Love Forever...
"Tristan, this is beautiful! It's so peaceful out here, and the stars are gorgeous!" said Anastasia in awe of the awesome sight around her. "Well, Love, it's only the best for you, you know that." Tristan replied. As Anastasia stood on the balcony she thought that the night could not have gone any better than this. Music began to play as multicolored orbs enveloped the young couple. "May I have this dance?" Tristan asked bowing and reaching his hand for hers. She smiled warmly and took his hand allowing her to be drawn into the comforting arms she had become accustomed to over the years. They swayed to the beat of the music and as she looked into Tristan's grey eyes she felt him begin to draw her into a kiss. Her heart began to pound so hard that she thought it would leap out of her chest. His lips were inches away from hers and... THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! "Annelise!" I heard the familiar voice of my mother call to me. "Annelise, are you awake?" I groaned as I sat up in my bed groggy from lack of sleep and anger from being woken from such a nice peaceful dream. "ANNELISE!" she yelled again. "I'm up! I'm up!" I replied. "Hurry and get up to breakfast. We need to begin preparing for the party tonight and a letter has arrived for you from Beauxbatons." my mother said through the door. "I don't have a dress yet, you know." I snapped back. "Thus for the hurrying." my mother replied to me. I rolled my eyes and drug myself to the shower. I decided to take a rather long shower this morning and think about my dream. That was the third time this week that I'd had the same dream. I wondered what it meant. I always seemed to wake up right before the kiss. I finished with my shower and stepped out. I totally loved this new house. I had an awesome bed that was set into the floor with my birthmark for its design. I never have figured out where I got the mark on my upper left shoulder from, a yin yang with the Chinese words love forever written inside it. I slipped on my clothes a cute black tube top and low rise dark denim jeans and added some makeup and headed up to breakfast. "Morning" I said as I reached the table and took a seat beside my father. "Morning, Dear." my father replied. "Sleep well?" he asked. "Yeah, I was having a great dream until Mum started beating down my door." I said smiling smartly at my mother.
"So what did the letter say, Mum?" I asked " They said that because of the distance between London and Beauxbatons that they are going to transfer you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." said my mother from behind the Daily Prophet. "Do what?" I shouted in complete shock dropping my glass of pumpkin juice on the floor. At once one of our house elves came in to clean it up. "Sorry, Harmony, I didn't mean to drop the glass." "Oh, not to worry, Miss, Harmony does not mind cleaning up after her." "Annelise, will you please calm down. You're going to cause your wings to come out." my mother said trying to be reassuring. "Calm down! I am calm! And I don't give a damn about my bloody wings!" I yelled while looking back at her. "Annelise!" my father's voice said from the end of the table. "What!" I snapped. I would normally have never raised my voice to my father not only because he was an auror but because he was also my safety net whenever I got in trouble. My father raised his eyebrows at me. Usually that would amuse me, but the look he was giving me wasn't amusing at all, it was down right scary. "Do not speak to your mother like that again. I realize that going to Hogwarts is not a pleasant idea for you, but you're going to Hogwarts on Madame Maxime's request so it is easier for you to get back and forth. No ifs, ands, or buts about it, am I understood?" he said. I nodded slightly and left the table. I went out the French patio doors and into the garden if I could call it that, after all it was a giant maze.
