Laurel: A Very Long and Very Unusual Second Life
Part Three: Astra Inclinant [The Stars Incline Us]
Prologue: Novus [New]
31 August 1989. 7:03pm
Laurel's hands danced across the heavy, leather-bound tomes which had spilled onto her bed. Her eyes brightened as she eased the closest one open, it being a decidedly handsome book of soft, brown pleather with tastefully yellowed parchment pages, and scanned the pages. The pages fell open to a depiction of a wizard's transformation from man to hare, advanced transfiguration. It surprised Laurel to no end that she still maintained this absolute fascination with magic in all her years in this world. Though, she surmised that it was only natural, after coming from such a stark reality.
But there was no use dwelling. Not when she had such magic at her fingertips, she smiled widely. Laurel sat back further on her bed and settled into the covers, grabbing another book. Flipping it open, there were pages and pages of words that flowed and curved delicately, she landed on an avid description of a Bowtruckle's emotions as seen through minutely changing facial expressions.
"Laurel!" She was startled out of her revelry by a shout sounding quite close to her ear. Laurel snapped the book shut and looked to the side, to see her brother's face smiling down at her. "What are you reading?" He continued with calmness contrasting with his earlier shout.
"My school books." She relented, his nose scrunched up half-heartedly.
"Again?" Laurel laughed at his confusion.
"Yes, again." She swiped her books off to the side and turned to face him, patting the bed beside her. He clambered up and leant back with her against the wall. "You gonna be okay without me here?" Laurel asked with some trepidation. Harry was quiet for a moment, a thoughtful expression overtaking his features.
"Yeah." He said decidedly. "I'll be there too in two years, anyway." Laurel nodded to herself, smiling with relief. "What house do you think you'll be in?"
"Hmm…" Laurel hummed indecisively, she had given this some thought but could never make up her mind, "I have no idea." She admitted, "I guess I'll find out tomorrow."
"What about me?" Harry looked at her with hopeful eyes, "What house do you think I'll be in?" Laurel's smile widened and her eyes softened as she looked towards her brother.
"Gryffindor." She said with absolute certainty, "Like Mum and Dad."
"Really?" Harry looked unsure, Laurel laughed lightly and ruffled his hair.
"You are such a Gryffindor." Laurel said, thinking to herself that he would at least prove himself to be over the coming years. She felt saddened by her thoughts, but brightened at remembering that he wouldn't have it quite so hard, if she had any say in it.
"I'm gonna miss you." Harry said suddenly, a crease appearing on his forehead. Laurel sighed deeply.
"I'll miss you too." She pulled him towards her and squeezed him in a tight hug, tucking his wild-haired head under her chin.
"You'll write?"
"'Course I will."
There was a lull in conversation, both Harry and Laurel sat in contented silence with each other on the bed. Laurel was imagining to herself just what going to Hogwarts could mean for her; certainly more freedom to try and affect some change…any change. Thus far she had remained disappointed in herself, all plans failing save the one to rescue Harry from those dreaded Dursleys.
"What's a Nargle?" Laurel was startled by Harry's sudden question, she looked over to see him warily holding a brightly coloured edition of The Quibbler. He turned it around and studied it with narrowed eyes, Laurel laughed.
"I have no idea." She admitted, trying to remember, "I think they steal things…and are in fact non-existent? Or, at least they may be non-existent…" Laurel trailed off, before shrugging her shoulders. Harry hummed and furrowed his brow in confusion, placing the magazine off to the side.
"Oh!" Harry suddenly perked up, turning a bright smile towards Laurel, "Remus wanted to see you!" Laurel looked back at him with disbelief.
"He sent you in here?" Laurel questioned, Harry nodded succinctly in return, "Half an hour ago…and now you tell me?"
"Yes." Harry said simply, ducking away from Laurel's soft slap aimed at his head with a smile, picking up the Quibbler once more and hiding his smile behind it.
Laurel slid off the bed and bounded out of the room and into the lounge room. She sat heavily on the lounge opposite to Remus, who was patiently studying the Daily Prophet, lit by the soft light of the lamp beside him.
"You wished to see me…" Laurel hummed demurely. Remus folded the newspaper and held it in one hand, greeting her with his usual tired, smiling eyes.
"All set for Hogwarts?" He asked, his eyes clouded over and he looked identifiably nostalgic; Remus often remembered his days at Hogwarts as the some of the best of his life, his own first year had been almost a decade ago.
"Yep." Laurel said shortly in an effort to contain her excitement. Where she had come from, it was every Muggle's dream to go to Hogwarts. So, even with the serious threats she was facing, her excitement abounded.
"I got you a gift…for you to take to Hogwarts." Remus stood and strode around the lounge, bending down to pick up a basket which Laurel just noticed was sitting by the door. He set it down gently on the lounge beside her and flipped the lid up. Laurel slid over and peered into it, amazed to find two blue eyes staring back.
"Rroww!" What could only be described as a whimpering howl sounded and Laurel beamed up at a despondent Remus when she realised what she had gotten.
"I thought you said no pets." Laurel reminded him as she picked up the cat, cuddling it to her chest. She looked up at Remus as she tried to hold the squirming cat in her arms and was amused to see that he was staring at the cat with no small amount of contempt for it, apparently werewolves were not exactly fond of cats.
"I…want you to have someone with you at Hogwarts, at least until Harry gets there." He finished quickly, Laurel laughed loudly at him.
"No way, he's here for good." Laurel buried her cheek in the cat's cream-coloured fur, a grey-brown, bushy tail smacked her in the face.
"Rroww." The cat settled on her lap, claws kneading into her pants, Laurel winced but her smile remained.
"I love him." She said with finality, reaching up and hugging her godfather, "Thank you." Remus hugged her back, not letting go until the cat swiped a heavy paw at his chest.
"A cat?" Harry interjected from the hall, he leaped into the room and sat on the couch, "Do I get a pet?" He wondered, but he was swiftly shut down by Remus assuring him that he would think about when Harry went off to Hogwarts too.
Laurel sat back down next to her brother and the cat leapt out of her arms, he pounced around the room and began inspecting every crevice, one blue eye trained suspiciously on Remus. She was certainly excited for Hogwarts, but it would be hard to leave her family behind for so long.