Some things stick with you forever. For me, it's May 2, 1998. The Battle of Hogwarts. The day I lost some good friends. The day my second home became a war zone. The day a man I once trusted showed his true colors.
The biggest thing then was survivi...
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The first night being away from home was tense. I didn't sleep very well. I couldn't adjust to being in a strangers' place even though nobody occupied it before Neville and I got here.
Since I had a brief thing of insomnia, I decided to rummage through the wardrobe in the bedroom I took up. Unfortunately, there were no clothes that would fit my fashion sense. I blew out an irritated breath. Wonderful. This requires shopping, where I have no money. I'm not about to use magic to bewitch Muggles and steal things. I'm not at that low point in my life.
A little annoyed, I shuffled out of the bedroom, using the shower. The hot water briefly relaxed me. I dressed and wrapped my hair in a towel as I sauntered into the kitchen.
"Find anything good?"
"Ow!" I howled, as I pulled my head up and hit the fridge. "Damn it, Neville, you have to stop sneaking up on me!" I rubbed the top of my head. "I'll get a knot there because of you now."
"I don't do it on purpose," he sassed me.
"You slept well, I'm assuming?"
"You didn't, I'm assuming."
I rubbed my eyes. "I tried, I just couldn't." I pushed things aside. "I wonder how recent this place was vacated. There're things in here that haven't expired yet. You didn't run out for things, did you?"
"Neither of us have left this place since we got here, Jenelle." He pursed his lips.
I blinked hugely when Neville pulled out his wand and began to investigate the house. I shut the refrigerator door, finding a thing of bananas in a basket on the counter. I peeled one and nibbled at it. I miss the Hogwarts feasts. They always guaranteed a full belly.
He must think someone's inside this place. But they can't be, unless there's a secret passage we haven't discovered. The piece of banana I swallowed almost didn't go down all the way at the thought. We haven't even been in hiding for twenty-four hours! Unless this is someone's place and they had to leave. It would explain the food that was still good.
"No one's here," Neville reported once he made a full sweep of the place. "Maybe we lucked out."
"Pretty good luck for fugitives."
"We're not technically fugitives, Jenelle."
"To the Death Eaters we are, not to Wizarding law. A fugitive is a fugitive." I shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to be cooped up here for the rest of my fugitive life. I know it's risky, but if we play it right, we can be Muggles."
"You sure that's a smart idea?"
"We can't be confined to here, Neville. Supplies do run out or expire eventually."