My eyes began to well up with tears of anger; none of this would have ever happened if Dad hadn't been transferred to another ministry. I finally calmed down. About that time a slight knock came to the door. I thought it was my cats Sita or Zoë they are both roxiumouses (see so I snapped loudly at them, "Fuck off!" Instead a red-headed boy stuck his head out of the door, "Uh, I'm looking for the bathroom, and I couldn't find anyone so I thought maybe they were here and..." this boy kept going on and on, "First door on the right next to the entrance hall." I interrupted. "Huh? Oh, Yeah...Thanks." he said turning about the shade of his hair. I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm Annelise. Sorry about that, I didn't mean to bite your head off. I thought you were my cats Sita and Zoë." I said extending my hand. "Ron, Ron Weasley, nice to meet you." he said as we shook hands. "Likewise, I don't want to seem rude or anything but what are you doing at my house?" He looked a little sheepish all of a sudden. "You call this a house, it's a bloody mansion, I wish my house was this large. But oh yeah, why I'm here...Mum said we were invited to some sort of dinner party or something here tonight. She thought it was very special, I even got new dress robes for the occasion...well not brand new of course but they're much better than the ones she sent during my fourth year at Hogwarts." I looked at him and thought to myself "What a twit"...but he was kind of cute while he was babbling on incessantly. Then he muttered something about smelling like his great aunt Tessy or something like that. "Come on," I said, "I'll show you around before I leave, and you can tell me all about Hogwarts since I'm going to be attending this year. I am not really happy about it either, I'd much rather be at Beauxbatons for my last year." Ron stopped dead in his tracks, I quickly turned around to stare at him "What's wrong?" I asked. He looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Beauxbatons, you attended Beauxbatons, you know Fleur Delacour? " "Well kind of, I guess, she was three years ahead of me. But I am really good friends with her sister Gabrielle...I babysat her a bunch of times. She was more down to earth than her sister. The last I heard Fleur was getting married to a goblin or something."
Ron burst out laughing after I said that. "What? What's so funny? Tell me." I said getting cranky. "It's nothing, really, but Fleur is not getting married to a goblin, she's marrying my brother Bill, he works with goblins at Gringotts Bank." "Your brother, just how many Weasleys are there, Ron?" "Um...let's see," he thought for a moment, "nine in all, there's Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and George, me, and Ginny, and of course Mum and Dad. You'll be meeting Ginny today and I think Fred, George, and Bill, tonight." That was a lot of people in one house at least to me because I was an only child. "Wow that is a lot of people."
Just then, my mum has perfect timing for all the wrong reasons, "Annelise, come on, dear, it's time to go shopping. Meet us by the grand staircase in ten minutes. Do not be late or I'll shop without you!" "I'll be there in just a minute," I called, "sorry, Ron, doesn't look like I'll get to show you the house after all, but ask my dad and he'll show you around. I'll see you tonight. Oh and by the way, you can call me Bethan." I had to run off quickly and change before we left. Mum wouldn't let me leave the house in what I was presently wearing. She always says that I must be a lady outside the house but I can dress how I want at home. Kind of ironic if you ask me. I quickly changed into my favorite orange shirt with the pentagram on it, donned regular blue jeans and a red and gold scarf and ran downstairs. Real ladylike isn't it? Basically I just can't dress like a slut out in public.
"That's a new record Annelise, nine and half minutes." my mother exclaimed, she always jokes about how long I take to get ready. "But did you have to get that shirt, Annelise; I swear I am going to throw that thing away." I looked at her crazily. "You will not, this is my favorite shirt. It scares the muggles, and I think it's funny." "You have a very dark sense of humor, Annelise, I really don't know where it comes from, you certainly did not get it from my side of the family."
"Oh, come on, Mum, let's go shopping. We have a lot to do before the party."
My mum looked surprised. I never took any interest in her parties because they were all so routine. "Just a minute, let me introduce you." I hadn't noticed that there were two other people with her. "This is Mrs. Molly Weasley and her daughter Ginny. Ginny is a year under you but I expect you will be good friends. Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, my daughter Annelise." Mrs. Weasley smiled warmly at me and Ginny nodded. "Please call me Bethan. It's very nice to meet you both. I already met Ron and he seems very cool, too. Come on, you lot, let's go shopping." I headed towards the front doors until the voice of my mum stopped me, "Annelise, we're going by floo powder today. I know you don't like to travel that way, but it's the fastest route to Diagon Alley so we can shop. To the living room, ladies, and we'll be on our way." I grudgingly headed to the giant marble fireplace and stepped inside with the others. All together we shouted "Diagon Alley!" and we were off. I hated seeing all the chimneys; they always made me sick until I could close my eyes.
