The Ramblings

[Natasha Bell]

Natasha arrived at The Ramblings, glad to be home. "C'mon Pat." she said to her friend, and began towards her house. The Ramblings was a huge shed made of wood and red bricks that was several stories high, it looked almost like a castle. In front of the main house, a small 'normal' looking house was attached. Muggles could see the small house, and the Bell family was careful not to leave any wizarding things in the front room so muggles wouldn't see them. "Welcome to The Ramblings." Natasha grinned, kicking a gnome that was trying to bite her foot. "Just kick the gnomes away, I'll have to tell the others to de-gnome this place." she said, laughing. The Ramblings had a big farm, though you wouldn't know that by looking at the house. Behind the house, a line of oak trees hid the farm and the flocks of goats in the fields.

Natasha skipped up to the house, and opened the door. The front room had light blue walls and cream carpet. It looked like a perfectly normal house, but The Ramblings was as far from normal as can be. Delani opened the door, and beamed at the two girls. "Hey girls, come on through!" she said, hugging both girls. Natasha grabbed Patricia's hand, and puleld her through the door.

The main room of The Ramblings was very bright and very loud. People of all ages lounged on chairs, little children were playing a game of tag, and some rock music was playing in the background. People were yelling over the din, but as Delani, Patricia and Natasha entered the room, everything went silent. "Patricia, meet the family, family meet Patricia." Natasha introduced, looking at her friend. A few of Natasha's cousins came up and hugged Natasha and Patricia, then went back to what they were doing. Two identical red-haired girls bounded down the stairs, shrieking. "TASHA! TRISHA!" the screamed, hugging the two girls. "Hey Pat, you remember Jasmin and Kelsia?" Natasha smiled happily. "Lets go to my room..." she said, pulling Patricia through the crowd and running up the stairs.

A long corridor with doors everywhere, and nameplates on each door. Natasha opened the door with the name 'Natasha, Patricia and Becky's room' and opened the door. Natasha's room was... different. The walls were blue and decorated with moving fish and dolphind, and the floor looked like it was made out of water. Natasha stepped into her room, and water was up to her ankles. "It's not wet, it just looks like it." Natasha explained. "Auntie Maisie did it." she grinned. The room was quite big, and there were three beds in it. "So, this is my room." Natasha grinned. "Oh, you you want somthing to eat?" she asked Patricia.

 

[Patricia Styx]

Patricia made her way to her best friends Natasha's house, she was really excited, it was the first time she had been to her house and she was a little nervous about meeting her family. She had met a few of them at school and she had already met her mother, but she knew Natasha had a big family, to put it lightly, so she knew she was going to be in for a big shock this holiday.

When she arrived at Natasha's house she couldn't believe what she saw, the house was huge, "Wow Nat this is amazing!" She exclaimed excitingly. Patricia looked around the grounds, it was so vast and so beautiful, she felt sorry for the muggles who couldn't see this. Patricia laughed at Nat's comment about the de-gnoming and skipped along with Nat into the house, she was in a bubbly mood today, like most other days, but the fact that it was the holidays, she was going to best friends house, exams were over, she was in a great mood.

When the door opened Patricia almost had to cover her ears, there was so much noise, she wasn't really expecting it at first but once she had had a moment to take it all in she just smiled and returned the hug with Delani had give her, "Hi Del, thanks." She said to Nat's aunt who she met at Christmas. As soon as she broke from the hug she could feel Natasha pulling her hand on into the house. Patricia could hear the noise growing louder and louder and she realised she was going to the source of the noise. It seemed like the living room, children running around, music in the background and just a load of people, definitely Nat's family she thought to herself, they all just seemed as loud and as crazy as her.

Patricia felt like she was sticking out like a sore thumb when they entered the room, the noise stopped, it was almost deafening. Patricia give a grin to everyone with a small wave, "Hello everyone." She said laughing as a few younger people came up and started to randomly hug her, she thought it was sweet. Patricia turned round when she heard feet pounding down the stairs and her name been screamed. Patricia saw two red heads coming over to hug her. "Yeah I remember them. Hi Jas, Kels." She said hugging them back. Patricia looked up at Nat, "Sure." She replied simply as she was being pulled again.

Patricia, despite already seeing the outside of the house and part of the first floor, she was surprised at how big it was when she got upstairs. She looked up at the door that they finally stopped at looking up at it she could see the name plate that read 'Natasha, Patricia and Becky's room.' Aw that sweet. She thought, that they had put her name on it too, she felt like part of the family. When Patricia entered the room and stared around in amazement, she wished she could have a room like this, Patricia laughed, "Well your Auntie Maisie does great work." She said as she moved on in. Patricia set her bags down, turning round to Nat she said, "I'm starving."

