It was after breakfast I went upstairs to wrap the hidden Christmas presents when I heard a voice in my room. I pulled out my wand and went into the room just as a light filled my vision and I suddenly was standing in a very small house and I was a little unsteady as an old man walked towards me and a voice filled the room making me realized where I was
'There was once a poor peasant who had no land, but only a small
house, and one daughter. Then said the daughter, we ought to ask our
lord the king for a bit of newly-cleared land. When the king heard
of their poverty, he presented them with a piece of land, which she
and her father dug up, and intended to sow with a little corn and
grain of that kind. When they had dug nearly the whole of the field,
they found in the earth a mortar made of pure gold.'
The old man had the Mortar made out of gold and he smiled up at me like I was his daughter "Listen, as our lord the king has been go gracious and presented us with the field, We ought to give him this mortar in return for it." He said I shook my head "Father if we have the mortar without the pestle as well, we shall have to get the pestle, so you had much better say nothing about it."I told him or well the storybook character said it from my mouth. It was a weird thing knowing what to say all of a sudden you can't help but say it.
The old man scoffed and walked out of the door taking the mortar with him. I sat down on a old cot and stared at the wall loosing myself in the voice that told the version of the story I wasn't preview too.
The Poor Peasant would not obey her, and took the mortar and
carried it to the king, said that he had found it in the cleared
land, and asked if he would accept it as a present. The king took
the mortar, and asked if he had found nothing besides that. No,
answered the countryman.
Then the king said that he must now bring him the pestle. The
peasant said they had not found that, but he might just as well have
spoken to the wind, he was put in prison, and was to stay there until
he produced the pestle. The servants had daily to carry him bread
and water, which is what people get in prison, and they heard how the
man cried out continually, ah, if I had but listened to my daughter.
Alas, alas, if I had but listened to my daughter, and would neither
eat nor drink. So he commanded the servants to bring the prisoner
before him, and then the king asked the peasant why he was always
crying, ah, if I had but listened to my daughter, and what it was
that his daughter had said. She told me that I ought not to take the
mortar to you, for I should have to produce the pestle as well. If
you have a daughter who is as wise as that, let her come here.
My vision blackout and then I stood in front of a palace, The man who was sent to get me took my arm and walked me into a large area of the castle with Adrian sitting on the thrown, When he saw me his eyes widened "Isobel." He said relieved "So it was you." I said unamused about my currant situation, especially since I couldn't figure out what story I was in. "If you are really so wise, I will set you a riddle and if you can guess it, I will..marry you." Adrian said his face tilting up in a wince "Yes, I will guess it." I replied Adrian smirked as he sat back obliviously hearing what that riddle would be "Come to me not clothes, Not naked, not riding, not walking, not in the road, and not off the road, and if you can do that I will marry you." He said I frowned "Good luck." He told me as I turned away.
I walked down the road and then my eyes caught site of a giant fishing net, The thought that crossed my mind made me wince but I did as I was suppose to do. I took off all of my clothes in public and heard the voice again.
So she went away, put off everything she had on, and then she was not
clothed, and took a great fishing net, and seated herself in it and
wrapped it entirely round and round her, so that she was not naked,
and she hired an ass, and tied the fisherman's net to its tail, so
that it was forced to drag her along, and that was neither riding nor
walking. The ass had also to drag her in the ruts, so that she only
touched the ground with her big toe, and that was neither being in
the road nor off the road.
The mantra in my head was 'I am going to kill Pucey, I am going to kill pucey', He just had to pick the story where I strip starkers, wrap a fishing net around my body, tie myself to a donkey, and be dragged in ruts that hurt so bad because my head kept on hitting the ground. When I saw Adrian he looked surprised and his cheeks where tinted red a bit as he said "You have guessed the riddle and fulfilled all of the conditions."He said I walked up to him and punched him as hard as I could on his shoulder, The voice spoke loud and clear before the world went dark.
Then he ordered her father to be released from the prison, took her
to wife, and gave into her care all the royal possessions. Now when
some years had passed, the king was once reviewing his troops on
parade, when it happened that some peasants who had been selling wood
stopped with their waggons before the palace, some of them had oxen
yoked to them, and some horses.
There was one peasant who had three
horses, one of which was delivered of a young foal, and it ran away
and lay down between two oxen which were in front of the waggon.
When the peasants came together, they began to dispute, to beat each
other and make a disturbance, and the peasant with the oxen wanted to
keep the foal, and said one of the oxen had given birth to it, and
the other said his horse had had it, and that it was his. The
quarrel came before the king, and he give the verdict that the foal
should stay where it had been found, and so the peasant with the
oxen, to whom it did not belong, got it.
