Lady Tonks, Lord Potter

Early October interlude

Friday, 3 October, 1997

Jack put on the indicator to turn into home, wishing above all that she could just put the last few hours out of her mind. It had been a madhouse at work, not that being a helper in the bakery at Morrison's wasn't always a bit mental but lately it had been worse. Since coming back to work after her 'extended absence' she'd had to grovel a bit and accept whatever they offered, not that it was much, but her boss Lottie was a piece of work. Finally, as traffic eased, she left Holgate Road and turned into home, turning off the lights and killing the engine. The car wasn't a bad one, not in the least, but with all the cars her father worked on at his garage you would have thought that he could have found her something a bit better than the old eighties Peugeot 205 that he said was 'perfectly good enough' for her. She was the one who had the job but Crystal, since she had Emily, got the newer Golf to replace the crappy Micra she'd dumped in the bad part of town with Ron.

It was while she was thinking of Ron, wondering if he'd sent another letter that she entered the house to find her father cooking as usual, Crystal off watching telly with Emily and her mum nowhere to be seen. She dropped her keys in the tray on the stand by the door and walked in. "What's on tonight?" Crystal's answer of 'Corrie' came out at the same time as her father's answer of 'fettuccine.' Ignoring her sister she made her way into the kitchen and stood next to her father, looking over shoulder. "Smells great, I'm starving."

"Few more minutes. It'll keep, your mum's working late." He looked down at her. "Got a letter today."

"I did? Where?" Jack looked around the kitchen but turned back when she didn't see an envelope in the usual place. Her father held up two envelopes. "I thought you said I got a letter not two, Dad."

Reg smirked at his daughter. "I got one as well. Here, you can read. Yours is the unopened one."

Jack had a confused look on her face as she took the envelopes from her father, ignored Crystal's teasing and went to her room, making sure the door was shut tightly. She'd caught Crystal coming in to her room to ask about something and just leaning over her shoulder to read one of Ron's letters. She sat her letter aside, as her curiosity made her pull out the letter to her father first.

Mr. Wilson,

I hope you don't mind me writing you to ask for advise but I think you're the best person to ask. Nobody I know has any experience in this except for my Dad and he doesn't really know too much.

I won a good bit of Galleons in a pool, enough to buy a car. Since I don't know a thing about cars, real Muggle cars, and you work with them professionally I thought you would be the best person to ask what kind of car would be best for me to learn how to properly drive. I asked Harry's account manager at Gringotts what the exchange rate would be and I have a budget of a little over 30,000 pounds of money. Is that enough to buy something decent? My Dad has an old Ford Anglia but he's made it a magical car that flies and stuff but I don't know if it would pass for a real Muggle car. It doesn't drink petrol or anything.

I know this is asking quite a bit but if you could send me suggestions I would really appreciate it. I thought that when I find a car that maybe you and Jack could teach me how to drive? I know there's a lot to it, moving things about and using your feet but it shouldn't take too long, I hope. Maybe a day or two? The first time I could get away from Hogwarts will be over Christmas break. Mum's agreed that I could see Jack then so does that give you enough time to find something? If not there's the Easter hols.

You can send your reply back with Jack's letter. I wrote her as well, and if her letter isn't there you can blame Errol. He's an old owl who isn't the best at these things any more and I wasn't sure how the Hogwarts owls would manage sending you a letter. Not sure if they know how to deliver to a Muggle neighbourhood.