It had been nearly a month since the incident in Flourish and Blotts but Tatiana still couldn't get the stunning green eyes out of her mind. Whenever she closed her eyes they were there, seeing through her, to her soul. While this experience wasn't all together unpleasant, Tatiana still felt a little queer about being read like a book.
'Come on, Tat, get a hold of yourself. It's just another one of those weird memory things, nothing big.'
However, Tatiana still felt a slightly peculiar about the whole ordeal. After all, the Memories didn't happen that often and they were always odd. She would recall the strangest things without wanting to; they simply surfaced in her consciousness. But what bothered Tatiana most was that sometimes the Memories weren't memories at all. Sometimes they were the future, or even someone else's recollections, usually a dead someone.
Shaking herself mentally, Tatiana carried her suitcase down the Grand Stairway. She had carefully packed everything she felt she needed: pajamas, dress robes (just in case), a pair of frocks to wear to semi- formal occasions such as Christmas or Easter dinner, and a few pairs of slacks and pullovers for winter. Oh, and of course the little stuffed rabbit that Tatiana still cuddled up with when the Memories crowded out her dreams.
Tatiana smiled. Everything's perfect. Tomorrow I'll leave for school, and then, well, that's just gonna be a mystery.
"Ana," Marya called, "Supper's ready, dear!"
The young girl turned happily towards the dining room where she saw her mother and father lovingly lighting a candle together, softly laughing as if they shared a private joke. Tatiana sighed and felt as if all was right with the world, or at least her world. She sat down in her place between her parents and all three, after saying grace, contentedly started their dinners.
Just then, Tatiana got a Memory, but a backwards one, or rather forwards. The premonition showed Nicholas and an unrecognizable figure in tears mourning someone's death. Tatiana tried to see who the person was but before she had the chance to think it through, the Memory was gone.
Poor Tatiana sat frozen and pale in her chair. Seeing death wasn't a good thing no matter who died. The visions always took away happiness and energy from the Seer leaving them saddened and weak.
"Ana! Ana, sweetie, are you okay?" cried Nicholas.
Marya paled to almost the same shade as her daughter. She gasped chokingly while checking to see that Tatiana herself could breathe.
"I'm.fine. Just a bit.tired. I'm going to.rest," the benumbed girl stammered.
Tatiana slowly and shakily rose from the table and stumbled to her room. Upon reaching her room, she collapsed onto her soft, welcoming bed. Then the Memory came again, this time with the faint shadow of a pair of eyes in the back ground. These eyes, however, were not the fresh green of the Bookstore Boy's as Tatiana had taken to calling him in her thoughts, but an evil, malicious red, shaped like those of a snake.
Despite the fearful images playing like an old, run down nickelodeon, Tatiana was hesitant to tell her parents. Neither of them understood the Memories and regarded them as some sort of mental problem. Both Marya and Nicholas avoided discussing such things even with each other and became panicky and stressed when Tatiana told them of a recent Memory. No, it was better not to tell them, but still.Tatiana wished she hadn't packed her rabbit so soon and reached for a plush lion to calm her fears and was soon asleep.
The next morning, Tatiana felt worse. The Memory had filled her dreams becoming slightly more detailed as time drew on. Just before waking, the girl had seen the exact location and date that the death would occur. Diagon Alley, September 9th, but who? Who will die? Tatiana sat in bed trying to remember all the details of what she had Seen. Maybe there was a clue as to the unfortunate victim's identity. Deep in thought, Tatiana didn't notice some one had entered her room.
"Don't think too hard, you'll hurt yourself."
Tatiana uttered a soft scream and looked up sharply. A tall, blond young man stood behind her. He wore robes of shimmering blue and had a faint azure glow around him.
"Oh! Kamali! You startled me!" Tatiana hugged the boy as he sat down beside her on the bed.
"Hey, squirt! Just wanted to congratulate you on getting into Hogwarts! I know a couple of the resident ghosts there. It's a great place to be," Kamali said.
"Oh, really? Well, I'm glad you came. A month after I got the letter isn't too long to wait. Are you sure that's the only reason you're here? After all, you are my Spirit Guide and my protector. is there anything you want to say?"
Tatiana, along with many Seers, had what was called a Spirit Guide who protected them mentally and, if needed, physically. These Guides were usually supernatural beings, such as angels or ghosts, but could be sprites. Kamali was a sprite. The Guides were always tuned into the thought of the universe and so were often helpful to there psychic charges. Tatiana hoped that her Guide would help her interpret her Memory but didn't want to ask him openly. She found much more information was given when accidentally told.
Kamali smiled regretfully. "You know I can't help you in this, Tat. I wish I could but I don't get information about death until just before it happens. The angels and, of course, GOD don't want us sprites interfering with the natural order of things. We are very close to humans and like them dying almost as little as you do."
Tatiana sighed. Not only had Kamali not told her anything, but he'd seen right through to her trick. Why couldn't he ever just let her win one of those games?
"I can, however, accompany you to school, just in case. That is.if you want me to."
"Of course I do! I couldn't bear life without you breathing down my neck every two seconds," Tatiana joked.
"And I couldn't bear not having an annoying little psychic I constantly have to keep tabs on. Wait a minute, yes I could!" Kamali countered.
Tatiana playfully shoved Kamali off the bed.
"Fine if that's the way you want it, see you at Hogwarts, half- pint!" The slightly over-tall sprite winked and disappeared in a flash of fluid blue light.
Tatiana frowned. "I'm not short. Li's just tall." She got out of bed and stood in front of her mirror. Tatiana resolutely turned away from her mirror and walked towards the door.
"I'm not short." the Russian girl glanced back over her shoulder, "am I?"
"Of course!" Kamali's reflection in the mirror said.
"I hate it when you do that!" Tatiana yelled as she dashed down
the hall, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.