I stood in front of a mirror and I found myself to look at least thirty, "I'm going to kill him." I said as I felt the urge to go to the place were I can hear the peasants complain. The voice started again.
Then the other went away, and wept and lamented over his foal. Now
he had heard how gracious his lady the queen was because she herself
had sprung from poor peasant folks, so he went to her and begged her
to see if she could not help him to get his foal back again.
"Oh please help me M'lady!" cried the peasant before I could stop myself I told him "Yes, I will tell you what to do, if you promise me not to betray me." I told him having a feeling that this would end badly but what else could I do but go along with it. As the voice spoke my world went dark and i just stood there waiting for whatever ill fate to hit me.
Early to-morrow morning, when the king parades the guard, place
yourself there in the middle of the road by which he must pass, take
a great fishing-net and pretend to be fishing, go on fishing, and
empty out the net as if you had got it full, and then she told him
also what he was to say if he was questioned by the king.
The next
day, therefore, the peasant stood there, and fished on dry ground.
When the king passed by, and saw that, he sent his messenger to ask
what the stupid man was about. He answered, I am fishing. The
messenger asked how he could fish when there was no water there. The
peasant said, it is as easy for me to fish on dry land as it is for
an ox to have a foal.
The messenger went back and took the answer to the king, who ordered
the peasant to be brought to him and told him that this was not his
own idea, and he wanted to know whose it was. The peasant, said the
king, must confess this at once. The peasant, however, would not do
so, and said always, God forbid he should, the idea was his own. So
they laid him on a heap of straw, and beat him and tormented him so
long that at last he admitted that he had got the idea from the
queen.
Light filled my eyes and Adrian stomped up looking enraged "Why have you behaved for falsely to me! I will not have you any longer for a wife, Your time is up , Go back to the place for whence you came.. To your peasant's hut. One favor, However, I will grant you that you will take the one thing that to you is the dearest and the best in your eyes. Go." He said waving his hand. I glared at him slightly peeved but I knew it was the storybooks fault for making me feel that way "Yes, my dear husband, If you command this, I will do it." I walked up and halted a couple of times as I was forced rather painfully to kiss him "I will leave your presence now.".
Then she ordered a powerful sleeping draught to be brought, to
drink farewell to him, the king took a long draught, but she took
only a little. He soon fell into a deep sleep, and when she
perceived that, she called a servant and took a fair white linen
cloth and wrapped the king in it, and the servant was forced to carry
him into a carriage that stood before the door, and she drove with
him to her own little house.
I hauled Adrian on the bed wondering if I will be murdered for stealing the king however stupid he is. I waited one day and one night then he awoke. I could hear him hollering for people and I walked in and sat beside him "My dear lord and king, You told me I might bring away with me from this palace that which was dearest and most precious in my eyes.."I paused as a smiled a little bit at how cute this was, "I have nothing more precious and dear than yourself, So I have brought you with me." I told him.
Adrian smiled back and winced as he was forced to say "Dear wife, You shall be mine and I will be yours" He stood and took my hand and our world went black except for the voice.
He took her back with him to the royal, palace and was married again to her, and at the present time they are
very likely still living.
I got slammed into the floor with Adrian right beside me, I gasped and coughed as I sat up getting air back in my lungs "What on earth were you after!" I shouted once I had gathered enough air. Adrian stayed on his back equaly out of breath "You know.." He sat up and I gave him a dirty look "Christmas gifts, Birthday gifts of course or maybe a diary!"He said I shook my head "Adrian, Give me one good reason why I shouldn't hex your balls off."I said grabbing my wand from the floor and pointing it at Adrian.
"I need my Chaser, Wood. Put down your wand or else I will have to restrain you, What are you doing on the floor anyways?" I glared up at Flint as I stood and picked up the story book before he could. "She has an enchanted muggle storybook." Adrian said as Flint helped him up "He got us caught in it."I hissed as I slammed my trunk closed "Over his presents!" I said as I flicked my wand and his and the rest of them came flying out from under my bed.
I placed my wand back up in my hair "Now you two will help me wrap them but I will take yours and wrap them myself. You. Adrian Pucey, are not going to know your presents till the very last hour." I stated as I picked up the bags that held a broom-kit and a t-shirt I had found walking in diagon alley, a Dragon figurine and another broom kit. Each of them where for Flint and Pucey. "Thats not fair!" Adrian shouted as I grabbed a couple of bags and pretty paper to stuff them inside to hide what I had gotten for them.
