Dragging in Mum ((Mandi))

[ames]

Amelia smiled, excitment running through every vein in her body as her mother sighed, following her daughter down the stairs and into the basement. She was shaking her head as if she was shocked she even let Amelia talk her into going to this Hogiemead place. Amelia took hold of her mother, Jay'Na's hand sort of dragged her over to the fireplace. She took out a small bag of floo powder from her purse and turned to her mother, a strict look on her face.

"Now, mummy," she said very serious-like, Jay'Na gave her daughter her full attention, intent on learning as much as possible about her daughter's other life, "Listen very carefully... You need to throw the floo powder," she held up the bag and motioned to it indicating that was the floo powder, "into the fireplace," she pointed at the fire, "then scream, mumma, scream VERY clearly, Hogsmead... say it with me," Jay'Na sighed, this was ridiculous.

"Amelia, I think i'm smart enough to-" Amelia stomped her foot impatiently.
"No mumma... this is very important that you get this! You could end up half way across the world!" Jay'Na rolled her eyes and said.
"Hogiemead," Amelia sighed... mothers.
"No-... Hogs-mead," Jay'Na repeated her. After a few more times of repeating Hogsmead, Amelia nodded.
"Now, just do what I do," she threw the floo powder into the fire place, stepped inside and screamed,"HOGSMEAD!" and she was sent, whirrling away, fireplaces passing her at awesome speeds. She landed in The Three Broomsticks, no one caring that someone just walked out of the fireplace. Jay'Na joined her momentarily. They walked over to a seat and Amelia ordered two foaming butterbeers. Her mother drank half of hers after two sips.

[livinghope1986]

Mandi stood in front of her mirror. The reflection of the girl had changed over the last day. Her appearance seemed to be the same with the same long, wavy, brown hair. Same hourglass shaped body. Her favorite blue strapless blouse and her dark blue flare jeans. However, her eyes had changed; not the deep brown colour, but the life that used to be in them was gone. The attacks in Diagon Alley had really shaken her up. She had seen so much before her dad had saved her. She remembered the screams of those around her. It had been so horrible. Her attention turned back to the mirror and she noticed a tear running down the cheek of the girl that stood looking at her. She raised her hand and gingerly wiped the tear away. She turned from the depressing sight.

"Oh, Artemis. What am I going to do? I can't find the joy in life that I had once had. All I see is terrible images and terrible sounds. If only I had listened to my father," Mandi said as she talked to her owl. He had sensed her troubles, but knew nothing of them, for creatures of the land and air no not what humans say, but sense their feelings. Mandi stroked his feathers before she turned away.

Mandi quickly grabbed her purse and checked it's contents. Everything was there. She glanced around the room before she left through the door. Mandi picked up her speed down the stairs and was practically running by the time she reached the kitchen. Her parents were gone and at this thought she seemed to pause. But it didn't last long before she had grabbed the Floo Powder off the ledge of the fireplace and had thrown it into the fire. "HOGSMEADE," Mandi cried and the spinning began. She closed her eyes to keep from getting ash and soot in her eyes. Before long she found ground again and she stumbled out of a fireplace. She had been taken to The Three Broomsticks. She was relieved by the sight as she quickly walked to the bar. "Butterbeer," she said weakly. Madam Rosmerta seemed to see her stress and depression. 'Anything else, dear?' she asked. "No thank you," Mandi said as she handed Madam Rosmerta her sickles and took the cool Butterbeer.

Mandi turned around and noticed a few people sitting around the place. Her attention was drawn to a girl and a woman in the back. She recognized the girl as a fellow 5th year Gryffindor. Mandi believed her name to be Amelia, she was bad with names sometimes. Mandi wanted to prove to herself that she hadn't changed too much, so she approached the women and forced a smile. "Hi, Amelia. How has your break been?" Mandi asked as she nodded to both the women.

[ames]

Amelia was watching her mother carefully, noting her reactions as Jay'Na took in the appearance of the pub and the shock of travelling by floo powder for the first time. Amelia took a sip of her butterbeer, warmth spreading through her body. Jay'Na's mouth kept opening and closing, her awe-inspired surprise evident. Amelia smiled slightly and was about to say something when someone approached them. She looked up, her mother's eyes wide. Mandi, a fellow Gryffindor and a girl in her own year, stood before them. She spoke a friendly greating to Amelia and asked how her break has been. Amelia smiled a friendly smile and shrugged.

