When Lightning Struck

Chapter 1 - Storm of Change

Part 1 - A Phone Call Away

"Mom, I'm calling Mione!" A very curvy fourteen year old girl bounced through the kitchen in her permanently-under-remodeling/construction house her brown hair falling to mid-back and her bright topaz eyes sparkling. She was in an unusually bright mood and carrying her AT&T Phone Card. She slipped into her mother's room and grabbed the phone, quickly dialing the 800 number. When the machine picked up she spoke with it. "AT&T. For instructions in English, press one." She pushed the button. "Thank you for using AT&T prepaid phone service. Please shop again at Sam's Club. To call within the US, Canada, or the Caribbean, press one." She pressed one again, waited for the overly-cheerful voice to finish, and then dialed her best friend's number. The phone rang for once- it seemed that it was almost always busy- and Mione picked up. Meega couldn't resist the temptation. Putting on a fake British accent she said, "Hello, is this Ashley Green?" For once she managed to keep a strait face while she did that. This time it was going to work.

"Yes."

"I'm pleased to inform you that you have won a trip to London for you and one friend. This will be an unguided tour, so you may see London as you wish."

"Ha-ha, Mia."

"My name is not Mia," Meega said in mock-surprise, grinning. Mione couldn't pronounce her name. "I am Hermione Black." What the hey. It was the first name that came to mind- dropping Granger and Weasley, of course. Hermione was a fairly common name over there, wasn't it?

"Yeah, and I'm Ginny Malfoy," Mione said sarcastically.

Meega made a face. Trust Mione to use her least favorite pairing, bar SLASH. "I'm sorry, then. The trip is for an Ashley Green."

"No- I'm Mione- er Ashley," she said. Meega could tell that she was beginning to believe her.

"Well, then. What is your friend's name? The one you will be taking with you."

"Nikki- no, Mia er- well, I can't exactly pronounce her name. It's spelled M-e-e-g-a -space- K-y-l-hyphen-D-e-r-c."

"Nikkino Miaer?" Meega asked. It served her right for not picking her right off. "And you spell that M-e-e-g-a -space- K-y-l-hyphen-D-e-r-c?"

"No, I call her Mia because I can't pronounce her name. The spelling's right."

Meega burst out laughing. "Oh, I can't believe you fell for that! That's better than when I thought that 'Hail to the Chief' had words!"

Mione, of course, recovered quickly when revenge was in sight. "Hail to the chief, he's the chief so he needs hailing..."

"Of course!" Meega said. "What else would he do?" Both girls dissolved into giggles. When they got over them, Meega spoke again. "So- your time being older than me is almost up. Tomorrow I'll be fifteen, and then in another eleven months you'll be older again."

Lightning struck, and the two girls were hit, dead to their world.

Part 2 - Death Gate

Meega woke abruptly to a violent lurch. She had always been a heavy sleeper, but this was absurd! She was on a bed in what appeared to be a bus... in fact, if she didn't know any better she'd have said that it was the Knight Bus. She turned to look to the front and grinned. Whoever had decided to play this prank had done a good job. Two armchairs at the front, Ern and Stan how she pictured them, if about two years older.

"Mia, I want to know how you did this," a very familiar and very annoyed voice said from behind her. She turned around to see Mione glaring at her from the next bed.

"I didn't." She sat up and saw a trunk that had been under her bed but hadn't moved the same in the last lurch. "Apparently this one's mine." It had her name engraved on a plaque on the top. Another trunk was up against hers. "That must be yours. It' has your real name- Ashley Green."

"Uh-huh."

Meega shrugged. "This looks like fun. If we're not home by morning we check magic."

Mione gaped. "You're not suggesting that this might be real."

Meega shrugged again. "We got struck by lightening- or at least I did. Who knows? However, if we're not back I'll probably stop writing this off as hallucination and panic, then make the most of it." Mione snorted and Meega rolled her eyes, then swaggered purposefully up to the front of the bus and dropped down on an empty bed behind the driver. "I don't suppose I can see the paper?"

