Chapter 1: The Letters of Destiny and the Ill-Fated Dream
By: Sokai
Disclaimer: To be short and frank, I do not nor will I (sadly) ever own the great workings of Harry Potter, Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon, or W.I.T.C.H. I'm not that talented. I am, however, talented enough to manage to concoct this chaotic fanfic combining all three worlds, and manage to make it all look good/easy, owning the storyline and any new spells or attacks I might create. So, alas, I dare you not to enjoy this undoubtedly bumpy ride alongside me! Ha! Okay, okay; I'll shut up now, especially since this wasn't short OR frank. ' Still . . . enjoy reading (AND leaving massive reviews!).
(Also, obviously to some here, this story looks familiar and you'll be like, "Hey...didn't I read this a few weeks ago?" Yep. You probably did. LoL Yeah, well, me and my good buddies here at had a bit of a fallout and thus this story got deleted for the time being. So to FF crew, if you're reading, apologies. To the rest of you, let's get us back to 10 reviews and 248+ hits again! Heck! Maybe more than that this time around? LoL Oh, and newbies to this story, please, by all means, read on:) )
Note: This chapter was written in May 2005.
"So, how are you going to spend your last month of vacation before we go back to school, minna?" Aino Minako friendly asked the four girls seated around her at their usual table in their usual hangout, the Crown Café.
It was a pleasantly warm and sunny summer afternoon that day, which left Minako and her friends in equally pleasant moods with nothing in particular to do.
"Um . . . sleep in, and then maybe eat some snacks while I read comics or watch T.V., Mina-chan; you?"
"Usagi-chan, that's what you've been doing everyday since vacation started . . . baka," Hino Rei chided to the blonde haired girl who could have very well passed for Minako's twin - that is, if the girl's hair were allowed to rest freely upon her shoulders, with only a red ribbon to capture some of the strands.
Instead, Tsukino Usagi's unique hairstyle consisted of two very long pigtails with buns that resembled two golden dumplings resting neatly a top her head.
Usagi merely stuck out her tongue at the raven haired girl before responding.
"Exactly, Rei - why mess with a good thing? Besides, you've been meditating everyday like clockwork, and no one's said a word. I mean, you'd think that you're expecting to have a bad premonition or something any day now . . ."
As Rei opened her mouth, about to retort, the smallest of the five, Mizuno Ami smartly intervened.
"W-why don't we just finish up our sundaes here and then maybe go to the beach, minna? It's such a nice day out, ne?"
Catching onto the blue haired girl's good intentions to keep the peace amongst everyone, Kino Makoto chimed in as she tucked a stray strand of her brunette pony tailed locks behind her ear.
"Oh yeah! Definitely, Ami-chan! Bet there'll be lots of choice waves out for surfing, too! Remember how we all said we'd make that one of the things we'd try out this summer?"
"Yeah! Speaking of Senshi . . ."
Minako, who had been quiet up to this point in her own little world as she finished gobbling up her sundae with a ferocious like vengeance, suddenly piped up. The others gazed at their blonde friend as though she'd mysteriously grown a second head.
First looking about the café to see if anyone had been close enough to hear Minako's strange as well as abrupt declaration, Rei leaned over the table with a curious frown plastered across her face.
"Mina! What's the matter with you? Has not being able to henshin in almost two years rattled your brain enough to make you lose your sense of caution when in public?" The Shinto Priestess hissed in a harsh whisper, scolding the former senshi of love.
Frowning right back, Minako shook her head as she pushed her empty sundae dish to the side.
"Of course not, Rei! I don't honestly even know why that suddenly popped into my head just now, but now that it has it does have me thinking . . ."
"Oh? What about, Minako-chan?" Makoto inquired, putting down her spoon as she too finished the last of her dessert.
"Well . . . for one thing, like Rei just said, we can't henshin anymore . . . I mean, at first, I know we were all shocked and worried because maybe something was happening.
