Disclaimer : - The world of Harry
Potter isn't mine – wish it was – but belongs to JK Rowling… anything from the books is hers not mine….
Anything else is probably mine. Not
getting anything but fun from writing this etc etc etc….
The fic is Rated R ….. if you are not old
enough to read it etc then please don't
Spanning the
By Ridley-Roo
Chapter 13 – A New Day Has Begun
Layla awoke refreshed and confused. She knew it had been afternoon when she had
gone to sleep but had no idea of the time now. Rising slowly in deference to aching limbs and joints grown accustomed
to an awkward sleeping position, she gazed around the chamber.
Her own pictures were now hanging on the walls and familiar
books were perched on the old bookcase she hadn't noticed earlier. So her stuff had arrived and been
unpacked. Folding the blanket, which she
assumed must have been placed over her by the mystery unpacker, she walked over to
the large bed and placed it neatly at the bottom. Catching movement out of the corner of her
eye she turned just as the creature leapt. Landing squarely on one shoulder he immediately started to purr and rub
against his mistress.
'Hello my love. Did
you miss me?' He gave her a firm head
butt for a reply, she smiled and nuzzled back. 'Well then, how about you help me find some fresh clothes and we go off
in search of food eh?'
After a few more head butts and much loud purring he jumped
down and walked, tail high in the air, over to the large wardrobe. Layla followed, gasping as she opened the
large wooden doors. Before her was not
the inside of any ordinary wardrobe, but a space the size of a room, full to
the brim with clothes and accessories. Tentatively she stepped thought the doors and was soon rummaging through
the rows of hangers.
'Is M'Lady ready to dress for the day?'
Layla turned at the unknown voice to see a creature stood in
the wardrobe entrance.
'I be being Rani.' It replied and waited. Layla looked the creature over. It was of indeterminate sex or age with pale
green skin and stood about 3 feet high. Clothed in some sort of sacking it stood waiting for a response with a
look of longing on it's face.
'Rani, please excuse my ignorance… but what… err… what are
you?'
Rani smiled, 'I be being a House Elf
at Hogwarts. The other House Elves be thinking Rani is best House Elf to serve M'Lady.' What now appeared to be a 'she' from the
voice, puffed herself up with pride at that last
statement. Making a mental note to find
out what a 'House Elf' was, Layla gestured for her to enter the wardrobe.
Emitting a squeak of delight, Rani threw herself at the rows
of clothes, and in a matter of minutes there were 3 outfits resting on 3 chairs
(which Layla hadn't noticed earlier and actually suspected had not been there),
and she was being enthusiastically told how each outfit would be flattering and
becoming.
As Layla looked over the proffered outfits it occurred to
her that they were all more suitable to a ball than a school. Of course, she thought, for all I know I am
dressing for a ball.
'Err… Rani?' Rani stopped
mid-speech about a pair of riding boots and shaking slightly, her long pointed
ears flattened back against her head turned to face Layla.
'What time of day is it and what occasion am I dressing
for?' she asked trying to sound reassuring.
'It be just after dawn it be
M'Lady, but Rani is not knowing of any occasion.' The elf was definitely cowering now and the
sight made Layla very uncomfortable. While the outfits looked over the top to her, it appeared that Rani
hadn't thought so and was now afraid she had made a mistake. From the tremors shaking her little body it
was not hard to believe she had been beaten for such mistakes in the past. The thought of such cruelty tightened into a
knot in Layla's stomach, and she decided the best course of action if she
didn't wish to cause this creature more distress, was to choose an outfit and
pray no one laughed.
'Well how about this one?' she moved over to the chair on
the left that held the least ornate dress. Rani's face brightened immediately and before she knew what was
happening Layla found her worn clothes removed and the new dress slipping over
her head. A few minutes later she stood
looking at herself in the mirror (which also seemed to have appeared). Running her hands down the bodice and over
her hips she still thought it over the top, but silently admitted it was also
gorgeous.
'So what do you think?' she asked turning to admire the
sides and what she could see of the back. Rani grinned. Smiling back she
once again held out her arm, this time gesturing out of the wardrobe in the
direction of breakfast.
The small procession wound its way through the corridors
until Rani, Layla and the black creature were outside the Great Hall. Stepping to one side Rani flashed a toothy
grin once more, motioned for Layla to enter, and disappeared with a slight
popping sound.
'Well my love, it looks like it's just you and me.' Layla
said to the creature who leapt up onto her shoulder in
response and purred. Taking a deep
breath she pushed open the doors and went inside.
* * * * * *
The new Head of Gryffindor sat eating his breakfast in a
foul mood. He had spent much of the
previous night breaking up fights and settling petty squabbles amongst the
students. Eventually he had given up and
gone to see the headmaster about this whole ill conceived idea. That Dumbledore and Lupin had both been quite
drunk by the time he had arrived had not improved his mood, and the laughter
heard filtering down the moving staircase as he left had brought on the current
dark brooding. Sipping his tea he was
amusing himself with ways he could get even (including a promising idea
involving pink frilly knickers) when the main doors opened and Layla strode
into the hall.
She was dressed in a robe the colour
of spring grass with elaborate Celtic knot work embroidered in a multitude of colours around the neckline (which was pleasing low and
revealing he noted), sleeves and hem. However, unlike the robes generally considered suitable for a fully
grown woman, the hemline at the front only came to mid-calf length before
sweeping down at the back to trail lightly along the floor. Black leather boots could be seen
disappearing underneath the skirt and the Cuban heels clacked on the stone
flagstone as she advanced down the hall. Moving upwards the waist was fitted revealing a wonderful curve to her
body and encouraged the skirt to swish and sway as she walked. A scooped neckline showed enough cleavage to
make him giddy and the sleeves were fitted at the top tapering down so that her
hands could be seen emerging from long folds of fabric the bottom of which was
some 7 or 8 inches below her hands. Perched on her shoulder was a magnificent black cat who
seemed to be challenging anyone to impede their progress.
Layla hoped that no one could hear her heart pounding as she
mounted the steps leading up to the dais with the staff table on it. Belatedly she wondered if she was still
supposed to take her meals there, but pushed the thought to the back of her
mind. Turning she walked around the side
of the table and started to make her way behind the chairs looking for a seat.
Spotting Snape she decided to give Katrina's approach a go
and continued towards him past several empty chairs. As she reached him she raised a hand and
trailed a finger lightly along the back of his shoulders as she passed before
turning sharply and settling herself into the chair to his right. His body stiffened and gasps could be heard
from around the hall as she sat down and for a moment she was afraid it was the
dress. The cat jumped lightly onto the
back of the chair and glared around in defiance. It was only then that she realised
she was in the elaborately engraved chair belonging to the Headmaster.