Some Place Safe

~ Some Place Safe~

Miranda Kane leaned against the old wooden door of the Salem Memorial School. At first glance the girl looked like any other Muggle, dressed in jeans, sneakers and a tank top that proudly displayed an American flag. A blue bandana held back her straight brown hair, highlighted blonde by the New England summer sun. It was early September, and the leaves on the maples were just beginning to turn red, yellow and orange.

But Miranda was not an ordinary girl. Miranda Kane was a witch.

Miranda took a pull on a cigarette. It looked like a perfectly ordinary cigarette, except the wisps of smoke that escaped from the lighted end had a distinctly purple tinge and it smelled faintly of lavender. A long maple wand stuck out of one of her jeans' pockets.

The rest of the students who attended Salem Memorial were inside enjoying a welcome back dinner of pumpkin pie, turkey and freshly harvested corn. Miranda could smell the feast from her post at the front entrance. Quickly she took another drag on her cigarette. She would eat soon, but for now she had to wait for someone.

The next few minutes dragged by extremely slowly. Miranda glanced at her watch. It was almost time.

Just then a dark green car came up the old gravel drive. Miranda quickly exhaled a cloud of purple smoke. She dropped the cigarette in the dirt and ground it into the faded grass at her feet.

The car's progress was slow, even for the long driveway. The way it sort of lumbered forward, making the tires sag, it almost seemed to be depressed. Miranda shook her head. Even wizard cars don't have feelings.

The car finally made it to the front door where Miranda waited patiently for the people who occupied the car, or really, one of them.

One of the rear doors swung open to reveal a portly woman with red hair just starting to go gray. She emerged slowly from the car. When no one came out after her, she ducked her head back in.

"Now Ginny," she said morosely into the darkness of the back seat, "you are going to stay here, at least for a while, whether you like it or not! I won't lose my last child!"

A girl, about Miranda's age stepped mournfully out of the car. "I'm not the last," she said miserably, "Fred and George could still be alive, they're only missing. And you know Ron is alive."

The woman sighed heavily, "Dear, let's face the reality of it, the ministry will probably never find your father or the twins alive. And Ron is off with Harry and Hermione on that secret mission of theirs. I think, in the end, they'll win, but I doubt they'll come out of it unscathed."

The girl collapsed into a sobbing heap in the woman's arms. They cried together for a few minutes. Miranda stood near by, getting more and more uncomfortable.

"Ahem," Miranda cleared her throat to try and get the two sobbing women's attention, "um, I'm Miranda Kane. I'm supposed to take Ginny in, you know, show her around and stuff."

The woman nodded. "Yes, I'm Mrs. Weasley by the way," she held out a hand for Miranda to shake, "I'm Ginny's mother." Mrs. Weasley sniffed mournfully, then turned back to Ginny, "Now Ginny darling, I want you to be on your best behavior. Remember, no matter how much you may want to, you mustn't write to me. I'll be in hiding, and they may follow the owl to my hiding place."

"But mom, why can't you stay here?" Ginny cried hysterically, "You'll be safe too then!"

"Nonsense," said Mrs. Weasley as she straightened her dress, "I need to be there for Fleur. I know she can be a nuisance, but ever since Bill was killed she's been frightfully distraught. She' a right danger to herself. I would send her here as well, but she won't come. And, like you said before, what if they find your father, or the twins?"

"Um, sorry to bother, but if we don't go in soon the feast will be over..." Miranda pointed out. "Not that that's a problem," she added quickly, "but they're expecting you, Ginny."

Ginny nodded, gave her mother one last hug, and then moved to stand next to Miranda.

Mrs. Weasley climbed back into the car, silent tears streaming down her face. "Remember Ginny, be brave, like your brothers were!"

Then the door closed and the car drove away leaving Ginny and Miranda standing alone outside the school.

"Well," said Miranda, "let's go in then."