Disclaimer: Riddle: I know I'm not J.K Rowling, you know I'm not J.K Rowling, so why are we wasting good paper space? Answer: Cunning trial lawyers

Chapter 2: Oswald Manner

There was complete silence that evening as I walked down the unfamiliar street. The sun was quite a ways from setting but the unusually large leafed trees seemed to plunge the street into a continual night. It was distressing enough to have to walk down the infamous Charad Street at all, let alone be forced to search for number 13. For, everyone in the wizarding world knew about the mystery that had occurred there less than twenty years ago.

Once Charad Street had been home to the most prominent wizarding families. The extravagant façades, as I walked down this dark road remained as a tribute to that time. It had required either a lot of gold or a lot of influence to buy a home along this road. Apparently one family who had moved into the largest mansion on the street had acquired both. The father who had recently been promoted in the ministry of magic was happily married with two daughters. The family lived peacefully in the house until one night.

A piercing shriek was heard coming from the upstairs window, and the law enforcment squad was called in. By the time they reached the house the shrieking had stopped. But instead of relief, an eerie silence had fallen. Two members of the law enforcement squad cautiously entered the mansion. There was a longer silence, a large crowd had now gathered outside the house breathlessly awaiting the report of what had awoken them. It was not long before two more shrieks were heard and another eerie silence fell.

It continued like this for hours. Those who entered the house disappeared in much the same manner as the first two. When at last two aurors were lost to the shrieks of the mansion, the ministry made the decision not to risk any more. The street was evacuated and the house placed under protection. No one had lived on the street since that night. The family who lived in the mansion was never seen nor heard from again. The ministry maintained that Charad Street was as safe as any other in the country. In normal circumstances, I would have whole heartedly agreed with them. I hardly believed in children's myths after all. Still, the unseasonable chirpings of creatures other than birds, coming from the bows of overgrown leaves made me more cautious than I might have been on any other street.

I walked on holding myself as high as I possibly could under the circumstances. Number 13 was placed at the last corner of the street.

This mansion was, even in the dim light, quite extravagant. The façade of the house was solid gold from top to bottom, and the windows had seemingly been bewitched to hold realistic looking stars twinkling in their reflection. Two cherubim's looked down at me giggling consistently as I walked under the archway to the front door of the mansion. The gilded, old- fashioned hammer placed on the door seemed to have no magic powers. However, as I lifted it to knock the door, a blood curtling shriek filled the street, which made me jump at least two feet from where I had been standing. The long yell stopped as suddenly as it had come. Then as if on cue the door to the mansion creaked open. I could not help but to step back further from the front steps.

Perhaps it was the sound of the shriek continuing to echo in my ear, but I expected the door to reveal some monster equal to the horrid feeling that the street evoked in me. I was surprised to see that instead the door revealed a perfectly normal looking girl. Indeed her face pleasantly contrasted the dark street on which she resided. Her blond hair had been pulled up in an attempt to keep it off her neck, but two unruly wisps seemed to have fallen haphazardly framing her face. Her cheeks were so large and rosy that one could not help but compare them to the cherubims above the archway (whose giggling had increased since the door had opened). Despite these traits of suggestive happiness, her grey eyes gave a distinctive feel of traditional order. Suggesting a sternness beyond her years. (For, she could not have been older than 19)

She wore the beginnings of an expectant and even excited smile as she opened the door. However, when she saw me standing on the front step her face fell slightly.

'Yes? What is it?' Her rather crisp voice had a note of determined calm as if hiding a fear she felt. Though it seemed at the time that I had more right to be fearful than she. I collected myself from the shock of the succession of events. I answered her in the most official tone I could muster.

'My name is Percy Weasly. I was sent by the minister of magic with a package for-' It had not occurred to me until then that the minister had not told me who to give the package to when I arrived. For surely there would be more than one person living in such a large mansion. Perhaps picking up on my hesitation the girl continued for me.

'-For my sister. Her medication, thank you very much sir.' I was slightly taken back by this. I had never been called "sir" before. Not even by my lower ranking co-workers. She gave me an almost relieved smile as she bid me good day and slowly began to close the door.

Even as she did however, a loud crunch sounded from a nearby bush. The sound gave me the eerie impression of bones being gnawed. I felt the blood leaving my face as I again stepped back slightly.

'On second thought perhaps you had better come inside sir.' I had not realized that the girl had not gone inside, and felt slightly ashamed for appearing so cowardly.

'the street isn't particularly safe during daylight hours.'

'Yes, thank you.' I answered attempting to sound unphased. She opened the door wider allowing me to step inside.

