Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter or anything associated in JK Rowling's books. I just write about them. Annabelle is mine, as in Lace. I continue to wish that I owned the Marauders, but am very sad to say that I still do not. But not dispite many efforts.
A/N: Thanks to those of you who are still reading and reviewing (XxlilyxX!). Here's Chapter 2...
Meeting the Headmaster
In a single file line, the first years were led out in front of everyone in the Great Hall. Professor McGonagall placed the frayed sorting hat on the stool and everyone looked intently at it. Lace's mother had tried to prepare her for this, but she never imagined she would be as nervous as she was at that moment. Suddenly, the hat opened its brim and began to sing.
"Oh, I'm here to help you all,
As you will shortly see.
No matter how you judge,
There's no other hat quite like me.
I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat,
And I know so very much.
Just put me on your head,
So I can show you such.
If you're brave and have the nerve,
I can think of only one,
Gryffindor is sure to serve.
If you're loyal and hard-working,
There is no question,
Hufflepuff is yours for the taking.
If you're ready and wise,
You shall quickly learn
Ravenclaw will fit your size.
Or there is no doubt you see,
If you dare and are cunning,
Slytherin is where you ought to be.
Dark times lie ahead,
Of this we are sure.
Find true friends,
And keep your hearts pure.
The time will come to stand alone,
Keep your morals tight.
Magic will be the end,
So keep it in your sight."
The brim quickly resealed and Professor McGonagall took out a roll of parchment and called out the first name. "Abbly, Carson." He went to RAVENCLAW. The names continued with the hat taking various amounts of time to sort each person. When Annabelle was called, she went to GRYFFINDOR after about two seconds of thinking. The table erupted in cheers. Finally, "Weisberg, Laceteel."
At first, the hat said nothing. Then suddenly, "Hmm. Could it be? The granddaughter. Where to go? Where to go? Better be…GRYFFINDOR!" As Lace took off the hat, cheers erupted again from the Gryffindor table and Lace made her way to a spot across from Annabelle as the last two students were sorted. From her seat, Lace stole a glance at Dumbledore who gave her a quick wink.
Once the hat was removed and everyone had resettled, Professor Dumbledore stood. "Welcome to all of our new students. Welcome back to all the old faces. There will be a time for announcements and speeches, but not before we've had the pudding. Cheers." He returned to his seat and the food magically appeared in front of everyone.
"I'm so happy you're in Gryffindor, too!" Annabelle had a large smile spread across her face. "This is going to be great!"
"I'm happy, too. My mum's whole family's been in Gryffindor." Lace said as she grabbed the mashed potatoes.
"So glad you ladies decided to join our table. We knew you couldn't resist us." James leaned over from two students down. "Better idea." He stood, followed by Sirius, Remus, and a fourth boy. "Move down." Four second years all groaned and moved down the table. "That's better." James said as he put his arm around Annabelle's neck to congratulate her on being in their family house.
"Gerroff me!" She batted his arm away playfully.
Everyone dug into the food in front of them as a student approached Lace with a note. "This is for you." He handed it off and returned to the head of the table.
"Ooh, who's it from?" Sirius asked a he grabbed it from Lace's hand.
"Grow up Sire." Remus took it and handed it back to Lace.
"Fine, Remmie boy." Sirius said in mock exasperation. "Go ahead, Lace, open it." He nodded toward the note.
"Erm. Okay." As she opened the letter, Lace bit her lip. The note read:
Meet me on your way to the tower.
Try the cheesy sprouts.
"There's no name." Sirius took the letter again and turned it over. "Cheesy Sprouts? Disgusting." He and James made revolted faces and shuddered. Sirius set the note back in front of Lace, but she wasn't paying attention. She was looking up at the staff table. Dumbledore caught her eye and nodded.
"Its no big deal." Lace said and tucked the letter in the pocket of her robe.
By the time, the plates cleared, Sirius was moaning about eating too much trickle tart. And James had a sleepy look on his face. "I ate way too much." Annabelle groaned as Dumbledore stood up again.
"I trust everyone enjoyed the meal. I just have a few reminders for everyone. The Forbidden Forest is, as always, off limits to students. Just as the name suggests. Magic is not aloud in the corridors. Some of you will do well to remember that." With that, he paused and looked between the Gryffindor table where James, Remus, and Sirius sat and the Slytherin table. "Quidditch tryouts will be held next week. If you are interested in trying out, see your head of houses. Curfew is to be strictly enforced by everyone." Another look to the middle of the Gryffindor table. "Detentions are not to be taken lightly. The dates for the first Hogsmeade visit will be posted on your common room bulletin board. That is all for tonight. Sleep well, for tomorrow…we learn!"
The hall erupted in conversations as everyone began to file out. "First years follow me. Stay close or you'll get lost." The boy with the note began signaling to the doors.
