Chapter two- Hide and Seek
Diggory Kirke's mansion- the children's room
The next day, it just had to be pouring with rain. Hermione and the Pevensie children entertained themselves as well as they could in their designated room. Lucy was looking out the window. Peter was sitting on the sofa, Edmund was doing something with the underneath of one of the chairs and Susan and Hermione were sitting on the floor with a dictionary. They were trying to get Peter to say what the word Gastrovacular means.
"Come on Peter. Gast-ro-vasc-ular," Susan repeated for the fifth time. Why couldn't he at least play along? There's nothing else to do, thought Susan. They couldn't go outside which is what she really hoped to do when they first came here yesterday. They would have played all sorts of games outside to help pass the times. She knew they were all worried about leaving mum and new that actively doing something would be fun and take their minds off any dark thoughts.
"Is it Latin?" Peter finally at least guessed. She wouldn't stop asking him to describe the word. How was he supposed to know what a word like that meant? He'd never learnt it before. He'd never even heard of it before. Susan was all about logic which really annoyed him but she didn't have to load all of it upon him. He was the leader of this small family now so he supposed he could tell Susan to not play what she calls a game but he knew he wasn't that mean to any of his family. He doesn't take advantage of the leadership that's put upon him. Sometimes he thinks it might overwhelm him with the responsibility, looking after Lucy and Edmund is hard enough. Edmund's become all moody since their dad left to join the war and Lucy was always a big ball of energy. He really had his work cut out for him.
"Yes," Susan answered, pleased that he finally at least guest the right language of the word.
Then Edmund got out from underneath the chair and asked sarcastically, "Is it Latin for worst game ever invented?" Edmund himself was not playing the game that Susan thought up which was to describe the words Susan and Hermione would pick out from the dictionary. It was a stupid game in his opinion and he would not have a part in it. Games were for children and Susan was the one who liked knowledge so much not him, though it seemed Hermione also did. He now knew two nerds. He could tell that Susan and Hermione would get along splendidly and would probably be the best of friends. Great, he now didn't like anyone in his family and he didn't like the new girl. Why did he have to move out here to the country, they were in the middle of nowhere? He wished he could stay back home so he could hang out with his friends from school. That's what he usually did.
Susan unhappily shut the dictionary. He couldn't ever stop being so spiteful and unpleasant, could he? If he didn't learn anything what job did he think he was going to get. Her future and her family's future were very important to her. She was the mother of this family now. It was her responsibility to look after them, though Peter as the oldest was in charge.
I decided to stick up for Susan since it seems she's my new friend and I've never had a friend before.
"No, it means having both a digestive and circulatory function. It's used especially to describe the body cavity of a coelenterate." I saw blank looks and open mouths all around. I sighed unhappily. It seems no one ever reads the dictionary. It was really useful, you know? I read it over and over all the time and memorised as much as I could since I was nine years old. I use it a lot in school and for my homework. It allows me to widen my vocabulary, surprising and always pleasing my teachers so that it then works towards me getting good grades and praise from teachers. That is one of the things I used to only want in my life before I had found out I was a witch.
Susan, in her astonishment, said, "How did you know that one? I know you didn't look at it." She had decided to look at one at random and ask each of her siblings and Hermione different words to test them on their knowledge. Then Hermione would do the same so that she herself could be tested on. She hadn't memorised the dictionary but she does use it a lot in her work at school. Her teachers always told her to use a wide range of vocabulary in her work. They said it was one of the aspects that would lead to a good grade. She was always pretty intelligent, though she wasn't meaning to be boastful about it, and she was always one of the top girls in her class. She liked Hermione very much and she'd told me that she also likes to be top of the class. I would have guessed that anyway though as she had a bossy voice and was very intelligent like her. She always thought that people with intelligence liked to be the best at whatever they do, or at least be a bit of a perfectionist. She herself wasn't quite like that but she did like to do everything as best as she could as she was always pleased whenever her mother or her teachers were pleased with her progress in school.
I think the only difference between the two of us is that I always like to be surrounded by a group of friends. I was one of the popular girls as boys and girls always noticed my beauty with my dark black hair and pale alabaster like skin. Now, she wasn't saying Hermione was ugly; she was very beautiful in her own way with her brown eyes with flecks of gold in them. Even that weird scar of hers shows us she's quite the tough little girl to survive past something like that. But she was definitely under the impression that Hermione proffered knowledge over looks. She believes that she might have been her first and/or only friend. I think her bossy voice and know-it-all attitude might just drive a few people away.
"Did you memorise the dictionary or something?" Edmund asked me sarcastically. Hermione seems worse than Susan with her attitude about knowledge. They both seem to rely on it too much in his opinion. He would say to just go with the flow of things. He and his group of friends always tried the next best bullying tactic they find on all the boys at his school. It was great fun to try something new.
"Yes, I did, actually," I growled angrily at him. I was starting to not like Edmund. He seemed like such a horrible bully, even to his own family and to people he's only just met. Oh, how I would just love to punch him in the face right now or use some spell to make his life a misery but I wouldn't use my magic for such petty thoughts/ideas. Nor would I act upon them. I was not a mean girl at heart.
Edmund just rolled his eyes and sniggered. She was such a loser. He hoped to have very little to do with this new girl called Hermione. He bet that she didn't have any friends back home. He didn't realise how right he was.
"We could play hide and seek?" Lucy asked us when she saw the tension rising and she came to stand by Peter. They hadn't played the game in so long and they would be able to explore the house if they did play it. They'd only just arrived yesterday; they haven't had a chance to look around. They would probably have a look outside on a day when it's not raining and she could wait for that to happen. She was getting bored just sitting by the window but she didn't want to drop off to sleep yet. It was nowhere near bedtime and she wanted to make the most of each day that we spend in this house. What better way to use our time today then to play hide and seek?
"But we're already having so much fun," Peter replied back in a bored voice, looking at Susan and I when he said that. Susan looked disapprovingly at him, thinking he was being mean to Lucy, while I just huffed quietly to myself. He was merely bored and annoyed by the game Susan and I picked doesn't mean that he has to take his emotions out on sweet little Lucy.
"Come on Peter, please?" Lucy begged him. She was really hoping he would agree with this. She never did like staying in one place at one time. She always liked to move.
