Plot, new characters, new magical terms and abilities etc. are my intellectual property. If you want to borrow then please kindly ask. JK Rowling's characters and Wizarding Universe are all uniquely hers.
Summary: AU. Sequel to 'A Love Before Time'. At the height of the 2nd War & After Snape has his own peculiar destiny to face. SS/OC.
Supernatural/Drama/Angst/Spiritual/Romance/Horror
This story is rated R/M.
Ever After
Chapter 004: The Letter
Audrey slept peacefully and for much of the weekend. By Tuesday the following week she was feeling well enough to come downstairs and stayed tucked up on the living room sofa watching television when she wasn't sleeping. She had the idea of writing a thank you note to Mr. Snape, but was informed that he was no longer in the area.
There would be no more discussion of that disastrous first afternoon and night in their new home.
…xXxXxXx…
A few days later there was a knock at the door just before lunch.
'Yes?' Nanna asked, squinting at the tall older woman without taking the safety chain off.
'I am here to see a Miss Audrey Llewellyn,' the stranger said with a heavy Scottish burr. 'And a parent or guardian.'
'My granddaughter wasn't expecting any visitors and neither were we,' Nanna said suspiciously. 'Just who are you and what do you want?'
'It would be better for all our sakes if I were to explain that inside,' the woman said crisply. 'Privacy... Mrs...'
'Llewellyn, Catherine Llewellyn. Audrey's late father was my son. He passed away not long ago and we've only just moved here to make a fresh start.'
'I see,' the woman said quietly. 'I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Mrs. Llewellyn.'
'You still haven't told me who you are...'
'My name is Minerva McGonagall, and I need to speak with you on a matter of considerable urgency and delicacy concerning your granddaughter.'
'Don't keep the woman standing there, Cathy,' Spence said firmly. 'Let her in.'
There was no further comment as the door closed so that the security chain could be be released. When the door opened again, it was Spencer Llewellyn standing there ready to welcome the stranger into their home.
'I take it you didn't find the 'right moment to speak to your wife and granddaughter, Mr. Llewellyn,' the woman said, peering at him over the rim of her square-framed glasses.
'No,' Spence said simply as he escorted her into their sitting room. 'We've a rather trying time these past few weeks, as I explained before. Things are only just starting to settle down, such as they are and my granddaughter is finally on the mend from her accident.'
'Professor McGonagall, this is our Audrey. Audrey, this is... well, I'll let her explain...'
'You know this woman Spence?' Nanna hissed.
'Not exactly – I have made her acquaintance is all! Just sit yourself and the tea down! I'll be right back'
Audrey closed the book she had been reading and tossed it aside.
'Let me guess – yet another Shrink, right? Boy you sure didn't waste any time!' she snapped.
'Now you hold your horses there girl and calm down!' Nanna ordered. 'I don't know who she is but I'm pretty sure she's not a psychiatrist since your granddad and I agreed that that's not what you need!'
'I am Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Transfiguration and Gryffindor House at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry,' McGonagall said crisply. 'Mr. Llewellyn – the letter, if you please.'
Spence handed over a small envelope, still as perfectly sealed as when Professor McGonagall had first given it to him.
'The Professor here first came to see you two days after your birthday,' he said quietly. 'None of us was in a decent state to deal with anything else then. I promised to tell you and your Nanna but I just couldn't find the right moment or words. I still don't quite understand it...'
'Witchcraft and Wizardry?!' Nanna said with wide eyes. 'But... but... we're Catholic!'
Audrey snorted.
'When was the last time any of us set foot in a church!' she said dismissively. 'You've done some things in your day Granddad but this is too much!Ha ha, joke's over!'
'I can assure you that this is no prank, young lady,' said Professor McGonagall as she drew her wand. 'Wingardium Leviosa!'
Audrey's book rose off the sofa and Professor McGonagall made it float over the coffee table before charming it to do backflips.
'So that explains it,' Audrey said at last.
'You're a Witch, Miss Llewellyn, and a very talented natural one too from what your grandfather has told me.'
'This is... unbelievable!' Nanna gasped. 'So – what's this letter business?'
Audrey opened the envelop and read the letter quickly as well as the accompanying booklist. As she did so, the look on her face was increasingly incredulous.
'Well what does it say?!' Nanna demanded.
Audrey cleared her throat and began to read the letter aloud.
ooo
'HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Professor Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin (First Class), Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, and Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot)
Dear Audrey Llewellyn,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
ooo
'Hah!' Spence crowed, slapping his knees. 'I always knew that was more to your talent than some so-called 'freaky fluke!'
