Rory Potter, the Girl Who Lived

The Prisoner of Azkaban: The Leaky Cauldron

          "Rory, for the last time, I can't! Something's come up!" Moony snaps.
          Currently, I'm sitting at the dining room table in my pajamas, eating breakfast and pouting at Moony.
          "That's what you said last year! You said that something had come up at work and they had to call an emergency meeting. And then I couldn't say our goodbyes before I left for Hogwarts!"
          "Rory, I'm sorry, but I can't control what happens at work!" Moony says, throwing up his hands in exasperation.
          I slam my hand on the table and leap to my feet, knocking my chair over in the process. Moony's owl, Smidge, takes flight with an angry hoot and my cat, Ivy, runs off, squealing a warning in my mind, 'Calm down, Rory!'
          "I've gone every year without getting a chance to say goodbye to you before I left! Mind you, I've also only gone two years, but I don't want to to that anymore, Moony. It's an entire year I have to go without seeing you," I snap, green eyes blazing.
          "You're the one who insists upon staying at school for the holidays and ends up brewing a banned potion in the abandoned girls bathroom!"
          "That was a one-time thing! Bad things were happening, and I didn't have any other choice!" I yell.
          "But you still did it!" Moony shouts, knocking over a mug as he whirls to face me. "Both of the two years you've gone to Hogwarts, you've managed to nearly die, escape Voldemort, break a hundred school rules, and maybe even do something illegal! You're just like your father!"
          "YOU WERE BEST FRIENDS WITH MY FATHER!" I screech.
          "THAT DOESN'T MEAN I LIKE THE WAY HE ACTED! HE WAS A STUPID AND RASH PERSON RIGHT UP UNTIL HE STARTED DATING YOUR MOTHER!" Moony bellows back.
          I blink in shock, then sit back down in a chair that hasn't been knocked over, staring emotionlessly at my bowl of porridge. Moony suddenly looks terrified, and he rushes forward to pull me into his arms.
          "I'm so sorry, Rory, I didn't mean it like that. Not at all. I'm just stressed, honey," he says.
          "It's fine, I know it's hard on you. I'm sorry. Hopefully this year nothing bad will happen," I say softly.
          "Just tell me that if something does, you won't do anything illegal," Moony says, straightening up.
          "No promices," I grin, standing up to go pack my things and get dressed.
          "You're just like your father," Moony laughs.

~~~~~~~~~~

"No sir. I have not got an adult with me," I say to Tom, the inkeeper at the Leaky Cauldron. "But I would still like a room."
          "Seven Galleons," the old man croaks.
          I fish the seven gold coins from my pocket, then hand them to the man. He hurries out from behind the bar to help my take my things upstairs. Ivy jumps up and sits on my shoulder, her soft brown fur warm as she rubs against my cheeks.
          Something catches my eye. Its a sign, a Wanted poster rather, of a man. He has long black hair and a sunken, angry face. His moving portrait yells at the camera, and underneath him are the words: SIRUIS BLACK, MOST WANTED.
          "Sirius Black? He's escaped from Azkaban?" I ask the inkeeper.
         "Aye," he says.
          "Oh," I say.
          I follow the toothless old man in silence the rest of the way to my room. At the door, he hands me my key, sets down my things, and bows me inside, then shuffles off. I take a look around. Its small, but neat and clean. A bed, a dresser, a desk, and chair are all that's in there, plus the door that leads to a small bathroom.
          I set Ivy on the bed, and begin to unpack my things. I'd gotten my Hogwarts letter the day before, so I decide to go shopping after everything is organized and neat. Grabbing my money bag, which is full, I lock the door and head out.

~~~~~~~~~

I'm surprised to find a giant crowd of people pressed around the Quidditch supply shop, all completely amazed by something in the window. That something turns out to be a Firebolt broomstick. The next league above the Nimbus, it has just come out. Its sleek and shiny, and I'll bet it would cost a fortune. I pull myself away from the Firebolt and meander up the street to Madam Malkin's, where I buy new Gryffindor robes.