Hogsmeade positively shimmered with the mixture of snow, candles, and fairy dust on the evening of the Festival of the New Year. Stacy Arrons poked her head out of the carriage she was sharing with her friends Benjamin Wright, Justin Taylor, Wendy Tyson, and Steven Smith. Her eyes wandered around the town. Past Honeydukes and the Shrieking Shack and Three Broomsticks to the center of the town. There was already a crowd of several hundred witches and wizards wandering around the booths of games, food, merchandise, and fortune telling. Stacy could also see several rides toward the back of the mob.
The carriages came to a halt at the edge of the crowd. Stacy climbed out and followed the other students who had stayed at Hogwarts over vacation. Professor McGonagall stopped them before they entered the fair with instructions to stay only in the town square, always stay with at least one another person, and to meet back in the same place at one o'clock. Stacy glanced at her watch. That would give them five hours at the party. It also gave her about two hours before she was supposed to meet her grandmother by Honeydukes. She only hoped she would be able to get away from the watchful eyes of her teachers.
The second Professor McGonagall had finished her lecture, Ben grabbed Stacy's arm and dragged her off in the direction of the rides. Justin trailed behind them, glancing every which way with either amazement or sorrow. Stacy couldn't tell which.
The first ride the boys decided to go on was called the Willow Whomper, based on the Whomping Willow. Two people would get in a cart and ride through a tunnel with a fake giant willow tree over it. They had to drive the cart in a way which would get them out alive and without letting the willow's roots strangle them. They were given a club to use as defense against the tree. Stacy watched in horror as the group before them came out with cuts and scratches everywhere. They were laughing hysterically, but she could not see anything funny about being beaten up by a fake tree. Fortunately for Stacy, she was two inches under the height regulation.
Ben and Justin had only entered the tunnel a minute before Stacy heard someone shouting her name. She turned around to see her friends Peter Trey and Courtney Flowers were back.
"Stacy!" Courtney squealed happily as she hugged her friend. "I am so glad we're here! I was afraid the Hogwarts Express wouldn't get us here before the festival ended."
"Why?" Stacy asked. "What happened?"
Peter shrugged. "We're not sure. The train stopped halfway here for about an hour. Professor Granger was in the same car as us, but she refused to tell us anything."
"I don't think even she knew what was going on," Courtney stated.
About ten feet away from where the first years were standing, Hermione Granger was having an interesting discussion with her friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
"Was it really him?" Ron asked her again. His eyes were still wide with shock.
Hermione nodded. "And to think I would have missed everything if I hadn't gone to see my parents for Christmas. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore isn't going to let the information out. Not even to the other teachers."
"How is he going to hide him?" Harry asked with a touch of confusion in his voice.
"It wouldn't be that difficult, would it?" Ron remarked. "They've hidden stuff in Hogwarts before, the Sorcerer's Stone for instance."
"A person would be harder to hide than an object," Harry said.
"Dumbledore will find a way," Hermione affirmed. "He has to."
By half past eight, the festival was in full swing and extremely crowded with adult witches and wizards along with the entire student body from Hogwarts. Every ride and booth had a line stretching across the town square. It was all too much for Stacy. She always felt very confused in large crowds.
After Ben and Justin returned from the Willow Whomper covered in cuts and laughing, the group joined the line for the Spinner, a ride which resembled a Muggle ferris wheel. The Spinner consisted of twenty benches which traveled in a circle like a ferris wheel. The main difference was that they were not connected to a central object, but simply floated around in mid-air. And, they constantly turned upside-down in an attempt to throw the person out.
Stacy was reluctant to go on the ride, but Ben insisted she had to. He said it was the tamest one and he refused to let her sit it out. Stacy climbed onto a bench with Courtney while the boys got on the one in front of them.
Justin looked even more depressed than usual. Stacy glanced in the direction he was staring. A large group of Slytherins were gathered by the base of the Spinner. Several of them were pointing and yelling insults at Justin. Stacy couldn't help feeling sorry for him. The Slytherins never relented in their teasing of Justin. They couldn't accept that his friends were in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Courtney angrily pulled her wand out and shot several sparks in the air before Professor McGonagall showed up and led the Slytherins away. Justin glared furiously at her, but Courtney seemed quite pleased with herself. Then without warning, their bench toppled over and Stacy had to grab her friend before she fell.
After about a five minute ride on the Spinner, Stacy was relieved to feel dirt under her feet once more. Peter, Justin, and Greg wanted to get in line again, but Courtney, sensing Stacy's nausea at the very thought of it, said they would get something to eat while the boys went on their rides.
