Lost Memories

ii. books

It had been a week since I moved to the outskirts of London to live at my dad's childhood home with him and my grandmother. It had also been nearly a month since I seemed to have gone to the Hogwarts' Forrest to witness Harry expel his Sirius-saving Patronus. That was the most excitement I had since I landed here.

There was nothing to do, especially living with an old woman. Weekly calls from my father were the most I'd done. But the only bright side was Deathly Hallows coming out in two weeks time.

"Granny," I started as I walked into the living room. She looked up. "Is there anything we can do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like are there any stores we can go to, or places we can see?" My voice was soft and hesitant as I didn't want her to think I was ungrateful of her housing me until school started.

"What would you like to do?" she stopped crocheting.

"Something?"

"Well, I've got a game in about two hours. Would you like to accompany me?"

A small smile fell on my lips as I gave an awkward laugh. During my time here, I learned Granny loved to have bingo games with other people in the community. It was beyond boring, she had forced me to go to the first game she had since I arrived.

"Uh, no thank you," I laughed.

"I didn't think you would," she sighed. "I'm sorry I'm not exciting, Charlotte."

"No," I quickly said, "it's all right. I just. . . I miss my friends. I think– I think I'm going to use the computer. Let me know if you need anything."

Granny smiled and gave me a nod before I went back into my room.

—:—

Deathly Hallows was by far the worst and best book of the series– full of tears, pain, and pure shock. I loved it. Within the second week of its release, I had read it about five times and cried every single time at Fred's death. And people online had the audacity to say it was "too relieving."

How was it relieving? Fred: dead; Remus: dead; Tonks: dead; Colin Creevey: dead, and my happiness: gone! That wasn't relieving but more stressful. You wouldn't understand, they'd say. And I didn't. The epilogue didn't seem to fit with the book and sprouted questions in my mind. Besides the epilogue, the last book was stressful as it should have been. The only relieving part was the future; everyone was... content.

My entire summer was spent rereading all seven books and crying over the ending countless times. One time, Granny even came in to check if I was all right I had cried too loud. I didn't mind the reading, I minded the boredom. Usually, during this time, I'd be scurrying to do my Summer Reading Project, but not this time. There are no projects due at my new school.

Granny tried to explain to me how the British School System works, but I couldn't seem to understand it. Instead of high school, this high school is also mixed with some middle school. And they don't call it high school, they call it Secondary School. Plus, the grades don't have names, they were weirdly numbered. Although I had just turned fourteen and had been a Sophomore at my old American school, I'd be placed in Year Ten.

While trying to understand the metric system, Granny came in with a small knock.

"I have a surprise!" she smiled.

"Oo," I sat up, "what of?"

"Tomorrow, we're going down to the shops to get your uniform and other books you may need," she informed me. I tried not to let my smile fall. Back to school shopping she should have said.

"Sounds. . . good," I forced a laugh.

"Yes, finally get you out of the house! School starts next week and all you have are your street clothes. Highill Academy requires a uniform."

"Yes, ma'am," I nodded.

But shopping ended up being more tedious and annoying than I thought. Instead of simply buying my uniform and leaving, Granny wanted to buy everything in sight and go into every store.

"Granny, we don't need that," I grabbed the item out of her hand and put it back for the millionth time.

"Charlotte, you do not tell—"

" '—a woman what she doesn't and does need.' I know, but we really don't need it," I finished for her.

"Charlotte Rae Harring, let me look at whatever I need. You need to be out of the house and I need to buy my things," Granny scolded. A few people around us looked as she spoke and gave us funny looks.

"Okay, Granny," I sighed, giving up entirely.

Store after store, we finally came to the shop we came here for. "What can I help you with, ma'am?" a shopkeeper asked.

"My granddaughter is in need of a uniform for Highhill Academy," my grandmother informed him.

He nodded curtly and talked to my grandmother while escorting us towards the right of the store. Most of the uniforms here were ugly and old-fashioned. I only hoped that my uniform wouldn't be like that. But unfortunately, I was wrong. It was worse.

The skirt was past my knees and the shoulder pillows made me look burly and manly. I didn't want a uniform in the first place and the seal on the blazer was funny looking as well.

"This is my uniform?" I asked.

"Do you like it? Does it fit well?" the shopkeeper asked.

I looked to my grandmother who wore a proud face and looked back at the man, "Is this how it's supposed to fit?"

"Of course! Modest, yet stylish," he smiled widely.

Stylish? I took a deep breath, "then it fits well."

At that, both the employee and Granny continued to talk about how beautiful the uniform looked on me and the different styles I would need for every school activity. At one point, I could have sworn she would have invited him over for tea.

Once at home, I went straight to my room and threw the ugly thing into my closet. I was completely bored out of my mind. Once again, there was nothing to do and nowhere to go. The books only granted me so much entertainment and counting the bricks of the fireplace was even worse– 274 to be exact.

For once in my life, I was looking forward to school. Even the new boring boarding school in the middle of nowhere.