DS-I own nothing to do with the HP series, including Oliver, all that goes to J.K.Rowling. I own Ebony, her fam, Sean and the plot.
As-Appearently there was some confusion about Oliver. I know he graduated at the end of Draco and Harry's 3rd year, but I changed his age to fit my story. So in my fic, he is only 1 year older than Draco, Harry and most of the characters in my fic. Sean is the same age as Ebony and Draco ect...
Chapter 3: Double Surprise
First thing that morning Ebony got out of her warm bed and walked over to her desk. She sat down and began to write Draco a letter:
Dearest Draco,
How are you doing? I've missed you. So what have you been up to this summer? I haven't talked to you since...well you know. What have I missed? Ya, um...have you talked to anyone from Balinor? Speaking of schools, have you figured out where you'll be going this year? Since Balinor is kinda out of service. My parents are totally avoiding the topic. Sure, they constantly bring up Balinor, but when it comes to where I'll be going in the fall their tongues are tied and stuck that way with glue. It's like they are afraid to let me go back to school. I'm so afraid they are going to send me to a muggle school. I would die if I couldn't continue my education with magic. Anyway, can't wait to hear from you. Bye.
Sincerely,
Ebony Shadow
P.S-You were write about everything. I want you to know that. I hope you can forgive me.
With that she went downstairs to the kitchen, still in her p.j's. She walked in to find everyone at the table eating what looked to be lunch. She walked pass them to the back door where there was a bird house. Inside was the Shadow family owl, Coowanee(Koo-wan-knee) She tied the letter to Coowanee's leg, opened the back door and let him fly out of the house, to the open skies. Everyone in the room was staring at her when she shut the door. "What?" But when none of them answered, and continued to stare at her, she ran upstairs.
The next few days were full of awkward moments. Like the one where they all stared at Ebony when she had sent the owl out to deliver her letter to Draco. For some reason Ebony felt unusually out of place. And for some reason when she walked into a room everyone would fall silent. It was annoying. And then there was Oliver. Everytime they were just getting into a good conversation he would bring up the whole ordeal that happened at Balinor. *Why can't he just drop it?* She found herself trying to avoid him altogether. When she did see him instead of feeling joy like she used to, she felt as though a thick, heavy blanket had been placed over her heart. She wanted things to go back to the way they were before Balinor had been degraded away to nothing. When life was good and right. Not complicating, depressing and miserable.
But there was something that was even more disturbing than the awkwardness she felt in her own home and finding herself hiding from one of her closest friends. The thing was, no one had mentioned her Birthday! *And it's tomorrow! Has the world decided to turn itself upside down so that it can screw with our lives and make them worse than they already are?! And fuck to hell! Here I thought this summer couldn't go down hill anymore than it already has.*
That night both Kahlua and Mocha followed her to bed, and she was glad for the company. She sat on the floor in her closet and pulled out a box in the back. she flipped through pages of notes she had written during classes at Balinor and smiled as she read them. she began to find pictures taken from all around and within the school. Pictures of teachers and her friends. She flipped to the next picture to see the headmaster she once trusted so much. There he stood an arm around her and an arm around Draco. Balthazar's face had a smile on, but now as she looked at him, standing tall with short dark hair freckled with white, she wondered just how much of that smile had been sincere. She could feel the tears coming so she threw the pictures back in the box and shoved the box into the very back of her closet once more.
It was late and she knew everyone else was probably sleeping, so she too went shut off the light and crawled into bed. She had her dogs, Kahlua and Mocha on either side of her and her cat, Ling on her chest. She was just drifting off to sleep when there came a knocking from her bedroom door. She moved Ling and got out of bed, but hadn't even reached the door when it opened and Sean peeked in from the other side. She looked confusingly at him, and hemerely smiled his reckless smile, stepped inside and brought his hand forward to reveal a carton of butterscotch rum ice cream. "Happy Birthday Eb!" he said quietly but joyfully.
