Blood Status || Marauders Era

Chapter 56|| Goodbye 4th Year

It was finally June, and it was coming to the close of the school year, our fourth year. I was glad in a way, because after exams and a few days of pure bliss, doing absolutely nothing in school, James had asked me over, courtesy of his parents, to stay far a few weeks during the summer.

He said that he had plans of going into the Muggle world and shopping at Muggle stores, which was quite exciting, as three out of five that were supposed to be staying around at his house were Purebloods and we had never done something like that.

Personally, I had never been into the Muggle world properly, although whilst I was staying with Lily, we had gone to the beach and walked around and explored some of the Muggle world. However, I had also never gone into a Muggle town to buy things, or gone anywhere that looked remotely 'Muggle' with plenty of non-magical people about. 

I had, also experienced enough of Muggle culture through my fellow fourth years, whether magical or Muggleborn. I had heard what Muggle records sounded like, as Sirius had a record player and a bunch of tapes that he liked to play, ones like David Bowie or The Beatles, which were quite popular players in the Muggle world. 

And, through Lily and Dorcas Meadows, I had seen what Muggle traditions there were, or what sort of words they liked to use for things. Dorcas had explained to me all about airplanes - a concept which truly fascinated me, and Lily had talked nonstop about Muggle fashion and stores which I would love to visit.

Anyway, I was in my last exam for the year, Herbology, and all of us were partnered up with someone else we wouldn't usually work with to complete a task, I was partnered up with a Hufflepuff: Grant Chapman. That was when I decided to think about the summer ahead.

*

"I can practically see the platform now, oh, there's your parents!" Sirius said happily. The Hogwarts train had just pulled up at Platform nine and three quarters, coming to a sudden halt and jerking everyone forward a bit. I grabbed my owl and the last of Peter's snacks that he forgot to pick up, as I walked out of the door, and off the train, following the boys onto the platform.

"It's wonderful to see you again Athena," Euphemia said to me as she watched the boys all chatting loudly with Fleamont, James in the middle of re-enacting his last Quidditch match. She laughed and shook her head as we walked forward in order to all gather and apparate to the Potter mansion. 

I held onto Remus and Fleamont's arms as we apparated. I knew we would have to learn at some point, and I'd done it many times before, but like always, it still felt unusual, like being sucked into a tight tube and being restricted of breathing properly.

We each split off to different rooms once we had gotten instructions, not wanting to overstep our boundaries and claim just any room. I placed my owl, Jinx, my trunk, and the rest of my belongings in the room, putting everything in their respective places, finally having everything tidy. Then, I decided to give Peter the snacks that, for some reason, I was still holding onto.

I walked into James' room where Peter was staying in, and gave him the Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavour Beans, "Thanks Athena, I thought I'd forgot them, it'd be a shame to waste them after I'd paid for them." I smiled and nodded at him, before frowning in concern at the boy who was reading a book about animagus upside down.

I then decided that was enough James for one day, and I instead decided upon going to check in on the other two boys and see if they had settled into their new room or if they needed help actually functioning.

*

Two weeks later, after we had each eaten dinner, Euphemia had told us, "I know a place that you lot can go, you may need some muggle money, but I'm sure there is a place called a cinema near here." With this advice, Peter and Remus leading the way, and some muggle money Monty had hidden in a drawer in the kitchen, we were walking down an empty street at 6pm.