Angeline Oscar Portur; Or, the Battle of Godric's Lions
Chapter 1, In Which Angeline Moves to London
Dear Angeline,
Hope you're having fun with your aunt. Things have been crazy as usual. Da tricked uncle Ron into being a test subject for his latest invention: long lasting fire-drops. They look like chocolate, but they're really spelled so you breathe fire for about an hour. Well, they're only supposed to last an hour. Da's batch must have been too strong, cause Uncle was breathing fire and curses for four hours straight. And it looks like it had the same effect as spicy food to taste, which Da was trying to get rid of. Guess it didn't work. Mum was furious; I thought she'd bought a howler when we got home. You should have heard her. I think banshee's in her blood, is the problem. She and Da have been arguing more lately, but they always make up, so I guess it's okay. Besides, Mum wasn't half as bad as Gram was. And she did send a howler. Or five. Make that six, there's another one now. Sorry, can't think with the holwing, write you again soon.
Fred
Angeline sat on the front porch of her aunt's house, petting Fred's owl, a tawny named Clippers. The letter had just arrived, the eighth of such she had received since leaving Hogwarts. She always read them straight off, brought fed whoever's owl it was that had brought the letter (which was why Clippers was still cooing under her finger preening) and then prepared her response.
At the conclusion of the year, she had returned to America with her great aunt. The house, however, had much changed since she'd left. While at Hogwarts, her aunt had written of how Mr. Riley had started helping around the house. It had been something of an understatement.
Satchel Riley had had the house repaired to its complete state, and had used enlargement spells to expand the narrow building to twice if not thrice its original width. Now the halls and rooms were spacious rather than narrow, and meticulously cleaned and polished. All the old fixings, a small chandelier, a great grandfather clock, and various other objects, had been brought down from the attic and restored to the rooms of the house. Aunt Marinthana's room was moved to the first floor, and Mr. Riley visited nearly every day (except for when Ministry duties kept him away). There were also two of the man's house elves left behind, to tend to matters in his stead.
"Mistress Angeline, supper's nearly ready, marm," Sarky, one of such house elves, had appeared in the doorway. Angeline nodded, folding Fred's letter and putting it back in its envelope.
"Of course. I will be there after I talk with Rochester," she said, looking to the little elf. Sarky bobbed her head.
"Very good, marm. Shall I see to the owl, marm?" she asked.
"If you would," Angeline said, leaving Clippers in the care of the house elf. The girl hopped down the stairs, then made her way into the woods. Her brother had, of course, been returned to the woods by her aunt's house, although there were very stringent wards now in place to ensure no one saw the dragon who shouldn't.
"Good evening, Angie," Rochester said. "Any mail for me?"
"I am afraid not," the girl said, taking a seat on a rock. The dragon sighed, resettling himself. Rochester and Scorpius had kept up their own correspondence over the summer, with Angeline acting as the go between. Although Scorpius's letters were spelled to read themselves, Rochester's replies needed to be written by his sister. "I did receive a letter from Fred, however."
"Ah, and what happened this time?" Rochester asked. Angeline rolled her eyes.
"Mr. Weasley made some kind of potion that makes one breath fire and used it on Fred's uncle," she said. Rochester snorted.
"I'm sure his Mum was furious," he said. Angeline shrugged.
"It was childish," she said. "Is breathing fire really all that grand?"
"I like it well enough," Rochester replied. "But, I haven't known any different, so I don't think I really qualify to answer that."
"I suppose that is true enough," Angeline said.
"Not that Silvermane will take our word for it," Rochester said, a glint of mischief in his eyes. Angeline rolled her eyes. The new Magical Creatures Professor had sent Angeline letters as well, all questions about her brother and his habits.
"I still do not see why he does not simply ask you, rather than me," the girl said. Rochester chuckled.
"Some people have more problems with the dragon bit than others," he said. Angeline opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly her brother's head popped up to its full height. "Is that smoke?"
Angeline jumped to her feet, looking towards the house. From over the tops of the trees, she could just barely see a trail of smoke. The girl felt her stomach drop.
Without a word, she dropped her letter, tearing through the familiar woods in her haste to reach the house. As she got closer, she began hearing a lots bangs and sparks, as well as other sounds. When she arrived, she stopped in her tracks. There was a giant hole in the front of the house, as well as countless smaller holes and scorch marks. Someone in a red robe stood in front of the house, wand pointed at another person in a black robe. Angeline watched as the pair threw magic at each other, unable to move from the cover of the woods. The girl didn't notice when a hand holding a wand appeared next to her.
"Locomotor mortis," Angeline jumped as the man spoke next to her, looking back at him. He also wore a red robe, the cowl covering more than half his face. All Angeline could see was his black beard and a strange coat of arms on a pendant before the man apparated. Then she looked back to the house. The other red robe had disappeared, the man in the black robe along with them.
Finally, the girl ran forward, jumping through the hall and straight to her aunt's room.
"Angeline, what happened, dear? You look pale," the old woman, looking rather pale herself, was struggling to sit up. Angeline breathed a sigh of relief.
"I… I have no idea, Aunt," she said, walking forward to help her aunt.
When Mr. Riley showed up a few moments later, Angeline told them what she had seen. The wizened old man had stroked his tufty beard thoughtfully before he came to a decision.
"This house isn't safe," he said. "You, my dear, have attracted too much attention of the wrong sort, and the wards can't keep up with it."
"What are you proposing, Satchel?" Aunt Marinthana asked.
"Well," the man said. "I do have a townhouse in London, and, as I am the only current resident…"
"What about Rochester?" Angeline asked. Mr. Riley sighed. He had forgotten about the dragon. Angeline jumped to her feet. "I need to tell him what happened."
"Go on," Riley sad. "We'll sort this out."