She flung her arms around him. He did the same. They sat on her bed and ate all of the ice cream. Kahlua, Mocha and Ling all getting some too. They talked and reminisced. Until they fell asleep. When she awoke, Sean wasn't there. Although she knew she definitely went to bed that night, when she awoke she wasn't sure if she had actually reached sleep. She was groggy and cranky and was awoken by a irritating tapping noise, which was really Coowannee knocking at the window. Ebony let the owl in, but found no letter attached to him. "Did you find Draco?" She asked the bird, who responded with a happy, but tired hoot. "Then why didn't he write back?" Coowannee then gave a huge shudder, as if some cold air had pass through the room. "That's weird. Well I suppose you've had a long journey, you were gone for five days." She opened her bedroom door as so that Coowannee could fly downstairs to his little home by the back door.
Ebony got dressed and descended the stairs to the living room, where Jonathan, Decon, Oliver were having a conversation of some sort. As soon as they saw her coming down the stairs they all quickly shut up. *Am I such an awful site that people go quiet because they can't stand to look at me? What is going on in this house?* "Morning!" All three said in unison. "hi", she said confused. Ebony tried to ignore it and went into the kitchen and found Alanna, Marie and Sean also discussing something. And like with the males in the living room, they too fell quiet. "Okay that's it!!!! What in heavens name is going on around here?" The guys in the other room heard Ebony and came in to see what all the commotion was about. "Why is everyone so hush hush? Everytime I walk in the room it's like you've all lost your speech! And I demand an answer! Right Now!" She paused to see if anyone would answer, but no one did. They just looked at each other dumbfounded.
Sean got up from his seat, "It's such a nice day outside, I was just asking your mum, if she had anything planed today so that we could go out for a picnic, and she said no. Oliver was going to come with us, but he has to go with dad and Deacon to get some stuff downtown. So what do you say, picnic?"
Ebony looked confused, "Fine. If that's the way your going to be, let's go." She then vacated the house. But instead of heading to the park, she went in the opposite direction. Towards the hill just a ways off from her back yard. Sean used a summoning/collecting charm to quickly get all the stuff for the picnic. He wished the family good luck, and hurried after Ebony.
Ebony hardly ever went up that hill. She had many memories there from her childhood. But she hadn't had time for it in her teen years. When she was six, Jonathan and Deacon had built Oliver, Sean and herself a tree house for them to play in. But they did it more for their benefit, than their kids. Cause if the kids had a place to play outside, the house would stay cleaner and less noisy. A parental bonus. The only times Ebony ever went up to the tree house, now a days, was when she needed to be alone or was so pissed off that she was afraid of what she might do. This was one time going up there was essential to her mental well being. *Jesus Christ! What do they think I am? Stupid? Heartless? I have feelings! And it's not like I can't see.* Sean had caught up and had been silently walking next to her. They got to the tree and climbed up to the house part. *I mean you'd have to be really thick not to see all their going quiet when I enter a room and their secret meeting in a bedroom or the basement. Or all there whispers in the halls.* Sean said nothing, only prepared their picnic. "GRRRR!!!" Ebony said out loud, picked up an old book that had been left in the tree house and threw it across the room, so that it hit the wall and made the whole tree house shake. She started to pace the room. *I would rip their heads off, if I didn't care so much.* "They make me SO mad!" She stopped pacing, sat down in a corner, pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
Sean, who had remained quiet, even when she threw the book went over and sat next to her, "Who makes you mad?" Ebony looked up at him, "All of you people in my house! All of them, besides you, forgot my birthday," she said in a hurt voice. *Sure my birthday was never the biggest celebration of the year, but they at least said 'happy birthday'. What is going on?* She let her forehead rest on her knees, and sat like this while Sean just put a reassuring hand on her back. "I was going to tell them, but I knew you would have blew up at me for it."
Ebony had to smile at that, "Ya. I probably would have." She sighed. "Why can't Oliver be as comforting as you?! I still can't believe they forgot my birthday. An Oliver of all people. As if my summer wasn't bad enough, not only did my parents forget my Birthday, but HE did. That hurt." Sean just stood there, thinking of what to say. finally, "Well you know Oliver, never was that bright. Can never keep his days right! I'm sorry that you had to get hung up on stupid Oliver! But at least one of your good buddies remembered your sweet sixteen, Me. I'm sure he'll remember tomorrow, and then you can take pleasure in all his apologizing and sucking up! I know you'd like that!" He said nudging her shoulder with an all knowing/mischievous look on his face. "I don't know whatever you could be referring to!" was all she said to his implication. "Unhuh!" He said rolling his eyes. He gave her a quick hug, then led her to the picnic on the floor. They talked for hours. And Ebony was grateful he didn't bring up Balinor. Sean looked at his watch, "Eb, we really should be getting back. But we can talk later. okay?" He said. She whined, "Do we have to?" But Sean gave her a cheerful and reassuring look that made her changed her mind. "Alright!" With that they climbed down from the tree house to the solid ground and slowly made their way home.
