SCARLETT: THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS

Chapter 1: Shopping & Nachos

Having saved the Philosopher's stone, returning home had felt strange at first. No one knew about Hogwarts here. They were under the impression that I went to some private school in London. 

Somehow I didn't even mind when the holidays were almost over. After being away from magic for so long, I just wanted to be back within it. It almost felt like something I had read about once.

When someone takes drugs for a long time and suddenly stops, their body doesn't know what to do. After a while, they had begun to rely solely on the intake to survive.

People begin to feel extremely sick and tired without it, and experience 'withdrawal' symptoms. They sometimes shake and become desperate for anything that can help them. It can be like a pang of hunger that can never be filled.

Being away from magic felt like that. I felt drained and weak and desperate to be back among people who understood me. I loved where I grew up, but no one got me. Not really. They knew me because they had to, and most of the time they were being nice because they were taught to be.

Eliza was coming around to my house that day, and I was nervous for her to see where I lived. I was far from embarrassed, but I knew that her family came from money so her house was probably a lot nicer than mine.

She had an older sister, Kitty, who I had met last year when I was getting my supplies. As she was fifteen, Eliza's father was allowing her to supervise us. That meant we were going up to London alone.

Of course, I was by myself a majority of the time, so I was used to it, but Eliza was extremely excited at the prospect of being independent. Perhaps it was because she had always been the baby in the family and she was finally getting some leverage.

She arrived at my door, wearing her hair down with a yellow plaid blazer. I was quite jealous and would've quite liked one myself.

"Hello," she grinned, "Time to go."

I grinned back, calling up the stairs, "MUM! I'M GOING OUT AND I'VE BORROWED FIFTY QUID!"

Of course, I got no response, but I hadn't been expecting one. As I got into my best friend's car, I noticed a lot of my neighbours gawking. I waved at them and they soon looked away.

Eliza's dad did not look pleased to be in my neighbourhood. Maybe it was the spray paint or the blocks of flats. I wasn't sure just yet.
-

The train ride went smoothly. Eliza was jumping in her seat the entire time, while I read a magazine I had found on a stack.

Kitty seemed to know what she was doing. Once off the train, we went through all the ticket barriers and came across a pub on the main street. It was invisible to muggles, but it held the entrance to Diagon Alley The place where students get school supplies, and where wizards and witches get practically anything they'll ever need.

The money exchange was quick and easy, meaning we could get shopping.

"I'll leave you two alone for an hour or so," said Kitty, looking increasingly bored with every second. "Make sure you meet back here."

We both nodded, Eliza still buzzing.

Eeylops Owl Emporium was first. I bought some treats for my owl, Lucy. Eliza told me it was time she got a pet herself, deciding on a ginger cat named Fluffy.

"Great name there, Eli," I smirked, cradling him while she sorted out her change. He was rather fat, considering he was only two.

"Shut up, he is fluffy, so it's incredibly accurate."

When everything was done, we sat eating nachos in the sun, simply enjoying the day.

Fluffy sat on the table, being pampered as we both fed him tortilla chips from our plates.

"How do you think our second year is going to go?" I asked Eliza, licking guacamole off my fingers.

"I think it'll be so fun." She grinned. "I want to try so many things this year. I want to be able to do a cartwheel."

"Bit of a tall order there, Eli."

"Shut up!"