The lines for refreshments were even longer than the ones for the rides. But, there were more choices than Stacy had ever seen in her life. There was a stand for every kind of food imaginable. Courtney and Stacy got in a line for Italian food. After purchasing a butterbeer and two slices of pizza each, they sat down at a small table in the center of the festival. Stacy glanced at her watch again. She only had a half an hour until her reunion with her grandmother.
"You wouldn't believe what my holidays were like," Courtney ranted between mouthfuls of pizza. "Rachel has to be the brattiest older sister in the world. She wouldn't leave me alone the whole time. She kept coming in my bedroom and insisting I help her with her chores. She just expects me to drop everything and help her. But, does she ever help me? No! And, then all of her stupid friends came over and kept threatening to turn my hair green even though we aren't allowed to use magic over vacation. Of course, mother loves them and insisted they stay for most of the week." She paused long enough to take a breath of air. "You have to come with me next year!"
Stacy was glad to have Courtney back at school. Though it had only been about a week, it felt as though she had not seen her friend for years. She could not imagine what it would be like to go the whole summer without seeing any of her school friends. She probably wouldn't see or hear from any of them for the whole summer vacation. She lived on the other side of the ocean!
They had just finished their pizza when Stacy heard a clock chime. It was time to find her grandmother. She casually slipped away from Courtney when they met up with Greg Adams and about twenty other Hufflepuffs. Stacy just hoped no one would notice she was gone. But, that was never a problem. Unless Jane Martin was around, no one really noticed Stacy. She was generally just another first year. She liked it that way.
Once she reached Honeydukes, Stacy quickly spotted her grandmother and a girl about her age. Roxanna looked paler than when Stacy had last seen at the beginning of the school year. There were dark circles under eyes which seemed to be slightly covered with foundation. Stacy couldn't help gawking at the sickly appearance of her generally glowingly healthy grandmother.
Roxanna smiled weakly at her granddaughter and placed a hand on the young girl next to her. "Hello, Stacy. This is your cousin Elizabeth. She is the daughter of your Uncle Simon. She is staying with me while her parents are in Japan."
Stacy studied the girl for a moment. Elizabeth had sparkling golden hair which was pulled back in a loose braid. Her eyes were green and seemed to light up her face. She looked like an angel as a candle floated over her head. Like the kind of daughter Natalie Arrons would have loved to have. Stacy couldn't help feeling slightly envious of her cousin. She felt plain and ugly next to her. Looks had never mattered to Stacy, but she could not stop herself from instantly feeling inferior. Her stringy, light brown hair and dull blue eyes did not equal Elizabeth's. Even with a little bit of lip gloss and eye glitter, she looked boring in comparison.
"Hello! I'm so glad you could come." Stacy said brightly with a seemingly genuine smile. It appeared to decieve her relatives. Afterall, Stacy had not won an Oscar for nothing.
"Is there a place where we can sit down?" Roxanna asked. Stacy could hardly believe that her face looked even more tired than it had a minute before.
Stacy nodded and led the way back to a bench on the other side of the store. She sat down on the bench between her grandmother and cousin.
A concerned look flooded Roxanna's face. "Now, Stacy, what was it you wanted to see me about?"
Stacy took a deep breath and began to tell about her dreams. She said everything she could remember. When they started, the vision when she was flying and the one on Halloween, the bright green flashes, how realistic the dreams felt, the familiarity of so many things, the note she had received, her invisibility cloak, and what the dreams were about. She talked and talked for nearly twenty minutes before she could not think of anything else to add. She felt comforted to have the information out in the open instead of keeping it all inside her mind.
"She doesn't know?" Elizabeth exclaimed in disgust when Stacy was done. "I've known for years! My father told me when I was five.What kind of father is my uncle? I suppose she just found out she was a witch as well." It was the first thing her cousin said that evening.
Roxanna clamped a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder as if to tell her to stop talking. "I suppose we should have told you sooner, Stacy," She said apologetically. "You see, everyone in our family is a feeler. A feeler can sense the sort of power around them. They often have dreams about past experiences of other witches and wizards in the same area. The witch or wizard in your dreams must be extremely powerful for you to be feeling their power. Your feeling strength is not as strong as most of our family because your mother is a Muggle. If it were, you would have known about your talent a long time ago. I can sense all magic around myself. I can see anyone's past. I can control who I dream about and when. You do not have these controls. The person you are dreaming about wants to share their experiences. They have sought you out for a reason I do not know." She went into a coughing fit at this and excused herself from the girls for a minute.
