*1*
The fly home was generally pleasant. There was little wind and the sun was bright and warm, equating to good flying weather. The whole journey was faultless, nothing threatening met you at all, and you only saw one other flyer in the very distance who you weren’t sure could see you at all. Your ipod kept you entertained as well with the views and the bird’s eye views of the countryside and buildings below, so there was never anything that could have prevented your relaxation and calmness. If anything, you should have been more alert, but after the first half an hour the memories of your last unpleasant broom ride had evaporated, and you did not think to feel worried for anything that may come to find you, even if it did seem like a probable event.
You had started your journey at around 3.30pm, and you had taken a rather leisurely pace while travelling, (barring the few times you practiced sprints and various skills) so had arrived at the front gate of your estate at approximately 6pm. Perfect timing you thought.
You landed and walked over to the speaker box on the right cream stone pillar that supported a large black iron gate. You pressed one of your cold stiff fingers down on the large blue button and waited for someone to speak.
‘Err, hello? Can you hear me?’ Cassia’s voice came through, slightly distorted and accompanied by various beeps as if she was dialling while still on the phone.
You pressed down on a smaller black button and held it down.
‘Yes, Cassia, It’s just me.’ You replied.
‘…Good! Cassia will just try and let you in…’ she answered back, a long line beeping came and then the black gates slowly began to open.
‘Yep that’s it, thanks.’ You said, before walking in through the gates and remounting your broom.
It was only a minute before you arrived at the front of the large house. It looked as proud and as grand as ever, not a spot of dirt anywhere on the white flagstones. Pink roses were blooming up each side of the porch, stretching almost over half of the closest downstairs windows, and ivy grew up the two pillars supporting the front of the porch. You walked up the steps and walked in through one of the open white doors that Cassia had opened ready for you as usual.
You put your firebolt on a side table and took out your ipod, turning it off and wrapping the white earphones round before pushing it inside your jeans pocket.
‘Hello! I’m here!’ you called, and it echoed up the great hall up to the top of the first floor. You walked forward on to the black and white tiled floor of the main hall, and looked up and down each of the left and right corridors.
The door of your fathers study on your right swung open, and your father came rushing out arms open wide towards you in an almost scary fashion.
‘Princess!’ he cooed as he practically scooped you up into his arms and bound you in a rib crushing hug.
‘Dad…’ you said half warningly.
‘I know, I know, just let me get away with it on this occasion.’ He replied, and you gave a slight grunt of approval and hugged him back.
‘Do you know how worried I was? Molly and Arthur had quite a job calming me down, well, I say Molly, but she was frantic too, lucky Arthur has such a good head on him, honestly - Remus and Tonks came too - though to be honest, none of us were very cool about it – oh you should have seen us – we all knew you would be ok in the end but oh, dear how we worried. Remus told us that it would all be fine, the order would be on it right away, he said, but – oh look at you!’ he said finally, putting you at arms length and using his thumb at your chin to inspect your face. ‘Well, if there was anything there they have certainly done a good job at patching you up.’
‘Dad, no offence, but you sound like Molly, not just a little, but you could be her.’ You said, wriggling out of his grip slightly.
‘Oh dear, well, that’s certainly no good is it.’ He said straightening up his posture. ‘Well, Cassia’s waiting for us in the kitchen,’ he said striding off towards the kitchen in his usual anywhere-I-go-must-be-important type way. ‘dinner will be ready around seven,’ he carried on, although fading away slightly as he got further away. You smiled and sighed, taking in a deep breath of home and followed your father up the corridor towards the kitchen door at the far end.
‘Hannah!’ Cassia called as you came in through the heavy white door, the little elf hopping off her large stool, giving your leg a hug and then bounding back onto it to stir whatever was in her pot in a blink of an eye. ‘Cassia missed you terribly,’ she said shaking her head and opening a draw.