I have to think that it would be a little more fun as we would get to explore the house which should be interesting. We'd all never been here before so I'm sure it would take even more than a day just to be comfortable with whenever we walk around the house, there were so many secret passages to explore. I wonder if Hogwarts has any secret passages. I'd read in her favourite book 'Hogwarts: A History' that Hogwarts was a huge castle so I suppose it must have. I couldn't wait to see it: there would be so many things to see that would include the Great Hall, the Library (that I couldn't wait to visit) the four Hogwarts dormitories, all the classrooms and the thousands of acres of grounds.
Oh well, Peter thought to himself, he might as well humour Lucy. It will help them get some exercise and it will help keep everyone entertained. Peter smiled at Lucy as he began counting, "One, two, three, four..."
"What?" Edmund complained. Why did Peter always have to cater to Lucy's every needs? Well, it was because Lucy was the youngest, he thought, feeling angry that the youngest get doted upon the most. Not that he wanted to be doted-upon by either Susan or Peter. Susan tries to be mother of us as it is and Peter always tries to be dad ever since he left to serve in the war. They weren't either of his parents. He was older then Lucy by two years and should be able to do what he likes. He didn't have to submit to anyone, least of all Peter. He should be able to do what he likes when he wants to do it.
We all got up and left the room anyway, with Edmund not having any choice on the matter.
Susan found a hiding spot really easily when she noticed a long chest. It would hide all of her body and if Peter and the others walked past they were likely to overlook it. At least, she hoped they would.
Edmund was next when he pushed Lucy away from hiding behind a curtain. "I was here first," he stressed to her. This would be a great place to hide, he thought after Lucy had gone. She wasn't going to get this place. Peter will be too dumb to think of looking behind this curtain. He was surely going to win.
So, finally, it was just Lucy and Hermione.
I went up and down many short flights of steps, tried many closed doors and found one that was finally open. I opened it and immediately stopped.
At the end of this small room, that had windows all along the left hand side, was something huge and rectangular that was totally covered in a white cloth. Then I heard the door open again and turned to see Lucy come in. She wore a look of surprise when she saw me but when she saw what was at the end of the room her expression turned curious.
"What's under there?" Lucy thought aloud. Why would the Professor have this strange thing wrapped in a white cloth stationed in a spare room? The room didn't seem to be used for anything else.
I must admit I was curious about what was under there. Why hide something under a white cloth? It must be something the Professor doesn't want us to see. I felt drawn to it however, like I did with the wardrobe in my bedroom.
We both slowly walked towards it and once there we hesitated but eventually pulled back the cloth. It revealed a beautifully carved wardrobe.
Lucy and I gasped at the splendour and the excellent craftsmanship of the wardrobe. It was built using cherry wood and had scenes of animals and forests carved along the length of the wardrobe with one ginourmas tree in the middle right next to the door knob.
Lucy slowly opened the door using the knob that was sculptured into a lion and just before we closed the door we could hear Peter still counting.
We left the door open a crack and slowly walked backwards, noticing the thick winter brown coats the further back we went.
Wait. The further back we went? How far does this wardrobe go?
I then suddenly felt a sharp prickle against my back. Lucy had also felt it; I could tell when she gasped.
We turned to each other and wondered what could be behind us.
Out of the corner of my eyes I spotted something white. As we turned fully round we saw the most strange and magical sight we had ever seen.
To me it was even stranger than seeing Diagon Ally for the first time. I mean, you could imagine Diagon Alley was real, especially once you saw it but even when I see this magical land in the back of a wardrobe I find it's hard to believe that this land is real and was not a dream. I hope it is though. It was beautiful.
We pulled the branches out of our way and took our first steps into a winter wonderland.
Lucy had never seen this much snow in her life before. Oh she had seen snow but never in this much quantity. The snow on the ground crunched beneath our feet as we stumbled our way through the forest, for that was what we had stumbled into. She couldn't believe, in her wildest fantasies that something this amazing could happen and that she would get to experience it.
She was glad Hermione was there with her, her brothers and sisters were more likely to believe her if they knew that Hermione had also came with her. Or she could perhaps not tell her family and only share it with Hermione, it could be their little secret and it could be something they could bond over. They could become friends. She would like that very much. She never had much in the terms of friends before; she only had her family to rely on. Hermione seemed like a very nice girl and she was sure they would get on very well.
The trees around the two young girls stood tall, much higher than the height of a two story house, it was hard to see the very tops of the trees.
Snow was falling gently down around us, sticking into our hair and eyelashes; we had to keep blinking the snow out of our eyes.
"Can you believe this place is real, Hermione?" Lucy asked me in an awed whisper.
The forest was so quite. You would have thought you would be able to hear birds twittering away, squirrels scurrying up trees and the crunching of paws upon snow as other larger animals walked paths in the forests (like dears, for example). "No, but I'm glad you're here Lucy. This way we know we both can't dream this place up."
We walked almost a mile away from the wardrobe before we reached a huge clearing. Normally finding a clearing in the forest isn't usually strange: you can find a fair few clearings in forests. It was just what was inside this clearing that made this particular clearing unusual.
Right smack in the middle was a lamppost: it was lit with a roaring flame.
That's odd, why put a lamppost in the middle of the forest. Lucy and I turned to each other. I could already see confusion in her eyes so I knew I didn't have to ask her why she thought a lamp post would be here. She wouldn't know why either.
We slowly walked towards the lamppost which was made up of a post painted in, what I think was, black as it was covered under a thin layer of snow that didn't seem to melt with a lantern on top. It wasn't as tall of the trees around us but I could guess that it is taller than two humans put on top of each other.
Just as we put one of our hands on the lamp post we heard a rustle near the edges of the trees. It was the first sound we have heard since coming here so it made us both jump. Then there was another rustle behind us and then, in front of us out came the most unexpected creature.
"Ahhhhh!" We all screamed. Lucy and I hid bid the lamppost, with me protecting her in my arms while the creature hid behind a tree in front of us.
Once I'd gotten my breath back I noticed that the creature had dropped all of its belongings, objects that were wrapped in a light brown wrapping paper and string.
