Harry Potter and the Wizards of Waverly Place: The Stone of Dreams

Chapter 5

The decor of the shop reminded Harry and Hermione uncomfortably of their recent misadventure in the Subway. But there was something about this place... A slender, very pretty teenage girl with ebony hair slouched at the counter with a morose look on her face. She looked like she couldn't be more than 13 or 14, yet she emanated an intensity which reminded Harry a bit of the Veela. Hermione said nothing, but something about the girl drew her in too.

They wondered where the clerk was! Surely someone was around to take their order. A slightly balding man in his late 30's wondered out of the kitchen door.

"Alex," he said with exasperation. "We have customers. Hop to it..." The dark haired girl groaned as if a huge weight had been placed on her.

"Gah, do I have to? Mason is supposed to be here any minute!"

"Well until he is you have work to do," said the frustrated man. Alex slumped her way to the other side of the counter...

"Alright Daddy! I'm on it," moaned Alex. "Okay you guys, what kind of sandwich do you want?"

Harry and Hermione were speechless. Alex's behaviour had momentarily stunned them into silence. But despite her openly annoyed appearance, they couldn't get over the feeling that there was something rather sweet about Alex. The air seemed to ripple slightly around her and crackle with electricity. It dawned on Harry and Hermione simultaneously. The girl, Alex, was a Wizard, and apparently a very powerful one at that for them to be able to feel her magic radiating so intensely without needing a spell to detect it.

Something about Alex reminded Hermione strongly of Harry. But neither of them spoke until Alex broke the spell.

"Dudes, come on...hurry up" she whined "What do you want? My boyfriend is going to be here any minute..."

"Erm..." began Harry, "How about a Ham and Swiss on Rye! And you, Hermione?" 

They didn't get any further with the order because Alex had started jumping up and down, squeaking and grinning-her sullenness had vanished completely. It was hard to believe that this effervescent young girl was the same person who had been slouching on the counter moments ago.

"No way! You guys are English," she squealed excitedly "You HAVE to meet Mason; he's English too. Did you just get here? I mean are you tourists or do you live here?"

"Tourists!" Hermione managed to get out before Alex went on.

"You know, you look kinda familiar..." she said staring at Harry pensively. The girl's discerning look undercut her facade of indifference. Harry realised that she was far more intelligent than she had given them any reason to believe so far. He began to get nervous as he flattened down his bangs.

"Erm... I... I guess I just have that sort of face," Harry stammered.

"No, that's not it. I've seen you before somewhere. I know it!"

"Really, I've never been here before--to the United States I mean.."

"...and we're really very ordinary," said Hermione somewhat unconvincingly. Alex just kept staring at Harry, taking in his round eyeglasses, mussed up hair, and the lightning shaped scar which he had unsuccessfully tried to cover.

Light dawned on Alex. If she had seemed bubbly before, now she was positively gleeful but appeared to be having a panic attack at the same time.

"Oh my gosh, I know who you are..." her jaw dropped. "You're Harry Potter and you're a famous wizard." She grabbed Harry and Hermione by their hands and dragged them to a stairwell. Before they had a chance to rebuff Alex, she had hauled them upstairs and pushed them into a rather garishly decorated flat.