It amazed you how she could never say I, even now she was a free elf, habit you supposed but sometimes it did get a little annoying, it was the one thing that seemed to keep her at a lower status than yourself, even if you tried not too.
‘Yes, I think we all did, you know how many papers have been asking me questions? I thought it was best to just give them simple answers to the questions I could answer and send them on their way. I didn’t want them to write false allegations about our relationship or my parenting skills, it has seemed to have kept them happy,’ your father said getting two butterbeers from the cold room. ‘You have a stack of letters up stairs, offering you some money for your opinion I expect, feel free to take any you feel comfortable with.’ He said taking one of the tall seats at the breakfast table.
‘Yes, I will have a look through.’ You said, filling the seat next to him. He paused and looked down at the table, seemingly pondering over something in his head.
‘Hannah,’ he eventually looked up, ‘I don’t wish to press this upon you if you are unwilling, but I would rather like to know what happened. Just a brief relay of accounts would be enough, nothing too stressing, I just feel drawn to blanks at certain parts of the story, and as I am your Dad I feel rather foolish to not know large parts of my only daughters life, especially a part such as this.’ He asked, speaking down to the bottle in front of him while playing with the label.
‘Yes, of course.’ You answered at once, ‘it honestly isn’t a problem. Err… ok well, I had had a falling out with Fred and gone for a run as I always do when I’m upset,’ your dad nodded in knowing, ‘and for some reason, I had chosen the forest as a good place to go. I mean it’s not like I haven’t been in there before, I have many times, so I wasn’t worried about anything and was rather cooped up inside my own head thinking of everything and letting my anger out through running, but this time I just kept going, nothing came in my path to appose me so I walked until I found a clearing. I didn’t know I was out the school boundaries, I didn’t know it was possible… but a death eater found me and took me away.’
Michael nodded as you took a sip of your drink.
‘Yes, yes, but why? Is there not a reason for your abduction?’ he asked narrowing his eyes slightly.
‘Ah, yes, there is.’ You replied, lowering the bottle away from your lips slowly and thought for a moment. ‘Err… I have something to tell you, I have to leave out large parts of information but… I have, I have the ability to cast all manor of spells without speech nor wand… and, Voldemort –‘ your father twitched slightly, ‘ – found out.’
There was a long pause before your father nodded, ‘I see.’ He sighed to the table. ‘When did you find this out?’
‘Errm… January.’
‘Right, yes, I see how this causes its problems.’
‘Anyway,’ you continued, ‘I was kept in a cell for a few weeks. Unfortunately for myself, me being me, I became more confident in the situation knowing that Voldemort would not take my life, and became a little too bold, I got a little big for my boots and ended up getting on peoples nerves. Voldemort discovered a way to keep me within his reach without actually having me around, and with few escapes. There, I was forced to relive my worst memories and other unpleasant experiences up until I found my way out. That is about as short as I can summarise it.’ You said calmly, taking a sip of your drink and watching two yellow butterflies dance outside one of the windows.
‘Wow…’ he breathed, rubbing his face slightly. ‘Well, shall we move on?’ he suggested kindly, although his expression told you he wanted to go further into the matter.
‘S’il vous plait.’ You replied, walking over to the cold room to fetch another three bottles.
‘Ok, well… I just generally need to talk over the next three months with you.’
‘Dinner is ready,’ Cassia cut in, sounding slightly disheartened by your story.
‘Beautiful, smells wonderful Cassia.’ Your father said standing up and setting his eyes onto his food. ‘Shall we go through, then?’ he asked rhetorically, picking up his bottle and plate and leading off through the door that lead straight into the dining room.
You and Cassia followed his lead by picking up your plate and you began to attempt to get through the door without anything flying off.
You struggled through, dripping some of your drink onto the carpet as you went and eventually got safely to your seat at one end of the shortened table, opposite your father, with the other parts pushed to the walls out of the way. Cassia rolled her eyes in pity and walked through balancing her plate upon her head, taking her seat flawlessly mid table.