As Lucy and I peeked out from behind the lamppost, when we didn't hear anything happening with the creature, we noticed that it was also slightly peeking out at us from behind a tree. He was only a little taller than myself and he carried a closed umbrella, white with snow, in his hands. From the waist upwards he was like a man but his legs were shaped like a goat's (the hair on them was a dark brown) and instead of feet he had goat's hoofs. He had a red woollen muffler around his neck and his skin was rather pale, except for his cheeks. He had a nice face, a young man's face with a small brown beard. On top of his head stuck two horns, one on each side of his forehead along with a small pair of pointy ears.
Lucy stepping out from behind the lamppost broke my analysis of the creature. I didn't have a clue what it was.
I frowned at her and wondered what she was doing but then I saw her looking at his packages. She wasn't going to steal them was she?
Lucy wasn't going to steal the creature's belongings but rather help the creature by picking them up for him. He'd given us quite the fright when he just popped out at us the way he did. But now that she knew he wasn't going to harm either of them and may have been just as frightened of us (though she couldn't think why), she had noticed his parcels strewn all around him and decided to help him with collecting them.
"Ah, ah, ah," he stuttered out nervously, holding out his umbrella before him as he came out from behind a tree. She wasn't going to steal them was she? Thought Mr Tumnus, the name of the creature who was half animal half goat.
"Were you hiding from us?" Lucy asked him quietly.
I slowly walked out from behind the lamppost as Lucy handed him the package. I feel pretty foolish now thinking that Lucy could have stolen his belongings. Lucy definitely didn't look like a thief. She had no reason to be. She had a loving family, maybe not the best relationship with Edmund and she seemed, apart from the Blitz, to have a good life.
He looked shocked at that. "No-no," he stuttered out as he began to pick up the rest of his packages. "It's j-just that. I-I... I just didn't want to scare either of you."
Lucy and I laughed at that. He didn't look like he would harm us though that doesn't mean I still won't keep watch. The other Pevensie children wouldn't want anything to happen to Lucy and the forest seems so quite. I was sure there must be a reason for that so I will still keep my guard up, though unfortunately I had stupidly forgotten to bring my wand here with me. I don't suppose it will matter to much though. I had only learnt a few spells and none of them were defensive or offensive.
I couldn't wait to get back home to go to Hogwarts where I'll be able to properly learn how to do magic. I'll make sure I'll study and practice hard to become a good witch, someone who is hopefully worthy of being the daughter of Lilly and James Potter. I have a feeling though that going to Hogwarts and learning about magic will have to be put on hold for a while. After all, I've just arrived here in this forest and even though something didn't feel quite right here I was curious and wanted to be able to explore it a bit.
"If you don't mind me asking what are you?" Lucy had never seen anything like him before and so didn't know what he was. It was obvious he wasn't Human with his goat legs.
"Well, I'm a Faun," he replied, looking very surprised that we wouldn't know what he was. "And what about you two? You must be some kind of fadeless Dwarfs?"
"We are not Dwarfs," I protested. How could he think that we were Dwarfs? I'd read about them, they were supposed to be very small, had long beards and liked to mine jewels and other precious gems. I preferred knowledge over jewellery and gems. "We're girls!"
"You mean t-to say, you're a Daughter of Eve?"
"Yes, of course," I answered since Lucy looked confused. She must not have heard the story of Adam and Eve. My aunt and uncle told me the story when I was eight years old. But why would he call us that? He should know what we are, shouldn't he?
"What are you doing here?" I don't think Lucy could tell but he had asked that question with worry in his voice. That just proves that I was right in thinking that there was something different and strange with this forest. I should have known there would be though. A magical land in the back of a wardrobe, of course there had to be something dangerous going on.
"Well, we were hiding in a wardrobe in a spare room and..."
He cut Lucy off, "Spare Oom is that in Narnia?"
"Narnia?" I questioned him, curiosity clear in my voice. "What's that?" I'd never heard of Narnia before.
The Faun chuckled in amazement. How could these two Daughter of Eve' not know that they were in Narnia? "Oh, my dear girls, y-you're in it." He used his umbrella to point to the Lamppost. "Everything from the lamppost," he then pointed to our left where it showed us a beautiful snowy valley full of tall trees. "All the way to castle Cair Paravel on the Eastern Ocean. Every stick and stone you see, every icicle is Narnia."
"That's an awfully big wardrobe," Lucy mumbled to me as we looked at the valley.
The Faun heard us and repeated "Wardrobe? Excuse me, allow me to introduce myself, my name is Tumnus."
Well, no one can say that I've lost my manners in this strange place. "Nice to meet you Mr. Tumnus. I'm Hermione Granger and this," here I nudged Lucy.
"...Is Lucy Pevensie," she held out her hand for him to shake. He just looked at her hand. "Oh, you shake it," Lucy had seemed to notice that Mr. Tumnus didn't seem to know what to do with her polite gesture.
"Why?" Why would you shake hands? There's no need for such a thing in Narnia but I suppose this is something strange they do where ever these two girls have come from.
"I-I don't know," replied Lucy.
I decided to step in and explain. "It's a way of greeting people when you first meet."
Mr. Tumnus reached out with his left hand and grabbed Lucy's offered right hand. Lucy started to swing their hands between them. We all laughed at this. They were kind of doing it wrong but who cares if we're all having fun, though I was still keeping an out on the forest around us just in case if anything more pops out. I have a feeling however that Mr. Tumnus is the only one out here with us. "Lucy Pevensie, Hermione Granger, from the shining city of War Drobe in the far off land of Spare Oom, how would it be if you both came and had tea with me?"
"Well, thank you very much," I replied, it was nice of him to invite us when we'd only just met. I turned my body to Lucy. "But I think we should probably be getting back."
Lucy was sad at that prospect. She didn't want to leave just yet. They'd only just arrived. She wanted to explore and take their new friend Mr. Tumnus up on his offer.
Mr. Tumnus also didn't want to leave and he hastily tried to convince them not to. "Oh, come on. It's not every day I make a new friend. And there's a roaring fire! And toast and tea and cakes!" HE leaned in closer towards the two girls. "And perhaps, we may even break into the sardines."
That selection of food does sound nice, even though I probably won't have any cakes. Having Dentists looking after you makes you have to really look after your teeth and not have any sweets. "Maybe we could come," I bent down to pick to a package that he hadn't picked up yet. "...for a little while."
