Chapter Two
Narnia laid staring at the ceiling trying to calm her mind. A certain curiosity had begun to swell within her and the prospect of going to Hogwarts started to excite her. She was aware that there would be dangers involved, but if Dumbledore had confidence in her, why shouldn't she?
Many thoughts began to race through her head. She knew what she would leave behind if she accepted the position. Gran had given her so much and she had felt obligated to look after her in her later years. No matter how restless she found herself at times, this was still her home and the thought of leaving it and her grandmother was almost unbearable. "This can wait until tomorrow," she thought to herself and finally drifted into sleep.
The night was cold and the moon was casting its bluish tint on the world below. Narnia looked at the forest around her. She had seen this place before, but where, she didn't know. A small stream trickled in the distance and as she began to walk towards it sound, she heard something else. Voices. A cold chill ran the length of her spine. She spun around and headed in the direction of the voices, doing her best to remain unnoticed. There was a clearing ahead where the conversation seemed to be coming from and determined to get a better look, she tiptoed closer and ducked behind a tree. She could see the outline of three men and nothing more. One man knelt, his head barely inches from the ground, while the other two towered over him. One man was speaking, but it seemed mumbled to her. Straining to get closer, Narnia leaned a bit further around the trunk of the tree and in doing so, lost her balance. Desperately trying to grip onto the bark, she slipped and came crashing to the ground. She knew her fall could not have gone unnoticed and for a moment, everything stood still. She slowly raised her head, expecting all three men to be staring back at her. What she was going to do, she had not the slightest idea.
When she had lifted her eyes, she was perplexed at what she saw. Only one of the men seemed to be aware of her. Though he was still kneeling down, he had turned in her direction and had outstretched a hand. Narnia gave a slight jolt. Him. She knew what she had to do. Just as she made up her mind to run to his rescue, the man who had been speaking raised his wand in the air and muttered..
Narnia sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding and her mind racing. Her clothes were soaked with sweat and her head aching. She looked around and began to slow her breathing when she realized that she was still in her room, not in the forest. It had been so real and she wouldn't have thought too seriously about it, had he not been there. Him. She had never seen his face, heard his voice, or even knew anything else about him. Just his outstretched hand and as always, he had been in need of her help and she had failed him. She didn't always dream of him, but had dreams of him often over her life. She had recorded each one, in a journal, in hopes that someday she could unlock the mystery of it all. She couldn't help but think that he was truly out there, somewhere. She had often wondered if the man in her dreams was her father, but after meeting with him, everything seemed to point away from that possibility. Day by day, she looked in every face she passed, hoping for something, but nothing.
Tonight's dream was the worst, however. His life had never really been in great danger before, but this time it had and she had been no help to him. She knew she would not be able to sleep for the rest of the night. Quietly, she rolled out of bed and walked to her desk. Opening her bottom desk drawer, she pulled out her journal and sat down to record the events of her dream. She knew she mustn't wake Gran, because doing so would cause her to ask questions. Questions that Narnia didn't want to answer. She had never told her grandmother, as to not worry her and now, with going to Hogwarts being a possibility, she didn't want to add to her grandmother's anxieties. She wrote down what had happened, just as she remembered it and then began to pour over other entries, looking for some meaning, something, anything. Without her notice, dark had slipped into dawn and she could hear her Gran beginning to stir across the hall.
"Will you write to your uncle today?" Alberta asked of her granddaughter, as she sat down at the kitchen table to drink her coffee. "Narnia? Narnia?"
"Oh, sorry." Narnia was still in thought over last night's dream. She stirred the thought from her mind and turned her attentions towards her grandmother's question. Since she could remember, Narnia had known of her grandmother's skill at Occlumency. It was a family trait, one Narnia hoped to improve upon and without directly looking at her Gran, replied. "I'm planning on sending an owl this afternoon."
"So, from your state of mind this morning, I'd say you're still thinking over your answer?" her grandmother inquired, giving her granddaughter a grin.
Narnia knew she would indeed have to send an answer to Dumbledore today and she had to focus on that alone for the time being. She knew no matter what she did or how much time in thought she would spend, she wouldn't get to the bottom of her dream today. She had wasted many days doing that and time didn't offer her the convenience at present. "It must wait," she thought to herself.
"Would you come with me, Gran?" Narnia asked. "To Hogwarts."
Her grandmother remained silent for a moment, as if in thought. "My time there passed many years ago. I am meant for this place. This is my home. This is where I should be. The choice to come here was not an easy one, but I knew it was right." As if guessing Narnia's thoughts, she added, "When this life ends for me, yours will continue and you must always live it as to have no regrets. I am still capable of looking after myself, young lady."
Narnia reached across the table and squeezed her grandmother's hand. Tears began to sting her eyes. She knew her Gran was right, and the advice she had just given only made Narnia love her the more. Out of everything, she would miss Gran the most, her secure place.
