Albus Dumbledore patted Fawke's head absently as he listened to the Ministers of Magic. Cornelius Fudge and the American Minister Janson Swallowtail were deep in conversation over what was to be done about Marian. Janson was young for someone is his position. His hair was a deep sandy brown, and he looked like he should still be in his sixth year.
"I can assure you that we had no knowledge of this woman, Cornelius," Janson said. "We keep tabs on anyone who has even the smallest amount of magical powers. How she managed to elude us is beyond me."
"Our charms expert has informed us that she is under a curse," Fudge said, and Dumbledore cringed at his haughty tone. "It's been suppressing her natural abilities for years. We are, however, planning on lifting this curse as soon as possible."
"Which leads us to the question at hand," Dumbledore cut in. "Whether Ms. Elvbow will be staying in Britain, or if she will be returning to the United States."
Swallowtail nodded. "Understandable. Our links in the Muggle world have informed me that Elvbow was in the process of changing her citizenship from American to British. She's already lived in this country for the past four years. She's established herself here, built a life for herself-"
"One which she will more than likely have to give up, all things considered," Fudge cut in.
"I understand that, Cornelius. I think it would be better to make these kinds of arrangements when Ms. Elvbow will be here to give her input, don't you think?"
Fudge nodded. "Yes. Of course. I was mostly concerned if the American Council will lend us their support in this matter."
"Of course. Personally, I'm wondering if it might not be the better idea to return her to the Muggle world. Decursed, of course."
Albus raised an eyebrow. " I believe that is perhaps the worst thing that can be done in this case," Dumbledore waved his hand, and a large stack of papers floated from his desk to Janson. " Professor Snape and two of our students did some research on Ms. Elvbow, and this is what they found. We may be doing more harm than good in ignoring her. She has already suffered enough in the Muggle world, through no fault of her own, for us to send her back without a word."
Swiftly, Janson read through the pages, barely stopping on one before moving to the other one. When he finished he sighed deeply. "It is unfortunate, Dumbledore, but the fact remains that it is extremely difficult for most Muggle born children to become acclimated in our world. What the effects of such a drastic change would be on a full grown woman is baffling."
"Perhaps it will not be as difficult as everyone believes," the headmaster said thoughtfully. "We have a woman who has been told that something was wrong with her for her entire life. We have the chance to show her that she was right all along, and that it was others who were wrong. Personally, I believe that it will go smoothly."
Janson nodded in agreement. "If that is all gentlemen, I will be going. Feel free to contact me when you believe it would be better to have this conversation."
"Certainly, Minister," Cornelius said, standing. "It was good of you to come."
The other man smiled. "Well, goodnight to you, Headmaster, Minister." He walked to the fireplace and threw a handful of powder into it. "Merciers Ministry," he said loudly as he stepped into the flames.
Fudge sighed. "What do you think, Albus?"
"What I think, Cornelius, matters very little here. This is a matter of what our two ministries will decide is best for her. However, if she were to stay in England, I feel that Hogwarts would be the best place for her."
Cornelius stood. "You're a good man, Albus. When will Sasha be starting?"
Albus stood as well, and moved to stand in front of the minister. " Because Ms. Elvbow's condition has been getting considerably worse, Sasha informed us that she will begin tonight at midnight. Any later and she feels the chances of success would be too low to risk it. I will inform you of the results, minister, if you do not wish to remain."
" I cant, prior business and all that."
Dumbledore nodded, he'd expected as much. "Then until tomorrow, Minister."
When will she wake?
I don't know, Albus. It could be a few more hours, it could be days.
But she will wake?
Silence. Then, The cleansing was very difficult. But yes, she should wake eventually…
The words drifted over her without really making any sense. Who were they talking about?
Headmaster, I think she's coming around.
Marian forced her eyes to open, much good it did her. Everything was still too blurry to make out much o anything. She tried to move, and winced. It felt like she'd been put through a shredder and then put back together again.
"How are you feeling?"
Something swam in front of her, and settled into a pair of the largest eyes she'd ever seen.
"Bad," she croaked.
"Would you like some water?" This came from somewhere on her left, and she nodded, then moaned.
That wasn't the best of ideas.
A cup was placed to her mouth, and she swallowed some. It helped. "Where am I?"
"Please, one thing at a time." Another shape moved into view, this one picked up her arm and checked her pulse. Another hospital then. "Do you know you're name?"
Name? "Marian."
The woman, at least she guessed it was a woman, put her hand down. "You gave us quite a fright there for a moment, Marian. But you pulled through."
Marian shook her head and blinked, but her vision still sucked. "Why cant I see?"
"Oh, sorry about that. Enucleo visum."