"Sure, Miss," said Stan, handing her the Daily Prophet.

She read the date: July 5, 1995. "I'll just take this back to my seat, eh?"

"Jus' bring it back," Stan said vaguely.

Meega returned to her bed, jerking her head for Mione to join her. They sat together on the bed, Meega at least mostly oblivious to the movement of the bus- and oblivious to whether Mione was or not. "Seven years ago," she said softly. "This would be Harry's fifth year. I'm beginning to doubt hallucination."

"Me, too."

Meega looked down from the date to the front page story.

ORDER CLAIMS YOU-KNOW-WHO HAS RETURNED MINISTER DENIES POSSIBILITY

After the Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory (the Hogwarts Champions) disappeared from the maze upon touching the cup. They both returned after their mysterious disappearance, but Cedric was dead. No one except perhaps Harry knows how Cedric died, and there have been whispers that the Boy Who Lived is mad. - Meega stopped reading and snorted. "Teenagers and the insane think quite the same. I don't know how that sentence fits together. He's no more mad than the rest of us, anyway." - These rumors also state that he is a Parselmouth - "Right on! This next part's way off, though." - and some even go so far as to accuse him of the murder. Harry is unavailable for comment, but Albus Dumbledore (head of the Order of Phoenix) says that he reports that the death is the work of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Or, rather, the work of a Death Eater wielding the Dark Lord's wand, namely Peter Pettigrew (dead fourteen years next Halloween, murdered by Sirius Black). - "This one's not a believer." - The Order holds that Black was not, as believed, the Potter's Secret Keeper and the betrayer. Instead they say that Pettigrew was used and murdered the twelve Muggles and faked his own death to escape from and frame Black. The Order also claims that the night of Cedric Diggory's murder You-Know-Who regained his body. Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge denies that this is possible and holds that Peter Pettigrew is dead and Black a murderer.

- Mary Long

"Not a hallucination," Meega said stiffly. She studied her friend, but could find no difference in her. Her hair was still short red tinted blond and she was still rather slender and animated. No change. "You don't look any different."

"Neither do you."

Meega could feel herself on the verge of panic, and so jumped on the first thing that came to mind to divert it. "I'm going to take the paper back, 'kay?" Mione nodded and Meega sauntered back up to the front. "Here's you paper," she said, handing it back to Stan and grinning. "Who are you siding with- Professor Dumbledore or Fudge?"

Stan shrugged, not looking at her.

"I'm with Professor Dumbledore- Voldemort's back." Ern and Stan both jerked around to look at her, an apartment building jumping out of the path of the Knight Bus... then another... and another. "Watch the road, and no, I am not mad."

Ern turned back around, white faced, but Stan continued to gawk at her. "'Choo say 'is name for?"

"Why, because there is no reason not to- and I enjoy the reaction I get out of those who are doing exactly what he wants by being afraid to speak his name." She grinned. "I have a very strong streak of mischief, and I have never really had an outlet for it before." She paused again, smoothing over her face, then mimicked Stan's accent. "You outta your tree? 'Choo not say 'is name for? Inee jus' mad? Mad 'e is, an' pow'ful. 'Choo madder for not sayin' 'is name!" Mione was laughing outright, and Meega made it all the way back to her bed before giggling hysterically.

Mione and Meega got off the Knight Bus at the Leaky Cauldron. Meega dug around in her trunk and found enough for her room all through July and August, as well as a key to a Gringotts vault. She motioned for Mione to look, and she did, also. It was late evening, so Meega slipped into her room (number seven) and dropped strait off to sleep. It had been a tiring day.

Part 3 - Shop 'til You Drop

The next morning Meega woke naturally around six - very early for her - dressed rapidly in dark green robes with a matching dust cloak fastened with silver, a silver necklace, ring, bracelet, anklet, and earrings. Then she slipped into Mione's room and woke her. "Up and at 'em, Mo!"

Mione groaned and sat up then peered at the clock beside her bed. "It's six fifteen."