Like, what if an even bigger threat than Galaxia-sama had popped up in the midst of our vulnerability, and we couldn't do anything to stop it, or protect Usagi-chan?"
Usagi, now on her third bowl of ice cream, perked up at the mention of her name.
"Hmm? Oh! Demo, I'd thought we figured that this was just a sort of 'rite of passage.' You know, not being able to henshin anymore merely means we've fulfilled our destiny as protectors of the planet."
"Right. And we also figured that since no youma or any other evil thing has showed up since Galaxia-sama after losing our powers that the 'era of peace' was beginning as well . . . though, technically, I suppose that will begin once Usagi-chan marries Mamoru-san and ascends the throne as Queen of Crystal Tokyo on her twenty second birthday . . ." Ami added thoughtfully, looking out the window in what appeared to be deep contemplation about the future she and her fellow senshi had learned of so many years ago.
And it looked like it would be a little while longer before it would happen too, since Usagi and Mamoru decided to prolong their engagement until Usagi graduated from high school, and Mamoru finished his studies in America - where he currently was at the moment.
Rushing into marriage, even one that had been pre-determined for eons, was never a clever thing to do. Plus, in this manner would both Usagi and Mamoru get a chance to focus and finish up their studies to further secure their success as well as future as fair, just, and apt monarchs.
At last satisfied with her thoughts, Ami shook her royal blue colored head, as if to jostle them away, just in time to hear Minako continue on in her point of discussion.
". . . Exactly! Look, my point to all of this is, while at first I'll admit I was a bit shocked, then later ecstatic at the newfound emancipation from our 'eternal duties' we've received, now I'm just . . ." The four other girls watched in slight anticipation as well as confusion as the cerulean eyed girl suddenly trailed off.
". . . You're what, Mina-chan? Scared again? Mad? Confused?" Makoto ventured a guess, reaching out a comforting hand towards her friend as she and the other senshi prepared for the worst.
"No . . . I'm just so bored!" Minako at last blurted out, standing up in a heated frenzy as she slammed her hand down upon the table, accidentally knocking over Usagi's uneaten fourth bowl of ice cream.
"Hey! That's not fair! Now I'm just pissed! . . . and hungry . . ." Usagi began to pout as Rei-tachi heavily sweat dropped, cheeks flushed with embarrassment by the dual display of theatrics, as well as the curious looks the other customers were now throwing their way.
"Oh! Sorry about that, Usagi-chan! I'll buy you a hot dog on the way home!" Minako apologized, sitting back down again.
"It's just that for as long as I can remember my life's always been about senshi this, save the world that! And while I am glad it's over, it was a huge part of who I am . . . still is. Argh! I just need some adventure! A new challenge to tackle! Ne, minna-san?"
As if on cue, five small owls mysteriously flew in through the café's open door and headed straight to the back where they were all seated.
"Ai ya! Owls! What're owls doing in here, in broad daylight, and headed straight . . . for . . . US! Run, minna!" As four of the five former Sailor Senshi quickly moved out of the way, following suit with the rest of the customers who were rushing towards the exit, only Usagi stayed put, too paralyzed with fear and mesmerization to move.
She'd never seen a real life owl so close before, or anywhere for that matter - except perhaps on T.V. So, now to see one, five no less, coming at her while carrying within their talons what appeared to be yellowish envelopes . . . wait a second. Carrying yellowish envelopes within their talons? Whatever would owls need with envelopes, and to bring them inside a café for?
Usagi didn't have enough time to further ponder the notion as she suddenly felt something harshly pull on her leg from underneath the table, managing to slide her clear under and out of harm's way.
"What the - Mako-chan, what're you -"
"Did you want these rabid owls to pluck your eyes out, Usagi? Let's go before they get a chance to!" As the two girls climbed out from under the table, the only ones now remaining inside the café while Rei, Ami, and Minako all watched frantically from just outside the doorway, Usagi chanced a look behind her before fleeing with her rescuer.
