Kingdomhearts222 - :P I don't have to worry about that for another…bunch of years. All I have to worry about is my grades and stupid California that my science teacher will not shut up about. I knew there were earthquakes there but my dad just wouldn't listen!
Corneliacalebrox – Yeah it wasn't much but I felt like slipping it in somehow.
Z-nakda-zak: Wow. Youngest author here I've seen and been aware of. Sorry, The-Evil-Cookie!
The-Evil-Cookie: Hermione thinks she's talking to herself. She didn't see the portal yet.
glPiItTtAer: Don't worry, I'm very good at doing the impossible. I'll manage somehow. And Ron's just dumb enough to pick the wrong guardian to have problems with…even though none of them are gonna treat him kindly for a while.
Heh, thanks. Hay Lin's only my second favorite. I stopped Irma's because I couldn't think of enough crazy things for Luna to say. I'm gonna go read that review I suspect is from you on Shades of Grey now.
Emerald236 – Thanks. Hope you keep on reading…and that you like what you read.
Wow, LOADS of reviews…for me. Reviews make me happy! Messed up spacebars don't so I might be a little grumpy.
Chapter Ten Suspicions Rise And So Do Owls
Dear Lillian,
You might find it weird to be getting a letter from me by owl but it turns out that's the way it's done here. I've worked it out. (Okay, Taranee did) By the time this comes to you, you should be home. I don't want you to be troubled at school like I was. How are mom and dad? I hope you understand that we had to…brainwash them. If there are any side effects, let me know.
So, class here is even harder than before. I know what you're thinking, 'No WAY! Not after all that complaining these past few years.' But the truth is, I am way behind the rest of the kids in the class and there are tons of stuff out there we never knew about like love potions. NOT KIDDING. Even though I have seen love potions at work before.
I
haven't told the others about this…so don't breathe a word to
anyone, okay? I think I almost blew our, 'hey, by the way, we're
Guardians of the Veil among other things.' I was visiting
Elyon…well, Elyon and Caleb (shut up). And I kind of didn't
anticipate someone barging in on the portal. I'm not sure how much
she's heard. I don't think it's that important though. Her
name's Hermione and she's a total Taranee (don't read that part
out loud). She was supposed to help me study but I kicked her out.
Should I have done that? Was I being mean?
Oh, and there aren't
many people around here. The Browns reckon it's because they have
some sort of disaster thing like in Candracar with Nerissa. Still
thinking about it. Sometimes it seems so unreal. Is this really
happening? I guess I just had to write to you. it's been a good way
to just get things out in the open. reassure me and tell me that even
if I'm insane, someone out there is strung along with me as well.
Send a reply quick (!) and make sure the owl gets fed. It looks
really hungry…unless there's another reason behind it trying to
eat my fingers. Are owls attracted to pink nail polish?
Cornelia
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"She got really mad," Hermione said. "I'm not sure why. It just sounded like she was talking to someone."
"And you let her go like that?" Ron asked incredulously.
"What was I supposed to say?" Hermione demanded.
"I don't know, you're the smart one! But certainly not, 'okay, Miss, I'll be going now."
Hermione gave him a look. "You didn't see her. She looked like she was ready to kill me." She didn't mention the glow of vindictive fury flashing in her eyes. It made her shiver. "And I do NOT talk like that!"
"Since when were you scared of a dumb blonde and her pals?" Harry questioned, trying to steer the conversation back to a subject he actually cared to discuss.
"Look, I'm just saying, they are really guarded. And I think Ron might be right."
Ron almost choked on his pumpkin juice. Harry patted him on the back. "Wait a sec. You, Hermione Granger, think I'm right about something?"
"Well not the spies for the Ministry part, obviously," Hermione amended. "But there's definitely something suspicious about them. I mean, Cornelia seemed to know I was there. I told you. She stopped right in the middle of what she was saying. And they never talk much to anyone but each other and they are spread out around the Houses."
Harry looked from one of his friends to the other, trying to decide whether this, ''I think Ron's right' business is a joke or not. "Wait right here." He tore himself from his dinner and hurried out of the Great Hall.
When he came back, he was carrying an old, frayed piece of parchment. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he whispered.
Spindly threads of ink swirled across the parchment to form words and blotches and passageways. Ron craned his neck to study it. "They're all in their dorms," he exclaimed, disappointed. He had thought they may be tucked in a secret room or out in the forest, plotting something sinister.
"They're all alone in their dorms," Harry corrected. He stayed silent for a while, waiting for this to sink in.
"What could they be doing?" Hermione whispered. The five black dots indicated that the girls weren't moving, they just stayed in one spotas if waiting for something. "It's like the day with the Sorting, you know? When two of them weren't eating? What if the others weren't either? What could they be doing???"
"Yeah," Ron said slowly. "What's with those people? What do they have against eating supper?" Hermione elbowed him in the ribs. "Ow!" He glared at her. "What was that for?"
Ginny, not far away (as usual), was listening intently, trying to make sense of this new tidbit of news. She closed the book she was pretending to read, and marched up the stairs to Harry's dormitory.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cornelia,
No you are not insane! At least, in my world you're not. If I'm insane as well, however, then you can't count on my judgment. You know what? Let's just stop using the word, 'insane,' okay?
No, mom and dad are fine. Nothing irregular. The owl actually came when I was walking home from school (thank god Chris was sick today…okay, now you shut up!) so tell Taranee she needs to redo her calculations. Good thing you tested them on me.
Wow, I think you may have been a little too harsh on her but you panicked. I would have done more or less the same thing. What kind of a name is Hermione, anyway? I can't figure out how to pronounce it. You visited Elyon? When are you going to visit me? Maybe by Halloween? This time, it's your turn to take Chris and me trick-or-treating. Irma did it last year and the year before, you weren't very into it. don't wear your guardian outfit though! See if you can find something at…what's it called? Oh yeah, Hogwarts.
Lillian