"Life's not fair, Get use to it!" I shouted back as I closed the door to my bathroom and started to put the two gifts together. I could hear Adrian complain about acting like a bunch of muggle when Flint said rather calmly "You are a wizard, You can't use magic but I can so just look at the list and tell me what to wrap you obnoxious child." I snorted as I heard him say "VCR tape?" Adrian said "Goes to the muggleborn." He said rather childishly.
"Hermione Granger!" I shouted "Do you dare put 'That Muggleborn'" I wrapped the antique dragon up in a fine silk that had the initials M.F. In a pretty hand stitched and placed it in the bag and placed the broom kit on top. "Who gets all this potions equipment, Oh wow look at this bottle!" Adrian said rather excited "This is the stuff they use the the exploding snaps." I could rather feel Flints look as he said disdainful "The Weasel Twins.".
"Fred and George!" I shouted than I paused threw open the door and picked up a marker and yanked the package out of the hands of the Slytherin chaser and wrote 'Forge and Gred.' "Okay here you are, Go back to work." I said cheerfully as I walked back into the bathroom and shut the door. I was done but it was funny to hear them trying to figure out which gifts belong to who. "The borring book on Hogwarts founders and a rather bulky Defense spell book?" Adrian asked Flint growled "Golden boy." He sneered "He doesn't need it though." I shouted rather loudly "You better wrap those gifts Flint or I will turn your hair pink for a month! I know how too!".
"Ugh... a muggle book." Adrian said carefully, I peeked out of the bathroom door to see Harry's presents wrapped and sitting with the others. Adrian was handling the book like a live bomb " The annoying weasel." Adrian looked up and frowned at Flint "The one who wears those glasses and has that pompous attude?"He said "oh that one." Adrian said "I thought you meant that younger one." He remarked as Flint wrapped the gift using magic.
I shook my head and bit my lip, those boys where using magic to wrap presents! "Some type of games?"Adrian said holding up a muggle checkers, deck of cards and a book on how to play different card games. I thought it would be perfect for Ron "Younger Weasel, the stupid one." Flint said. "He couldn't even play half of these muggle things." Adrian said as it wrapped on its own and placed it down with the others. I had to admit they really were a good team together, "Oi! Who's getting this?" Adrian asked holding up a Weird Sisters Cd with a Puddlemore Tee. Flint raised an eyebrow "Who do you think? Wood would be getting the good stuff.". I rolled my eyes, whatever, "Lucky snot, I had to beg my mum to buy this thing." exclaimed Adrian who let go of the wiggling Cd trying to get free.
"I just bought it." Flint said as he shrugged and placed his wand back into his pockets "Adrian stood and rolled his eyes "You have a dad who doesn't care.", I quickly grabbed the bags smelling a fight and as I walked out, Flint grabbed Adrian by the shirt his dark eye narrowed and he looked scary. I placed the presents down and grabbed his arm "Marcus." I said getting his attention as he glared at Adrian who smirked.
"You have a dad who doesn't care." Adrian said Flint snapped grabbing him by his collar, Flint knew that Adrian knew how he felt about his father especially after what happen to his mother. Adrian knew he would get threatened or punched but it just slipped out, He didn't mean how it sounded but it was to late to say anything else. "Marcus." Flint tensed as he felt a small hand on his arm that held Adrian's collar, Adrian gotten that infuriating smirk as Flint fought with staying with a deep urge to whip that smirk off of his face.
"Marcus Please." every time she spoke it would make Flint loosen his grip "I really don't want to have to clean up blood." a grin broke over Flints face as he let go. Adrian let out a nerves sigh, He was glad for Isobel to be here "Adrian get that smirk off of your face before I punch you." She scoffed as she grabbed Flints arm and tugged lightly. Marcus turned and pulled out his wand and the Presents flown under the bed which made Isobel's face lighten up in a pretty smile "Come on before you ruin Lady Pucey's carpet." she said Flint let her pull him out of the room.
I tugged Flint out of the room so if they wanted to brawl I wouldn't have to clean blood up from the floor or have to heal their assess, "I have to leave you two so I can plan the food." Flint grinned again and Adrian snorted "Like we care." Adrian said I rolled my eyes "Its what your mother wants." I said as I pulled my hand way from Flints arm. I was half way down the hall when I paused "Oh and if you two want to kill each other please do it outside.".
"Oh and if you two want to kiill each other please do it outside." Adrian shook his head as they watched her walk down the hall. "She's a diamond." Adrian said Flint scoffed "With rough round edges." He stated turning to the exit out to the gardens "Oh come on! Marcus." Adrian said with a little skip in his step "You know you can't live without her." Flint halted and turned to Adrian with a very very unhappy look "She's like an annoying thorn in my side, Adrian." He scowled and walked off.
