Magic Is Awesome
Hagrid got us a room with four beds. Two for him, one for Harry, one for me. Harry excitedly jumps into his bed, obviously exhausted.
I can't. Not for a while.
I stand in front of the bed, wondering what it'll feel like. I have a general idea of course, it'll be soft and warm and comfortable but since I can't remember anything, it'll be my first conscious time pulling the blanket over my body and allowing my head to sink into the pillows.
Just as I'm about to finally crawl under the sheets I acknowledge their fresh white colour, so I decide to do something even more exciting and wander off to the bathroom, where I take my first shower.
I can see the dirt from my body running down the drain. I use up most of the soap just aggressively rubbing of the dirt that has collected in each of my pores.
Then I take on the real challenge, my hair. What used to be soft waves has imploded into a frizzy mess. Didn't have a hairbrush, didn't have a hair tie so I allowed my long hair to go wild.
I shampoo it, I condition it, I brush it, until there's enough hair in the drain and the brush to knit sweaters for all of Hogwarts.
I finally feel clean as I pull the last dead bug -ew- out of my hair.
I wrap myself in the white towel paced on the bathroom counter and wrap another around my hair. Then I go to look into the mirror.
I try to remember seeing myself before my birthday. I try to remember the version of myself but my brain doesn't allow it so it blesses me with yet another migraine instead.
But just as I am about to turn away in frustration, I see my eyes do the thing Harry and Hermione talked about. They turn white, leaving only my pupils. Weird.
Then they slowly turn back to their icy blue colour.
I wonder...
I concentrate on my eyes, as hardly as possible and they slowly turn brown. Then green. Then black. I laugh silently.
It's not worth much but it's pretty cool. I concentrate on my nose next, maybe I can make it smaller, but nothing happens. I roll my eyes. Of course not.
What should I try next? I unwrap my hair and focus on it. As I stare it gets darker and darker. That is helpful. If I manage to control this I could probably get away with a lot. Only question is, how exactly does it work? Why does it work? There are certain types of shapeshifters amongst wizards... I know that much. But the only ones I can think of are werewolves. And others who can turn into animals.
Perhaps, the Hogwarts library would have more information. Or we'd discuss it in transfigurations class. I yawn heavily, take one of the hair ties placed on the counter and put my hair up. Then I finally go to sleep.
I don't dream. I don't have to. The relaxing feeling of nothing, without the creeping feeling of fear and uncomfortableness is so beautifully perfect that when Hagrid and Harry try to wake me up it takes them about five minutes.
I am a little tired but I haven't been this well rested since well ever.
Hagrid hands me some clean clothes noticing that I had slept in the same dirty, smelly lumps from the past days. Gratefully I take them and put them on in the bathroom.
My hair is still a little wet, I brush through it again then put it up in a ponytail. We all go down to the lobby and then to the right into a glorious dining room. It looks like it has been decorated for a wedding.
More golden decorations, the tables with their white settings are covered in plates and bowls full of food.
For the first time I feel how hungry I actually am, my stomach growls aggressively as I take the first breath filling my nose and mouth with the smell of beans, sausages, bacon, eggs, waffles, pancakes and so much more.
Harry next to me seems to feel the exact same. Without thinking any further we run towards the tables and cover a plate in everything that meets our eyes. I avoid the meat though realizing, I must be a vegetarian as the look of it makes me nauseous.
Harry and I sit down with our first actual breakfast in a while. He looks so starved by the fucking Dursleys it drives mad. But remembering our conversation of how he thought I was mad at him for the way I looked at him I smile as brightly as I can. He does the same.
Quickly I discover that I love strawberries. They're not exactly filling but my god, the freshness of them is overwhelming.
We only realize that Hagrid wasn't with us once our plates are completely clean. We look around in confusion, and as we look back at the table our plates have disappeared.
"Whoa" Harry whispers.
I laugh "This world is crazy."
We get up to look for Hagrid and see him standing outside in the lobby talking to a curious looking lady with golden locks. She's tall and skinny, wearing a red, shiny dress.
"I could pick 'im up nex' Wednesday-" I hear Hagrid say as we approach them but as soon as he sees us getting closer he stops talking.
The lady turns around and looks at us. Her eyes widen a bit as she notices Harry but she doesn't mention it. Instead she smiles at us warmly and leaves. Hagrid clears his throat "Ready ter go kids?" we nod and follow him out of the hotel. Walking the streets in broad daylight with a giant close to a tourist attraction is a very weird experience.
People are staring from all sides as we make our way through London. "Still got yer letters, kids?" We both nod. I watch as Harry takes the envelope out of his pocket and unfolds the list of equipment.
He reads it closely, slightly stumbling as he tries to keep walking at the same time. Hagrid and I notice his struggle and stop so he can read in peace. Once he finishes reading he lowers the paper and looks at Hagrid with bright eyes.
"Can we buy all this in London?" he wonders.
"If yeh know where to go," Says Hagrid.
I smile and poke Harry in the arm with my elbow "Diagon Alley. This is where it gets interesting."