Chapter 5: Ottery St Catchpole
The week passed by in a flash as I waited for the day the trip came. With the location being Ottery St Catchpole, I would have a chance of meeting them. By them I'm referring to the wizarding families that live near the river otter. The Weasleys, The Fawcetts, The Diggorys and the Lovegoods. I planned out of the 4 to hopefully get in contact with the Lovegoods as Xenophilius seemed easier to coerce than the rest. He was the kind of guy that, If I got him talking, he wouldn't stop.
There was a risk to this plan though also, The Lovegoods house would definitely be surrounded by a ward or something and I had no way of knowing. I honestly just had to hope on my luck that I would find it. As long as I entered the ward I imagined that they would notice I have magic in me, I can always just elude to the fact I've experience magic situations like making a glass pane disappear or something to convince Xenophilius further. This would however end up as a game of chance.
In the evenings recently I've tried all sorts of methods to 'feel' the magic in me. I've sat in a lotus position and mediated looking within however I don't see anything. I guess it would be a bit too easy if I just closed my eyes and BAM magic is there in me. I tried also to cast spells wandlessly by uttering spell names I knew from the books. Nothing worked though and I was victim to embarrassment from one of the kids who thought I was playing witches and wizards. He spread this knowledge around the orphanage which reached the ears of Melony and Nana who teased me about it.
"Little brat, I'm actually destined to be a wizard with magic unlike you…"
My only chance was this trip. If I failed to make contact with any wizards or witches then I would be destined to not learn magic prior to Hogwarts. Something which my knowledge craving mind couldn't bare…
.
Waking up on the dawn of the trip day I headed downstairs and helped Nana with breakfast. Melony came out from a door on the other side of the common room yawning. All the kids slept upstairs and Melony along with Nana had their rooms downstairs. Looking at me Melony put on a sarcastic smile.
"Up bright and early looking forward to what… Looking at a river? I'm honestly so confused how you find this sort of trip to be interesting and fun…"
"It's because I can find joy in simple things Mel, maybe you should learn from me"
"What was that you brat!?"
I reflectively sent a diss back her way forgetting I was a 5 year old child still. Such a cold diss instantly provoked Melony's ire as she stormed over to me and started ruffling my hair. I was able to make her stop though, forcing her hands off me.
"Argh! You little brat… you got a trolls strength despite your tiny stature"
"It's because I exercise every day!"
"Only a crazy kid like you would exercise instead of play!"
"ENOUGH"
Cutting off the back and forth was Nana who got fed up with mine and Melony's bickering. Me and Melony both held our breaths as we flipped each other off out of sight of Nana. After finishing off the chores in the morning Me, Nana and Melony sat on the couches in the common room area and were slowly joined by the other kids. As we all gathered and ate breakfast, Nana stood up and declared the news.
"Good news kids! We are going on a trip today!"
All the kids besides me started to cheer happily. I remembered back when I was going from orphanage to orphanage in my last life situations like this would sometimes happen and it would be a great day all round. Getting out of the depressing orphanage and going off somewhere else was always a welcome surprise.
"Our destination… Ottery St Catchpole!"
Some of the younger kids kept cheering whilst the more mature older ones stopped and looked at Nana in confusion.
"Ottery St Catchpole? That literally just a small little village Nana! What fun will we have there?"
"Ahh… well there's a river to take a dip in? The weathers looking good for today!"
The younger kids kept cheering whilst the older ones started to grumble at the destination. I'm sorry older kids, this destination is needed so I can use magic sooner. Melony looked at the older kids with pity in her eyes and looked at me who was sat silently with a smile. She looked at me scornfully for a bit before sighing and calling out.
"Pack everything you need by 10am! The coach will be outside then! If you miss the coach, you don't get to go on the trip~"
The younger kids all gasped and darted upstairs hearing this. Meanwhile the older kids seemed happier noting they didn't have to go if they didn't want to. They retreated to an area in the common room and started playing card games. I on the other hand was already prepared as I knew about the trip earlier than anyone else. My bag was packed with some food and water for when I would split off, on the hunt for the Lovegoods.