"I'm a pure feeler," Elizabeth boasted. A wicked grin spread across her face. "You are fortunate not to be one. It is quite a burden for me. I can sense every bit of magic everywhere." She faked a sigh. "Only the strong can handle it."
Anger burned inside of Stacy, but she promptly suppressed it. "Where do you go to school?" She cheerfully asked her cousin.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "A Muggle school. It is simply awful! You can't imagine what fools Muggles are. They know absolutely nothing!" She paused and smiled sympathetically at Stacy. "Not that there's anything wrong with them. I'm sure your mother is wonderful. The tabloids seem to think so."
It took all of her willpower not to get mad, but Stacy managed to remain calm. Maybe the Sorting Hat had been correct when it said she would make a good Hufflepuff. In an overly patient voice, Stacy inquired, "Why don't you go to Hogwarts?"
"I start next year," Elizabeth said eagerly. Stacy felt something turn over in her stomach and it wasn't her pizza. "I can't wait! It has to be great. I wonder what house I will be in."
"I'm a Gryffindor," Stacy stated. She giggled quietly at the look of shock on Elizabeth's face.
"I'm sure I will be one too," Elizabeth said. "I cannot see myself in any of the other houses. Especially not Hufflepuff."
"Have you received your acceptance letter yet?" Stacy asked innocently. Maybe there was a chance she wouldn't even get in to Hogwarts!
Elizabeth shook her head. "But, I will. They never send them until your eleventh birthday anyway. It would be a disgrace if I didn't get in. I mean, you got in!"
"What does that mean?" Stacy said irritably. She couldn't hold it in anymore. "Where do you get off thinking you're better than me? For your information, I probably know more about magic now than you. Just because I grew up as a Muggle does not give you the right to look down your nose at me!" She jumped off the bench and ran angrily in the direction of the festival.
"Miss Arrons!" A stern voice exclaimed. Stacy could make out the dim figure of Professor McGonagall hurrying toward her. "Did I or did I not specifically tell you to always stay with other students and not to leave the festival?"
"Yes, ma'am, you did say that," Stacy muttered. She looked down at her feet. She hated being in trouble.
Her teacher sighed furiously. "Detention and fifteen points from Gryffindor." Stacy thought she heard her muttering something about this being the last time first years were allowed to come to Hogsmeade.
"Stacy!" Elizabeth's voice yelled from behind her. "Stacy! Come here! It's Grandma. I think she's dead."
Stacy ran to the spot where Elizabeth was standing with Professor McGonagall right behind her.
Elizabeth was standing over their grandmother shaking hysterically. Roxanna was lying perfectly still on the ground next to Honeydukes. Stacy felt her heart pounding as Professor McGonagall leaned over Roxanna to feel for a pulse.
"She's alive," McGonagall said as she stood up with a look of relief on her face. "We have to get help for her. Stacy, go back to the festival and find Madam Pomfrey. You-" She looked at Elizabeth.
"E-elizabeth," She filled in. Her usual confident glare was gone. It was replaced by a look of concern. Stacy couldn't help wondering if she had judged her cousin too quickly.
"Elizabeth, help me prop her up. She can't breath in this position."
Stacy hurried off toward the festival as they moved Roxanna into a sitting position.
"Stacy!"
She whirled around to see Courtney, Ben, Justin, and Peter rushing toward her.
"Where were you?" Justin asked eagerly.
"We were worried!" Peter cried. "We asked Professor McGonagall to find you."
"Did you get in trouble?" Ben asked slyly.
"Have you seen Madam Pomfrey?" Stacy asked, completely ignoring the questions.
"No," Courtney said. "But-"
"It's important!" Stacy cried impatiently. "I need to find her now."
She turned and rushed away from her friends. She pushed through the crowd asking every familiar face if they had seen her. Penny Prickle had not seen her, but offered to help with the search. Jane Martin had seen her an hour before, but could not tell her where she was at the moment. But, the situation reminded her of a movie Stacy had been in. Greg Adams and Jana Black had not seen her at all. In fact, they had not seen any teachers all night and were in considerably good moods. Wendy Tyson had seen her earlier and wasted five minutes of Stacy's valuable time describing what sort of robe the nurse had been wearing. Steven Smith simply grunted and walked away from her. Finally, Stacy gave up. She had spent nearly a half hour searching every inch of the fair.
