Ringtail

Chapter 2

Camryn Lawerence stared out into the deep lake, thinking.
Her black short-cropped hair gently flew around her, the gentle breeze lifting the slight curls. Her eyes were a piercing silver and were hard as stone. She was wearing a black shirt, with a warm black sweatshirt over it.
Her house was behind her, a stone trail from the edge of the small beach led to her home. The sandy beach was small, hugging the lake tightly. Miles away, a village could be found. Even farther away was London.
She sat on a large rock that overlooked the lake. She considered jumping in, to clear her thoughts, but decided against it. Her mom would be upset.
Camryn only lived with her mother and never knew her father. There were no pictures of him and her mother never talked about him. Not that Camryn cared much, she after all, never knew him.
"Camryn!" Camryn's mom, Hayley shouted. "There's a letter for you!"
"Coming!" Camryn shouted. She stood and took one last glance at the lake, before hopping back.
At eleven, Camryn still acted like six. She was very shy and hated any real attention. She only had one real friend, but just a few days ago that person left the town.
She often felt like she was in a 1600s village even though it's 1991.
"Who's it from?" Cam asked, walking inside. Her mom hesitated.
"It's a letter for a school," she said vaguely.
"What school?"
"The school your father went to," she said. Camryn froze.
Hesitantly, she gently took the letter and opened it. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Ms. Lawerence, 
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Second page
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)
by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic
by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory
by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration
by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi
by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions
by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection
by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 wand
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)
1 set glass or crystal phials
1 telescope
1 set brass scales
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
There was an added slip as well:
1st-year students will require:
The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1
by Miranda Goshawk
Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart 
Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart 
Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart
Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart
Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart 
Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart
Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart
Camryn stared and reread the letter. She blinked and read it again. Another blink.
"What." She stated.
"You're going," her mom chimed in. "1, I already sent your owl, because it actually came quite a while ago," Camryn snorted slightly. That was an understatement. July 31st was a month ago! "And 2, It'll help you,"
"Help me?" Camryn laughed deliriously. "Are you kidding me? I barely know this place and you think it'll help me!?"
"Camryn," her mom started softly. "I know this place. I've never been there, but your father told me all about it. I'm not magic at all, but your father was a pure wizard. No non-magic blood at all. That's why you can talk to animals, why the waves get harsher when you're angry. That's why you can do all those things. Camryn, this place will help you control that magic. Besides," she added, putting dishes away. "It'll be a great place to meet new friends."
"Alright," Camryn scoffed. 'Then where am I going to get all of this stuff?"
"A friend is coming to pick you up," her mom replied. "She'll take you to do the shopping,"
"Who?"
"Emmeline Vance," she said. "She, Marlene McKinnon and Lily...Evans helped me get used to magic. Along with your father," her mom added.
"Where are the other two?"
"They're dead," Cam's mom said shortly.
"Oh," Camryn bit her lip. "Do you know when she's coming?"
"Yep," Camryn's mom nodded to the fireplace. "Just called her," Camryn gaped. "She should come through any moment now. You two have to get going. The day after tomorrow is when you go to the Platform,"
"Platform?" Camryn inquired but at that moment the fireplace roared to life with a green fire and a woman shot through. Camryn held back a scream and backed away.
"Couldn't you have gotten a more open fireplace, Hayley?" The woman coughed and stood, brushing the ash off her cloak. She had a sharp face and stiff eyes. Her brown hair was pulled pack and her cloak was dark green. She looked at Hayley and Camryn's mom gave a dry smile back.
"Honestly," the woman shook her head and turned her regarding eyes to Camryn. "Is she yours?"
"Yes," Camryn's mom rolled her eyes.
"You look just like your father," the woman blurted. Camryn crossed her arms.
"And you just gave me a week's worth of cleaning," Camryn gestured to the ash strewn across the ground. There was a moment of silence before the woman barked a laugh.
"Too much like your father," she decided. "I'm Emmeline Vance. Nice to meet you Camryn,"
"Nice to meet you," Camryn remarked.
"Alright, well," Emmeline took a biscuit and headed for the door. "We should be going,"
"Oh yeah," Camryn said sarcastically, scrambling to grab a handbag. "Use the fireplace to get in, but use the door to get out, why not?"
||~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~||
Once out of range of the town, Emmeline side-Apparated them to the edge of London. From there, they took a train. Emmeline explained most of what the letter meant and Camryn felt well-informed.
"Where are we going to get all of this though?" Camryn asked. They had left the train station and had gone into town.
"If you know where to look," Emmeline started. "You could find anything," Camryn looked around. "Where do you think it is?"
