Goodbyes and New Beginnings

[Timothy Allwright]

• Timothy was still growing used to the implications of his decision. Not that it had been much of a decision at the time; he'd dreamt, always dreamt, of attending Hogwarts, and since the Carnival had rolled up right on the castle's doorstep, Timothy had found himself unable to leave. It would've been horrible, to know he was a wizard and miss the opportunity to learn anything about magic... Which wasn't to say he wouldn't miss his home; because he already did. Maybe because it was still summer, he hadn't yet had the adventure of going to Hogwarts, but Timothy was feeling a little down, lonely and anxious. The carnival had packed up and rolled away, and it wasn't just like leaving home, leaving his family, it was leaving his home and his family. The carnival was all Timothy had ever had other than the blanket he'd been wrapped in as he'd been left by the tents and stalls and cages as a baby, other than the knowledge he now had that he was going to Hogwarts! He really was!
  
  He told himself this to coax a grin onto his face as he pushed open the door to the Post Office, letter in hand to send off after the carnival. To his family, his friends, even the circus animals that he thought of as almost pets. Not really a letter, for Timothy couldn't write. But a drawing of him, a nice colourful depiction of him outside the castle - with the carnival in the background, of course - holding his new wand and wearing Hogwarts robes and a beam up to his ears. He'd signed his name as best he could, though, and was peering up at the huge selection of owls in awe and delight. They'd have no trouble finding the carnival in the next place they set up in, however far away. Owls were smart creatures, that Tim knew. He was good with animals. He caught one's eye - one that wasn't asleep - and cooed lightly to it, causing it to hoot softly back. At which he dropped his letter from his hand that was a little clammy, and after wiping the sweat off on his scruffy trousers, he picked the parchment up and... bumped into someone who hadn't seen him behind them. "'Scuse me, sorry," He began, hoping for an encounter that wasn't as unpleasant as that Daily Prophet article people had been muttering about - that Timothy couldn't read, of course, so he didn't know what it had said, only that there had been a picture of the carnival - and some of the downright disapproving looks he'd received in the High Street, even on his best behaviour.

  

[Declan Wood]

Declan hated running errands for his mother. It made him feel... less like a man. His younger sister, Maxine, ought to have been doing it all, but she'd recently come down with some sort of head cold that apparently made her unable to run dislikable errands. While he didn't mind helping his mother out - he knew she needed it - he was still very much opposed to delivering laundry. More specifically, ladies undergarments, especially at public places. The post office's owner lived above the establishment. The only way to get to his home was to go through the post office itself and around behind a wall where a small spiral staircase was hidden.

Ladies undergarments were heavy.

The twelve year old had slung the drawstring sack over his back, much resembling Santa Clause and his bag of toys. He had rang the bell that was on the counter so that the post master would realize he was there and would come get his wife and three daughter's laundry. Declan was forced to wait for a good quarter of an hour. By this time, he had taken to having staring contests with the owls that were awake. He had been in an intense gaze with an owl, who he began to suspect was cheating by it having died with its eyes open, when the shop door behind him opened. Unable to allow himself to lose, even to a possibly dead foul, the second year refused to look away.

Finally, Declan was forced to blink. He muttered curses at the owl, who had taken the opportunity to shift its weight and prove itself still very much alive. To lose to a bird! With a shake of his head, he moved to swing around to see whoever it was that had arrived. Hopefully, it wasn't anyone he knew from school. Before he could completely turn however, he was bumped into from behind.

"Watch it!" He exclaimed and spun around as the bag on his back swung heavily behind him, "You really oughta-" He stopped as he realized who it was, "What are you doin' here, Timothy? Should'n ya have left with the carnival?" The younger boy had given Declan a tour of the behind-the-scenes of the carnival for the exchange of sweets. The Slytherin had enjoyed himself, but he hadn't expected to ever see the carnie again... especially now that there wasn't a carnival.

  

[Timothy Allwright]

• Timothy had bumped backwards into the heavy sack, which at the accidental contact, began swinging round dangerously as the person carrying it turned round. Tim spun on his heel and leapt back a foot, safely out of the way, before even checking who it was. Timothy looked over innocently as the other boy - Declan, if he remembered correctly - began to exclaim something, only to recognise him as well. "...'lo, Declan," He began.
  
  Tim gave a hesitant smile, a sheepish sort of grin, almost, as Declan tried to work out why he was here, of all places, in the Hogsmeade Post Office instead of off helping feed dragons and doing acrobatic tricks and setting up the carnival for some other lucky, unsuspecting town. For a minute, he couldn't work it out either. Then his eyes lit up as he replied brightly, "Nah, I got my 'ogwarts letter!! ... I- I wanted to stay, try out learnin' magic 'n' stuff, since I was 'ere at the perfect time anyway..." He trailed off before wanting to say more, glancing over at the other boy to study his reaction first; he wouldn't say too much or go on excitedly (which was how he mostly felt, going on such an adventure as starting at Hogwarts) unless the other boy didn't seem to mind. He realised Declan must go to Hogwarts. Hmm, he'd not really imagined he'd see the boy again, until Tim had quite made up his mind that going to school was the best idea... anyone had had, in a century.
  
  If the boy's initial reaction was of disapproval, say, or perhaps anger, maliciousness, or even if he merely scoffed at Timothy's hopes and dreams, Tim prepared himself to flee. He'd do best getting out of here, even if he was still clutching that ahem, illustrated letter for the carnival in his hands.

  

[Declan Wood]

He got his Hogwarts letter? The carnie? The carnie AT HOGWARTS? Declan couldn't believe what he was hearing. Surely there had to have been some sort of system that sorted out who was and wasn't invited to attend Hogwarts - they had to draw the line somewhere. While Declan knew he wouldn't have been the first choice, being a half blood and poor as dirt, at least he hadn't grown up in a traveling carnival. The boy was strange! Then again, if he were sorted into Slytherin and had a bunch of great stories to tell... Declan could look past all of that.

"So ya just decided to stay, huh?" He said with raised brows, "Ya got anywhere to sleep at night or did ya not think that through?" While Timmy may have known how to feed a dragon whilst avoiding its clutches, he probably didn't have a lick of street smarts. If he were out on his own, he wouldn't make it until the first of September when the new school term started - even if it was only a couple of weeks away. He probably wouldn't even last a single night, especially in the slums of Hogsmeade.

"Me mum'll prolly box my ears if she finds out I didn't invite ya back with me," The twelve year old reasoned, "So if ya don't got nowhere to stay til school starts, ya can stay with us. We don't got a lot and there's a lot of us ta feed, but if ya help out when it's needed 'n watch my sisters durin' the days then I don't think I'll mind it that much."