[Disclaimer: Again, HP & Co. belongs to J.K. Rowling. I wish I was her, but
I'm not. This doesn't belong to me. (Except Adelaide. She came from my
head.. poor, poor me.)]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The letter from Hogwarts arrived the following Monday, only three days after her conversation with Malfoy. Dumbledore was prompt, if nothing else. Adelaide was seated on a bench in the private gardens of the Gentry estate, the stiff paper of the letter from Hogwarts in her hand. It had been delivered not fifteen minutes ago by one of the school owls, the envelope embossed with the seal of Hogwarts. She finally summoned the courage to rip it open, even though she already knew what would be inside.
Miss Gentry,
The Staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would like to extend to you an invitation for the position of Professor of Ancient Runes. You have distinguished yourself in the field, and we feel that you would be an excellent addition to our staff. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore,
Headmaster
Distinguished herself in the field? By possessing one of the more extensive private libraries on the subject? And having been taught runes backwards and forwards since her childhood? Adelaide turned the letter over in her hand, considering. The next few days meant life and death for her. In a way, Lucius was right. She was weak. Because she wasn't really supposed to be a Death Eater. That mark would have never been on her left forearm, if her Father and Mother had not informed her of what she would do. And she had only been thirteen years old. And that had been seventeen years ago. iBloody hell. Time flies. I'm thirty. /i
She rose slowly from her marble seat, and passed through the gated archway to the back of the house. House wasn't really the correct word, but it sufficed in her mind. Manor might have fit better. Not quite a castle, but then, nobody was perfect. She silently wandered inside, letter gripped in one hand, and found her way into the library, amongst the books and tomes that had helped her receive this honor, this opportunity. And so she began her reply.
Headmaster,
I would like to thank you for the invitation, and inform you of my acceptance.
Two weeks before the fall term began, Addy's estate was a complete disaster. Clothes, books, odds and ends were scattered everywhere in the process of being packed. For the past month, her servant and childhood friend Parker had been moaning and swooning every time the topic of Hogwarts had been brought up. True, they had been separated for the two finals years of their schooling, when Adelaide had transferred to Durmstrang, while Parker finished hers with their private tutors. Now in the midst of strewn clothes and half-packed luggage, Parker retraced her now-familiar rant.
"I don't see why you have to go! Addy, you're certainly well enough off that you don't have to work. Ever! Why ever would you want to spend any amount of time in that gloomy castle!?! Really Addy.."
Adelaide spun from her position near the closet, having a rather scanty negligee in her hands.
"Parker, I've told you. I wasn't given the choice in this, but it might just well be what saves my life. You know you can't go with me, and I need you here to make sure things continue running smoothly. Besides, I need someone to make sure the hired help doesn't run off with the good silver, and you're it. Prat."
Parker sighed, and moved to put her arms around her best friend.
"I know. I'm just worried. What if you're found out? Do you have any idea how dangerous the game your playing is? I couldn't bear to lose you."
Addy relaxed into Parker's hug. She knew how worried her companion was. Though Parker had grown up with Adelaide, been through the same schooling and many of the same conditions, the two couldn't have been more different. Adelaide, forced into a role as Death Eater, had become cynical and hardened. Parker was still naïve, even though she knew Addy's life better than her own. And she still thought of Parker as a girl, though they were both thirty.
"I know, I know. I can't promise I won't get hurt. But then, isn't that why I'm going? To be protected?"
Truth be told, she was more worried for Parker than herself. Her childhood companion, her best friend, her personal servant and lady-in-waiting. Parker was more exposed here alone than Adelaide would be at Hogwarts. Hogwarts at least had fully trained wizards and witches, most of whom were at the top of their respective fields. Capable magic users staffed the manor, but if push came to shove and someone came knocking at the door, they'd just be lambs at the slaughter.
"Just promise me, Parker, that you'll not go anywhere by yourself. Keep the wards up."
