A Whole Different World

Chapter 20 - The big move

Ella stirred, she was lying in a bed that wasn't hers, and she could tell she wasn't alone. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a face staring at her, one she recognised. Madame Pomfrey's, which meant she was in the hospital wing. But she had no idea what had happened. She sat up and Madame Pomfrey gave a shout of excitement.

"It worked! Sweetheart, you were petrified, but it is all better now, you won't even have any after effects. Everything's all back to normal at the school." She bustled over Ella, giving her a glass of water.

"What day is it today?" Ella asked,

"Don't worry, you didn't miss anything important, exams were cancelled. Everyone is at the end of year feast now."

"Can I go?" Ella asked, she had been petrified for so long, her friends would be so worried,

"I don't know..." Madame Pomfrey said, Ella could see she would need convincing.

"Please, miss! I just want to see my friends, I missed out on so much this year!" Ella pleaded, she saw Madame Pomfrey smile,

"You sure know how to convince me," she smiled, "go on!"

Ella thanked Madame Pomfrey for everything she did for her as they walked together to the great hall. Students were still filing in so Ella just slipped straight over to the Ravenclaw table, and Madame Pomfrey walked to the teachers table, giving a grin to Professor Dumbledore who smiled back.

"Ella!" Anna exclaimed. She ran up from her seat and gave Ella a hug and led her over to Catherine. They explained to her everything that had happened. They told her that when she was walking back from her tutoring lesson she was attacked. They didn't leave out any details. Ella could see her friends at the other tables, even Laura and Eden, grinning and waving at her.

Ella sad that she had missed out on spending more time with her friends, but she knew she would get to spend years with them, so she would make the most of them.

*****

They found a compartment on the Hogwarts express, just Mackenzie, Taylor, Aneesha, Anna, Laura, Eden and Ella. Keira, Amy, Gillian and Catherine went in one with some boys from Gryffindor. Aneesha said Fred and George were spending some time with Ron, Ginny, and Ron's friends. Ella felt very lucky that she got to be with Anna all the time; the others had to spend time without Hogwarts friends on the holidays.

"What are you guys doing these holidays?" Ella asked, her curiosity getting the better of her,

"I'm going back to France, Mum had the baby, I saw it at Christmas but it is growing every day!" Mackenzie smiled, she loved babies.

"I'm visiting Goa for a few weeks," Eden said.

"I'm spending my time with snooty people," Laura sighed.

"I'm spending time with my sister; since we don't go to the same school I don't see her enough," Taylor smiled.

"I'm not really doing anything; my life isn't that interesting when you guys aren't around," Aneesha said.

"I get to spend my time with you Ella." Anna grinned, Ella replied with "And I get to spend my time with you."

They got off the train, all heading their separate ways and living their own lives.

*****

Mackenzie sat on her bed with her younger sister, Georgia, playing exploding snap. Her older brother, Hayden, sat on the floor beside her, he was writing a letter to his girlfriend. Mackenzie could hear her new baby brother, Joshua, downstairs crying.

"Georgia, I'm going to go downstairs and see if I can calm him down." Mackenzie said, even though her mum and dad were down there she still wanted to make sure he was okay. Mackenzie ran downstairs and saw her dad sitting at the kitchen table holding Joshua in his arms. She went over and took Josh from her dad; she placed him in her own arms and rocked him back and forth.

"Mackenzie, Hayden finishes his schooling this year, as you know. Georgia and yourself are at school most of the time. So your mother and I had a thought. We're going on a worldwide trip, we being your mother and myself. Hayden's getting a place with some friends. How would you two like to stay at a friend's place for a while?"

Mackenzie took in what her dad had said. Her parents were leaving her to go on a trip. She could stay with friends. That would actually be quite fun. She nodded her head before saying, "Sounds awesome! But what about Joshua?"

"We'll take him with us; he's still only a baby." her dad answered.

"Which friends place can I stay at?" Mackenzie asked, she was really was excited.

"Any that live in England." he smiled. That ruled out Aneesha.

"I'll write letters to them all and ask if I can stay with them!" Mackenzie exclaimed. She handed Josh who was now settled back to her dad and ran back to her room, which Georgia and Hayden had left. She grabbed out seven pieces of parchment and wrote to Ella (which included Anna), Taylor, Eden, Laura, Amy, Catherine and Gillian.

*****

A week later Mackenzie had all of the replies back from her friends. She couldn't stay with Ella and Anna because they didn't have much space for her because both of their families lived in one house, Taylor's house wasn't big enough to fit her, she couldn't stay at Laura's because of her parents prejudice; and Gillian, Amy, and Catherine were in London working part time. That left Eden. Eden said that she could, so Mackenzie started packing immediately. She knew that living with Eden would be fun - and loud - but it would also be so much easier than having to fly back and forth between France and England.

Four days later she arrived in Liverpool, and at Eden's house. Eden's mother opened the door when she arrived. Her dad and brother were at the table having breakfast, and their cat, Jinx, was curled up between her brothers' feet. Her mum told Mackenzie that Eden would be coming back from a sleepover at a friend's house soon, so Mackenzie put her stuff in Eden's room and sat on the couch with her mum.

"Are you excited to start third year soon, Mackenzie?" her mum asked,

"Oh yeah, definitely! Hogwarts is so incredible," Mackenzie replied.

"Eden loves it there," her mum smiled and glanced at the door, "oh to speak of the devil!" Eden came in and screamed "Kenze!" she jumped on the couch between her mum and Mackenzie and put her head on Mackenzie's shoulder.

"Hey, Eden." Mackenzie laughed,

"Let's put your stuff in my room!" She exclaimed.

*****

Not too long after and they were back at Hogwarts. But it was different, everyone was scared. There was an escaped murderer from the wizarding prison Azkaban, Sirius Black. Azkaban was impossible to break out of - but Sirius Black proved that wrong. Because of him there were dementors everywhere; soul sucking creatures who were the guards of Azkaban. They make you feel like you will never be happy again, Mackenzie hated them. She stared at the Slytherin table looking for Eden. When she finally found her she was talking to Draco, Mackenzie knew she wouldn't tell him (or any Slytherins for that matter) that she was living with her. They knew that their friends knew. But they all had more things to worry about than a simple matter of a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff living together.