Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers and I thank her for allowing fans to stretch our imaginations and creativity.
Summary: All Snape wanted was to put certain matters to rest. The Headmaster convinced him they were. But even the best laid plans can go awry – especially when they concern a young woman who is Voldemort's Daughter. The orig story to The Girl With The Haunted Eyes – EPILOGUE.
Alternate Universe: SS/OC, CD/OC, HP/OC
Dark Drama/Angst/Romance. This story is rated R/M. Language, Situations…etc.
The Girl With The Haunted Eyes - ORIG STORY
by NativeMoon
Chapter 004: Julian
August 1992
'Jools, HEY JOOLS!'
'Go away,' Julian Petersson groaned.
'Come on! Get up you lazy git!' Ron Weasley shouted in her ear. 'JOOLS GET UP!'
'Mrs P said to wake her up, not cause her to go bloomin' deaf!' her best friend Ginny sniffed exasperatedly.
Ginny was Ron's younger sister and tempted to tell him off for being so hypocritical. He was as lazy as could be about anything to do with work around the house.
'What time is it anyway?' Julian yawned while pulling her summer blanket even tighter around her.
'Almost lunchtime. We all slept straight through breakfast,' Ginny answered, moving Julian's feet over and sitting on the bed. 'Your Dad is firing up the grill for a barbecue.'
'Man – last night was wicked. Your brothers are still flat out,' Ron said, rummaging through their friend's bedside table for some of the Jelly Babies they knew she kept for late-night reading. He found his treasure and immediately popped in more than his mouth could reasonable chew at one time.
'How can you eat those things and we haven't even had real food yet?' Julian scowled through another yawn.
'Ever heard of asking, Ronald? Honestly!'
'Jools doesn't mind, do you Jools?'
'Not like I really have much of a choice now, do I?'
'You can have 'em all back if you want,' Ron said, sticking his tongue out and showing off the nasty mess that used to be Julian's favourite candy.
'Ugh – go away; I need a shower…' Julian said kicking him off the bed and jumping up.
'Man, I am starvin' like Marvin,' Ron moaned.
Ginny and Julian looked at each other and then looked at him. Sounds reached them from downstairs where Julian's brothers had their rooms. There was a loud BANG followed by uproarious laughter.
'Looks like Gred and Feorge are up,' Ginny moaned. 'Mum'll have their heads on broomsticks if they do any damage…'
'Don't worry about it; Dad thinks the twins are hysterical,' Julian said rummaging in her closet for a pair of old jeans and her favourite Joy Division t-shirt. 'I think he even bought some of those Filibuster Fireworks things from them… perish the thought!'
Just then there was a sonic BOOM and the distinctive sound of glass shattering from outside.
'Oh no, your Dad found the Doxy cherry bombs!' Ginny shrieked, trying to look as suitably horrified as possible.
The whole house went dead calm as the children waited for Mr. Petersson to surely lose his temper.
'Brilliant! Bloody brilliant!' came a chortle from beneath Julian's window. 'I'll get Arthur to fix the windows when he gets back!'
'Oh for god's sake? What is he like?' Julian giggled. 'Just be grateful there's no magic in him – can you imagine?!'
'Mum would have gone absolutely spare,' Ginny said shooing Ron out the room so the two girls could get ready in peace.
'That's because she has sense.'
'Soooo Jools – what do you reckon about last night?' Ginny called out as her friend stepped into the shower of her en-suite bathroom.
'It was a good party – a really good party!'
'I've got a secret!'
'One that you have been aching to tell me no doubt.'
'Mmmmmm Hmmmmm!'
'Well go on then – don't keep me in suspense…'
'I think someone's got a pash on you!'
'Do what? You're having a laugh!'
'Nope – I was just walking by, innocent as usual…'
'Yeah right!'
'Minding my own business when I heard some people talking…'
'You don't say'
'I do say…so there I was behind this bush minding my own business…' Ginny said bursting into laughter with Julian cracking up herself as she finished her shower.
'…and I hear some garbage being talked but then it got interesting… Your name got mentioned!'
'You are really winding me up!'
'I am not! George reckons you'll be quote fairly fit unquote in a few short years – or less!'
'Hah! Does he now…'
'He's noticed your boobs!'
'Ginny!'
'I'm just telling you what I heard is all,' Ginny replied sweetly, as Julian stepped from the shower.
'He better not let my mother hear him talking like that – she'd half kill him!'
