The Cauldron Door solo finished

She was trying to remember every fairy tale or fantasy book she'd ever read, wondering which parts had been true. Had some parts been true? She wondered if any of this was true; if this was really happening to her, or if it were all some impossibly elaborate hoax. Or a dream. She was wondering if her mother had known... if she'd ever seen any trace of something more than ordinary in Juniper. She wondered if there really was anything more than ordinary about her. She wondered, if there was, where she got it from. If her mother had been through this too, but didn't talk about it. Or if it came from her father, who she'd never known, or known anything about, and was that why this was all such a surprise? Or could that be why her mother never talked about him? And if that were the case, should she really be here right now, in London, looking for a magical tavern, or should she have just stayed at home where she was safe? Was she making a colossal mistake? Ms. McGriff didn't seem to think so. In fact, Ms. McGriff had been very matter-of-fact about the whole thing, like she always was. Except, this was NOT the sort of thing Juniper could fathom you'd be matter-of-fact about. This was INSANE. And yet the old woman marched on, tugging Juniper along down this London street and around that corner and down still another street, and Juniper had long ago lost track of where they were.

Ms. McGriff's brisk little steps slowed to a stop.

"Do you see it anywhere?" the old woman asked, looking up and down the street.
"Mmm..." Juniper scanned the street for 'The Leaky Cauldron,' not really knowing what she was looking for. She didn't see it anywhere. It wasn't there... and then, suddenly, it was.
"Is that it?" she pointed.
"Where?" McGriff asked.
"...There?" she pointed again.

Peeking out between a bookstore and an old record shop was an odd little tavern. It had clearly been there forever, and yet McGriff seemed genuinely startled. She peered curiously at the building, touching a finger to her spectacles.

"My word." she breathed.
"Are you... are you coming in with me?"
Ms. McGriff frowned. "No, dear, I thing you'd better take it from here."
Hands on Juniper's shoulders, she spun her around and looked her square in the eyes.
"Be alert!" she said sternly. "Be smart." Her bright blue eyes darted across Juniper's face. She smiled. "Be back in 5 hours."
"FIVE HOURS!?" that seemed an awfully long time for an old woman to wait.
"No, make it six. Six hours. Exactly here." she pounded the cobblestone with her cane. "I have errands of my own." Hooking Juniper by the chin with a bony knuckle, she re-iterated, "Six hours, or else."

She spun Juniper around again and steered her the first few steps towards The Leaky Cauldron before releasing her and hurrying away.

Juniper was grateful, once more, for McGriff's resolve. It wasn't the first time this week she'd felt too flustered and confused to act on her own. No doubt it would've taken her far longer to work up the nerve to come to London by herself, let along navigate her way to this strange location. And that business about "errands of her own," she knew, was a polite little lie on her behalf. But now she was here, and now she really was alone.

It was now or never. If this was a colossal mistake, well, she supposed she was willing to make it. She had a list of school supplies in her pocket, and she had 6 hours find them. And, if nothing else, she had to know what was inside that tavern.

Keeping the pace, she crossed the street, took a deep breath, and opened the door.