Half expecting to feel her crystalline blue eyes to be ripped from their sockets upon turning, both Usagi and Makoto - who'd also turned to see what was the hold up - were greeted with an unanticipated surprise.
There, on top of their formerly kept table sat the five feathery messengers, gazing up at them with patient eyes, each envelope now inside their beaks. There seemed to be no interest of malice for these birds, but merely the sole wish to deliver the letters that apparently were meant for the five occupants left within the place of business.
Usagi had managed to find her voice before her brunette friend, who was still a bit too surprised at the display to speak.
"Um . . . minna . . . I-I think it's okay to come back inside . . . you should probably see this anyway . . . these owls . . . are just sitting here with yellow envelopes inside of their beaks as if waiting for something . . ."
". . . Waiting for what? For us to turn our backs so they can drop the innocent act and peck us to death? Or worse, give us paper cuts from their envelopes?" Minako anxiously inquired as she, Rei and Ami cautiously came back inside the café and joined their friends.
Rei, gathering up her nerve, took a step forward closer to the still waiting owls, all gazing back at her with interest in their eyes. She figured that since these were birds, they couldn't be any harder to handle than her pet crows and guardians, Phobos and Deimos . . . at least that was what she hoped.
"Mina, how could getting a paper cut be worse than - never mind. I'll just get a headache . . . anyhow, I'm not sure, but I think that . . . these letters are for us . . . right?"
As if in understanding, all five owls slightly inclined their heads as they opened their beaks, allowing each envelope to fall free onto the table. And with that, they suddenly flapped their wings and flew back out the open door and out of sight.
"Yeah . . . I guess that answers that question, Rei-chan," Usagi commented, scratching her head as she sat back down and carefully picked up one of the letters.
"Hey! This one has Minako's name on it!"
"What! Give it here! Must be fan mail . . ." Minako exclaimed excitedly, diving to retrieve the letter from out of Usagi's outstretched hand.
Moving over to the table and taking a seat next to the blonde haired girl, Ami gingerly reached forward and picked up one of the envelopes for herself.
"Hmm . . . this one's addressed to Rei-chan . . . Hogwarts . . . I wonder what that is?" Flipping the remaining envelopes over, each girl could see that the letters were indeed sent to them . . . but by whom, and why? Ami thought as she continued to eye the one addressed to her. As if sensing her thoughts, Usagi was the first to speak after a few moments of silent reverie.
"Well, let's open 'em!"
"What!"
"Well, why not? It has our names on each, ne?"
"True, but what if it's a trap?" Ami asked worriedly, still the only one besides Rei who hadn't claimed her letter.
"Oh, come on, Ami! How many daimon do you know of go through all the trouble to train owls to find us, just to leave behind letters without having them attack or something more malevolent? You're giving daimons way too much credit - they're not smart enough . . . though sending owls not to attack us would be something idiotic they'd do," Minako lazily reasoned, running her hands idly over the purple stamped seal in the back of her envelope bearing a coat of arms -a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding the letter H.
Makoto gently placed a calming hand on Ami's shoulder, offering her a reassuring smile.
"No worries, Ami-chan. I don't really sense any negativity about this, myself, but if Rei-chan does at all then we'll walk away from all this, ok? So how about it, Rei? Sense anything dismissive about it?"
All eyes now rested upon the raven haired clairvoyant, who carefully picked up her envelope within both hands. She paused for a moment, closing her eyes as she waited to feel the all too familiar sensation of evil rippling through her insides.
However, nothing ever came.
There was no tingling of dread, nor any ominously dark clouds full of dread looming overhead. Only the faint churning of nervousness of opening the letter careened through the inside of her stomach now as she finally reopened her amethyst colored eyes.
"Well? What is it? Great, we have to burn these now, don't we? Probably in your Sacred Fire, too, for good measure . . ." Minako prematurely and glumly concluded, tossing her letter regrettably back onto the table.
Rei only answered her newly depressed friend with a warm smile before beginning to tear open her letter, the first one to do so.