"Me?" Camryn frowned. "What do you...?" She drifted off as her eyes slowly to a tiny, grubby-looking pub. People hurrying by didn't glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the building at all. Camryn realized quickly that only she and Emmeline could see it. The place seemed to resonate with something....
"There," Camryn pointed to that building. Emmeline smiled.
"Correct," and the duo headed inside the Leaky Cauldron.
Inside, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Emmeline pulled the hat on her head lower, but they had clearly already noticed her.
As Emmeline steered Camryn to the back, she heard whispers.
"-thought she was dead-"
"-never showed up-"
"-disappeared, didn't she?-"
"-best friends with them-"
"-poor girl, lost everything-"
Camryn frowned at that person and glared a bit at all of them. She hated gossips. A few people blinked but one person's eyes widened and he gasped a bit. Camryn jumped and just barely caught what he said to the person next to him.
"-daughter!"
"-impossible-"
"-can't be-"
"-never had any-"
Camryn blinked rapidly as Emmeline pulled her away. Emmeline stood in front of a brick wall as Camryn tried oh-so-desperately to figure out what happened back there.
"Why were they whispering?" she asked finally.
"I'm a bit famous for coming here," Emmeline said, tapping the bricks with what Camryn presumed was a wand. "And I think they figured you out,"
"Huh?"
"I think they figured out who your father is," Emmeline rephrased.
"If you knew him, why can't you tell me?" Camryn demanded but stopped when she took in the breath-taking sight.
"Welcome," Emmeline said. "To Diagon Alley,"
Camryn wished she had about eight more eyes. She turned her head in every direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl Emporium -- Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Camryn had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion bottles, globes of the moon....
Camryn tried very hard not to gasp at just about everything.
"Where are we going?" Camryn asked, still scanning everything.
"Gringotts," Emmeline said. "You wait outside as I go get you're money," and she left Camryn by the outside of a very big marble column bank.
Not at all interested, Camryn scanned the areas around instead. A group of people that caught her eye were by a sign that read 'Knockturn Alley'. The place looked dark and creepy.
The group consisted mostly of redheads and an older woman, like a mom to all of them, was fussing over a black-haired boy. A ginormous person had just left and Camryn looked at him, blinking a bit.
"Half-giant," Camryn blurted to herself. But as she squinted at the man, she realized she would be more or less right. Giants had to be bigger than that and honestly-that is not normal-human sized.
Camryn turned her attention back to the original group but they were leaving and heading somewhere else. Camryn had to admit that among the sea of redhead, the brown-haired girl and black-haired boy looked a little out of place. They seemed nice enough though. And Camryn was very good at sizing people up at first glance.
"You ready?" Emmeline said and Camryn jumped.
"Wha-yeah, yeah," Camryn swallowed. She stood and they headed out.
"So, I suggest we get the books first," Emmeline said, nodding to the added list. "I saw a sign and it said that Gilderoy Lockhart was actually there, signing books and bluragh," Emmeline shuddered. "I had school with him. He is an awful person. Thinks way to much of himself,"
"Alright then," Camryn said. "I already hate this person. Let's go get the books," and they headed to Flourish and Blotts.
There was already a big crowd there.
"What's all this fuss about?" Camryn hopped and looked around the crowd.
"It's Gilderoy Lockhart," Emmeline replied. "A "very special person". Everyone loves him,"
"He doesn't look like it," Camryn pointed to the small boy no more than a year older than her who was standing next to said Gilderoy. "He looks like he's having an awful time," Camryn didn't notice Vance's breathing catch and her eyes misting over at the sight of the boy's large green eyes. Eyes very similar to his mother's.
"You know what?" Camryn declared suddenly. "I think he's a fake," Emmeline blinked.
"What?" She asked, eyebrows raising.
"If Gilderoy really fought werewolves and vampires- I'd reckon he'd have quite a few scars. And I'll wager that charms and makeup can't really cover up many of those scars. Besides, you'd want to show those off if you think fighting werewolves was a great accomplishment. I bet he's someone trying to take someone else's triumphs,"
"But how could he cover up for that person?"
"That's what I was thinking! Surely the real person would speak up and call him out on it. But this is a world of magic, right? Is there some kind of erasing memories type thing of a spell?"
"Yes, actually there is. Obliviate,"
"He probably used that on the people who actually did the work. That way, no one could call him out,"
"I'm impressed," Emmeline laughed. "You must have gotten that from your mother-you dad never really had much of a brain," Camryn giggled. "You have the list? Good, go in and get those books then come right out, I'll go get your other books," and Vance left. Camryn walked into the store and began to grab the books she needed.
"Famous Harry Potter," a voice sneered behind her and she turned to see a blond kid glaring at the black haired boy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page,"
"Leave him alone!" The only red haired girl said. "He didn't want all that!"