'You mean she'd get Mum's leftovers. He made a comment about some girl at Hogwarts – I swear he's got more lives than a cat.'
'That's putting it mildly…'
'Erm…he noticed something else too,' Ginny said blushing, causing Julian to stop attacking her long dark curling hair with a large hairbrush.
'Such as…?'
Ginny shook her head and pointed downwards.
'HE TALKED ABOUT THAT TO ALL THE BOYS?!' Julian shrieked, clearly horrified.
'Erm, it was only Fred and Bill – I heard them talking before we all went to bed. George acts silly – but I think he really likes you Jools.'
'He's got a funny way of showing it – and how does he… know….about that?'
'The last time you stayed at ours – he was lying when he said he didn't see anything after barging in on you – what was it – three times? It was just an accident – he didn't do it on purpose – I don't think…well maybe the first time was an accident…'
'Phhhffft!'
'Oh come on Jools – it's not like you haven't seen any of the boys either!'
'Ginny, these are your brothers we are talking about here, OK? Besides – are we even supposed to care about…all that…at our age?!'
'I know – nothing to write home about from what Prunella Gobshanks said about Fred!'
'The one with the face like a cow kicked her in it that you pointed out to me you-know-where? I'm willing to bet that she's just mad because Fred isn't interested…and she must be blinder than a bat! No offense; but Fred and George have definitely got it going on – too much and too good for that petty hag…'
'Girls, hurry up now – lunch is being served!' Mrs Petersson called through the door as both girls whooped, red-faced with laughter. 'Ginny, your parents are on their way back!'
'George calls her 'Fugly'…'
'Sounds about right; the old cow,' Julian commented as she pushed down the towel she'd wrapped around herself.
Ginny watched enviously as her best friend put on her bra, fastened it, and then adjusted it so that she was comfortable.
'It's not half the deal it seems like Ginny – just you wait and see,' Julian said diplomatically.
'Easy for you to say – you've had them and hair downstairs for almost a year!'
Julian shrugged her shoulders and then tugged up her underpants after turning away from her best friend.
She understood that Ginny was in a hurry to grow up – but she would always be the youngest in the Weasley household and it was different being the only girl and having six brothers. It was the same for Julian as the only girl in a house dominated by her three brothers and father (or at least that's what her mother allowed the Petersson men to think).
Like Molly Weasley, Silje Petersson ruled the roost of her household. Fortunately for the Petersson's she wasn't quite as volatile as Ms. Weasley and so life was fairly laid back – though she and her husband were sticklers for proper social etiquette when there were guests.
Julian threw on her jeans, t-shirt and favourite pair of sparkly flip-flops.
One last check of herself in the mirror and then she and Ginny set off to join the rest of the house for lunch.
xxxOOOxxx
'Here she is; my Sleeping Beauty finally awakes – afternoon Princess…' Mr Petersson beamed at his daughter while giving her a hug.
'Dad…. Please! You're embarrassing me!' Julian mumbled, looking very awkward indeed.
'Go on George, slide on over there and make some room,' Mr. P said with a conspirital wink.
George coughed as he did so and tried to look as cool as possible to no avail.
'Oh. My. God!' Ginny mouthed silently as she took a seat between Julian's second-eldest brother Rodger and George's twin Fred.
'Cracking party last night; thanks for having me,' said the eldest of the Weasley brothers, Bill who had only just met the Peterssons for the second time.
22 year-old Bill was a Curse-Breaker with Gringott's Bank in Egypt and home for a rare holiday break. Mr. and Mrs. P. had said that of course he could come with the rest of his family.
'You're welcome, any time,' Mr. Petersson replied as he sat a platter of barbecued hamburgers, chicken and sausages on the table. 'Wouldn't have been right – You back at The Burrow with everyone else here and plenty of room…'
There was a mountain of potato salad, cucumbers and tomatoes with a honey mustard dressing and steaming corn on the cob with ice cold lemonade to wash it down with.
'Yish ish vovely' Ron groaned as he grabbed two more drumsticks thought there was still food piled high on his plate.
'You ought to try chewing it first, Ronald,' Ginny hissed.
'Ayamthewit'
'There's another whole platter, Ron; more than enough to go around even with seconds and thirds,' Mrs. Petersson said firmly.
Ron recognised that tone of voice all too well being regularly subjected to it by his own mother. He put the latest pair drumsticks he had reached for down and wisely attacked what was still on his plate.
'So Fred – I hear you have received your Hogwarts letter for the coming year?' Mr P. said doing his best to bail the young man he really liked out of trouble.