They went around the house and entered through the basement door, at Sean's request. It was pitch black, she turned on the light and suddenly she herd multiple, loud voices, "SURPRISE!!!" Ebony jumped, and took in the colourful view of the room. There was a huge banner that said: Happy 16th!!! in purple letters. It was beautiful! "I'm sorry everyone! I thought you had forgotten." But her Mum told her not to be sorry, and that they were the ones who should be sorry. They had needed her to think they forgot about her cause they had wanted the party to be a big surprise. And it was!
She looked at the people before her and saw a man that hadn't been here when she had left that morning. "GRANDPA STANAVEL!!!" Ebony grandfather, on her mother's side, was very old. He was tall, but had a bit of a belly. His long white hair was tied back in a ponytail and he had a short white goatee. He came forward and wrapped Ebony in his arms, lifted her and spun her around. "Hello child. Though I guess you no longer are a child. Sixteen. You sure have grown." Grandpa Stanavel greeted with his English accent. "What are you doing here?" Ebony asked, "I thought you were going to be held with business in London?" Stanavel just smiled down at his grand daughter, "I couldn't miss such an important day for my only grand daughter! Business can wait, family comes first."
The rest of the party was very enjoyable. There was awsome music for dancing, a delicious dinner with ice cream and cake for dessert. They even san the 'Happy Birthday' song before she blew out the candles. There was a very special moment that stood out in Ebony's mind when she later thought over the activities of the party, it was when she had gotten icing from the cake on her nose and Oliver half licked, half kissed it off. (kinky!) She got wonderful gifts too! Her parents gotten her the lasted magical gadget that would allow her to listen to her muggle music, where mechanical gadgets couldn't work due to the mass amount of magical energy. Marie and Jonathan got her a gift certificate to a nice wizard clothing store.
Sean gave her a short black clubbing dress. Across the chest of it said, 'Careful. I bite!" Ebony smiled in amusement, "Um, Sean? Where and when am I ever going to wear this?!" Sean looked at her mischievously, "Oh I'm sure we'll find someplace for you to wear it! Perhaps next time you come to England I'll take you out with my friends." Oliver took the dress away and handed her a small box that was his present to her, "You most certainly will do no such thing, Sean! Your friends are far too rowdy!" Ebony gave him a I-can-take-care-of-myself sort of look, to which he ignore. She opened Oliver's present, inside the box was a silver bracelet with an inscription: 'friends for all eternity. promise.'
Her grandfather gave her a necklace. The necklace had a pendant on it. The pendant was round with two stars on it, one star inside the other. On the very inside of the stars was a white and blue swirled crystal and around the outside of the stars was a circle type thing. He took the necklace and turned her around to put it on her. "This necklace has been in my family for centuries. It said that it protects it's wearer. I hope you treasure it as I have." Though she enjoyed all her presents, she loved her grandfather's necklace, but she gave everyone 'thank you' hugs. That night she slept peacefully, it was one of the only times she had since the night Balinor was destroyed. It had no nightmares, but instead was filled with beautiful dreams.
When dawn came, she went downstairs, and was greeted by smiles. *Maybe things are going to get better?* Throughout the morning, she received a few more gifts from friends that she had gone to Balinor with. It was about lunch when they got a feathery guest at the back door. Alanna answered it, took a look at the letter and started screaming. "Deacon!!!! Deacon, come here now!!!! Hurry up!!! Deacon!!! You've got to see this!!! Ebony!!!!" Ebony, Deacon, Oliver and Sean came rushing up the stairs, from the basement. Jonathan came in from the front yard, and Marie from upstairs. They all were quite curious as to why Alanna was so excited. She was showing the other adults the mark on the unopened letter. Then they looked at Ebony and started jumping up and down around her while cheering 'Hurray!' "Okay. Have you all gone mad?" She said as she looked to Oliver and Sean with pleading eyes. But all they did was laugh. When finally they stopped bouncing around and talking happily to one another, they gave Ebony the letter. She looked at it puzzled. It didn't look special, it looked just like every other letter, except for a logo of some sort, that looked like a coat of arms, was on the back. She open it and read aloud to everyone what it said:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Dear Ms Shadow, We are pleased to inform you that, once again, you have been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We were sorry to hear that you would not be attending in your first year. We urge you to take this opportunity. A list of school supplies is enclosed, as well as a permission slip for Hogsmeade. Catch the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross Station in London on September 1st. We look forward to your arrival.