Instantly, her vision cleared. Three people were standing over her. One was dressed like a turn of the century nurse, the other…well, she'd figure out what that was in a minute, and a man who looked like he didn't own a razor, let alone know what a barber shop was. "Who are you?"
"I, madam, am Albus Dumbledore. The lovely woman to your left is Sasha Silverleaf, and this," he placed a gentle hand on the other woman's shoulder, "Is Poppy Pomfrey."
She looked at each of them in turn, the focused on Sasha. "What are you?"
Far from looking offended, it actually looked amused. "I am a woodland elf, Ms. Elvbow."
Elf? "Right. Enough with the games, what are you, a giant?"
The woman, because there was no mistaking that voice for anything else, looked confused. "I assure you, I am an elf," she looked about to say something else, but looked to the man. "I shall leave this in your more than capable hands, Albus."
She moved out of Marian's line of sight, so she focused her attention on Albus. "Really, what's going on?" She tried to sit up, but her muscles weren't cooperating.
Before she could fall back he moved, and a pair of surprisingly strong hands helped her lean against the headboard. " I'm afraid she was being truthful with you, Ms. Elvbow. Sasha is indeed an elf."
That's it, she wasn't staying in this freak show another minute. "Look, I'm sure you're busy, so if you would, I need to go."
"I'm afraid that's not possible."
That made her pause. Not possible? "Come again?"
The man, Albus, didn't look threatening. In fact, he looked almost…apologetic. "I'm afraid you've had a nasty few hours, Ms. Elvbow-"
"Cut the Ms. Elvbow. Just call me Marian."
The man smiled. "Very well then. As I was saying: You've had a rather hard few hours, Marian. It would be in your best interest for you to remain in bed, at least until you get your strength back."
Without a word, she flung back the sheets. She was wearing some kind of long nightgown, and she knew that should bother her, but she couldn't think of why. Glaring defiantly at Albus, she swung her legs over the side, gripped the metal bedstead, and pushed off.
It really was embarrassing, falling in a heap at a stranger's feet. Thankfully, her grip on the bed kept her from going full-sprawl.
"Marian, please."
"I am getting out of here, so you can help or piss off," she hissed, pushing herself upright. There. As long as she didn't try to move, she could stand all right.
"And what do you think you're doing out of bed?"
Marian looked around, but no one was there but her and long-beard over on the bed.
"Up here, miss."
Marian looked up. Floating over her was a woman wearing an outfit similar to Pomfrey's. The only real difference was that where Pomfrey was solid, this woman wasn't.
For a spilt second she was glad that she hadn't been able to take more than a small step away from the bed, because if she had her butt and the floor would be having a rather close and personal meeting. As it was, she landed on a soft mattress with the slightest of bounces. She looked back to Albus, then blinked.
Hard.
"Are you all right, Marian?"
She shook her head, then looked up again. No, she was still there.
It's not real. Ignore her and she'll go away, just like the others. "Fine," she said, and winced. She sounded way to cheerful. "Just thought I saw something, that's all." She looked around the room she was in. It seemed vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it. "Where am I again?"
"You wont get away with ignoring me, Missy. Where did you think you were going? You shouldn't be up at all, what with the condition you're in."
Shut up shut up shut up.
Albus, for his part, smiled calmingly. "You're in the infirmary of my school, Marian. You've been here for sometime, actually. A little over a week, to be precise."
A week?! Don was going to kill her. " A week?" she whispered. She didn't remember anything. Just…
Dumbledore sighed as he watched her eyes flare. "Where is he? Did he bring me here?"
"Severus thought it was in your best interest-"
"I'm
sure he did. He's the one that slipped me the Mickey in the first place!"
"Now look what you've done,
Albus! She's fuming!"
"Alberta, if you please-!"
Marian blinked. Who was he talking to? "Alberta?"
Dumbledore blinked. "Yes. She's the woman floating over there," he pointed, and she looked. A woman was standing there, the same transparent woman who'd been floating over them.
Okay, this is just sick. This has to be some kind of …I don't know what it is… "No one's there," she said confidently.
He frowned again. "Lady Alberta was once our head nurse. She died some time ago, but I assure you she is quite real."
"You better believe it, buster. Now run along she can get some rest."
"I'm afraid I cant do that, Berty, and you know very well why."
"Berty!" the woman was livid. "Why, I remember when I had to patch you up when you fell off your broom, Albus Dumbledore! Do not think to get free with me!"
Marian's head was spinning. She was hallucinating, she had to be. People just didn't have conversations with…go ahead, say it… ghosts. Not in reality. But he was staring right at her. He heard what she'd said to Marian. It couldn't be a hallucination then, they weren't shared experiences.
