my pounds into wizard money. Harry and I also go and get ice cream together almost every day at 4:00. He insists on paying for the ice cream all the time ("Harry I got it!" "No,Meg, you need that money and I have more than I know what to do with."). I bought a few books to help the time go by. I remember the day before I left how I got my letter and the boys decided to give me my birthday gift early. I read it every night when I am alone. One night, when I finish it, I drop the book and cry. How could Cedric die? As much as I always want to change something, I don't for fear of changing something and something worse happen.
One morning, I get up, groggily, I dress and go downstairs for breakfast with Harry when I hear him laughing.
"I missed you mate!" I walk down to see Ron and the rest of the Weasleys surrounding Harry. "Meg, look who has returned from Egypt!" I smile sleepily. "Heee...eey!" I yawn.
"Meg!" Out of nowhere something practically tackles me, and I couldn't breathe. "Hi Ginny," I gasp. "How long have you been here?" she asks me. " Almost a month."
"So this is the Meg Ginny won't stop talking about," a woman who looks like an older version of Ginny says. I blush. "You must be Mrs. Weasley," I smile.
***
I give Crookshanks a pet as we separate and followed Ginny to our compartment. I sat across from Luna and Colin. Ginny fell asleep leaning against the wall. I'm not going to bother her. Luna was telling us all about Nargles. I leaned slowly to the right to Neville's shoulder. He tenses and I shoot up. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I forgot to ask! Is that ok?"
"Yeah! I was just a little shocked," he says, with a lopsided smile. I sigh and lean on his shoulder again.
A few minutes later the power goes out and the train stops. I wake Ginny,"We need to find Ron, Harry, and Hermione." I agree with her and we left the compartment. Eventually, we make it to the trio's compartment, but we lost Luna. "We need to find her!" I hiss. "No you don't, for now, stay here!" Hermione tugs me into the compartment as I start to walk out. Huffing, I sit down. Suddenly, I feel cold. Very, very cold. A voice echos in my head. "Nothing... nothing...nothing..." I clutch my head and cry out. I notice Harry pass out and I pull it together. It must be a dementor. It has to be. Think. Think. Think. Before I can do anything, Professor Lupin, who I forgot was there, jumped up and shot a spell at the wretched thing and it left. "Thank you, Professor," I pant, still in pain.
"Eat this, you'll feel better."He offers us chocolate to eat. We do and he politely leaves to speak to the driver. Ginny, Ron, and Hermione fuss over Harry and I sit quietly, thinking where I heard those words before. Nothing.
"Meg!" I jump and look at Neville. "Oh my Merlin Nev, you frightened me." "I just wanted to see if you were ok. Harry passed out, but you've been crying for several minutes, I-I'm worried." I smile and feel at my eyes. My fingers instantly dampen with tears I didn't know were there. "I'm ok. Dementors show us horrible things. Horrible." We move again and in a few hours we stop at Hogsmeade station.
Home. Finally.
