Secrets of the Manor

Chapter 1

"It is absolutely wonderful! We will not regret buying this house." Anne Faustino said to the elderly caretaker as she giddily looked around the living room.

She just turned twenty-six, and life was so good to her. She had been asked by her long-time housemate (and the object of her unrequited love) Franz Rosello to come with him to Scotland. She woke up from her musings as she felt a warm hand rest on her shoulder.

"We're back to square one, aren't we?" Franz grinned at her.

"It's not that bad, even if we have to start from scratch again. I mean, the scratch we're talking about here is a beautiful manor in a very meaningful place. How can anything go wrong?" Anne said as they walked through the large house with the caretaker.

They entered a large room where a huge four-poster bed stood near the wide window, and an extremely large closet with intricate designs on it caught Anne's eye.

"Mrs. Nelson, what about the things left inside the house?"

"Everything inside this house goes with the house. Therefore, you will own it. The previous owner wanted to keep this house for added social status… I do hope you two do better, this house is good to raise children…" Mrs. Nelson's eyes twinkled.

"We're just sharing the house, we're not married…" Franz said as he looked at Anne.

" I thought you two look good together… By the way, if you two need help in cleaning, just call me."

" I think it's time to choose our rooms." Franz suggested as they ate dinner at the nearby cottage they had rented.

"It's unfair if one of us would take the master suite… I'll take the room with the red and gold motif, it's really cozy….. What about you?" Anne stood up to get their dishes.

"Okay, and I'll take the room next to it….. the green one, it looks masculine. Hey, what about the other rooms? It says here on the blueprint that there are approximately 5 rooms left." Franz said as he helped Anne in washing the dishes.

"They can be used as guest rooms, just in case family drops by for a visit… Mom's in Greece now. She might go and have a look at yet another streak of independence from me…"

Franz smirked at her, "So she is happy with your brand new stepfather then? I guess it's great to have someone to grow old with…."

Anne was pulling up her blanket when there was a knock on the door. "Come in…"

Franz was on his usual sleepwear --- only a white cotton undershirt and boxers. "I suddenly realized something. Why did you choose the red room?"

Anne smiled at him, "Isn't it obvious? I feel like I'm in Hogwarts or something… This place feels right, magical… I guess it's my Harry Potter fanaticism again." She patted the large unoccupied side of her bed.

"I just don't get it. Why should we have our own rooms if we end up like this every night?" Franz asked her as he climbed in.

Anne did not answer his question, she just wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. She shifted to the other side and soon fell asleep.

Franz was not surprised by her gesture. They had been doing this every night for almost two years. He looked at the sleeping figure beside him and sighed.

Franz woke up when he felt a pillow hit him.

"Wake up, sleepyhead. It's time for breakfast!" Anne shouted.

Franz groaned as he got up and headed for the shower. The company he worked for gave him a month off in order for him to become comfortable with the surroundings. He and Anne had a lot to do at their manor. He suddenly stopped. 'Our manor? Yes, I have said it. Our manor. It's our, not hers, not mine… ours…' He smiled at this thought.

Anne happily prepared their breakfast. Living with Franz was like playing house. She sighed at the thought and continued with breakfast.

An arm linked with her waist, as she felt a kiss on her cheek.

"Breakfast smells so good, I can smell it upstairs."

"We have a lot to do today…" Anne gave him a plate filled with scrambled eggs, sausages and waffles.

"Yeah… Ms. Organized, what should we do first?" Franz said before gulping down a glass of milk.

"We could start with our rooms and the guest rooms. Let's do the master suite after we have settled there." Anne started to eat her breakfast.

"That sounds like a good plan…"

Chapter 2

It had been a week since they started to live in the manor. Anne discovered a greenhouse a few meters from the backdoor, where she started gardening. Mrs. Nelson, the caretaker, helped them in decorating the manor, most of the furniture were surprisingly in good condition. Franz often repaired the faulty electrical wiring, together with Mrs. Nelson's teenage son.

They have cleaned and fixed the rooms, almost all of them. There was still one room left. They called it the master suite. Anne looked at the whole room. What Franz did not know, and she wasn't keen on telling him, that there was an adjoining room --- a nursery. Mrs. Nelson was right. The house was fit to raise children with its lush surroundings, and of course, the nursery. It was time to show Franz the secret room.

