My Heart is in Highfield

When Sinead joined them, Lindsey smiled and helped her mother serve her some Breakfast. It was early enough that the morning was still crisp and cool. The thing about Scotland was that the summers weren't too hot. Lindsey had traveled to America a few times with her parents, the summers there were hot and muggy. She had not liked it, but the places there were rich with so many things to see.

"Good Mornin'," Lindsey said, which was echoed around the table by her parents, but her brother merely grunted in response. She was already enjoying some food, happy to have everyone together. She was tired, but she also felt good that a new day had started.

"Sinead, do ye ride, Lassy?" Her father asked as he picked up some of the sausage and placed it on his plate. "We got ye a ol' lass for ye to ride around with, Lindsey," he said as he motioned over towards Lindsey.

"Ah, tis a good horse," Lindsey's father said just as her mother looked out one of the windows and moved to open it wide. This caught her father's attention and he leaned back in the chair, just as two owls came through the opening. Both looked rather official and the Hogwarts crest was enough to get Lindsey smiling from ear to ear.

"Look like the letters are here," Lindsey's mom said as she took the letter from the owl and handed it to Lindsey. She didn't touch the other, in case Sinead wished to take it herself. "As always, the staff at Hogwarts do good to find all the students." It was true, they were able to find most students in the school no matter where they were.

To: Lindsey Bryce
From: Professor McGonagall

The list of course books was brief -- requiring a complicated-sounding textbook for Defence Against the Dark Arts (presumably), and the Grade Five standard spellbook. There were two other books listed, but were specified to only be for those attending Care of Magical Creatures or Divination.

The Hogsmeade permission slip was included, as stated. Ideally, it would be signed before term began but really could be done at any point -- though of course, one can't visit Hogsmeade without it. Apparently, even if they'd had permission in the past.

"Our supply list, Ma," Lindsey said as she handed it over her shoulder to her passing mother. "Oh, and these." She handed over the permission slips for Hogsmeade.

"Thank ye, Lassy... If ye girls want, both go ridin' and we will leave after Lunch to Diagon Alley," she said as she looked over at Sinead and offered to take her letter to put with her shopping list.

"Do ye need anything while we go to London?" she asked Lindsey's father as he finished his mug of coffee. While she went around the table, she looked to Sinead. "Sinead, do ye need to use my owl to send these slips to ye're family for signing?"

"Ach, let me go to me study and see," he said as he stood and left the table to the ladies. Lindsey's mother was cleaning up while Lindsey finished up her own drink.

"Ready?" Lindsey didn't wait really, hoping Sinead would follow in her own time. The walk to stable took about ten minutes and instead of opening the last gate, Lindsey climbed up it herself and jumped down. Outside the stable were two fine looking horses, both well over sixteen hands tall. One was a lovely black color horse, the other a dark bay. 

"Ah, good mornin', Ms. Lindsey... Ready to ride, lassy?"