"Same ol' same," she said, looking toward Jay'Na, who was speachless. Amelia raised an eyebrow at her, then sighed a bit, "Momma, this is Mandi, I go to school with her," Jay'Na barely nodded, she just stared at the girl standing before them. Amelia rolled her eyes and wanted to glare.

"Momma... if you don't stop staring, umm I'll... err... just stop," she said awkwardly. Jay'Na shot Amelia a look, who smiled sweetly in turn. She looked back at Mandi, finally her face normal.

"Hello Mandi, sorry about my reaction. Never met another witch before... seeing as I'm not one,"

[livinghope1986]

"It's all right. I understand, my mum is also not a witch. She has the same reaction," Mandi said with a smiled. She was touched that Amelia included her mum in their world. She had always tried, but her mum usually got so confused that it was almost impossible for her to understand.

"So how are you liking the wizarding world? Sometimes it can be a bit confusing," Mandi said as she directed her question to Amelia's mum. She then directed her question to Amelia. "What are you planning on doing in Hogsmeade today?" Mandi took a sip of her drink as she waited for Amelia's response.

((A bit short, couldn't think of anything else.))

[ames]

((OOC: it's all good, ;D))

Amelia looked to her mother, an amused look on her face. Jay'Na was a but uncomfortable, but was controlling it well. She shrugged a bit, looking about the pub yet again. She was confused, for sure. She didn't smile, just looked down at her butterbeer, the look on her face seemed scared to try and drink it.

"It's alright, I s'pose," she said shrugging again, "I havn't seen anything other than this place," Amelia sighed at her mother's words.

"It's called the Three Broomsticks, mum," she said, a bit annoyed that her mother treated the whole wizarding world like an old video game that she's not really interested in.

[livinghope1986]

Mandi smiled at Amelia. She knew exactly how the girl felt. She had brought her mum her once about three years or four years back. She had the same reaction. Her mum loved the muggle world and cared to keep it that way, if it hadn't been for Mandi. She loved Mandi so much that she went out of her way to make sense of the wizarding world. To make sure that Mandi was always happy.

"It can be frustrating," Mandi whispered to Amelia. "Are you doing some shopping for school? Or are you just giving your mum a tour of the wizarding town?" Mandi asked. She was wondering if it was more of just a thing to get out of the house like Mandi had wanted to do. Of course if her parents found out she was gone, she would be in deep trouble. Maybe even grounded, which really sucked. Mandi finally sat down at the table and took a sip of her drink. She had avoided sitting earlier in case Amelia was wanting a day alone with her mum.

"So, Mrs...Richardson?" Mandi asked with uncertainty. She knew Amelia's last name was Richardson, but Mandi was pretty sure that Amelia's mum had a different last name, though she wasn't sure. "So far is this what you expected? Or is it completely different?" Mandi asked as she placed her purse on her lap and crossed her legs under the table. She was interested to know if her reaction would be the same as her mum's.

[ames]

Amelia rolled her eyes and smiled, "I know," she said to Mandi's comment. Then she turned to her mother, Jay'Na was secretly staring at Mandi when they weren't looking. Obviously she was still in shock that a witch was talking to them. Amelia almost nudged her, feeling that that was RUDE! She shook her head and shrugged.

"gonna do some shopping, yeah," She sighed and then almost jumped when Mandi called her mother Mrs. Richardson. Jay'Na flinched slightly also. In fact her last name was not Richardson, but Walker. Amelia's mother and father had divorced and both remarried. So Ray Walker was to blame for sweeping her mother off her feet and getting married six months after her divorce from Adam Richardson. Amelia still was bitter towards her mother because of how fast she had gotten remarried, when Adam had waited years and years.

"Uhhh," jay'Na mumbled, uncomfortably. She didn't like to tell the world about her past and didn't plan to. Amelia got a bit annoyed at her mother's indecision and turned to mandi.

"her last name was Richardson, when I was three..." Jay'Na slowly turned to look at Amelia, who kept explaining, "then she got divorced and remarried to Ray walker... so no, her name isn't Richardson, it's Walker," she looked at her mother, angry with her choice in a husband. Jay'na shook her head and looked up at Mandi, ready to answer her questions.

"It is rather nice, acually. I like the "old" style of the whole village... You people don't use electricity?" Amelai wanted to die right then and there. She put her head in her hands and shook her head.

'No mum... and I've told you before... we use magic, not electricity," She looked up at Mandi with a pleading expression.

