Hello again everyone! As you can see, it's going to take me a little longer to update for this story. Part of the problem is a lack of time at the moment, and also due to the fact that this is definitely the hardest story of the series to write because I am having to write totally original material that is not in Narnia with only familiar characters to work with. But hey, I love a challenge, and it'll be good to help me develop as a writer! I will try and update as frequently as I can, although I'm on work experience this week (God help the children I have to teach) so time will be even more limited I'm afraid! But regardless, I'd like to say a huge thank you to all of you who have already followed, favourited and reviewed this story, because I really appreciate it! I hope you all enjoy this chapter too.
Susan Viktorija: Thank you :) I'm not sure what you mean, are you referring to the spin off? If so, I am still working on that but it won't be published until later as I have a plan to tie it in with this story.
Lairyfight: Thank you, I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I'm sure Peter will ask her, though we'll just have to see how long it will take him! And she most definitely will, as i think any of us would if we were to find ourselves in a technologically and socially backward society compared to the one we knew, and I plan on making it a part of this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter :)
Narnia and Harry Potter 4 EVER: Thank you! I hope you like this chapter too :)
Guest: Your review put the biggest smile on my face! Thank you so much! There's definitely some amazing stories in this fandom, and I'm really touched that you think it's one of the best :)
September 1942
"Now, are you sure you have your ticket, dear?" Mrs Pevensie asked Peter for what must have been the millionth time since we'd left the house, and I fought back a smile at his disgruntled expression.
"Yes, mum." he said with exasperation, and Lucy and I grinned at each other.
"And you both have everything you need packed?" she queried, glancing from Peter to me.
"I know that I do." I assured her with a small smile, before looking at Peter.
"Yes, I do have everything before you start on me too." he answered, trying to sound annoyed but failing from the smile he was wearing.
"Just checking." I replied brightly.
"I'm sure you were." he muttered, but I chose to ignore him as Susan and Lucy approached me and we embraced each other.
"I'll miss having you two around." I told them.
"Yes, I don't know how you'll stay sane with just Peter!" Lucy teased as I laughed.
"I heard that, Lu!" Peter called as he spoke with his father.
"Well, if I've done it once I can do it again." I said quietly to Lucy with a grin so that her parents wouldn't hear, and she grinned back at me. But when I glanced at Susan, there was a pained look in her eyes, and when I caught her gaze she blinked and it immediately disappeared, a smile appearing on her face that did not reach her eyes.
"Are you all right, Su?" I asked tentatively.
"Yes, It's just that I'm going to miss you so much!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around me.
"Sure you are, Susan. Admit it, you're just looking forward to getting your vanity mirror back to yourself." I teased as I hugged her back, choosing to ignore her earlier behaviour.
Susan laughed, as did Lucy, "And don't forget the wardrobe space." Lucy added with a giggle.
Susan rolled her eyes at her sister and I, "You make me sound so vain."
"That's because you are." Edmund quipped lightly as he joined us, before he turned to me.
"Do you think you could endure one more hug?" I asked.
"Only if I have to." he replied, but his smile gave him away. I quickly pulled him in to a fierce hug before he could object, and he chuckled quietly in my ear.
"Are you really going to miss me that much?" he teased.
"Certainly not your mouth and caustic wit, no." I joked.
"And I most definitely won't miss you, Ed." Peter added with a smile as he joined us.
"Thanks, Pete. What happened to sibling camaraderie and all of that?" he asked, seeming a little put out.
"You're incredibly dramatic when you want to be, you know that?" Peter replied with a laugh.
"You sound surprised." Edmund replied with a raised eyebrow.
"Come on, you two, or the train will leave without you!" Mrs Pevensie chided, appearing next to us before anyone could reply.
"Don't worry mum, we've got plenty of time." Peter assured her.
"You've only got five minutes, and you still need to find a seat! Go on, off you go." she said, giving both of us a final hug before gently nudging us in the direction of the train. I looked over my shoulder at Susan, Edmund and Lucy, giving each of them a small smile which they returned with a wave. But before we stepped on to the train, Mr Pevensie stopped us.
