𝑾𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒍𝒆𝒚

30. Last day

   The next morning was like any other. Amelia was forced by Tom to eat breakfast with Harry, only this time the boy managed to string a sentence together.

"Hmm, Do you know when Ron will arrive in London?" Amelia choked on her tea, coughing rather loudly.

" My family is coming to London?" Amelia asked him. A nod of confirmation was all she needed for her chest to become tight and her hands to tremble.

" I take it you didn't know?" Harry asked, handing her his napkin. Amelia took it, cleaning her chin and the table that now had little puddles of tea.

" It's been a while since I have last spoken to any of them," Amelia said absentmindedly.

Harry craned his head at her words. Surely they weren't on such bad terms. Unless that is the case to which, harry realized, and explained why she wasn't in Egypt with them. He inhaled quite sharply as he looked at Amelia. Could there be more to why Ron didn't trust his sister?

" Oh, well the term is starting soon and they said they'll be here before then."

Amelia consumed his words and looked down at her plate. Only one thought cursed her mind: I have to leave London.

" Well then, they must be getting here tomorrow then, considering September first is only two days away," Amelia said. She stuffed the last pieces of eggs into her mouth and rushed back to her room. Her trunk lay at the end of her bed, clothes in the wooden wardrobe, and all her books and homework were on her desk. Quickly she emptied her wardrobe and shoved the clothes back into her truck, she charmed her books and other belongings to the size of a pea and placed them neatly in a pocket of her trunk.

Amelia paused for a second, looking around her empty room. Where am I supposed to go? Fear crept into her mind, she had no other choice but to head out into the Muggle world. She couldn't risk going back to the Burrow in case the Weasley decided to stop there first before heading to London.

The witch's breathing become irregular and heavy, and her eyes glossed at the mere idea of being face-to-face with her mother. She couldn't do it. Memories flood her mind of Molly Weasley and her venomous words that slashed deep into her soul leaving invisible scars. Her father's eyes also haunt her. Blue eyes filled with disappointment and fear.

Fear that she couldn't comprehend. Where did that fear come from? A question that kept her up many nights. It had to be more than being placed into Slytherin because that would be a travail and idiotic reason to disown a child. She realized that during her first week at the Leaky Cauldron. Perhaps her father knows something that the Ministry is keeping quiet about. Maybe it relates to Sirius Black. He was known as You-Know-Whos secondhand. A very close alliance to who he calls the Dark Lord. But all death-eaters have been captured and living their lives in Azkaban.

Sure Draco Malfoy's father, a rumored death-eater, is out working in the Ministery and even Theodore Nott, a child of an imprisoned death-eater, is attending Hogwarts. Both boys are obsessed with blood purity like their parents but they have never mentioned or spewed interest in the Dark Arts. Or even mention you-know-who. So, why were her parents paranoid?

Her pulse regulated back to normal, her back against her dull wall, breathing in and out as she counted to ten. She had to finish her deal with Tom then tomorrow morning she decided would be the right time to leave. Amelia sighed, hating what fate has done to her. 

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Her last night at the Leaky Cauldron was bittersweet. She stocked the plates back into the cupboards and mopped the kitchen floor. Tom noticed the gloomy dark cloud that hung over Amelia's head, the same one she had when she first arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. He stored the last of the raw liver in the cooler and walked toward the girl.

" You've been mopping the same spot for the last five minutes," Tom informed, Amelia quickly apologized and moved the mop, " Everything okay?" he inquired.

Amelia stopped mopping. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning to tom, "I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

" Why? I said you could stay til the first." Amelia nodded at his words, eyes staring down at the wet floor.

" Something came up. I have to leave tomorrow right away." Amelia said. Her Voice was weak as worry laced her words. She still had no place to go.

Tom didn't say anything, noting the cloud over her head starting to rain as tears swelled her eyes.

" Well, finish mopping then you can go to bed." He said. Amelia agreed and began to clean. Tom stared at the girl, remembering her desperate eyes pleading for a room to sleep in just a month ago. Something was off in the young witch's life, he know that much. And he knew better than to pry for information. So he told her what he tells all his other customers that stay at the Leaky Cauldron.

" Amelia, just so you know, you are always welcomed back."

The witch watched the landlord leave. His words echoed in her mind. A tight smile appeared on her lips, grateful for Tom's hospitality. At least she had a room at the leaky cauldron for when summer decided to show itself once again.

Once the floor was clean, Amelia rested in her room. The night felt short. Sun leaked into her room quicker than she anticipated. The echo of chairs being pushed and pans clattering confirmed that morning has arrived and it was time to leave.

Amelia tugged her trunk down the stairs, struggling with her tired arms. When she reached the last step, she took a second to look around the room. Her plate of breakfast sat beside an unexpecting Harry Potter, who took notice of her trunk.

" You're leaving?" Harry asked once Amelia sat across from him to eat her food.

" Yup."

" But Ron and everyone should be here today—"

" That's nice Harry but I have no plans on greeting them." Amelia flashed him a tight smile before she ate her french toast. Harry didn't say anything after that. He ate his breakfast quietly and sat in the regular awkward silence that the two shared. The boy expected Amelia to be more malicious or cunning than the way Ron has pictured her to be. Warning to stay away from the Weasley snake because she will hex you to oblivion. The complete opposite of the quiet girl in front of him. Maybe Ron tends to exaggerate but still, maybe she was hiding something from everyone.

Once Amelia finished her breakfast she took the plate toward the back and bid farewell to Tom and the other kitchen staff with who she had grown fond of.

Her wand was inside her trunk as she walked the streets of the Muggle world. She couldn't use magic now or else the ministry will be notified. So, Amelia wandered, admiring the trending clothes girls her age were wearing. High-waisted pants and plaid skirts filled the streets as some muggle girls wore short shirts that would cause her mother to go into shock. The young witch settled down in a park, with a large pound dazzling in front of her. She watched as muggles enjoyed the last day of August. Eating on blankets, walking and laughing alongside loved ones, or simply reading a book under a tree.

Amelia stayed until the sunset, erasing the warmth from her skin. She stared out into the moon, trying to find a comforting spot against the hard ground. Tears threatened to fall once reality settled in. She was sleeping in the streets of the muggle world, with nothing but a trunk fill with all she had left.

The thought of going back to Hogwarts tomorrow is the only thing keeping her sane.

This is just for one night. And no one will have to know. Because if her housemates found out, it would be hell for the Weasley. She is not planning on telling Justin or Ernie, they would only worry, and besides the less who knew the better.

Amelia tried to close her eyes but the night wasn't kind. Her eyes decided to entertain her by playing cruel tricks on her as they tried to form shapes in the dark. Because Amelia's breath hitched in her throat as a large black shape moved from a distance behind the trees. She wanted to believe it was just her mind, but the beady yellow eyes were enough for the young witch to grab her things and run.