Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise. That belongs to J.K. Rowling and her respective partners. I do not own Disney or Disneyland Resort. That belongs to the Walt Disney Corporation. I do not earn any profit from this.
Claimer: I now own this story and its reworked plot.
Chapter 6
"Getting Interesting"
Albus Dumbledore, the only wizard that Voldemort feared and Headmaster of Hogwarts was currently enjoying himself at a muggle theme park. It's quite hard to imagine a wizard just a little over one hundred, spending the day in a muggle entertainment establishment in the United States. Any student of his would have killed to see him look like an ordinary muggle resembling a grandfather. He was having the time of his life and glancing at his wizarding companions; they were too (with the exception of a very grumpy Severus Snape).
All, but one he noted. He looked over his shoulder to see Minerva McGonagall to see that she looked…well, he wasn't quite sure, but she certainly looked distracted. She walked a bit more slowly than the others, like she was giving herself space to think. He wondered if something was bothering her, he slowed his steps as well and fell into pace with hers. The younger wizards did not show a sign of noticing. In fact, neither did Minerva.
"I sense something is bothering you, my dear," Albus spoke. He watched as her eyes got wide, her reflex of being surprised. Odd, being a cat animagus, she had had heightened senses.
"Do not concern yourself of me Albus," the witch replied calmly, "It is nothing, and I assure you of that." She said that as if she was telling the truth, he knew his colleague much better than that.
"If it's not too bold of me to say, I will feel quite offended if the woman who is my Deputy Headmistress, Head of Gryffindor, Transfiguration Professor, and whom I personably consider one of my closest friends, does not trust me," Dumbledore replied. Her reaction, a half-hearted glare that failed miserably told him that he had conquered the barrier.
"Albus, the muggles…They'll hear," she responded weakly looking around. No one around them seemed to have overheard.
"I am much more worried about you."
A sigh came from the Scottish Gryffindor.
"Fine, if you must insist. I just saw something earlier at that Lincoln place. That is it," she said as if that would solve it.
"What was it?"
"Nothing of importance." She received a frown in response. Albus had a feeling he was getting closer to the answer.
"It-It…It was a little girl. Is that enough?!" she raised her voice a little, not enough to attract others to notice. The Headmaster stared and the Deputy felt a little stupid.
A little girl? That had caused Minerva McGonagall to be so distant? But how? What about the girl could have her so…oh, wait.
"You…" Albus paused; it was a little difficult to phase, "You want children?" McGonagall gave an incredulous look. He could tell his guess was far from the truth by her reaction.
"No, of course not! I mean…I don't find children repulsive at all. After all, I do teach them."
Albus had to admit, he was truly puzzled. He couldn't think of anything. Minerva placed her hand on his arm which broke his train of thought.
"Thank you for your concern Albus. You are truly my best friend," Minerva smiled at him, "Honestly, it's nothing important. I am making a big fuss over nothing. Look, it's out of my mind now. I'm fine." By looking into her eyes, Dumbledore noted the sincerity. She wouldn't think of it again. At least, he felt, that she would try not to.
So they very quietly walked behind the others, making small chat until they reached their destination. They found themselves in a busy place called Tomorrowland, a place of the future. He wondered how muggles could know what the future would look like without Seers so he guessed that it must have been imagined. It was truthfully something he had never seen before. Everything looked so scientific to him. Hermione pointed out that Space Mountain was in a white oddly shaped building.
"Let us go off and embark on the rolly coaster," grinned Dumbledore. He was quite excited to experience more muggle technology.
"Roller coaster, professor," Hermione corrected. Yes, he would have to work on that on muggle names.
"I am actually looking forward to this," Ron said, "From what Hermione has said, it sounds fun."
"How about you Severus? Doesn't it sound amusing?" Remus turned to the only Slytherin, who had been quite quiet. Snape opened his mouth to retort that he hadn't given Lupin permission to use his first name, but a glance from the Headmaster silenced him on that issue.