"Yes! Thank kami for stupid daimon!" Minako cheered, exhaling in relief as she quickly retrieved her letter, opening it as well.
As the remaining senshi followed suit, Ami the last to open hers, Usagi's eyes widened slightly in mixed shock and curiosity as the looked over how her envelope had been addressed.
In emerald green letters did the front of the letter mysteriously read: To Miss Usagi Tsukino, The Booth in the far back, Crown Café, Tokyo, Japan.
Strange how they knew exactly where we were at this very moment, Usagi thought to herself as she set the envelope down and began to read her letter aloud:
"'HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, 1st Class. Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards) . . . Dear Miss Tsukino, we are pleased to inform you that you've been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1.
We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress . . .' What is this all about? Do yours all say the same thing, minna?" Usagi asked in a puzzled voice as she finished reading, now beginning to read it over to herself in case she'd been mistaken about anything.
Makoto set down her letter and stared hard at it as she folded her arms across her chest, while Ami, Rei, and Minako continued to read theirs.
"Yeah, it does, Usagi-chan, of course except obviously addressed to me . . . what I want to know is, who is playing this sick joke on us and why? And also, if it isn't a joke, then . . . what is going on?"
"I know! This isn't fan mail at all!" Minako huffed, completely missing the point as she tossed her letter aside before slumping back against her seat.
"Mina-chan, why would you get fan mail? You're not an idol!" Rei attacked, shaking her head in disbelief while folding up her letter. Sticking out her tongue, Minako retorted,
"Not yet is what you should say, Rei-chan - you'll see! Anyway, if it isn't a stupid prank then what is this . . . 'The Nerve of Mick Gone is Gone' talking about? Send an owl? Where? And why? I'm not a witch! Just a former senshi turned idol superstar . . . er, soon to be idol superstar . . ." Minako modified herself as she caught Rei's menacing glance at her last comment.
Sweat dropping, Ami spoke up after having read her letter over again for the sixth time.
"That's Minerva McGonagall, Mina-chan; she must be American, I'm assuming, just as I'm also assuming that this supposed school is not anywhere in Tokyo - or Japan for that matter . . ."
". . . So then . . . what do we do? Ignore this? Or send a letter back to this McGonagall person for a word of further explanation?" Usagi suggested curiously, reaching over the table to seize and read Rei's letter of acceptance to the mysterious school.
". . . I'm not sure . . . I mean, how would we even send word to her anyhow? By owl, like she said? We don't even know where the school is. And even if we did, where are we going to find owls who'd be willing to make the trip, let alone come to our aid?" Makoto wondered, looking up at the ceiling as if for a clue.
"Well, we could try sending Phobos and Deimos to deliver them for us, but again we don't know where to send them exactly . . . plus, the journey might be too strenuous on them. We should have made those owls who delivered these letters in the first place stick around; now they must be long --"
Again, as if on cue, the same five owls from earlier swooped gracefully back inside the still empty café and landed on top of the table next to the senshi.
". . . gone . . ." Rei finished, her mouth hanging open in utter disbelief as she gazed at the returned feathery quintet, who again gazed right back at her with interest and what she could have sworn to be amusement.
Makoto, coming out of her deep and silent conference with the ceiling, suddenly sat up straight and unfolded her arms as she got ready to reveal her idea.
". . . I say we go."
"WHAT!" All four girls exclaimed in unison, causing a gentle smile to emerge upon Makoto's milky visage as she continued on.
"Right. I say we go. We may not be witches, no . . . at least, I don't think, but we are senshi."
"So?" Usagi interrupted, scratching her head once again, her face contorted into an expression as though she'd just finished tackling a brainteaser in one of her classes at school.
"So, maybe this is just another one of those things we need to do, you know? Maybe this is a new beginning for us as Sailor Senshi; 'evolving,' if you will," Makoto explained.
"Evolving? Into what? Broom flying, cauldron brewing witches with warts growing sporadically all over our faces? No thanks, Mako-chan," Minako flatly responded, scoffing as she unconsciously caressed her creamy smooth cheeks with both hands.
