Chapter Text
The soft voice of someone she didn’t recognize filtered into her dream, making it less enjoyable… “Excuse me…” it said. “Excuse me miss!”
“Wha-…” Arcane gasped as she jolted awake in her seat, looking quickly at her surroundings. Her eyes finally focusing on the flight attendant standing to her left.
“Oh I’m sorry!” she said quickly “I didn’t want to frighten you, it’s just that the plane will be landing soon, so we need you all to put your seats in an upright position…” She gestured at the two ladies who were fast asleep next to Arcane. The closest one snoring quite loudly and wearing an eye cover.
“I’ll wake them up” Arcane said sheepishly to the flight attendant, who nodded and then proceeded down the hall to wake others who were still asleep. Arcane rubbed her eyes with a sigh and reached over to tap the woman to her right.
“Mrs. Morton...” she said as she grabbed the woman’s shoulder, “Mrs. Morton there are gnomes in the green house!” Arcane said, shaking the woman.
“JARVEY!” Mrs. Morton shrieked as she leaned up, looking around with her eye cover still on. “Huh?” she grunted, taking the mask off and looking at Arcane, “What’s wrong?”
“We’ll be landing soon, they said to put our seats upright,” Arcane explained.
“We’re here already?” Morton yawned as she straightened her seat. “That was fast.”
“Well we did sleep most of the flight, so…”
“Greta!” Morton hissed at the woman next to the window as she shook her awake. “Wake up, we’re here!”. Greta mumbled something Arcane didn’t hear as she straightened herself. Shortly after a voice came over the intercom saying that the descent will begin soon and for everyone to be seated correctly with their seatbelts fastened.
“I love the way how these lift offs and landings make your belly tingle” Mrs. Morton smiled at Arcane wiggling her chubby fingers.
“I think I prefer a boat,” Arcane said, clenching her seat as the plane began to descend, her ear popping as they grew closer to the ground.
With a slight bump they landed and people on the plane began to shift and speak excitedly. As soon as the plane turned off the runway a woman’s voice came over the intercom: “Ladies and gentlemen welcome to London city airport, local time is 11:27pm, temperature is 23 C °…”
“Sherry!” a woman called from across the hall at Mrs. Morton leaned forward to see past Arcane.
“yeah?” she asked.
“Do you have the list of what we need from Diagon alley? I can’t find it in my bag” she said as she looked through a small satchel she had carried on board, Arcane noticed that the man who was sitting behind her tilted his head at the mention of Diagon alley , probably unsure if he heard right.
“Carmen has it in hers, remember?” Mrs. Morton said, pointing over her shoulder to the seat behind them, “She was the one to do the last check.”
“Oh that’s right,” the woman said putting her palm on her forehead, “Never mind then”.
“You’re going to Diagon alley?” Arcane asked in a low voice trying to avoid the man from hearing their conversation.
“Oh yeah,” Mrs. Morton agreed “We have to buy food and other supplies before heading off to the world cup”.
Arcane thought about the time for a moment as the plane came to a halt. “Could I come to Diagon alley with all of you? It’s still early…”
“Nice try Arcane, but you know darn well that the answer is no. ” Mrs. Morton smirked. “We’ll all get on the bus together, but you’re going to get off at your correct stop alright? That’s what your mother wanted.” She finished with a quick pat on Arcane’s hand.
“Excuse me! Excuse me! Old woman coming through!” A voice called down the aisle, growing louder as the speaker got closer. Arcane turned to see Matron Agnes shuffling near.
“You three!” She called at them sternly, “What are you waiting for? Get you butts up already, we’re in London!” She laughed as she gave a smile that made her face wrinkle like a Shar pei dog.
Quickly the three of them grabbed their things and followed Matron Agnes off the plane and through the airport. Arcane imagined that traveling overseas was tiring, but doing it with a group of almost twenty people who were fascinated by every little thing was even worse.
“Look at what they’re wearing mum! ” a little boy laughed as they passed. Arcane, being stuck on a plane for about nine hours, had almost forgotten the choice in clothing the women she was traveling had chosen. She didn’t worry much about herself, but as she looked around she noticed how everyone else was wearing only what someone who had no idea of what No-maj fashion would wear.
“Hurry up girls,” Agnes called from the front “Our magic is making us stand out…”
“Yeah, our magic.” Arcane snorted as people around them stared and pointed at the group's clothing.
After battling to get through London’s packed airport, Arcane felt glad to step out into a warm summer’s day. A faint breeze passed, making the leaves in the trees rustle. Large clouds were spread about the sky, though none showed a hint of rain.