"Depends on your definition of amusing. If you mean screaming like an infant while turning fast corners just to raise your adrenaline is amusing then, yes. This ride does sound amusing," Severus said quite sarcastically. Remus had to suppress a scowl. Albus could only hope that the Potions Master's attitude would improve.
Everyone headed to the line after the sarcastic statement while Harry whispered to Ron rather quietly so none of the other adults would hear "Git. Why does he have to be here?" Ron only shrugged.
A knock resounded in her quiet chamber and she could hear the door open (despite the fact she hadn't given permission). She suppressed the need to scream at the intruder and broke the connection to her daughter turning her blue eye green like her other one. Such a shame too. The brat was getting closer so she could hear their names.
"Madame Leota? Are you in here?"
"Why wouldn't I be here?" the head in the crystal ball said a little too sweetly, "Remember? I'M IN AN ETERNAL PRISON YOU PUT ME IN!"
Stepping forward was a young handsome looking man dressed in an old fashioned suit. Madame Leota suppressed a gagging reflex at his blue eyes, the exact same her daughter had. How, she hated his eyes. He held himself in a stately and regal manner, providing the observer information that he must have been from a good and rich family. When he spoke, his voice was of that of velvet and mysterious. Many ladies would undoubtedly want to marry him; Leota wanted to strangle him.
He gave a soft smile in response. Oh no, it had better not be…Yes, it was pity. Leota didn't need his pity.
"If I recall, you originally tried to trap me in that very crystal ball until it backfired on you. As they say, what goes around, comes around," he smirked. Leota growled.
"Well, I wouldn't have had to do that if you just accepted responsibility Mr. Gracey," she spat back bitterly. He waved it off.
"Where's Little Leota?" he asked looking around the room. He couldn't see the little girl anywhere.
"Why would you care George?" it was Leota's turn to smirk, "Didn't you say that no matter what you weren't the father, even though you know you are?" His good-natured expression turned to one of anger.
"I am not the father. Stop saying that! What if-"
"What?" Leota interrupted him, "What if Lily hears?" Mr. Gracey turned a deep shade of scarlet and was silent, hoping no one was eavesdropping.
"Oh, it seems that I've hit a nerve," the woman said seemingly innocent (the man gave glare of loathing), "Have you not told Lily? Have you not told her that after you died, you cheated on her with two women? Poor Lily and your children."
"I didn't cheat on her."
"Oh, yes you did."
"Didn't."
"Did."
"Didn't."
"Did."
"Didn't."
"Did."
"I am not going to argue like a child Leota!" he shouted. Leota only snickered finding this highly amusing.
"Marrying a second wife is something men usually do after their wife dies. The children needed a mother," he fumed, trying to keep under control.
"And having a child out of wedlock is normal too? And didn't your children need a mother after Emily died?" Leota taunted.
"You know full well that you hypnotized me after Emily died," he spat in hatred at the woman who ruined his life. She frowned. He had a point, she admitted. He was Leota's father, she knew that, but of course he didn't remember. Well, she didn't find that necessary for him to remember at the time. She hadn't thought that he would break out of the spell.
"Nonetheless, you broke out of it when you shouldn't have at all. She is undeniably yours. Look at her eyes Gracey, she has your eyes. You should have taken care of her or at least given me money to," she glared at him, "She could have grown up decently. Could have been a proper lady of society. You could have lied and said she was Emily's daughter-"
"-Emily died on our wedding night. Thanks to you," he interrupted. That didn't really matter to her, Leota just wanted money.
"She could have gone to at least a good school and have learned a respectable trade. Had a dowry and married a good husband," Leota continued.
"She did marry well. She married the rich plantation owner Padgett."
"Who?" He rolled his eyes at her response.
"She proceeded to convince him that he was a vampire and when he fell asleep in a coffin, she nailed it shut and he suffocated. All of that just for his money. Rather similar to what you planned for me except in a crystal ball. Remember?" Gracey asked. Details, details.
"Look at it this way. Her life was so miserable that when she died, she was reborn as a child in the afterlife and she can't even remember being an adult," Leota said.