Fred took a long drink of his lemonade before answering.
'Yes sir, just the other day. Mum says we'll get our school things week after next; it's always a madhouse to leave it until the day we leave from King's Cross.'
'I can't imagine what it must be like – being magical and going to school to study it,' Julian said thoughtfully. 'So you'll be going this year, eh Ginny?'
Julian missed the look exchanged by her parents, but George didn't. He stayed silent knowing it was the safest and wisest option at the moment.
'Oh – erm – well yeah, I will; Mum and Dad are pretty sure I've had my name down since I was born…just waiting for my letter,' Ginny's voice dropped over the course of the final few words of her answer and she went back to eating.
'Must be strange – being friends with us Muggles,' Julian continued. 'I should consider myself very privileged to know you and to have seen Diagon Alley…guess we won't be seeing much of each other once you're off.'
Too late Julian realised what she said and clapped her hands over her mouth.
Ron's plate went crashing to the floor, George's fork hovered in mid-air piled high with food, Bill and Fred looked at each other clearly in shock, and the rest of the Peterssons were white as newly washed sheets.
'You…you… a Muggle… you saw Diagon Alley?' Ron stammered. 'You ought not to joke like that – if the Ministry of Magic ever heard of anything like that it could be big trouble!'
'Trouble?' Mr. Petersson asked nervously. 'How so?'
'The only Muggles allowed into Diagon Alley are parents with approval to take their Muggleborn magical children shopping for their Hogwarts things. It has to be arranged through the school – through Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Head,' Bill answered. 'They have to swear an oath to never to talk about it outside of their immediate family.'
'There's never been a Muggle able to see it without help from the Ministry. It's just not possible!' said Fred.
Everyone looked at Julian.
'But you were just joking, just having a laugh weren't you Jools,' said George. 'That was a good one – she's seen Diagon Alley bwaa haa haa!'
He roared and then poked Rodger who joined in. The youngest Petersson boy Daniel didn't see that it was particularly funny that Julian could end up in trouble over a joke.
'But I'm not joking!' Julian insisted angrily. 'I saw the entrance to the Leakey Cauldron and told Ginny we might as well go in! Tell them Ginny!'
'How?' Andrew, the eldest of the Petersson boys demanded in a shaky voice. 'How is it possible for you to have seen anything! You only know what they've told you, you LIAR!'
But before Julian could answer there was a flapping sound. Everyone looked up as a large brown barn owl skidded down the table and stopped in front of Julian.
'What… what the hell is that?' Andrew muttered as he stared wild-eyed at it.
'It's an owl – a Hogwarts owl. Must be for me – still waiting for my list and whatnot…' Ron said as he took the letter from the owl.
'Erm I'm still waiting for my letter too you know!' Ginny huffed.
Ron apologized to the bird for not having any money for the pouch tied to its leg and offered it a biscuit. The owl hooted and Julian could swear it was very disappointed almost to the point of being offended.
'How about a bit of steak?' she said gently as she slid her plate in front of it. '
The owl looked at her, flapped its wings, and nipped her hand affectionately before tucking into his treat. Julian stroked the bird and the creature rolled his head against her hand like a cat.
'Wow…' George gasped. 'That's… that's….'
'Weird…!' said Fred.
'Pretty awesome if you ask me!' Ginny beamed excitedly.
'So who is the letter for Ronald?' Mr Petersson asked in a detached voice.
'It… it's for Julian,' Ron spluttered, looking confused just as his parents returned with their children's Quidditch equipment.
xxxOOOxxx
'What on earth is going on?!' Mrs Weasley shouted as she and her husband returned to find the Petersson house in uproar.
'How?! How is this even possible?!' Mrs Petersson cried hysterically.
'Well… she's got to be a Muggleborn – and one with exceptional ability if she's been offered a place at Hogwarts,' Bill explained.
'There's been a mistake!' Mr Petersson hissed. 'She's can't be!'
He was on the verge of letting it slip that Dumbledore had assured them that the orphan they took in was a "Muggle as Muggle can be" when an unknown force stopped him from speaking.
'Can someone explain what in Merlin's name is going on?!' Mr Weasley demanded.
Bill snatched Julian's unopened Hogwarts letter from Ron and handed it to his father.
'Merlin's Beard!' Mr Weasley spluttered in shock as he sank down into the nearest chair.
Mrs Weasley took the seat next to him and peered over his shoulder.
