Haven

Days leaked away pretty quickly for everyone except the freshly admitted Hogwarts students. As the last days arrived, the excitement in the air suffocated the families of those children.

Minutes by minutes, new questions were raised, but as hours went by, the questions got pretty much ridiculous, as every year witnessed. Every citizens of the wizarding world must have gone through those shots of excitement and foolish pleasures in asking those random questions.

The merry of the new magical academic year spread through out the Magical Britian, which muggles were preparing for their own new year of education. Shops and streets of Diagon ally overflowed with customers. Ollivander's looked just as old as it looked a century ago. The little Miss Fawley exited the centuries-old wand shop with a big grin plastered on her face, she hurried to her brother's side to show off her brand new wand.

"Well that was faster than i expected. I took way too longer than that. I might be just a unique person." Eilam replied.

"Well, you should visit Madam Malkins! Mother, my old uniforms are in a great condition, i want to visit Sugarplum's while you both-"

"You need new clothes, gentleman! You do not know how much you grew this holiday!" Melania refused his proposal.

"Mine are perfectly fitting for me. I was planning to get some chocolates and other sweets. I read that chocolate helps with concentration and energy, i need some." Eilam reasoned.

"Are you sure you don't want to get new clothes?"

"Yes. You got me new ones during the Easter holidays. Plus you can get clothes for me, ones you think will fit me the best. Mother certainly knows the best!" Eilam charmed.

"Alright then." Melania smiled hearing his comment.

"Thank you!" He hurried away like he attained freedom for the first time ever. He looked so exicted on getting chocolate, more happier than a toddler. He does not even like chocolate that much. Suspicious.

"I should have asked him to get some for me!"

"We can join Eilam later if you want. Now let's visit Madam Malkin's."

                        *******

Madam Malkin's were full of wizards and witches alike. Uniforms or party robes, anything of your dreams, Madam Malkin had.

Madam Malkin's self measuring tapes were doing it's wonder among the customers. Her mother left her  there in the line and continued her clothing exploration on the chamber to the right.

Quite a small line than she expected. Obviously, others must have shopped their robes already, none of them must have waited to do those stuff last minute, like the Fawleys did.

The Fawleys were set to go earlier, but Eilam got sick, really sick that a healer had to be requested. The healer said that he had some reactions because of the overdose of Migraine Managing serum.
That must have been why Holly was there then.

Amara spotted few children the size of herself waiting for their chance and waited in the small queue.

Soon she was next. And another, a blonde girl, probably her age. She looked like a personified version of the word bliss for some reason. The girl gave her a smile.

"Hogwarts first year?" The blonde asked, starting the conversation.

"Yes, should I assume the same about you?"

"Oh no no, I'm a second year. Anyways, i am Marlene McKinnon. What's your name?" Marlene Mckinnon. Marlene. I've heard that name.
Amara chuckled remembering her.

"I'm Amara Fawley. Glad to meet you. I've heard about you. The girl who nearly made the whole Gryfindor sparkle? That is you, right?" She remember her from one of those Sirius' stories.

"Oops. Am i famous, Ms. Fawley?"

"You might be. The sparkling gryfindoor girls were quite the talk of the town. "

"The town...who is spreading these, honestly!"

"Sirius Black, ofcourse" Amara grinned. He had mentioned this incident that day in the Lestrange's garden.

"Ofcourse it's that punk. Such a gossip queen, I'm telling ya. Honestly, I did not do that on purpose! I just wanted to test a spell i found, on my flowers. Its not my fault that Mary's glitter balls were there." Marlene frowned and continued ;
"It was quite funny though, Professor McGonagall sweated a bit with the sparkles, and Alice had an allergic reaction after that, she inhaled some glitters, so Madam Pomfrey was involved too. It really was a mess. It all turned out to be one heck of a laugh at the end. "

"I would describe it as tragic."

"But our dorm mates grew out to be bestfriends, the friendship forged out of tragedy always stays!"

"Like the one in Dawn's destined daisies."

Their converstion was interrupted by Amara's chance arriving. Amara stepped on the platform waiting to be measured. Soon the magical tapes started measuring her. The blonde girl, Ms. McKinnon, soon replaced the boy by her side. Magical tape started it work soon.

Amara stepped off of the platform as the measuring processes were done. The robes were in process.

"Definitely see you soon at Hogwarts." Marlene took her hands and shook them with a grin.

Her mother came closer to her with some robes she found good. Amara chose what she liked from those choices. The uniforms were soon ready. Madam Malkin's personally saw them off of the store. They exited the store together.

Amara found the blonde girl, Ms. McKinnon with a man, possibly her father who was talking to another family. Amara gave her a smile as Marlene waved at her and waved back a little.

Melania Fawley noticed her daughter and she smiled.
"Are we making new friends this soon?"

"Oh, her? She's Marlene McKinnon, she is a second year from Hogwarts. We were near each other during the measuring process." Amara let her mother knew.

Soon Madame Malkin herself came to see the Fawleys out.