Yours sincerely, M. McGonagall
Once Ebony was done. She looked up, everyone had an excited look on their face, even Oliver and Sean. "What? Why is this such good news?" Deacon was the one to answer, "Your mother, Jonathan and myself all went to Hogwarts. It's an exceptional school! We've always wanted you to go there, but we moved here and there was a wizarding school so close. But now that...that you are no longer able to attend there..." Alanna continued, "And Albus has so generously invited you to go. We would be so proud if you went there." Ebony was still confused, "Okay, so you all went there. But the person who wrote this letter said 'again'. That they were sending this letter to me 'again'? What do they mean?" But this time Oliver was the one to answer her, "Even after you've left Hogwarts, you are still given...rewards, shall we say. See since your parents went to Hogwarts, the second you were born your name was place on the enrollment list for the year you turned eleven. Make sense? This is going to be so much fun!!! You and me at Hogwarts together!!!! It'll be awsome!" Ebony got very happy at this news. Oliver went there! Sean went there! She knew she had hear about Hogwarts before, Oliver and Sean had talked about it. "Oh. Well I just want to go to a wizarding school so I guess I could go to Hogwarts. And I'll already know some people, so it'll be okay." All the adults jumped up and down, while Oliver, Sean and Ebony went upstairs to Oliver and Sean's room to talk about Hogwarts. They told her about all the teachers and their classes. About the people, the students and ghosts. They were up all night talking about how much fun this year was going to be.
AN-Thanx mich for your reviews. Your a doll
As-Appearently there was some confusion about Oliver. I know he graduated at the end of Draco and Harry's 3rd year, but I changed his age to fit my story. So in my fic, he is only 1 year older than Draco, Harry and most of the characters in my fic. Sean is the same age as Ebony and Draco ect...
Chapter 3: Double Surprise
First thing that morning Ebony got out of her warm bed and walked over to her desk. She sat down and began to write Draco a letter:
Dearest Draco,
How are you doing? I've missed you. So what have you been up to this summer? I haven't talked to you since...well you know. What have I missed? Ya, um...have you talked to anyone from Balinor? Speaking of schools, have you figured out where you'll be going this year? Since Balinor is kinda out of service. My parents are totally avoiding the topic. Sure, they constantly bring up Balinor, but when it comes to where I'll be going in the fall their tongues are tied and stuck that way with glue. It's like they are afraid to let me go back to school. I'm so afraid they are going to send me to a muggle school. I would die if I couldn't continue my education with magic. Anyway, can't wait to hear from you. Bye.
Sincerely,
Ebony Shadow
P.S-You were write about everything. I want you to know that. I hope you can forgive me.
With that she went downstairs to the kitchen, still in her p.j's. She walked in to find everyone at the table eating what looked to be lunch. She walked pass them to the back door where there was a bird house. Inside was the Shadow family owl, Coowanee(Koo-wan-knee) She tied the letter to Coowanee's leg, opened the back door and let him fly out of the house, to the open skies. Everyone in the room was staring at her when she shut the door. "What?" But when none of them answered, and continued to stare at her, she ran upstairs.
The next few days were full of awkward moments. Like the one where they all stared at Ebony when she had sent the owl out to deliver her letter to Draco. For some reason Ebony felt unusually out of place. And for some reason when she walked into a room everyone would fall silent. It was annoying. And then there was Oliver. Everytime they were just getting into a good conversation he would bring up the whole ordeal that happened at Balinor. *Why can't he just drop it?* She found herself trying to avoid him altogether. When she did see him instead of feeling joy like she used to, she felt as though a thick, heavy blanket had been placed over her heart. She wanted things to go back to the way they were before Balinor had been degraded away to nothing. When life was good and right. Not complicating, depressing and miserable.