"Peter, Anna." he called quietly, the others dutifully turning away and consoling their mother who was trying hard to suppress her tears. Peter and I stopped before turning to face him, both of us curious about what he would have to say. "Before you go, let me give you some advice. Work hard, don't get mixed up with the kids who like to party all night and sleep all day. But remember to keep a balance, and find time to spend with each other and your other friends. And above all, respect each other and don't take this for granted, though I think you both know that already." he told us firmly.
"Thanks, dad. We'll remember that." Peter assured him.
Mr Pevensie nodded, "Good man. Now off you go, before your mother decides to try and stop you. And good luck, both of you." he added, a hint of a smile on his lips.
We quickly found two empty seats quite near to where the others were standing on the platform, and we were able to wave goodbye as the train sped off, Lucy running along the side and waving to us until she reached the end of the platform, and Peter and I waved back at her until the train rounded a corner and she disappeared from sight. I leaned back against the seat, sad to have to say goodbye again, but also looking forward to arriving at the university.
"We'll be back at mid term, you know." Peter reminded me, easily able to guess what I was thinking.
"I know. But it still won't be the same." I replied, turning to look at him. He slipped his hand in to mine as his answer and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
"Don't worry, I'm sure there'll be plenty of chaos in the dorms once we arrive." he added with a smile. We would be staying in dorms located on the campus, so there was no need to worry about where we would go once we arrived.
"Do you know who you're staying with?" I asked. Peter paused for a moment as he recalled the names printed on the letter we had received a few weeks ago.
"I think the names were Thomas Rutherford and William Connolly. What about you?"
I frowned, unable to remember the names for a moment, "Ummmm...Let me think."
Peter laughed, "How do you expect to remember your lessons if you can't even remember two names?" he teased.
"Shush you." I said, swatting lightly at his arm before I finally remembered the names. "I think it was Charlotte Campbell and Alice Hughes."
"Well, let's just hope they're as normal as their names."
"What sort of people do you expect to be roomed with?!"
"I'm just saying, you never know."
"Peter, we've lived with dryads, fauns and centaurs and we were Kings and Queens of another world. What exactly is your definition of a normal roommate?"
"Touché."
xXx
After a train journey that lasted almost two hours and a short taxi ride to the university, we eventually walked through the doors in the early afternoon. The main lobby was quite busy, with several groups of students talking excitedly while others made their way directly to the dormitories. In the chaos, we managed to locate the main desk and helped by a rather stout woman in her late fifties with large glasses and light brown hair scraped back in a severe looking bun.
"May I help you?" she asked distractedly whilst flipping through a stack of paper files.
"Uh, yes. We were told to come here when we arrived to get our timetables and room keys." Peter explained uncertainly.
"Names, please?" she said without so much as a glance in our direction as she reached for a much larger black file.
"Peter Pevensie and Anna Pev-O'Brien." he informed her, though I shot him a surprised look when he nearly called me Anna Pevensie. Peter blushed slightly and shrugged, but it seemed the receptionist had not noticed so I chose to ignore it for now. Retrieving several sheets of paper and two room keys, we signed all of the necessary forms before making our way to the staircases pointed out to us.
"Meet back at the desk in ten minutes and decide what to do?" Peter suggested.
I smiled, "Sounds good to me." He gave me a quick kiss before we both made our way up the stairs to our respective rooms. All female first year students were housed on the first floor, so thankfully I didn't have far to go. When I reached my room about halfway down the corridor, I slowly unlocked it before stepping in to the room. The dorms were like mini apartments, plainly decorated and furnished but a decent size. The main sitting area had a large sofa and armchair with a coffee table in between, and the small kitchen area was in the far right hand corner in an open plan fashion. To the left were three doors that I assumed lead to the bedrooms and another door on the right that probably lead to the bathroom. I had just quietly closed the door behind me when one of the bedroom doors opened and a young girl stepped out, both of us looking at each other in surprise.
