We stood there for only a second before my dad turned and grinned at me. I smiled back for a second before looking around. People all around were walking past the small pub, not even giving it a second glance.
Can they see it or is it just witches and wizards who can? Wait Dad can see it... maybe Muggles with witches can?
Brushing the confusion away, we entered the pub together. There were comfortable looking chairs and a seemingly welcoming atmosphere all around. A bartender in the corner smiled at them and waved them over.
"You a Muggle?" he asked my dad, a friendly look plastered on his face.
My dad nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable, but trying not to show it.
"The name's Tom," the bartender- Tom, said warmly, "It's a bit odd to send a Muggle-born here without a wizard representative..." he looked at me with confused but friendly eyes.
"Oh, Aelynn's not a Muggle-born... I don't think. Her mom's a... uh..." he paused as if he didn't want to share my mom's secret, as if it would be betraying her trust.
"She's a Squib." I filled in... somewhat helpfully.
I mean... I didn't do it to spread her secret. Just to know what I am... mostly.
My dad looked at me with a half stern, half accepting glance. I just shrugged back.
"That's perfectly fine!" Tom said, sensing the awkwardness. "So a half-blood then, that's why they didn't send anyone. But you'll need a little help getting through the wall..."
Through the wall! What?
"Ah! Perfect!" Tom exclaimed, looking at the wall next to a trash can. "Someone's going through now."
Looking over, I saw three people, a girl and her parents, standing there. At the mention of them, the girl turned around. Her brown, bushy hair swirled around, and she smiled showing two big teeth. The girl smiled, her composure completely friendly and welcoming.
Tom beckoned her and her parents over with a smile. The girl led them through the chairs and stopped to stand next to me and my dad.
"Hi!" the girl greeted them, "My name's Hermione Granger, and it's a pleasure to meet you."
I couldn't help but smile back at Hermione. My dad, still looking awkward, gave a little bow before raising his head again... even more embarrassed.
Did he seriously just bow at her?
I started cracking up, my face breaking out in a wide grin. My dad looked at me, then at Hermione, and cracked a little smile too.
"Sorry about that..." he muttered quietly, looking at Hermione and I sharing grins, then smiling at the both of us.
After my dad shook her parents' hands (instead of bowing at them...) and introduced himself, Hermione led everyone to the brick wall near the trash can.
"Don't worry, it's easy. Just here..." she traced a couple bricks as if counting them and tapped one with a long stick three times.
The bricks suddenly gave way, forming a small hole that grew larger and larger, with it my eyes widening further and further. Hermione gave a small smile, and lead everyone through the opening.
My eyes reached their limit on how wide they could get. There were streets filled with dozens of shops and buildings. There were stores for robes, cauldrons, books, and... wands?
So that's what the stick Hermione is: a wand. It would have been helpful to know wizards and witches used wands before now...
"Do you know where to convert money... well Muggle money, into....uh... wizard money?" my dad asked, looking from Hermione to her parents.
Hermione jumped in excitedly. "That would be Gringotts, sir!" she exclaimed, her tone similar to how you would answer a question in class.
Giving a nod of acknowledgement, my dad looked around. "And that'd be..."
Hermione gave a toothy smile, pointing at the huge building a ways behind her. "Over there. We can take you! I'm meeting my friends over there anyway."
I smiled at her again, and accepted her offer gratefully. "That'd be great, thanks."
Time to get some money! Well convert money to... other money... I mean give Muggle money to get... magic money...
Magic money? What am I saying...