Ariana: A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter Four

The rain and clouds had gone away, the sun was bright, and a week had passed since the Dumbledores moved into their new, little home in Godric’s Hollow. Albus was reading, as usual, in the parlor, on a plush armchair with his legs thrown over one arm. Aberforth sat with Ariana in the dining room, playing with marbles Kendra’d gotten for her.

            Aberforth stared at the marbles quizzically. “I don’t understand.”

            “It’s just like Gobstones, only it doesn’t shoot that icky stuff at the loser,” Ariana explained as she knocked another of his marbles out of the chalk circle they’d drawn onto the table with her own marble.

            He shook his head, smiling crookedly. “But how is that fun?”

            Meanwhile, Kendra crouched over her new plot of soil, a little pouch full of seeds from her old garden sitting in the grass beside her, a rusty watering can on her other side. She held a handful of daisy and ginger seeds, which she then spread out over the dirt. Reaching into her pouch, she took the last few marigold and hydrangea seeds and spread them out, as well. Then she took the can and lightly poured water over the entire plot, humming randomly as she worked.

            When she’d finished, she stood and brushed the dirt off her skirt, the pouch in one hand and the can in the other. The garden plot was at the side of house, and she walked around to the backdoor, and was startled to find it opening as she reached for it.

            She started, then calmed when she saw it was only Albus. He seemed just as startled to see her.

            “What is it, Albus?” Kendra asked, breaking the momentary silence.

            “There’s a woman at the door,” he replied, and opened the door wider to allow his mother through.

            Puzzled, she rushed past him and put down the pouch and can in the kitchen. Aberforth and Ariana had ceased playing their game, curious about the visitor.

            Kendra looked at Ariana hard and said, “Stay in here.”

            Ariana nodded, and Kendra moved through the house quickly, to the front door.

            “Ab!” Albus called, and waved him over.

            Aberforth stood from his chair and walked over, saying, “What?”

            “We’ll be able to see what’s going on from the side of the house,” Albus replied, and he raced into the backyard and around the house, Aberforth following, closing the door behind him.

            They peaked around the side of the house just in time to see Kendra opening the door. A tiny woman stood on their doorstep. She wore a light robe over a lavender dress. Her hair was short and blonde, pulled back in a bun. She held a tray of Cauldron Cakes; chocolate in the shape of a cauldron, with a golden filling.

            Kendra, however, was a fright. Her eyes were wide and staring, her hands and skirt caked with dirt from the garden, and her mouth forming a straight line.

            The visitor didn’t seem to be worried by Kendra’s appearance. She smiled widely and said, “Good afternoon, neighbor!”

            Kendra, her expression unchanging, said flatly, “Hello.”

            The visitor was unscathed by Kendra’s coldness. “My name is Bathilda Bagshot. I live right next door, and when I’d heard a new wizarding family had moved in, I just had to make a batch of Cauldron Cakes to welcome you! I would’ve come earlier, but the weather has been dreadful lately—”