Their Reasons

Chapter 2: The Latent

"DAMN IT, MEKA!" Meka Durham yelled at her reflection. "How could you be so stupid?"

"Is something wrong?" her great aunt yelled up the stairs.

Meka came down the stairs in nothing but a towel. "I met a guy a week ago and I haven't seen him again." She squeezed the extra water out of her hair. "Not that it matters. He was probably wasn't my type."

"Any one I know?" she asked, patting the sofa.

Meka silently wondered why Aunt Gretchen suddenly seemed so interested. Before this, she treated Meka like a live-in housekeeper. "Someone called Weasley."

"I know the Weasleys," the elder replied, absentmindedly. "Good family, but in a bit of pickle right now. I've been told one of their sons befriended someone from the wrong lot."

"The wrong lot?" Meka's voice cracked in disbelief. "It's not Percy is it?"

"No," she loftily. "He's abandoned the family. Smart man. Top of his class at Hogwarts."

"Let me guess," Meka groaned. "He's out of my league?"

"Well." Aunt Gretchen's tone was matter-of-fact. "You are a--what did you say they call you?"

"A Latent, Auntie. It means I couldn't do magic until I was too old to go to school."

"How did that happen? You're from a strong family. They should have known you would develop. Must have been because of your mother."

"It doesn't matter that Mom's a Muggle born." Meka was growing frustrated. "You're a Squib aren't you? Couldn't that have something with it?"

"Why did not you try to learn? Why did you settle for going to a Muggles' school?"

Meka shook her head in disbelief of her aunt's ignorance. "One, it's extremely difficult for a Latent to get a wand. Second, we all went to a Muggle school. I just stayed there, that's all. It suited me."

"If you don't use magic, why are you here?"

She smirked. "McIan, Michel, Matt and Moses work for the government. Max, Mark, Malcolm and Milson are still in school. I was the only one that could. You get by without magic; I think I can help you without it." She stood up. "May I get dressed?"

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Knock, Knock. "One second!" she yelled, running into the foyer. She pulled open the door. "Hello?"

Weasley was standing there, a plastic daisy in his hand. He turned red, like his hair. He was dressed in normal wizarding clothing. Fiddling with his glasses, he said, "I came to apologize."

She tried to smile and took the flower. "Come in?" She stepped aside. "Plastic, nice. Living plants don't seem to survive here. Exhibit A: the front lawn."

He stepped in, head slightly bowed. "How are you?"

"Okay. Confused, but okay," she said, closing the door. "Is this about the fact that I didn't check in with the Ministry?"

"You don't have to check in with the Ministry," he replied. "I'm not here as the Junior Assistant to the Minister of Magic."

"Then why have you been watching me?" Percy blinked. "I have six brothers who have friends. I know how to spot a Disillusionment Charm. I've caught more then one in my bedroom. Just because I'm a Latent doesn't mean dumb." She bit the right side of her lip and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I did not mean to insult you. I don't even know what a Latent is."

"It usually happens to Muggles," she whispered. "They don't even know when they start doing magic anyways. For me, it's like being a Squib, but I started showing signs of magic two years ago. Makes going to a Muggle high school a pain."

"You are a witch then."

"No." She felt like she was talking to a child. "I'm a Latent. If one is born into a wizarding family they're usually treated like Squibs. Father's trying to clear the purchase of wand so I'll be able to do basic spells."

Percy was watching her, intrigued. "Latents aren't allowed to do magic?"

She looked away from him. "In America your magical abilities are catalogued at eleven. If you're registered as a Squib, it's hard to change it to Latent, but registering as a Possible-Latent is expensive. My parents pulled my older brothers out of the best school in the country to do it. Now, we have to prove I'm True-Latent and we can't do that with money."

"Shouldn't you still be in America?"

She looked at him. "I was supposed to be evaluated by the Hogwarts headmaster but he died. The new one hasn't returned my owl, so I'm putting my CNA license to good use. Taking care of Aunt Gretchen." She rolled her eyes. "Not that she needs the help."

The young looked at, as if he was surprised. "Albus Dumbledore was going to evaluate you?"

"Hogwarts has had some Latents. Some very lucky Latents who happened to get their magic before they turned eleven. They've all showed up since he's been Headmaster. Father wrote him a letter and asked him to give his professional opinion. I'm stuck here until I find another option."

"Your brothers are all wizards?" he asked.

"What are you, an Auror? Stop questioning me! I don't know any magic, let alone dark magic."

He smiled, despite himself. "What would it take to get you a wand here?"

"Just to go to a store, I guess." She shrugged. "I never thought of going to another country just to get a wand."

"Tomorrow," he replied. "I am taking you to Diagon Alley."