Narnia laid staring at the ceiling trying to calm her mind. A certain curiosity had begun to swell within her and the prospect of going to Hogwarts started to excite her. She was aware that there would be dangers involved, but if Dumbledore had confidence in her, why shouldn't she?
Many thoughts began to race through her head. She knew what she would leave behind if she accepted the position. Gran had given her so much and she had felt obligated to look after her in her later years. No matter how restless she found herself at times, this was still her home and the thought of leaving it and her grandmother was almost unbearable. "This can wait until tomorrow," she thought to herself and finally drifted into sleep.
The night was cold and the moon was casting its bluish tint on the world below. Narnia looked at the forest around her. She had seen this place before, but where, she didn't know. A small stream trickled in the distance and as she began to walk towards it sound, she heard something else. Voices. A cold chill ran the length of her spine. She spun around and headed in the direction of the voices, doing her best to remain unnoticed. There was a clearing ahead where the conversation seemed to be coming from and determined to get a better look, she tiptoed closer and ducked behind a tree. She could see the outline of three men and nothing more. One man knelt, his head barely inches from the ground, while the other two towered over him. One man was speaking, but it seemed mumbled to her. Straining to get closer, Narnia leaned a bit further around the trunk of the tree and in doing so, lost her balance. Desperately trying to grip onto the bark, she slipped and came crashing to the ground. She knew her fall could not have gone unnoticed and for a moment, everything stood still. She slowly raised her head, expecting all three men to be staring back at her. What she was going to do, she had not the slightest idea.
When she had lifted her eyes, she was perplexed at what she saw. Only one of the men seemed to be aware of her. Though he was still kneeling down, he had turned in her direction and had outstretched a hand. Narnia gave a slight jolt. Him. She knew what she had to do. Just as she made up her mind to run to his rescue, the man who had been speaking raised his wand in the air and muttered..
Narnia sat straight up in bed, her heart pounding and her mind racing. Her clothes were soaked with sweat and her head aching. She looked around and began to slow her breathing when she realized that she was still in her room, not in the forest. It had been so real and she wouldn't have thought too seriously about it, had he not been there. Him. She had never seen his face, heard his voice, or even knew anything else about him. Just his outstretched hand and as always, he had been in need of her help and she had failed him. She didn't always dream of him, but had dreams of him often over her life. She had recorded each one, in a journal, in hopes that someday she could unlock the mystery of it all. She couldn't help but think that he was truly out there, somewhere. She had often wondered if the man in her dreams was her father, but after meeting with him, everything seemed to point away from that possibility. Day by day, she looked in every face she passed, hoping for something, but nothing.
Tonight's dream was the worst, however. His life had never really been in great danger before, but this time it had and she had been no help to him. She knew she would not be able to sleep for the rest of the night. Quietly, she rolled out of bed and walked to her desk. Opening her bottom desk drawer, she pulled out her journal and sat down to record the events of her dream. She knew she mustn't wake Gran, because doing so would cause her to ask questions. Questions that Narnia didn't want to answer. She had never told her grandmother, as to not worry her and now, with going to Hogwarts being a possibility, she didn't want to add to her grandmother's anxieties. She wrote down what had happened, just as she remembered it and then began to pour over other entries, looking for some meaning, something, anything. Without her notice, dark had slipped into dawn and she could hear her Gran beginning to stir across the hall.
"Will you write to your uncle today?" Alberta asked of her granddaughter, as she sat down at the kitchen table to drink her coffee. "Narnia? Narnia?"
"Oh, sorry." Narnia was still in thought over last night's dream. She stirred the thought from her mind and turned her attentions towards her grandmother's question. Since she could remember, Narnia had known of her grandmother's skill at Occlumency. It was a family trait, one Narnia hoped to improve upon and without directly looking at her Gran, replied. "I'm planning on sending an owl this afternoon."
"So, from your state of mind this morning, I'd say you're still thinking over your answer?" her grandmother inquired, giving her granddaughter a grin.
Narnia knew she would indeed have to send an answer to Dumbledore today and she had to focus on that alone for the time being. She knew no matter what she did or how much time in thought she would spend, she wouldn't get to the bottom of her dream today. She had wasted many days doing that and time didn't offer her the convenience at present. "It must wait," she thought to herself.
"Would you come with me, Gran?" Narnia asked. "To Hogwarts."
Her grandmother remained silent for a moment, as if in thought. "My time there passed many years ago. I am meant for this place. This is my home. This is where I should be. The choice to come here was not an easy one, but I knew it was right." As if guessing Narnia's thoughts, she added, "When this life ends for me, yours will continue and you must always live it as to have no regrets. I am still capable of looking after myself, young lady."
Narnia reached across the table and squeezed her grandmother's hand. Tears began to sting her eyes. She knew her Gran was right, and the advice she had just given only made Narnia love her the more. Out of everything, she would miss Gran the most, her secure place.