While the outside of the mansion was extravagantly beautiful, the inside appeared quite ordinary and much smaller. I walked into a living room with a simple couch, and coffee table. The room contained an adjoining kitchen with a fold out card table and tea kettle. In fact by looking at the house from the inside one would not be able to tell that it had any magical properties at all.

'I'm afraid that the manner isn't quite furnished yet, we've only just moved in you see. I hope you don't mind.' She said leading the way to the kitchen.

'No, no it's perfectly all right. By the way, not to be rude, but who exactly are you?' At first she stared at me with a questioning glance which made me wish that I had not asked at all. Then however, she seemed to come to herself and showed a slightly apologetic smile.

'My name is Celia. Celia Oswald.' She gave me her right hand and I shook it. 'It's lovely to meet you Mr. Weasly' And she continued her way into the kitchen.

This was another manner in which I was not used to being addressed. Only my father was known as Mr.Weasly. This was not a fact I was particularly proud of. After all, I had made it clear that I wanted, in no way to be associated with my father. However as there was no way she could possibly know this, I chose to ignore the comment.

'Please sit down.' She said gesturing to the small card tables with three small wooden chairs placed around it. I chose the seat at the head of the table. Two china tea mugs had already been set out.

'Were you expecting someone.Miss Oswald?' I asked, wanting to appear as polite as she seemed to be. She turned to me with the same curious stare she wore when I had asked her who she was. It was as if she were not used to being addressed in such a formal manner. As strange as this seemed to me, I had learned long ago that it is best not to question.

She collected herself once more and answered in her common crisp and upright tone. 'Oh, we don't get many visitors here. No, I was about to take a cup up to my sister.'

'Has she been ill long?' I asked attempting to keep conversation.

' For the past year.' She answered handing me a cup of tea as she sat down in the chair opposite me. 'The poor dear cannot even walk down the stairs any longer. That's why we moved to Charad Street. Alieanna, my sister, has a condition that does not take well to light and sound. Since the street was isolated and dark it was the perfect location. Also, the fact that my family had once owned a good deal of property here helped.'

'What property did they own?' I asked.

'My family owned this mansion a little less than twenty years ago. In fact, they used to call the house Oswald manner before. well, you know the legend of course.' I gave a curt nod before she continued.

'I was young. Only six months old in fact, when they evacuated the street. We've lived in a house just outside London since then. When Alieanna fell ill, my father managed to buy back the property, even though every one said he was mad to do it. All that nonsense about the curse.' She trailed off into a laugh, so much so that I could not help but laugh with her. Still, as she began to speak again I had a distinct feeling that she wanted to change the subject.

' So you work for the ministry of magic? What exactly do you do?'

Almost grateful for a chance not to speak about old legends and cursed streets, I immediately went into an explanation of my work duties. This took quite a while, as my list of duties as a junior under-secretary were extensive. Celia seemed interested in the ministry and listened politely. I was pleased that she also fervently agreed with many ministry policies.

'Well, I must say it dose seem like reform in that school is long overdue.' She said after I had told her about the new policies at Hogwarts.

'I quite agree. But, I'm afraid professor Umbridge is experiencing very little cooperation from the staff.'

'I wouldn't expect anything more with Dumbledore in charge. My father has been railing against him for quite some time now. In fact, I believe that Dumbledore is the very reason my sister and I never attended Hogwarts.' She said this very calmly as she sipped her tea. I, on the other hand was quite puzzled. I had never heard of magical children not attending the school before, no matter how their parents felt about the headmaster.

'You didn't go to hogwarts?' I asked incredulously.

'Oh, no.' Celia answered conversationally. 'My father taught us both himself.' It was at that moment, an echoing crash coming from the upstairs room made both of us jump.

'That'll be Alieanna. It's time for her medication.' Celia trailed off. She began to walk upstairs before turning sharply as if just remembering I was still in the room.

'Oh, it should be safe to go out now' She said glancing at the clock above the card table.

'I'll see you to the door.'

I followed her past the couch in the living room and out the front door as she held it open.

'Thank you for the medication Mr.Weasly. I do hope you will stop by again soon.' She said in an officially traditional voice.

'I hope so too miss Oswald. Good evening.' And with a little nod, she shut the door to the mansion. I stared at the street. Night had indeed fallen, though one could barely tell. The odd chirpings and gnawing had stopped. Feeling somehow safer, I began to dismount the front steps. The only noise I heard as I left the mansion, were the giggling of the two gilded cherubim's as one of them called gleefully after me.

'You were in there long enough!'