By: Erica Evans
Prologue: The Four Year Break
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.
A/N: This is the last fic in the series that began over a year ago with 'Secrets that Were Kept.' This chapter begins a few years after 'As Seen in a Dream' left off. This is the chapter that got moved.
Dear Miss Potter, We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as Head Girl. Enclosed you will find a list of your duties and also your Head Girl badge.
Congratulations, Miss Potter, As Head Girl, it is expected that you uphold the values and ideals of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as you perform your duties with the honor befitting a Gryffindor.
Professor Remus Lupin
Deputy Headmaster
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
"I'm Head Girl," Reagan announced to no one. The house was empty. Her father was at work, and her mother had gone out shopping, leaving Reagan alone in the house. Reagan hadn't felt like shopping today.
She took her breakfast dishes to the sink and turned on the faucet to wash them and then stopped.
"You're of age, Reagan," she laughed at her self. She had turned seventeen in April, though she still wasn't used to being able to do magic freely at home. She turned to go back up to her bedroom, muttered a charm to wash her dishes, noticing a second envelope on the table.
"I didn't see this one," she muttered to herself. She picked up a second envelope, and realized who it was from: Trevor.
Reagan,
Just wanted to see how you were doing, I haven't heard back from you in a while. I wanted to make sure you were okay.
"Yeah, Trevor," Reagan muttered. "I'm dandy."
You can stop thinking sarcastic responses now, and don't think that they aren't sarcastic. I'll be in London in about a week, any chance of meeting me?? I'll buy you lunch, and I know you won't refuse a meal. Come on, its on me, you pick where ever you want, we'll even go into Muggle London if you'd like.
Reagan laughed and read on.
It will be good to see you. I'll wait for your reply.
Always,
Trevor
Reagan sighed. She knew she missed Trevor; she hadn't seen him in about a month, and even though she wanted to accept his lunch offer, she couldn't bring herself to do so.
She turned and went upstairs to her room, both the Hogwarts letter and Trevor's clenched tightly in her hand. She had been made a Prefect her fifth year, just as Trevor had predicted. Her sixth year she had been made Prefect again, and he had been made Head Boy. Now it was the summer before her seventh year at Hogwarts, and Reagan sat on her bed, still clutching her Head Girl letter in her hand.
Looking around her room, her eyes fell onto a photo of three people waving. Reagan smiled at the memory of their first Quidditch cup, she and Josie were holding the silver cup above their heads, one arm each around Cal. Another photo caught her eye, a picture of herself and Cal waving as they left their last O.W.L. exam. Reagan's eyes filled with tears. That photo had been taken about a year after Josie's death. There was a picture of Trevor and her, both holding their Prefect badges, both grinning madly. The last picture she looked at was a picture of Trevor with his Head Bog badge pinned onto his robes, during a meeting on the Hogwarts express. He looked up during his speech, looking directly into the camera, smiled and winked before looking back at the other Prefects.
Reagan rolled onto her stomach and watched Eclipse chase a moth. She was tired and felt lazy, though it was midmorning. Sitting up, she decided she needed to get away, she needed to go and do something. She quickly wrote a note to her father and one to her mum before sending Vira off to them before she Apparated to the Burrow.
"Reagan?" her grandmother asked. "Are you all right?"
"Hi Gran," Reagan replied. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't want to be at home."
"Well you are always welcome here," Molly said. "Would you like to help me?"
"What are you doing?" Reagan asked.
"Making ice cream," Molly replied. "I've always preferred the taste of homemade ice cream."
Reagan sat and stirred the mixture, preventing it from sticking to the sides of the charmed basin.
"You seem upset dear," Molly said. "Are you sure you're all right?"
Reagan sighed. "I'm fine, I just... I don't know. I'm the new Head Girl. Thats some good news."
"Ooohh!" Molly squealed and hugged her granddaughter. "Thats wonderful! This family has produced more Head Boys and Girls than any other! First there was Bill and then Percy, and then Harry and Hermione and then your mother! Mackenzie and Will and then Philip and then, James and now you! Thats wonderful dear. Oh Reagan, whats wrong?"