 

[Natasha Bell]

Natasha grinned. "That's good then, lets go down to the kitchen and grab some food then!" She began to walk down the hall, and opened one of the doors. "Tasha, don't go that way, Mike put a giant spider in the hall." a short brunette girl who had half her face burnt said, walking past Natasha and Patricia. "Okay then, we'll go the other way..." Natasha said, raising her eyebrows. She turned around and began to walk the other way, talking as she walked. "That was Naomi Price, she'll be starting at Hogwarts this year. Avadia's sister." she said to Patricia. "Michell Marino, one of the Marino lot, he's eighteen now, and he is putting spiders everywhere." Natasha groaned.

"We should get a lift in this place." Natasha murmered, as they walked down another slight of stairs. "Here we are, the kitchen." Natasha giggled, flinging open the door. "So, what do you want to eat? Anything you don't like or allergic to?" she asked. Natasha looked over her shoulder. "Maisie, you've got flour on your nose." she laughed as her aunt wiped her face with a tea towl. "Thanks dearie." Maisie said. "Do you girls want something to eat?" she asked kindly. Aunt Maisie had bright red, curly hair.

 

[Patricia Styx]

Patricia smiled at her friend as she made her way out of the room to the kitchens. Patricia made her way down the corridors, looking around, taking in the whole place, she couldn't get over how big it was. She was startled when a young girl ran up to them saying something about giant spiders and then the next thing she knew she was being ushered off in a different direction. Patricia listened to Natasha explain who they had just seen and who the other person was. Patricia didn't say anything, but shook her head and laughed.

Once they finally arrived in the kitchen Patricia sat down and let out a sigh, "I think a lift would be a good investment." She said with a laugh. "And did I ever mention, you have a big family." She said with a laugh. "What house is Naomi hoping to get into?" She asked, referring to the little girl she met minutes beforehand. When Natasha asked if she was allergic to anything Patricia shook her head and laughed, "No I'm good. How are some pumpkin though." She said a wide grin, and rubbing her hands together. She laughed, knowing her friend was allergic to them, something she found out during Herbology in first year. When as woman, who Patricia assumed was called Maisie, asked if they wanted anything to eat Patricia shrugged and said, "I'll take anything, doesn't matter to me." She said, trying not to be difficult.

 

[Natasha Bell]

Natasha laughed. "Several times, I think." she said. "Naomi wants to be in Ravenclaw, like her sisters. I reckon she should be in Hufflepuff with us though." she said truthfully. Naomi did seem like a Hufflepuff kind of person. "Oh, word of warning: Don't call her Naomi to her face, she prefers Wish."

"Pumpkin, ahh!" Natasha squealed, screwing up her face. Maisie chuckled. "How about I get you girls some noodles?" she said, going to make some. "Cool thanks." Natasha said. A few minutes later, Maisie handed a bowl of noodles to each girl, and waved her wand, making two chairs and a table appearing. "Here you go. Anything else, just say the word." Maisie said, walking off. "Thanks Aunt Maisie!" Natasha yelled after her. Natasha began to eat her noodles happily. "Y'know, quite a few people in my family are allergic to pumpkins. Quite sad really, I actually like pumpkins. I would eat them if it weren't for the fact I could die from them." Natasha said with a laugh.

After she had finished her noodles, she looked at Pat. "What do you wanna do now?" she asked, looking at the clock in the kitchen. "Becky should be here soon." she murmered, more to herself than to Patricia.

 

[Patricia Styx]

Patricia laughed back, "Well it's good to remind you. Because it's really overwhelming at times." Patricia listened to her explain what house Naomi wanted to be in, "Oh I hope she gets into Hufflepuff." She said happily, "We have to win the house cup again, so the more the merrier." She said with a laugh. Nodding she said, "OK, I'll keep that in mind for the next time I see her."

Patricia laughed at her friends reaction to the word pumpkin. When her aunt give them noddles Patricia replied with a sweet, "Thank you." Always remembering her manners. As Patricia ate she listened to Natasha say how she liked pumpkins, but couldn't eat them for obvious reasons. "Aw that's a shame. I never had pumpkin once until that class in Herbology back in first year." She said. When Patricia said, back in first year she felt a knot in her stomach. "Wow we're third years." She blurted out. "That was random." She said shaking off the comment, "But still it's hard to believe. Don't you think?" She asked. "What electives did you end up picking?" She asked, not remembering if she already said or not.

When Natasha asked what she wanted to do she shrugged and asked, "What is there to do?" With a laugh.