The Power of Love
Chapter Two
By Alicia Jennings
~
Annelise knocked on the door. "Aunt Cecelia?" It flew open to reveal a young woman in tears.
"Oh, mes enfants, I was so worried...." Gabrielle and Annelise were gathered in her tight embrace. "Mon Dieu, j'étais ainsi inquiété de vous deux! And then about Paralee....." She sniffed. "Come inside, girls, and have some hot chocolate. Then you can go on up to bed, as I doubt you slept on the Knight Bus." Gabrielle looked quizically at Annelise.
"What'd she say?" she mouthed. Annelise just shook her head, and motioned for her to be quiet. Soon, Cecelia had settled them around a warm fire in the living room, with large, steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Soon, Gabrielle had fallen asleep.
"Annelise." Cecelia started. "Annie, I've contacted your father. He'll be here tomorrow morning at seven."
"TOMORROW?!!?" Annelise exploded.
"Shh-hh! You'll wake Gabby. I don't want you to leave so soon either, dear, but that's just how Severus is."
Severus, thought Annelise. That's my father. "Um...Aunt Cecelia?"
"Yes?"
"Is..um...my father...uh..nice?" Annie struggled with the words.
Cecelia laughed. "He'll be civil towards you," she said dryly. "Don't push him too far, though."
"Uh...okay." Annelise put down her hot chocolate. "If you'll excuse me, Aunt Cecelia, I'm going to tuck Gabby in bed, then get into bed myself. It's pretty late."
"Of course, my dear. Goodnight."
Annie picked up little Gabby, and tucked her into bed. Then she went to her own room.
"This is my last night away from my father," she whispered aloud. "God help me."
Annelise got into her nightclothes, collapsed on the bed, and fell into a very deep sleep.
~
All too soon, though, it was morning.
"Annelise...Annelise, darling, get up." Aunt Cecelia sounded like she hadn't gotten enough sleep.
Annie moaned. "So soon?"
"Your father will be here in an hour and a half. And he's usually early."
Those words jarred Annelise into action. She began doing hair, putting on makeup, and dressing in her finest robes. In fifteen minutes, her bags were packed. Then she went to wake Gabrielle.
"Gabby....wake up."
"Annie?" came Gabrielle's sleepy voice. "But it's so early."
"I know, sweetie. I know. But I need to talk to you." Gabby sat up, rubbing sleep out of her deep blue eyes. Her curly blonde hair was a mass of tangles.
"Okay. I'm awake now."
Annelise took a deep breath, being used to explaining things in 3-almost 4-year-old terms. "You know who Mama was married to. Right?"
"Mmm-hmm. She was married to Daddy."
"Well, that was your Daddy. Mine is someone else, and I'm going to go live with him today, and go to the school where he teaches, instead of Beaxbatons."
"Am I going, too?"
Annelise swallowed. "No, Gabby."
"Then who will I live with?" the little girl cried. "And Annie, my birthday's just a month away....I'll be four! I want you to be here!"
"I know, I know...." Annie smoothed Gabby's hair. "But sometimes, Gabby, we have to do things we don't want to do. I want to stay here, with you, instead of going with Father. But Mama left a letter saying I had to, so I'm going." At this point in Annie's explanation, Gabby sniffed. "Come, Gabby, let's get you dressed. Then we'll go downstairs and have breakfast before I leave. Okay?"
"Okay." Gabby's eyes were filled with tears. "Annie, who'll sing me to sleep at night? Who'll braid my hair? And you never told me where I would live."
Annelise began brushing Gabrielle's hair. "You're going to stay right here, Gabrielle. This is my last year in school, so when I get out and get a place of my own, you'll come there. All right?" She tied back the curly mass with a ribbon.
"Okay. Promise?"
"I promise," said Annelise, and she shook hands with her little sister. "Now, you get dressed while I go lug my trunk down the stairs - not that I won't have help." Annie patted her wand, stuck in her sash once more, and Gabrielle giggled.
Annelise went to her room, and pulled out her wand. "Mobbilitrunkus!" she shouted. The trunk rose, and began floating down the stairs. "Good morning, Aunt Cecelia. Heads up!"
"Annie, DO watch the chandelier!" came Cecelia's worried voice. "Mes étoiles...Que l'enfant pensera-t-il à ensuite?"
"Huh? I don't speak French," said Annelise. "Remember, I was born in England."
Cecelia chuckled. "Nothing, my dear. Put your trunk in the foyer. Ah, there's little Gabrielle!" Gabby stood at the bottom of the stairs, in pastel pink robes.
"G'morning, Aunt Cecelia. I'm hungry."
"Belgium waffles are on the way, darling. Annie, come in here and eat. Your father is due to arrive in half an hour."
"I can feel the joy," Annelise muttered, but no one heard. Obediently, she sat down beside Gabby at the fancy, mahogany table. Cecelia flicked her wand, and the plates filled.
