Meet Me on Diagon Alley

“Are you packing Carly?” My mother Sophia called from downstairs.

“Yes mother, I’m almost done.” I replied, while putting in my last pair of jeans. I was packing for my fifth year at Hogwarts.

“Good because supper is almost ready.” My mother yelled again.

Today was August 31st, I was packing early for the ride tomorrow. Now I just needed to find my tie. I saw the familiar crimson and gold silk tie hanging down from the top of my closet. I tried with lots of effort to reach the thing. I could just reach the very end with the tips of my fingers. It seemed to be stuck under something. I yanked it hard and all the junk that had been piling up there came tumbling down. My floor was now scattered with that junk, ah well, at least I got my tie down. I quickly shoved my tie in my trunk and attempted to close it. It wouldn’t budge. I took my wand out of my back pocket and thought about using my magic. It was just a simple binding spell, surely the ministry wouldn’t mind if I just.....no I shouldn’t. I threw my wand on the bed and started piling some of the junk that was currently on the floor onto the trunk to weight it down. It was almost enough, just one more thing. I picked up a rather heavy looking book. I was about to place it on when I realized what it was. It was my old, very dusty photo album. It was special, because unlike most the photos in my house, these ones where enchanted to move. I lived with my mother, who was a muggle, so we didn’t have any moving pictures in our house. In fact my mother wasn’t too keen on magic. I’m a muggle born. I think if it weren’t for the fact that my older brother was a wizard, my mother would have had a heart attack when I got my letter. I opened the book, curious to see what was in it. On the first page was a story of me and my best friend in the world, Seamus Finnegan. My mind was filled with happy memories while looking threw this. The first one had been the morning Seamus had to leave for Hogwarts, without me. It was his first year. I was still 10, and as far as I knew Hogwarts nor magic existed..........

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I was sitting under the big oak tree in my front garden. I was sad that my friend was leaving. To be honest, Seamus was my only friend outside of a few girls in school. He had apparently been accepted to a fancy boarding school. It was the same school that my brother Demetri went to. He was a year older than Seamus and had already been there for a year. Anyways today was the day, they both left today. I had already said goodbye to Demetri, he left about an hour ago. I saw Seamus’s mother putting a trunk in the back of the car. Then he came out the front door, he was about to go into the car when he saw me sitting there. He walked over calmly with his hand in his trouser pockets.

“Hey.” He said very unenthusiastically

“Hi.” I replied without looking up. I was trying to hide the few tears that were making their way down my cheeks. It clearly wasn’t working, either he heard in my voice or my hair wasn’t doing it’s job of hiding my face.

“Are you crying?” Seamus asked with some concern in his voice.

“No” I said, but this time you could clearly hear a small sob.

“Aw, don’t cry. I’ll be back in the summer.” He said, sitting down beside me.

I lifted my head up to look at him. “Seamus, you’re my best friend, you’re my only friend.” More tears still coming out.

“Come on that’s not true. You have friends in school.” Reassuring me, Seamus was right.

“It’s not the same. All they do speak of who’s cuter, and which celebrity’s dating who. It’s quite annoying.” I said with a sigh.

“I’m sure you’ll be fine. You know I’m going to miss you too, it’s not like you’re not my friend.” He was trying to make me feel sympathetic towards him? Well, it wasn’t working.

“Seamus! You’re going to miss the train, come on!” His mother called from across the street. He just looked up, his face expressionless. I could tell he was sad, and that did make me feel, a bit better. To know that he would miss me. I smiled inside, but I was still sad on the outside. Seamus got up and brushed himself off with out saying a word. I had stopped crying now. He reached out his hand for me to take then pulled me up off my feet. I jumped on him with a very tight hug, it caught him by surprise at first, but in the matter of a millisecond he returned the tight embrace. We pulled away after about a minute.

“By Seamus.” I said with a forced smile

“By Carly. I’ll see you this summer.” He said then walked away. I watched as the car pulled out of the drive way and as he waved from he passenger seat, threw the window. I waved back then went back inside, preparing for the most boring year of my life. Wow, I was 10 and already having the worst year ever.

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That was before I knew about any thing. About how I was a witch, my brother was a wizard, and so was Seamus. Demetri, my brother, he didn’t live with me and mum. He lived with dad in the U.S. I remember when Demetri got his letter. I was told the story though, there was no possible way I could have known about. His letter was sent to my mother. I don’t know what her muggle reaction was, but I do recall for about a week, she was very up tight, and I mean VERY uptight, more than usual. That was was the summer I was nine. The same year that Demetri came back a week before summer end to go to a boarding school. I now know that that school is Hogwarts. I didn’t know then...........