‘Anyway, I will be around a lot more this year, only days and nights at a time, but around nonetheless.’ He began after swallowing his first mouthful of the meal Cassia had prepared.
‘I am guessing that Oliver will be round for the summer?’ you said, poking at some weird green sauce, unfortunately Cassia loved to experiment and use new recipes, when you would prefer something simple, however you tried to try her concoctions as much as you could.
‘Yes, as usual, I believe he is arriving tomorrow in fact, am expecting to find a letter in my office when I go back confirming this.’ He got up and walked to a mahogany side table, knelt down, and opened the draws wide. ‘Cassia if you could, prepare his usual room for him tomorrow?’
‘Yes yes of course!’ she said excitedly, ‘Oliver is always a pleasure to have, always.’
‘Yes I agree,’ your father said standing up now holding a wine glass full with red wine, and sat down back in his seat. ‘Delightful young man, brilliant quidditch player too, likes nothing better than to learn and improve.’ He continued, talking more to Cassia and his food than you.
‘You enjoy his company too, though, I presume?’ he asked you briefly before turning his attention back down to his food.
‘Yes of course! I don’t think I could have a summer or winter without him; I can’t remember the last time he wasn’t around at home when I was not.’ You replied, then taking a sip of your drink.
‘Well yes, he is a pleasure to have; a family friend, an impeccable student and in return for free training sessions he bases from here so as to be around for you.’
‘Yes, he also speaks very kindly to Cassia.’ Cassia added.
‘Yes, back to what I was staying before we talked about Oliver, I will be around little and often, and Oliver will be come and going as he pleases as usual. Now, are you planning on having people to stay, or…?’
‘Yes, I’ve had a change of heart, and am planning on having quite a few friends round –‘
‘Glad to hear it!’ he said rather abruptly, ‘I honestly don’t know why you haven’t before, not even Ron!’ He said throwing his left arm in the air slightly.
‘I know I know… anyway, would it be alright if I had quite a few to stay?’
‘Yes, yes of course! Whatever you like, not as if we don’t have adequate space, I don’t think any of the bedrooms have been used since that Christmas five years ago when Hugo chocked on that potato.’
‘Err, ok,’ you replied making a confused face, you had no idea who Hugo was. ‘Do you want me to fix proper times or can I just have people whenever?’
‘Whenever, Cassia will be more than happy to look after – Cassia are you alright?’
You turned your attention to Cassia; she had one hand on her chest and one holding on to the table.
‘Cassia?’ you asked again, becoming a little more worried and glancing at your Dad.
‘We – we –we’re – we…’ she stuttered.
‘Yes, Cassia?’ Your dad prompted.
‘We – WE’RE HAVING VISITORS?!’ she blurted out alarmingly. ‘But – What – How many?’ she said, her eyes open wide looking from you to your dad.
‘Err… a lot?’ you said with a shrug.
‘Oh, goodness!’ she exclaimed in a high pitch tone, and your father began to laugh.
‘See! I told you she’d be happy to help out with however many people you want!’
‘Yes, well, it’s not all rose petals and sunshine.’ You said, trying not to make any of this as bigger deal as they were making it out to be.
‘Why?’ Cassia said, practically gasping for breath.
‘Because, Cassia, some of the people I will have round won’t understand that you are part of the family, that you are not here too serve them.’
‘But, Cassia is happy to!’
‘Ok, but some may not treat you nicely, you know how some of the other elves were treated, they know no better than that, they have been brought up to think that elves were just around to do their bidding.’ You told her calmly, trying to get your point across.
‘But, Cassia can work round this, Cassia will do as they ask, Cassia will not be following them around anyway.’ She said shaking her head.
‘Ok, I have given certain friends instructions on how to get here, and could you help me send the others some tomorrow?’ Cassia nodded her head. ‘Thanks, I need to give you a list of the names of people of who to let in, that way, if I am not around, they will not miss out.’
