❝ I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh start, one more try, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning. ❞ — J. B. Priestley

   The wooden wall clock hanging over the counter struck four p.m. I wrapped my hands around my tall glass of foamy Butterbeer and took a slow sip. Two weeks ago, I sat at this exact table in The Leaky Cauldron with Sibi, Mike and Oswald June, drinking Butterbeer again and discussing vividly about the new school year.

   After leaving the pub that day, we continued our school shopping and were done around lunchtime. I suggested we went somewhere for lunch, even offered to pay for the food, but they had to go, so they politely declined my offer. Although it was sad to see them leave, I knew I couldn't force them into staying, so we parted ways and promised we'd meet again before the school year started.

   Funny, really, but now I could truly call Sibi and Mike friends. Who would have thought that one day, I'd come to appreciate the company of the two people I butted heads with so much at first? But I'd come to realize that life had an interesting way of proving you wrong sometimes. And deep inside, maybe, just this once, I was glad about it.

   "Fancy another drink?" Tom the barman asked with a warm smile from the counter.

   "Thank you, Tom," I said. "But I have to go up to my room and study."

   I gulped down the last sips of the delicious nonalcoholic drink and placed a few Galleons on top of the table before getting up to leave. I walked up the flight of stairs that led to the rooms and pushed open the door to my left, the one I had been staying in. My room was a chaotic mess. Textbooks, notepads, quills, crumbled pieces of parchment paper, white and bronze-colored feathers, clothes and empty bags of jelly beans scattered everywhere, to the point where it looked like somebody had broken in and spent hours rummaging through my things.

   "I really need to learn how to cast that Cleaning Spell properly," I muttered to myself, walking carefully over to my bed and letting myself fall backwards on it.

   Since the day Sibi and Mike left, I had spent my time in Diagon Alley, trying to fit in with the wizarding world. Though, in all honesty, I would spend most of my days up here in my room, flipping through textbooks and trying out different spells and charms, from the most basic and easiest to more advanced and difficult ones.

   Incantations, I wasn't half bad at. Each day I learned with a growing interest and enthusiasm that I hadn't ever experienced back in my muggle school. However, I experienced some difficulties when it came to Potions. One day, when I was brewing the Draught of Living Death in my pewter cauldron that I bought at the Apothecary, I accidentally added two sprigs of lavender, which resulted into a massive explosion that caused poor Tom to run up to my room all worried. I had to buy myself another cauldron and a brand new pair of protective gloves after that.

   A tapping noise on the window pulled me out of my thoughts and made me jump in my seat.

   "Oh, it's just you, Greg." I sighed in relief as I got up from my bed, opening the window wide and letting Greg inside.

   Greg was my barn owl that I got at Eeyols Owl Emporium and Magical Menagerie just a few days after settling down. When I walked inside the shop, there were so many types of owls there, hooting merrily or angrily, pecking on their Owl Treats and flapping their wings around. Apart from Greg, a cute barn owl that resembled a stuffed toy, not only because of how he looked, but because - unlike the other noisy birds - little Greg was so soundless, almost as if he wasn't real.

   He had big beetle-black eyes that seemed somewhat intimidating at first, yet held a soft look; his feathers were creamy white, with hints of bronze or pale brown every here and there, and he had a hooked beak that gave his face an adorable look. From the moment I laid eyes on Greg, I didn't even bother studying the other animals, because I already had made up my mind he was the one I wanted.

   Greg usually spent the day outside in search of food, because he wasn't fond of the Owl Treats I tried to feed him. Although he was a quiet owl, unorganized areas aggravated him, so when he took notice of the messy condition of my room, he started picking at my hand in an irritated way.

   "Ouch!" I yelped, withdrawing my hand. "Greg, stop! The housekeeper will be here soon."

   But for some unknown reason, Greg seemed to be more irritated than usual, so he kept biting me aggressively.

   "Greg!" I cried, losing my temper. "What is it with you today? For goodness' sake! I'll go for a walk."