"Hmm . . . I can kind of see where Makoto's going with this, Minako; minna. It would be interesting to meet and consult with other supposed witches and wizards. I mean, it could be a whole new branch of scientific research I have yet to delve into . . . just think of the possibilities . . ." Ami murmured, blue eyes twinkling in slight anticipation.
"Exactly! Mako-chan and Ami-chan are right! Well, I don't really care so much about the scientific benefits in going, but the rest sounds neat! Best of all, we'll all be there together!" Usagi grinned, wrapping each arm around the nearest girl she could reach from where she was sitting. She began to then giggle as she imagined herself in a witch's costume and whizzing around the night sky on a broomstick.
"And you just said earlier that you were bored and needed a challenge, right, Mina-chan? Well, what better challenge than to learn the supposed art of witchcraft and wizardry? Even if it's not true, it still sounds like a lot of fun . . . brewing love potions and all that."
Minako gave her blonde doppelganger a mock scowl of indignation as she tossed some of her long locks over her shoulder.
"Right, as if I'd need to brew a love potion, Usagi-chan - hello? Former Sailor Senshi of Love and Beauty here! I invented love! Anyhow! I will have to admit that it does sound intriguing. Strange and out of this world, definitely; however, then again, so is the notion of 'magical girl' senshi saving the planet every other day of the week," Minako mused, gently tapping a finger against her chin and grinning before speaking up once more.
"All right! What the hell! Sign me up!"
All eyes now converged upon the raven haired priestess for what would be the third time that day as her four friends waited to hear what she had to say in regards to the matter.
After mulling it over for a few minutes, a small smile slowly crept across her lips.
". . . Well . . . I suppose it couldn't hurt to at least send a reply back to that McGonagall woman . . ."
"Sugoi! That settles it! Gimme that pen over there on the floor, wouldja? 'We . . . have . . . all . . . received . . . your . . . letters . . . Mc . . . Gona . . . gall-san . . . and we accept . . . your . . . admission . . . to attend . . . Hog . . . warts . . .' Hogwarts? Oh, wow; it's really called that? If I were headmaster there, I'd have changed that name years ago . . . Anyway! '. . . Sincerely . . . Aino . . . Minako-tachi . . . There! Think she can read kanji?" Minako inquired as she finished scribbling out their universal reply.
"I dunno, Mina-chan. And with your handwriting? I really don't know. But I figure if you and Odango-atama over there managed to read the letter with little problem - it having been written in English - then I think she'll be able to fair just fine," Rei teased as Ami took the reply letter and cautiously tied it around the already outstretched leg of the closest owl to her.
"Hey! We resent that! We've gotten much better with our English! Enough to go to this school, obviously! Right, Usagi-chan?"
"Hmm? Oh! R-right! Right . . ." The odango haired girl commented absentmindedly as she watched the five owls take off again back outside to carry their reply letter toward whatever unknown destination.
Suddenly it dawned on her.
"Minna! The term for that school begins September 1st!"
"Yeah, so?"
"So! Term for our school here starts on the same day! And a day earlier for Rei's school! How are we going to go to two schools at the same time?"
In all the commotion, the missed and much needed sense of rationality had completely flown out the door for the five senshi, much like how the owls had done not moments before.
"Ai ya! That's right! And it's too late to stop those owls from sending that reply . . ." Makoto responded in mortification, unsure of what to do next.
"True . . . but I don't think we'll have to worry, minna . . ." Ami prophesied, managing to smile faintly as a new thought occurred to her. Both Minako and Usagi gazed at her as though she were insane, saying so.
"Are you out of your mind, Ami-chan? There's no way to fix this now!" Ami shook her head, contesting the proclamation.
"Not true. It says we have until July 31st to reply, ne? And term starts September 1st. Since it going to be our last at Juuban as well as Rei's last year at the academy, this is when we can implement the studying abroad option that's offered to last year students. That way we can effectively go to Hogwarts instead," the former Senshi of Ice revealed, her thoughtful smile growing into one of triumph.
