A/N: I’m baaaaaaaaack! And guess what! I’m not dead!!!!!!! XD This chapter is short since it’s mainly filler (I know I suck). Thanks to all the awesome people who alerted/favorited me, and to all the even awesomer people who reviewed! You all get big virtual hugs and star-shaped cyber cookies with yellow icing (nods)!!!!

Chapter 5: Another Letter

Previously: Hours later, before she fell asleep, Azalea wondered idly if the second letter would even come. It seemed so unreal, more like a prank than anything…

Azalea winced as she gingerly shifted the large hedge clippers in her burned fingers. Uncle Vernon had been furious when she’d burned the bacon that morning. It had been years since she’d had her hand put to the burner, but her uncle had not hesitated to bring back the old punishment for burning food.

There was a rustle in the bushes next to her.

“Andrew?” She called quietly.

“Yeah. It came.” There was an odd look in his eyes, a hyper-excited, dazzled sort of look. Azalea thought it looked odd on Andrew’s normally calm features.

“Wha—you’re kidding.”

“Nope. An owl swooped in dropped it on the desk, and left.”

“An owl?” Azalea asked, a skeptical look crossing her almost elfin features.

“That’s exactly what I was thinking!”

“Tell your mother next time I come over.”

“Why do you have to be there?” He asked, puzzled.

“I just want to see her face when you tell her.” Andrew shook his head.

“You know, most people wouldn’t believe there’s a sense of humor somewhere in there.”

“Well, most people aren’t my best friend.” She retorted, half smirking.

“Touché.” Andrew said, rolling his eyes.

“I’ll see you later.” She said abruptly. Grimacing, he nodded, both of them knowing Azalea’s words to mean that her uncle was coming. Both moved away from the small gap in the hedge as Vernon Dursley’s heavy footfalls announced his arrival in the backyard. Walking away from the hedge, Andrew felt the cold sensation that he felt every time their conversations ended that way. He quickened his pace when he heard the bulky man’s voice yell and knew that there was nothing he could do.

Azalea was surprised. Not only had the first letter not been a prank, the second had come so soon. It had barely been two days since they’d talked in the park, after all.

Uncle Vernon’s face was already purple as he walked toward her, belt in hand, and she almost wished that they had sent her to an orphanage, as they so often threatened to, because nothing could be worse than this.

--

Aunt Petunia was obviously in a charitable mood the next day, because she was allowed to go to Andrew’s after lunch, for which she got 2 slices of bread and a glass of water.

Andrew met her at the corner, having been on his way to ask if she could come over.

“Guess you’re telling her today, huh?” Azalea smirked.

“Right.” Andrew muttered. She cocked her head to one side.

“Nervous?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, if this all isn’t just a trick, what will I do? The letter says it’s a boarding school and those are always pretty expensive, so how would we pay for it? And—” Azalea cut him off.

“Andrew calm down. This is why we’re telling your mother. She’ll probably know what to do.” She said carefully.

“Er, yeah, right.” He replied as they walked into the kitchen, where Mrs. Dawson had just finished making sandwiches for lunch.

“Oh hello, Azalea dear. I just finished you two’s lunches.” She said, turning around with a smile.

“Hello, Mrs. Dawson!” Azalea replied cheerily, with a pointed look at Andrew. His mouth twisted into a grimace as he took both letters from his pocket and handed them to his mother, saying, “Er, the first one came after the party, and the second one came last night,” his tone laced with nervous anticipation.

Ms. Dawson was silent as she read the two letters. Upon finishing, she sat down slowly at the table. Her face was something between shocked and brain dead. Azalea beat back a giggle, but was unable to hide the smirk that crept across her face.

“Well, I got a letter from your biological father as well. He left it at the orphanage with you Andy. I honestly wasn’t sure whether or not to believe it. Goodness, this is all so much to take in.” She said with a sigh.

“I suppose that the only question now is whether you want to go or not.” Mrs. Dawson was staring intently at Andrew.

“I don’t know. I mean, it’d be great to learn magic and all but I’d probably be homesick; I don’t know if I want to go if I’m by myself.”

“Well, that’s alright. Why don’t we just check it out? There were directions how to get there on the letter I got. If you decide that you want to go to Hogwarts, then we’ll send the reply from the post office that ought to be there.” Mrs. Dawson looked slightly relieved that Andrew had said that he wasn’t sure. Azalea felt much the same. It wasn’t that she wasn’t happy for Andrew, but she didn’t look forward to being by herself again and such a situation would give the Dursleys means to hurt her without anyone poking around.

Mrs. Dawson gave them their sandwiches and went upstairs, saying that she was going to have a lie down. Andrew grabbed an American board game his grandmother had gotten him from his room. As they set up the game, Andrew noticed an odd look on Azalea’s face.

“Are you okay, Zale?”

“Yeah, just…I’m fine.” She replied, looking away. Andrew frowned.

“What is it?” He asked. Azalea grimaced.

“I don’t want you to be so far away, alright?” She said flatly.

“Then I won’t go.” He told her quickly.

“No, no, you should go; it’d be great if you learned magic. I just meant that—well it’s not exactly like I have many friends other than you. Let’s just play the game.” She added hastily, a clear end to the subject. Yet again Azalea’s skills of changing the subject come into play. I really need a backup for these situations.

A/N: Yay! New chapter! Wahoo! Yeah, 6&7 are being wrapped up so they'll be along soon. Review please!!!

Director: And CUT! That’s a wrap people, go home. Well, since we all live here, go to your respective mind corners. This place has plenty of them. If you’re new, see Boss when she goes to sleep! It oughta be soon anyways.

Sarcastic: Shut the hell up, Director. Some of us still have work left to do, so fuck off and go home!!!

Workaholic: Oi! You two! Quit arguing so Sarcastic can get back to work! Her and Muse are writing all the stories these days. Go bother Happy if you’re bored; she hasn’t got any work to do.