The Outcasts Of Hogwarts

Chapter 1 Summer with the Muggles

Matt sat in the passenger seat of his mother's old car as she drove down the motorway. He was absently shuffling through his collection of CDs and cassette tapes of music that he had missed during his time at Hogwarts and he wondered how he had gotten into this situation.

Glancing in the rear view mirror, he could see Amaris leaning against the window in the back seat. She had spent the first part of the journey looking at every car and building they passed. But now her still recovering body had defeated her curiosity and she was asleep with her face still pressed against the glass. Next to Amaris, wedged in the middle seat, Kim was looking slightly greener than usual and she was staring determinedly forwards. She had insisted that she always got a bit of a headache while in a car but nothing worse than that but Matt's mother had given her a bottle of water and a sick bag, anyway. Just in case.

Next to Kim, and behind Matt, Steffan sat with perfect posture and arms folded. His head was turned slightly towards the window and he'd barely moved the entire journey. His eyes just flicked continuously to the surroundings whizzing by and he had an expression Matt couldn't decipher. At first, Matt had assumed it had been disdain for the muggle environment but, watching him in the side mirror, he wasn't so sure. Considering that Steffan had weaselled his way into being here, Matt thought he could at least look happy about it.

Matt once again thought about how he had gotten into this situation. When the train had arrived at King's Cross Station, Matt had found his mother and had wasted no time giving her a hug. Sarah Clark was a short woman, though still taller than her son, with skin far paler than his. But they had the same waves of thick brown hair, hers was kept from her face by a large clip at the back of her head. Matt considered her to be strong minded in her kindness and he was yet to have ever needed anything that wasn't in her handbag.

He had introduced her to his friends, slightly self conscious about what they would all think of each other. Matt had told his mother vaguely about Amaris's circumstances but Sarah had still been shocked to see the dressing on the side of Amaris's face.

"Oh, you poor thing," she had said, reaching out to touch Amaris's hair. But she had quickly noticed Amaris's discomfort and had backed away.

He had been getting ready to leave with Amaris when Kim had received an owl right in the middle of the muggle station from her parents saying that they had been delayed and wouldn't be back in the country for another week. The delivery had also included a bag of money for Kim to use for lodgings somewhere in London.

But Kim had simply sighed, "That's just typical,"

Matt had known Kim's parents were unreliable, usually putting their oh so very important jobs at the Ministry and muggle government ahead of their daughter but this seemed far worse than usual.

Luckily, Matt's mum was having none of it. "Now that is shameful, what are you, fourteen? And I'm sure you can handle yourself, dear, but I will not allow you to spend a week on your own in the middle of a city. You can stay with us until your parents deem it convenient for them to collect you."

Kim had tried to protest but it was no use, she would be coming home with them whether she liked it or not.

They were just about to head off when Steffan had done his thing. Matt wasn't sure what exactly it was he had done, possibly something in the way he stood or that particular type of not speaking where it is clear that you want to. But whatever it was, it had made Sarah turn back, "How about you dear? Where are your parents?"

"I'm sure they'll get here at some point," Steffan had replied in a voice that sounded calm and confident but somehow gave off the exact opposite impression.

"We can wait with you, if you want," Sarah had said, already firmly in his trap.

"You don't have to do that, they usually take a while and you've still got your journey home," Steffan had replied, "and I have enough money for a room at the Leaky Cauldron if they get their days mixed up again."