"Hold up!" she yelled, and jumped when the bed they were sitting on decided to jump too. "Tell me now, what in the hell is going on!"
Albus, if that was even his real name, sighed heavily. "As I was trying to tell you, Marian. You are at a school. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Marian laughed, she couldn't help herself. "Witchcraft? Wizardry? Okay, now I know you're batty." She stood up again, and this time remained on her feet.
Dumbledore stood as well. "You cant leave, Marian. There is much that you need to understand-"
"No, there isn't. You've kidnapped me, bought me to some kind of holographic show against my will. There's nothing I need to understand," she backed away slightly. Man, he was tall.
"Please, Marian. If you will lie down, will explain everything to you."
She didn't move. "Explain it to me from here."
"Very well, then. I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of this school. And I assure you, this is indeed a school. We currently have 250 students in seven different years of study."
250 kids here? With this crackpot? An image floated in her head. Harry, standing over her with those big green eyes of his, talking to her, wearing some kind of bathrobe over his pants.
A surge of anger welled up in her. Harry was here. He must have run away from the Dursley's. This man and his helpers probably dragged abused kids here from all over London. Who knew what he was doing to them here. And now she was here.
The bed behind Dumbledore shifted, skittering a few feet over the stone floor, but neither seemed to notice. "What have you done to Harry?" she whispered, venom lacing her voice.
The other man didn't seem fazed. "Harry is fine, Marian. He is currently in class. Would you like him here?"
Yes! She had to get him away from these people. Who knew what kind of damage they'd done already! "Please."
Dumbledore nodded. "Alberta, would you please bring Harry Potter to the infirmary."
The woman nodded, then floated through a wall.
After a few minutes of tense silence Harry ran into the room, followed by the ghost. "Ms. Elvbow, you're all right!" Without stopping he ran full force into her. The two teetered dangerously before Marian finally righted them. "Hey Lightening," she whispered.
Harry pulled back, and she noticed for the first time that he was taller than she was by a few inches. He'd filled out too. "Look who sprouted up!"
He smiled. The same shy smile he'd given her when she complimented him on his writing in the sixth grade. "It's been four years since the sixth grade."
"I see," suddenly she turned serious. "What are you doing here, Harry?"
He looked stunned. "Didn't Professor Dumbledore tell you? This is a school, Ms. Elvbow."
Oh no, what kind of brainwashing had they used on him. "Harry, I don't know what's going on here, but this cant be a school. Witches don't exist, neither to wizards, I don't care what Merlin over there has told you or any of the other kids here."
Harry shook his head. "No, you don't understand, they do exist, and I'm one of them," he smiled again. He looked happier than she remembered.
"Perhaps a small demonstration would be in order Harry."
He nodded, and took out a smooth branch. A wand. "Harry, what are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm going to levitate something. Maybe then you'll understand," he pointed the wand at one of the chairs in the room.
Marian winced. What would Merlin say if nothing happened? That he hadn't tried hard enough, that the planets weren't in their right alignment today for levitating things.
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
When she didn't hear a sigh of disappointment, she opened her eyes.
There, floating happily, was the chair.
"Believe us now?" Harry asked, excitement plain in his voice.
She shook her head. This whole place was probably rigged for that kind of thing. They'd get suspicious if nothing happened when they performed their spells, afterall.
"It's a trick, Harry," she said, almost desperate. "They probably have this whole placed rigged so that when you say something you get the proper effect."
He looked…disappointed. Slowly, he began waving his wand, and the chair slowly came back down and touched the floor. "It's not a trick," he said with more surety than she'd ever heard in him. "It's real," he tucked his wand back into his robes. "Trust me on this."
Before she could answer she felt a tingling begin in her stomach. It felt like someone was pulling her some kind of cord, and then she felt her feet leave the floor.
"I believe a more personal demonstration is in order, Harry," the man said.
Marian was speechless. There was nothing holding her up, no harness, to strings, nothing. It felt like she was being held up by some kind of force, but that force was distributed throughout her body so she couldn't tell where it was coming from. Silent, she kept floating higher and higher.
Okay, maybe she was wrong, or this was a very long hallucination. "I'd like to get down now please," she said.
As gently as she was lifted, she felt herself being lowered until she was again on the floor. She didn't know what to think. This couldn't be real, there was no such thing as magic.
"Marian?"
"Ms. Elvbow?"
Without a word she walked over to the bed and crawled into it. Maybe when she woke up the world would make more sense.
Thanks for reading this guys. It will be a Snape romance eventually. Special thanks goes out to Jean Lamb and Fate's Child for the reviews. Thanks guys!!!