"Stacy!" Courtney yelled. "Come on. Your grandmother's awake."
"How-" Stacy started, but simply shook her head in confusion.
Courtney grinned happily. "We split up and found her. We said you needed her for something and told her what direction you came from."
"Is she-" Stacy began.
"She gave her a potion of some sort. Some kind of healing potion, I think. Anyway, she's fine now. A little tired, but she's awake and wanted to see you."
Stacy followed Courtney back to Honeydukes. A small crowd was gathered around it. Stacy could see Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, Ben, Peter, Justin, Greg, Jana Elizabeth, and Penny standing over her grandmother who was lying down on a bench.
The crowd politely moved away ten feet, so Stacy could have a semi-private conversation with her grandmother.
"How are you feeling?" Stacy asked quietly.
"I've seen better days," Roxanna joked. "But, don't worry about me. You have more important things to keep your mind on now."
Stacy nodded eagerly. "What should I do about it? Do I do anything? I mean, if someone wants to contact me that badly, wouldn't they let me know who they are?"
Her grandmother looked thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps, they can't tell you. I have read much about our history over the years. From the sounds of it, the dreams you are having are directly related to an event which took place several centuries ago. A young girl named Eliza Redas was killed for the death of her parents and for being a witch. Our records prove that she was indeed a witch and a powerful one at that. The strange thing is that she never showed any signs of being evil. She used her power for good. Eliza had very good relations with her community and her family. She used her magic to benefit others rather than herself."
"Then why did she kill her parents?" Stacy asked.
"That has never been proven. It was only speculation back then. But, today it is a popular belief that her brother Michael was the actual murderer. Wizard friends of the Redas family stated there was a strong sibling rivalry between them. Michael was older than Eliza and resented the fact that she was more powerful than him. He was selfish and hated that their parents adored Eliza's charitable contributions to the world. Again, this is only speculation, but it fits better than the idea that Eliza truly was the bad child."
Stacy nodded slowly. This theory would explain her dreams. She always felt fear when Michael was in it. Something in her kept saying Eliza was innocent. There was just one thing that bothered her. "But, why would I be having these dreams now? They have both been dead for hundreds of years."
"It was common knowledge then that Eliza was working to find a potion which would allow people to come back from the dead sometime after their death and live a new life. She planned to use this for her sick aunt, but some believe she drank it herself before she was burned at the stake."
"She did!" Stacy whispered excitedly. "In my dreams, Eliza drinks a potion and says 'I will come again'. Then, she is taken out to be executed. Michael remains in the jail for a minute. And, then he too drinks it."
Roxanna's face lit up happily. The expression of sickness started to disappear from her face. "Then, I am right! They both came back. You see, Eliza would want you to know what happened. She probably sees you as a possible ally. But, she would not want Michael to find out who she is. If they are unknown to you, they were most likely unknown to each other as well."
"But, how do I know who they really are?" Stacy asked.
"They are most likely people you already know. People who are going to your school. They would be close to the same age, but not in the same class. I think I can help you with Eliza. How well do you know Jana Black?"
Stacy's mouth opened in surprise. "Jana? She's one of my friends."
"Does she know about your dreams?"
"I haven't told anyone about them."
"Mention them tomorrow when you see Jana. I have a feeling her reaction should be an interesting one."
"What about Michael?"
Roxanna shook her head. "I can't help you with that. But, don't go looking for him. He is more powerful than you. He has killed his own family and would not think twice before doing you in as well. Promise me you will not seek him out, Stacy?"
"Grandma, I would never-" Stacy started. "I promise."
"Good," She smiled. "Make sure you keep that promise."
"What about my invisibility cloak?"
Roxanna looked thoughtful once again. "Do you have it with you?"
Stacy nodded and pulled it out of her backpack.
A look of alarm crossed her face. Stacy glanced at the cloak. Her grandmother was staring intently at something Stacy had not noticed before. Stitched lightly on the edge of the cloak were the letters TSA.
Roxanna swallowed loudly. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Just as I thought. This is a gift from your grandfather."
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes:
This part's main purpose was to set up some things I will continue on when I write about Stacy's second year. I am actually planning to write about that at this point. The other purpose was to set up a few more things for the last couple chapters.
I'm not sure how much longer this will be. I think it's getting pretty obvious where I'm going with it and where it'll end. So much for the mystery part of it...
Once more, sorry for spelling/grammar mistakes. Also, my description of Hogsmeade is probably off. I described it the way I pictured it. Oh well...