"Yeah, and we have to get up earlier at camp. UP!"

Mione complied and Meega slipped down for breakfast. She was done by the time Mione got down half an hour later dressed in gold-trimmed scarlet robes. "Already dressing the Gryffindor."

"Sure."

"You'll probably end up there- though I don't know where I'll end up. I'd fit anywhere but Hufflepuff."

"And Slytherin," Mione grunted.

"No, I'd fit there," Meega said thoughtfully. "I'm cunning, ambitious, and arrogant- though very scrupulous. All my friends would be in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. Hufflepuffs... well, maybe. But I'm not a hard worker and you know it."

"Mia, you had better not end up in Slytherin!"

"And you had better learn to pronounce my name. I can't have my best friend unable to do it. Me-gu. Me like me, myself, and I, then gu as in gutter. Me-gu. Meega. Emphasis on the first syllable."

"Megutter."

Meega giggled. "Drop the tter."

"Meega."

"Perfect. Last name - Kyl-Derc. Kyle-Dirt, except drop the t and add a c. Oh, and shorten Kyle. Kyl-Derc."

"Meega Kill-dirt."

Meega giggled again. "Long i, end with a c."

"Meega Kyl-Dirt-ka."

"Close. Drop the t."

"Meega Kyl-Derc."

"Got it! Now finish your breakfast. I'm going to see what all we've got."

"Sure."

When Meega came back down Mione had just finished her breakfast. "Basic school supplies, plenty of robes and cloaks, even dress robes. We can get wands, brooms, and pets, then wait for our letters. Here's your key." She tossed her friend a tiny golden key, then led her out back. Another witch had just arrived, so she opened the arch and the girls followed her through. "Gringotts first."

The two girls made their way through the already crowded street to the tall marble building at the end that was Gringotts Wizard Bank. Meega hurried Mione through the doors, pausing to peer quizzically at the inscription on the second set of doors before entering Gringotts proper. She practically dragged her friend up to an unoccupied goblin - not that she needed encouragement. "We'd both like to withdraw from out accounts," she drawled, her voice picking up all the southern accent she ever had. "I'm Meega Kyl-Derc." She handed the goblin her key.

"I'm Ashley Green," Mione said, handing over hers.

"These seem to be in order," the goblin said. "Griphook!"

Meega fought down giggles at the sound of the name of the goblin who had taken Harry down to his vault the first time. She heard some nearly escape Mione and delivered an elbow to her stomach, silencing her. She loved the cart ride, relishing in the sensation, and was disappointed when it stopped.

"This one is Miss Kyl-Derc's vault. Key please." Meega handed over her key and the goblin opened the door, revealing more money than she would have thought possible. She filled a dragon hide money pouch neatly with galleons, then pulled the drawstring shut and left the vault, noting the number. 279. She hopped neatly into the cart and enjoyed the ride to her friend's vault. The money inside seemed to match hers penny for penny- or, rather, knuts for knuts. She noted that vault number, too, as Mione stuffed her money bag haphazardly with galleons. 356. They returned to the surface then, and Meega insisted on getting their wands before anything else.

Ollivander's was every bit as musty as she had imagined with a heavy "library" feel, like one of those old, full libraries with the wonderful fantasy and science fiction section or sections, depending. Mione and Meega had a brief, quiet fight over who got the chair that ended with them both sitting on the little spindly thing and giggling softly. The ancient wizard entered and gave them a disapproving stare.

"Which of you would like to go first?"

"Me," Meega said, standing up so quickly that the chair over balanced and Mione hit the floor. She ignored her friend's glare.

"I don't recognize you, child. Where did you buy your first wand?"

"Didn't have one," Meega said smoothly. "We were learning the wandless stuff. American brand. I'm Meega Kyl-Derc."

"Ah," he said, his eyes bright. "Powerful magic is needed for that. Only a few have had enough that have come through here. Which is your wand arm?"

