Chapter Fifteen – Just Wait
or what happens before the Will is read
Two days after our visit to Gringotts, we got a letter informing us that Rognod had notified all the beneficiaries that he could and that the Will was to be read the following day at eleven o'clock in the morning. I got nervous at that, because I was almost sure that Remus Lupin would be making an appearance.
Uncle Severus got his notification the evening we left Gringotts as well. I was surprised to learn that he was also a beneficiary and was curious as to why. Once again, the question of whether the Marauders were his friends was making itself known in my brain.
Hedwig, who had taken to hooting and whistling me to sleep every night and insisted to be in my presence during dinner, barked softly as I chewed on my lips during dinner and playing with my food. I looked up at her as she flew over to sit on my shoulder.
Then she proceeded to whack me over the head with her giant wing as if saying, "why are you so nervous, fledgling, when you have no reason to be so".
"I know, Hedwig," I said, giving her a mock glare, while Uncle Severus watched us interact in silence. By now he had gotten used to the odd mannerisms of my owl. She also liked to preen his hair sometimes, but I think she mainly did that to annoy him.
The next morning, I awoke early since I slept pretty awfully. Usually the day before something important happened I sleep really badly. I had hoped that this bad habit wouldn't have followed me here, but unfortunately it seemed that it did. I hoped that there was a potion here that could allow me to sleep without getting addicted to it. Dreamless Sleep Potion unfortunately was addictive. But, seeing as I wouldn't be using it every day, but only on days that preceded something important happening, I think I could get away with it. I made a mental note to ask Uncle Severus about it during breakfast.
Hedwig was still asleep with her head under her wings. There were soft whistling noises coming out of her every now and then and I grinned at that. She snored! I probably shouldn't tell her that, unless I wanted her to peck my eyes out in revenge for slighting her so.
Did I mention how much I loved Hedwig?
I smiled at her sleeping form one more time before I went to my trunk and pulled out a silver dress with white stockings. I loved stockings, mainly because they hid my knobbly knees somewhat. I was the unfortunate receiver of that genetic misfortune, like Harry. Stockings helped hide my knees and made my legs look infinitely better. I had already decided to use them for my whole life here.
Black Mary Jane shoes went on my feet after the stockings.
I looked at myself in the mirror then. I hadn't had the chance to do so in a while. I blinked at my emerald green eyes that I got from Lily. I was lucky enough to also get her good eyesight since I had never needed glasses.
I was once more in love with my hair. It was the same colour as my mom's – red! Think Karen Gillan from Doctor Who and you'll know it. It was curly and reached to the small of my back. With the Dursleys, I usually kept it in a bun so that Dudley couldn't pull it and my aunt and uncle couldn't threaten to cut it all away if it got in the way. Here, I let it free for the first time in years.
After retrieving a hair brush from the trunk, I sat down on the bed and started brushing it gently. This always relaxed me and I needed the relaxation since today would be the Will reading.
Once my hair was brushed I gently braided it to the side and finished it with a silver bow hair tie.
All in all, I looked like a nice young lady after I was done and I went downstairs happy with how I looked.
Uncle Severus looked up from his newspaper and coffee mug when I entered the dining room and gave me a once-over. He nodded at me and returned to what he was doing before I came in.
I took that as an approval and happily dug into my breakfast.
After a quiet breakfast, we left the Leaky Cauldron and went down the street towards Gringotts. I could feel my hands start to sweat and Uncle Severus definitively had to notice, since he was once again holding my hand. Today was my birthday, the thirty-first of July and there was a lot of people here.
Isn't it ironic that the Will is going to be read on my birthday?
"Nervous?" Uncle Severus asked me as he looked down at me.
"A bit," I answered him while chewing on my lip.
"Stop that," he said sternly as he gave me a small glare. I took my teeth back inside my mouth and gave him a sheepish look.
"Sorry."
He sighed and I took that as the end of the conversation for now. I looked around me a bit, trying to see if I could recognize anyone in the street. Like Hagrid for example. He should be at Gringotts today, getting the Philosopher's Stone, if I was correct. Of course, since I had already changed the canon by replying to the letter and Uncle Severus coming to get me, I couldn't be sure if Hagrid would still be coming to the bank.
I sighed in relief when we entered the bank. It was fairly empty from people and the goblins didn't bother looking up from their work to see who entered. We made our way to Rognod's office, this time without announcing ourselves to the bank tellers as by now we already knew where his office was.
Author's Note: I've created a poll for who Adaline should end up with. You're welcome to vote and PM me with anyone else you might think of (I'll add their names to the poll!)
I got myself a Beta! So all hail to Child of Music and Dreams for going through this story and correcting it!