PLEASE let me know what you think! Reviews are really great and help me out by letting me know if anyone's actually reading this. No flames, please, but constructive criticism, predictions, suggestions, whatever are all good.
Thanks for reading! =)
Until next time- whenever that is-
- Hope
The carriages came to a halt at the edge of the crowd. Stacy climbed out and followed the other students who had stayed at Hogwarts over vacation. Professor McGonagall stopped them before they entered the fair with instructions to stay only in the town square, always stay with at least one another person, and to meet back in the same place at one o'clock. Stacy glanced at her watch. That would give them five hours at the party. It also gave her about two hours before she was supposed to meet her grandmother by Honeydukes. She only hoped she would be able to get away from the watchful eyes of her teachers.
The second Professor McGonagall had finished her lecture, Ben grabbed Stacy's arm and dragged her off in the direction of the rides. Justin trailed behind them, glancing every which way with either amazement or sorrow. Stacy couldn't tell which.
The first ride the boys decided to go on was called the Willow Whomper, based on the Whomping Willow. Two people would get in a cart and ride through a tunnel with a fake giant willow tree over it. They had to drive the cart in a way which would get them out alive and without letting the willow's roots strangle them. They were given a club to use as defense against the tree. Stacy watched in horror as the group before them came out with cuts and scratches everywhere. They were laughing hysterically, but she could not see anything funny about being beaten up by a fake tree. Fortunately for Stacy, she was two inches under the height regulation.
Ben and Justin had only entered the tunnel a minute before Stacy heard someone shouting her name. She turned around to see her friends Peter Trey and Courtney Flowers were back.
"Stacy!" Courtney squealed happily as she hugged her friend. "I am so glad we're here! I was afraid the Hogwarts Express wouldn't get us here before the festival ended."
"Why?" Stacy asked. "What happened?"
Peter shrugged. "We're not sure. The train stopped halfway here for about an hour. Professor Granger was in the same car as us, but she refused to tell us anything."
"I don't think even she knew what was going on," Courtney stated.
About ten feet away from where the first years were standing, Hermione Granger was having an interesting discussion with her friends Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.
"Was it really him?" Ron asked her again. His eyes were still wide with shock.
Hermione nodded. "And to think I would have missed everything if I hadn't gone to see my parents for Christmas. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore isn't going to let the information out. Not even to the other teachers."
"How is he going to hide him?" Harry asked with a touch of confusion in his voice.
"It wouldn't be that difficult, would it?" Ron remarked. "They've hidden stuff in Hogwarts before, the Sorcerer's Stone for instance."
"A person would be harder to hide than an object," Harry said.
"Dumbledore will find a way," Hermione affirmed. "He has to."
By half past eight, the festival was in full swing and extremely crowded with adult witches and wizards along with the entire student body from Hogwarts. Every ride and booth had a line stretching across the town square. It was all too much for Stacy. She always felt very confused in large crowds.
After Ben and Justin returned from the Willow Whomper covered in cuts and laughing, the group joined the line for the Spinner, a ride which resembled a Muggle ferris wheel. The Spinner consisted of twenty benches which traveled in a circle like a ferris wheel. The main difference was that they were not connected to a central object, but simply floated around in mid-air. And, they constantly turned upside-down in an attempt to throw the person out.
Stacy was reluctant to go on the ride, but Ben insisted she had to. He said it was the tamest one and he refused to let her sit it out. Stacy climbed onto a bench with Courtney while the boys got on the one in front of them.
Justin looked even more depressed than usual. Stacy glanced in the direction he was staring. A large group of Slytherins were gathered by the base of the Spinner. Several of them were pointing and yelling insults at Justin. Stacy couldn't help feeling sorry for him. The Slytherins never relented in their teasing of Justin. They couldn't accept that his friends were in Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Courtney angrily pulled her wand out and shot several sparks in the air before Professor McGonagall showed up and led the Slytherins away. Justin glared furiously at her, but Courtney seemed quite pleased with herself. Then without warning, their bench toppled over and Stacy had to grab her friend before she fell.
After about a five minute ride on the Spinner, Stacy was relieved to feel dirt under her feet once more. Peter, Justin, and Greg wanted to get in line again, but Courtney, sensing Stacy's nausea at the very thought of it, said they would get something to eat while the boys went on their rides.
The lines for refreshments were even longer than the ones for the rides. But, there were more choices than Stacy had ever seen in her life. There was a stand for every kind of food imaginable. Courtney and Stacy got in a line for Italian food. After purchasing a butterbeer and two slices of pizza each, they sat down at a small table in the center of the festival. Stacy glanced at her watch again. She only had a half an hour until her reunion with her grandmother.