"Well, I managed to restrict myself to my right hand for writing, and I don't want to do that with my wand. I think the left is truly dominant, anyway."

"Then we'll do both," he said, looking more interested. He had the silver measuring tape measure her, pulling out wands from the shelves. "Here. Ebony and phoenix feather, thirteen and an eighth inches."

"Hmm..." Meega took the wand and waved it uselessly.

Mr. Ollivander snatched it back. "Yew and dragon heartstring, eleven inches."

Meega regarded the wand distastefully when she took it, then handed it back. "Nothing there, and it's not likely to be one with heartstring."

Ollivander kept trying wands, pleased that she was so difficult. Finally he handed her one that was warm. She waved it and it emitted red, blue, and green sparks, touched lightly with silver, gold, and bronze. She giggled. "It doesn't know, either."

"Hmm?" Ollivander asked, replacing the wand in its box. "This one's rowan and phoenix feather, fifteen inches. Very powerful and excellent for almost anything, though especially transfiguration and enchantments. It has an aversion to the Dark Arts, though. What doesn't it know?"

"Good," Meega said sternly. "Oh, and I have a theory that the wand emits sparks in the colors of the house you're suited for. It knows just as much as I do. Anything but Hufflepuff."

"Interesting. Seven sickles." Meega paid him. "You, miss."

Meega took the chair and Mione stood. "I'm Mione Green. Er- actually, my name's Ashley. Everybody calls me Mione, though."

"Hmm. Which is your wand arm?"

"Mmm... Right. My right."

Ollivander nodded and set the measuring tape to measuring Mione, then pulled down a wand. "Ebony and unicorn tail hair, ten inches."

Mione took it and waved it about a bit, then Ollivander snatched it back. They went through the same routine until- "Ebony and phoenix feather, twelve inches."

Mione grinned when she took the wand, and when she waved it red and gold sparks shot out.

"Excellent. Seven sickles and three knuts. As powerful as miss Kyl-Derc's, though different. It is strong in Charms. It also is against the Dark Arts- very poor performance there."

Mione nodded, grinning like a loon, and paid for her wand.

"That was intriguing," Meega said, grinning, after they left.

"Of course!" Mione said.

"Pets or brooms?"

"Brooms."

"Fine with me."

There was a crowd around Quality Quidditch Supplies. Meega slipped up beside a hot guy who was about nineteen. "What did I miss this time?"

The boy turned to gape at her. He was really good looking! "You haven't heard that the Firebolt II has come out? It's better than the original! A guy on my school team had one for our last year. A Firebolt, anyway."

"Really?" Meega said, grinning. "I hear that they're amazing to fly. I've never been allowed on a broom before myself." She pouted slightly.

"Oh," the boy said, looking bored.

"I'm from the U.S. so I've been a little cut off from Quidditch. I was following Puddlemere United. They signed on a good player last year for their reserve team. Oliver Wood."

"I'm Oliver Wood," the guy said, smiling. Oh, he was really hot!

"I'm Meega Kyl-Derc. People call me Mia, though, 'cause a lot of them can't pronounce my name. This is my best friend, Ashley Green." She pulled Mione over by her. "People call her Mione."

"Really? Do you play Quidditch?"

"'Fraid not," Mione drawled.

"Oh."

"I want to, though," Meega said, smiling sweetly. "Unless I can't stay on a broom, of course."

"Oh, flying's not that hard," Oliver said smoothly.

"Really?" Mione asked, not to be out done. "I'm sure you're wonderful." Meega giggled. Mione was being so obvious!

Wood, however, was clueless and pleased with the compliment. "I'm fairly good," he said modestly.

"We're transferring to Hogwarts this year," Meega said abruptly.

"Really? What house do you think you'll be in? I," he puffed himself up slightly, "was in Gryffindor."

Meega giggled. "Mione's going to be in Gryffindor, but I don't know where I'll be. I'll fit anywhere but Hufflepuff."

"No one is good for Gryffindor and Slytherin," Wood insisted.

