The first sights and sounds of Wizarding London were overwhelming to Laura when she stepped off the train. Grant watched her reactions carefully, then took her by the arm and led her into Diagon Alley
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He returned with two boxes and beckoned Laura to the counter. He opened one, pulled out a dark grayish wand and handed it to her. "Ten inches, ashwood, phoenix feather core. Give her a try - like this." He demonstrated a flick-and-swish
( ... )
"This isn't half-bad," she said after a bite of shepherd's pie.
"I guess it's...I don't know, it's like being pretty and fun was my job, back home. Part of it was just high school - my friend Donna was the smart one, I was the fun one, James was the troublemaker, Bobby was the golden boy - even though none of us really fit very well in those boxes, that was how people saw us, you know?"
She took a thoughtful sip of her drink.
Granted, I kind of played up to that to keep people from seeing what was really going on, but it wouldn't have even occurred to anyone to have the kind of conversations with me that I've had with you - they'd go to Donna for that. And I like the kind of talks we've been having since I got here. I don't think I want to pick up with the same kind of life I had when I was alive before. Does that make any sense?"
He listened to her carefully. "You were able to leave your reputation behind, and you like that people here are able to get to know you without that getting in the way, and without pegging you into a stereotypical category. You don't want to go back to the kind of expectations people had of you before. Is that what you mean?"
"Yes! Yes, that's it, exactly. Nobody here knows what my reputation there was except Cooper, and he knows I didn't fit it - he never knew me when I was alive before, so he was never blinded by it. So it's like I have a chance to start fresh here, be who I am. Whoever *that* is."
"When you're sixteen you have no idea who you are. Don't be so worried about trying to figure it out. You think that you absolutely have to know where you're going in life, so you rush around and try and fit everything in at once. Take your time."
Laura laughed. "Don't worry about that! I'm having so much culture shock getting used to Hogwarts and the wizarding world I've pretty much got to take everything slow!
I don't feel like I need to decide everything, just - remember I said I ran wild at the end? By the time I was sixteen the first time, I'd already made some pretty huge mistakes with pretty big price tags attached to them - the cocaine, for one. Some of 'em I'm still paying for, in some ways. And there's not a thing to blame them on except my own desperation and stupidity. So I want to be more careful this time - not make those same kinds of mistakes. You see?"
"Hmm." She pulled a pub coaster over to her and grabbed a quill from Grant's shirt pocket, and started a list.
"Parchment and quills, for starters," she said with a grin. "Books. A cauldron and basic ingredient kit for potions. If there's an apothecary around, some basic remedies and first-aid supplies for when I screw up. Knapsack or similar. Anything you can think of I've missed?"
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"I guess it's...I don't know, it's like being pretty and fun was my job, back home. Part of it was just high school - my friend Donna was the smart one, I was the fun one, James was the troublemaker, Bobby was the golden boy - even though none of us really fit very well in those boxes, that was how people saw us, you know?"
She took a thoughtful sip of her drink.
Granted, I kind of played up to that to keep people from seeing what was really going on, but it wouldn't have even occurred to anyone to have the kind of conversations with me that I've had with you - they'd go to Donna for that. And I like the kind of talks we've been having since I got here. I don't think I want to pick up with the same kind of life I had when I was alive before. Does that make any sense?"
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I don't feel like I need to decide everything, just - remember I said I ran wild at the end? By the time I was sixteen the first time, I'd already made some pretty huge mistakes with pretty big price tags attached to them - the cocaine, for one. Some of 'em I'm still paying for, in some ways. And there's not a thing to blame them on except my own desperation and stupidity. So I want to be more careful this time - not make those same kinds of mistakes. You see?"
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"What supplies do you need for your classes?"
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"Parchment and quills, for starters," she said with a grin. "Books. A cauldron and basic ingredient kit for potions. If there's an apothecary around, some basic remedies and first-aid supplies for when I screw up. Knapsack or similar. Anything you can think of I've missed?"
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