"You wouldn't believe what my holidays were like," Courtney ranted between mouthfuls of pizza. "Rachel has to be the brattiest older sister in the world. She wouldn't leave me alone the whole time. She kept coming in my bedroom and insisting I help her with her chores. She just expects me to drop everything and help her. But, does she ever help me? No! And, then all of her stupid friends came over and kept threatening to turn my hair green even though we aren't allowed to use magic over vacation. Of course, mother loves them and insisted they stay for most of the week." She paused long enough to take a breath of air. "You have to come with me next year!"
Stacy was glad to have Courtney back at school. Though it had only been about a week, it felt as though she had not seen her friend for years. She could not imagine what it would be like to go the whole summer without seeing any of her school friends. She probably wouldn't see or hear from any of them for the whole summer vacation. She lived on the other side of the ocean!
They had just finished their pizza when Stacy heard a clock chime. It was time to find her grandmother. She casually slipped away from Courtney when they met up with Greg Adams and about twenty other Hufflepuffs. Stacy just hoped no one would notice she was gone. But, that was never a problem. Unless Jane Martin was around, no one really noticed Stacy. She was generally just another first year. She liked it that way.
Once she reached Honeydukes, Stacy quickly spotted her grandmother and a girl about her age. Roxanna looked paler than when Stacy had last seen at the beginning of the school year. There were dark circles under eyes which seemed to be slightly covered with foundation. Stacy couldn't help gawking at the sickly appearance of her generally glowingly healthy grandmother.
Roxanna smiled weakly at her granddaughter and placed a hand on the young girl next to her. "Hello, Stacy. This is your cousin Elizabeth. She is the daughter of your Uncle Simon. She is staying with me while her parents are in Japan."
Stacy studied the girl for a moment. Elizabeth had sparkling golden hair which was pulled back in a loose braid. Her eyes were green and seemed to light up her face. She looked like an angel as a candle floated over her head. Like the kind of daughter Natalie Arrons would have loved to have. Stacy couldn't help feeling slightly envious of her cousin. She felt plain and ugly next to her. Looks had never mattered to Stacy, but she could not stop herself from instantly feeling inferior. Her stringy, light brown hair and dull blue eyes did not equal Elizabeth's. Even with a little bit of lip gloss and eye glitter, she looked boring in comparison.
"Hello! I'm so glad you could come." Stacy said brightly with a seemingly genuine smile. It appeared to decieve her relatives. Afterall, Stacy had not won an Oscar for nothing.
"Is there a place where we can sit down?" Roxanna asked. Stacy could hardly believe that her face looked even more tired than it had a minute before.
Stacy nodded and led the way back to a bench on the other side of the store. She sat down on the bench between her grandmother and cousin.
A concerned look flooded Roxanna's face. "Now, Stacy, what was it you wanted to see me about?"
Stacy took a deep breath and began to tell about her dreams. She said everything she could remember. When they started, the vision when she was flying and the one on Halloween, the bright green flashes, how realistic the dreams felt, the familiarity of so many things, the note she had received, her invisibility cloak, and what the dreams were about. She talked and talked for nearly twenty minutes before she could not think of anything else to add. She felt comforted to have the information out in the open instead of keeping it all inside her mind.
"She doesn't know?" Elizabeth exclaimed in disgust when Stacy was done. "I've known for years! My father told me when I was five.What kind of father is my uncle? I suppose she just found out she was a witch as well." It was the first thing her cousin said that evening.
Roxanna clamped a hand on Elizabeth's shoulder as if to tell her to stop talking. "I suppose we should have told you sooner, Stacy," She said apologetically. "You see, everyone in our family is a feeler. A feeler can sense the sort of power around them. They often have dreams about past experiences of other witches and wizards in the same area. The witch or wizard in your dreams must be extremely powerful for you to be feeling their power. Your feeling strength is not as strong as most of our family because your mother is a Muggle. If it were, you would have known about your talent a long time ago. I can sense all magic around myself. I can see anyone's past. I can control who I dream about and when. You do not have these controls. The person you are dreaming about wants to share their experiences. They have sought you out for a reason I do not know." She went into a coughing fit at this and excused herself from the girls for a minute.
"I'm a pure feeler," Elizabeth boasted. A wicked grin spread across her face. "You are fortunate not to be one. It is quite a burden for me. I can sense every bit of magic everywhere." She faked a sigh. "Only the strong can handle it."