Lucy squealed happily and hugged my tightly in thanks after I'd given Mr. Tumnus back his package.
"Thank you, thank you Hermione." Lucy could tell that Hermione and Mr. Tumnus were going to be the best friends she could ever wish for.
"But I'm afraid we can't stay long," I said in a stern voice to Mr. Tumnus. "We can't leave everyone back at the house wondering where we've disappeared to for long."
Mr. Tumnus opened his umbrella and allowed Lucy to take his arm while I took Lucy's free arm and offered to carry some of Mr. Tumnus' packages. It was the least I could do for him as he was letting us have tea with him in his home.
It didn't talk long for us to reach his home. At first we weren't sure where his home was. We had travelled up and down a few small hills with rocks scattered about when Mr. Tumnus turned us both left towards a tall slab of rock that revealed a cave inside once he opened the door to his home.
Now, most caves, you would think were damp, dirty, cold, and full of webs and allowed animals to sleep in them while they waited for their prey to come near the entrance.
This cave however revealed a nice warm, cosy home that was indeed kept warm by a roaring fire. There was a carpet on the floor along with three little chairs, and a table, a dresser and a mantelpiece over the fire and above that there was a picture of an old Faun with a grey beard. There was a door in the corner which Lucy thought must lead to Mr. Tumnus' bedroom.
When I looked at one wall there was a shelf full of books. I looked at the titles while Mr. Tumnus made us tea. There were titles like 'The Life and Letters of Silenus' or 'Nymphs and Their Ways', 'Monks and Gamekeepers; a Study in Popular Legend or is Man a Myth?'
The word Gamekeeper reminded me of Hagrid. I smiled just thinking about the first friend I ever made. Because I was such a know-it-all, as I've heard other children call me behind my backs, I've never had any friends. They also picked me on my two front teeth which were a bit larger than they should be. Luckily, since I lived with dentist they fixed that pretty quickly but I was called things like Buck tooth Beaver and a bossy know-it-all. It's a miracle all the bullying hasn't totally driven away my confidence.
But thinking back on the books they seem like very strange titles, nothing like she'd ever reads before and the title 'Is Man a Myth?' Of course, man isn't a myth. Lucy and I being her should be a clue that we are real. However, it could mean that they just might not have been able to find Daughters and/or Adams of Eve and that they just lived somewhere else in Narnia. There are plenty of humans and now I'm sure witches and wizards back in England.
Once Mr. Tumnus had made us tea he brought the small table in between us (with Lucy sitting next to myself and Mr. Tumnus on the other side) and we sat right next to the roaring fire.
The tea consisted of a light brown egg that was lightly boiled (one for each of them), sardines on toast, buttered toast, honey and toast and then finally sugar topped cake. It was absolutely delicious and there was plenty enough for all three of us.
When we'd finished eating I helped Mr. Tumnus clear up the dishes (it was the least I could do) before we sat back out our chairs to relax.
Mr. Tumnus then noticed Lucy looking at the picture of an older Faun that sat on the mantelpiece over the fire. "Ah, that is my father."
"He has a nice face," said Lucy. "He looks a lot like you!"
"No, I'm nothing like him at all really," I got the feeling we weren't meant to hear him but I did. I turned to look at him curiously but was also a bit suspicious when he quickly moved his eyes from my own. I would have thought that you would share at least one thing with your own father.
"My father's fighting in the war," Lucy mumbled quietly. I walked up to her and rubbed her shoulder. She put her head on my hand, feeling very grateful for Hermione's comfort.
"Mr Father and mother are dead," I say, solemnly, if just to add to the conversation.
They both turned to me in both shock and sorrow. "When did they die?" Lucy asked me.
"When I was one year old," I replied, I tried to smile but this reminded me of the time when I learnt from Hagrid of how they really died instead of in a car crash and it just brought tears to my eyes. They way my parents died were horrible.
Lucy, feeling very sorry for her new friend hugged me tightly. This time I did managed to smile and I hugged her back.
Mr. Tumnus smiled a sad smile as he watched them before he took a sip of his tea and began telling stories of Narnia to hopefully cheer them up. He told them about how the white stag was rumoured to give you a wish once you killed him, how sometimes in the summer instead of the rivers filled with water they were filled with wine, how the Fauns would dance with the Nymphs, how Fauns absolutely loved music.
"Oh, the music, we Faun's always used to spend time by the fire, dancing even as night fell for there was always the light of the moon and stars to guide our way." He then looked towards the two girls and decided to ask them, "W-would you like to hear some?"
"Oh, yes please," Lucy and I said together. I was excited at listening to some Narnia music.
He held one finger up before he reached up to reach for a box on a shelf on top of the fire. It opened to reveal a small flute that split of in the middle into two pieces. "Now, is either of you familiar with any Narnia lullabies?"
"Sorry, no," we both replied.
"That's good because this probably won't sound anything like one." He lifted the flute to his lips and started to play.
It was a nice little tune and we both looked at the fire while he played. All of a sudden a man and horse popped out of the fire and went galloping round it before it popped out of existence. We gasped and looked at Mr. Tumnus. I'd never seen or heard of figures pooping out of the fire while music is being played. He just used his eyes to point towards the fire. Lucy looked back at the fire straight away but I looked at Mr. Tumnus a second longer. I knew there was something fishy going on here but I soon felt compelled to look back at the fire. Two more of the same figures then popped in and out of existence.
By this time we'd soon forgotten about our tea and were soon starting to fall asleep. My mind was screaming at me to stay awake. The crash of our cups as they fell to the floor managed to keep me awake, though Lucy fell asleep. Everything then happened so fast.
Mr. Tumnus stopped playing when a lion's face came out of the fire and roared loudly, sending shivers down his spine. All of the lights went out and I couldn't see where Mr. Tumnus went. It was quite for a few minutes before Lucy awoke. "Oh, where did you go?" Lucy asked the dark room. She was worried. She could not see Mr. Tumnus in his seat. Where did he go?
I was wondering the same thing when a voice behind us made us both jump and turn to face the voice. "It's too late for that now," he said when he saw me looking at the door; he was curled up as far away from the fire as possible. "I'm such a terrible Faun."