With a nod from the girl, Addy turned back to her packing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[A/N: Another chapter up, yes... on the same night! As per usual, please review! Thanks to Greenie for her lending of Parker! And yes, this has been revised. And yes again, I know that some of the story jumps, and seems disjointed. Things won't start falling together for awhile, but they will eventually! I promise!]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The letter from Hogwarts arrived the following Monday, only three days after her conversation with Malfoy. Dumbledore was prompt, if nothing else. Adelaide was seated on a bench in the private gardens of the Gentry estate, the stiff paper of the letter from Hogwarts in her hand. It had been delivered not fifteen minutes ago by one of the school owls, the envelope embossed with the seal of Hogwarts. She finally summoned the courage to rip it open, even though she already knew what would be inside.
Miss Gentry,
The Staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry would like to extend to you an invitation for the position of Professor of Ancient Runes. You have distinguished yourself in the field, and we feel that you would be an excellent addition to our staff. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore,
Headmaster
Distinguished herself in the field? By possessing one of the more extensive private libraries on the subject? And having been taught runes backwards and forwards since her childhood? Adelaide turned the letter over in her hand, considering. The next few days meant life and death for her. In a way, Lucius was right. She was weak. Because she wasn't really supposed to be a Death Eater. That mark would have never been on her left forearm, if her Father and Mother had not informed her of what she would do. And she had only been thirteen years old. And that had been seventeen years ago. iBloody hell. Time flies. I'm thirty. /i
She rose slowly from her marble seat, and passed through the gated archway to the back of the house. House wasn't really the correct word, but it sufficed in her mind. Manor might have fit better. Not quite a castle, but then, nobody was perfect. She silently wandered inside, letter gripped in one hand, and found her way into the library, amongst the books and tomes that had helped her receive this honor, this opportunity. And so she began her reply.
Headmaster,
I would like to thank you for the invitation, and inform you of my acceptance.
Two weeks before the fall term began, Addy's estate was a complete disaster. Clothes, books, odds and ends were scattered everywhere in the process of being packed. For the past month, her servant and childhood friend Parker had been moaning and swooning every time the topic of Hogwarts had been brought up. True, they had been separated for the two finals years of their schooling, when Adelaide had transferred to Durmstrang, while Parker finished hers with their private tutors. Now in the midst of strewn clothes and half-packed luggage, Parker retraced her now-familiar rant.
"I don't see why you have to go! Addy, you're certainly well enough off that you don't have to work. Ever! Why ever would you want to spend any amount of time in that gloomy castle!?! Really Addy.."
Adelaide spun from her position near the closet, having a rather scanty negligee in her hands.
"Parker, I've told you. I wasn't given the choice in this, but it might just well be what saves my life. You know you can't go with me, and I need you here to make sure things continue running smoothly. Besides, I need someone to make sure the hired help doesn't run off with the good silver, and you're it. Prat."
Parker sighed, and moved to put her arms around her best friend.
"I know. I'm just worried. What if you're found out? Do you have any idea how dangerous the game your playing is? I couldn't bear to lose you."
Addy relaxed into Parker's hug. She knew how worried her companion was. Though Parker had grown up with Adelaide, been through the same schooling and many of the same conditions, the two couldn't have been more different. Adelaide, forced into a role as Death Eater, had become cynical and hardened. Parker was still naïve, even though she knew Addy's life better than her own. And she still thought of Parker as a girl, though they were both thirty.
"I know, I know. I can't promise I won't get hurt. But then, isn't that why I'm going? To be protected?"
Truth be told, she was more worried for Parker than herself. Her childhood companion, her best friend, her personal servant and lady-in-waiting. Parker was more exposed here alone than Adelaide would be at Hogwarts. Hogwarts at least had fully trained wizards and witches, most of whom were at the top of their respective fields. Capable magic users staffed the manor, but if push came to shove and someone came knocking at the door, they'd just be lambs at the slaughter.
"Just promise me, Parker, that you'll not go anywhere by yourself. Keep the wards up."
With a nod from the girl, Addy turned back to her packing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[A/N: Another chapter up, yes... on the same night! As per usual, please review! Thanks to Greenie for her lending of Parker! And yes, this has been revised. And yes again, I know that some of the story jumps, and seems disjointed. Things won't start falling together for awhile, but they will eventually! I promise!]
