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The third Saturday of August had become a scared day for four best friends.

During the summer, the four would be separated and even with the owls they'd send each other, it couldn't replace the time they spent together in school. The girls practically spent every minute possible together when at Hogwarts, so to be separating during the summer was the worst feeling in the world.

So when the family driver dropped Adeline off in front of the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron that strangely warm Saturday morning, she was practically bouncing with excitement as she made her way into the dusty pub.

She spotted Estelle first, who was looking tanner than ever after spending her summer in the French countryside with her extended family. Estelle squealed with excitement, running across the pub and practically jumping on the girl. "I missed you so much this summer!" She exclaimed. "I need to ask this now though...are you the Ravenclaw prefect for our year?"

Adeline thought back to the prefect badge she had received a few days ago with her Hogwarts letter, her heart swelling with pride. "How'd you even know?"

"As if Professor Flitwick would chose anyone else," Estelle laughed, pulling her towards the back brick entrance to Diagon Alley. "Melanie and Ophelia said they'd meet us at Gringotts, and Ophelia mentioned that if we don't get Florian's at some point today, she'll throw a Quaffle at us at the first Gryffindor game."

As Adeline tapped her wand against the bricks, revealing a world that she had been itching to get back to ever since she had gone back to her home back in June. "Florian's sounds absolutely lovely today," She noted with a sigh. "I've been craving their lemon ice cream all summer."

The two chatted excitedly about their summers and the upcoming school year as they walked through the bustling crowds of Diagon Alley. While the pair, along with their two other best friends, had exchanged letters almost the entire summer, there was still so much that couldn't be said. Estelle dominated most of the conversation, simply because she had a lot more to talk about between stories of her overdramatic aunts and crazy food dishes she had tried.

Adeline didn't tell her anything about her parents, instead choosing to tell her about the summer job she had spent working at a local bookstore. Because she was one of the few employees, she ended up spending almost all of her summer working. The combination of the book discounts for some of her favorite novels and being able to spend so much time outside of her home – and to get paid a considerable amount of money for it – was an absolute dream for Adeline.

In the distance, Adeline saw two girls standing in front of Gringotts, bickering over what was likely something to do with Quidditch. Estelle and Adeline shared a knowing look before bounding towards the pair. "Miss us?" Adeline said with a wide smile, stopping the two girls' argument in its track.

"Merlin, I missed you guys!" Melanie exclaimed, pulling Estelle and Adeline into a tight embrace.

Ophelia joined in, making the group hug more like a big tangle of limbs. "When we see each other every day, it's so weird to have to send letters to you guys."

"I hate having to communicate with you guys by owl," Adeline added as the four eventually separated, realizing that they were creating a blockade in front of the Gringotts entrance. "I need to exchange my muggle money out for wizarding money, and then do you guys want to start the school supply shopping?"

Ophelia sighed, hitching her bag over her shoulder. "Despite the fact that this means that we're one step closer to going back to school, yes we should."

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After exchanging her summer savings and pocket money out for wizarding coins and placing half of it in her savings, Adeline strolled through the streets with her three best friends, her coins jangling in her small purse. Diagon Alley still felt as magical as it did the first time she came four years ago with Professor McGonagall. Her parents made excuse after excuse as to why they couldn't attend, but McGonagall could easily see through their weak lies and got the message pretty quickly.

Professor McGonagall then proceeded to make it her mission that the little girl beside her had the best first wizarding experience possible.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to carry all these textbooks this year," Ophelia complained as she glanced at her textbook list once more before pushing open the door to Flourish and Blotts. The inside was crowded with students of all ages, all bustling around trying to find books to survive the upcoming school year with. "Does anyone happen to know a back massage spell?"

"I'm sure there's some sort of charm for it," Melanie remarked absentmindedly, more focused on the table of books on fortune telling. "Adeline, you're the charms master here. Got anything up your sleeve?"

The girl in question tried to look at Melanie over her stack of textbooks, but she could barely even see the bookshelves that rose high against the walls. "Your best bet is charming an object to do it for you."

An employee rushed on by and charmed Adeline's stack so all the textbooks came flying out of her hands and towards the till. She thanked him and pulled out her coins purse so she could pay the Blotts employee who currently looked as if he was about to cry over the crowds of students and their even-more stressed parents. "Has it been like this all day?"