"Come on! It's about time we clean the master suite! I've got to show you something! Come on!" Anne pulled Franz to the third floor of the manor.

They entered the large room, bringing mops, pieces of scrap cloth and pails with water. "We clean first and I will show you what I found later."

"Okie dokie…"

It was a few hours later when they finished cleaning the room and put fresh linen on the bed.

"What about we do the closet tomorrow, goodness knows what is in there…." Franz suggested as they plopped on the floor due to exhaustion.

There was a knock on the door, "I have already prepared lunch!"

"We're coming, Mrs. Nelson!" Anne hollered back.

"I really need a bath after lunch…" Franz said as he smelled his shirt drenched with sweat.

"Me too…. We'll go back here later, okay?" Anne sat up and pulled him up.

After taking a refreshing shower, they returned to the room. Anne pulled him to a large expanse of wall.

"Here, this is what I wanted to show you…"

Franz looked exasperatingly, "What exactly am I looking at, again?"

"Go on and push the wall…" Anne prodded him.

Franz looked at her incredulously, "Have you lost your mind because of too much excitement?"

"Just do what I say… go on, push the wall."

Franz pushed the wall, it was indeed made to look like a wall, but it was a door. Franz entered the room, and saw a crib, a wooden horse, and a shelf filled with toys. He went to the window; it opened into a roofed balcony where there was a rocking chair.

"The first owners of the house thought it would be safer to put the nursery near their room, it so happens that there was a secret room here so they made it into a nursery."

"It is beautiful…" These were the only words Franz could say.

"You can watch the sun rise here..."

"It's perfect for our child…" Franz sighed, not knowing that he let slip of a truth he had been keeping for a long time.

"Could you repeat that again?" Anne whispered because of shock.

Franz sighed, it was inevitable so he told her the truth,"I have been filled with that fantasy of us having a family ever since we lived together. I really really like you… I hope you're not mad at me, or let this ruin our friendship, if that's only what you can give me…"

Anne looked at him, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Great, you're not speaking to me, and our friendship might collapse right here in this perfect time and place… I should not have said it…"

"Are you dense? These are happy tears, you idiot! These are happy tears! Do you know how much I have wanted to hear those words?" Anne shouted and then suddenly kissed him.

Their first kiss was both shy and excited. Being there on that spot, kissing the person she has loved ever since she met him was the most magical thing Anne has ever experienced.

"Are you really ready for this? Are you sure?" Franz asked her.

"I have waited for this to happen ever since I met you in college… I would be crazy to let this pass!" Anne laughed loudly.

Chapter 3

A week had passed since it happened. Anne was lying on their bed. They made a decision to share the master suite. They had been so preoccupied with each other that they had forgotten about the large closet on the corner of the room. Anne walked towards it and opened it. There were black clothes hanging inside. Anne felt a cold draft inside the closet, and immediately closed it.

"It's so weird, there's a wind inside a closet…" Anne said as she munched on a piece of toast, as Franz prepared their breakfast.

"Maybe it's a magical closet, or maybe it's just your imagination." Franz grinned, "We'll check it out later, ok?"

Franz pulled out a piece of the black cloth hanging inside the closet. "There's a weird emblem here. It's red with a gold lion in the center."

"Let me look at it…" Franz handed her the cloth.

"This cannot be possible… It's impossible…" Anne was surprised as she handed it back to him.

"What its impossible? What's wrong?" Franz said, still looking at the piece of cloth.

"It looks like a robe, from the Harry Potter movies… One that belongs to a Gryffindor student."

"You've got to be joking!"

Anne grabbed the "robe" and wore it. "See? It fits perfectly on me!" She looked inside the closet again for the other piece of cloth.

"This is from Slytherin. See? There's a silver snake around a green background. It looks like it can fit you. Here, try it on…"

Franz looked at her quizzically, but he put the robe on. It fit him like a glove. "Hey, it also fits me perfectly!"

Anne laughed at him mischievously, "Ever tried making out inside a closet?"

Franz pulled her inside the large closet as they kissed, but they fell on a hard and cold stone floor.

Chapter 4

Anne woke up with a sharp pain on her forehead. She heard whispers from behind a white curtain.

"How can two students be stuck on the Vanishing Cabinet? A Gryffindor and a Slytherin at that?"

"Headmistress, maybe they hid when the attack occurred."

