AN: I apologize for my lack of effort to update anything within the past few months. I know it's mostly my fault, but hey, I can complain about college applications... They take so much time and they all want about two essays. Needless to say, my writing creativity went out the window. (And it still might be there) Please just read along and tell me about the major problems. Well, enjoy.
DISCLAIMER: JKR owns all Harry Potter stuff, so does Warner Brothers. I don't own anything.
Elizabeth awoke the next morning with a renewed sense of hope about the world. Sure she was still an orphan whose only relative wasn't too fond of her and as far as she knew he wasn't getting any kinder to her, but she was making friends and actually enjoying her holidays for once, unlike those lonely years spent at Beauxbatons with only Madame Maxime to talk to.
"What's this?" Elizabeth muttered, peering over the end of her bed at a small pile of gifts. "Maybe the owls got mixed up as to whose bed was whose......"
"Or maybe someone thought you should get a decent Christmas present..." a kind voice said from behind her.
Elizabeth swiveled quickly. Ginny Weasley, red hair covered in bows and grinning madly was holding a present eagerly out to Elizabeth. "The only Christmas present I usually get is a card from the Headmistress and a bag of money from dearest Uncle Severus," Elizabeth said, embarrassed although adding a little hint of sarcasm on the word dearest.
"This year you'll definitely enjoy yourself. We're all meeting in the Common Room after we open our presents to go to breakfast. So you'd better start unwrapping," Ginny said, tearing into a box that was quivering a little and had the label "Weasley's Wizard Weezes. Be careful Ginny."
Elizabeth looked back at her meager pile of presents. There was the card from Madame Maxime and Snape's bag of gold, but two other gifts sat on top of them. One was wrapped in delicate silver paper while the other was wrapped in paper that looked suspiciously like parchment. She picked up the parchment present. The tag said "To: Elizabeth, From: Hermione and Ginny." That stated it simply enough. Another paper fell off the gift, this time with delicate handwriting. "We're ever so sorry we couldn't go out and purchase you a gift, but since you arrived yesterday, we pooled our resources and tried to make the best of what we had. Taking into account that Hermione is the cleverest witch in this castle, you're in luck. Merry Christmas." Curiosity running wild, Elizabeth tore off the parchment and smiled as she saw her very first Christmas gift from a friend, not an adult who simply felt obligated to give her a gift. They'd given her a journal, but not just any journal. This one had a picture of an eagle that looked suspiciously like Will, except in better condition, walking around on the cover screeching occasionally up at her. The front page read, "We've seen you thinking a great deal, even in the short time we've known you. Hopefully writing down whatever's bothering you can alleviate the burden you seem to be carrying. Merry Christmas, from Hermione and Ginny."
"Oh, you didn't have to!" Elizabeth cried, looking up at Ginny who was now holding two wands, glancing back and forth between them.
"But I wanted to. I've seen Harry on Christmas and you two have similar situations although, at least your relative sends you money as opposed to trash..." Ginny said thoughtfully, "I still can't believe that man has any relations."
"Neither can I. Do you know who sent this one?" Elizabeth said, picking up the silver package and inspecting it.
"Nope. It wasn't there when Hermione and I went to bed last night. Open it and find out," Ginny glared at her wands, still looking intently between the two. "Fred and George will pay for this."
Elizabeth slowly unwrapped the present, silently wondering who could have sent it. The people at Beauxbatons barely tolerated her presence, she had no other relatives and she'd already gotten a present from Ginny and Hermione. Who was it from?
The box opened to reveal a battered book with a Gryffindor lion on the cover. Curious, Elizabeth slowly pulled it out of the box. It was a diary, she was sure of it. She opened the cover and it read "William's-Hands Off!!!" in bold red letters on the gold background. Was this what she thought it was? Could it possibly be? She settled back against her headboard to read a little further.
"Hi, William here. I just got this journal for my eleventh birthday. Jamie keeps insisting it's a diary but it's not! I'll be starting Hogwarts soon. My best friend is too. His name is Joshua Kenton. I hope he's in Gryffinor. I'm pretty much guaranteed it, but even I can't say for sure I guess. Well, Mum's pounding on my door. Time to get breakfast. I'll write again later."
Where could this have come from? Elizabeth wondered silently, sitting back to read more.
"I got to Hogwarts today. And yes, I'm in Gryffindor like I thought. Josh made it in too, so now all we have to deal with is annoying old Jamie and all of those annoying fourth year friends. Josh and I met the transfiguration teacher too. Boy, is she scary. Too bad I want to be an animagus some day. Hopefully the potions teacher isn't too bad. He seems fair enough. Aspwhite is his name I think. Professor Dumbledore is the greatest, too bad he doesn't actually teach a class. I can't believe I already have homework to do. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is really strict. He said something about never being too early to begin the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named. Speaking of that... I know he's really scary and evil and all, but I still don't get why he "must not be named" I mean, he's got to have a name right? Wouldn't it just be easier to call him "Ted" or "Al" or whatever his name is? It'd definitely make him a lot less scary. Well, it's lights out and the prefects are going to be coming by pretty soon. Good night."
Elizabeth put down the diary thoughtfully. Whoever had sent her this must have known her father, for that was who she had a sneaking suspicion William was, from before her birth, and must know exactly who he was. Elizabeth made up her mind then and there to find out who this mysterious gift giver was and to learn once and for all who her father was.
"What is it?" Ginny asked curiously, after throwing both wands down on her bed in disgust.
"A diary. I think it was my dad's. It's full of writing. My dad was a Gryffindor too."
"Interesting. Well, down we go then. Breakfast awaits," Ginny said, making for the door.