   With furrowed brows, I thrusted my wand in my pocket and stormed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind me.

   "Ms. Kin, should I clean up your room now or after you check out today evening?" came the slender voice of the housekeeper.

   I turned around, dumbfounded. How did I totally forget that tonight was my last night at The Leaky Cauldron? Great, there was still one month left before the school year began and I still had no plans of where to go!

   "Oh, um . . . after I check out," I said sheepishly.

   She nodded and trudged away.

    I made my way downstairs and out of the building. Heaving a deep sigh, I started mentally brainstorming where I could go after I left Diagon Alley. Of course there were many places I wanted to see, such as different wizard towns and neighborhoods all around the Great Britain, but if you have so many different ideas in your head, it becomes suffocating when you must finally put them into action, because you just don't know where to start first. Planning was never my forte-I was more of an "act first, think later" type of person.

   The sight of a familiar face sitting at one of the glassy tables outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour made me stop in my tracks. It was that handsome guy I ran into at Flourish and Blott's, when I was buying my textbooks with Sibi and Mike.

   Oh, right. That smug jerk. The one I hit on the head with a book. Not that I regretted it-he asked for it, after all.

   I searched my memory, trying to remember his name, and surprisingly it came to me faster than I expected.

   Alex Forster.

   How come I even remembered it? Hell, I didn't even remember what I had for dinner the previous night! Sometimes, the way my brain functioned surprised even me.

   I decided to go up to him and say hi. Although he was the type of guy I normally would ignore, I felt more confident now that I could do basic magic. Besides, talking to him might actually be somewhat useful and not just a waste of time. Maybe he could help me, give me more information about the wizard towns around here, so that I'd have a clearer vision of where to go first.

   I made my way towards his table and took a seat on the free chair next to him. Alex turned his head at the rattling sound of the chair moving. His gray eyes widened, but he quickly recovered and a lopsided smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.

   "May I sit?" I asked with mock courtesy. "I've already sat now but . . . well, you know."

   I gave a nervous laugh to kick off the conversation in a light mood, but Alex was just regarding me mutely with an amused look in his eyes, just like that day at the bookstore.

   Ugh, not this again.

   "Alright, you know what?" I said, beginning to rise to my feet. "If you're just gonna sit and stare, I might as well leave."

   "Okay, sorry, sorry," he laughed. He grabbed my wrist gently to stop me. I yanked my hand free from his grip and scooted the chair away from him as I sat down again. "I'm glad we're meeting again, mysterious girl."

   I frowned. "I have a name."

   "Wait, let me think . . . Polly, is it?"

   So he still hadn't forgotten my name. Somehow, this made me feel less weirded out for remembering his.

   The waiter came over and Alex ordered two ice creams, telling me he would be paying for them. I tried to refuse, tell him I had more than enough money of my own, but he wouldn't budge. Eventually, I gave in.

   "What are you doing here all alone?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

   "I might ask you the same question," Alex said with a smirk.

   I let out an exasperated sigh. Was he for real?

   "Alright then, if you want to know," I started, taking a deep breath. "I was staying at The Leaky Cauldron for the past two weeks but I'm leaving tonight. What about you?"

   "I came here to buy a new wand. I broke mine while playing Quidditch with my cousins."

   "You play Quidditch?" I exclaimed, all of a sudden forgetting to keep up my attitude.

   I was a huge Quidditch lover myself and each time I walked by the Quidditch shop, I would secretly steal mesmerized glances of The Meteor. Well, maybe not so secretly, as one time I'd been gazing at the shop window for about fifteen minutes before the shop assistant came out to ask me if I wanted to buy anything. That was when I'd walked away.

   "Well, yeah. I'm a Beater," Alex said, smiling smugly at my sudden interest. "But how come you've been here for two weeks? Merlin, I'd get bored here in just two days!"

   "Long story short, I ran away from home and I didn't want to go back so I stayed here."

   Alex's jaw dropped. "You what?!" he cried. "Bloody hell. Haven't your parents been worried about you?"