"Oh no," Lucy protested gently. "You're the nicest Faun we've ever met."
"Then you've had a very bad sampling," he sniffled. In response, Lucy gave him her white handkerchief which he took gratefully.
"You can't have done anything that bad, eh?"
"It's not something I have done, Lucy Pevensie, Hermione Granger. It's is something I am doing?"
"What are you doing?" I ask him. If he were to hurt Lucy I don't know how I would explain it to her brothers and sister. I mean, I wouldn't let anything harm Lucy if I could. She was my second friend that I have made since coming to the Professor's house.
"I'm kidnapping you both," he whispered. Lucy and I stiffened. "It was the White witch," that name sent chills down my spine. "It was she that made it always winter. She gave orders. If anyone were to have found a Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve in the woods w-w-we were supposed to hand it over to her!"
"But Mr. Tumnus you wouldn't. I thought you were our friend?" Lucy questioned him sadly.
Mr. Tumnus looked up at us like that and seemed to be searching our faces. I think it was to see if we were telling the truth.
I think he could definitely see it in Lucy and when he looked towards me I nodded slowly at him. Even though he was planning to kidnap us it was clear he and others in Narnia was threatened to do this on orders from the White Witch. So he didn't actually really have any choice and I don't think he was her servant willingly. He was crying and he was such a nice Faun to us. He clearly didn't want to kidnap us so I was willing to forgive him. He was their friend. Friends stick up for each other.
Mr. Tumnus breathed a sigh of relief at that. He'd noticed that Hermione had noticed the strange quietness of the Forest, him asking about them being Daughter of Eve's and then wondering what they were doing here and then with the music that sent Lucy off to sleep. She must be very strong to resist the music, she was slightly falling asleep but I could actively see her fighting it.
He led us out of his house and we didn't stop running we reached the still roaring lamppost. "Now, she may already now you are both here. The woods are full of Her spies. Some of the trees are on Her side." How can the trees be on somebody's side but I suppose after all I've seen and learnt this was probably the least strange thing. "Can you both find your way back from here?" he asked us.
"I think so," I replied looking back at where I think the wardrobe is. Lucy's brothers and sister must be worried sick by now. He then started crying again and used Lucy's handkerchief to dry his eyes.
"Hey, hey," Lucy comforted him. She was worried about Mr. Tumnus. She hoped the White Witch wouldn't find out that he'd seen two Daughters of Eve and didn't kidnap him. If she does find out then she hopes that she won't do anything too badly too him. She was sure nobody could be that cruel.
"Here," he offered to give back her handkerchief.
"Keep it. You need it more than I do," Lucy smiled at him.
He smiled back gratefully in reply. He was so glad to have made wonderful friends out of these two special Daughters of Eve. "No matter what happens Lucy Pevensie, Hermione Granger I'm glad I have met you both. You've made me feel warmer that I have in a hundred years."
I smiled in reply. I was glad we could try to help him. No matter what happens he was their friend and
they had never met anyone like Mr. Tumnus before. They were glad they had met him today. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" I just had to ask him.
"Yes, thank you, both of you. Now go. Go," he watched them leave. He didn't care now what happened to him. The witch could turn him to stone (though that didn't mean he wanted that to happen) but as long as those two girls stay safe then that was all he cared about.
He was ashamed that it got to the point where he took service under the Witch and he called have called her too pick the girls up. She would have killed them and he would have become a murderer like her. His father certainly wouldn't have done this. He certainly doesn't deserve these two girls forgiveness.
We made it back to the wardrobe safely and quickly got back into the room. Lucy's brothers and sister must be worried sick by now.
"We're all right. We're back!" Lucy shouted so her siblings could hear her.
We stopped once we reached Edmund's hiding place. He was poking his head out and was glaring at us. "Shut up. He's coming!"
"98, 99, 100, ready or not here I come," said Peter. It didn't take him long to find us. "You know, I'm not sure you three have quite got the idea of this game." The aim was that they would all hide and he would have to find them.
Edmund groaned and got out of his hiding place when he saw that Peter had seen them all. Why did they both have to just ruin this game? It was Lucy who suggested this game in the first place. If it wasn't for them he could have won this stupid game.
"Weren't you wondering where we were?" I asked them.
"That's the point," said Edmund who was speaking very slowly as if to a very young and confused child. "That's why he was seeking you two." Either she knows the rules of this stupid game or she doesn't and we won't play it again.
Then Susan came up to us as well, "does this mean I win?" she asked us. She had assumed that when she had seen Peter with everyone else.
"I don't think Lucy and Hermione wants to play this game anymore," Peter told her. He found that very strange. Lucy was begging him to let her play this game. He let them play it and when I've only just stopped counting to 100 I find that both of them are not hiding like they are supposed to be. What's wrong with them both?
"We've been… gone for hours," I told them, feeling very confused. If I had any brothers or sisters I'm sure they'd be much more worried for us then Lucy' brothers and sister are. Lucy is the youngest out of them and even though we've only just met I'd like to think that I have made a friend out of Susan as well as Lucy. Edmund I am definitely not friends with. He was such a mean bully to his family. Peter I am not sure about. I haven't had as much interaction with him yet.
I am glad that I have gotten the chance to be here though. I have never ever gotten the chance to make this many friends in one day before. In fact, I have never made any friends ever in my whole life.
Lucy and I then showed them the way to the wardrobe and told them about Narnia.
Edmund was looking round the back of the wardrobe and knocked on the back of the wood. Well, he certainly didn't believe their story. They probably fell asleep and dreamed it up or made it up between themselves as a joke. How could they go through the back of a wardrobe into Narnia? There was only wood at the back of the wardrobe. Lucy just always has to be the centre of attention. He didn't like Hermione for backing up Lucy.
Susan was exploring the inside of the wardrobe and she couldn't see any magical land either. They both had me slightly convinced since they explained Narnia in great detail.
When Peter, Susan and Edmund stood together Susan told us, "You two the only back her is the back of the wardrobe."
"We don't all have your imaginations," said Peter before they started to walk out of the door.
"But we weren't imagining!" Lucy protested loudly.
"That's enough, Lucy!" Susan said sternly.
"We wouldn't lie about this. We both saw Narnia."
"Well, I believe you two," Edmund told us. He decided to joke about this and give the two girls just a little bit of hope that he believes in them and then he would crush it.