"I am," Meega said stiffly. "I'm brave and intelligent and arrogant, not to mention ambitious and descended from Muggle nobility. At least I think they were Muggles. Charlemane, Peppin, the like. The Holy Roman Emperors."

"I see," Wood said, backing off slightly. Mentally, that is. One couldn't scare a Gryffindor so easily.

"Good," Meega sniffed. "I am who and what I am, and I am going to go buy myself a broom. Though probably," she grinned at Oliver, "I won't end up in Slytherin, as I'm Muggleborn."

Mione rolled her eyes and dragged Meega away. "Now you've gone and done it."

"He deserved it," Meega sniffed. Then she grinned evilly. "He's really hot, though."

"Mmm-hmm," Mione agreed.

When Meega looked out the shop window it was obvious that Oliver had heard them- he was distinctly red and smiling.

Mione was looking at the different brooms, but Meega didn't even have to think about it. "I'd like to purchase a Firebolt II."

"Certainly, miss. 250 galleons."

"Hmm. Don't have that much with me." She perked slightly at the thought of getting to ride in the cart again.

The shop keeper, however, chuckled. "No one ever does. Just leave your account number and name, sign for the amount, and the goblins take care of everything."

"Oh." She picked up a quill and wrote her name and vault number, then the price and signed her name.

"Hmm... Kyl-Derc? You must be Muggleborn."

"Rather," Meega said shortly, snatching the box containing her new broom from the witch.

"Now, don't let anyone touch it before you've flown it for about an hour," she warned. "If it thinks that it's some one else's than your out of luck."

"Of course," Meega said politely. "Mione, which are you getting?"

"Firebolt."

"200 galleons."

She walked over and wrote her name and vault number and the price under Meega's, then signed. "Lets go- maybe we can see Wood again on our way out."

The clerk hummed appreciatively. "He is quite good looking, isn't he? Comes around here a lot."

They did see Oliver on the way out, but Meega hurried them off to the Magical Menagerie. When they came out he was no where to be found. Mione had a half-Siamese cat and a snowy owl and Meega had a small menagerie: a small, thin, short-haired black queen cat with large yellow eyes, a shaggy black puppy that reminded her of Sirius Black, and a raven.

"They're not going to let you take all three of them, Mia," Mione said pointedly.

"Where does it say that you can only have one pet?" Meega asked. "Besides, yours isn't even a loophole."

"I suppose it doesn't." She grinned. "I'm not the first to break rules, you know."

Mione named her cat Siamie and her owl Sir Uric van Licktenstine. Meega named her cat Bageria, her puppy Sirius (of course) and her raven Nevermore.

Part 4 - School Shopping

Five week passed and they received their Hogwarts letters. Meega read hers quickly.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

~

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Kyl-Derc,

We are pleased that you have chosen to transfer to Hogwarts this year. As a fifth-year student you will be preparing to take your O.W.L.s and if you are not up to the classes then you will be moved to the appropriate year. Enclosed is a list of the necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

~

uniform

Fifth-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain black work robes

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

5. One set dress robes

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

course books

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

An Advanced Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Tremble

Unfogging the Future by Cassandra Vablatsky

The Monster Book of Monsters by Marcus Mutt

other equipment

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

"We have everything but the books and uniform," Meega said when she finished the letter.

"You know, you don't have to rub it in," Mione said.

"What?"

"That you read so much faster than me!"

"Oh. Sorry, forgot about that. Hmm..."

"Why does that scare me?"

"Because I'll do that, or something similar, and then something that you term 'evil'."

"Oh, yeah," Mione said sarcastically.

"Let's go shopping the day before term starts," Meega said mischievously.

"Why?"

"Because that's when Harry's gang usually goes."

"Ah."

Two weeks later the girls were in Madam Malkin's when a slender boy of average height about their age came in. He had messy black hair and astonishingly green eyes. Meega nudged Mione, who was facing the other way, and nodded towards the boy. She didn't need to see the identifying scar to know that that was Harry Potter. "He's not bad looking, either. Not scrawny anymore."