   "Probably." I shrugged. "But my mom is a muggle and she can't get here even if she wanted to."

   "Muggles can actually come here."

   "I know, but I live in California, so this is the last place mom would think I'm in. If she even believed in its existence, anyway."

   "Your mum?" asked Alex with a frown. "What about your dad?"

   I looked down. "He died when I was young. He was a wizard."

   "Oh." Alex's voice softened and he gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry."

   "Yeah, me too." I sighed, hoping he wouldn't ask any more questions about my father because that would only lead to a problematic discussion. "But I didn't get bored here at all. I actually quite enjoyed it. For somebody who has spent fifteen years in the muggle world, this place feels like paradise."

   My words were followed by a sudden burst of laughter.

   "Diagon Alley?! Paradise?" asked Alex disbelievingly before dissolving into laughter once again.

   Several people around us turned their heads. Heat crept up my neck as I tried to avoid meeting their eyes.

   "Well, it's easy for you to say," I muttered cooly. "You have been living amongst wizards probably your whole life. But try living the life of a muggle even for a day, try going to a school where you're bullied and hated, and then see how it feels."

   Alex's laughter died down, replaced by a look of bemusement.

   "Wait, did you just say bullied and hated?" he asked, eyes goggling. "Who on their right mind would ever bully or hate a pretty girl like you?"

   I rolled my eyes. He needed to feel grateful there were no books around right now.

   "Very funny, Alex. Anyway, it's not like I care anymore. I'm here now."

   "You said you'd be leaving tonight." Oh, so you've actually been listening to me, thank you. "Where are you planning on going?"

   "Dunno," I said truthfully, shrugging. "I'm still thinking about it."

   "Well, you should have already thought about it! You can't just run away in an unknown direction again."

   The fact that he was right pissed me off. First of all, because I had no clue as to what I was about to do after I left the motel a few hours later and I was still trying not to panic about the mere idea of it. Secondly, his tone sounded almost accusing, like that of my mother each time she scolded me. It was none of his business, really. Though I suppose I appreciated the concern.

   "I know that," I snapped back defensively. But then, a thought popped into my head. "Hey, do you happen to know any wizard town or village nearby?"

   He paused for a moment, narrowing his eyes in contemplation. "Boktown. Less than three miles away from here."

   The waiter came over and placed two ice creams on the table in front of us. I took a spoonful of my vanilla-flavored one, listening to Alex intently.

   "But it's hard to get there in the dark." He took a spoonful of ice cream as well. Vanilla too. I bared my teeth, telling myself it was probably a personal preference, but the idea that he could have ordered it the same flavor as mine to tease me wouldn't leave my mind. "Since it is just a small and unimportant town, nobody creates Port-Keys to get there, so you won't be able to find one. You're underage, so you can't Apparate. What are you going to do then?"

   "I'll take The Knight Bus," I said, as if pointing out the obvious.

   Alex snorted, nearly choking on his ice cream.

   "Wow. I've met many types of people in my life, but you, Polly—" He shook his head, laughing wholeheartedly. "You're just so . . . so weird."

  "Okay? I'm taking that as a compliment. And what's so weird about what I just said, anyway?"

   "People try to avoid traveling with The Knight Bus as much as possible, while you're just like: oh, I can use that thing to travel, no big deal," he said, still laughing. "That bus is uncomfortable as fuck."

   "Language!" I scolded, frowning, and already fed up with his sarcastic remarks. "And what do you suggest then?"

   He scrunched up his shoulders.

   "I don't know. Maybe you can take The Knight Bus, after all. A short trip probably won't make you vomit. Well, unless you order something to drink, which I wouldn't recommend. But where are you going to spend the night?"

   "I'll camp out somewhere and protect the tent with charms," I explained. "See, I want to get close to witches and wizards, observe them while they work, even interact with them during the day if possible, but I'd rather spend the night alone in a safe place near the houses than ask for somebody to shelter me."