But there was something that was even more disturbing than the awkwardness she felt in her own home and finding herself hiding from one of her closest friends. The thing was, no one had mentioned her Birthday! *And it's tomorrow! Has the world decided to turn itself upside down so that it can screw with our lives and make them worse than they already are?! And fuck to hell! Here I thought this summer couldn't go down hill anymore than it already has.*
That night both Kahlua and Mocha followed her to bed, and she was glad for the company. She sat on the floor in her closet and pulled out a box in the back. she flipped through pages of notes she had written during classes at Balinor and smiled as she read them. she began to find pictures taken from all around and within the school. Pictures of teachers and her friends. She flipped to the next picture to see the headmaster she once trusted so much. There he stood an arm around her and an arm around Draco. Balthazar's face had a smile on, but now as she looked at him, standing tall with short dark hair freckled with white, she wondered just how much of that smile had been sincere. She could feel the tears coming so she threw the pictures back in the box and shoved the box into the very back of her closet once more.
It was late and she knew everyone else was probably sleeping, so she too went shut off the light and crawled into bed. She had her dogs, Kahlua and Mocha on either side of her and her cat, Ling on her chest. She was just drifting off to sleep when there came a knocking from her bedroom door. She moved Ling and got out of bed, but hadn't even reached the door when it opened and Sean peeked in from the other side. She looked confusingly at him, and hemerely smiled his reckless smile, stepped inside and brought his hand forward to reveal a carton of butterscotch rum ice cream. "Happy Birthday Eb!" he said quietly but joyfully.
She flung her arms around him. He did the same. They sat on her bed and ate all of the ice cream. Kahlua, Mocha and Ling all getting some too. They talked and reminisced. Until they fell asleep. When she awoke, Sean wasn't there. Although she knew she definitely went to bed that night, when she awoke she wasn't sure if she had actually reached sleep. She was groggy and cranky and was awoken by a irritating tapping noise, which was really Coowannee knocking at the window. Ebony let the owl in, but found no letter attached to him. "Did you find Draco?" She asked the bird, who responded with a happy, but tired hoot. "Then why didn't he write back?" Coowannee then gave a huge shudder, as if some cold air had pass through the room. "That's weird. Well I suppose you've had a long journey, you were gone for five days." She opened her bedroom door as so that Coowannee could fly downstairs to his little home by the back door.
Ebony got dressed and descended the stairs to the living room, where Jonathan, Decon, Oliver were having a conversation of some sort. As soon as they saw her coming down the stairs they all quickly shut up. *Am I such an awful site that people go quiet because they can't stand to look at me? What is going on in this house?* "Morning!" All three said in unison. "hi", she said confused. Ebony tried to ignore it and went into the kitchen and found Alanna, Marie and Sean also discussing something. And like with the males in the living room, they too fell quiet. "Okay that's it!!!! What in heavens name is going on around here?" The guys in the other room heard Ebony and came in to see what all the commotion was about. "Why is everyone so hush hush? Everytime I walk in the room it's like you've all lost your speech! And I demand an answer! Right Now!" She paused to see if anyone would answer, but no one did. They just looked at each other dumbfounded.
Sean got up from his seat, "It's such a nice day outside, I was just asking your mum, if she had anything planed today so that we could go out for a picnic, and she said no. Oliver was going to come with us, but he has to go with dad and Deacon to get some stuff downtown. So what do you say, picnic?"
Ebony looked confused, "Fine. If that's the way your going to be, let's go." She then vacated the house. But instead of heading to the park, she went in the opposite direction. Towards the hill just a ways off from her back yard. Sean used a summoning/collecting charm to quickly get all the stuff for the picnic. He wished the family good luck, and hurried after Ebony.