The girl had very long and blonde curly hair, with light brown eyes framed by a pair of delicate red glasses, a slender frame and a rosy complexion. There was a certain element of classic beauty to her, but her expression was that of a rabbit caught in the headlights.
"Um, hello." I said uncertainly as we continued to stare at each other.
"He-hello." she stuttered, seeming to be quite nervous at my arrival.
"Are you Alice or Charlotte?" I asked, attempting to make some form of conversation as I slowly set my suitcase down on the floor.
"I'm A-Alice. Are you Anna, th-then?" she replied quietly, so quietly that I wasn't entirely sure if I'd heard her correctly.
"Yes, it's nice to meet you, Alice." I said, extending a hand towards her which she delicately shook.
She gave my a shy smile as she replied, "You t-too." It was then that I realised that her earlier stutter was not due to nerves, but because that was the way she spoke.
"So, has Charlotte arrived yet?" I asked, quickly scanning the apartment for any signs of another girl.
Alice shook her head, "I arrived about th-thirty minutes ago, and I w-was the first here." she explained.
"I take it you called the best bedroom then?" I joked, and the girl gave a small laugh in response.
"I ch-checked, and they're all the same." she assured me, before adding, "If you d-don't mind my asking, b-but, are you f-from Ireland?"
I nodded and smiled, "I'm a Dublin girl originally, yes."
Alice's eyes light up, "I l-love Dublin. My family and I w-went there a few years ago f-for a holiday." she explained with a wide smile.
"I'm afraid I haven't been home in a while. I've been living over here for the past few years." I explained, suddenly feeling nostalgic for the crowds of O'Connell Street and the scenery of St Stephen's Green.
"Is it b-because of the war?" Alice asked sympathetically.
Why must I always be asked the awkward questions?
"Um, yes. My dad died fighting in the war and my mum in a bombing, so I was sent to live with a family friend in the country over here." I told her, recalling the story Professor Kirke had fabricated a few years ago.
"I'm so sorry, that m-must have been difficult." she said, empathy shining in her eyes.
"It was at the start, yes. But I was living with four other children that I became very close to and they're my family now." I explained with a small smile. I didn't like lying to Alice, I liked her already and she seemed to be a kind and sweet girl. But then again, I could hardly explain the real reason that I was actually here.
"That sounds j-just like a story." she commented with a dreamy look.
You have no idea.
Before I could reply, the door behind me was violently flung open and it made a loud bang as it slammed against the wall. Alice and I jumped before turning to see who our newest addition was. A young woman with light brown hair, dark green eyes and a curvy figure stood in the doorway, a smirk on her face as she strode in to the room.
"Hmm, seems I don't know my own strength." she said smugly as she approached us. "So, who's who here?" the girl asked.
"I'm Anna, and this is Alice." I informed her, not entirely sure if I liked the woman, who I assumed to be Charlotte, or not. "Are you Charlotte?" I asked. To the surprise of Alice and I, she began to laugh loudly.
"Now when I saw that name I thought you might be a Fenian, but who'd have thought I was actually right?" she exclaimed.
I raised an eyebrow at her, "Excuse me?"
Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Oh come on, with a surname and accent like that you have to be linked to the IRA in some way." she said as if it should be obvious. I stared at her for a moment, utterly speechless at her bold and, quite frankly, sectarian statement.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have any connections with any terrorist organisation, thank you." I told her stiffly.
Charlotte scoffed, "Whatever, my dad told me you'd probably deny it anyway." I took a deep breath as I attempted to remain calm. Apart from Peter, this girl seemed to be another person who could easily test my patience, and we'd only met two minutes ago.
"That was very rude." Alice spoke up, frowning at the other girl.
Charlotte shrugged, "What are you, my mother?" she jeered.
"Well ladies, it was nice chatting to you, but I'm off to unpack and make sure there are no bombs in my room." she added lightly, before sweeping past us and entering the bedroom on the far right.
Alice and I stared after her in stunned silence for a moment, only to come back to reality when she slammed her bedroom door closed. "Those comments were c-completely uncalled for." Alice said angrily.
"I have a feeling it's something I'll just have to get used to." I replied dubiously.
