Siren Call

Exactly one month had gone by before Aurora and Selenity heard back from Albus Dumbledore. An owl came for them late one night during dinner.

“Mom, could you please pass the mac ‘n cheese?” Selenity inquired, eyeing the monstrosity on her plate that her mother claimed was meatloaf and, hearing Selenity’s complaints, assured her that it was completely edible.

“Finish your meatloaf first, Sel. You never eat any meat!” Aurora replied, not taking her eyes off the newspaper.

“I never eat any meat you cook, you mean,” she mumbled under her breath. Making sure her mother wasn’t looking, she tapped the leg of her chair and, hearing the scratching of her dogs’ feet on the hardwood floor, hummed discreetly as the so-called ‘meatloaf’ floated off her plate and onto the floor, where her dogs grabbed it up and ran off. Selenity wasn’t sure whether they were actually eating it, and she thought she heard faint gagging sounds coming from the living room.

“All done, Mom! May I please have some macaroni now?”

Aurora eyed her daughter’s plate suspiciously, but before she could reply, a streak of brown and white flew past her head and landed on the back of her chair after circling the table once. Once it had landed, they saw that it was a tawny colored owl. Hooting excitedly, it stuck it’s right foot out, on which was tied a red envelope with a seal.

Reaching out with an only slightly shaky hand, Aurora took the envelope from the bird and read: “To Mrs. Castle, kitchen, 56 Platens DR.” Glancing at her daughter with wide eyes, she tore open the envelope and began one of the three pages inside.

　

Dear Mrs. Castle,

I trust this owl finds you in good health. Regarding my last visit, I have found a suitable means of transportation for Miss Selenity. A professor from school is arranged to come pick your daughter up the following Monday. She shall be staying with a very dependable wizard family, the Weasleys, whom I trust explicitly. From their house, she may board the Hogwarts Express with the Weasley children. Also enclosed here is your acceptance letter and a list of supplies that Miss Selenity will need for her year. The money she will need to purchase everything will be provided when she arrives in Daigon Alley. Please note that while this is technically her first year, she is a Fourth Year, and therefore the rule about broomsticks shall be lifted for her benefit. Kinch, the owl who delivered this letter, has been ordered to stay with you until you write your response. She will then return to you, since I daresay you will want a way to keep in touch with your daughter.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

　

Aurora stared at her daughter. “Broomsticks?” she asked incredulously. Selenity just grinned and reached for the second letter.

　

　

“Hogwarts School

of Witchcraft and Wizardry

　

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

("Supreme Mugwump? What the heck are they?" Selenity interjected.)

Dear Miss Castle,

　

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

　

　

The last page held a list of requirements.

　

　

UNIFORM

Fourth-year students will require:

1.Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2.One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3.One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4.One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)

5. Fourth-years are required to bring dress robes in the event of a ball or other special occasion.

Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags and the uniforms are to be worn AT ALL TIMES.

The rest was just a set of class equipment.

Aurora shook her head in disbelief. "Broomsticks? Wands? Cauldrons?!"

"I can't believe this!" Selenity squealed in excitement. "I'm going to learn to fly a broom, use a wand, and make potions! Oh!" She remembered. "Mom, you don't care about me staying with the..." she checked the letter for the name, "...Weasleys, do you?"

Aurora smiled and shook her head. "If Mr. Dumbledore trusts them, I see no reason why not."

Selenity squealed again and threw her arms around her mother's neck.

The spent the next half hour replying to the two letters, trying to make sure they understood everything.

When everything was settled, Selenity kissed her mother goodnight and ran upstairs.

As she settled in bed, she couldn't help but repeat over and over: "Only three days away!"

　

Those three days passed by extremely fast, and by Monday, both Castles were nervous wrecks.

The reality of what was going to happen seemed to finally settle in on them.

"I just can't believe I won't see you until Christmas!" Aurora blubbered.

Selenity tried to console her mother with "Oh, mom, I'll owl home every day, promise!" or "But mom, I'll only be gone a short time, you won't even have time to miss me!"

Selenity, almost as nervous as her mother, yet for an entirely different reason, glanced out the window every few seconds.

Soon it was one o'clock, and still there was no sign of anyone.

"Oh, what is taking so long?!"

Suddenly, there was a loud thud outside, and a small scream from the kitchen.