From what I've seen so far of Edmund he doesn't seem the type to back up or be nice to Lucy. I have a feeling that this is soon going to end up on a fight.
"You do?" Peter asked him suspiciously. He hardly ever believes Lucy so why would he all of a sudden start now.
"Yeah, didn't I tell you about the football field in the bathroom closet?"
"Oh, you just stop," Peter ordered him, feeling very exasperated with this whole mess. First Lucy and Hermione tell us that there is a magical land in the back of the wardrobe and then Edmund pretends to back them up. It's just going to end with Lucy in tears and then what are we going to do. He didn't have an idea who Hermione would react to Edmund's taunts. "You have to make everything worse don't you?"
"It was just a joke," Edmund defended himself. If they can't take a joke then they'd be classified as babies.
"When are you going to learn to grow up?"
"I may not now this family well yet but I can tell that Peter shouldn't have said that to Edmund. No matter how much I may not like him I do not want him hurt.
Edmund then shouted right into his face, "Shut up! You think your dad but you're not!" Then he ran out of the room.
Susan shook her head at Peter in disappointment. He just had to make their relationship worse didn't he? "Well, that was nicely handled," she decided to leave after Edmund.
"But… it really was there," I implored Peter to believe us since he wasn't listening to Lucy. If two people saw the magical land then surely there would be enough evidence for them to believe us.
"Susan' right you two, that's enough," and then he too left.
I closed the door and then hugged Lucy tightly. "It's alright Lu. We still believe it's there. That's all that matters." I could feel Lucy nod in agreement. "Come on," and we too left the room.
Diggory Kirke's mansion- the girls' room, late at night (the same day)
It was now night time and I was still awake, so was Lucy. We were both staring at the only candle that was still lit. When we were certain everyone was asleep we both put on our wellies and dressing gown (Lucy in pink and me in red) and left the room with me carrying the candle so we could both see the way.
We made our way to the wardrobe but as we turned the corner I heard the flush of the toilet behind us and looked back to see Edmund coming out of the bathroom dressed in a dark blue dressing gown. He stood stock still when he saw me looking at him but I just smiled a small smile and carried onto the wardrobe with Lucy.
If he wishes to follow us then he may. We can prove him right once he's seen Narnia. He won't be quick to dismiss us then.
We made it to the wardrobe easily and I hesitated before opening it. I looked at Lucy and she nodded. I opened it and the candle was snuffed out. Well, at least we now know that we are going to get to Narnia tonight. The windows in the room aren't open so the wind must have come from Narnia. We both grinned at each other before we made our way inside. I remembered the way to Mr. Tumnus's house and I lead Lucy there. On the way we noticed that the lamppost was sit lit.
We stood in front of the door and I knocked three times. We each grabbed our hands tightly and wished with all our hearts that Mr. Tumnus would answer and that he wasn't taken by the White Witch.
The door opened to reveal... Mr. Tumnus!
Oh, thank you!
"Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy and I both squealed before we hugged him tightly, knocking him back slightly.
"Hermione, Lucy, is that you?" he sure hoped it was. He had missed them these past few hours. He would definitely miss them even more if they never come back to Narnia but he was sure glad they did. This was a very pleasant surprise after the hours of time I've spent worrying whether the White Witch was going to find him. Luckily she didn't.
"Yes!" we both replied. We couldn't stop grinning after we had let go of him.
"Then come in, come in. We don't want you two to catch a cold standing out here."
We sat down at the same places as last time, though we couldn't sit still, while Mr. Tumnus made us some tea.
"Can you tell us what happened after we left Mr. Tumnus?" I asked him when he had handed us our tea.
It didn't look like Lucy could speak at the moment and she couldn't. If she did then she probably would start squealing with happiness. She was just so glad that Mr. Tumnus was alright. Though she did remember Mr. Tumnus saying that some of the trees were on Her side so I don't want to make too much noise so that they could hear and let them find out that Mr. Tumnus is here. The whole reason why we left was so that Mr. Tumnus would be safe as he was ordered by the wicked White Witch to capture herself and Hermione. She never did blame him though. The White Witch sounds like a horrible person who orders everyone to do Her bidding. How could someone be that cruel? She was just glad that Mr. Tumnus really was the nicest Faun they'd ever met and that he didn't actually go through with kidnapping them.
"Well," he said as he sat down with his cup of tea by the fire. When you two left I made sure to go straight back to my home and I've hidden here with none of the Queen's henchmen knocking down my door, nor the Queen herself."
"Queen?" asked Lucy, feeling very confused. He's never mentioned a Queen before.
"The White Witch," he explained. It seems these two Daughters of Eve know nothing about Narnia. He would be honoured to teach them. "She calls herself the Queen of Narnia but the only reason why she rules is because of her magic and her huge ever gathering army."
"Magic?" I questioned him quietly. "What kind of magic does she have?"
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Lucy staring at me with a confused face.
Lucy was confused by Hermione's question. The White Witch sounds like an evil person. Why would Hermione want to learn more about her?
Mr. Tumnus was wondering that two but he answered her none the less. "She has a magic staff, or wand that can turn anyone into stone for the rest of eternity."
"Well, at least her magic is nothing like mine then," I replied, breathing a sigh of relief. I was glad because then if anyone were to compare us because we both had magic I would be able to prove to them that I would use mine for good.
"You have magic, Daughter of Eve?" Mr. Tumnus asked with curiosity in his voice and on his face but you could also hear a hint of suspicion as well.
"Damn," I whispered while I smacked my knee in frustration before I rubbed it. That was a stupid thing to do. I'd gathered from everything I'd read and seen from the magical world in my time that our magic was meant to be a secret to what Hagrid liked to call Muggles which were non-magic folk. "I wasn't meant to tell you about that."
"Why ever not Hermione?" Lucy asked her. They would have had a much more fun a time in the house if they'd known Hermione had magic. Before now she'd read lots about it in book and believed in it but she never thought that she would one day, maybe, get to see it.
"Where I come from our magic is to be kept a secret from those that don't have magic?"
"Where do you come from?" Lucy asked Hermione. She never actually did say where she came from or why she suddenly arrived at the Professor's house. Not that we explained much about themselves either to her. We were too busy playing hide and seek and then her brothers and sisters didn't believe them when they told them about Narnia.