We arrived in a busy little store that I later learned was called Flourish and Blotts. "So where's the best place to start shopping? You are the official guide, Ginny. Mum, I want to shop for dresses at J.C. Penny's, can Ginny go with me?" I had to plead with her to let us go off on our own. "What's J.C. Penny's? I have never been there. If it's outside Diagon Alley, I can't go because I am not dressed to be around muggles." Being the quick thinker that I was I grabbed my wand and did a spell that helped camouflage her robes. "You may go, but I want you to be extra careful. Meet us at the Leaky Cauldron in two hours. Ginny will show you the way out and then how to get back. Mrs. Weasley and I will shop for the party decorations and such. See you girls later."
Ginny and I headed out of the little shop and up the street. We stopped when we reached a brick wall. "Now what?" I said, "How do we get through?" Ginny pulled out her wand and quickly tapped several of the bricks and stood back. Slowly the bricks began to move and form an archway. "That's so cool! I wish I had something like that for my room. So where does this lead to Ginny?" "From here, we go inside the Cauldron and into the muggle world. Then we're off to shop." I followed her inside the pub and out onto the street.
"Okay, off to J.C. Penny's and awesome new dresses. Let's go, Ginny, I'll race you." I took off ahead of her and rounded a corner only to land on the ground. I looked up into a pair of gorgeous grey eyes. Funny they seemed almost familiar to me. "Excuse me, I didn't mean to run into you. Are you alright?" At about that time Ginny rounded the corner and stopped to help me up. "Are you okay, Bethan? What happened to you?" I looked up at her, "I'm fine, Ginny, really. I accidentally ran into this young man here." Ginny looked up when I said that and her eyes narrowed considerably. "Malfoy, what are you doing here?" "Weasley, I'd ask you the same question. Hiring out to be a maid now? Perhaps it will help your pathetic family earn money." I watched Ginny's face and her hands to make sure she wasn't reaching for her wand. "That was a little harsh don't you think? And completely uncalled for, not to mention rude. I think you should apologize and then we'll be on our way." He looked at me rather coldly, spun on his heel and walked away. I looked at Ginny and she at me, "Are you okay, Ginny? I feel really bad for that." "Don't worry about it. We're old enemies. He doesn't like my family and I don't like his. Love-hate relationship. We love to hate each other. Come on, let's go shopping." she said and continued down the street.
When we reached the store Ginny's mouth fell open. "I have never seen so many dresses in one place. And they're all so beautiful." I must have looked surprised because she blushed when she looked back at me. "Pick one," I told her, "any one you want. My treat, for you coming along to help me." Ginny looked like a kid in a candy store. "Really, any one I want. Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! What color do you think I'd look better in, the blue or the orange?" I thought for a moment before speaking. "The orange, it suits your personality, hair color, and eyes. For me, it's all black. It looks great with my eyes and really brings out the blue in my hair. Okay...let's split up and meet at the dressing rooms." "Deal...I'll take the left and you take the right." I headed off in one direction and she in the other.
After about an hour I met up with her at the dressing room. "Okay, how many dresses did you find? I got three for now but I really like these two," I said showing her two of my dresses. Ginny had a blue dress and an orange dress, "Now before you say anything, the blue was cool and they only had one orange dress. But I really like the orange one. Come on let's try them on. You first, I want to see what yours look like." I quickly went into one of the rooms and changed into a strapless black knee-length dress. I didn't realize that it showed my birthmark until Ginny pointed it out. "What's that on your shoulder? Is it a tattoo or something?" "Oh, that, no it's not a tattoo. It's my birthmark. I didn't notice that it was showing. My hair usually covers it up. What's wrong, Ginny? You look like you've seen a ghost." She looked up at me, "Sorry, it's just that, well, I know two people who have a mark just like that but it's on their right shoulder and the middle of one's back. It's just a little strange." "That is strange. Who are they, Ginny, who else has this mark?"