Ebony hardly ever went up that hill. She had many memories there from her childhood. But she hadn't had time for it in her teen years. When she was six, Jonathan and Deacon had built Oliver, Sean and herself a tree house for them to play in. But they did it more for their benefit, than their kids. Cause if the kids had a place to play outside, the house would stay cleaner and less noisy. A parental bonus. The only times Ebony ever went up to the tree house, now a days, was when she needed to be alone or was so pissed off that she was afraid of what she might do. This was one time going up there was essential to her mental well being. *Jesus Christ! What do they think I am? Stupid? Heartless? I have feelings! And it's not like I can't see.* Sean had caught up and had been silently walking next to her. They got to the tree and climbed up to the house part. *I mean you'd have to be really thick not to see all their going quiet when I enter a room and their secret meeting in a bedroom or the basement. Or all there whispers in the halls.* Sean said nothing, only prepared their picnic. "GRRRR!!!" Ebony said out loud, picked up an old book that had been left in the tree house and threw it across the room, so that it hit the wall and made the whole tree house shake. She started to pace the room. *I would rip their heads off, if I didn't care so much.* "They make me SO mad!" She stopped pacing, sat down in a corner, pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
Sean, who had remained quiet, even when she threw the book went over and sat next to her, "Who makes you mad?" Ebony looked up at him, "All of you people in my house! All of them, besides you, forgot my birthday," she said in a hurt voice. *Sure my birthday was never the biggest celebration of the year, but they at least said 'happy birthday'. What is going on?* She let her forehead rest on her knees, and sat like this while Sean just put a reassuring hand on her back. "I was going to tell them, but I knew you would have blew up at me for it."
Ebony had to smile at that, "Ya. I probably would have." She sighed. "Why can't Oliver be as comforting as you?! I still can't believe they forgot my birthday. An Oliver of all people. As if my summer wasn't bad enough, not only did my parents forget my Birthday, but HE did. That hurt." Sean just stood there, thinking of what to say. finally, "Well you know Oliver, never was that bright. Can never keep his days right! I'm sorry that you had to get hung up on stupid Oliver! But at least one of your good buddies remembered your sweet sixteen, Me. I'm sure he'll remember tomorrow, and then you can take pleasure in all his apologizing and sucking up! I know you'd like that!" He said nudging her shoulder with an all knowing/mischievous look on his face. "I don't know whatever you could be referring to!" was all she said to his implication. "Unhuh!" He said rolling his eyes. He gave her a quick hug, then led her to the picnic on the floor. They talked for hours. And Ebony was grateful he didn't bring up Balinor. Sean looked at his watch, "Eb, we really should be getting back. But we can talk later. okay?" He said. She whined, "Do we have to?" But Sean gave her a cheerful and reassuring look that made her changed her mind. "Alright!" With that they climbed down from the tree house to the solid ground and slowly made their way home.
They went around the house and entered through the basement door, at Sean's request. It was pitch black, she turned on the light and suddenly she herd multiple, loud voices, "SURPRISE!!!" Ebony jumped, and took in the colourful view of the room. There was a huge banner that said: Happy 16th!!! in purple letters. It was beautiful! "I'm sorry everyone! I thought you had forgotten." But her Mum told her not to be sorry, and that they were the ones who should be sorry. They had needed her to think they forgot about her cause they had wanted the party to be a big surprise. And it was!
She looked at the people before her and saw a man that hadn't been here when she had left that morning. "GRANDPA STANAVEL!!!" Ebony grandfather, on her mother's side, was very old. He was tall, but had a bit of a belly. His long white hair was tied back in a ponytail and he had a short white goatee. He came forward and wrapped Ebony in his arms, lifted her and spun her around. "Hello child. Though I guess you no longer are a child. Sixteen. You sure have grown." Grandpa Stanavel greeted with his English accent. "What are you doing here?" Ebony asked, "I thought you were going to be held with business in London?" Stanavel just smiled down at his grand daughter, "I couldn't miss such an important day for my only grand daughter! Business can wait, family comes first."
The rest of the party was very enjoyable. There was awsome music for dancing, a delicious dinner with ice cream and cake for dessert. They even san the 'Happy Birthday' song before she blew out the candles. There was a very special moment that stood out in Ebony's mind when she later thought over the activities of the party, it was when she had gotten icing from the cake on her nose and Oliver half licked, half kissed it off. (kinky!) She got wonderful gifts too! Her parents gotten her the lasted magical gadget that would allow her to listen to her muggle music, where mechanical gadgets couldn't work due to the mass amount of magical energy. Marie and Jonathan got her a gift certificate to a nice wizard clothing store.
