Disclaimer: I own nothing. Nothing. Except Selene, Toren, Nemo, and Rowan. Hey I guess I do own something after all huh. Neat. Oh well on with the story.
Author note: In case your confused this chapter is set about four years after the Last one.
Chapter 2: the Letter
Selene ran across the forest floor. Deliberately darting in different directions and under logs. She ran right passed Rowan and Toren. The force so great it set their hair (and tail in Rowans case) billowing. Shortly after, what appeared to be an owl zipped passed
Rowan turned to Toren to ask if he knew what that was about, but Toren beat him to the punch.
"That things been chasin' sis ever since we got up this mornin'" he said with a shrug.
Rowan looked at where they dissapeared into the forest for a moment, before turning back to Toren
"Did she ever think to stop and ask it what it wanted?" Toren gave him a strange look, as if that hadn't occurred to him either. Rowan just sighed and shook his head.
They saw Selene start to make another pass when she skidded to a halt kicking up dust, which caused them to cough, and shifting back into a human. Then she turned and waited for the owl. It appeared as though she had gotten sick of running and not getting away. After awhile the owl appeared. Flying very unsteady, and slow to boot. It made it to Selene and then collapsed in a dead faint.
"What's that he's holding?" asked Toren while pointing at a letter gripped in the unconscious bird's claw. Selene blinked and reached down to pry the letter out of its talon (that bird had a strong grip!) She turned the letter over and examined it while Toren read over her shoulder. It was a yellowish envelope. She sniffed it but all it smelled like was owl, with a trace of cat. She shrugged. And read the green writing on the front.
Ms.S.Lupin
The Den
Black Forest
Northern Ireland
She turned it over and slit it open. Inside was a letter. Which she unfolded and read.
Hogwarts school of witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, first class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards.)
Dear Ms. Lupin,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonogall
Deputy Headmistress
Toren managed to sum it up in only a few words.
" What the hell?"
Selene whipped around. " Toren! Watch your mouth. You know mom doesn't like you talking like that."
"Sorry. So what are you gonna do about this? You gonna go?" he asked gesturing to the letter in her hand. She looked back down at it.
"I don't know. But what's it mean by "await your owl'?" she asked looking at Rowan. He looked at the letter and then back at Selene.
" I think we need to talk to your mother about this. Grab that owl and lets go back to the den." He said walking off and leaving the children behind. They looked at each other, shrugged, and raced after him, Selene picking up the comatose bird on the way.
***
Nemo had been taking a nap when everyone came in, and Selene dropped an owl onto his poor head.
"Ow! What's this? Lunch?" he asked poking at the bird, that for all appearances looked dead. Selene shook her head.
"Nah. That's the mail man erbird sorta." She answered walking over to her mother and plopping down to rest against her wing. Toren came over and sat next to his sister. Until his mom started messing with his hair. He batted her talon away.
"Aw come on, mom, leave my hair alone.' He said trying to fix it. The gryffin laughed.
" It's always so messy Toren, I was just trying to make it look better." Toren looked offended.
"I like my hair messy!' he growled. Although he couldn't growl as well as his sister did.
"You like it messy, huh?" Selene play growled. "Ok, then." She grabbed his head and started grinding her fist into his hair.
"Ow! Hey gerroff." He said struggling out of her grip and attempting to sooth his abused hair.
"All right, that's enough." Rowan said drawing everyone's attention to him. He looked at Selene. " Show your mother the letter."
Selene shrugged and pulled out the letter from her shirt and gave it to the gryffin. She took it in her talons and read it over.
"Well, Selene, it appears you're a witch, or at least part witch." She said.
"So is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Selene asked confused.
"It's good. It means you can learn to do magic, that's what that school is for." Rowan said. Selene's ears came down.
"Does that mean I have to leave home?" the gryffin and centaur looked at each other, then back at Selene.
"Well, yes dear. But Toren will probably be joining you in about four years." Their mother said. Selene's jaw set in determination.
"Then I'm not going. Not 'till Toren does, at least."
" But Selene.." her mother started to say when Rowan cut her off.
"Maybe that would be best." Everyone looked at him. He looked at the gryffin.
"They have never been around other humans before. It would be best if they were together when they did go. I can teach her until Toren gets his letter. Then they can go together." He explained. She nodded.
"Perhaps your right. But we should let the school know what we're doing, so they know that she will be coming. Just in four years, when Toren enters." Rowan nodded and walked over to a basket that the children put their writing materials in. he got out a quill and some parchment and wrote to the headmaster explaining what they were doing. He then walked over and attached the letter to the still sleeping bird. He used a simple reviving spell on it and took it to the entrance of the den, where he threw it into the afternoon sun.
***
A few days later a letter arrived from the headmaster saying that he agreed to the plan, and that he looked forward to meeting Selene and Toren in four years time.
And so Selene's lessons in magical learning begin. Pray for Rowan. He'll need it.
*****
Authors Note: hope you liked it. Let me know of any ideas you might have to make this story better. But try to be gentle with my feelings, they bruise easily. And incase anyone wondered how Toren could be so young when his father was taken to prison five years before he was born. Just pretend that Sirius was aloud one special visit by Maria ok. Thanks and review.
Next time: Adventures in magical learning
Or
Rowans headache