Graduation day came and went at Cackles. Fenny and Gris were so excited to finally leave the halls of 'Castle Doom' as they called it. They were free women of the world now. They went with Gris' mother to her rental car. Gris noticed her mom's face go from happy to sad .

"What's going on, and why do you look so sad all of a sudden?" Griselda asked.

" Aunt 'Belle' recently passed away. I wanted to wait to tell you ; because, I knew how much you loved her, plus telling you would only ruin your graduation," Mrs. Blackwood said.

"When did she pass,mom?" Griselda asked.

"A week ago. Listen, the reading of her will is tomorrow in London; I've invited Fenny along since she's too old now to stay at the orphanage.I know that she'll be good moral support for you," her mother told her sniffling at the same time.

"This is so wrong!!! I mean I knew that she got sick, but I didn't know how sick," she said now breaking down into a crying fit.

" Oh dear, is everything okay?" Miss Cackle asked after she and her staff came running out to see what the matter was.

"Yes" Griselda answered swallowing heavily and composing herself to face them.

"We're sorry, Miss Cackle, there's been a death in our family. It was Griselda's favorite aunt on her dad's side," Mrs. Blackwood said.

"Oh dear, I'm very sorry to hear that," Miss Cackle said.

" Don't worry, Miss Cackle, I'll be okay. Thank you for everything here, and I'll miss all of you. Goodbye," Griselda said.

"Okay then, dear. Keep in touch, " Miss Cackle said smiling reassuringly.

After a few moments, the trio hurried to catch the red-eye to London. It was a rocky flight, and the food was awful, more awful than the slop at Cackles'.

Fenny and Mrs. Blackwood did everything they could to keep Griselda's spirits stable during the flight. When they reached their hotel , they saw a convention of men wearing fez caps toasting and singing some sort of jolly song. When Fenny got a closer look, she saw that they were celebrating their twentieth class reunion.

"Boy, I hope that ours will be as nice," she said to Griselda thinking of how they had just graduated.

"It will. I'm sure of it," she said trying to be strong.

They went to bed at around eight and woke up at six. It was the very devil to get Mrs. Blackwood up. She worked long shifts and slept mostly during the day usually. They sped over to Fenton Michaels' law office to hear the terms of the will. Apparently, Aunt 'Belle' left Griselda her house on Number Four Privet Drive and seven point five million pounds from an insurance policy she bought. She also left her stocks and bonds and a store on some place called Diagon Alley. Griselda's sad expression became one of excitement. She yelped and gave Fenny a great big hug.

"Do you know what this means, Fenny?"

"What?"

"We can open our own school like we planned. Isn't it the limit?"

"Yes, but what about the store?"

"We'll hire a trustworthy manager to run it, while we teach."

Mr. Michaels graciously drove the lot over to Mrs. Figg's house. They all joked about how much it looked like every other house in the area. They waited for Mr. Michaels to open the door, and when he did, they recoiled from the stench of cat litter.

"Oh, my. I forgot how much she loved cats," Griselda said.

" Apparently," Fenny answered.

"Well, this is it. I'm sorry, but I must gbe going. I have an important client coming by shortly. I wish you all good luck and good day ," Mr. Michaels said and then left.

"Okay ladies, let's do a little cleaning," Mrs. Blackwood said.

The three women cast spells all over the house until it was immaculate.

"Not bad. Not bad, girls. What do you say we all go to see that store, eh?" Mrs. Blackwood asked excitedly.

"Okay, but where is Diagon Alley, mom?" Gris asked.

"I'm not sure, but Aunt 'Belle' left us a map with a few instructions showing us how to get there," she said.

"Well, let's go and see ," Fenny said eagerly.

They followed the map to a tavern. They went out back and saw a brick wall. A man stood before it and tapped certain bricks, and it opened to reveal a shopping column.

"There are magic folk all over, mom . This is awesome, we won't have to hide who we are here," Griselda said.

"I don't quite remember, but I think they all use wands in this part of the magical world," her mom said.