Adrian smirked and said to himself "A very pretty thorn."
I took a bite and winced "tart not exactly what I would expect from its name." I said Lady Pucey nodded "Not good at all." She agreed as she pulled the plate away and pulled out another dinner to try. Our pile of plates all dislike was almost a foot tall with two piles stacked and they were still growing, "Oh my this is good." Lady Pucey said I took a bite and nodded "My Adrian loves this dish, You should get the house elves to show you how to do it.". "Maybe" I said "I will start on the decor for Christmas, I might get the boys to help. Go learn my sons favorite meal." She said I stood and I had to walk into the back of the Pucey household.
In the back I had a house-elf come to me "Mistress wants for Peachie to show you how to cook Masters Favorite." She said I was going to say that I really didn't want to but the house-elf looked so excited and happy that I nodded and forced a smile "Yes, I am very excited." I said Peachie the house-elf clapped her hands "Yes Peachie is very excited too.". I am such a sucker...
I was covered from head to toe in flour and I had dough underneath my nails as I walked into the parlor that held a very large tree, I frowned I didn't remember seeing this. I jumped as I felt a suction "You're tracking in flour dear." Lady Pucey stated very matter a fact voice that I would expect from Hermione. I nodded "I helped Peachie." I told her "Who?"she asked confused "The house-elf you told to help me learn." I said as I watched Adrian on a magic carpet that was hovering above the ground. Magic carpets have been banded in England because of their unpredictable magic, Of course the Pucey's would have one.
I tore my eyes away from the carpet and too the rather large tree with Flint placing ordmints on the tree with his wand and a basic floating charm. So this was a magical Christmas I observed as Lady Pucey tapped my shoulder "Isobel, Could you help Marcus." She said I nodded and walked over to him "Do you need my help with anything?"I asked He halted the little figurine in mid air and eyed me. He reached out and swept his thumb under neath my cheek "Place those at the bottom of the tree, Sparsely please. I do not want this tree to look like Flitwick got his paws in it." I smirked "Why not? Scared that nobody will let you touch a Christmas tree again?" I asked He raised an eyebrow.
My stomach curled unpleasantly at the dark look he gave me "Get to work, Wood." He stated giving me a grizzly grin showing off his crooked teeth that I had almost forgotten about. I huffed and picked up a pretty ordiment and placed it on the tree but soon Flint reached over and placed it on a slightly higher branch, I looked at him and tried to ignore him but the same thing kept on happening! I would place a ordiment on the tree and he would move it. On the fourth time I slapped his hand "What was that for!" He stated Adrian and Lady Pucey paused to watch us. I scoffed and flipped a strand of hair out of my face "Don't act stupid! You keep on moving what I place on the tree." I said He came closer to me "You keep on placing it in the wrong place." He growled.
"You.. You..." I was lost for words until a very muggle line popped in my head and it flown out of my mouth before I could catch it. "You tree Nazi!" I shouted He raised an eyebrow "I was just trying to help!" I added as the room grew a tad hot. Maybe it was because of the fire. "You kept on messing it up." He growled "I don't know what on earth is a Nazi but you keep your muggle insults to yourself." His wide frame was pratictly covering my body. "Shove off you toe-rag." I said trying to push him away. He grabbed my wrists and pinned them to my side. "Isobel you are pushing it." He growled in my ear as Adrian snorted and crossed his arms, I looked at him with a look that said 'Help me' but he shrugged from his spot on the carpet that was floating higher.
"He won't help you, I believe you need to shut your mouth woman." Flint said pulling his head away from my ear. He was slightly scaring me but also causing a whole another feeling that was warm and tingling that started in the pit of my stomach and moved to every part of my body. I shook my feelings off as Flint let go of my wrist and the tingling stopped, I stepped over the boxes and walked straight outside leaving Flint and Adrian.
"You sure know how to scare them off." Adrian said as He watched Flint run a hand threw his hair making it stand up "I don't need your comments Pucey." Adrian rolled his eyes "How many years have we been friends? Not once has I seen you even touch another person that didn't include a bruise or a broken jaw." "She is a girl." Flint remarked as he started to place more ordements on the tree. Adrian scoffed "You really are an ogre sometime, Girls don't like to be roughed up. At least all the girls who I have dated." Adrian said as he looked around and pulled out his wand and the garneled started to tack itself into the wall.
"She is a thorn in my side, Once I am out of Hogwarts I won't care what happens to her. That Sirius Black can kill her and I won't shed one tear." Marcus said brutally placing a glass ordiment on the tree. Adrian raised an eyebrow but didn't say a word since he knew he was pushing his friends buttons. He knew that if Sirius Black ever got out of Azkaban which was impossible that maybe just maybe Flints harsh words will bite him in the arse. "When is Nott comming over?" Adrian shrugged "I have no idea. You know how he is.."