"Save me," she mouthed as her mother took another drink of butterbeer

[livinghope1986]

"Sorry about that Mrs. Walker. I wasn't sure," Mandi said quickly. She could tell by the reaction the name had gotten that it wasn't a good thing to talk about. Mandi felt bad that she had brought up something that seemed painful. She definitely didn't want to question them any further about the subject.

Mandi smiled at the comment about electricity. "No we don't. It's both a blessing and a curse. However, I prefer not to use electricity. It actually helps to keep the pollution down. It's one of the good things about being a witch or wizard. We have a lot more opportunity to help Mother Earth than being born without magic. I like to be able to do my part in helping the planet. As for magic, it can be used for everything and therefore helps with not having electricity," Mandi said with an understanding smile. Her mother hadn't been used to not using electricity at their home. Her father had finally weened her of the polluting habit. Although, Mandi had her theory that her mother still did use it. She smiled at the thought. It was like she was cheating on her father with electricity. She couldn't break her muggle ways.

"It took my mother a long time to get used to not using electricity. She likes it better now than when she used it. She finds things can be more difficult without magic, but if my father is around she finds her cooking goes much faster than the electrical things," Mandi said with a smile. "Though, I've heard her use the electricity a few times. She of course won't admit to it, but I'm sure she still does." Mandi laughed at this bit of information. She didn't know if Amelia would find it funny or not, but she didn't care. Mandi was almost back to her old self, but not quite. She was still shaken up over the attacks and it had been quite hard for her to get over them. She still thought about them often and that had caused her to fall into a rather depressing attitude.

[ames]

Jay'Na waved her hand at Mandi's apology. She smiled reasuringly at her and then turned to Amelia with a slightly angry look, but covered it up with a sip of her butterbeer. As Mandi started to talk about magic helping Mother Earth, Amelia felt more and more uncomfortable. True, she didn't like how the human population was "hurting" the environment, but... this Mandi girl was starting to sound more and more like a "Tree-Hugger". She forced her eyebrow from rising and sipped her butterbeer in silence. Her mother however, was not hiding her surprise and rather dislike for "Tree-Huggers" or vegitarians. Her eyebrow raised and she sighed rather loudly. Amelia glared at her mother behind her goblet and warned her mother through body language that was rude. Thankfully they did all this while Mandi was talking, therefore, more chance that she did not see or notice.

Amelia felt herself smile at Mandi's comments about her mother using electricity and acting like it was something worth hiding. She lived in a Muggle home, well two, now that her father and his wife had gotten a new house. She smiled at her mother, who was looking rather confused at why it was so bad to use electricty. She was about to speak on this, but Amelia beat her to it.

"Yes, it is rather funny," she laughed when Mandi did. She looked at her mother and shook her head. Jay'Na sighed and took another sip of her butterbeer. Amelia rolled her eyes and smiled at Mandi, "My mum here and her husband... and my father and his wife, are all Muggles. So I can't use magic at home, ever, at all," Jay'Na nodded behind her goblet, looking as if it was going to stay that way, too! Amelia laughed a bit at that. Jay'Na smiled also, seeming to forget her earlier temper.

"And then when my baby graduates, she'll be living here... and I won't be able to visit." She said with a pout. Amelia rolled her eyes and laughed again.

"Mummy, I told you a thousand times... you can visit me in the magical world! It's not illigal," She shook her head in laughter and her mother, who shrugged and winked, finishing off her butterbeer. Amelia ordered three more and smiled at Mandi.

[livinghope1986]

Mandi noticed a slight difference in the attitudes of Ameila and her mother after her talk about electricity, but she wasn't sure why. Thinking back on the conversation she realized what she sounded like. "OK, I know I just sounded like some kind of environmentalist and I'm not really. I just like the whole magic aspect as apposed to the muggle aspect. Don't get me wrong, I love doing things with my mum and having all those muggle things really, but I like magic better," Mandi said trying to save herself from sounding too much like a 'tree-hugger'. She just wanted to use magic and it seemed saver for Mother Earth than the muggle technologies. "So maybe I'm a bit of an environmentalist, but I just don't want to see the earth ruined," Mandi said in defeat. She hoped they would respect her views, she figured they would, but sometimes people were more focused on political issues than on who the person was.