Sirius immediately did a mock impression of the boy, and in a girl's voice repeated, "First years follow me. Stay close or you'll get lost." He began prancing around causing the others to laugh and the prefect to glare at him over the heads of other students. "Oh sod off, Dilby. Its all in good fun." He told the boy in a normal voice. Then to the side, "Only cause McG would kill me if I got detention the first night."
"Are you coming?" Annabelle looked at Lace.
"No, I have to take care of something first. I'll see you in a bit." Lace bit her lip and looked around the hall.
"Come on cuz, we'll show you up." James put his arm around her shoulder and led her away.
"No. I don't want you leaving me somewhere. I'm not taking any chances." Annabelle attempted to catch up to the other first years.
"Come on, A-belle. Have a little faith. We wouldn't do that to you. You're family. Plus your mom scares the dung out of me." Sirius said as he and James caught back up to her.
"Boys." Professor McGonagall walked by.
"Oh, Professor! Have you met my cousin, Annabelle? Future Marauder. I just have a feeling, of course." James beamed at her.
"Well, let's hope not. For everyone's sake. Now don't dawdle. Up to the tower, all of you." She walked away briskly.
Remus signaled to the fourth boy, Peter, to catch up with them as he walked over to Lace. "Want me to show you?" He leaned over and spoke into her ear, causing her to jump.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that." She apologized profusely after accidentally hitting him in the face. "And would you?" The walked in silence until they came to the statue at the entrance to the Headmaster's office.
"Here you go." Remus smiled at her and gestured with his hand.
"Er. What do I do now?" Lace looked confused.
"Well, look at the note and see what the password is. What did he tell you to try?" Remus looked over her shoulder and read.
"Cheesy sprouts?" Lace asked with an even more confused look on her face. Suddenly the statue sprang to life and jumped out the way.
"See. There you go. Night, Lace." Remus smiled and walked down the corridor.
"Thank you!" Lace called out before walking up the stairs, knocking as she reached the top. She stood waiting, nervously biting her lip, for an answer.
"Enter!" The voice from inside called out. As she slowly opened the door, Dumbledore stood and walked around his desk. "I'm delighted you stopped by. Too soon for hugs I can imagine. How about—" But before he could finish, Lace had closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around his waist. Once the two were free of the embrace, Dumbledore directed her to a chair as he rounded his desk.
"Thanks for…er…asking me to come by." Lace quickly said a she sat. She was extremely nervous and could not imagine why he would want to see her.
"Well, Laceteel – do you mind if I call you that?" He quickly added as he saw her eyes narrow at the mention.
"Well, its just no one has ever called me that except to make fun of me at school. Mum refused to use it when I was a child." She looked out the window then back at the headmaster, before drawing her legs underneath her body.
"My fault, I can assure you. Lace it is." Dumbledore smiled with a twinkle in his eye.
"No. No, you can call me Laceteel if you like." Lace replied slowly letting one of her legs down to rest her foot on the floor.
"I've been waiting to talk to you for some time. I will admit that I was not sure if your mother would allow you to come. Your father was always so different with his stand on me. Never tell Blakely, though. I don't want to start troubles." Dumbledore said as he walked over to a large cabinet and bent to grab a box.
"I believe she knows that the two of you used to owl. Something you said in your visit about me looking even more beautiful than in the pictures. She put two and two together after you left. They had a row about it, but she said that she didn't have enough time to be mad at both of you." Lace clasped her hand to her mouth and let out and inaudible gasp. She should not have told him that.
"I assure you, my dear, that it is nothing near the things I have heard before. I, also, doubt that it would be the last. Now lets see what is in here." Dumbledore set the box on his desk and glanced at the clock. "I know that it is late, and I won't dare to keep you much longer. I just wanted to show you some of the items your father has sent me over the years. I have much more, I can assure you. But frames are much harder to carry." Together they looked through the letters, pictures, report cards, and clippings that cluttered the box. Every once in a while, Dumbledore would mention something about them from her father's letter. After twenty minutes, Dumbledore replaced the lid and grabbed a small-framed picture from the corner of his desk. "Now, this is my favorite picture." It was the one from the beginning of summer two years back, when the family had gone to Greece for vacation. "You're father sent it straight away. I, of course, fixed it. However, I do believe that your dear old mother has wondered off. No worries, she will return soon. I can only hope. Now, my dear, it is time for you to be in bed. Would you like me to walk you? Or I can just tell you where to go."
"You can just tell me. You don't have to come." Lace replied as she stood and Dumbledore walked around the desk. Her mother's independence showing clearly through her only daughter. He told her the directions and had her repeat them, before he walked her to the door. Lace quickly gave him another hug and ran down the stairs. Dumbledore returned to his desk to look through the box once more.
A/N: Please don't forget to comment and let me know how you feel about it. Make suggestions if you have any!
Coming up: Already in trouble? (It'll be a short one.)