'It's for Julian alright,' she said slowly. 'Well… congratulations my dear; you and Ginny will be starting together it seems.'
'What?! It's come Mum? It's finally come?!' Ginny whooped.
'It has indeed. It was waiting for us when we got back. Your new list has come too Ron,' Mrs Weasley explained as she handed over the last two Hogwarts letters her family had been waiting for.
'THIS IS ALL HER FAULT!' Mrs Petersson shrieked, pointing at Ginny. 'SHE TOOK HER TO THAT PLACE!'
'I beg your pardon?!'
'It looks like Ginny and Julian went on a secret adventure… to London. And it included a visit to Diagon Alley,' Bill explained.
'Ginny – I'll be having a word with you young lady when we get home! What were you thinking taking Julian to Diagon Alley?! And all alone! No note! There I was thinking I could trust you girls at home by yourselves so I didn't miss my meeting! You're grounded! You'll stay indoors all next week and don't try your father or I'll make it two!'
'But Mum that's pretty much the rest of summer!' Ginny shrieked. 'It's not fair!'
'Darned right it's not; you gave me and George three when we did it!' Fred said indignantly.
Mr and Mrs Weasley were reeling inside. They'd always wondered if there wasn't just a bit more to the situation with the Peterssons than they were told by Dumbledore.
The Senior Peterssons were always extremely sensitive where their daughter was concerned. It was fair enough, they'd supposed. They didn't want Julian to feel different from their natural children; they didn't want her to ever have to understand that she'd come in the world unloved and unwanted. But Molly and Arthur Weasley had always been of the opinion that telling the truth wouldn't detract from the love that was definitely there and strong in the Petersson household.
So many secrets and lies over the years; not the least of which was the origin of Julian's name. The elder Peterssons had always avoided the issue of why they'd given their daughter the name she carried. Julian wasn't the first girl to have what was traditionally seen as a boy's name; but there had to be a reason for it for Alek and Silje to be so touchy about it, of that Mrs Weasley was certain.
'Never you mind,' Mr. Weasley told Fred. 'Come on everyone – time to go…'
Side-along apparition was difficult at the best of times and there were just too many of them and luggage to deal with so they would have to walk. The sooner they left, the sooner they would be home – and the sooner the Peterssons could get to grips with their new reality, or so he thought. A few flicks of his wand and everyone had their things.
'Would you rather I stay back?' Molly asked Silje quietly as the watched her children saying goodbye to their friends.
'No – I rather think you've done enough!'
'Silje I don't know what your problem is, but it's nothing to do with us! All this fuss about nothing when Julian needs your support! Not everyone who wants to go gets accepted to Hogwarts – you should be very proud!'
Mr. Petersson walked over and it was clear he was far from happy.
'It was we who adopted Julian and cared for her all these years Molly. I think we know what is best for our daughter!'
'Alek what planet are you on? Magic is all around you but do you open your eyes to see it as it is? No – you Muggles give it another name and always find a way to dismiss it. Well you can't just ignore the fact that Julian is a natural-born Witch and she's going to Hogwarts whether you like or not! Don't force Minerva McGonagall to have to come down here and get Julian herself!'
'I think you'd better go now,' Silje said coldly. 'We took her in when even you couldn't have found it in your own heart to make room for one more. We didn't have to adopt her but we did. As far as I can see she's never displayed one iota of magical ability. Not once!'
'Muggles can't see the Leaky Cauldron but Julian did. Muggles cannot find their way into Diagon Alley, but Julian did. With or without Ginny, Julian was going to find her way there and there was nothing you could have done to prevent it,' Mr Weasley said curtly. 'There's only one thing we can be absolutely sure of – the system for acceptance and admittance to Hogwarts is foolproof. It doesn't matter what you think or how you feel about it, Julian was meant to go and that's all there is to it!'
There was only a momentary distraction as Molly yelled at her youngest sons. 'Come on you lot! You still haven't finished your homework and it's going to get done by next weekend! No one leaves the house until all of it is finished! I won't have the likes of Minerva McGonagall or Severus Snape sending more Howlers about you!'
'If you like Julian can come to ours the following weekend and we'll see her off at King's Cross,' Molly continued quietly. 'But you'd be making a big mistake if you do. You'll be missing out on a lot if you distance yourself and you'll hurt Julian, which I know is the last thing that you want to do.'
The Weasleys set off for the 20-minute walk and no one dared say much given Mr and Mrs. Weasley's obvious dark mood.
The Peterssons were left numb with shock and their world turned upside down.