Mione nodded vaguely.

"I bet he grew over the summer. I bet he's taller than me. Barely."

"Hmm."

Madam Malkin brought Harry to a stool near theirs and Meega turned to Mione and whispered, "Who's starting out as the fawning fan?"

"You," Mione said, recoiling slightly. "I hate that part."

"Yep, and that always leaves me with the first chance at them. Really, I don't like the part, either." She turned to Harry and said (slightly breathlessly), "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

"Yes," Harry said tolerantly.

Meega grinned. "I'm Mia, and this is Mione. Actually we're Meega and Ashley, but she couldn't pronounce my name and started calling me Mia and she's called Mione as a shortened form of the female lead's name in our favorite book series. Though I'm really more like the character." She put on an absolutely angelic expression. "Except I'm much more... hmm... mischievous. Oh, and sorry about my little fawning thing. We start out like that whenever we run into a well-known person. Really, it's what most of them expect. A lot of them even like it. And," she grinned evilly, "it insures that I get to start the conversation. Mione likes doing it less than I do."

Harry gave a tight, guarded smile, obviously because he knew a smile of some sort was expected. It took Meega a moment to figure out what was wrong, but it was obvious when she did. It had only been about two months since the Third Task.

Mione, however, was glaring at Meega and didn't notice. "It's not like meeting Harry Potter is an every day occurrence."

"Will be, though," Meega said, grinning. Then she turned back to Harry. "We're transferring to Hogwarts this year. Mione, at least, will definitely get in Gryffindor."

Harry made a vague non-commentary noise.

Meega snorted. That was a first. Usually it was her being an anti-vocal pariah. Unless Mione was around, of course. Then she was very... loud. Very loud and very hyper. "I got a little black puppy recently," she said as an attempt at conversation. "I named him Sirius."

Harry stared in disbelief. "Why'd you name him that?"

Meega shrugged, thinking fast. She couldn't exactly tell him that she was from another world where he was a character in a book and so she knew that his godfather was innocent and had a shaggy black dog for an Animagus form. "It just seemed to fit."

Harry raised an eyebrow, obviously having noticed her hesitation. Stupid thing to do, mentioning the puppy.

"He's really quite sweet. He's an absolute charmer." As soon as the words were out of her mouth Meega wished she hadn't said that. From what she'd picked up the real Sirius was, too. But Harry might not know that... or make the connection.

As if on cue Mione joined the conversation again. "She seems to have found a loop hole and is taking three animals. The puppy, a cat named Bageria, and a raven she named Nevermore."

"Why Nevermore?" Harry asked sounding halfway interested.

"'Quoth the raven, nevermore,'" Meega quoted. "It's probably the most common line in Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven."

"Ah."

Just then Mione and Meega were finished and had to leave for Flourish and Blotts.

When they entered Meega stopped suddenly. "I don't believe it."

"What?" Mione asked vaguely.

Meega pointed. Hermione and Ron were standing across the store talking to none other than Oliver Wood.

Mione grinned. "I was hoping that we'd run into him again."

"Of course you were," Meega said a little sourly. She was fairly certain she'd made an absolute fool of herself when they'd talked the first time. Not to mention the fact that he'd overheard their opinion of his looks. "I'll just talk to Hermione."

Meega led them over and smiled at Hermione, pointedly ignoring Oliver. "Hi, I'm Meega Kyl-Derc and this is Ashley Green." Mione glared at her. "Everyone calls her Mione, though. We're transferring to Hogwarts this year and seem to need The Monster Book of Monsters. I don't see it here, though. Do you know if they carry it here?"

"No!" the shopkeeper screeched hysterically. "We carried them once two years ago and it was once to many!"

Meega suppressed a fit of giggles. "Are you sure you don't have two copies left?"

"We don't!"

Meega shrugged. "We'll check a used book store after we get the rest of our books. Oh, and does anyone know a good Muggle bookstore?"