Sean gave her a short black clubbing dress. Across the chest of it said, 'Careful. I bite!" Ebony smiled in amusement, "Um, Sean? Where and when am I ever going to wear this?!" Sean looked at her mischievously, "Oh I'm sure we'll find someplace for you to wear it! Perhaps next time you come to England I'll take you out with my friends." Oliver took the dress away and handed her a small box that was his present to her, "You most certainly will do no such thing, Sean! Your friends are far too rowdy!" Ebony gave him a I-can-take-care-of-myself sort of look, to which he ignore. She opened Oliver's present, inside the box was a silver bracelet with an inscription: 'friends for all eternity. promise.'
Her grandfather gave her a necklace. The necklace had a pendant on it. The pendant was round with two stars on it, one star inside the other. On the very inside of the stars was a white and blue swirled crystal and around the outside of the stars was a circle type thing. He took the necklace and turned her around to put it on her. "This necklace has been in my family for centuries. It said that it protects it's wearer. I hope you treasure it as I have." Though she enjoyed all her presents, she loved her grandfather's necklace, but she gave everyone 'thank you' hugs. That night she slept peacefully, it was one of the only times she had since the night Balinor was destroyed. It had no nightmares, but instead was filled with beautiful dreams.
When dawn came, she went downstairs, and was greeted by smiles. *Maybe things are going to get better?* Throughout the morning, she received a few more gifts from friends that she had gone to Balinor with. It was about lunch when they got a feathery guest at the back door. Alanna answered it, took a look at the letter and started screaming. "Deacon!!!! Deacon, come here now!!!! Hurry up!!! Deacon!!! You've got to see this!!! Ebony!!!!" Ebony, Deacon, Oliver and Sean came rushing up the stairs, from the basement. Jonathan came in from the front yard, and Marie from upstairs. They all were quite curious as to why Alanna was so excited. She was showing the other adults the mark on the unopened letter. Then they looked at Ebony and started jumping up and down around her while cheering 'Hurray!' "Okay. Have you all gone mad?" She said as she looked to Oliver and Sean with pleading eyes. But all they did was laugh. When finally they stopped bouncing around and talking happily to one another, they gave Ebony the letter. She looked at it puzzled. It didn't look special, it looked just like every other letter, except for a logo of some sort, that looked like a coat of arms, was on the back. She open it and read aloud to everyone what it said:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Dear Ms Shadow, We are pleased to inform you that, once again, you have been invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We were sorry to hear that you would not be attending in your first year. We urge you to take this opportunity. A list of school supplies is enclosed, as well as a permission slip for Hogsmeade. Catch the Hogwarts Express at King's Cross Station in London on September 1st. We look forward to your arrival.
Yours sincerely, M. McGonagall
Once Ebony was done. She looked up, everyone had an excited look on their face, even Oliver and Sean. "What? Why is this such good news?" Deacon was the one to answer, "Your mother, Jonathan and myself all went to Hogwarts. It's an exceptional school! We've always wanted you to go there, but we moved here and there was a wizarding school so close. But now that...that you are no longer able to attend there..." Alanna continued, "And Albus has so generously invited you to go. We would be so proud if you went there." Ebony was still confused, "Okay, so you all went there. But the person who wrote this letter said 'again'. That they were sending this letter to me 'again'? What do they mean?" But this time Oliver was the one to answer her, "Even after you've left Hogwarts, you are still given...rewards, shall we say. See since your parents went to Hogwarts, the second you were born your name was place on the enrollment list for the year you turned eleven. Make sense? This is going to be so much fun!!! You and me at Hogwarts together!!!! It'll be awsome!" Ebony got very happy at this news. Oliver went there! Sean went there! She knew she had hear about Hogwarts before, Oliver and Sean had talked about it. "Oh. Well I just want to go to a wizarding school so I guess I could go to Hogwarts. And I'll already know some people, so it'll be okay." All the adults jumped up and down, while Oliver, Sean and Ebony went upstairs to Oliver and Sean's room to talk about Hogwarts. They told her about all the teachers and their classes. About the people, the students and ghosts. They were up all night talking about how much fun this year was going to be.
AN-Thanx mich for your reviews. Your a doll