“Come on, everyone. We need to leave now! The cars are here for us!” Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs. Rachel quickly shoved her feet into the first pair of shoes she picked up, grabbed a jacket (she was still acclimatized for triple digit temperatures), her purse, and headed down. “Oh, Rachel, do you have everything?”
Rachel checked, “Yeah, I’ve got everything. Wait, why am I wearing my boots? People are going to think I am a cowgirl or something! I’m proving I’m a hick! Can I change?”
“Not enough time. You are riding in the back with Harry, Ron and Hermione. We will be meeting up with additional security when we arrive at the Leaky Cauldron. Have you been to Diagon Alley before, Rachel?”
“Once, to get my wand from Ollivanders. I also got my owl, Horus at the same time. I remember it pretty well. It was only five years ago.” Mrs. Weasley rushed her out to the waiting car. She climbed in next to Hermione, and pulled out a well-worn novel.
“What is that you’re reading, Rachel?”
“Oh, it’s The Fellowship of the Ring, by Tolkien. I love his stories, except sometimes he drags on a bit. Let me know when we get there. If I am reading a good story, Voldemort could show up and I wouldn’t even notice.”
“You’d notice if he kills you,” Mrs. Weasley replied, glaring at her.
Rachel flushed, having forgotten how tense Mrs. Weasley had been lately. Great, something else I have to change. I am not mentioning that the Americans aren’t as frightened of Whats-his-name. I will need to not let that show. She buried her nose into the book, and quietly read during the whole trip, oblivious to the conversation.
“Hey, Rachel, we’re here. REDTAILIA, COME ON!”
“Hey, what, Frodo, er, I mean, Harry. Sorry, I was right in the middle of the council of Elrond.”
“Are you planning on staying in the car all day, or are you going to come shopping with us?” Harry asked her, trying not to laugh at Rachel’s disorientation.
“Hmm, reading or shopping? That’s easy, shopping wins. I’ve already read this anyway.” She shoved the book into her purse and climbed out of the car. Harry walked next to her, and then Rachel saw Ginny. She had the oddest look on her face. “What’s up with Ginny?”
“I don’t know. That’s odd; she’s got a boyfriend. I’d almost swear that she looks jealous.”
“About what?” Rachel asked and entered the Leaky Cauldron. The pub was empty, except for the old guy behind the bar and the huge guy who was waiting for them.
“Hi, Hagrid,” Harry called out, “So you are the security they sent for us?”
“I am. Dumbledore said I’d do better than a bunch of Aurors like the Ministry wanted. Hello, all of you, and I haven’t met you before,” addressing Rachel.
“I’m Rachel McKinnon. It’s nice to meet you, Hagrid.”
Hagrid looked at her closely, “You’re Allie’s daughter, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Rachel answered. “Did you know my mom?”
“I did, and your grandparents also. Will Trent was a nice bloke. You look a lot like him, and a bit like Elizabeth.”
“Thanks. I wish I could have had the chance to know them.”
Hagrid smiled, led them out back, and tapped on a brick in the wall. It opened up the archway into Diagon Alley.
Mrs. Weasley took charge. “Okay, Rachel, you will need school robes and dress robes. Harry, Ron, you probably will need new ones as well, you’ve both grown so much, and Hermione wants some new dress robes. Hagrid, can you take them? We’ll go to Flourish and Blotts to pick up schoolbooks. Ginny, stay with us please. We’ll then meet and head over to Fred and George’s shop after we finish getting the school supplies.”
The five of them headed toward Madam Malkin’s. Rachel was shocked by how little interaction the shoppers had with others who they didn’t know. If this had ever happened in the mall back home, you’d know that the end of the world was near. I don’t think I have ever seen so many people who look so scared. Then again, they are in the middle of Voldemort’s war, not observers like the Americans are, even though that can change quickly. I know that I was really sheltered back home, and I’m in the middle of this war. Redtailia, you are going to need to grow up fast. Dumbledore told Lisa that the reason he didn’t let on that I had survived was so that Voldemort wouldn’t know he had done an incomplete job killing the McKinnons.
“Rachel, are you coming in?” Hermione asked.
She jerked in surprise, having been so deep in thought she hadn’t noticed the others enter the shop. “Er, yeah, sorry, I was just thinking.”
“I’ll wait outside,” Hagrid offered, “Might be a bit cramped with all of us inside.”
The four entered, and Rachel was surprised to see that they weren’t alone in the shop. A small witch was fitting a set of robes on a boy with blonde hair. He almost could be attractive, if it weren’t for the fact you could tell he thought almost everyone was below him. Another lady, also with blonde hair was with them. Rachel stared at her. This lady looked like a washed-out version of Bellatrix Lestrange, who was dark. She must be a relative, she thought, then realized, Wait, I am related to Bellatrix Lestrange! That is what I hate about being a Pureblood. I am related to the idiots who like and support Voldemort.
The blonde haired boy caught sight of them in the mirror, “Mother,” he sneered, “If you are wondering what that stench is, two Mudbloods just walked in. Potter must have found another stray.”
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Author's Note: Thank you everyone who read and reviewed! Please tell me what you think, and I know Rachel seems a little Mary-Sueish, I will not let that happen. And thanks to Andrea, my beta!
Additional Author's note: I will not be continuing my story. I will be moving to Kaohsiung, Taiwan in May, and need the time to prepare. Thanks to all of my readers! Maybe I will write another when I come home in 2008!