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The summer was beginning with a good start. My best friend was back and I was the happiest I had been all year. The year was very boring. In school all I did was listen to what the teachers had to say, occasionally saying or doing something that would have me sent to the headmasters office. Oh, and Seamus was wrong. I didn’t have any friends at school. I wasn’t in to all that preppy shit that the rest of those clones. And I did mean clones, they all had the same interests, the same style,and the school uniforms did not help the cause. I hate using this term, but I’m kind of a tom boy. Well I’m not, but compared to the girls at my school I was. To make it worse, I went to an all girls school, so there wasn’t really anyone I could blend in with. I had changed a lot over the school year. Last summer I had been a lot less confident, I guess that was because Seamus was always protecting me before. That was when we went to a blended school,, and before he went to his fancy boarding school. I was also less innocent, more of trouble maker, more mature I guess too. Some things had changed in my appearance as well. I was about two inches taller, my hair was slightly darker, and less frizzy as it was. These were all small differences, but they were noticeable. Any ways, the summer was going well, I hung out with Seamus every day. Most of it at the little fort we had made when we were younger that was set on top of the big hill up the road, under the big spruce tree.

I heard the doorbell ringing signaling that Seamus was at the door. I walked downstairs, mum was in the kitchen making lunch. When I opened the door to see a very very happy Seamus, grinning wider than just about humanly possible, I was curious to why.

I stood there with a confused look and Seamus just smiled more, holding his hands behind his back, looking similar to a young boy who had just done something wrong yet was acting as the perfect angel, while rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. “What is it Seamus?” Saying in a boring tone

“I got a letter from school today.” He said still grinning wildly as if he knew a secret, and flinging his hands out from behind him and flopping the letter in my face.

I was admittedly a little upset by this, would it mean something like he needs to stay the summer or something, surely he wouldn’t be happy about that? I just shrugged “So?”

His grin just got wider yet again and chuckling before he said “There’s one for you too.”

I was shocked why in the world would they want me, it was supposedly a high class school, why would they want me? It surely was not because of my marks, and my behavior certainly wouldn’t cover that. I was dumbstruck, and my face clearly showed it. Seamus laughed and whistled. A great grey owl came swooping from the roof and landing directly on Seamus’ shoulder, but not before dropping an identical envelope in his hand, to the one that was already in the other. There was a few things going through my mind then and there.#1: Where the hell did that owl come from, and Seamus why are you leting that bird on you? It could have deceases. #2 Wow, this school uses messenger owls. What are they too good for doves? and #3 Why would this school be sending me a letter?

Seamus handed me the letter and I held it in my hands reading the address. It was addressed to me, Carly Spinning, it had my house number and all. There was an old fashioned wax seal on it, I tried to make what it said, but I couldn’t.

“Carly, Shut the door. Invite the boy in if you must, but you’re......” My mother shouted from the top of the hall, were you could see the door from the kitchen. She was cut short of her sentence when she saw the letter in my hand. “Ugh.... I should have seen this coming, apparently it runs in the family.” She said mostly to her self. “Now Seamus dear, I suppose you should explain all this.......confusion to her. I still can’t get my head wrapped around the fact that her brother is one.” She was speaking nonchalantly as she walked back in the kitchen.

“Explain.” I demanded of Seamus.

“Can I come in first?”

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“You’re a witch Carly” Seamus told me staring in my eyes to make sure I took this seriously.

“Oh, gee thanks Seamus! A witch? What you can’t even insult me with the proper word?” I completely understood how serious he was in all this. I just didn’t believe it was coming from my best friend. “If you’re going to call me a bi-”

“What are you talking about?” Seamus cut me off. “I meant a witch! As in someone who is magical. You can cast spells, conjure things, concoct potions, charm objects...” He continued listing.

When he was done with his ridiculous rambling, I cut in. “Is this some sort of joke? ‘Cause if it is, I hate to break it to you, but it’s definitely not your best work.”

“Carly, listen to me! This isn’t a joke! Read the letter, ask your mother!” Seamus ordered as I actually began to believe this absurdity.

I read it, the letter. I asked my mother about it. Turns out me, Seamus, and my brother were all magical. And as of next year we would all be going to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

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I let a smile play across my lips as I remembered that. I could have sat there forever just looking at the fun times I had had with Seamus and all my other friends at Hogwarts, unfortunately I was interrupted though.

“Carly time for supper!” Mum called from downstairs. I sat up and placed the album on my bed then leaving the room, but just as I reached the door I spun around and snatched up my wand. You could never be to sure when you would need it in these times. I quickly but lightly ran down the stairs only to be greeted by a pair of familiar strong arms. I hugged my brother in return, it’d been two months since I last saw him.

“Oh, Demetri! Why didn’t anyone tell me you were here?” I spoke of my mother of coarse, considering there was no other persons to inform me of the arrival of my darling brother.