I sighed. I guess I would have to tell them then. It would be much easier to start from the beginning which is exactly what I did. I told them both about the day it was my birthday, how I was from a different time to Lucy, that Hagrid came and told me I was a witch and was accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, how we then went to Diagon Alley, the Gringotts and the Goblins, collecting my school supplies and wand (which I showed them for I had remembered to bring it this time), learning about my parents death ( for which they hugged me very tightly and expressed their sorrow), when I learnt about my scar and how I arrived at the Professor's mansion.
Lucy laughed at that. That was exactly like how we both entered Narnia. Perhaps it was fate that we both entered Narnia earlier today.
Mr. Tumnus was very surprised by the end of this tale. Hermione had gone through so much and she still had a long way to go but he wished her luck whenever she managed to travel back home to go to the School she was talking about. He was also very surprised by her scar; he didn't notice it before she showed it to them as she was talking. She was a very brave girl to have survived her life so far though he was sorry she could do it without her parents by her side.
"It's been lovely seeing you Mr. Tumnus but I think we should probably get back to bed," I said to him when I noticed both Lucy and I were getting tired.
He led us carefully back to the lamppost to the still roaring flame. It must have some magic in it.
"We'll defiantly come see you tomorrow though, won't we Hermione?" Lucy asked me as we stood by the lamppost.
I smiled at her, "If we can fit it in with whatever we may do tomorrow. Good bye Mr. Tumnus. It was lovely to see you were still safe and well." I hugged him while I said it.
"Goodbye Hermione, Lucy," he said our names with warmth as he hugged both of us.
"Goodbye Mr Tumnus," we both said before we headed back to the wardrobe and our nice warm beds.
By this time I'd forgotten that I'd seen Edmund following us earlier on tonight so it was a bit of a shock when we both bumped into each other and fell down on the floor. "Oh, can't you watch where you're going?" I asked Edmund irritably.
"I was but you weren't," he replied in the same tone of voice.
Then Lucy interrupted what may have turned into an argument and hugged Edmund. "Oh, Edmund you got in too. Isn't it so wonderful?" she was pleased Edmund came in. Now he should believe her and Hermione about Narnia. How could anyone not love Narnia?
"Where have you been?" he asked them though he was looking at me when he asked us that. I was the one who saw him follow us but he probably got lost when he arrived here.
"Mr. Tumnus," Lucy answered. "He's all right. The White Witch didn't say anything about him meeting us."
"The White Witch?" Edmund asked us. He looked very wary about whatever we was going to say next but why should he look wary. Well, I suppose he should be wary about the Witch.
"She calls herself the Queen of Narnia," I told him, "but she really isn't." He frowned at that though I don't know why that should get to him. It's hardly likely that he's met the White Witch. He has only just visited Narnia tonight and she sounds like the type of woman who would live in a castle and have lots of servants. Her castle may even be made out of ice since she has ice powers and she likes to make it always winter always cold. I suppose I'll never know what Edmund's done while we've visited Mr. Tumnus. It has been quite a while now since we left Narnia so he could have done anything in this magical land at the back of the wardrobe.
"Are you all right?" Lucy asks him. "You look awful."
"Well, what do you expect," he says. "It's freezing. How do we get out of here?"
"Come here," Lucy grabbed his and my hand and led us back to the wardrobe where we went straight away to bed.
Professor Kirke's mansion- late at night (at the point where Hermione sees Edmund coming out of the bathroom)
As soon as Edmund stepped out of the bathroom he stood stock still when he saw Hermione looking back at him from the end of the corridor. But then she smiled and carried on walking with Lucy. He breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't say anything but he had to wonder why she didn't. Maybe it was because she wanted to prove himself, Peter and Susan wrong about that magical land of theirs that he thinks was called Narnia.
He doubted it was real. How can a land that they described earlier today be real? It just wasn't possible. They were probably sleepwalking and made up Narnia between them. But he decided he was going to humour them and follow them to see if they were right or not. They might even be playing a joke on him right now. If they were, though only Hermione noticed him so he wasn't sure, then he would definitely be sure to get them back for this.
While he was thinking that he realised that he had slowed down and lost sight of the two girls and so hurried to catch up to the wardrobe. He knew they'd be heading as that's where they tried to explain this land of Narnia was. But how could any land be in the back of the wardrobe? It really was impossible. Susan herself looked inside the wardrobe earlier today and didn't see any magical land and he saw the solid wood of the back of the wardrobe. There really wasn't any such thing as Narnia.
He reached the room with the wardrobe and opened the door but found that neither of them were in the room. That's odd. "Lucy," he dragged out her name to make it sound spooky. That will then make her scream and reveal her hiding place but it didn't work. "Hermione," he tried her name next and it still didn't work. "Where are you?"
He walked towards the wardrobe and opened it quickly. "Boo!" but he couldn't see either of them. It was just these really long winter coats. "Hope you're afraid of the dark," he called out as he closed the door, hoping to make them scared. Then he noticed a branch in the wardrobe. A branch. No, he just imagined that. "Lucy? Hermione?" When he turned backwards he tripped over a low branch and fell out the back of the wardrobe to land on snow in Narnia. He looked up to see the branches of trees above him with snow covered on everything around him. What? But this can't be...
He slowly stood up and started walking in the direction of the lamppost. "Lucy? Hermione?" they had to be here somewhere. "I think I believe you now!" He called out, hopping they would now answer his calls. He didn't like that he had been proven wrong by two girls but he'd prefer not to stay in this place for long. It was too quite, too cold. He knew they weren't that cruel as to leave him lost in the forest. Hermione even knew he was coming after them so why didn't she wait. He thinks he had to believe them now that he has seen Narnia with his very own eyes. He would never dream something like a magical land in the back of the wardrobe. There was proof right in front of his eyes that this was real. But where are Lucy and Hermione?
All around was a forest that was covered in snow. Up ahead he could see a light and slowly walked towards it. It was the lamppost where Lucy and Hermione first met Mr. Tumnus. He then carried on walking up a slight climb before it levelled off into a road.
"Lucy, Hermione?" he tried calling for the girls again when he noticed the sound of bells jingling about he fell backwards into the snow as an object flew past him from his right.