"Ooooh!" Gabrielle whispered. "Magic! Father never allowed Mother to cook with magic at home." At this, Cecelia's face contorted, but she quickly covered.
"Eat up, girls," she told them. "Severus is usually early."
"Who's Severus?" Gabrielle whispered to Annelise.
"My father," she whispered back.
"Oh." Gabby picked at her fruit without much enthusiasm. "Gabby," said Annelise, "Blueberries are your favorite! Eat up."
"I'm not hungry."
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Cecelia went to the foyer, and a door creaked open.
"Hello, Severus."
~
"Good morning, Cecelia," came his oily reply. "May I come in?"
"Yes, do." Cecelia stood aside, and Severus stepped in. "How did you get here?"
"I Apparated. Doesn't the Ministry of Magic in France allow Beauxbatons to teach Apparition?"
"Yes, Annelise was among the first in her class to master it. Annelise?" Cecelia called. "Your father's here. Tell Gabrielle good-bye."
Gabby looked at Annelise tearfully. "When are you going to come back?"
"Soon, I hope," she reassured. Annie gave her little sister a hug, and walked to the foyer. Gabrielle followed her, clutching her hand.
Annelise didn't know what to expect about her father. When she joined her aunt in the front room, she saw a man who had her dark hair and glittering eyes standing next to the door, in black robes. "Anna. How much you have grown."
The sixteen-year-old was lost for words. No one ever called her Anna-Annie, yes, but not Anna. "Yes, sir."
Cecelia cleared her throat. "Well, Annelise, Severus, you better get going. You'll want to Apparate before the Muggles start awaking." But Gabrielle wouldn't let go of Annelise's hand.
Annelise knelt in front of Gabrielle, like she'd done so many times. "Gabrielle, you need to let go, okay? I want you to be a very good girl for Aunt Cecelia. I'll see you soon."
Gabrielle obediently let go. "G'bye, Annie."
"G'bye, Gabrielle." Annelise picked up her trunk, and father and daughter stepped out onto the street.
"Right," said Severus. "We'll be Apparating to Hogsmeade, the village outside Hogwarts." With that, the two Disapparated.
~
A/N- I have the strongest urge to leave you hanging right there so I can braid my hair. But nooooooo. Then I'll get e-mails saying, "GET THE NEXT PART UP!" :-) So I'll continue... :-)
~
Annelise soon found herself on the outskirts of a quaint little village, luckily standing by Severus....her father. Ewwww. "This way," he stated, pointing to a well-worn path. Annelise levitated her trunk, making it float along behind her.
"Um....Father?" Annelise asked, a ways down the road. Severus jumped, and turned around. "What do you teach here?"
Severus drew himself up proudly. "I am the Potions master and Head of Slytherin House. You'll find out about all that from Minerva. She's taking a break from her classes to talk to you."
"What does she teach?"
"Transfiguration." *Oooh, my favorite subject,* thought Annelise. They walked on, until.....
"Here we are," said Severus. Annelise looked up, and saw a strange, strange sight indeed. A castle, with numerous turrets and towers, was situated at the top of a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff there was a huge lake, and a small cabin. "This is Hogwarts."
Annelise muttered something like, "It's much better than Beauxbatons." They walked on, and were greeted at the front doors by a stern-looking woman, with her hair in a bun.
"Good morning, Severus. You must be Annelise," she said, nodding toward the teen. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Severus, the third years are running amock in the dungeons. Please tend to them."
"Of course, Minerva. Good-bye, Anna." Her father swept past McGonagall, and the lady stepped out of the castle.
"Now," said Minerva, "I don't believe I've introduced myself properly. Professor Minerva McGonagall - though you can call me Minny while we're not in school." She chuckled. "All the students think I'm very strict, but here I am telling a student to call me Minny. And you are..."
"Annelise Cordelia Cartier....no, Snape....no, Cartier..." Annelise looked down. "Pardon me, madam. I just recieved the word that he-" She nodded toward the castle- "Was my father last night."
McGonagall looked at Annie with concern in her eyes. "You poor child. Here, leave your trunk here. Let's go for a walk." Annelise lowered the trunk with a flick of her wand.
Professor McGonagall showed Annelise around the school grounds, introduced her to Hagrid, and warned her of the Whomping Willow and Forbidden Forest. "Potter and his gang have ended up in there every year," said Minny with a sigh. Then she turned from the mass of trees to Annelise. "Annie, dear, when I introduce you, what shall I introduce you as?"
The girl stared at the ground. "I would like you to introduce me as Paralee Cordelia Jensen. Jensen was my mother's maiden name."
Minerva looked at the girl for a moment. "But why Paralee?"
"I want to start anew."
"Very well, Paralee."