Ginny looked at me for a moment. "Are you sure you want to know, Bethan? Because it will probably be a big shock." I nodded my head and she continued on, "Harry Potter is one of them. He has the mark on his shoulder. And the other is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. The one you ran into on the street. His mark is in the middle of his back." Just for my own curiosity I asked how she had come to see the mark on the boys. "Oh," she said and she blushed before answering my question. "Well if you promise not to tell my mum, then I'll tell you how I found out about Draco's." I quickly promised because I was dying to here some good gossip. "I kind of sort of slept with him and by chance got a good look at his back while he had his shirt off and happened to see it. He made me promise not to tell anyone because he didn't know what it was or where it came from."
I just stood there because shocked did not even cover what I was thinking. "You kind of sort of slept with him. How did you do that? You either did or didn't do it. Which one was it? Is that why he talked to you like that earlier today?" I questioned her quickly from my curiosity. "I did sleep with him but only once. I was curious about his reputation and got a little too involved. Please don't tell Ron either, he would kill me. He hates Malfoy with a vengeance. And I know about Harry's because we go swimming together a lot. Nothing is going on there though before you ask. But I have a question for you because neither Harry nor Draco could tell me. What does the mark say? I know it's in Chinese but I always wondered what it actually said." I headed back into the dressing room to try on the other dress that I liked and continued talking to Ginny. "The mark says love forever but I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean." I came back out in the other dress; this one had long sleeves with an open back that came down past my feet. "What do you think of this one? I like it for the party tonight and the other for my birthday ball in two weeks. Are you going to be there for it?" Ginny looked sad, "No, I'm afraid not. Mum and Dad are taking all of us to go visit my brother Charlie in Romania. He works with dragons and we get to help out sometimes." "That's so cool. Now back on topic...Did you really say Harry Potter? As in the real Harry Potter? Not some fake or anything…that's so cool. How did you meet him? And what about Draco; what is his reputation? The one you were so interested in finding out about." I was being serious about Harry but sarcastic about Draco but Ginny didn't catch on. "Well I've known Harry for years. He's best friends with Ron and you'll get to meet him on the train to school. And no, he's not a fake. I've been through many of his adventures and I can tell you, it's never the same thing. Draco's reputation...well he's said to be the "Sex God of Slytherin" which isn't all that far from the truth. He was pretty damn good if I do say so myself." I looked at her incredulously, "'Sex God of Slytherin'", what is Slytherin?" I guessed it had something to do with Hogwarts but I didn't know what. "It's one of the houses. Hogwarts has four houses. They're named after the original four founders: Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin."
"Oh, well, I guess that explains a lot of it." I had finished trying on my dresses and was coming out of the dressing room. "Okay, Ginny, you're turn. I want to see the blue one first." Ginny headed into the dressing room with both dresses. "Hey, Ginny, what house are you in at Hogwarts? Why do they put students in houses anyway?" Ginny came out of the dressing room with the dress, and I must say that it was very ugly. I think we both agreed that the blue dress would be a definite no. "I'm in Gryffindor. We have the best house or so I think. We are sorted s0 we meet with people who have the same habits as we d0. Our characteristics define who we are and what house we belong in. There's a ceremony at the beginning of school. You'll be sorted into your house then along with the first years." She came back out in the orange dress smiling. "I think this is the one I want. It's gorgeous." I couldn't help smiling at her. "I totally agree with you; it looks great on you, Ginny."
Ginny continued to tell me more about Hogwarts as I paid for the dresses and headed out of the store. Of course we all know that lightning doesn't strike the same place twice, right? Well today was the day for miracles because as I walked out of the store I walked into Draco Malfoy again.