" Your dad took me here to the ice cream parlor for our first date when I came over to study as an exchange student at Hogwarts. I really miss him, you know."

"Me too, mom."

Her mother's purse lit up and she pulled some sort of orb from it.

"Uh-oh, girls. I have to be going. It's an emergency, and they don't have anybody else," she said.

"Oh, mom. "

"I know, I know, but healers are always on call. You know that. I tell you what, if they get this cleared, I'll get back to you,"

"And if not?"Gris asked pressingly.

" I'll check on you as soon as I can. I trust you, dear. You're a woman , and if I can't treat you like one 'now', then I don't know when I'll ever be able to . Bye , 'Zellie' and you too Fenella, see ya'," and with that, she apparated away from Diagon Alley .

" Boy, I never thought that getting my independence would feel like this, being abandoned to fend for myself in a foreign alley," Griselda said.

" Don't worry, we can just ask somebody around here where to go and find your aunt's shop," Fenny said.

They tried to stop people, but they kept on passing them by. After fruitlessly trying to get directions, they decided to come back another day. A little after, this pack of amiable looking red-heads came by.

" Excuse us , please, but could you tell my friend and me where to find Figg's Fancy preserves?," Griselda asked.

"Why, yes, but you won't be abe to get in. You see, the owner, a very dear associate of ours passed away very recently, and--"the man started to say.

"We know. I'm her niece, Griselda Blackwood, and this here's my best friend and future business partner, Fenella Feverfew , " Gris said.

" Well, we are the Weasleys. I'm Arthur, and this is my wife, Molly. The rest of us here are Fred, George, Ginny, and Ron," he said. The family greeted them with low toned 'hi'(s).

" Hi," they both said back.

"Let's go there, then shall we?," he said.

On the walk to the store the group exchanged information and chit-chat about places of orirgin, relations, and other light topics. When they reached the store, Gris opened it with the key Mr. Michaels gave her at his office. It was amazing to see all the different homemade items lying around on the shelves. There were alcoholic beverages and all sorts of compotes, just about everything that you could possibly want that was made of fruit.

"Wow," Griselda said." This is the absolute best. I'm glad we came to London. We'll have to start prepping it up tomorrow, though. It's getting late, and we'd best get back to Privet Drive."

"Oh, girls, could you do us a favor and look in on our friend Harry Potter for us. He has the absolute worst time at the house down the street from where you'll be staying. He lives with the Dursleys. They're terrible muggles, and they hate magic," Molly said with an expression of disgust .

"Sure. Hey, why don't you guys drop over to our house sometime, and then you can check up on him yourselves whenever you need to," Griselda offered.

"We will, but when we aren't able to, please watch him, thanks," she said.

" Okay. It was nice meeting you guys, and thanks for the directions," Fenny said.

" Yes, it was," Gris said.

" It was a pleasure for us as well, and don't worry, we'll see ourselves out," Arthur said leaving with his family and closing the door behind them.

" Well, let's get back, Fenny," Gris said. They folded their arms and then flashed back to the house.

They heard yelling coming from across the street, and peered through the front window to see who it was.

"I told you, boy. NO MORE EFFING OWLS!!!!!!!!!!" a beefy miscreant shouted at a boy with jet black hair, baggy clothes, and glasses.

"IF THAT'S HOW YOU FEEL, THEN JUST THROW ME OUT!!!!!!!!" the boy yelled back.

"YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD LEAVE LAST TIME, BUT LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED. THOSE FREAKS YOU CALL FRIENDS SENT THREATS TO US TELLING US WHAT THEY'D DO TO US IF WE DIDN'T KEEP YOU AT OUR HOUSE. WELL THIS TIME, IF YOU GO , STAY GONE. JUST DIE FOR ALL I CARE!!!!!!" the beefy walrus who stood like a man said waving his right hand with a mad gesture.

"FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!," the boy retorted.

"You don't think that that's him, do you, Gris? You know, the one that the Weasleys told us about a while ago," Fenny inquired seeing Griselda look at her confused.