Reagan wasn't smiling. "Gran, I don't know whats wrong. It's being Head Girl, and then its Trevor--"
"What had Trevor done?!"
"-- and then I miss Cal, and Lane, and of course I miss Josie. I had another dream about her. And I don't know what I want to do, well I know what I want to do but I don't think anyone will be all that supportive of it and..." Reagan stopped and sobbed into her hands. Molly's comforting arms wrapped themselves around her and held her close.
"Reagan, dear," Molly said, calming her down. "You've had terrible death of someone that was very close to you, and you were very young. The only person who has any inclination what you're going through is your father--"
"I've already talked to him about all of this! He'll think I'm silly for not letting go!"
"Now Reagan, you know thats not true," Molly said. "Search your mind and soul, dear, you know your father would never think anything you do as silly."
Reagan sighed. "I know. Its just hard."
"Now where was Trevor in all of that?"
"He hasn't done anything," Reagan said. "In fact he's been wonderful. He's been supportive and helpful and caring and... and I don't know what to do about him. He's my best friend but I think I just need time... away from everything..."
"Its understandable dear," her grandmum said to her. "And no matter what you do, this family will support you. We love you Reagan. We all just want you to be happy."
"I know," she whispered.
She stayed at the Burrow the rest of the morning and late into the afternoon before returning to her house. Her parents were both home and she sat them down in the living room and handed each of them a parchment.
"Reagan, whats this?" her mother asked.
"Mum, just read it," Reagan replied.
"Stanford University of Magic, Berkley, California," Ginny read. "I can read what it says, Reagan, I just want to know why your handing this to me."
"I think she wants to go here," Harry said. "Next year, after she finishes Hogwarts."
"You want to go to a university in America?" Ginny asked and Reagan nodded. "But why?"
"Because its not here," Reagan said. "Mum, I need to get away, I need to be out on my own, away from everyone."
"But Reagan you don't know anyone over there," Ginny said.
"Dad has family," Reagan said. "Remember, I've met them? Allison Potter and Ryan Potter are both going there. Ali owled me, and made the suggestion and I think its a good idea. I can room with her, and go to school out there and everything."
"Reagan I don't know," Ginny said, looking back at the parchment. "Harry what do you think?"
"Honestly, Gin?" he asked. "I think it might be a good idea."
"Harry!"
"Well think about it, Ginny," Harry began. "She can go to school, live with someone she knows, the Potter's place isn't so far away from this school, so she would have help is she needed it."
"But its in America, Harry," Ginny said. "Its another country, on the other side of the ocean, on the other side of the world for Merlin's sake!"
"Ginny, if I had had this option when I got out of Hogwarts, I would have taken it," Harry said. "But I didn't. I had a war to fight and I had you. I wasn't about to leave either of them. Think about it, Ginny. No one will know her, no one will know me. She can have a chance to learn and do what she wants."
"It just seems so far," Ginny said. "But if this is really what you want to do..."
"It is, Mum," Reagan replied. "I need this. I need to get away, from everything. Some things here are still too upsetting."
Ginny nodded and smiled at her daughter. "You are much more independent that I ever was."
"Nonsense," Reagan replied. "I had to get if from somewhere."
Ginny smiled. "If this will make you happy, then you have my permission."
"Thank you, Mum," Reagan said and hugged her mother.
"You weren't really asking for our permission, were you?" Harry asked.
"Not really," Reagan said.
"Well thanks for letting us think you were," Harry said. "We like to pretend that we are still in control sometimes."
Reagan laughed and hugged her father, and Harry's eyes swelled with tears. It meant a lot to him to see his daughter happy again, and if it took sending her to a school in America for four years then he'd make sure it happened.
A/N: I'd say we're off to a good start.
This story begins when Reagan Potter is 22 years old. Now it will be a Harry Potter fan fic, and it will also be a continuance of the stories I have already written. However, due to Reagan's age, it might be a little more mature. I'm keeping the rating PG for now, but if something comes up in a later chapter, I will place a new rating on that individual chapter. But be warned. Reagan is an adult. With adult feelings, emotions, and ideas.