HP Fan Fic-50 years later
Sitting at the window, Karyna looked wistfully out at the snow-covered ground. It was another lonely Christmas Eve. Her parents had once again left on holiday leaving her at the house in the country outside of London. She missed her father terribly. Sighing quietly, her breath fogging the window, she shook her head. She didn't know why tonight she felt so restless. She was getting older now, she was almost 11 after all. Her birthday was in a month's time. This was a normal occurrence in her home since her father remarried three years ago. She had vague memories of her mother… her real mother that is. She remembered blond hair and a sweet voice. Her father told her that her mother died when she was two. There were no pictures in the house of her. Her father's new bride made him get rid of them all shortly before the wedding. Not that her father had ever showed her a picture. She remembered when it was just her and her father. Days spent in the fields picking flowers and getting ice cream from the corner shop. Then Carole came into his life and suddenly he had no time for her anymore. Karyna shook her head again.
"No use thinking such thoughts. I can't change it anyway. I'll be happy when school starts again. At least I have my friends."
"Karyna Anne Hensley! Get down here this instant!" She flinched at the sharp high-pitched voice of the live-in nanny, Ms. Kinney. Grumbling under her breath she moved to her door. She reached for the handle and before she could reach it the knob twisted glowing with a soft red light. Karyna gasped and lowered her hand. Bloody hell, she thought, again with this insanity. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and slowed her breathing. The warm tingling feeling in her palm subsided. Opening her eyes, she saw the doorknob was normal.
"Karyna! Girl! Get your arse down here! You have a visitor!"
"I'm coming!" Karyna called down the stairs as she rushed through the door. She moved down the staircase her stockinged feet barely making a noise on the hardwood floors. Waiting at the bottom was an older woman. She was dressed in a smart pant suit and sensible dress shoes. Her hair, auburn with silver streaks, loose in soft curls around her face. Karyna stopped about three steps from the bottom watching the woman.
"Can I help you, Miss…?" She trailed off rubbing her hand nervously on her jeans.
"Miss Hensley, I presume? My name is Professor Potter. Professor Lily Potter. I was hoping to speak with you and your parents. But," she lowers her voice to a conspirator whisper, "your mean housekeeper tells me they left you here alone tonight."
"Professor? You are a teacher? Like from university?" She came down the stairs looking up at her. She wasn't overly tall, but she was beautiful. Her eyes were a startling warm brown like melted chocolate.
"I am the headmistress of a school. A very special school. I wanted to speak to your parents as well. Do they usually leave you alone on Christmas?" Karyna looked down ashamed.
"Won't you come to the library? It will be more comfortable than this drafty hall." Her manners were impeccable for someone so young she knew. Her father had raised her to be his hostess until the witch had snared him. She led the way down the hall to the study.
"Ms. Kinney? A pot of tea in the library please?" Ms. Kinney nodded curtly a sour look on her face and vanished into the kitchen. Karyna motioned to a soft armchair as she seats herself in her father's chair behind the desk. "now, Professor Potter. What did you wish to discuss?"
"Well, what about your parents?"
"They have left town for holiday. They will not be back before a fortnight. I suppose you could come back then, however; I would hate for this to be a wasted trip. I can answer well enough for myself to begin with. If you are willing anyway." Karyna looks over the desk leaning forward slightly folding her hands on the desk. Ms. Kinney bustles in with a tray of tea and biscuits setting it in the reach of her little hands. "Thank you, that is all I'll be needing for a moment." She starts serving the tea waiting for the Professor to start talking. As she hands a cup over to the lovely lady, she notices a small scar on her hand almost like a burn.
"Well, Miss Hensley, I suppose talking to you first won't hurt anything. As long as you promise you will keep our conversation a secret until I speak to your mother and father?" Karyna scoffs taking her own cup and stirring her tea.
"Carole is not my mother, Professor Potter. She is only my father's wife."
"I see. You do not like her much?"
"No, I do not. I tolerate her for my father's sake. I will keep what you have to say confidential until you speak with my father." She looks up smiling politely.
"May I ask you something, Miss Hensley?"
"Please Professor, call me Karyna. Miss Hensley was my mother." The professor nodded smiling.
"Karyna, have you ever made something happen by accident? Something you couldn't quite explain. Something that happened when you were scared, excited or angry?" Karyna looked up sharply at the woman's face searching her eyes. How could she know?
"What… what do you mean?" She hated how weak and shaky her voice sounded even to her own ears.
"Ever made anything glow? Or maybe shoot sparks from your fingers? Suddenly find yourself somewhere you were not moments before?" The professor leaned forward slightly watching her face. Karyna thought back over her many years of strange behavior. Being able to make her toys move on their own. Making her own private fireworks shows in her bedroom. All the little things she had been able to do since her father had remarried to make her feel better. The way she had somehow made her stepmothers tea so hot it burned her without even touching it.
"You don't have to be afraid, Karyna, I can do those things too." She looked up at the kind faced woman on the other side of the desk. Her eyes were twinkling with mischief and mirth.
"You can?"
"Yes, I can. You see, I am a witch. You are too. The school I teach at, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, is a school that teaches young witches and wizards such as yourselves how to use their magic correctly." Karyna giggles softly then begins to laugh.
"You must be joking! There is no such thing! I've never heard of such a place!" The professor reaches into her pocket pulling out a long thin rod of wood and waves it. Suddenly the book that is on the desk floats upward about six inches and hovers. Karyna's laughter cuts off abruptly as she stares at the book. As she stares transfixed the book transforms into a candle, a kitten, a bowl, and then becomes the book again.
"Believe me now, Karyna?" Lily Potter's smile is luminous as she stows the rod back in her pocket. The young girl is speechless. Her eyes dart from the book to the woman in awe.
"Yes, I believe you." She reaches into her jacket pocket and produces a letter. It is addressed to
Miss Karyna Hensley
Hensley Manor
1402 Premsley Road
Londaon
"This letter is an official invitation to attend our school on the First of September of this coming year. Included in the letter is a list of school supplies and directions on how to attain them. I will ask that you do not open this letter until I have spoken to your father. However, even should he not wish you to attend it is ultimately your decision. My personal contact information is included there. I will be back in two weeks' time to discuss it with him. I will also check on you then. Is this agreeable?" Karyna takes the letter, turning it over in her hands.
"Yes ma'am. I will look forward to seeing you again."