~
Chapter Two
By Alicia Jennings
~
Annelise knocked on the door. "Aunt Cecelia?" It flew open to reveal a young woman in tears.
"Oh, mes enfants, I was so worried...." Gabrielle and Annelise were gathered in her tight embrace. "Mon Dieu, j'étais ainsi inquiété de vous deux! And then about Paralee....." She sniffed. "Come inside, girls, and have some hot chocolate. Then you can go on up to bed, as I doubt you slept on the Knight Bus." Gabrielle looked quizically at Annelise.
"What'd she say?" she mouthed. Annelise just shook her head, and motioned for her to be quiet. Soon, Cecelia had settled them around a warm fire in the living room, with large, steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Soon, Gabrielle had fallen asleep.
"Annelise." Cecelia started. "Annie, I've contacted your father. He'll be here tomorrow morning at seven."
"TOMORROW?!!?" Annelise exploded.
"Shh-hh! You'll wake Gabby. I don't want you to leave so soon either, dear, but that's just how Severus is."
Severus, thought Annelise. That's my father. "Um...Aunt Cecelia?"
"Yes?"
"Is..um...my father...uh..nice?" Annie struggled with the words.
Cecelia laughed. "He'll be civil towards you," she said dryly. "Don't push him too far, though."
"Uh...okay." Annelise put down her hot chocolate. "If you'll excuse me, Aunt Cecelia, I'm going to tuck Gabby in bed, then get into bed myself. It's pretty late."
"Of course, my dear. Goodnight."
Annie picked up little Gabby, and tucked her into bed. Then she went to her own room.
"This is my last night away from my father," she whispered aloud. "God help me."
Annelise got into her nightclothes, collapsed on the bed, and fell into a very deep sleep.
~
All too soon, though, it was morning.
"Annelise...Annelise, darling, get up." Aunt Cecelia sounded like she hadn't gotten enough sleep.
Annie moaned. "So soon?"
"Your father will be here in an hour and a half. And he's usually early."
Those words jarred Annelise into action. She began doing hair, putting on makeup, and dressing in her finest robes. In fifteen minutes, her bags were packed. Then she went to wake Gabrielle.
"Gabby....wake up."
"Annie?" came Gabrielle's sleepy voice. "But it's so early."
"I know, sweetie. I know. But I need to talk to you." Gabby sat up, rubbing sleep out of her deep blue eyes. Her curly blonde hair was a mass of tangles.
"Okay. I'm awake now."
Annelise took a deep breath, being used to explaining things in 3-almost 4-year-old terms. "You know who Mama was married to. Right?"
"Mmm-hmm. She was married to Daddy."
"Well, that was your Daddy. Mine is someone else, and I'm going to go live with him today, and go to the school where he teaches, instead of Beaxbatons."
"Am I going, too?"
Annelise swallowed. "No, Gabby."
"Then who will I live with?" the little girl cried. "And Annie, my birthday's just a month away....I'll be four! I want you to be here!"
"I know, I know...." Annie smoothed Gabby's hair. "But sometimes, Gabby, we have to do things we don't want to do. I want to stay here, with you, instead of going with Father. But Mama left a letter saying I had to, so I'm going." At this point in Annie's explanation, Gabby sniffed. "Come, Gabby, let's get you dressed. Then we'll go downstairs and have breakfast before I leave. Okay?"
"Okay." Gabby's eyes were filled with tears. "Annie, who'll sing me to sleep at night? Who'll braid my hair? And you never told me where I would live."
Annelise began brushing Gabrielle's hair. "You're going to stay right here, Gabrielle. This is my last year in school, so when I get out and get a place of my own, you'll come there. All right?" She tied back the curly mass with a ribbon.
"Okay. Promise?"
"I promise," said Annelise, and she shook hands with her little sister. "Now, you get dressed while I go lug my trunk down the stairs - not that I won't have help." Annie patted her wand, stuck in her sash once more, and Gabrielle giggled.
Annelise went to her room, and pulled out her wand. "Mobbilitrunkus!" she shouted. The trunk rose, and began floating down the stairs. "Good morning, Aunt Cecelia. Heads up!"
"Annie, DO watch the chandelier!" came Cecelia's worried voice. "Mes étoiles...Que l'enfant pensera-t-il à ensuite?"
"Huh? I don't speak French," said Annelise. "Remember, I was born in England."
Cecelia chuckled. "Nothing, my dear. Put your trunk in the foyer. Ah, there's little Gabrielle!" Gabby stood at the bottom of the stairs, in pastel pink robes.
"G'morning, Aunt Cecelia. I'm hungry."
"Belgium waffles are on the way, darling. Annie, come in here and eat. Your father is due to arrive in half an hour."
"I can feel the joy," Annelise muttered, but no one heard. Obediently, she sat down beside Gabby at the fancy, mahogany table. Cecelia flicked her wand, and the plates filled.
