Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, JKR is the greatest!!
This unlikely group posing as a family, as their new identities reveled, Steven a slightly graying middle aged teacher, Cissy a tall blond beautiful woman never having done common household tasks, Drake her son handsome yet snobbish, and Heather a bright girl, brown curls cascading past her shoulders, settled in the small tan house on the circular street.. They looked at each other in silence, yet questioning how this ruse would work. None of them terribly fond of the others, except mother and son, Steven had been in fact their teacher before the war.
Cissy a steely coldness in her pale eyes glared at Heather, the first to speak. "You better do nothing to endanger my son!"
Taking a determined step toward Cissy, Heather glared a strong dislike for the woman evident as she spoke. "I will do everything in my power to see that Drake remains safe, our world depends on him, as we are all aware!"
Cissy nodded accepting Heathers reply. Turning to Steven she raised her right hand and gently touched his cheek. "You have always been a kind friend", not speaking of the unbreakable vow he had taken with her. That would remain their secret.
Drake gave his mother an accusatory look, "What would Father think of you caressing a half-blood?" "You shame his memory by this pretense of family with a mud-blood and Him!"
Cissy looked at her son incredulously, "Your father's politics are what we are having to attempt to overcome." "If he survives Azkaban, and the dementors, he may change his views, but I seriously doubt I can ever forgive the danger he brought to you!"
Drake stalked off to the first bedroom on the right. He glanced around trying to find anything to make himself feel at home. There were two twin size beds, a dresser, and desk in the room. It was nothing like his room at home, none of his possessions except his wand. The closet was filled with Muggle attire, jeans, tee-shirts, casual type clothing. There were no robes, just a few jackets with names like Wildcats, Chiefs, and Jayhawks. "What are these things?" he wondered aloud.
On the desk sat a machine, it consisted of a screen, a board with letters and numbers not even in the proper order, and a strange device with a couple of buttons and a wheel.
There was a knock at the door, Heather appeared to ask permission to enter the room, Drake shrugged his shoulders, and motioned for her to enter, still trying to look as if angry, but also very confused.
Heather walked to the machine, picked up the device and clicked one of the buttons. Even though electrical devices seldom worked around magic, a charm had been placed to allow it to work. "This is a computer, it is as close to magic as the Muggle world has to offer." she almost smiled. "The internet is a place where information can be obtained as well as people are able to communicate. It's a lot cleaner than the Floo Network."
Drake looked on incredulously as Heather explained how to operate the machine. "We need to be able to use these while we pose as students at the Muggle High School.";" It really is easy and kind of fun once you get the hang of it." She now smiled almost wickedly, as she already knew how to operate her parents' computer at their house. If you want to find out about a certain subject, type the words in this search engine here," pointing to a box on the screen "and it will display a list of relevant items for you to choose from."
Drake typed Wildcats, Chiefs, and Jayhawks into the box. Nothing happened, as he looked at the screen then at Heather. "I thought you said all I had to do was type the words" he growled.
Heather let out a low giggle "Woops! I forgot to tell you to push the enter button" as she reached over his hand and clicked the button. A list of Kansas teams blinked on the screen almost instantly.
"Kansas! Where on earth are we?" demanded Drake almost seething.
"My guess is in The United States, center of the country, a small town.", Again giggling. "Professor McGonagall has a wicked sense of humor" she sighed. "I'll leave you to practice a little more on your own; just don't tell anyone who you really are, we don't want to be found out by accident."
Drake shrugged his shoulders as he typed more words in the box. "I am getting hungry, is there anything to eat?"
Heather looked at Drake wondering how this boy was to help save their world, "I'll go check." slipping quietly from the room. she turned walking down the hallway.
The kitchen was comfortable, not too large but not too small, white walls glistened around the dark cabinets. She grabbed hold of the handle of the refrigerator, opening it wide, nothing……….she walked to the cabinets, nothing there either. I guess we will have to go shopping she thought. Tomorrow, but tonight hummm…. Pizza delivery would have to do. Heather looked at Steven and Cissy wondering hesitantly if they would even eat such a thing. "Have either of you ever eaten pizza?" she spoke aloud.
"Pizza, em yes", snarked Steven with a raised eyebrow, "It is tolerable at a time like this, "Cissy have you ever delighted your taste buds with warm melting cheese, rich tomato sauce, and other various offerings on a crispy crust?"
Cissy, eyes blazing between Steven and Heather scathingly retorted "I do not consume Muggle foods!"
Steven gently touched her hand, "You better learn quickly to partake or you will starve to death. We have no house elves here, so until someone learns to shop and cook we haven't much choice."
Heather stepped past Cissy and picked up the telephone book, Piazza Delivery 555-3963. The phone sat on the end table, just out of her reach. "Could you please hand me the phone Cissy?"