Anger burned inside of Stacy, but she promptly suppressed it. "Where do you go to school?" She cheerfully asked her cousin.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "A Muggle school. It is simply awful! You can't imagine what fools Muggles are. They know absolutely nothing!" She paused and smiled sympathetically at Stacy. "Not that there's anything wrong with them. I'm sure your mother is wonderful. The tabloids seem to think so."
It took all of her willpower not to get mad, but Stacy managed to remain calm. Maybe the Sorting Hat had been correct when it said she would make a good Hufflepuff. In an overly patient voice, Stacy inquired, "Why don't you go to Hogwarts?"
"I start next year," Elizabeth said eagerly. Stacy felt something turn over in her stomach and it wasn't her pizza. "I can't wait! It has to be great. I wonder what house I will be in."
"I'm a Gryffindor," Stacy stated. She giggled quietly at the look of shock on Elizabeth's face.
"I'm sure I will be one too," Elizabeth said. "I cannot see myself in any of the other houses. Especially not Hufflepuff."
"Have you received your acceptance letter yet?" Stacy asked innocently. Maybe there was a chance she wouldn't even get in to Hogwarts!
Elizabeth shook her head. "But, I will. They never send them until your eleventh birthday anyway. It would be a disgrace if I didn't get in. I mean, you got in!"
"What does that mean?" Stacy said irritably. She couldn't hold it in anymore. "Where do you get off thinking you're better than me? For your information, I probably know more about magic now than you. Just because I grew up as a Muggle does not give you the right to look down your nose at me!" She jumped off the bench and ran angrily in the direction of the festival.
"Miss Arrons!" A stern voice exclaimed. Stacy could make out the dim figure of Professor McGonagall hurrying toward her. "Did I or did I not specifically tell you to always stay with other students and not to leave the festival?"
"Yes, ma'am, you did say that," Stacy muttered. She looked down at her feet. She hated being in trouble.
Her teacher sighed furiously. "Detention and fifteen points from Gryffindor." Stacy thought she heard her muttering something about this being the last time first years were allowed to come to Hogsmeade.
"Stacy!" Elizabeth's voice yelled from behind her. "Stacy! Come here! It's Grandma. I think she's dead."
Stacy ran to the spot where Elizabeth was standing with Professor McGonagall right behind her.
Elizabeth was standing over their grandmother shaking hysterically. Roxanna was lying perfectly still on the ground next to Honeydukes. Stacy felt her heart pounding as Professor McGonagall leaned over Roxanna to feel for a pulse.
"She's alive," McGonagall said as she stood up with a look of relief on her face. "We have to get help for her. Stacy, go back to the festival and find Madam Pomfrey. You-" She looked at Elizabeth.
"E-elizabeth," She filled in. Her usual confident glare was gone. It was replaced by a look of concern. Stacy couldn't help wondering if she had judged her cousin too quickly.
"Elizabeth, help me prop her up. She can't breath in this position."
Stacy hurried off toward the festival as they moved Roxanna into a sitting position.
"Stacy!"
She whirled around to see Courtney, Ben, Justin, and Peter rushing toward her.
"Where were you?" Justin asked eagerly.
"We were worried!" Peter cried. "We asked Professor McGonagall to find you."
"Did you get in trouble?" Ben asked slyly.
"Have you seen Madam Pomfrey?" Stacy asked, completely ignoring the questions.
"No," Courtney said. "But-"
"It's important!" Stacy cried impatiently. "I need to find her now."
She turned and rushed away from her friends. She pushed through the crowd asking every familiar face if they had seen her. Penny Prickle had not seen her, but offered to help with the search. Jane Martin had seen her an hour before, but could not tell her where she was at the moment. But, the situation reminded her of a movie Stacy had been in. Greg Adams and Jana Black had not seen her at all. In fact, they had not seen any teachers all night and were in considerably good moods. Wendy Tyson had seen her earlier and wasted five minutes of Stacy's valuable time describing what sort of robe the nurse had been wearing. Steven Smith simply grunted and walked away from her. Finally, Stacy gave up. She had spent nearly a half hour searching every inch of the fair.
"Stacy!" Courtney yelled. "Come on. Your grandmother's awake."
"How-" Stacy started, but simply shook her head in confusion.
Courtney grinned happily. "We split up and found her. We said you needed her for something and told her what direction you came from."
"Is she-" Stacy began.