As the boy continued to talk, Camryn discreetly walked by them and pretended to have one of the books slip. The boy yelped as it landed on his foot and Camryn suppressed ad giggle.
"Sorry," she muttered and picked up.
"I bet you are," the boy snarled.
"And just who are you to decide my feelings?" Camryn challenged and glared at him. "What's your name anyway?"
"Malfoy," the black haired boy said finally and Camryn looked at him to see that a red haired boy and the brown-haired girl running over. "He's Draco Malfoy,"
"Sounds like a name of a ferret," Camryn replied coolly. The red haired boy that had just run over, stopped and guffawed for a moment before composing himself.
"Ron! Ginny!" A man with red hair came over and Camryn paused. "Hermione, Harry, there you all are, let's go outside, it's getting too crowded,"
"Well, well, well-Arthur Weasley," another drawling voice said and Camryn looked to see an almost replica of Malfoy. Camryn guessed it was the prat's father.
"Lucius," Arthur Weasley nodded coldly.
"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," the man said. "All those raids....I hope they're paying you overtime?"
"I really don't think you do," Camryn remarked, mostly to herself but the red head girl around her age giggled. The man, meanwhile, had reached into the girl's cauldron and extracted a very old battered book and examined it.
"Obviously not," he continued. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?" Mr. Weasley flushed darker than the boy or the girl.
"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy," he said.
"He's doing better than I thought," Camryn whispered to the girl who turned to look at her. "I would've choke the guy already," the girl stifled a laugh.
"Clearly," the man had been saying. "The company you keep, Weasley...and I thought your family couldn't sink lower-" Camryn yelped and there was a ding as the girl's cauldron flew to the ground. Mr. Weasley had launched himself at Mr. Malfoy. Camryn laughed to herself and the two red haired boys that looked exactly alike (twins, Camryn guessed) cheered Mr. Weasley on, as the woman (mom, Camryn guessed again) came over, shrieking for him to stop. A store person had come, asking them to stop when there was a flash of light and the two were separated on either side of the wall.
Camryn blinked rapidly.
Glaring at both men, Emmeline was an impressive sight. She looked around and spotted Camryn.
"Now then," Vance said. "I do hope you weren't the one who started this Arthur,"
"Em-Emmeline?" the mom stuttered.
"Outside," Emmeline barked. "Camryn, come here," Camryn quickly picked up the girl's things and handed them to her.
"You're dad's amazing," she whispered and scurried over to Emmeline. Meanwhile, the group from before grabbed Mr. Weasley and walked after the duo.
"How are you alive!" The mom finally blurted.
"I never died, Molly," Emmeline said.
"What's your name?" The girl asked Camryn shyly.
"Camryn," Camryn smiled. "Camryn Lawrence," Mr. Weasley yelped a bit and Molly gasped.
"No," Molly whispered.
"Yes," Emmeline countered. "She is Hayley's daughter," Camryn blinked.
"You know my mom?" Camryn asked.
"She...well, she was an old friend," Molly said apprehensively. Emmeline suddenly grabbed Molly and Mr. Weasley's hands and dragged them away for a moment, leaving Camryn with the group. The twins looked at her.
"Camryn huh?" They said in unison. Camryn jumped.
"1," she started. "Yes and 2-don't ever do that again, it's creepy," the twins smiled.
"I'm Gred,"
"And he's Forge,"
"And I'm the Minister," Camryn snarked. "Real names?"
"Fred and George," the red haired boy said. He looked about a year older than Camryn. "I'm Ron,"
"I'm Hermione Granger," the brown-haired girl said.
"And I'm Harry Potter," The black haired boy said and he winced a bit as if expecting something.
"Cool," Camryn's said dryly. "Nice to meet you all," she suddenly looked very closely at Ginny's cauldron and found that there was black book added to it. She frowned to herself.
"....never heard of me?" Harry was saying and Camryn jumped.
"Hmm? What? Oh, no," Camryn shook her head. "I grew up with my mom, far away from here, so no. Never heard of you." Before the group could respond, Emmeline called out and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were walking back.
"Camryn!" Vance called. "Come on!" Camryn waved goodbye and jogged over.
"What now?" Camryn asked.
"I got you an owl," Vance said. "A trunk, all the books you need and now you just need a wand and robes," they headed to Madame Malkin's to get her robes fit. Once they did that, they headed straight over to Ollivander's and dozens of wands were tried before finding the right one.
After leaving, Emmeline side-Appareted her to her house and left her there. Camryn had quickly unloaded all of her stuff, then reloaded again and looked at the owl that Vance had given her. It was a special owl. It was supposed to be a Great Horned owl, but looked more like a Snowy Owl. And it was black. Pure black feathers that shined when he moved.
Camryn had named him Moose for some reason.