"And how am I supposed to raise the child of someone who ruined my life!?" Gracey raised his voice in anger, but he smiled again having thought of something, "I have to thank you for one thing. It was so nice of you to summon all my friends and family to this manor to spend the rest of the afterlife with me." He gave a very big smile and Leota felt stupid (a feeling she really hated feeling).
At the time, it seemed like a brilliant idea to torture George Gracey by putting his departed loved ones in pain even beyond the grave. She hadn't expected for them to advise him on how to break the spell. She underestimated them.
"Shut up Gracey," Leota frowned knowing she lost this battle of words. She didn't even have the satisfaction of ruining his afterlife. She didn't need any more things to be mad about.
"Anyway, I did not visit to have this lovely discussion," he pressed on, "You see, the 'big cheese' has sensed a disturbance in the magical balance of Disneyland. He has asked all the holders of villains to check on their captives."
"I see, well tell the rat that I am certainly not the cause of the problem because, oh I don't know, I don't even have any powers! Um, I used to, but they seem to be gone! I wonder where they've gone. MAYBE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT I'M IN THIS CRYSTAL BALL!" she yelled.
She had to admit; this time she was telling the truth. She wasn't the cause, but she knew what was. She also didn't have any powers. At least, not any real ones. Only floating. She only managed to do things to Little Leota because of their shared blood connection. She would actually be using L.L.'s magic though the child didn't have much. She couldn't really do anything except hurt and heal the child. Of course, no one needed to know about that.
"Glad to hear that you're behaving Leota," he replied, "Well, I have guests to host." He turned to leave the room.
"Oh George," Leota called out, her voice back to a sickeningly sweet tone (he stopped and looked over his shoulder); "Remember dear, it isn't so good to hold secrets from the ones you love."
She gotten only an "humph" and she was alone again. She took a deep breath. That was longer than expected. She waited a few seconds, to make sure he wasn't coming back. Certain that she would not be disturbed again; she established connection with her daughter again.
"Mommy?" Leota could hear her daughter's voice within her head.
"Yes my little Leota. I am sorry my dear. Mommy had to deal with something," she answered.
"I learned their names Mommy."
"Good job honey. Tell Mommy all about it."
Author's Note: Sorry about the delay. It wasn't as long as last time at least. I wasn't feeling inspired until last night (I also ended reading a lot of MMAD stories to get inspired enough to do the chat between Albus and Minerva). Also, the chapter was to include Space Mountain, but Leota scene was longer than I thought. That's not a bad thing though. I really love the Leota scene. I thought it gives plenty of back-story for you Harry Potter fans.
BTW, for those who haven't guessed, the Leotas are from the Haunted Mansion. Virtual cookies for all those guessed (I was hoping head in crystal ball and the name Leota gave it away last time). In case it was confusing, the mother and the little girl are both named Leota (the little girl is called Little Leota or L.L.) I am going by WDW cast member legend because it gives much more back-story to the whole mansion and the other 999 ghosts than the movie did. I like the movie for what it is, but it failed miserably in that aspect. It did kind of compensate for beautiful music, sets, costumes, and great actors, but the storyline is just too disappointing. I mean, I like the whole idea of the romance between Gracey and Elizabeth, but the fact that there was absolutely no back-story for the other 996 ghosts is so unrealistic. "They got stuck here." Yeah. Excellent. Well, enough ranting about that.
On the subject of Little Leota, it may be confusing because of what they said. Little Leota did grow up when she was alive (they are all ghosts if you didn't catch that, but they can make themselves look real) according to the legends, but when she died, she shrunk to the size of a doll. A few HM fanfic writers like to make her a child. So I made the excuse that she did grow up, but she didn't have a good life and is a child in the afterlife. It's almost like a second chance because she can't remember what happened as an adult.
To learn more about the cast member legends there is more information at w w w dot gaiasdreams dot com slash ghostgallery.
Hmm…Nothing else except this wasn't betaed so feel free to point out mistakes or offer. Let's hope the next chappie is faster.
Last Edited: March 10, 2010
Slight word replacement.