Mandi sat in silence listening to Ameila and Jay'Na. She was wondering what their beliefs were about pollution, but didn't want to ask. The subject was better left unsaid. Mandi smirked at Jay'Na's statement and Amelia seemed to think it funny as well. It obviously had been said more than once before. "Thanks for the Butterbeer," Mandi said as Amelia ordered one for her. "So, what do you have planned for the rest of the day? Where are you going to take your mum?" Mandi asked with interest.

[ames]

Amelia nodded in understandment to Mandi's explaination to her statements. She shared the same views, but didn't like to go on about them, she perfered to keep them to herself. She smiled reasuringly and shook her head as if appaled.

"No, really. It's ok... I understand what you mean. I love magic and electricity... I mean, Muggles have computers!" Jay'Na snorted with laughter. Amelia shrugged. She was obbsessed with the computer. Internet was her life. Then Mandi thanked her for the butterbeer and Amelia waved her hand and smiled.

"oh... well I thought that maybe we could see all of Hogsmead," she leaned in closer to Mandi, "She'll hate Zonkos," she winked and sat back down, "But that was about all I had planned, I mean... I really wanted to see Diagon Alley before school started, but thats closed... so, ya," she was extremely lucky not have been in the alley when the attack happened.

[livinghope1986]

Mandi smirked at Amelia's comment about Zonko's. She loved that place and was probably going to make it her first visit after she finished talking with Amelia and her mother. She needed to stock up on some more dung bombs and other joke stuff for the next school year. She loved setting them off in the corridor so that Filch would have a fit. She smiled as she thought about the time she nearly got caught. She had been a second year at the time and she had just set off a dung bomb on the second floor corridor. She hadn't realized that Filch had been just around the corner when she sat it off. She heard him yelling and she bolted into the nearest class room, but it hadn't been empty. It was Professor Binns 4th year class. Fortunately for her the students didn't care and Professor Binns didn't even turn around. She had craved the excitement, but she made sure that Filch wasn't around the rest of the time she decided to be a delinquent.

Mandi forced herself to pay attention to Amelia and she caught the last bit about wanting to see Diagon Alley, but couldn't. Mandi sighed. She had been there during the attacks. It had been part of the reason for her sneaking out today. She needed something to take her mind off of the images and sounds she had witnessed. She wished she hadn't have been there, but to her avail she had. "Yeah, the place was pretty bad," Mandi muttered quietly. She didn't really want to talk about, but figured it warranted a sentence. She was beginning to feel like she needed to leave. She was uncomfortable and needed to feel happy again. Zonko's immediately entered her mind and she made a decision that as soon as she finished her Butterbeer she would go. She smiled back at Amelia and her mother. "Well, I should get going. I have some things that I need to take care of today. I don't want to bother you two anymore, since it is sort of a mother-daughter outing," Mandi said as she drained the rest of her Butterbeer. Standing she smiled down at them. "Thanks for letting me sit with you two for a while. Mrs. Walker it was an honor to meet you. Amelia I guess I'll see you back at school," Mandi said with a bright smile on her face. She hated leaving so soon, but she really did have some things to do before her father found out she had gone to Hogsmeade without his permission.

[ames]

Amelia watched as Mandi's mood suddenly changed at the mention of Diagon Alley. With horror she realized that Mandi had been there when it was attacked. She looked from her mother and back to Mandi with worry on her face. Then Mandi stood, said good bye and walked away. Amelia bit her lip and told her mother she would be right back. She ran up to Mandi and lightly touched her shoulder, a universal symbol for 'turn around!' Her heart beat furiously as she turned Mandi to look at her. Her eyes were apologetic and she bit her lip again, understanding how horrible she must feel.

"I am so sorry that I said that, I didn't know you were in the attack..." she shook her head and looked down, "I feel horrible for making you remember that and I hope you are alright. If you need anything, Mandi... just ask me. We have been going to same school for four years, I want you to know that I understand. I'm sorry for making you uncomfortable," she knew her explaination sounded a bit... clingy, but she didn't care. These were her heart speaking out loud. She felt horrible and meant every word. She hugged Mandi and then turned around and walked back to her mother, who looked a bit confused.

Amelia offered no explanation to her sudden tenderness, but did finish her butterbeer, waited for her mother to finish hers and took her about Hogsmead, showing her everything that the town had to offer. Jay'Na looked a bit disgusted at the state of the Hog's Head and laughed her head off at the jokes in Zonkos. When the sun dropped below the horrizon, Amelia took her mother's arm and smiled, motioning to leave. Amelia led her back to the fireplace in the Three Broomsticks and soon she was home, her mother suddenly understanding her daughter a bit more.