Stardust

Chapter 1

In the blinding light of the August afternoon, the sun seemed to be trapped in the narrow streets of London suburb, and even in the shadows the heat still lingered. The shadows of houses were now twice as long, the air was dry and hot, smelling faintly of a car's exhaust fumes. The clouds were cotton-candy, as though they blushed at the warm touch of the sun. In the middle of the Chiswick, a girl was sitting on a bench next to the street, bathing in the sunlight, with her headphones in and a book in her lap.

Stella Jones just said her goodbye to her best friend who she spent most of the summer with. All she had to do now was wait. She knew she had to wait at least an hour before Dumbledore gets there but she hated goodbyes, she just wanted some time for herself before going to Hogwarts. Her mind travelled back to all the time her parents talked about the school and all they learned there. Her mother was a proud Ravenclaw and dad was in Gryffindor. For a moment she thought about sorting and which house she might get, but in all honesty, she didn't care. She thought the whole process of dividing people like that was bad, but it wasn't up to her to change it.

Her eyes followed the transferring van that was the only vehicle that passed beside her for the last ten minutes. She watched as it stopped in front of the fourth house from her and she tilted her head. Not a minute later another car appeared. She watched as a young couple walked out of the car. They looked happy. She saw the guy wrap his arms around the smaller girl spinning her around. She laughed and kissed him. They were happy. Stella smiled at the sight of them. She smiled hoping they will bring happiness in the house she lived in for so long. All childhood memories ran through her head and she leaned her back backwards letting the sun cover her.

More and more people were going out, each looking at the young girl on the bench with her suitcase next to her. Stella didn't mind the stares. Everyone in this neighbourhood knew her, some were worried and some simply curious, as it always was.

Sun sank lower in the sky, until the trees that line the street stood as black statues silhouetted against the darkening sky, the light of day draining away, giving way to the velvety dark of night, dusky colors subdued in the fading light of streetlamps as they turned on, day winding down. The first star in the night sky appeared and the air became cooler, the sharp shadow of the lamppost had faded into the dark of the sidewalk. Only the faintest of light shone through the leaves, soon it grew dark, darkening sky, a close silence in the dim evening light. Slowly, the shadows melted away into the blackness of the night.

Stella was a bit worried at this moment, she knew Dumbledore was rarely late, only when something important came up. Before she could think of what to do, an annoying sound of the street phone brought her back to reality. Her head snapped towards the phone, a famous London's red phone. She stared at it blankly thinking how they are not supposed to ring - ever. She looked at people passing by, noticing that they don't pay attention to it, or maybe don't hear it at all. She sighed and got up. She reached the phone and warily picked it up.

"Could you please come to the closest cafe, I'm tired," a familiar voice said and she shook her head, an amusing smile plastered on her lips.

"You are just old," she pointed out and laughed when a man on the other line groaned, "I'll be there in a minute," she informed him and ended the call. She gathered her stuff and went towards the cafe that was just down the street.

"Hello, kid," Albus greeted when he saw her.

"I thought we were going in, aren't you tired?"

"I rested while waiting for you, you are really slow!" He answered as she rolled her eyes. "Whatever you say, old man."

"That's very rude," he said and she smiled widely, "But you still love me, though."

"Yes, I do," he pulled her into a hug and she relaxed. He was like an uncle to her, or maybe granddad, she could never decide. However, she loved him dearly. He was family.