Hi!

OK, here's the fixed version.

Hope it helps!

Please note the reference is in the bit about the letter...

Dangerous Dealings

My education at Beaxbatons was very good. I was the top student in my year and apparently as good looking as the best veela girls.

My Professors all favoured me as a student and my class members and dorm mates could not find fault with me, I was never there longer than need be.

My absence although regarded as strange at first, was gradually excepted until it was beyond any notice.

I was only known to be found during lessons, practices, mealtimes and the like. The rest of the time, one could even dispute my existence.

My brother wrote to me every day at first, my mother every week. Gradually, my letters from Durmstang, my brother's school, became fewer. My mother's letters too, became scarcer.

Eventually, the owls appeared more tattered on arrival, when they arrived.

The War had begun. All slowly became unfamiliar and increasingly hostile.

I remember the day.

(Please note dialogue has been translated from French to English)

"Shadow!"

"Yes?" I replied to a half veela called Fiona, my closest resemblance to a friend.

"That looks like one of your owls." She said pointing to a very torn and beaten flying rag.

The owl collapsed in front of me and crooned faintly. The owl didn't really belong to me, but rather was one of my regular messengers. I carefully scooped the owl up and carried it off to the animal keeper. Fiona had elected to accompany me. She gently removed the parcel attached to the owl's leg.

"Why are all your letters addressed 'Anna'?" Fiona queried.

"It's my second first name, or my first second name, depending how you look at it, actually, it's short for Annastasia."

She mouthed the word 'O'

We delivered the owl to the creature keeper and headed back to breakfast. Fiona handed me the letter. I stopped in my tracks.

"Shad?" Fiona asked.

"You go on I'll join you later."

She frowned but went on her way. I stared at the letter. My eyes unable to drag themselves away from the second sentence,

Anna, I can no longer keep this from you, it is now imperative that you know. We are in grave danger. Your whereabouts are most likely unsafe. I have arranged that you will be transferred at the end of the school year to another and hopefully securer academy. I cannot yet tell you where, but I can say that you will not be alone, you will have family and friends close to you. I hope I may write to you soon, and look upon my daughters face once more. Love Your Mother ArureaR.

Nikki. My heart stopped, if 'we' were in danger that meant that Nikki could be in trouble. Thoughts ran through my head. - Was Nikki safe? Did he even know that there was a threat? What if he's in danger? My head spun. I ran back to the owlery.

I found my bird, a beautiful red hawk, and wrote a brief message on some spare parchment.

Nikki, are you all right? When did mum last write? Anything unusual been going on? Promise Your Sister AnnaR.

I tied the note to my hawk and let her free.
Dear Anna, Of course I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be? Is something going on? Everything is normal. Mum last wrote ages ago. What is happening?

Promise Your Brother NickkiR.
I knew that my mother's choice of date would not be the time for me to leave. It was a hoax. Instead of waiting till the end of the year I packed my things, ever ready to leave.
In the fourth term I was surprised one day with the arrival of an unmarked carriage.

I was the only one to bear witness to its appearance, the rest of the school did not venture to the edge of the secluded forest. It was not dangerous but it did have a certain air of mystic, terror and loneliness. It also happened to occasionally be the host to certain, thestrals. Thestrals were often an issue to those who could not detect their presence, or who couldn't see them. I had no such problem.

It was in this carriage that I secretly departed from my previous place of magical education.

"Mother, what is happening?"

"Nothing really dear, we're just concerned that something might happen."

"I'm not a child anymore, mum, I'm fourteen, and I think you can at least tell me the truth." I scowled slightly.

"Your father-" She began, but then checked herself.

"I can't tell you all of it."

"Then tell me enough so that I understand."

"The war is getting worse. Your father and I have had some problems. We've decided that you and your brother are not in safe situations, you are to be moved to somewhere more secure. Big things are happening out there, and I don't want you to get hurt, especially on account of me."

'On account of me'... As I read between the lines, a skill I had started early and come to perfect, I realised. My father was on the dark side, I knew that, but now, my mother had returned to her family loyalties. She was taking us away, to protect us from the backlash of her treachery.

"What about Nikki?"

"I can't tell either of you about the other."

"So he's all right?"

She sat in silence for a while, I felt my stomach churn.

"In a sense"

She finally replied. We sat in silence most of the way.

Written by ArbDreamer Most of these characters and places belong to JK rowling, though I'm sure I would have been nicer to them if they were mine. Well, maybe...