"You sh-shouldn't have to p-put up with that, though." she added.
I shrugged helplessly, "I don't really think there's anything I can do." I said. I then glanced at the clock on the wall, and groaned. "Oh no, Peter is going to kill me." I muttered.
"Who's Peter?" Alice asked curiously. "Oh, ummmm." I trailed off, unaware that she had heard me. "He's my, uh, my boyfriend." I explained.
Alice's face lit up in a smile. "And you're h-here together? How romantic!" she gushed.
I laughed, "He just can't get rid of me." I joked, "Though I was supposed to meet him downstairs ten minutes ago." I added.
"Oh dear. But I'm s-sure he'll understand." Alice reasoned.
"I'm not so sure." I replied, "Sorry, but I'll have to leave you." I apologised.
"It's all right, I think I'll ju-just hide in my room and r-read." she said with a small smile. I then proceeded to literally throw my suitcase in to the last remaining bedroom before rushing out of the door and all but running down the stairs. The crowds in the lobby had died down a little, so it was easier to spot Peter.
"I thought you had gotten lost." he teased with a smile.
I rolled my eyes, "I'll explain that when we're out of here." I replied, and Peter raised an eyebrow at my blunt tone.
"Want to go to that cafe we saw near the river?"
xXx
"So, care to explain?" Peter asked curiously as we ate.
"Prepare yourself, it's a long story." I warned him. I first began by telling him about my initial meeting with Alice and our brief conversation, and then Charlotte's entrance and her subsequent remarks.
"She said what?!" Peter fumed, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Well, it's not the first time I've been called a terrorist." I remarked.
"I know that, but she still shouldn't have said it." he said darkly.
"I'll learn to ignore her, and you won't start any trouble over it." I said in a dismissive tone, "Anyway, enough about my roommates, how were yours?"
Peter's face instantly lit up in a wide smile, "I've only met Tom so far, but he's a great guy." he enthused.
"Oh, we're on to nicknames already?" I teased.
Peter laughed, "He says he hates being called Thomas, so he insisted that I call him Tom. I think you'll like him anyway, he's great company." he added.
"Careful, you're starting to sound like an obsessed teenage girl." I joked with a wicked smile, and Peter blushed slightly.
"Oh, shut up." he replied.
"All right, calm down. What's your first class?" I asked, causing his glare to disappear.
"Human biology at ten o'clock on Monday morning." he said excitedly.
"What do you sound so happy for? That's my idea of hell on earth!" I replied sceptically.
"Not for me, it's the class I was most looking forward to." he explained with a smile, "Why what's yours?"
"I'm not so lucky, I think. I've poetry studies first and it's at nine o'clock on Monday morning." I grumbled. Peter grinned, fully aware of my hatred for early mornings.
"I'm just glad I won't be around when you wake up. I feel sorry for your roommates already, including Charlotte." he said lightly.
I glared at him, "Don't worry, I'll be sure to come knocking on your door that morning so you don't miss out." I assured him. "You're not allowed in to the boys dorms before three thirty." he reminded me with a laugh.
"And you think that'll stop me?" I asked. That silenced him.
Once we had finished our meal, we walked back to the university and separated to go back to our rooms to unpack. When I arrived, however, I found someone else had already done it for me. I stormed out of the bedroom and in to the sitting area where Charlotte and Alice were. "Did someone empty my suitcase all over the bedroom floor?" I asked angrily, causing Alice to jump at my tone. I sent her an apologetic look before Charlotte raised her hand without looking up from the book she was reading.
"Why the hell did you do that?" I seethed.
"I had to check you'd nothing in there that could potentially blow this place up." she replied calmly.
Alice and I stared at her in shock for a moment, before I finally found my voice again, "I'm sorry, but have you completely lost your mind? In case you haven't noticed, I'm here to learn, not make bombs!" I pointed out.