"That is her, right ? I recognize the man with her, her father. He was the magical representative in muggle minister's office a while ago. He quited. Such a shame, the lose of power, he stays in home while his wife, Charlotte Dearborn is working in the ministry. But do you recognize the man who was talking to Mr. McKinnon?"

oh no. No mother, i was busy waving to Marlene, now please can we go and find Eilam.

"No mother." Amara soon knew about Senior Auror Julius Selwyn.

                    *******

As they advanced towards Flourish and Blotts to find Eilam. On the way, they met Florence Rowle, a friend of Melania and a honored writer in Witch Weekly. As they engaged in conversation, Amara poliety greeted the lady and asked her mother to allow her to find her brother. Melania agreed and Amara rushed towards her brother.

Amara entered the shop and scanned the room to find her brother but she failed to spot him. She searched for him again, only to confirm that he was not there. A lady offered to help, which she politely declined. She left the room as soon as she could.

As she exited the shop, she found Eilam near the Florean Fortiscue's Ice Cream Parlor. He was not alone. There were a couple of boys his age and a girl. Amara rushed to Eilam's side.

"Hello there."

"Oh? Oh hey Amy, guys, meet my sister, Amara."

"Nice to finally meet you Amara. Eilam has mentioned you a lot." The girl told her, shaking her hands.

"I wish i could say the same about you. Brother, won't you introduce them to me?" Amara eyed her brother.

"Eh yes ofcourse. Sorry. Amara, this is Heather Evermore" he quickly introduced the girl to his sister, the girl, Heather, shook Amara's hands again.

"And this" he pointed to a straw haired boy on his right "is Sturgis Podmore and this is-"

"Paul Price. Glad to meet ya." a raven haired boy interrupted Eilam by introducing himself as he shook her hands.

"Yes. They all are friends from Hogwarts."

"House mates?"

"Paul is. Anyways, it's getting late, we should get going. Mother must be looking for us. Bye guys. See you in School. Paul, see you soon."

"Nice meeting all. See you soon." And they left the gang there.

"I finished my purchase and saw them exiting Florean Fortescue, just went for a chit chat. Where is mother, anyways?"

"Met Florence Rowle. I escaped." She said, casually.

He chuckled. "Good for you amy."

Soon they reached where their mother was, who was still having a chat with Ms. Rowle. They looked like they were really into the conversation. They stayed back, not really interested to interfere.

                          *******

The chat was finally over and they finally reached home. Mother would not stop bashing Florence Rowle. Melania's own Junior, housemate and 'friend'.

"I almost passed out of shock when i heard that she was marrying a muggleborn. She did not thought this through, for certain. What would people say? I'm sure if her father was alive, he would not have approved of this! She was scared of him. Some people, when they get fortune of their own, they will forget where they came from and act on their own will, that too mostly, women. She was such a smart and talented woman. Brainwashed; given into modernity hell. Honestly, she was beautiful, she would have gotten better proposals. She got them, but turned them all down, now look at her. We were so proud of her, the Slytherin house, for all her achievements. But look at her now."

She finally stopped, she looked a shade green for reasons.

Finally. Amara thought. It was getting rather sick hearing all that.
Mother must be heartbroken to know that. Ms. Rowle was dear to her, she always talked about how the famous Florence Rowle was her friend.

But she was sick of hearing anything that day.

"You told that to Ms. Rowle, mother? Honestly you should have gave her your piece of mind." Eilam suggested in a rather serious voice which felt like mocking. But that only went noticed by Amara or she was heating things. She decided to ignore it.

"I hinted my opinions to her, and i was talking in a rather soft manner. I was giving my opinions in  a sisterly way, she did not grasp anything. She told me to grow up! It was a shocker. She forgot how to talk to elders! Atrocious!"

Amara was shaken up by the things she heard. She looked at her brother to see his reaction.

Eilam was biting his lips to suppress his laughter and looked down.

"Some people don't learn mother. Its her life. Let her ruin it" He spoke.

Amara chocked on air. She was coughing violently until Holly was ordered to get her some water.
She drank and spoke "i am going to rest for a bit. The shopping was tiring. Bye." And she left. Her brother caught up to her.

"Were you laughing?"

"No, why should i be? Nothing i find funny about my mother being embarrassed. But you clearly don't think the same. "

"I don't?"

"You don't. I saw you. It was evident in your voice."

"Okay then. Its true. I found the 'grow up' part funny. Because, admit it, it is true."

"Whatever. You can atleast respect our parents. "

"I can. And i had. I still do. Our parents are getting old but as they say, growing old is mandatory but growing up in optional. You Amara, Grow up, please choose to grow up. Growing up is hard but not that bad, the world is bad and you just see it, around you." Eilam commented.

"And Marvin McKinnon, i know him. He is a great guy, so I assume the same of his family. Wait, i came to give you this" he handed out some sweets to her "And this!" he handed her out something excitedly in a box "That's a pen, honestly it is better than a quill. Keep it! Good night Amy." With that, he left.

Amara smiled for some reason even she did not clearly knew. "Thank you." She ate some of the sweets she was given and laid down on her bed. One more day for Hogwarts.