'No wonder your mother hated...' Nanna began before catching herself and putting her hands up to her mouth.
'Go on, you can say it: she hated me! She's hated me for as long as I can remember!' Audrey said bitterly. 'She couldn't wait to get away from me! Well good luck to her wherever she is!'
'I know this comes as quite a shock,' Professor McGonagall said gently. 'But I must have your answer. The train leaves on Sunday, 11am sharp from King's Cross.'
'I... we don't have money for some fancy school – not even a magical one,' Audrey sniffed as she tried to give Professor McGonagall the letter.
'No, that's yours to keep,' said the Deputy Headmistress. 'And there is no cost involved other than for uniforms and the other items on your list. As for funds, we have bursaries available for those who could use a bit of help and you most certainly qualify. You have more than enough in your Gringott's account to cover the list and other needs as they arise during the School Year. The bursary will be renewed each year until you Pass Out. There is no obligation to repay it, however once you are out in the world making a living you may be able to make a donation as and when.'
McGonagall paused and handed Audrey a small scarlet money bag with an ornate gold and black 'G on one side. The young woman opened it and couldn't believe her eyes at how much gold and silver coinage was in it along with a gold key. She didn't know what it was worth in this world, but it had to worth quite a lot.
'That's enough to get you started with your shopping,' she said with a slight smile. 'Your bursary is yours to manage as you see fit, Aye? So – what do you say Miss Llewellyn?'
'I... I... What do you think Granddad? Nanna?'
Audrey's grandparents asked probing questions about the Hogwarts and the Wizarding World in general. Nanna decided that their souls wouldn't be damned for all eternity – if the Lord made all in heaven and on earth then he surely made magic too. That was good enough for her. McGongall's eyebrows rose to the top of her forehead but she opted to remain silent on silly Muggle superstitions. Instead she told the Llewellyns about The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley and how to get to Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Railway Station.
'This is your ticket,' she said, handing Audrey a long rectangular envelop. 'You have enough there to book rooms for yourself and your grandparents at the Cauldron. Mr. and Mrs. Llewellyn I've also included some Muggle funds which should cover your train fares to and from London.'
'Wow – you've thought of everything, it seems,' Audrey sighed happily.
'Errr Professor... what about Audrey's nightmares?' Nanna fretted. 'Sharing space with four other girls...'
'We can try a specialised potion. I had a word with our Potions Master and he's made some suggestions. These are quite harmless and should do the trick to start. Longer term it's worth examining the problem from a magical perspective. As Miss Llewellyn is a magical child the solution is not likely to be found in this world – and I myself am also inclined to believe that a Psychiatric Healer will not be useful.'
'You have magical doctors?' Audrey gasped. 'How does that work?'
'Far more efficiently and effectively than your NHS!' McGonagall chuckled. 'I understand that you are still healing from your accident. Nothing complicated for us so I can at least help you with that and it will give you a bit of an idea how these things work with us.'
McGonagall pulled out several tubes from her handbag along with two small potions bottles. She instructed Audrey on what creams to rub in where. A few flicks of the Deputy Headmistress's wand and the right incantations and years of injuries were healed in an instant.
'You are looking very... refreshed... Petal...' Nanna said aloud Spence nodded in agreement. 'Like the you you might have been if...'
Her voice trailed off as she again decided to keep her thoughts to herself.
'We can try the potion in the blue bottle this evening, no more than 3 drops in a small cup of water,' the Deputy Headmistress instructed. 'If for whatever reason it does not work on its own then add a drop of the purple. Let's see how you get on in the run up to the term starting.'
'I could finally get a good night's sleep?' Audrey asked, not quite believing it.
'Aye! So – what do you think now, Miss Llewellyn?'
'When can we leave for London?'
Professor McGonagall was being fitted for new robes and had other business in Diagon Aley so arranged to meet the Llewellyns outside of Borders Bookshop on Charing Cross Road the following day at 3pm.
She would help steer their course in becoming familiar with this whole new world.
…xXxXxXx…
Audrey had only ever been to London once, when she was very young, and only vaguely recalled the visit. As the Southwestern train she and her grandparents traveled eased into the urban jungle that was The Big Smoke, she took in the grimy landscapes as they flew by. Both she and her grandparents had a new-found appreciation for the relative sedateness of Bath. After a time they were underground and finally pulled into Paddington Station. Her grandparents were keen to try out the Underground and pushed through the heaving sea of humanity that crowded the concourse. A half-hour and one transfer of lines later the tannoy signaled their stop.