"Sure you are." Charlotte said flippantly. I opened my mouth to make a caustic remark, but ultimately decided not to bother and returned to my room and cleared my stuff away. As soon as I had finished that, I left the room and made my way down to the large common room I had seen earlier, not wanting to be in the same room as Charlotte for fear of starting an argument. I was surprised to discover Peter already there with another man who had jet black hair and light blue eyes, and he easily towered over me when they stood.
"Oh Anna, this is Tom." he said cheerfully as I greeted them, and Tom smiled pleasantly down at me.
"Hello, Anna. Peter's told me a lot about you already." he said.
"Nothing too bad, I hope." I joked.
"Not at all, though I'd certainly say you have him very firmly wrapped around your finger." he teased lightly.
"Yes, you were right. I like him already." I said with a wide smile to Peter, who rolled his eyes at me.
"I thought you would." he replied. For the next half an hour, we sat on one of the large sofas in the room and chatted about what we expected of this year and also about our lives during the war. But when Peter asked me about Charlotte again and I told him what she had done, Tom spoke up.
"Ah yes, sorry about that. She has a tendency to be unpleasant to certain people." he said apologetically.
"Do you know her?" I asked, a little surprised.
Tom nodded, "She's my cousin. And I think I can explain her comments."
Peter and I exchanged a look, though I had to admit that I was intrigued, "If it's all right for you to share with us, go ahead." Peter said. Tom then proceeded to explain that her mother had been killed in an IRA bomb, and she had held a strong hatred for anything and anyone associated with Ireland ever since.
"It certainly doesn't excuse what she said or did, but it's just the way she's been since then." Tom explained.
"The poor girl, no wonder she was so obsessed with checking me for bombs." I said.
"Just don't mention to her that I told you, because first she'll kill me then most likely add you to the list." Tom warned.
"Duly noted." I assured him.
Tom excused himself soon after to finish his unpacking, leaving Peter and I alone. "Well, this has most certainly been an eventful first day." he observed.
"And classes haven't even begun yet." I reminded him.
"I don't think even they will be that dramatic." he said with a short laugh.
"Hopefully not, though I do feel badly for Charlotte." I admitted.
"As do I, but she still shouldn't be saying those things to you or treating you like that." he added.
"Just promise me you won't start a fight with her, I don't need another reason for her to hate me." I warned.
"I can't promise anything, but so long as she doesn't do it again we won't have a problem." Peter replied. I rolled my eyes at him before a sudden thought from earlier entered my head.
"Peter." I began slowly, immediately gaining his attention.
"Yes?" he asked warily.
"Why did you nearly call me Anna Pevensie earlier?" I asked.
Peter blushed, "I was wondering when that would come up again." he admitted. "Part of it was that our conversation in my house a few weeks ago was playing in my mind, and the other part was that I was worried." I gave him a surprised look, wondering what on earth he could be talking about.
"I don't know what you mean. Why would you be worried?" I asked with confusion.
"We're at a university with hundreds of other people. I was just a little afraid that maybe work would take over and we wouldn't see each other as often, and as much as I hate to admit it, I was worried there'd maybe be another person who'd try and get your attention." he explained. I reached out and took his hand in mine, staring directly in to his eyes.
"Peter, whether it was this world or not, I made a vow that I would stay with you for as long as I lived, and I intend to keep that promise." I assured him, gesturing subtly to the chain underneath my blouse.
Peter now looked a little guilty, "I'm sorry, I know I'm being stupid." he said.
"No, you're not. I'll admit I was a little worried too, but now that we're here I think we'll be fine." I told him firmly.
Peter reached forward and gave me a small kiss, not wanting to attract attention from any of the other students still in the lounge. "Thank you." he said quietly.
I smiled at him, "Trust me, you won't be saying that come Monday morning."
Peter laughed, "And that's why I will be firmly barricading the doors."
I raised an eyebrow at him, "You'll have to come out of the room eventually."
"Not if I can help it."
"Seriously, I'm not that bad am I?"
"You have no idea."
"That was your cue to tell me that I wasn't."
"But where's the fun in that?"
"Thanks so much, Pete."
"Any time."
So I'd really appreciate feedback for this chapter, particularly about the new characters. Do you think they work, or should I go back and edit them?