"Alright," Elizabeth said with some hesitation. She would have liked to keep reading, but figured it would be best if she appeased her stomach. Hopping out of bed Elizabeth followed Ginny down the stairs into the common room.
DISCLAIMER: JKR owns all Harry Potter stuff, so does Warner Brothers. I don't own anything.
Elizabeth awoke the next morning with a renewed sense of hope about the world. Sure she was still an orphan whose only relative wasn't too fond of her and as far as she knew he wasn't getting any kinder to her, but she was making friends and actually enjoying her holidays for once, unlike those lonely years spent at Beauxbatons with only Madame Maxime to talk to.
"What's this?" Elizabeth muttered, peering over the end of her bed at a small pile of gifts. "Maybe the owls got mixed up as to whose bed was whose......"
"Or maybe someone thought you should get a decent Christmas present..." a kind voice said from behind her.
Elizabeth swiveled quickly. Ginny Weasley, red hair covered in bows and grinning madly was holding a present eagerly out to Elizabeth. "The only Christmas present I usually get is a card from the Headmistress and a bag of money from dearest Uncle Severus," Elizabeth said, embarrassed although adding a little hint of sarcasm on the word dearest.
"This year you'll definitely enjoy yourself. We're all meeting in the Common Room after we open our presents to go to breakfast. So you'd better start unwrapping," Ginny said, tearing into a box that was quivering a little and had the label "Weasley's Wizard Weezes. Be careful Ginny."
Elizabeth looked back at her meager pile of presents. There was the card from Madame Maxime and Snape's bag of gold, but two other gifts sat on top of them. One was wrapped in delicate silver paper while the other was wrapped in paper that looked suspiciously like parchment. She picked up the parchment present. The tag said "To: Elizabeth, From: Hermione and Ginny." That stated it simply enough. Another paper fell off the gift, this time with delicate handwriting. "We're ever so sorry we couldn't go out and purchase you a gift, but since you arrived yesterday, we pooled our resources and tried to make the best of what we had. Taking into account that Hermione is the cleverest witch in this castle, you're in luck. Merry Christmas." Curiosity running wild, Elizabeth tore off the parchment and smiled as she saw her very first Christmas gift from a friend, not an adult who simply felt obligated to give her a gift. They'd given her a journal, but not just any journal. This one had a picture of an eagle that looked suspiciously like Will, except in better condition, walking around on the cover screeching occasionally up at her. The front page read, "We've seen you thinking a great deal, even in the short time we've known you. Hopefully writing down whatever's bothering you can alleviate the burden you seem to be carrying. Merry Christmas, from Hermione and Ginny."
"Oh, you didn't have to!" Elizabeth cried, looking up at Ginny who was now holding two wands, glancing back and forth between them.
"But I wanted to. I've seen Harry on Christmas and you two have similar situations although, at least your relative sends you money as opposed to trash..." Ginny said thoughtfully, "I still can't believe that man has any relations."
"Neither can I. Do you know who sent this one?" Elizabeth said, picking up the silver package and inspecting it.
"Nope. It wasn't there when Hermione and I went to bed last night. Open it and find out," Ginny glared at her wands, still looking intently between the two. "Fred and George will pay for this."
Elizabeth slowly unwrapped the present, silently wondering who could have sent it. The people at Beauxbatons barely tolerated her presence, she had no other relatives and she'd already gotten a present from Ginny and Hermione. Who was it from?
The box opened to reveal a battered book with a Gryffindor lion on the cover. Curious, Elizabeth slowly pulled it out of the box. It was a diary, she was sure of it. She opened the cover and it read "William's-Hands Off!!!" in bold red letters on the gold background. Was this what she thought it was? Could it possibly be? She settled back against her headboard to read a little further.
"Hi, William here. I just got this journal for my eleventh birthday. Jamie keeps insisting it's a diary but it's not! I'll be starting Hogwarts soon. My best friend is too. His name is Joshua Kenton. I hope he's in Gryffinor. I'm pretty much guaranteed it, but even I can't say for sure I guess. Well, Mum's pounding on my door. Time to get breakfast. I'll write again later."
Where could this have come from? Elizabeth wondered silently, sitting back to read more.
"I got to Hogwarts today. And yes, I'm in Gryffindor like I thought. Josh made it in too, so now all we have to deal with is annoying old Jamie and all of those annoying fourth year friends. Josh and I met the transfiguration teacher too. Boy, is she scary. Too bad I want to be an animagus some day. Hopefully the potions teacher isn't too bad. He seems fair enough. Aspwhite is his name I think. Professor Dumbledore is the greatest, too bad he doesn't actually teach a class. I can't believe I already have homework to do. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is really strict. He said something about never being too early to begin the fight against He Who Must Not Be Named. Speaking of that... I know he's really scary and evil and all, but I still don't get why he "must not be named" I mean, he's got to have a name right? Wouldn't it just be easier to call him "Ted" or "Al" or whatever his name is? It'd definitely make him a lot less scary. Well, it's lights out and the prefects are going to be coming by pretty soon. Good night."
Elizabeth put down the diary thoughtfully. Whoever had sent her this must have known her father, for that was who she had a sneaking suspicion William was, from before her birth, and must know exactly who he was. Elizabeth made up her mind then and there to find out who this mysterious gift giver was and to learn once and for all who her father was.
"What is it?" Ginny asked curiously, after throwing both wands down on her bed in disgust.
"A diary. I think it was my dad's. It's full of writing. My dad was a Gryffindor too."
"Interesting. Well, down we go then. Breakfast awaits," Ginny said, making for the door.
"Alright," Elizabeth said with some hesitation. She would have liked to keep reading, but figured it would be best if she appeased her stomach. Hopping out of bed Elizabeth followed Ginny down the stairs into the common room.