“Good thing it’s not raining” One of the ladies said as they made it out of the airport. “I got a perm yesterday” she mentioned as she twisted a lock of her auburn hair around her finger.
“A what?” asked another from the group.
“It’s a No-maj trick,” the red-head mentioned. “Makes your hair stay curly for a long time.”
“and why would you want that?” Carmen asked unbelievingly “It’s heinous, like having a bird’s nest on your head!” She complained as she shook her head making her tight coils bounce around.
“Quickly ladies!” Agnes called as they quickly crossed the road and filed down a sidewalk until they found a small walkway that led off the main street they had been walking next too. The walkway had no trees, was cracked and was laid out in an unnecessary zigzag that only made it longer but none the less the women walked on it, Arcane crossing the patches of dirt rather than following the sidewalk, until they met a suburban street filled with houses which all looked the same to the right, along with a building that Arcane imagined was a No-Maj school. They continued the walk down the street, with much complaint from some, until, as though walking out of a rose tinted world, their surroundings became industrial, with garbage bins filled to the brim and the smell of sewage in the air. They found a small alleyway between an apartment complex and a building that Arcane could not tell if it was a home or not.
“Perfect!” Agnes sighed in delight “In here ladies, someone call the bus, please.”
Everyone huddled together in the alley way as quickly as they could, someone hitting Arcane accidentally in the stomach as they did so. Arcane had heard about them traveling on a bus once they got to London, but she hadn’t fully understood how one bus was supposed to take them both to Diagon alley and Essex, which is where Arcane was told she was due to go.
“Um… Matron Agnes?” Arcane began “about the bus…”
“I’m on it!” Squealed a younger witch that was from Georgia that everyone called Dottie. She skipped out of the alley to the edge of the sidewalk, pulled out her wand and with a whistle worthy of a New Yorker she pointed it in the air as if signaling a cab. As soon as she did, a loud bang echoed down the alley way and empty road as a purple triple decker bus screeched to a halt right in front of them.
A man with a uniform the same shade of purple as the bus hopped down, his large protruding ears and pimples raised as he smiled in amazement.
“Blimey! You lot are quite the load,” He said taking a look at the group “ ‘etter put the cloak on Ern” he called looking up at what Arcane assumed was the driver’s window. “Let’s get you ladies aboard, eh” he said with a weak smile until his eyes fell upon Dottie, he then proceeded to quickly take off his cap.
“ ‘elp with your luggage miss?” He offered as he put his cap back on and reached down to pick up Dottie’s overly large suitcase. He grunted as he tried to heave the case aboard, his entire face going red in the process.
“Oh please!” groaned Agnes, rolling her eyes and with a flick of her wand everyone’s luggage flew aboard. The young man’s face remained red, though Arcane believed the reason to be more embarrassment than strain.
“So,” The young man cleared his throat before he continued “’er you ladies from?”
Some of the younger witches in the group giggled but stopped after a stern look from Mrs. Morton as she climbed on the bus along with Arcane. Arcane, who had ridden on the No-maj buses with her mom sometimes when they went into town, had an idea of what buses should look like, and this one… was not what she expected. Unlike seats of a normal bus, this one just had random chairs varying in forms and sizes, there was everything from a wheelchair to a wooden one that you would find at a kitchen table. None of them bolted or even merely fastened to the floor, however the bus did have what seemed the correct copy of the rods for people to hold upon to when standing up on the bus. Something in her gut told her to take her chance standing rather than sitting down, she suggested Mrs. Morton do the same, unlike Greta who planted herself on a cozy velvet loveseat.
“ ‘mericans?! You lot be comin’ for the Quidditch ‘orld cup I suppo- oof!”
Everyone let out a quick gasp as the bus took off with jolt and a loud BANG, making Greta fly backwards along with her seat .
“The ‘orld cup” The young man finished as he regained his balance.
“That’s right,” Dottie said with a smile.
“Came all the way from Salem.” Agnes preened.
“Blimey…” The man said, raising his eyebrows, “I don’t know where that is” he shrugged clearly not impressed. “So, you all family or ‘omethin?”
“We’re a witches’ institute,” said a darker skinned woman that Arcane recognized to be around Matron Agnes frequently.
“The Salem Witches Institute!” Called one of the younger women in the back.
“Right,” The dark skinned woman agreed, “We help young witches in need, let that be with their studies, work, stuff like that, making sure they’re safe and have a shot at greatness.” The woman beamed.
“So you lot be called The Salem Sisters ?” the man teased.
“Nah, that’s a different group.” Arcane laughed. Everyone turned to look at her confused.
“Nevermind,” She mumbled.