“Well, I’m guessing mum thought it would be a nice surprise.” Demetri said with a dazzling smile. He was in his final year at Hogwarts. I wasn’t sure when I would see him after this year, the only time I did see him was right before, during, or right before the start of term. My father lived in U.S. because he was transferred there when I was just a baby. My parents thought it was best to let me stay here with mum, while Demetri got to live with dad.

Supper was one of the best this summer. Demetri always lightened the mood, he could make someone laugh at a funeral, not that he would, but if he tried. He mostly spoke about what had happened over in that states and how dad was. It was little conversation, but this was the most family time we normally got. Especially for my mother. While we were at Hogwarts we could never communicate with her. Sure we could send her messages, but we would never expect them back. Mum was deathly afraid of those owls, I remember in third year, when I had asked for one, she said that we would go and get one for me and Demetri to share. Instead she surprisingly came home with two cats. Not even magical cats, just plain old cats. One was black and very fluffy with blue eyes, he went to Demetri. The other was a brown tabby cat with one purple eye and one green eye. He went to me. His name was Tabby. Ok, I’m not very creative with names, so sue me. When supper was over me and my brother washed and dried the dishes. He washed and rinsed, I dried and put away. that was are system. I decided to give Seamus a call. That was the beauty of being muggle born, or a half-blood. You got the perks of technology and the perks of wizardry. So what if I wasn’t a pure blood. Why should I care if my ancestors were or weren’t magical. All I cared about was me, my friends and my family, and not what kind of blood they had. Me and Demetri were muggle born, Seamus’ mother was a witch, his dad wasn’t, therefor he was a half-blood. See we can co-exist in harmony, why can’t the rest of these pureblood maniacs?

“Hello?” Answered a manly voice, it was Seamus’ father.

“Hello Mr. Finnegan. I was wondering if Seamus was home?” I asked politely.

“Yes, yes, he’s here just a moment” He said before I heard some in comprehensible and then the familiar “Hello mate, how may I be of service?”

I laughed into the phone like I always did when he answered like that knowing it was me. “Well sir. I was wondering if you would like to acquaintance me for a walk to the hill?”

“Sure I’ll meet you outside.” Seamus said dropping the telemarketer piece.

I hung up the phone and walked downstairs again. Demetri was on the couch flicking through channels on the TV. I walked past him and put on my shoes. “Mum, I’m going for a walk with Seamus!” I yelled to let her no I was leaving.

While I was waiting for her response Demetri thought it would be wise to put a word in on the subject matter. “So, are you and Seamus finally together now?” He asked with a smirk

“No, Demetri. For the last time, Seamus and I are just friends.” I told him in a desperate tone, hoping that he would get it through his thick skull, that in no such way were me and Seamus more than best friends.

“Ok honey, be safe.” My mother yelled from upstairs.

“Yeah Carls, be safe. I don’t want you come home and I find out I’m an uncle.” Demetri said in a playful warning tone.

“DEMETRI!” I yelled in a frustrated tone while throwing a cushion that was by the door at his face, before I left the house.

I saw Seamus sitting on the curb in front of my house playing with a pebble. I came up behind him, sat down and said “Wow, thats one interesting mini stone.” Taking up another pebble and turning it in between my fingers, mirroring Seamus. He let out a soft chuckle then got up and brushed himself off. Then reached out for my hand and pulled me up of the dirty cement. We walked half way up the street in silence. There was that eery feeling that had been here all summer. That feeling that something was stalking you, something more or less in the shadows, only the shadows were every where. Things were dangerous know. You-Know-Who was getting stronger, causing terror even in the muggle world. I remember when last year Seamus’ mother didn’t want him going to Hogwarts....

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Summer was almost over. Seamus and I were spending the time under the the oak tree, shaded from the sun. I was lying in the grass, while he was sitting against the trunk.

“What do you think about Potter reckoning that You-Know-Who’s back?” Seamus asked, suddenly breaking the comfortable silence.

I opened my eyes, thinking, taking in the meaning of his question. “What do you mean?”

“I mean...Do you believe what he’s saying? That he’s back?” He questioned me with a small look of concern in his eyes.

I got up, copying his stance against the tree. I sighed a bit before responding. “I’m not sure. Dumbledore believes him.”

“Dumbledore’s old. People are starting to think he’s getting a little off his rocker.” Seamus said, no longer looking at me, but staring aimlessly straight ahead.

“I don’t know. I think I just need a little more convincing. Why?” I wondered why I was suddenly being questioned like this.

“Mum doesn’t want me going back to Hogwarts this year.” He stated still staring, unemotionally

I suddenly sat bolt upright and turned to face him. “WHAT? Seamus you have to go! Hogwarts wouldn’t be the same without you! How can you now...”

