Darwinism | hp

014: Return

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Over the Summer, Marilyn Locke only got letters from her best friend, Harry Potter.

Her other best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, hadn't sent her a single letter. She also, technically, hadn't sent any to them, however. 

While at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the magical school that Marilyn went to, she had often used one of the school owls or Harry Potter's owl, as wizards only sent letters that way. However, while back home in Howth, she had no access to an owl. She had hoped that she could send letters back with the owls sent to her, but none came. It made her feel very awful.

Harry, however, had managed to send her letters through the Muggle (Non-magical people) post, having gotten her address before they left school. This meant that all summer, she and Harry had been writing to each other - and only each other, and Harry and his twin sister, Wendy, were also not receiving any letters.

However, after sending Harry a birthday present (a book called 101 Ways to Fly (and Fail!) On a Broomstick, as he was planning on buying a new broomstick before going back to school, along with as much candy as she could afford) he said he was in Ron Weasley's house, and told her of their plan to go to Diagon Alley the following week, and that they were hoping to see her there.

If it wasn't for her little sister starting at Hogwarts this year, Marilyn wouldn't have been able to convince her adoptive parents to bring her all the way from Dublin to London. Her little sister, Sandy, was both excited and attending Hogwarts, had no magical friends, and after hearing that Ron Weasley's little sister was also starting Hogwarts this year, Marilyn's parents decided to bring them.

It ended up being a very hard trip. Not only did she have to go in the Ferry (she despised boats), but her entire family was there - Mum, Dad, older brother Hamish, older twin sister's Brenda and Leigh-Anne, and Sandy. It was a lot of people, and a lot of people to be stuck to. 

Her older siblings didn't pay her much mind. Hamish was a rather horrible person, and the twins were too wrapped up in their social lives to ever care much for Marilyn. But the trip tested her nerves, and had her wanting to throw herself overboard. 

Finally, they got to land, got in their car and spent a night in London before Marilyn let her parents and Sandy to Diagon Alley, the wizarding shopping central, where everyone acquired their goods for the new school year. The lists were sent out with their acceptance letters, which they had tucked into their pockets. 

The way into Diagon Alley was through an old, unassuming pub in London. Marilyn's parents followed her through London faithfully, Sandy in tow, but stopped outside the pub.

"Whoa, whoa. We're not-" Her father, Adrien, looked up at the worn down sign that read 'the Leaky Cauldron.' "What're you doing?"

"It's in here." She walked through the door, her family having no choice but to follow.

Throughout the Summer break, Marilyn had felt herself fall into old habits. Barely speaking, only finding life enjoyable when reading, overworking herself for neighbours and family. But as she walked into the pub, seeing the strangely dressed wizards and witches, the magic feeling in the air, she felt a bit of Marilyn Locke coming back. The girl who had saved the school the previous year. the girl who could cast magical spells, for God's sake. She felt she'd been very stupid over the holidays.

She lead her family through the pub, and towards the back door, which she walked through to find that the alley way was already open.

Diagon Alley felt almost better to walk into this time. The high buildings rose high above her at impossible angles, owls chirped from the menagerie, and the road itself was so full of witches adn wizards she felt a stab of anxiety in her stomach - what if she couldn't find the others?