"Mom?" Selenity called, running out to see what all the fuss was about. She found her by the back door, staring out the window with a mixed look of awe and horror. Peering over her mom's shoulder, she understood both emotions immediately.

Outside, a tall man with black hair that fell in curtains around his face was sitting on what appeared to be thin air, about six feet off the ground. He dismounted and, throwing a few words over his shoulder, walked toward the house.

"C'mon, Mom!" Selenity whispered, her excitement returning. "That must be the professor!!"

Pulling her reluctant mother by her arm, she went to the door and opened it wide, finding herself looking into a pair of cold, obsidian colored eyes glaring at her down a long, crooked nose.

Slightly taken aback, Selenity stuttered out, "H-Hello. I'm Selenity--"

"Yes I know that, girl. Where are your things? I don't have time to waste!" he interrupted in a clipped tone.

Glancing back at her mom in surprise, she murmured, "Th-They're in my room. I'll go get them."

Racing upstairs, Selenity grabbed the rucksack she had painstakingly woven an internal expanding spell over that allowed it to hold way more than it showed, then glanced around her room for her puppies. Unable to find them, she shrugged. 'They must be off sulking somewhere.'

Sliding down the banister in her excitement to leave, she made it back to the back door with her rucksack and a huge smile.

"Bye Mom! I'll write as soon as I get settled in," she said, giving Aurora a hug.

"You'd better," she whispered fiercely.

Letting go, Selenity turned to the professor. "Ok, I'm ready!"

They walked back over to where he had first shown up. As they got nearer, she was shocked to hear steady breathing and the sound of munching. Looking for the sound, she saw with a start that blades of grass seemed to be severing themselves in half and disappearing. Wide-eyed, she glanced up at the black-haired man by her.

Without looking at her, he answered her unspoken question. "Thestrals. Invisible to anyone who hasn't witnessed death."

His tone was pointedly discouraging further conversation, but she couldn't help herself. "Can you see them, Professor...?" She trailed off uncertainly, still not knowing his name.

He glanced at her, a calculating look in his eyes. "Snape. Professor Snape. And I fail to see how that is any of your business. Now, are you going to get on any time today?"

Resisting the urge to gulp like a frightened child, Selenity regarded the animal that she couldn't see standing in front off her.

Scowling at her hesitation, Snape grabbed her around her waist and practically threw her up on the animal. She barely had time to squeal indignantly before he was up in front of her, grabbing hold of invisible reigns.

She crossed her arms and glared a hole in the back of his head. She could care less that he was one of her professors. He was an impatient old git.

Suddenly and without any warning, they took off. Shrieking as their surroundings melted into blurs of swirling colors, she temporarily forgot her irritation at Snape and threw her arms around his torso, burying her face in his black cloak. Feeling her stomach lurch threateningly, Selenity decided she didn’t like thestrals in the least bit.

After what seemed like hours, but in reality had only been about 45 minutes, they landed. The impatient black haired man pried her arms from his waist and dismounted, waiting for her to do the same. Under the steely glare of the professor, Selenity hastily scrambled off and stood up, swaying slightly. She just barely refrained from dropping onto the ground and planting kisses on the paved road beneath her feet, for fear that the hook-nosed person next to her would think her a mental case. Speaking of paved road…

She gathered herself and took a look at her surroundings, taking in the bustling crowd of people walking around them, not giving either of them nor their sudden appearance a single glance. Snape ignored her fascinated look and grabbed her arm, dragging her into a decrepit old building with the sign The Leaky Cauldron hanging precariously over the front door.

Inside, Snape sent a curt nod at the wizened old man behind the bar and strode through to the back door, still dragging the poor girl behind him. Out the door, they found themselves in a small, walled-in courtyard. Selenity watched in wonder as, after he tapped a series of bricks, the wall slowly fell away to reveal a busy, crowded alley.

Men, women, and little children wearing long, billowing robes ran around, going in and out of the shops, talking animatedly to people they came across.

“Come on,” Snape said, tugging on her arm still. “We don’t have all day.”

He led her up to a small ice cream shop and shoved her down into a chair by one of the outdoor tables.

“Stay here. Do. Not. Move. A woman will be here shortly for you.” With a final sneer, he turned and disappeared from her view.