A Hybrid at Hogwarts

Chapter Three

Together we strode quickly through the dreary streets of Aberystwyth. The orange glow of the streetlamps was stripped from the seaside town, leaving the warm glow of the sun as it rose over the harbour, signalling for the town to waken. The strange woman's brisk march wasn't easy to keep up with in my state however, I managed. 

We came to an abrupt halt outside a public bathroom, her nose wrinkled at the smell but nevertheless, she entered. I waited outside, frowning at the floor. Was this all she wanted? To have an escort to the bathroom? My brows stayed furrowed until I caught onto a gentle tapping by the door, she was standing by the door, holding it open with an extremely bored look on her face while she hit the floor with her foot as if she wanted me go enter with her. I wrinkled her previous action of wrinkling my nose at the scent but nevertheless complied, stepping into the cramped, stench ridden stall.

As soon as the door was shut and locked behind her, she took out a small, intricately carved stick. It was then that my brain clicked onto her odd, mystic style clothing. 

"So..." I began, shuffling my feet in an attempt to break the awkward silence. "I don't mean to sound rude lady, but-"

"Professor." She interrupted curtly before taking my arm as if to brace me. "Professor McGonagall to you." Then with a flick of her stick, everything about the washroom but the lingering odour in my nose disappeared.

When the world rematerialized, we were on yet another abandoned street only this time, buildings climbed higher than anything I'd ever seen before. The professor continued across the street to an impossibly small pub labelled 'The Leaky Cauldron'. The erratic yet purposeful movements of this woman were beginning to baffle me more than anything I'd ever encountered. While she seemed to know exactly where she was going and why, I was left trailing in her wake, I had no idea where we were, no idea how to get back to my pitiful life in Aberystwyth and no choice but to continue my pitiful pursuit of her antics. I walked into the pub behind her.

When I'd fully walked into the pub and the door had closed behind me, an eerie silence whipped through the dingy establishment, I shyly crept my eye line to meet those of the barman and customers only to find that their gaze was in fact on my escort. They seemed stunned that a woman such as herself had ever ended up in an establishment such as 'The Leaky Cauldron'. This fact didn't surprise me at all. Her attire, however strange it may have been to me, did look as though it was not only well maintained, but also highly expensive as it was a rich and deep shade of emerald. 

A very timid looking barman stammered as he addressed her, "Hello Minerva, what can I get for you?" He immediately looked as though he regretted his question as all she offered for an answer was a stare. She replied coldly that we were on 'Hogwarts Business'...

What on God's green earth was a 'Hogwarts'? The same question was internalised this time as she swept from the bar into an even smaller outside area that contained only a mere metal rubbish bin. She moved to touch the wall with her stick and I was astounded at it seemed to melt away to reveal behind it a crooked and twisting alleyway that had all manner of strange shop signs.

"Where are we?" was all that could clumsily fall out of my lips as I gawked at the busy street. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her  lips curl upward into what resembled a kind smile at my awe at the sight before me. She cleared her throat gently and I turned slowly to face her, not wanting to rip my eyes away from it all in case it disappeared behind the brick wall again.

"Welcome, Kamira Hala, to Diagon Alley, London" she announced. Wait. What?

"Now wait just a second miss- Professor, whatever-" I continued as she opened her mouth to object "-You mean to tell me that we came from Western Wales, all the way to South East England? We were in a public toilet, then you waved your stick thingy and now we're suddenly in England? Am I supposed to believe any of this? Another thing I've been meaning to ask" I rambled, my accent thickening as I got deeper into my confused thought trail "what on Earth are you even a professor of? Because right now I'm going with English because of the mad goose chase of a plot line you've conjured up for me so far! I mean really, can't a girl get a moments peace without being harassed by some hen wraig wallgof*who decides that today is a brilliant day to mess with an eleven year old homeless ferch* who-" I trailed off uncertainly upon realising that I had an audience.

A family of bright ginger haired individuals had gathered in view of my outburst, the eldest child who looked about fourteen, gawking at me as I moved to hide, only to find that the wall had closed behind us. A younger child, yet still about a year my senior looked at me, then at Professor McGonagall and offered a small smile,

"Morning professor," He chirped, smiling back at his mother, who was trying to usher him away, perhaps in view of the fact that I felt my face turning red as I realised they may have heard my entire speech. "Who are you meant to be?" I looked up and found that to my despair, his gaze was now turned upon me and with it, most of his family's. To my utter relief,  she answered for me, simply and truthfully that my name was Kamira Hala. She too then directed her gaze to me, causing me to straighten up and cease trying to hide behind her robes. 

"We have much to do." Was all she had to say before we were on our way once more.

*Hen wraig wallgof- Mad old lady

*Ferch- Girl.