"Would you mind watching where you're going? That's the second time today that you have walked into me. Honestly, some people really have no class." He continued ranting on for about two minutes until he realized that I hadn't said I was sorry for running him over again. "Excuse me, Mr. Malfoy; I hadn't realized that you were intending to come through the doors. Please allow me to make it up to you. I would like for you to be my guest tonight at a dinner party. My family and I just recently moved to London from Rome and we would like to get to know the other wizarding families. With you there it will be nine people unless Mum has found more people at Diagon Alley." Ginny looked at me like I was crazy. I winked at her and she visibly relaxed but I was sure she thought I was inviting a snake into my home.
Malfoy thought for a moment before answering me. "I would be delighted to attend. Is it formal and at what time does it start?" His voice just dripped sarcasm as though he thought I was joking. "Well, since I can tell that you think I must be joking then why don't we just forget I invited you. But it would be such a shame for you to reject my offer, my family is very prominent in the wizarding world and so I hear is yours. In fact why don't you bring your whole family to the party and we can all get to know each other." I started to walk off back down the street with Ginny beside me. "Watch this, in ten seconds he'll be coming after me." Ginny remained silent so I assumed she was counting to herself. "Two…one," I said and then I heard him. "Wait, I'll go, I'll go. But I must ask one thing." I turned around to look at him, "And that would be?" "What is your name? It's really important that I know." I figured he would have asked something else but oh well, guys never did what you thought they would anyways. "Annelise Bethan Garrah is my name and I will see you tonight at six o'clock at my home." I turned to Ginny and continued walking down the street to the Leaky Cauldron.
Once we turned the corner Ginny started talking. "I can't believe you just did that. I am totally envious. I could never make Malfoy look at me like he just did to you. I think he finally met his match. Is your mum going to be okay with the addition of three more guests at her party?" "She already knows; she knew the minute I extended the invitation to Draco. Mum is telepathic and at that moment she was checking on us to make sure we were okay. I can talk back to her but I can't initiate the power. I got telekinesis when I was born so I can just move things around at will. Take that sign up there that's advertising about make-up, I can change the words to make it say something else. It's cool sometimes but it can be annoying at times. Like when I'm trying to sneak cookies out of the kitchen or something when I think everyone is asleep and Mum is aware that I'm doing it so she puts a charm on the kitchen where I can't get the cookies." We made our way back to the pub without any more incidents flaring up and talked about all kinds of things.
"I'm thirsty. Do you want anything?" I asked as we entered the pub. "Sure, is butterbeer alright with you? It's the best thing here for minors." I always hated that particular rule about minors. I would much rather have had a shot of something strong like absinthe or tequila. But as I was not seventeen yet I unfortunately had to settle for the butterbeer. "I went up to the bartender and ordered two butterbeers and brought them back for Ginny and I.
As if on cue the door leading from Diagon Alley burst open to reveal my mum and a much harried looking Mrs. Weasley. "Annelise, must you do that to every person you meet on the streets of London. Really! Mrs. Weasley and I had to return to every store we'd been to just to buy three more of each item for the last surprise guests." I knew Mum wasn't upset she was only pretending. "Oh really, Mum, you know you like it when I decide to become involved in something you're doing. Don't deny it either. I thought he perfectly deserved to be put in his place. He shouldn't have been so rude in the first place. Anyways, I went ahead and got my dress for my birthday ball in two weeks also. Don't let me forget to send out my invitations and to book a band."
At that moment Mrs. Wesley noticed that Ginny had her dress also. "Ginny, dear, what's that you've got with you? Did you find something to spend your birthday money on?" Ginny looked at me, obviously she hadn't realized that her mum would probably ask about the dress. "I bought it for her, Mrs. Weasley; it was my gift to her for coming along with me to shop and telling me all about Hogwarts. It was all my idea." She looked at rather sharply as though she didn't believe what she was hearing. "Why, thank you, Bethan that was very nice of you. Ginny, did you thank her for the dress?" "Yes, Mum, I did. Bethan even helped me pick out the dress. Just wait until you see it. You'll love it as much as I do." "Well, it looks as if you girls had a busy day. Finish your butterbeers and then we'll be on our way." My mum said. She obviously wanted to get back to get everything ready for the party.