"She gave her a potion of some sort. Some kind of healing potion, I think. Anyway, she's fine now. A little tired, but she's awake and wanted to see you."
Stacy followed Courtney back to Honeydukes. A small crowd was gathered around it. Stacy could see Professor McGonagall, Madam Pomfrey, Ben, Peter, Justin, Greg, Jana Elizabeth, and Penny standing over her grandmother who was lying down on a bench.
The crowd politely moved away ten feet, so Stacy could have a semi-private conversation with her grandmother.
"How are you feeling?" Stacy asked quietly.
"I've seen better days," Roxanna joked. "But, don't worry about me. You have more important things to keep your mind on now."
Stacy nodded eagerly. "What should I do about it? Do I do anything? I mean, if someone wants to contact me that badly, wouldn't they let me know who they are?"
Her grandmother looked thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps, they can't tell you. I have read much about our history over the years. From the sounds of it, the dreams you are having are directly related to an event which took place several centuries ago. A young girl named Eliza Redas was killed for the death of her parents and for being a witch. Our records prove that she was indeed a witch and a powerful one at that. The strange thing is that she never showed any signs of being evil. She used her power for good. Eliza had very good relations with her community and her family. She used her magic to benefit others rather than herself."
"Then why did she kill her parents?" Stacy asked.
"That has never been proven. It was only speculation back then. But, today it is a popular belief that her brother Michael was the actual murderer. Wizard friends of the Redas family stated there was a strong sibling rivalry between them. Michael was older than Eliza and resented the fact that she was more powerful than him. He was selfish and hated that their parents adored Eliza's charitable contributions to the world. Again, this is only speculation, but it fits better than the idea that Eliza truly was the bad child."
Stacy nodded slowly. This theory would explain her dreams. She always felt fear when Michael was in it. Something in her kept saying Eliza was innocent. There was just one thing that bothered her. "But, why would I be having these dreams now? They have both been dead for hundreds of years."
"It was common knowledge then that Eliza was working to find a potion which would allow people to come back from the dead sometime after their death and live a new life. She planned to use this for her sick aunt, but some believe she drank it herself before she was burned at the stake."
"She did!" Stacy whispered excitedly. "In my dreams, Eliza drinks a potion and says 'I will come again'. Then, she is taken out to be executed. Michael remains in the jail for a minute. And, then he too drinks it."
Roxanna's face lit up happily. The expression of sickness started to disappear from her face. "Then, I am right! They both came back. You see, Eliza would want you to know what happened. She probably sees you as a possible ally. But, she would not want Michael to find out who she is. If they are unknown to you, they were most likely unknown to each other as well."
"But, how do I know who they really are?" Stacy asked.
"They are most likely people you already know. People who are going to your school. They would be close to the same age, but not in the same class. I think I can help you with Eliza. How well do you know Jana Black?"
Stacy's mouth opened in surprise. "Jana? She's one of my friends."
"Does she know about your dreams?"
"I haven't told anyone about them."
"Mention them tomorrow when you see Jana. I have a feeling her reaction should be an interesting one."
"What about Michael?"
Roxanna shook her head. "I can't help you with that. But, don't go looking for him. He is more powerful than you. He has killed his own family and would not think twice before doing you in as well. Promise me you will not seek him out, Stacy?"
"Grandma, I would never-" Stacy started. "I promise."
"Good," She smiled. "Make sure you keep that promise."
"What about my invisibility cloak?"
Roxanna looked thoughtful once again. "Do you have it with you?"
Stacy nodded and pulled it out of her backpack.
A look of alarm crossed her face. Stacy glanced at the cloak. Her grandmother was staring intently at something Stacy had not noticed before. Stitched lightly on the edge of the cloak were the letters TSA.
Roxanna swallowed loudly. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Just as I thought. This is a gift from your grandfather."
To Be Continued...
Author's Notes:
This part's main purpose was to set up some things I will continue on when I write about Stacy's second year. I am actually planning to write about that at this point. The other purpose was to set up a few more things for the last couple chapters.
I'm not sure how much longer this will be. I think it's getting pretty obvious where I'm going with it and where it'll end. So much for the mystery part of it...
Once more, sorry for spelling/grammar mistakes. Also, my description of Hogsmeade is probably off. I described it the way I pictured it. Oh well...
PLEASE let me know what you think! Reviews are really great and help me out by letting me know if anyone's actually reading this. No flames, please, but constructive criticism, predictions, suggestions, whatever are all good.
Thanks for reading! =)
Until next time- whenever that is-
- Hope