‘See, there will not be a problem.’ Your dad said leaning back in his chair and clapping his hands together.
‘I was also wandering whether I could hold a party, see, I will be going to the Weasley’s for a few days at the end of July –‘
‘Did you know that Bill and Fleur are due to be married?’ he grinned.
‘What, no! When?’ you smiled, you, unlike the rest of Hogwarts, had made friends with Fleur during her time there.
‘Next summer, it is a while away, but I do believe that they will be asking you to be a bridesmaid.’ He said with a wink.
‘What! No way!’
‘Yes way, I mean it’s not definite, but Bill gave his suggestion of you and of course you went to France last year to visit her, so I think they both agree that you are a good candidate.’ You smiled broadly. ‘Anyway, what were you saying?’
‘Oh yes, it’s Harry’s birthday at the end of July, and so I will be there for a few days for a sort of… family gathering. But I was thinking, why not have a party here? Just for the people from school? We have more than enough space, muggle things work here, I just think it would be nice to have a night where everyone can forget everything that is outside our walls, especially for Harry cos’… you know…Sirius…’ you faded off, looking out the window.
‘Oh, well, yes of course.’ He made an ‘Ahem,’ and joined you in looking out the window, ‘Well, of course, have as many parties as you want, as long as they’re not too wild and nothing is stolen, then I do not mind.’ He said, standing and picking up his plate.
‘And, this may be a little much to ask but, I was wandering if one day while your at home, I could invite some people over and you could help us out in a quidditch match? It’s just I have not played a match since January, and some even before that, It’s just I have the opportunity, and if you were around at the time, maybe you could just drop in?’ you said getting up and following him and Cassia into the kitchen.
‘Yes, I expect I will have time for that, I would love to!’
‘Thank you!’ you exclaimed giving him a brief hug from behind and then making your way off. ‘I’m off to unpack, will be back down in a minute!’
You made your way back to the centre hall from the right wing and went up the closest white marble staircase, running your hand up the black metal banister admiring the beautiful patterns of the goblin made grate in between the top of the banister and the stairs, letting your eyes follow the twist and turns all the way up to a final spiral marking the top of the stairs. The two jet black doors at the top of the stairs were pushed open, leading to the main first floor corridor. You took a left and carried on right to the end, taking the last white door on the right.
Your room was as you expected, spotlessly clean to the point where it was almost un-natural. The black frame of your four poster bed had not a spot of dust, and the silver curtains at the top end and the green at the bottom were all tied to their post in virtually identical fashion. Your writing desk in the corner was neatly arranged, but looking slightly out of place due to the messy array of letters scattered across the surface.
The sliding door out onto the balcony was open slightly, letting in a cool summer breeze, rustling any loose fabric in its way. Upon your dressing table was a bowl of water and another of owl food, a few pellets had been scattered around near the bowls and a few bits had fallen onto the floor, and a few perfumes had also been knocked over presumably from owls landing and taking off.
You smiled at the homely comfort of the room and walked forward and sat on the wooden storage box, much like a large more grown up toy box, that lived at the end of your bed and sat on the seating cushions on top, pulling one of your suitcases towards you and lying it at your feet. You undid the brown leather buckles and then the zip, letting the lid fall and hit the floor. You picked up a few items and walked towards another white door on the right of the balcony door, reading the silver ‘Closet’ stencil before opening it and flicking the light switch.
The long closet lit up in front of you, showing your reflection in a mirror at the far end, and you began finding places for your clothes and accessories that you had had at Hogwarts.
It took you just over half an hour to replace all the clothes, also finding places for beauty products on either your dressing table or in your on suite, and places anything else you had had with you.
At around eight-thirty you left your room and went back down stairs, planning to come back up in an hour or so to read through the letters, write to Draco (if you could find Midnight), watch a film, have a shower and get ready for bed. Not necessarily in that order.