" I'm willing to bet that it is," Griselda said.

" Let's wait for him to cool off a little bit before we approach him," Fenny said.

" Good idea, " Gris answered.

Much to their surprise, he spied them in the house and came over with a look of suspicion on his face.

"Alohomora!!!" he said. Harry didn't care if he got into trouble for using the spell. He couldn't let anybody prowl Mrs. Figg's house. This was especially so, since he heard about her going into the hospital two weeks ago.

He burst in with his wand and pointed it at the two girls.

"Alright, who are you two, and what do you think that you're doing in Mrs. Figg's house?!" he asked like an inspector.

" I am Mrs. Figg's niece, Griselda, and she left this house to me when she passed away a week ago," Griselda returned in a tone of voice that was equally belligerent.

" How do I know that you're telling me the truth?"

"Listen, if you don't put that thing away, you're going to be very sorry,pal," Fenella threatened.

" Oh, and just who might you be?"

"Fenella Feverfew, Griselda's best friend who by the way doesn't take kindly to impolite little snits like yourself," she said.

" Do yourself a favor and put that thing away before you get yourself into a some trouble," Griselda advised.

Griselda sneakily approached him when he looked away for a second, and Harry waved his wand and said, " STUPEFY!"

The light went toward Griselda who apparated away and blasted him from behind with her hands.

He stood there only able to move his eyes .

"Now listen, I 'am' Mrs. Figg's niece, and I assume that your name is Harry Potter. Fenny and I heard about you through some friends of yours called the Weasleys. We are not trying to hurt anybody, in fact, we are only trying to mind our business. Now I am about to take my spell off. Do you promise to keep quiet ?" Griselda sked.

"Umm-umm," the stiff boy intoned with an 'uh-huh'.

"Okay, now. I'll let you go, and we'll discuss this like civilized people," she said like she was talking to a five year old.

When he was free, he apologized. Harry explained that he couldn't take his aunt's and uncle's rants about his being magical anymore. He explained about himself and the conditions upon which he must stay there with his only remaining family, but he said that he just had to break the unbearable condition.

"That sounds awful," Fenny said.

" Well, don't worry. You're with friends now. 'Friends' that is as long as you keep your wand tucked away in your pocket," Griselda joked.

" I really am very sorry," Harry apologized again.

"Don't mention it. We're about to start dinner. Have you eaten?"Griselda asked.

"No, my aunt and uncle wanted to starve me; because, I got mail from owls, and owls aren't 'normal'," Harry explained.

" Oh. Well how do burgers and fries sound, then?" she asked.

"Fine by me," Harry said.

" Good. We'll eat, and then we'll go flying later. I bet this place looks great at night when you look down," Fenny suggested.

" I don't mean to pry, but just how old are you guys?" Harry asked." You seem rather young to be on your own like this."

"We're both eighteen. We graduated from Cackles Academy two days ago, so now we're free witches," Griselda answered raising her thumbs up in excitement.

" Yeah. Who knows what the future holds for us?" Fenella asked.

" For me, possible death at the hands of the evil creep who killed my parents," Harry answered glumly.

"Wow, your life really 'is' lousy. Perhaps we can teach you a few tricks so that you can protect yourself," Fenny said to him.

"That would be great considering the fact that neither I nor Lord Voldemort can use our wands against each other," he said.

" Why not?" Gris asked.

" Our wands have feathers that came from the same animal, a phoenix," Harry said.

" I know about that; it's called 'Pri----- something," Fenella said and shrugged her shoulders after indifferently.

"Priori Incantatem," Harry finished. Fenny nodded to show that she understood.

" Well, let me zap up dinner, and we can get you situated 'here' until things cool down at home,okay?" Gris assured. She waved her hands and a plate of burgers ,a huge plate of fries , a blueberry pie, and a carafe of orange soda with ice appeared.

"Thank you both very much for your hospitality," Harry returned.

" No problem. Make yourself at home," Griselda said.