I stood outside trying to stop that freaky feeling in my stomach, I reached down and grabbed up some snow and let it go over my face, I bit my lip as the coldness rushed over my skin. I could feel someone watching me I looked around and didn't see anything, I pulled out my wand and stood. I turned around physically, I gasped as I was face to chest with Theodore Nott. He stared at me blankly but his blue eyes glimmered and all that made me blush was the somewhat raised eyebrow. "Got a tad hot?" He deep voice made me even more embarrassed about what a sight I was, standing in the middle of a snow pile and rubbing snow over my face. I nodded He let out a nose I didn't know if he was annoyed with my actions or what. He was like a blank book and it was hard to read him.
He pulled at the strings of his cloak and took it off in a easy movement and reached down and placed it over my shoulders. I, for once, couldn't speak at all as he tied the strings and then placed down his bag and pulled out a book and held it out for me to read the cover. I smiled as it was the one I kept all summer and just returned it a couple of months ago "Its very usefull." I said "Its a very advanced book though." He nodded than he opened the book and held it out "Have you worked on this?"He asked It was a weakness potion. I wondered if he was asking because he wanted help or to find out how weak it made a person so he could use it in a bad way.
I shook my head "No, I had no use for it." I told him carefully as he shut the book and had a slight annoyed feeling about him even if he didn't show it on his face "Than you wouldn't know how to cancel the affects." He said my eyebrows raised a little as I realized he wanted to know if there was a counter potion. "I could write, Professor Snape." I told him "He should know." Nott shook his head a little almost to the point where it looked to be just a nervous tick. then I smiled a little my run in with Flint passed and I felt a comfort that I haven't felt for what felt to be months even if it was only a few days since coming here.
"How long are you staying?"I asked him, "Till the birthday." He replied he kept his eyes on me as I nodded and bit my lip "I can probably work on figuring out something... Thats if you want me too." I said as I realized that it was probably rude for me to act as if his , probably, personal problem with a Weakness Potion was just a interesting experiment. It was very cold of me, Nott seemed to not notice how rude it was " May I observe?" He asked as if I was over seeing a experiment which it was and I was itching to get ahold of it. Actually I would have probably worked on it even if he didn't want my help, It caught my interest and I wasn't going to let it go very easily.
"Sure." I said he picked up his bag and placed the book in my hands "I will leave it with you, I believe the Pucey's might had a adequate potion's area." He told me. "If not then my home does." I think that was the longest sentence he has ever said "Okay." I said I wrapped the cloak tighter around me enjoying the smell of my fathers cologne even if it was Notts cloak. He looked towards the door and then at me, I nodded and we started to walk into the house. Nott opened the door for me and allow me inside before himself even though I knew he must be cold he didn't show it.
"Wood.. Nott." greeted Flint who looked annoyed at something whatever it was I couldn't care Adrian smirked slightly and hopped off of the carpet and walked over to Nott "Glad you can make it, of course you missed setting up Christmas decor." I looked up and I could see Notts lips turn slightly up in a smirk. He did it on purpose probably "Ah, I say you kept our poor Isobel from freezing." Adrian said Nott nodded "It was the gentleman thing to do." He replied his voice was deep but he hit the nail on the head with very few words, I suddenly looked towards Flint who looked mad but he didn't dare go near Nott.
"I was getting there." Adrian replied looking slightly like a scolded child, "I was fine and if I had gotten cold I would have just went in. It was just nice for Nott to give me his cloak." I told both of them as I untied it and handed it back to Nott who took it "Your wet." Flint pointed out "From the snow." Nott said as he walked past me and up the stairs "Um...I am going to change and... yeah." I said as I fallowed him I could feel Flint and Pucey's eyes fallowing me. I watched Nott go into a room on the far corner and I went into mine, water was soaking threw my shirts and pants. I pulled off of my two shirts and then slipped on my loose shirt that I had bought in New York with my dad, I took off my pants and slipped into shorts.
I decided to take my potion and try to go to bed, Maybe read up on the potion. I was about to make my way to the bed when I saw a Snow white owl, I rushed to the window and opened it and the owl flown in and I smiled "Hello Hedwig." I said as I grabbed the bundle of parchment "Well didn't you carry a load." I said as I reached into the trunk and pulled out some of Pumpkins treats. I gave him some and then watched him look at me a bit before flying out of the window, closing it before instead of reading about the Weakening Potion I decided to read my letters.
