Becoming Justine March

Chapter 1- Shopping Isn't Always Bad

Jaye awoke the next day much earlier than usual. She wondered if the previous night had been a dream. She looked around her still-messy room until her eyes fell on the chair and the vanity next to it. Clothes and school supplies were still piled into the chair, but there was a pile of books and papers that had not been there the previous afternoon. These were atop the slightly worn, 50's-era vanity. She tumbled out of bed, stumbled to the vanity, and picked these up to read them again. Included was a small booklet about Peasegood that outlined the history of the school, as well as the rules that were in effect there. She had read this with much interest the night before. Also, there was a shopping list of school supplies that she would need- but, what a list!

Peasegood Academy of Witchcraft and Wizarding Science

Materials needed for the 1988-89 School Year, Seventh Grade

Please be aware that seventh-graders are not allowed to have brooms until they have passed their riding courses. Also, you are allowed one pet- a mouse, rat, or other rodent; a toad; an owl, or a cat.

Attached was a map showing her how to get to Harcourt Way (which was just a few miles from home and easily accessed by bus.) Jaye decided to get dressed and get going.

Two hours later, Jaye arrived at the bus stop indicated on the map. She looked for some indication that this was the place that she needed to be, but saw no sign that this was Harcourt Way. After a few moments, she wandered into the shabby convenience store for a soda. To her surprise, the store was full of people, all gaily chattering to one another. She edged her way over to the ancient cooler when she overheard, "... must be excited to finally be going to Peasegood, eh, Jess?"

She determined that this was directed to the curly-haired girl in front of her; for she saw the head nod as if in response. The tall, dark-haired, good-looking boy standing next to the girl then said, "We'd better get going to Harcourt if we're going to get shopping done for four of us." She saw him, along with the girl and two other boys, moving for a grimy back door. She decided that the best course of action was to follow them.

They all made it outside into a grubby alleyway. They stopped short at a brick wall. The shortest of the boys turned around and noticed Jaye.

"Who are you and why are you following us?" he demanded of her with an air of hostility. Another of the boys looked her over, then turned to the short one, and said, "Dave, if you look at the paperwork she's clutching, you'll probably arrive to the same conclusion as I have- she's a new student." Dave did indeed look at the papers she held, and then looked at his feet for a very long time. The tallest, darkest-haired boy spoke to her.

"Aw, don't mind my brother, he's just very protective of our little sister," he said. "My name's Mike Marlowe, and these are my brothers Pete (he pointed to the lightest-haired boy) and Dave, and this is our sister Jessie." Jessie's lightly freckled face took on a faint blush. She smiled at Jaye.

Mike reached in his backpack and took out a thin, tapered wooden-looking thing that Jaye surmised must be a wand. He tapped the brick wall and muttered, "Harcourt Way."

The wall slid aside and revealed a sight that completely astonished Jaye. She, along with the Marlowes, stepped inside of the brick wall and into a jumble of color and sounds such as Jaye had never experienced before. This place bustled with an energy that made Jaye tingle inside as she walked along, looking around and trying to take it all in. She knew she liked it here.

She was interrupted by Pete.

"I'm sorry, but we didn't get your name."

"Oh, wow. Yeah." She shook herself out of her reverie. "I'm Justine March, but everyone I know calls me Jaye. I'm sorry. I'm just.... Um.... This is a lot to have to adjust to. It's all new to me. I just found out last night that I'm a witch. I'm the first of my family."

Pete smiled with evident glee. "You're a Muggleborn? That is so awesome!" He grinned and nudged his younger brother. "Dave! Is this cool or what?"

Dave looked up, no longer sheepish. "Wow. A Muggleborn. Do you guys have a television? And a phone?"

Jaye nodded in the affirmative. She was surprised at the reaction she was getting from these boys.

Jessie spoke up at last. "I'm going into the seventh grade too." She offered her class schedule to Jaye, who swapped it for hers. Jaye was becoming more surprised by the minute- she had never had anyone to swap class schedules with. Her last real friend had been back in Oklahoma City, in the third grade.

After perusing each others schedules, they determined that they shared History of Magic, Charms, and Phys Ed. "You can also get into two electives," Jessie offered. "I'm going to take Mixed Chorus- it's a choir, but it's way less formal than Select Choir."

"Professor Hawkins, the Charms teacher, does the choirs as well," offered Dave. "I was in Mixed Chorus in seventh grade, and I got into Select Choir in the eighth. I'm trying out for Panache, the show choir, next year."

Guys," Mike offered, "I hate to interrupt, but the sooner we get finished with our shopping, the sooner we can have lunch at Bailey's."

Jessie turned to Jaye. "I'm gonna have to shop for the same stuff," she said. "Why don't you come with us?"

Five hours later, they were all sitting around a large table at Bailey's Café. Jaye was pleased with her purchases, especially her wand- ten inches, cedar with a unicorn tail hair core. Jessie had also gotten a sleek white mouse named Benjy. This had been the most fun Jaye had ever had shopping.

The Marlowes were from Alabama, thus they (along with their mom Susan) were staying at the Harcourt Bed and Breakfast, a large, beautiful Victorian house just around the corner from Bailey's.

"You should come over and see our rooms," Jessie bubbled.

"Yeah," said Jaye in reply, "I'd like that." She looked at her watch. It was almost four already. Time had flown by so quickly. "Tell you what, why don't I come back on Saturday afternoon? I can get packed tomorrow, and I can spend Sunday at home with my family." Jaye wasn't sure if her family would care whether or not she spent Sunday with them- Terry and Elaine were such free spirits, and they didn't hold a great deal of stock in such mundane things as family togetherness. However, she thought that maybe she'd feel better by at least making the effort.

She parted ways with the Marlowes at four thirty, promising to meet them at the Harcourt the day after next.