It occurred to Jade for the first time what she was doing. She may have
believed in magic, but she had never prepared herself for anything like
this. As she glanced around her, she felt like nothing was the same. The
moon overhead cast an eerie white light over the front lawn, causing it to
sparkle slightly with early morning dew. There were so many memories in
this yard. The cherry tree she, her mother and her father had planted
together when she was 5. The front porch where she had received her very
first bee sting. The little metal table and chair set where Lora Lye had
always sat and had her morning coffee. Jade even remembered the many times
that her father had walked up that cobblestone pathway and thrown open his
arms waiting for her warm embrace.
Her father had left her and her mother when she was only 1 year old. Why? She had no idea. Lora Lye was always very vague on the details, obviously not wanting her daughter to go after him. Jade had always looked forward to his visits. He was usually able to make it for Christmas and for her birthdays. This year, however, he had to stay back for an important business meeting. He had sent her a present though. Two things. The first was a beautiful golden mirror, engraved with carvings so intricate and detailed, it looked as though the angels themselves must have fashioned it. She had placed it directly into a black satin bag, not wanting it to be ruined. The second thing she had received was a dress. It was a deep red, satin/silk material, soft as rose petals. Jade had never tried it on, feeling somehow unworthy of its beauty.
She was suddenly snapped back to reality at the sound of footsteps. Both Dumbledore and Hagrid had stopped and were now starring fixedly on the pair of bushes in front of them. Jade would have laughed at the sight of these two tall men, hunched before a set of shrubs, if it weren't for the sudden and very high pitched, yelp of pain that reached her ears. She too began to stare, just as something large and furry came tumbling onto the ground.
She screamed and the boy - for she had now realized that it was in fact a boy - looked up. He smiled and something black jumped off his back and into the bushes behind him.
'Hello! You must be Jade! I'm Fox! Fox Knight, and it's a pleasure to meet you. Sorry about that! Bloody squirrels!'
'Fox, what were you doing in the bushes?' came Dumbledore's voice. 'Did you miss your destination again? Maybe they should consider making you retake that apperation test.'
'No, no Professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the boy frantically. ' I meant to end up in the bushes. Really. I was. Um. Hiding! Yes that's it, hiding!'
He glanced toward Jade with a pleading look and even though Jade really didn't know him, she had to help him out.
'Its nice to meet you Fox,' she said quickly, hoping he'd catch the hint. He did.
'How are you? I mean this must have been a huge shock for you.'
'I'm ok,' she replied shyly.
He was gorgeous! Tall, but not too tall, with chestnut hair and the most amazing smile. Hot! Hot, hot, hot, hooot! Ahhh! His eyes. They were what really caught her attention. One was blue and the other was green. She felt her heart soften, her knees weaken and her lips stretch into a wide, affectionate smile.
Fox seemed to be studying her too. She sensed something strange when they're eyes finally met and she was forced to look down at her feet.
'Well,' Dumbledore broke the silence. 'Now that we've all met, I say we get going. Tell me Jade, do you, by any chance, have a fireplace?'
'Yes, Professor,' she replied, confused. 'But why?'
'Well, show me the way and I shall show you Miss Moonstone.'
And that she did. She led the 3 men back into her home and they settled themselves in front of her large living room fireplace.
Dumbledore pulled a small velvet pouch out of the inside of his robes and opened it very carefully. He dipped his long, delicate fingers inside and withdrew a pinch of dazzling white powder.
'Stand back,' he announced. He leaned backwards and held his hand out before him, and suddenly, he stood back up and turned towards Hagrid.
'Would you please do the honors, Hagrid. I've never been very good at this.'
'A'right!'
Hagrid seemed more than obliged as he took the white powder from Professor Dumbledore and threw it into the pit. He shielded his eyes, waiting for the blast, but nothing came.
As he slowly uncovered his face, Jade realized that this definitely was not the outcome he had intended upon. However, after a few moments of silence, comprehension dawned on him. He had not lit a fire. How stupid.
Feeling foolish, he pulled out a long, wooden stick and pointed it at the empty grate. He whispered a few words under his breath that Jade could not understand and a couple of, what looked like small red balls, shot out from the end of it.