Seamus cut me off. “Calm down! I’ll probably convince her to let me go. I just thought... I should let you know, just incase.” I finally turned his head to look at me with eyes mixed with sympathy and something like sadness, there was a sad smile placed on his lips.

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I was so relieved when he did end up coming. Him and his mother lightened up to the idea oh You-Know-Who being back. He joined the DA after christmas break. This year not going to Hogwarts wouldn’t be a worry at all, for everyone knew that being there would be safer than anywhere else.

“Has your mum noticed that anythings wrong yet?” Seamus asked, breaking the slightly scary silence.

My mum thought that all the strange happenings had to do with the government. I don’t know how you could blame them on a hurricane/giant rampage, but she seemed oblivious, and know one wanted to break the truth to her, know that she would have a heart attack and I certainly wouldn’t be allowed back to Hogwarts.“No, thankfully. She doesn’t think of magic. The thought scares her, the unnaturallity of it.”

“Is that even a word? Unnaturallity?” He joked with a small playful laugh.

I smiled at the fact that even through hard times he could make the world around me a little brighter. “No. I suppose unnaturalness would be the correct term, and yes Finnegan, that is a word.”

This time he was the one who laughed. We sat down on the hill, our hill. We just spent the rest of the day staring at the sky. How the clouds moved, occasionally speaking about what was on our minds. I somehow must have drifted to sleep as we lay on the grassy slope head to head so we made a long line if you were watching from birds eye view. Anyways apparently Seamus thought it would be a fun idea to push me slightly so I rolled down the hill. You think it’s funny? How would you like it if you woke up to the pain of hitting rough ground and twigs sticking in your side? Ha, I thought so. When I reached the bottom I let out a groan of both pain and fatigue. I looked and saw the starry night sky and the fact that I was now on the bottom of the hill, near the side walk. I quickly thought of a way I could get back at Seamus. That was it, operation FAKE INJURY set, COMMENCE. I let out a loud groan with a dry sob.

“Carls?” Seamus asked waiting for my response to see if I was ok. When there was non he started panicking. “Carly?!?” He asked again running towards me, worried.

I quickly gripped my left knee. I started to cry. I little trick I learned, it always worked. “Carly are you ok?” Seamus asked when he reached me.

“Ohhh, my knee really hurts.” I said through my fake sobs. He still had that worried, panicky look on his face. He lifted my back so that it was off the ground, just what I needed. I quickly pushed him down and tackled him. He immediately picked up on the fact that my knee was just a set up and started laughing at my lame attempt to hurt him. He just lay there slapping my hands away as I tickled his sides with a phony evil smirk plastered on my face while letting out maniacal laughter. He attempted to kick me off, but failed considering the fact that I was sitting on his stomach. He eventually spun over so I was off of him. I started to roll away but he hopped on my back and started digging y face into the ground. “Eat dirt Spinning!!” He yelled triumphantly. I reached my arm up behind me ad grabbed a chunk of his sandy hair and pulling hard. “Ahhhhhhh!” He yelled in pain. He tried to pull back, but everyone knows that it doesn’t hurt girls as much. “Ok, ok, I give, uncle, I surrender, Forfeit, mercy.” He cried.

I laughed as I let go of his hair and he tumbled off of me and landed beside me with a thump. He was laughing too. Something like this would happen like this every week during holiday, every month at school. Our friendship wouldn’t be the same with out these little shenanigans. We lay there for a little while until Seamus pulled me on top of him into a big bear hug.

“Seamus, you’re hurting me.” I said between gasps of pain.

“Mmmm. I know.” He said with a smile. “Ouch!” He exclaimed as I slapped him up side the head. He released one of his arms to cradle his head, while the other, yet still around my waist, loosened. I lay my head on his chest and yawned. “Don’t fall asleep again.” He said with a chuckle.

I hit him playfully on the shoulder, but did indeed yawn again. I let my muscles relax and closed my eyes. Seamus wrapped his other around me again. I sighed pleasantly as I leaned my chin on his chest and opened my eyes so I could see his face. His eyes were closed too. Until one lid opened, reveling a charming green eye, staring back at me. I smiled a little and he opened his other eye. He smiled back.

Suddenly a force hit me hard making me tumble back, off Seamus. Of coarse it was my darling brother. “Mum wants you home now.” He stated simply while holding me to the ground, then lifting me up and spinning me so i was on his back. He then started running towards the house. I was able to yell “Bye Seamus!” which he replied “Bye!” with chuckle while still lying on he ground.

Demetri ran with me upstairs then threw me in my room. I missed his stupid ways. I got ready for bed and went over to close the window before actually settling for the day. I looked out and saw Seamus slowly making his way his front porch. “Good night Seamus.” I yelled to him.

He spun around and looked straight at the window and smiled. “Good night Carly.”

I smiled back before closing the window, getting into bed and drifting to the land of dreams.