“Say…” The man started as he tilted his head and looked at her, “You look familiar”.
“Do I?” Arcane asked.
“Yeah,” He answered, “ ‘ave you come on the bus befo’” he asked.
“No, I’ve never even been to England before” Arcane lied.
“Hm,” The man grunted curiously as he picked something out of his teeth with his tongue, “What’s your name?”
“Arcane,” she answered, “yours?”
“Stan.” He told her, still looking at her intently, “What’s your last name?”
“Aren’t you a bit old to be asking young girls their personal information?” Arcane questioned as she raised an eyebrow. Stan’s ears immediately went red.
“W-well I ‘idn’t mean to pry…” he said quickly before scratching his head nervously. “Anyways!” he clapped, “ ‘er you ladies of’to? Price is ‘leven sickles ‘gardless o’ distanc- ‘ank you ma’am” he said as the ladies began to hand him their coins.
“Here,” Mrs. Morton said to Arcane as she handed her a coin pouch, “That’s for emergencies, alright? You know what to do in case what your mom has planned don’t work, right?”. Arcane nodded.
“You got your No-Maj money? The British type?” Morton questioned.
“Yeah,” Arcane said, patting her small backpack she was carrying.
“Right on,” Morton nodded as Stan came up to them to give them their tickets, still shooting glances at her every once and a while.
“Alrigh’ ‘veryone got their ‘ickets, now… Where too?” Stan asked walking to stand behind the driver, who Arcane notices was sitting in an armchair rather than a seat made for a vehicle.
“The Leaky Cauldron” Answered Agnes with her wrinkly smile.
“You heard ‘em Ern” Stan called to the driver “Leaky Cauldron!”.
Arcane tightened her grip as the bus, with a great lurch, began to go even faster than it had been, the seats sliding toward the back, occasionally crashing into one another. Arcane looked outside the window to see what was mostly a blur of colors, she noticed that the large bus swerved around cars with ease, and things such as lampposts and stop-lights moved out of the way.
“Cool” she whispered under her breath.
“So you all be s’portin Ireland?” Stan asked.
“Most of us…” Agreed Agnes who shot a quick look a Dottie.
“You’re not s’portin Ireland Miss?” Stan asked her in disbelief, “y’know Lynch ‘as been promoted to ‘aptain in the last year, ‘ight?”
“Oh I know sweetness” Dottie said playfully, “but Bulgaria be havin’ the best darn Seeker in the world right now” she finished as she crossed her legs.
“Well…” Stan started, Arcane could tell he was trying to gain the courage to say something, “How ‘bou a wager then?” He said quickly, his ears going slightly red. “If Ireland wins per’aps, on my day off I can ‘ake Miss for a drink?”.
Arcane heard as a few of the women in the group made a slight ooh sound.
Dottie chuckled sweetly, the apples of her cheeks flushing pink.
“Nice try darlin’ but I didn’t come here to flirt.” she said.
“Yeah right!” Laughed Carmen, “You even got your hair did!”
“Okay…” Dottie laughed as she fluffed her curls, “Maybe I did come to flirt a bit, but not here, at the world cup!”.
“What are you after? The Bulgarian players?” Greta asked.
“Of course not!” Dottie assured, “but there’s Ministry men there, right?”
“But, the men from the ministry ought to be busy with security an’ all,” Stan mentioned quickly, still hopeful.
“Exactly…So I bet their wives are bored” Dottie said with a wink.
Arcane noticed how silent Stan was towards their group for the rest of the ride, and spoke only to greet others as they got on and off.
“Leaky cauldron!” he called as the bus came to an abrupt halt, sending all of the seats flying forward.
“Finally!” Matron Agnes complained as she heaved herself out of her chair with help from the dark skinned woman. “Grab your things ladies, and don’t forget to say goodbye to Arcane before you get off” she said as she shuffled towards her.
Arcane leaned down to give the woman a quick hug.
“Take care you Muppet,” Agnes laughed. “Do something great…and then say we helped, ha!”
The rest of the women came to hug Arcane, giving her quick advice as they did.
“Stay out of trouble” “Pay attention in school” “Brush your hair more often” “Come and see us when you can”.
“Try and straighten your hair just once,” Dottie suggested as she ran her fingers through Arcane’s wavy black hair, “Oh, and try silver makeup! It’ll make your gray eyes pop” she finished with a pinch on Arcane’s cheek before heading out the door.
“I guess that just leaves me,” Mrs. Morton smiled softly as she wrapped Arcane in her arms. “Oh child, you take care of yourself… Do good in school and all that jazz”.
“I will,” Arcane answered, squeezing Morton a bit.
“If anything happens, you're welcome to come back with us, I’ll come get you.” Morton told her. Arcane nodded and waved as everyone got off and the bus took off again.
“So now ‘ere” Stan asked Arcane cautiously.
“Oh yeah, hold on” she said as she opened her backpack and pulled out a small piece of paper, “Um… I need to go to… Wivenhoe? I guess it’s near Colch-”
“Wivenhoe Ern!” called Stan ignoring Arcane, his personality severely changed now that Dottie wasn’t around.
Arcane had changed the time on her watch before getting on the plane, so she saw it was about twenty past twelve when they seemed to be entering a small fishing town. Soon the bus came to a stop on a small road in which such a large bus should not have been able to fit in.
“ ‘er you go,” Stan said lazily, “ ‘ivenhoe town, thank you for choosing the knight bu,” he paused,
“You traveled to ‘ngland with no luggage?”
“I got everything I need,” Arcane said as she patted her backpack as she made her way to the door. Stan looked at her up and down quizzically.
“ ‘ere you goin’ anyway? ‘ow come you ‘idn’t stay with ‘em ladies?” he asked.
“Are you always so nosey?” Arcane responded as she walked down the steps and off the bus.
“hmph! Americans” Stan muttered before turning to the driver, “Take it away Ern!”.
“yeah Ern take i’daway!” called a voice from what seemed an odd yarn ball that was hanging from the driver’s rear view mirror. Just as the bus took off in reverse it turned and Arcane would have sworn it had a face.
She shrugged and began to walk out of the dead end road until she reached a large two-way street. The sign plastered on the side of a house on the road she had just came out of read Phillip RD.
“Okay…” she spoke to herself, “Now which way do I go?”. To her right she saw a post office and felt a sort of relief as she decided to go inside and ask.
“Hello?” she called as she walked in.
“Yes! Hello!” called a voice from the back, shortly after an awkward looking boy with lanky figure, braces, shaved head, a striped shirt along with some pants that reminded Arcane of MC hammer came out from the back with a stamp still on his sleeve.
“Letter or package?” He asked.
“Neither,” Arcane said, “I’m lost and need directions” She explained while holding up the piece of paper she still had in her hand with the address.
“err- yeah, I can help, let me see” He said as he grabbed the paper that Arcane handed him.
“Brilliant! You’re close” The young man told her, “You just walk up high street,” He motioned with his hand, “It’s the street to your left after you pass the church”.
“After the church,” Arcane repeated as she took the paper back from the young man.
“Right,” he said as he noticed the stamp on his sleeve and took it off, “You jus’ passin’ through or are you stayin’ in Wivenhoe?”
“Dunno,” Arcane shrugged “Hasn’t been decided yet”.
“Right,” the boy answered.
“Well, I guess I’ll be going then,” Arcane suggested as she pointed to the door over her shoulder with her thumb.
“A- alrigh’” The boy agreed awkwardly, “Y- your accent… American, it’s nice!” He stammered quickly.
“Thanks.” Arcane said as she walked out the door. Following the instructions that were given to her she walked up what the kid had said was called High Street , looking at all the terraced houses which on the outside looked identical, she walked until she got to what said was a church on the left-hand side.
Surprisingly it was closed with a large metal gate, so Arcane only took a quick glance, disappointed at how new the building looked. Then continued up the street until she met what was called De Vere Ln.
She turned down the lane looking at all of the houses for the number marked on the address, at the end of the lane there was a small dirt road, to the right a line of about three or four houses and to the left what seemed like a large grass park. Arcane could see the house at the very end and had a feeling, like a tingle, making her believe that she should go check it.
One of the houses on the way down had a dog in their driveway, which barked profusely at Arcane as she passed, dashing forward with its teeth bared. With a quick squeal Arcane grabbed a rock and threw it at the animal, hitting it on top of the head, it let out a whimper before heading back under its owner’s car.
“Damn mutt” Arcane mumbled as she shook the dirt off her hands.
Just as she suspected, at the very end of the dirt road was a somewhat hidden detached two-story house with the number Arcane had been looking for, nailed to the wall in gold letters right next to the doorway. With caution in case of another dog Arcane made her way up to the front door and rang the doorbell.
“Coming!” called someone from inside the house. Arcane listened as heavy footsteps approached the door, soon the doorknob turned and a fair-haired blonde, big-bellied man opened the door.
He gasped once his eyes landed on Arcane and made the motion to take a step back but stopped himself.
“C- can I help you Miss?” He asked apprehensively.
“Um… yeah,” Arcane said, “Is Andromeda Tonks home?”.