"Ooooh!" Gabrielle whispered. "Magic! Father never allowed Mother to cook with magic at home." At this, Cecelia's face contorted, but she quickly covered.
"Eat up, girls," she told them. "Severus is usually early."
"Who's Severus?" Gabrielle whispered to Annelise.
"My father," she whispered back.
"Oh." Gabby picked at her fruit without much enthusiasm. "Gabby," said Annelise, "Blueberries are your favorite! Eat up."
"I'm not hungry."
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Cecelia went to the foyer, and a door creaked open.
"Hello, Severus."
~
"Good morning, Cecelia," came his oily reply. "May I come in?"
"Yes, do." Cecelia stood aside, and Severus stepped in. "How did you get here?"
"I Apparated. Doesn't the Ministry of Magic in France allow Beauxbatons to teach Apparition?"
"Yes, Annelise was among the first in her class to master it. Annelise?" Cecelia called. "Your father's here. Tell Gabrielle good-bye."
Gabby looked at Annelise tearfully. "When are you going to come back?"
"Soon, I hope," she reassured. Annie gave her little sister a hug, and walked to the foyer. Gabrielle followed her, clutching her hand.
Annelise didn't know what to expect about her father. When she joined her aunt in the front room, she saw a man who had her dark hair and glittering eyes standing next to the door, in black robes. "Anna. How much you have grown."
The sixteen-year-old was lost for words. No one ever called her Anna-Annie, yes, but not Anna. "Yes, sir."
Cecelia cleared her throat. "Well, Annelise, Severus, you better get going. You'll want to Apparate before the Muggles start awaking." But Gabrielle wouldn't let go of Annelise's hand.
Annelise knelt in front of Gabrielle, like she'd done so many times. "Gabrielle, you need to let go, okay? I want you to be a very good girl for Aunt Cecelia. I'll see you soon."
Gabrielle obediently let go. "G'bye, Annie."
"G'bye, Gabrielle." Annelise picked up her trunk, and father and daughter stepped out onto the street.
"Right," said Severus. "We'll be Apparating to Hogsmeade, the village outside Hogwarts." With that, the two Disapparated.
~
A/N- I have the strongest urge to leave you hanging right there so I can braid my hair. But nooooooo. Then I'll get e-mails saying, "GET THE NEXT PART UP!" :-) So I'll continue... :-)
~
Annelise soon found herself on the outskirts of a quaint little village, luckily standing by Severus....her father. Ewwww. "This way," he stated, pointing to a well-worn path. Annelise levitated her trunk, making it float along behind her.
"Um....Father?" Annelise asked, a ways down the road. Severus jumped, and turned around. "What do you teach here?"
Severus drew himself up proudly. "I am the Potions master and Head of Slytherin House. You'll find out about all that from Minerva. She's taking a break from her classes to talk to you."
"What does she teach?"
"Transfiguration." *Oooh, my favorite subject,* thought Annelise. They walked on, until.....
"Here we are," said Severus. Annelise looked up, and saw a strange, strange sight indeed. A castle, with numerous turrets and towers, was situated at the top of a cliff. At the bottom of the cliff there was a huge lake, and a small cabin. "This is Hogwarts."
Annelise muttered something like, "It's much better than Beauxbatons." They walked on, and were greeted at the front doors by a stern-looking woman, with her hair in a bun.
"Good morning, Severus. You must be Annelise," she said, nodding toward the teen. "It is a pleasure to meet you. Severus, the third years are running amock in the dungeons. Please tend to them."
"Of course, Minerva. Good-bye, Anna." Her father swept past McGonagall, and the lady stepped out of the castle.
"Now," said Minerva, "I don't believe I've introduced myself properly. Professor Minerva McGonagall - though you can call me Minny while we're not in school." She chuckled. "All the students think I'm very strict, but here I am telling a student to call me Minny. And you are..."
"Annelise Cordelia Cartier....no, Snape....no, Cartier..." Annelise looked down. "Pardon me, madam. I just recieved the word that he-" She nodded toward the castle- "Was my father last night."
McGonagall looked at Annie with concern in her eyes. "You poor child. Here, leave your trunk here. Let's go for a walk." Annelise lowered the trunk with a flick of her wand.
Professor McGonagall showed Annelise around the school grounds, introduced her to Hagrid, and warned her of the Whomping Willow and Forbidden Forest. "Potter and his gang have ended up in there every year," said Minny with a sigh. Then she turned from the mass of trees to Annelise. "Annie, dear, when I introduce you, what shall I introduce you as?"
The girl stared at the ground. "I would like you to introduce me as Paralee Cordelia Jensen. Jensen was my mother's maiden name."
Minerva looked at the girl for a moment. "But why Paralee?"
"I want to start anew."
"Very well, Paralee."
~
