The Muggle Witch

Chapter 2

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" I cry, jumping up and down in front of the hotel room door impatiently. Mom straps on her hat and Dad sprays sunscreen on all of us.

"Ready?" he asks us.

"No."

I turn in disbelief to my brother, who is still finishing up his breakfast.

"Hurry up, then," I huff.

Dad checks his watch.

"We really should get going, son, if we want to beat all the traffic."

Chris exhales noisily, takes one more bite of yogurt, and jams his cap onto his head as we all walk outside.

We take a bus to Universal Studios, and I hop on my toes excitedly, ignoring my brother rolling his eyes at me.

"Universal Studios, Hollywood," the driver announces. I immediately stand up and make for the opening doors. Dad grabs his backpack full of snacks, water bottles, and sunblock, and he, Mom, and Chris follow me off the bus.

"We're here," I sigh happily. Even Chris has perked up; you can't not be excited about visiting an amusement park.

Luckily we're among the first fifty or so people there, and we get in line. Soon we're through security and we walk through the gates.

There's a small crowd growing in front of us.

"Dad, is something closed?" I can't help but feel worried.

"I don't think so," Dad replies. "The actual rides don't open for another hour."

"But what about Harry Potter?" I question. "We have to wait that long?"

"The Harry Potter part opens first, but not for ten to fifteen minutes," says a security guard standing close by who has obviously heard what we have just been talking about.

"Great!" I respond enthusiastically. The wait isn't long, and the crowd behind us grows steadily larger. Finally the workers and security guards let us all in, and I drag my family into the area labeled "Hogsmeade."

"This isn't Hogsmeade, though," I say with a frown, looking around my surroundings. "It's a mix of Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, Platform 9 3/4 and Hogwarts—wow!"

I gaze up at the huge, life-size replica of the Hogwarts castle. "Let's go in!"

Out of the corner of my eye I see my parents exchange amused glances while Chris openly yawns just to spite me.

"Huh, there's a ride in the castle," I remark as we walk inside Hogwarts.

"Sounds fun," Chris says, showing interest for the first time as he reads the ride description.

I turn to face him and make a face. "I thought you said it would be boring here?"

"Hey, it's an expensive and crowded park. I'm not complaining," he answers infuriatingly. I roll my eyes at him like he did to me and we get in line for the ride.

The line is already long somehow, but the hallways are all interesting to see.

"That's the Fat Lady!" I exclaim, pointing to a portrait of a fat woman in pink robes. "And look--the headmaster and headmistress' portraits!"

Soon enough we come across the Sorting Hat. It's mechanical with a moving mouth...it is very cool.

After the ride, which is a virtual tour of Hogwarts and Quidditch and some of Harry's adventures entitled "The Forbidden Journey," we stop by the gift shop. According to the sign it's Filch's collection of items he has confiscated from students, and I take a look around while the rest of my family sit with my motion-sick mom. I want to buy all the Ravenclaw trinkets but decide to see what else is around here before buying anything.

There are Dobby stuffed animals, plush sorting hats, and socks for each House. I finally decide on a Ravenclaw t-shirt and prefect badge and head back outside.

"Let's go on that rollercoaster," I suggest, pointing to the ride directly behind the bench that my parents are sitting on.

"Chris, go with your sister," Dad says to my brother. He sighs but relents, following me to what was called Flight of the Hippogriff.

It is an extremely short and non-exhilarating ride, and I'm slightly disappointed with how it's turned out after the hippogriff coaster car makes its way around the small track twice.

"Right, let's get something to eat," Chris says brightly as soon as we reach our parents. I scowl at him.

"We've barely been here for forty-five minutes, and there's so much to see! Wait," I suddenly say quickly. "We could get something to eat—well, more like drink...but look, Mom, can we get butterbeer now? Please?" I ask eagerly. Chris looks from me to Mom and Dad expectantly.

"I don't know what this butter-beer stuff is, but it sounds good," my brother adds helpfully. Mom glances at Dad.

"I was thinking more of after lunch, but it should be okay. Is there anything else besides that that you want to see around here?" Mom says.

I look around, my eyes roving over Honeydukes, the Three Broomsticks, and Gladrags Wizardwear. I definitely want to visit all those places, but then my eye catches a small, dark, but prominent store--Ollivanders.

"Yes!" I reply to Mom.