He sighed as he took her Galleons. "It was worse in the morning. It doesn't help that we now have a book that bites us back."

"Do you mean The Monster Book of Monsters?" Estelle piped up from behind Adeline, holding a stack of textbooks equally as large. "My parents got that for me a couple of years ago. Just stroke the spine and the book practically falls asleep."

The Blotts employee shot her a wary look, not exactly trusting her advice. Estelle decided to set her books down on the counter next to Adeline's and walked over to the Monster books. Despite protests from multiple employees, Estelle picked up one of the books and gently stroked the spine of it. The book went from a rabid, biting mess to immediate stillness and all the employees looked as if they wanted to kiss her.

"I think you just changed our lives," The till worker told her when Estelle made her way back over. "We'll be singing your praises for weeks to come."

All four girls purchases their stacks of textbooks and Ophelia turned to the group with an eager grin. "I believe it's now time for ice cream."

"It's ten in the morning, we've only been to one shop, and–"

"I believe it's now time for ice cream."

Despite some protests from Melanie, less than ten minutes later the four girls found themselves sitting on a table outside of Florian's, the bright sunshine beating down onto them. Adeline was digging into lemon ice cream with chocolate sauce drizzled on top, making sure not to spill any of the sauce on her dress.

Ophelia was cracking a joke but in the middle of it, something caught her eye and she trailed off in the middle of it. "Harry?"

Adeline looked over in the direction of Ophelia's gaze and saw Harry Potter look up from his textbook and parchment paper, giving the brunette girl an eager wave. "Ophelia! How's your summer been?"

She didn't know him that well, but Adeline always thought Harry was sweet. He had a tendency to get himself sucked into these dangerous situations, but as far as Adeline knew, he wasn't doing it on purpose. She never really understood why people always gave him such a difficult time. Maybe it was because Adeline didn't grow up in the magical world and hearing his story over and over again. Either way, she never really minded him.

"Absolutely wicked." Ophelia took another big spoonful of ice cream and moved her chair a little closer to Harry so they weren't yelling at each other across the outdoor seating area. "Are you ready to help Gryffindor win the Quidditch Cup this year?"

The pair began eagerly chatting about the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and the girls knew that once Ophelia got on the topic of Quidditch, there was little they could do to get her to stop, so they would often let her keep going. Melanie was also a Chaser on the Hufflepuff team, so every time the two houses played each other, Estelle and Adeline were both subject to the pair's rivalry.

"I swear, my parents are going to go mental with me this year," Melanie said with a big sigh when Ophelia rejoined the group. "I'm supposed to have 5 O.W.L.S. minimum, and my potions marks alone is a nightmare. I love them, but they're nuts when it comes to exams."

"You know I can be like your personal potions tutor right?" Estelle reminded her. "I'm not even a Slytherin and Professor Snape can't say anything wrong about them. It's my one pride and joy in my witch career."

"You are our potions savior," Ophelia teased, pretending to raise her hands to the heavens and bow down to her. "I owe you so much Honeydukes at this point it isn't even funny."

"Just get me a pack of Chocolate Frogs and we'll call it good."

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Hours passed of cracking jokes and shopping, and eventually, Adeline found herself saying goodbye to her best friends and standing outside the Leaky Cauldron. She found herself wishing that the car would never show up to take her home, even though she had nowhere else to go besides her home during the summer.

The car pulled up to the sidewalk, snapping Adeline out of her deluded fantasy. She pulled open the door and slid into the backseat, giving the driver a happy greeting as she did so. As she turned her head, Adeline was surprised to see her older sister Emily sitting in the backseat beside her, not saying a word to her and instead choosing to keep her nose in a book.

Adeline did the same, choosing to pore over her Divination textbook rather than try and talk to her.

"Was it good?"

Adeline's head snapped up and she looked over at Emily, who still was focusing on her book. "Was it good?" She repeated. "Your school supplies trip?"

"Yes..." Adeline replied hesitantly, unsure where the conversation was going.

Emily looked up at Adeline for the first time during the car ride. "Good," She said simply, giving her a singular nod.

And with you that, the Reyes' sisters were quiet once more.

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a/n:

hi guys!!

i've been so excited to share this fic for weeks now and i can't wait for you guys to start reading it!! the first chapter is kind of boring but i SWEAR it's going to get more interesting.

- g ♡