Suddenly, the fireplace began to glow with a bright, green light and Hagrid, looking relieved, walked forwards (and when I say walk, I mean waddle, for Hagrid had to crouch down very close to the ground in order to fit into the tiny fireplace). When he was fully engulfed with green flames, he yelled; 'The Three Broomsticks!' and disappeared without a trace.
Her father had left her and her mother when she was only 1 year old. Why? She had no idea. Lora Lye was always very vague on the details, obviously not wanting her daughter to go after him. Jade had always looked forward to his visits. He was usually able to make it for Christmas and for her birthdays. This year, however, he had to stay back for an important business meeting. He had sent her a present though. Two things. The first was a beautiful golden mirror, engraved with carvings so intricate and detailed, it looked as though the angels themselves must have fashioned it. She had placed it directly into a black satin bag, not wanting it to be ruined. The second thing she had received was a dress. It was a deep red, satin/silk material, soft as rose petals. Jade had never tried it on, feeling somehow unworthy of its beauty.
She was suddenly snapped back to reality at the sound of footsteps. Both Dumbledore and Hagrid had stopped and were now starring fixedly on the pair of bushes in front of them. Jade would have laughed at the sight of these two tall men, hunched before a set of shrubs, if it weren't for the sudden and very high pitched, yelp of pain that reached her ears. She too began to stare, just as something large and furry came tumbling onto the ground.
She screamed and the boy - for she had now realized that it was in fact a boy - looked up. He smiled and something black jumped off his back and into the bushes behind him.
'Hello! You must be Jade! I'm Fox! Fox Knight, and it's a pleasure to meet you. Sorry about that! Bloody squirrels!'
'Fox, what were you doing in the bushes?' came Dumbledore's voice. 'Did you miss your destination again? Maybe they should consider making you retake that apperation test.'
'No, no Professor Dumbledore, sir,' said the boy frantically. ' I meant to end up in the bushes. Really. I was. Um. Hiding! Yes that's it, hiding!'
He glanced toward Jade with a pleading look and even though Jade really didn't know him, she had to help him out.
'Its nice to meet you Fox,' she said quickly, hoping he'd catch the hint. He did.
'How are you? I mean this must have been a huge shock for you.'
'I'm ok,' she replied shyly.
He was gorgeous! Tall, but not too tall, with chestnut hair and the most amazing smile. Hot! Hot, hot, hot, hooot! Ahhh! His eyes. They were what really caught her attention. One was blue and the other was green. She felt her heart soften, her knees weaken and her lips stretch into a wide, affectionate smile.
Fox seemed to be studying her too. She sensed something strange when they're eyes finally met and she was forced to look down at her feet.
'Well,' Dumbledore broke the silence. 'Now that we've all met, I say we get going. Tell me Jade, do you, by any chance, have a fireplace?'
'Yes, Professor,' she replied, confused. 'But why?'
'Well, show me the way and I shall show you Miss Moonstone.'
And that she did. She led the 3 men back into her home and they settled themselves in front of her large living room fireplace.
Dumbledore pulled a small velvet pouch out of the inside of his robes and opened it very carefully. He dipped his long, delicate fingers inside and withdrew a pinch of dazzling white powder.
'Stand back,' he announced. He leaned backwards and held his hand out before him, and suddenly, he stood back up and turned towards Hagrid.
'Would you please do the honors, Hagrid. I've never been very good at this.'
'A'right!'
Hagrid seemed more than obliged as he took the white powder from Professor Dumbledore and threw it into the pit. He shielded his eyes, waiting for the blast, but nothing came.
As he slowly uncovered his face, Jade realized that this definitely was not the outcome he had intended upon. However, after a few moments of silence, comprehension dawned on him. He had not lit a fire. How stupid.
Feeling foolish, he pulled out a long, wooden stick and pointed it at the empty grate. He whispered a few words under his breath that Jade could not understand and a couple of, what looked like small red balls, shot out from the end of it.
Suddenly, the fireplace began to glow with a bright, green light and Hagrid, looking relieved, walked forwards (and when I say walk, I mean waddle, for Hagrid had to crouch down very close to the ground in order to fit into the tiny fireplace). When he was fully engulfed with green flames, he yelled; 'The Three Broomsticks!' and disappeared without a trace.