Bubblewand (Finn Harries)

Chapter 1: Two Rooms Across

          "Bibbidi! bobbity! boo!"

The sound of a little girl's laughter filled the air as her dad froze and pretended to have been transformed into a frog. He began to croak and hop all over the place, making her laugh even harder. Her light brown curls bouncing against her ears as pigtails as she ran from the "frog". As he finally caught up to her, she gave him a light pat on the forehead with her white magical wand, "there we go, daddy." she smiles, "you're no longer a froggy." Standing up straight but still carrying her in his arms, he smiled, "good heavens, my little girl's wand really IS magic!" he said, making her giggle. 

"you'll go a long way, my darling Isabelle." 

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, U. K. 

     "Just give it one semester, darling. If it's still quite difficult for you, I promise you can return to Boston and finish your studies there." 

Her father's words hung in the air of the new dorm room as Isabelle Griffin began to unpack. Thankfully, a knock game on her adjacent door, and a blonde head poked itself in. 

"Hey, Griff!" smiled her cousin, Isabella Fletcher. "Hey, Fletch" Isabelle replied politely. 

    With an Isabelle and an Isabella in the family, it was quite hard for the cousins to distinguish who of them were being referred to as "Izzy." And so they took matters into their own hands and decided that Isabelle would take the nickname of "Elle" or "Belle" and Isabella the nickname "Izzy" or "Isa." But with the difference of their names being only one letter, they referred to each other with the use of their surnames. 

"How was Boston?" Fletch asked, leaning comfortably by Isabelle's bathroom door as she bit down on an apple. "Distracting" Isabelle shrugged as she unpacked, "it was helpful at the most"

"So, why are you back here?"

"I made a deal with dad. A semester in Boston to help me get back on my feet, and in return, I go to Leeds for the second semester" she sighed, "I told him a semester wasn't enough, but by then, I'd already been enrolled...." 

A kind smile crossed the older cousin's face, "Think about it this way" she said, "you're in a Redbrick University people would kill to be in. And the people here like you already." she pointed to the Welcome banner made by the students on her floor, "I think you'll like it here, Griff." 

     Isabelle had finished tidying her suitcase, arranging her clothes and bathroom, making her bed and setting up the entire room in just 2 hours after Fletch's visit. She was basking in the glory of her new dorm room, feeling accomplished for the first time since she's arrived back in the U.K. when a knock came on the door.

When Finn Harries gave a knock on the door two rooms across his, he was quite confident in himself. He wanted to make a good impression on the new student, even make a new close friend out of him. He was sure the student was one of his kind considering, he'd heard his next door neighbor Isabella Fletcher call him "Griff" as she helped him settle into his room. Of course, he didn't hear anything from him in return, which made him more confident that they'd get along. He was under the impression that "Griff" was a quiet english man, much like himself.  

When he gave a knock on the door to ask the new student if he had some hair gel because he'd ran out, he hadn't suspected at all that "Griff" would be a girl.

"Hey, mate, I was wondering if I could borrow so--" 

Finn Harries had a habit of speaking quickly with eyes slowly opening and so, when they opened completely, he came to a complete shock. He'd expected a preppy looking guy; at least 5'10" in height with dark hair and instead, he was met with a girl wearing a red Harvard sweatshirt, at least 5'7" in height and with light brown hair. Stunned, he was completely at a loss for words. 

Isabelle put a hand on her hip and raised one of her eyebrows, the look which gave the impression she was both judging and questioning you. "Can I help you?" she asked

"C-correct me if I'm wrong" he managed to squeak out, "but this is the new student's room, right?"

"Yes." she replied, and she's always been taught that it was impolite to converse with someone without introducing herself, "I'm Isabelle Griffin. New Student." she said, offering her hand. 

"Finnegan Harries. or Finn" he replied, taking it, "wait a minute, there are two new students? I'm sorry, I think I have Griff's, he's the other new student, room wrong.  "

Isabelle gave a faint nod to herself as she finally understood what was going on. "Finn" she asked, "do you know Isabella Fletcher?"

"Yes, she's my next door neighbor. Why do you ask?"

"Ah" Isabelle nodded, only confirming that her understanding was correct, "correct me if I'm wrong but I think you have me mistaken for a boy."

Finn got an odd look on his face as Isabelle said her thoughts out loud, "Isabella Fletcher's my cousin. And since we have an Isabelle and an Isabella in the family, we decided that we, as cousins should refer to each other by our surnames. You see, to me, she's Fletch. And to her, 

I am Griff." 

Wide eyed, a flush crept to Finn's face as he nodded and understood what was going on. 

"Well, I'm sorry for the confusion" he laughed nervously, "um, have a good day." He walked as quickly as he could back into his room, with Isabelle's eyes following him. She shrugged as she finally closed her door and for the first time in a while, she laughed to herself.