"Impossible. I have checked every student who left this castle, nobody was left behind."

"Minerva, they might be Death Eaters…"

"No, they're not Death Eaters on Polyjuice Potion. The potion would have worn out after an hour. They had been here for a day and there was no change on their appearance."

"Where did they come from, then?"

"We will ask them after they regained consciousness…"

Anne felt the curtain open, she feigned sleep. 'Gryffindor? Slytherin? Attack? Death Eaters? I must have hit my head that hard for me to hallucinate…'

She heard a groan on another bed. She saw Franz, but he looked younger than he actually was. She grabbed a mirror on her bedside table and looked at her reflection. She looked younger than 26… She looked ten years younger. Comprehension dawned on her and she screamed.

Anne's scream woke up Franz and sent one of the women talking behind the curtain to run to her.

"Did you have bad dreams, dear?"

" I look sixteen!"

Franz also looked at his reflection. "Me too… Tell me this is just a dream. Tell me we just fell asleep inside that closet!"

"I better call the Headmistress. You two stay put," the nurse instructed at them.

Anne nodded at her.

"Anne, can you pinch me really hard? Maybe this is just a dream…"

"Let's pinch each other, okay? On the count of three. One, two, three…"

"Ow!"

"That hurts!" Anne slapped Franz in the arm.

A tall regal woman entered the infirmary. "Glad both of you are up. You have a lot of explaining to do."

"Professor McGonagall, right?" Anne's voice cracked.

The headmistress gave her a nod.

"This whole thing is crazy! There must be a logical explanation!" Franz said exasperatingly.

"Professor, you might have been wondering where did we come from. I suggest you question us under Veritaserum."

The nurse gasped at her.

"Very well then…" Professor McGonagall nodded at Anne.

"Wait, Minerva. They are just children! You can't put them under interrogation like they're common criminals!"

"Madam Pomfrey, it is my decision. Please, so that all of this mess can be clarified, and so that my boyfriend and I can go back to our home."

"Hey, I'm also admit myself to the Veritaserum. I'm going with her." Franz stood up.

"But they need to recuperate!" Madam Pomfrey insisted.

"We will do the test after two days." Professor McGonagall said sternly.

"Hey, Professor? The attack on the castle? When did it happen?" Anne asked.

"Three weeks ago. It was completely horrible…" the professor said, her eyes brimming with tears, as she left the Hospital Wing.

Madam Pomfrey straightened their sheets, " I want you two to be well enough to tell the truth. Now, get some rest…"

As soon as she went into her office, Franz climbed out of his bed and climbed into Anne's. "Now, Potter freak, we have entered the wizarding world. What do you suggest we do?"

"Go with the flow until we or the professors find a way out?" Anne wasn't even sure about what came out of her mouth.

" I do hope we will do fine. After all, I might become a Slytherin and you a Gryffindor… But nothing will change between us, right?" Franz asked her.

Anne smiled at him and hugged him tight, "No, you will still be the man I love."

They kissed briefly and finally sleep came over them.

Chapter 5

"I will place a few drops of this liquid in your mouth." Professor McGonagall instructed to Franz.
He nodded as he opened his mouth for the Veritaserum. A fat walrus-like man poured a few drops into his mouth.

Franz's eyes suddenly drooped.

"What is your name?"

"Franz Rosello."

"How did you come to this place?"

"We were in a manor in a small Scottish town not far from Edinburgh. We entered large closet to make out but we fell on a hard stone floor. The only thing I remember after that is waking up in a hospital bed here."

"He is telling the truth, Minerva," the walrus-like man said.

"I know, Horace. It's the girl's turn."

Professor Slughorn walked to where Anne was sitting.

Anne was prepared for this. She opened her mouth to let a few drops of Veritaserum in. She started to feel dizzy and her mind went blank.

Anne felt as if someone is shaking her. Her vision cleared and it was Franz who was holding her shoulder.

"Both of you are telling the truth…"

"Professor, how do we get back?" Franz asked.

"That's the problem, dear boy." It was Professor Slughorn who answered. "The only time that portal to you world will open again is next year. That same day to be exact."

Anne paled, "Oh no… this means…"

"We're going to stay here for the rest of the school year…" Franz finished the sentence for her.

"But what about our house?" Anne tearfully asked.

"According to my studies, you will return to the same day and year you walked into that closet." A voice above them spoke.