"What is a phone, and why would I touch it?" questioned the tall blond.
"Cissy, we told you if you don't wish to starve, we have to procure food, the phone is on the table", Steven explained pointing a long finger at the silver object.
"How do you know so much of this world?" Cissy asked, even though she knew his father to be a Muggle.
Steven raised an eyebrow not bothering to answer the question, lifted the phone and handed it to Heather.
Heather dialed the number she retrieved from the phone book, shaking her head while wondering to herself how she would survive this challenge.
"Pizza delivery, Annie speaking, may I take your order?" A soft gentle voice answered.
"Yes please I would like to place an order, one large hand tossed super supreme, and family size cheese bread sticks with extra sauce. The name is Steven Panes and the address is 245 Victory Circle."
"OK I have one large hand tossed super supreme and family size cheese bread sticks with extra sauce. Will there be anything else?" The soft voice inquired.
"No thanks that will be all." answered Heather.
"Your total is $24.95 it will be about twenty minutes until we deliver. Thank You for your order."
While they waited for their pizza to be delivered, the older two of the group decided to check out the new living arrangements. Steven took Cissy by the hand and led her into the master bedroom. "I know you are frightened by all these new concepts, but you will adjust."
Cissy gazed around the room, one large bed, two dressers, two chairs arranged neatly by the window. Walking stealthily through a connecting door she discovered a bathroom.
They exited the master room and walked down the hall, another bedroom on the left, Heather had found a few of her Muggle possessions in the room. The house contained a living room, dining room and kitchen plus another bathroom. This wasn't right they needed another bedroom. Before either could speak the doorbell rang.
Steven stalked to the door and peered out the small window, there stood a red-haired girl juggling pizza boxes in her outstretched arms." Just what I need another red-head" he whispered as he opened the door.
Annie Gordon looked up at the dark man and said "Hi, you must be new here; I've lived around here all my life and know everyone, oh your pizza sir," handing him the boxes.
Steven turned to Heather handing off the boxes, reached into his wallet and took out two bills giving them to the girl on the front step." Yes young lady we are new here, I will be teaching at the high school, Senior English."
"Hey that's great!" Annie replied. "My name is Annie Gordon I am a senior this year, so I expect I will be in your class.", thinking to herself an English teacher with a beautiful British accent…this will be an AMAZING year!
Steven a slight upturn at the corner of his lip, dark eyes searched Annie's hazel ones, "Thank You Miss Gordon I'm hoping for an AMAZING year!"
Annie's cheeks blushed rapidly "You're Welcome,' she almost stuttered, wondering how he did that. As she turned to leave glancing back she thought she caught a smirk on the new teachers face.
Heather shook her head and rolled her eyes at the dark eyed man. "You are really evil" she muttered as she passed on her way to the kitchen.
Steven spoke silkily, a hint of humor in his voice "You have to keep red-heads on their toes, look at that Weasley brood," Following her to the kitchen, he leaned against the counter, stretching a long arm toward the pizza box.
Heather opened the cabinet and took out plates, turning she handed them to Cissy, who had followed as well. "If you will take these to the dining room and set the table, I will make tea, silverware is in the top drawer" pointing a finger in the direction of a row of drawers.
Cissy's eyes narrowed, frowning she took the plates. "Do I look like a house elf?" She questioned as she stormed into the dining room.
Steven followed her, "We all have to make sacrifices woman." He frowned, shaking his head to himself thinking it would be a very long time before they could return home, and would he survive without hexing her.
The kettle boiled on the stove, while Heather found cups for the tea. She called into the other room "Someone had better get Drake so we can eat."
The four sat at the round wood table, and enjoyed their dinner. When they finished Heather asked Drake to help clear away the remains. He reached in his pocket for his wand, as Stevens hand blocked his progress. "NO Drake we have to live like Muggles, no wands, only in emergencies."
"You don't call this an emergency?" squawked the blond boy, as he pushed away the man large hand.
Cissy rose with anger, "You expect us to survive these awful conditions?" as tears began streaming down her pale face.
"You'd not survive a much worse fate from the Dark Lord, if we were not here.", "Take the damn dishes boy!" demanded Steven.
Drake stacked the plates, silverware, and cups and carried them to the kitchen, sulking he deposited them in the sink that Heather filled with hot sudsy water. He turned with a jerk, eyes blazing snarled "Don't expect me to wash those; I have other things to do!"
Steven sneered as he picked up a sponge and began washing the contents of the sink. Beside him Heather rinsed them and stacked them in the dish drainer. "Don't expect me to do this often; I've washed enough cauldrons in my life." Heather smiled as she looked at him in amazement. What other surprises did this man hold?