"I do," Hermione said immediately. "I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, and this is Ronald Weasley. That's Oliver Wood."

Meega nodded. "Mione and I met Oliver outside Quality Quidditch Supplies about a month and a half ago. I don't suppose you could give me directions to the bookstore? I'd like to drop by before we go to Hogwarts."

Mione's conversation was amusing. "We just saw Harry Potter at Madam Malkin's," she was saying. Not that Oliver would be impressed.

"Really? I was looking for him."

Mione nodded energetically, smiling, and Oliver glanced at Meega, who turned back to Hermione quickly.

Hermione looked amused by her behavior, but gave very good directions to the Muggle book store and offered to show her to a good Wizarding one. Meega accepted her offer and quickly picked up her books, but stopped before she got to the counter to look at something particularly intriguing. A thick book with a scarlet dragon hide cover and gold lettering read: Scales and Shards. The sign by it claimed that it was: An inclusive book on the breeding and raising of dragons. Fifteen galleons. Odd that one should find a book on raising dragons when it had been illegal for centuries. Smiling slightly she picked it up and placed it among her school books. The shopkeeper lifted an eyebrow at that selection, but didn't comment.

Hermione showed Meega to the used book store, the pair of bookworms practically dragging along the three boys. Harry had joined them shortly after the girls had arrived and Oliver was talking to him. Mione had to come and didn't particularly mind with Wood joining them. Mione just picked up a copy of The Monster Book of Monsters - there were several, probably from people who had graduated since Hagrid had taken on Care of Magical Creatures and had been eager to rid themselves of the book. Meega carefully selected the copy that was in the best condition with a feeling she was taking the alpha book and started navigating the dangerously high stacks and shelves of books. She picked out several fiction selections, but was unable to find the high fantasy and science fiction that was her favorite. There was some books with magic, but it was the stuff they really worked, and so was more like books set in the real world for Muggles. The only elves referred to were house-elves, and the dragons weren't intelligent in the least. Fantasy and science fiction was obsolete in a world with magic. Or, at least, to the rest of the Wizarding society. She wanted her Orson Scott Card and Terry Brooks and Patricia C. Wrede and J. K. Rowling... Well, she was living that one. But Robert Jordan and Anne McCaffrey and Mercedes Lackey! That was only skimming the iceberg, too. Or, rather, the tip of it. Whichever. She hadn't even mentioned Timothy Zahn! Meega sternly told herself to quit. She'd just keep remembering authors. Like Gail Carson Levine and Andre Norton and Madeleine L'Engle.

Meega managed to drag Mione away from Oliver, who grinned at the younger girl as they left. Meega blushed, but they were already practically out the door, so none of Harry's group- and especially not Oliver- saw. She hoped that he didn't try to get her to date him. Some boys seemed to view her as a challenge, as, unlike most of the other girls her age, Meega was still untouched and had never even had a boyfriend. It was a sad thing to be a rarity in something like that. Maybe here she wouldn't be. There was always Mione. They were both cases of "Never Been Kissed" by choice. Though that might not be an accurate comparison, as she'd never seen the movie. J. R. R. Tolkien! How could she have forgotten?

Meega and Mione deposited their purchases in their rooms then Meega dragged her friend off to the used book store that Hermione had directed her to. She pounced on several of the books, including book three in the Star Wars Jedi Academy Trilogy. She had only ever been able to find books one and two before. She also picked out Mercedes Lackey's trilogy about Talia: Arrows of the Queen, Arrow's Flight, and Arrow's Fall. It was one of her favorites, and she wasn't about to let it lie there and collect dust. Fire Rose soon joined her stack, followed by several books from the Wheel of Time series- though not as many were out in 1995 as in 2002. It would be a very long time before she could buy book ten. At least the cover art had been finished when she left! She spent every penny of Muggle money she had- well, it wasn't pennies in London, but the shop keeper had helped her sort it out. Anyway, she left the shop with a healthy collection of books at closing and then returned to The Leaky Cauldron with her friend. Tomorrow would be a big day.