Anne looked up and saw a portrait, "Professor Dumbledore!"

"Now, child, I don't know how you seem to know everyone in this room…" the portrait chuckled.

"There are some things we know that occurred here during the last school year, and also outside school. We also know about Harry Potter."

The professors gasped at what Franz said.

"I do suggest you will keep it to yourselves," the portrait said.

"We'll tell the right thing to the right people, Professor. We will keep our promise."

"And no wandering off the castle. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore." Anne and Franz both replied.

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat, "In the meantime, you will both live in the Gryffindor Tower…"

"But what about during the start of the school year?" Franz asked.

"The governors have reached a decision to open the school if and only if Harry Potter returned. You two will be on the Houses on the robes that got you here."

Anne paled, "Franz will be in Slytherin?"

"It's not as bad as you think…" Professor Slughorn said, "with his looks, he could pass off as the last member of his pureblood family. Remember, Minerva, a certain Rosello family in Italy?"

"Ah yes. They were the Italian version of the Black family. Horrible people…" Professor McGonagall said with a shudder.

"And with his name, quite a large amount of Galleons will be placed on his name… Not bad for a Muggle…"

"How can you be so sure we are Muggles?" Anne retorted.

"I assure you, Horace, that they are as magical as you and I when they entered the portal. Madam Pomfrey has their wands."

"We have wands?" Franz suddenly looked at Anne. He was not sure he could pass off as an arrogant pureblood wizard.

"Can we get them now?" Anne asked excitedly.

"Go to the Hospital Wing later to get them. Let's go to the Gryffindor common room to help you two get settled." Professor McGonagall said as she briskly walked outside her office.

"Minerva, if you don't mind, I would like to speak to both of them privately."

She nodded as the other professors walked out of the office, leaving Franz and Anne behind.

"I want to know the whole truth, if you don't mind."

"Well, in our world, all of you are just characters from a series of books. Sir, I don't know what would be the outcome of the war because it's not yet written, if that's what you wanted to know." Anne explained.

"Sir, we also know about the task you have given Harry. He might have a hard time because he pushed her away…" Franz looked at the portrait sincerely.

"Are you suggesting what I think to ask of you?" the portrait smiled at them.

"Yes, Professor, she is his hope, she is the power the Dark Ugly Fart knows not…" Anne snorted.

The portrait laughed merrily, "I like your spirit and courage, Miss Faustino, but bear in mind that you might be in danger, as you two possess a lot of knowledge regarding what happen and what might happen."

"We'll keep that in mind, sir. I could spy on the rest of the Slytherin House for more information. The Death Eaters might be recruiting students. I'll just go and be a Slytherin so that I can be thrown into this office." Franz grinned at Dumbledore's portrait.

"What a clever idea, young man! Now, don't keep Minerva waiting. Go on and enjoy the rest of the summer!"

"Today is the 30th of July, right?" Anne looked at Franz, who was lounging on the sofa in the Gryffindor common room.

"Yep, why?" Franz looked at her.

Anne had a mischievous glint on her eyes, as she put down a large book she was reading. She got up and walked out of the portrait hole.

"Hey, wait for me!" Franz ran to her, "Where are we going?"

"The headmaster's, no, McGonagall's office. I have a plan…"

They were briskly walking until they reached the stone gargoyle.

"Oh drat. I don't know the password…" Anne touched the gargoyle.

"Try 'phoenix'…"

"Professor McGonagall! We need to speak with you…"

"Now, what is it that you want, Miss Faustino?" McGonagall asked Anne as she sat down on her chair.

"Can we go to the Burrow for Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour's wedding?" Anne sat down on one of the chairs across Professor McGonagall.

"Are you out of your mind? Dumbledore said to stay inside! It's dangerous out there!" Franz pointed out the window.

"I heard somebody call out my name…"

"Professor, can we go to the Burrow? Harry might be there…" Anne pleaded, "I can help them. We both can help them."

"I'm afraid Mr. Rosello must stay here to train for his disguise as a pureblooded aristocrat."

"But…."

"Now, Ms. Faustino, we must do this to ensure both of your safety. Consider it as a test on the love you both share. I must remind you to trust Franz despite his would-be attitude and social prestige."

Anne tearfully nodded at the portrait.

"I know both of you have been practicing on your new abilities. Make good use of it," the portrait winked at them.