Melody Riddle and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 4: The Dementor

It was the very next day I begrudgingly woke up early, and got myself ready for the train. My trunk was a lot heavier this year. If mom wasn't pregnant, I thought wryly, I'd have told her that it's her job to carry this... only to carry it myself anyway with a knot on my forehead. Maybe I'll make Gerald tell her that instead.

Once Bodoujn was in his cage, I brought my stuff downstairs and called out, "Mom, are you ready to go?"

"No, she is not," said Uncle Gerald, walking out of his room. "I am taking you to King's Cross."

I raised an eyebrow at him, "... What's wrong with mom?"

He scoffed at me, "I didn't do anything to her, I swear. She's just a little under the weather, apparently. She said she'll write you when she can."

"Okay, so..." I looked at him uncertainly. This isn't like mom. "How are you going to get me to King's Cross? I've never seen you drive the car."

"We're taking a faster route. So, give me your trunk. You can hold on to Bodoujn while you take my arm."

I have a bad feeling about how he's planning to get there, I thought as I handed Gerald my trunk. Keeping a tight hold on Bodoujn's cage handle, I linked my arm through my uncle's, and he Disapparated to a safe spot out of sight of other Muggles. I bent over, one hand on my stomach and the other over my mouth as I forced down the need to hurl.

"Ohh, Orele did say something about doing anything but Disapparating, didn't she?" he asked mischievously.

Composing myself, I punched him in his side. "You're lucky I didn't have breakfast... ugh, it's probably why you didn't give me breakfast. Matter of fact, you're lucky I'm underage for now."

He chuckled, unfazed as he said, "All right, come on sickie."

"Wait a minute," I said, causing him to look questionably at me, "Do you have my ticket?"

"Of course I have your ticket. I'm not that irresponsible! It's right here," he said, pulling it out of his pocket.

"Heh, that's not the way I saw it when you were cleaning your mess the way a kid has to do it." I sidestepped out of his reach and started walking to pick up a trolley to place my stuff on. He can't do magic on me in public, hehe.

"Your mom was also doing it, last I recall," he snapped, following me.

"I resent that, I really do, because mom doesn't do anything childish. She just gets caught up in your tantrums, and has to pay for you attacking her." I grabbed a trolley, placing Bodoujn's cage on top.

He scowled, dropping my trunk unceremoniously on top with Bodoujn's yowl and hiss in response. "She's not around to hear your flattery."

"Yeah, but you're around to hear possible insults."

"As if she'd believe me?"

"Good point, but..." I grinned at him, "better safe than sorry."

We made our way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten, taking off through it at a run and coming out the other end where the Hogwarts train was.

"You've got about thirty minutes left," Uncle Gerald said with a glance at his watch. He gave a brisk wave, "So bye."

"Well, you're certainly a lot less friendly this morning," I noted as he started to walk away.

"I don't like waking up and Disapparating. I get this funny feeling in my nose."

"Really? All the time?"