When I Saw Hogwarts

Chapter 4

When we get home I take my things upstairs to put them in my trunk. We would be leaving in a week but I wish we could leave now because I'm so excited! I decide to ride my broom so I head outside to the shed. On my way there I run into Tom hiding behind one of the bushes.

"Tom what are you doing here? You could be caught!" I say to him even though I'm trying to hide a smile that he came to see me. "It's okay Autumn. I'm willing to take a risk to see you. But I've never understood why your family, especially your brothers, don't like me." Tom tells me. I crouch down next to him behind the bushes that conceal us from the world. I've always known I can't tell him about my family's secret. So I think of other things I can tell him like a half lie, half truth.

"My brothers are just overly protective of me. That's all. I'm the youngest, plus I'm the only girl so they want to protect me from everything. Especially Ralph." I tell him. Ralph is what I've told Tom what Rookwood's name is. If he knew what Rookwood's name was he would probably get suspicious and we couldn't have that. It's not my fault that wizards and witches have weird names. "So about this new school you're going to..." He says changing the subject.

"Yes?"

"Are you sure we couldn't at least send letters? I mean what do you mean that I won't be able to see you? Won't you come back home every day after school?"

I try and think of something I can say to answer his questions. I can't give him the truth but I can give him some of it.

"Well, the school I'm going to is far away. It's kind of like a private school. They have dorm rooms there for the students to sleep in. I guess we could send letters. It would depend on the free time I would get. I know I wouldn't be able to send you a letter every day. But maybe at the least, once a week and the most being twice. I'll have a pretty busy schedule that's for sure." Man, I really hope he buys it. It takes him a few seconds to digest everything I've said.

 "You know... I really don't want you to go. Getting letters isn't the same as getting to see you. Autumn... I...I like you." Tom puts his arm around me like it's the most normal thing in the world. I turn to look away. I can feel my face warming up.

"Autumndamort! Autumndamort! Where are you?" I peek my head over the bush just slightly to find the source of the noise. Of course, it's Rookwood coming to ruin everything and he doesn't even know it. Tom looks at me with a confusing look on his face. He doesn't know my full name. He's going to pester me with questions about it later, that's for sure. I mouth the word "go" at him and then I stumble out of the bush.

Rookwood runs over to me to help me up. "What were you doing in a bush?" He asks helping me brush the dirt off my clothing. "I fell on my way to the shed," I answer not looking him straight in the eye with fear that he'll know I was up to no good. No doubt if he knew that I saw Tom regularly he would say, Oh Autumn, you know better than mixing with their kind. I would never have thought that you would even like one of them. It's just wrong. I shake my head to clear the thoughts.

"Yeah right," Rookwood says trying to catch my eye. Oh then, two can play at this game.

"Yeah right," I say back to him. He hates it when I copy him.

"Stop that."

"Stop that."

"I'll tell mum."

"I'll tell mum." People are right, we do sound alike. Maybe too much alike.

"Autumn. Stop. It."

"Autumn. Stop. It."

"Ok then."

"Ok then."

His hand twitches and the next moment I'm on the ground laughing so hard and loud. I even start to snort. Rookwood is tickling me! I smack him and try to tell him to stop but he doesn't and keeps on tickling me.

Grantbus and Ethancival come outside to see what all of the commotions is about. They see Rookwood tickling me and laugh. They go back inside. Mum comes to my rescue a short time later saying it's time for supper. We get up and head inside wiping our sweaty foreheads with the backs of our hands. I punch Rookwood playfully in the arm and we both laugh.

Dad comes in and gives me a kiss on the head and then pats the boy's shoulders. "So how was everyone's day today?" He asks as he gives mum a kiss and then sits down at the table. "My day was fantastic!" I say and then I go into detail starting at Diagon Alley and ending with Rookwood ticking me in the backyard. Of course, I didn't add the part where Tom and I were sitting behind a bush.

Dad laughed, "Well I'm glad you had a fantastic day Pumpkin." Then dad blessed the food and we dove in.