   Yeah, because they would want to know more about the girl they were sheltering and if I told them about my real identity and if my dad was so well-known in the wizarding community, they'd instantly recognize me and kick me out right away. Even worse, they could report to the Ministry, although I still hadn't found out what the Ministry had against 'people like me'. Dolphinuses. It had been a miracle that Mike and his father were so welcoming and open-minded, but I couldn't count on hopes that everyone else would react the same.

   But of course I didn't tell any of that to Alex.

   He stared at me for a short while, but to my surprise, this time it didn't irritate me. There was no ludic look in his bluish-gray eyes—instead, a flash of something else flitted across them. It almost resembled . . . admiration.

   "Wow," he said. "You're a girl, only fifteen, just starting at Hogwarts next month, and you're willing to go in such a daring venture all on your own? You're . . . definitely braver than I thought."

   Why, did I look like a coward or something?

   "Hey, I've done my homework, buddy. Plus, do you honestly think I can't handle life on my own?"

   "I'm not saying you're incapable of it or anything. It's just— it requires a lot of bravery," said Alex. "I'm very impressed, I can't lie."

   The heat that blossomed on my cheeks travelled all the way to the tips of my ears in a matter of seconds. I looked down at my ice cream, lowering my head so I could hide behind my long messy curls.

   "Maybe I will be a Gryffindor after all," I said, laughing awkwardly.

  "I really hope you will."

   I resisted the sudden urge to scoff as I lifted my gaze to look at him again. Of course you do.

   "Well," I swallowed the last spoonful of ice cream and got to my feet. "I'll take that as an encouragement."

   "Wait, are—are you leaving just yet?" Alex asked. He sounded surprised, if not . . . disappointed? Nah, probably just my imagination.

   "Yeah, it has almost been an hour." I glanced down at my wristwatch that read 4:50. "I have to go pack my things and check out. It starts getting dark around seven and I was hoping to get to Boktown before dusk."

   Alex nodded, remaining silent for a short moment. Then he called the waiter, who quickly appeared with the check. He dropped a few Knuts in his hand and after muttering a 'thank you', the waiter walked away and we both got up to leave.

   "So, where's your family?" I asked him as we made our way towards The Leaky Cauldron.

   "Probably home, as usual," Alex answered indifferently, hands in his pockets. "I came here with my older brother."

   "And where is he now?"

   He shrugged. "Hanging around with his fiancée and totally forgetting that he has a younger brother to look after."

   "As if you need somebody to look after you," I said with a wry smile.

   He looked at me, the arch of his left eyebrow casting his face in an expression of amusement once again. Though I hadn't noticed, we had already reached the wizard pub. I stopped, turning to face Alex.

   I couldn't believe I was even thinking this, but I actually enjoyed my stay with him today. If anything, it felt too short. We had a nice, ordinary conversation and he hadn't tried to play games with me again. Maybe Alex Forster wasn't quite the jerk I'd first thought he was.

   "I have to go," I said. For whatever reason, I suddenly felt nervous and shy. I tucked a curl of hair behind my ear. "Thank you for, uh . . . for the help. And the ice cream, although I could've paid for that myself."

   He flashed a charming smile, inclining his head in a bow in a purposely exaggerated gesticulation. "My pleasure."

   I didn't hold back a laugh this time. He was a funny guy, I had to admit.

   "Goodbye, Alex."

   "Bye, Polly," he said, waving at me as I walked towards the entrance of the building.

   But as I was about to push open the door, just like that day at Flourish and Blott's, I stopped at the sound of his voice calling behind me. Only this time it wasn't an ironic remark.

   "Be careful out there," was what Alex said.

   The breath caught in my throat. I spun around to face him, but by the time I did, he had already turned around, hands shoved in his pockets, eyes glued to the pavement.

   Was that a joke? Though it didn't sound like one. It actually sounded like . . . a piece of advice.

   I shook my head and entered the building. Something close to a smile tickled at the corners of my lips. Alex Forster, huh? Well, if there was one thing I now knew for sure, was that handling him wouldn't be half as difficult as I initially thought.

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