Angeline ran out of the room. Rochester was waiting nearby, tail twitching anxiously until his sister explained all that had transpired. Then he started growling, smoke pouring from his mouth.
"Who… how dare they…" he seemed unable to form a complete thought. His wings twitched; he wanted to fly, but the Ministry had forbidden it.
"It will be alright. No one was hurt," Angeline said, thinking about the red robed man and his companion. Rochester growled.
"That doesn't make it alright," he said, fighting to calm down.
"Angeline? Ah, here you are."
"Ms. Kimberlyn?" Angeline asked, turning as the woman strode up to her. Zavanna smiled. She was not her usual trim self; her bun was messy and loose, and she was dressed in slightly crumpled robes, as if she had slept in them. Her eyes, however, were sharp as ever.
"Satchal floo'ed. Are you alright?"
"I am fine. Why did Mr. Riley floo you?" Angeline replied. Ms. Kimberlyn chuckled.
"Well, he wanted to ask me if I could give your brother a place to stay," she said. "You see, my family owns a large estate, and you, of course, would be able to come and go as you please. Naturally, the choice is Rochester's."
"I see," Angeline said. She looked up at her brother.
"What's this about leaving?" Rochester asked.
"Mr. Riley thinks it would be best to leave this house, since his London house has better magical protections."
"Oh. Well… I suppose he has a point…" Rochester rose his head, looking away. Angeline frowned, knowing this was hard on him. When she had been at Hogwarts, they had spent considerably less time together. Now, even when school was out they wouldn't be spending much time together.
"Which is why he called me over," Ms. Kimberlyn interrupted suddenly. The woman smiled as Angeline and Rochester looked at her. "Like I said, I have the room to put your brother up, and you can just floo in whenever you like. I mean, I'm the only one living there, so you won't be bothering anyone."
"… that sounds.. nice," Rochester decided. Angeline looked up at him.
"Are you sure?" she asked. Rochester sighed, lowering his head to be eye-level with his sister. He'd grown another two feet since leaving Hogwarts.
"I'll miss you like crazy," he said. "But I would rather you were safe."
Angeline sighed. She turned to Ms. Kimberlyn.
"Alright," she said. Zavanna sighed, giving the girl's shoulder a gentle squeeze.
"It'll be alright," she said softly. "You'll see."
Angeline certainly hoped so.
"Here we are, Mistress," Sarky said, showing Angeline to a small room in the Riley home. She blinked. It was obviously a girl's room; the small four-poster had curtains of damask silk, the blanket pastel pink. The wood was a light cherry, the floor a rich mahogany. There was a white vanity next to the bed, a hope chest with a large pink doily draped on top at the foot. The window ledge was low and wide, with variously pink shades pillows in one corner. There was a white wardrobe across from the bed, and a large earthware pot of pink geraniums sitting next to it. The girl sniffed.
"Whose room was this?" she asked, spying her suitcases next to the door. Sarky curtseyed.
"Before you, marm, it belonged to Master Satchal's daughter," the house elf said. Angeline blinked.
"I was not aware he had a daughter," she said. Sarky wrung her wrists.
"It was a long time ago, marm," she said. Angeline nodded her understanding.
"Thank you, Sarky. That will be all," she said. Sarky nodded, then curtseyed again before she left. Angeline took another look around the room. She wondered what had happened to Mr. Riley's daughter, but now was not the time to ask. Lifting one of her bags unto the bed and opening the wardrobe, she began unpacking.
She was halfway through when there was a sudden commotion in the hall, and as Angeline turned Veronika burst into the room, Fred a step behind her.
"Angeline!" Veronika squealed, pulling the older girl into a tight embrace. Angeline gentle pried her off, finding it hard to breath.
"Veronika, it is good to see you," Angeline said. She looked around to her best friend. "And you as well, Fred."
"Yeah, yeah," he said, plopping onto the bed and looking around. "Not really your taste, is it?"
"I think it's adorable!" Veronika said. Angeline sighed.
"It is a rather large amount of pink," she said neutrally. "And how did you two know I was here?"
"Ms. Kimberlyn told us when she was in the shop earlier," Fred said. "So-"
"We came to kidnap you!' Veronika said, grinning wildly. Angeline cocked a brow.
"Pardon me?"
"Come on," Veronika said, pulling Angeline by the wrist. "Let's go have fun! We haven't hung out in forever!"
"Veronika, please, I have not finished unpacking," Angeline said. Fred sighed, standing.
"She's just excited about the new Minstrel May book," he said, following as Veronika pulled the older girl through the house. Angeline looked back at him.
"Who?" she asked. Fred shrugged.
"Some romance novelist. Da says her stuff is hilarious, and Uncle Ron and Aunt Moine can't stand it," he said. "Neither can Mum. She says it's all trash."
"But it's so funny!" Veronika said, pulling Angeline out the door, leaving the girl barely enough time to wave to Mr. Riley and her Aunt on the way out. "It's horribly fantastic!"
"What do you mean?" Angeline asked. Veronika giggled.
"The books are horrible. But they're so bad, it's funny; especially since Minstrel's gotten so bloody popular," she said. Angeline looked at Fred, who shrugged.
"So… you like them because they are poorly written?" she asked, finally pulling her wrist from the taller girl's grip. Veronika giggled again, nodding. "Preposterous."
"You know, I don't get it either, but at least she knows they're bad, yeah?" Fred said, Veronika rambling in the background a few steps ahead. Angeline shrugged.
"I suppose," she said. "… is everything alright?"
"What? Yeah, of course," Fred said. Angeline bit the inside of her cheek then decided not to ask further.
"Good," she said, then turned to watch Veronika practically skip along. She had to admit, although she missed her aunt's house, and wished her brother were near, it was good to be with her friends again. It felt like… home.