Once the thing had gone slightly passed him he noticed that it was a sled pulled by two white reindeers. He could see the shadow of someone sitting against the back of the sled that was made of ice, once it had stopped.
Then out popped an old black Dwarf who was about three feet high and he was quite fat. He sported a long beard that covered his knees, wore a red hood with a long, gold tassel hanging down from its point, and was dressed in polar bear fur to help keep him warm against the always very cold weather. The weapon that he carried was a long whip which Edmund saw straight away and immediately tried running away from him but was soon caught up and the Dwarf pinned him against the ground.
Just as he thought the Dwarf was going to cut his throat with a knife that he was holding against his neck he shouted in a pleading voice to the Dwarf (not knowing that it wouldn't listen to him, only the person sitting in the sledge), "stop please!"
"What is it now Ginarrbrik?" asked the person still sitting in the sledge. She had a woman's voice that held power and coldness in her words. Edmund did not like the sound of that voice.
"Make him let me go! I didn't do anything wrong," he pleaded to the woman on the sledge.
"Is that how you address the Queen of Narnia?" Ginarrbrik growled at him. How dare this little thing address his beloved queen in this way? He should slice his neck off and be done with him right now.
"You'll know her better hereafter!" Ginarrbrik made to cut off Edmund' neck but was stopped as a beautiful woman, the Queen of Narnia, stepped off the sledge.
"Wait," the Queen, otherwise known as Jadis, ordered the Dwarf. She was a beautiful and was imposing woman. She was seven feet tall (like all her royal ancestors before her), was physically powerful and amazonian, a natural born sorceress and was a cunning strategist. She was cruel and arrogant and believed herself to be the rightful ruler of all things in Narnia. Her skin was as white as paper (made this way when she ate the Fruit of Everlasting Life), she had long ash blonde hair and she wore a glittering light blue gown with a white fur cloak. She also wore a crown made of ice. "What is your name Son of Adam?" she asked Edmund.
"Edmund," he replied, standing up next to the Dwarf, Just wondering how on earth there was a Queen in this placed and that he was meeting her.
"And how, Edmund, did you come to enter my dominion?"
"I was following my sister and Hermione.
"How many are you?"
"Four, along with a girl called Hermione Potter."
"Edmund you look so cold! Come and sit with me." Edmund joins her and she wraps him up in her fur cloak. "Now, would like something warm to drink?"
"Yes please ...your majesty." She takes a vial out of a pocket and drops a green drop on the snow beside them that becomes a hot drink that the dwarf gives Edmund. "How did you do that?"
"I can make anything you like," she smiled warmly at him.
"Could you make me taller?"
"I can make anything you like to eat."
"Turkish Delight." She lets another drop of the vial drop on the snow and makes a box of Turkish Delight and the Dwarf gives it to Edmund while he also destroys the cup.
As Edmund stuffs himself with the delicious sweet Jadis says to him, "Edmund, I'd love to see your family and Hermione."
"Why? They're nothing special." From what he'd seen of Hermione so far she was boorish and bookish. She wasn't worthy enough to be where I am talking to the generous and kind Queen of Narnia.
"I have no children of my own and you are exactly the sort of boy where I could see, one day, you becoming prince of Narnia - maybe even king."
"Really?" he asks with his mouth full.
She nods. "Of course you'd have to bring both your family and Hermione."
"Oh, do you mean... Peter will be king too?" He won't be able to rule over anything if Peter's king. He was older than him and would probably get to rule over Narnia the most.
"No! No, No! But a king needs servants."
Edmund grinned at that suggestion. He would love to see his brother and sisters serving him all day rather than Lucy. "I-I guess I could bring 'em."
"Beyond these woods, do you see those two little hills? My house is right between them. You'd love it there Edmund, it has whole rooms simply stuffed with Turkish Delight!"
"Couldn't I have some more now?"
"No!" she shouted angrily, making Edmund jump in surprise as she had been nothing but warm and kind to him the whole time he'd been here in Narnia. She smiled, enchanting Edmund further into believing her to be a kind Queen. "Don't want to ruin your appetite. Besides you and I will be seeing each other soon enough won't we?"
"I hope so, your Majesty," he said as he climbed out of the sled.
"Until then, dear one." She was pleased she managed to make him comply. If he brings his family and Hermione, who she was pretty sure was a witch like herself and was the one foretold in the prophecy along with the boy's family, then she'll be able to kill them all so she'll be able to keep her thrown forever.
Jadis drives off and Edmund is left alone for a few minutes, staring in the direction he saw Jadis head off too.
By this time he'd forgotten that he was following Lucy and Hermione and so was surprised when Hermione bumped into me causing us both to fall to the fall.
"Oh, can't you watch where you're going?" Hermione asked Edmund irritably.
"I was but you weren't," he replied in the same tone of voice. She was so annoying. Out of Susan, Lucy and Hermione he thought that Hermione was the most annoying woman he knew. First she was showing off with her knowledge of the dictionary, then with Narnia and now she bumped into him. How rude did she have to be?
Then Lucy interrupted what may have turned into an argument and hugged Edmund. "Oh, Edmund you got in too. Isn't it so wonderful?" she asked him before hugging him tightly.
"Where have you been?" he asked them though he was looking at Hermione when he asked them that. Hermione saw him following them. Why didn't she wait for him when they entered Narnia? She probably wanted himself to get lost.
"Mr. Tumnus," Lucy answered Edmund. "He's all right. The White Witch didn't say anything about him meeting us."
Wait a minute? "The White Witch?" Edmund asked them both.
"She calls herself the Queen of Narnia," Hermione told him, "but she really isn't." He frowned at that. He had just met the Queen of Narnia. She acted exactly like a Queen would, a kind queen that helps all of her subjects. He didn't see her do anything magic related though and so crossed off the idea that she was the White Witch. Lucy and Hermione were just girls. What would they know about the Queen of Narnia? They didn't see her so they don't know what she was like.
"Are you all right?" Lucy asks him. "You look awful."
"Well, what do you expect," he says. "It's freezing. How do we get out of here?"
"Come on, it's this way," Lucy grabbed his and Hermione's hand and led them back to the wardrobe where we all went straight away to bed.