"The next stop is Charing Cross. Change here for National Rail…" said a mechanical female voice over the tannoy system. "Please mind the gap!"
They emerged in the middle of the hustle and bustle that was one of the Smoke's busiest thoroughfares. A ticket checker had pointed them in the direction of the bookstore, but Audrey saw the black porch that the gateway to the Leakey Cauldron first. People seemed to be rushing by as if they did not see it. But Audrey could see it as clearly as the nose on her face.
She focused her attention on the woman stepping out of the bookstore to greet them.
'Is that it, Professor? That round black porch thing kind of sticking out?' she said quietly.
'Well-spotted. Miss Llewellyn, I give you the Leaky Cauldron,' Professor McGonagall replied.
The crossed the street quickly. She opened the door and ushered everyone through after checking that no one took notice of them.
No one did – save one person.
Andreas Didier smiled to himself and his milky-white eyes shimmered brightly in the afternoon sun as the girl and her guardians seemingly vanished into thin air with whoever that was.
Perhaps this wouldn't be so difficult after all.
OOO
Audrey leaned into the pub and took in the scene around her as Professor McGonagall introduced her to Tom, the innkeeper and chatted with her grandparents as they registered for the rooms that the Deputy Headmistress had secured for them. Of particular interest were the two hags playing WizPoker with a strangely white man wearing sunglasses and drinking a rather rich red viscous fluid. She fleeting wondered what it was as Tom arranged to have Llewellyn's things taken to their rooms and professor talked her grandparents into going to Diagon Alley.
They might as well make the most of this last day of relative quiet. Tomorrow was bound to be heaving with Students from Hogwarts and the University of Avalon stressing over last-minute shopping.
OOO
Audrey's senses were on overload as she took in the incredulous sights and sounds around her. This was even more true for her grandparents.
Professor McGonagall took them first to Gringotts, the Wizarding bank run by goblins. Audrey needed to formally sign for her bursary and to confirm that she had received her key. A Globlin escorted her and the Deputy Headmistress deep into the bowels of the earth to vault 777 so that she would be familiar with their procedures. Her grandparents decided to wait just outside the front door. The Goblin bank tellers had them shaking in their shoes.
By the time Audrey and Professor McGonagall emerged from the darkness that was Gringotts, it had been a half hour. Even in the Capital the rain was ever-present and Diagon Alley was not immune. The Alley had emptied considerably despite its protection from outside elements and they could take their time now. They went to Flourish & Blotts for her books, Madam Malkins for robes and Glad Rags for casual wear.
There was only one place where she could go for her wand: Ollivander's. Audrey stepped into the dim shop followed by McGonagall and her grandparents.
'Why, is that Professor McGonagall?' Mr. Ollivander said with mock surprise and appreciation. 'I never forget a wand! Fir – 16 ½ nches, Dragon Heartstring core. Stiff and imminently suitable for Transfiguration, which of course you have proven so very well indeed.'
'Correct,' Professor McGonagall commented as her charge took a step back. Ollivander's pale milky-white eyes were freaky. Audrey was reminded of something, but in that moment it didn't come to her.
'You do look a bit old to be coming here for your wand, Miss,' Ollivander said, addressing Audrey. He began fiddling with boxes, not paying attention to whether he received an answer or not. 'But as the eminent professor is here with you...let's get on shall we? Now – it's not the wizard or witch who chooses the wand; but the wand that chooses. Just give them a wave as I hand them over to you.'
Audrey nodded and held out her hand. Ten minutes later he was still trying to find the right wand for her and didn't know what to make of it.
'Hmmm...', 'No… no…', 'Aaahhh no…'
He had handed Audrey a number of wands all of which almost brought the building crashing down around them.
Finally, he handed her the most beautiful wand she had seen so far. It was Birch, 17 inches and featured and intricate Welsh Celtic Design of Yew and Rosewood. The core was several strands of hair and feathers taken from a Thestral.
Audrey felt goosebumps as she held it. This would be the one, of that she had no doubt.
Ollivander took a step back and tried to maintain his composure.
Audrey was holding an identical wand to the one that the late Rowan Morgause once had, even down to the core. Duplicates were not something that Ollivander did but there it was – and there was no mistaking that the wand had indeed chosen her.
