Perfect Illusion: Scars Saga 2

Twelve Years Later

Twelve Years Later

31 August 1993

"Jonathan! Let's go!" I called up the stairs. "I don't mind getting there later, but you wanted to see your friends!"

A moment later a pair of feet came bounding down the stairs and a blur passed by me.

"I'm waiting on you, Mum!"

I took a deep breath before turning to follow.

"You can drop the 'wise guy' right now. I'm not above grounding you the day before term starts."

The snarky teenager mumbled something incoherently under his breath, probably something to do with his "miserably frozen summer holiday" before smiling and offering a feeble apology. I bit back the remark I so wanted to issue. If there's anything I've learned from fourteen years of being a single mother, it's that patience is a virtue...and I have none. As my son, neither did Jonathan. If one of us lost control the other was soon to follow.

We made our way out the front doors and down the long path to the gates in silence. It seemed most of our summer was spent in silence. Silence was better than the alternative of yelling I suppose.

Don't get me wrong. I love being a mother. It is the single, greatest joy in my life and I wouldn't trade any of it, especially the yelling matches, for anything. Still, I missed the days where he thought I was the greatest person to grace this earth.

Once we'd passed through the protective enchantments, I silently offered him my arm and we apparated to the Leaky Cauldron in London. The instant we arrived, Jonathan pulled his arm from mine and took off running for the back door.

"Thanks, Mum! See you later!"

"Buy your school supplies first! And don't forget to go my Madam Malkins!" I called after his retreating figure. I heaved a great sigh and pinched the bridge of my nose. I'd likely have to find him later and remind him.

For most parents whose kids attended an exclusive boarding school for nearly ten months of the year, I suppose the start of term brought on a sense of longing and dread for both parties. For the parent it was because it would be several months before they saw their child again. For the child it was because school was starting.

Start of term did neither for Jonathan and me. Partially because Jonathan and I would continue to see each other on a daily basis since I taught at his school. But mostly it was because Hogwarts was not your typical boarding school. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was just that, a school of magic for the young witch and wizard to hone their craft. I'd been teaching at Hogwarts for as long as Jonathan had been attending, four years.

I slowly made my way to the back of the Cauldron and through the back door into the little alley. I tapped the third brick above the trash bin with my wand to reveal the secret entrance to Diagon Alley. Diagon Alley was one of the magical hubs in London, and it's where most, if not all, the students of Hogwarts bought their school supplies. Diagon Alley offered more than just school supplies though.

On a lamp post just inside the arched entrance was a wanted poster for one Sirius Black. Black had recently escaped the wizard prison Azkaban and the wizarding world was going frantic over it. No one had ever escaped from Azkaban before. Black had been imprisoned for fifteen counts of murder, twelve of them were Muggles, and thirteen of them were committed at the same time. "Muggle" is the term used for someone who doesn't have magic. Seeing Black screaming like a mad banshee in the poster didn't fill me with fear like it did most. When I looked at Black all I felt was a great deal of loss and sadness.