Melony caught sight of my boastful expression and called over to me. Disguising the poison in her words with a sweet voice.
"Ah Oz~ seeing as though you are already ready, want to help me and Nana with the food for the trip~"
She really was a pain sometimes this Melony…
.
After making what felt like a million packed lunches, 10am finally rolled around. Outside I could hear the coach pull into the driveway of the orphanage. Nana went out to greet the coach driver first, thanking him for the favour to which he responded it 'wasn't much'. Since I was already prepared I got on the coach first. Looking at the empty coach I immediately started to head towards the back.
"Tsk tsk, no no. Im not letting you out of my sight Oz I know what you are like! Sit at the front with me~"
Turning around after heading halfway down the coach I saw Melony who was patting the seat next to her ushering me to sit there. I grumbled as I went over to her.
"At least give me the window seat"
"Fine~"
Melony got up and allowed me in to sit next to the window. She sat next to me with a wide smile on her face. Before I knew it this girl had gotten really attached to me. From her gaze I sensed she saw me as a younger brother in her eyes. I sighed realizing this fact as it meant sneaking off to look for the Lovegoods would be harder now…
Looking out at the driveway of the orphanage I started to see all the kids come out with their bags and pile into the coach. They all headed towards the back and started to fill out the seats towards the front where I was with Melony. As the coach finally filled up with all the kids, Nana got on board and started to go down each seat writing the names of each child on a sheet of paper. I gather she did this as a sort of 'registry' to keep track of who came and stayed.
After some time writing names down Nana eventually landed her eyes on me, the final kid to jot down.
"And finally our little Oz~. That's everyone it seems! Driver let's get this show on the road!"
Sitting down in her seat next to me and Melony, Nana ushered to coach driver to head off. Looking back at the orphanage as the coach turned I saw the kids who didn't want to come waving us goodbye. Seeing this I felt a sad feeling arise in my stomach. Unlike the orphanages in my previous life this one had actually left its mark on me. Looking at the sign above the door I committed the orphanages name to memory. Never wanting to forget this place that welcomed me into this world.
'New Leaf Orphanage'.
New leaf, new life. Maybe that thing called fate was rearing its head again...
.
The journey to Ottery St Catchpole was a long one. I kept trying to nap along the way however Melony had other ideas, constantly asking me to play games with her. Despite being an 18 year old girl she certainly still had a childish side to her. She started by taking out a deck of cards, handing it to me.
"You shuffle the cards~"
I looked at the cards in my hand with a slight grin. She was probably expecting me to be horrible at shuffling cards spilling them all over the place and embarrassing myself. Little did she know I had read multiple books about cards in my last life! I even practiced shuffling just to know how to do it in case I needed to at one point!
Immediately my dark brown eyes glinted as I started to do a riffle shuffle followed by some cuts. Melony looked at my card shuffling in awe, as did Nana who caught sight of it also. After shuffling the deck a bit I looked at them both triumphantly.
"What game are we playing then Mel~"
Melony looked at me in shock for a moment before collecting herself.
"L-Let's play 21… you know how to play 21 right Oz?"
"Of course I do~"
The drive continued with Me, Mel and Nana playing different card games at the front of the coach, through to the back noises of children talking and playing littered the coach. Honestly I was starting to feel grateful to Melony who forced me to the front with her, sat at the back I probably would have been irritated as hell…
As we played each card game, I and Nana both won the majority of the games. Melony on the other hand only won a select few and they were arguable wins. She started to look depressed as I looked out the window and saw a sign I longed to see.
'Ottery St Catchpole'
We had finally arrived.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
BoiGeorge
BoiGeorge This chapter is a perfect example of why I wanted to rewrite. Adding more 'slice of life' situations in so that the cool badass parts are more impacting.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone