A New Face, a New Story

Elena had received her wand, and had seemingly given up wandering the streets and alleys of diagon alley. She hadn't really been paying attention to where she was until she stumbled over a step. Looking up Elena spotted a sign. "The Leaky Cauldron." It seemed to be some sort of public house, though she had become accustomed to not believing everything she saw anymore. Her mum had made sure she knew the differences between the muggle world and the wizarding world, the new adventure Elena was beginning.

Opening the door, Elena was overwhelmed by the sounds, the smells, the sights, surrounding her. She pulled out a crumpled picture she suddenly felt in her pocket. Her mother had given it to her before she left her, a picture of her cousin. Mumbling to herself Elena wondered if she would ever get to meet her, and where, and when. Feeling over the characters face in the picture, Elena felt some embossed message and turned it over. She had never noticed this before. It simply said three words. "Diagon Alley. Soon."

Lavender glanced at her watch, if she'd guessed correctly when she stepped into the Leaky Cauldron her cousin would be standing somewhere near the bar. Probably looking a little dazed. Lavender pushed the heavy door open to reveal the gritty looking pub, it still smelt of stale smoke and rotting food. She glanced around until she spotted who exactly she was looking for.

"Elena," She smiled, nudging the blonde girls shoulder lightly. "We meet at last,"

Elena didn't really know what to do. Subconsciously making her way to the bar, she stood, clutching the image with a sense of slight fear, with no indication why. Was this the day when everything she ever knew would change? Would she meet a girl, a relative, she never knew existed today?

Engaged in her own thoughts, Elena was suddenly awoken by the light tap on the shoulder. The person behind her knew her name, yet she didn't recognise it. Slowly removing herself from the image, Elena turned to face an exact replica of the image she had just finished gazing at.

Curiously, all Elena could stutter was "La...Lavender?" Remembering the name her mother had once said - the flower she would one day meet as she had put it.

Lavender stared at the girl in front of her, though they looked nothing alike really Elena was almost an exact copy of her mother. Whom Lavender had met merely twice in her life. The girls blonde hair had a way of flowing down either side of her face, like a perfect frame.

"That's me," Lavender nodded with a grin. "Drink?" She pushed past Elena politely and lent on the bar. Then she remembered Elena wouldn't know what to drink in this place. "I'll get you a butterbeer, nice and refreshing," Lavender gestured for the blonde to join her before turning to the barmaid and ordering two butterbeers.

Elena watched as Lavender seemed to be taking into account every detail of her, just by sight. Like she had already met her.

As Lavender went to order, Elena hoped she wouldn't get asked what she wanted. But surely Lavender would know that she wasn't from this part of town. As Lavender ordered, Elena joined her at the bar, waiting for this 'butterbeer' she was to try. It seemed an strange combination, butter and beer. Elena had tried muggle beer because it was her dad's favourite, but never butterbeer.

Elena tried to think of something logical to say, but every idea seemed to merge, with no clear distinguishing between each one. There was just so much to ask her long lost but now found cousin. Elena hoped Lavender would talk first, to help clear her mind.

They sat in silence as they waited for their drinks. Lavender could tell Elena was having difficulty thinking of what to say, after all they had just met for the first time and she probably had millions of questions buzzing round her head.

"Have you got everything written in the letter?" Lavender felt that checking the girl had her supplies would be a good place to start.

Breaking the silence between them, thankfully Lavender had broken the ice. Her question however left Elena slightly dazed. Letter? Oh, the letter.

Reflecting her thought, Elena simply got the letter out. Gasped realising the only thing she had got was the wand. She scanned the list. There were so many objects.

She looked up to see Lavender's face. "Not really. I wasn't exactly told where to get everything, mum just left me to wander through a wall." Elena stated truthfully. "I don't really know where to start, to be honest."

Lavender nodded, her own mother had warned her of her Aunt. She watched Elena get the letter out, a look of panic on her face.

"Ok. Well, we'll go and get everything once we finish our drinks. How does that sound?" As she spoke the barmaid arrived with their drinks and Lavender handed one to Elena. "Give it a try," She smiled encouragingly.

Just as the barmaid arrived with the bizarre beverages, Lavender offered to help with Elena's supplies. A great help. "Thanks, i would like that." Would maybe help the girls get to know each other too.

Elena took the mug of what looked like a light coloured drink with some froth on the top, like a cappuccino. It would do no harm to try, it wasn't going to permit an early death. So Elena took the mug to her nose and tried to get a smell of the aroma. She couldn't exactly smell much, so she put the mug to her mouth and began to drink.

The beverage tasted of a butterscotch, and Elena cleanly finished the beer. Looking at Lavender with a smile she said "That's better than anything I've ever tasted!! Even cappuccino's!" While Elena waited for Lavender to finisher her drink, she began to think of her new life, with a new friend.

Lavender grinned as Elena finished the drink in one. The blonde would fit right into the Wizarding World. No problem. She quickly downed her own butterbeer, licking her lips dry of froth.

"Right shall we go then? I'll lead the way," With that she stood and waited for Elena to stand too.

Elena rose from her seat after watching her own cousin down her beer in one. Already Elena was beginning to feel more at home here than she ever had.

Elena gathered her bag and headed after Lavender out the door back on to the streets crowded with shops and other young students like herself. Only for once, she was shopping with part of her family - part of her new story and adventure.