Now it was the others' turn to smile.
"You know what? That's right! I completely forgot all about that! Way to save the day, Ami-chan!"
"Yeah! Leave it to Ami to always come up with the great ideas! Now, let's go home already, ne? Mina-chan, you owe me that hot dog - I'm starved!" Usagi exclaimed happily as she bolted out of the café, dragging a giggling Minako behind her while the three other girls followed.
"Hogwarts . . . here we come . . ." Rei whispered, smiling softly and a bit nervously as she was the last to exit the café, closing the door behind her.
YYYYYYYYYYY
Wilhelmina Vandom, or Will, as she preferred to be called, awoke to the sharp ringing sound of her alarm clock as it noisily chimed within her ears while she lay on her bed.
"Ugh . . . note to self: unplug that thing," Will muttered sleepily to herself, groaning as she slowly rose from under a pile of wrinkled clothes.
"What the - oh right. I was supposed to finish cleaning up my room before I fell asleep. Oh well! What mom doesn't know won't hurt he -"
"Wake up, sleepy head! It's already close to noon! You're going to be late if you don't hurry up and get dressed! You promised to meet Irma and the others over at the Lin's restaurant for your little lunch date today!" Will's mother, Susan Vandom, cautioned through the door with slight amusement, knowing full well that her daughter had most likely gotten lazy or had fallen asleep on the job the previous night to finish up her chores.
"Don't . . . worry about it, Mom!" Will grunted lightly as she somehow managed to stuff her crumpled clothes deep enough under her bed so as not to give rise to suspicion should her mother enter in to check on things while she was out.
"I've got it all under con - AHH!"
Leaping in surprise after rising from the floor, Will let out a startled gasp as an owl came flying through her half open window, just missing her head by a few inches.
"You've got it under what? What's going on in there?" Ms. Vandom pressed with mixed concern and suspicion, slowly reaching for the doorknob. Resting a shaky hand gingerly upon her chest, Will's light brown eyes widened in shock as they gazed at the new feathered visitor, who now sat idly upon her desk with what looked like an envelope.
Even though she was very perplexed and unsure as to what was going on, for whatever reason Will did not want her mother witnessing such a spectacle.
I guess being secretive about my dual life as both teenage daughter and Guardian of the Veil has just become instinct over the past three years, she thought to herself as she quickly and cautiously rushed over to the door to prevent her mother from entering.
Though this doesn't exactly fall into either category at the moment, she added as an afterthought while keeping her eyes steadily rested upon the tiny animal.
"U-um, nothing's going on, mom! I'm fine! I just . . . I just saw a cockroach on the window sill, that's all! A very . . . big cockroach . . . with feathers and a beak . . ." Will quickly reasoned, muttering the last bit to herself as her breathing finally became more steady.
She listened in to hear Ms. Vandom lightly chuckle from on the other side of the door.
"Well it's no wonder! The way you keep your room, I'm surprised an entire circus worth of animals hasn't already moved in! Now, hurry up and get ready, or else you'll never make it on time!"
Pressing an ear against the door to make sure her mother had really gone before moving, Will let out a relieved sigh as she slowly sank to the floor, still watching the mysterious owl who merely looked back at her with what looked like boredom glistening within its beady eyes.
"So . . . um . . . h-hello, there, little guy. Care to tell Auntie Will why you decided to steal someone's mail, and then bring it into my room - I'm guessing to incriminate me?"
Immediately feeling stupid for having said such a thing, let alone bothering to speak to the bird as if it could understand her, Will lightly smacked herself upon the forehead.
"Idiot! Less talking, more figuring out how to get this bird out of here! I wish the guys were here; they'd probably know how to handle -"
Hearing the faint sound of ruffling feathers, Will quickly looked up to watch the owl fly back out her bedroom window, leaving the letter behind.
Getting up from off the floor, Will quickly rushed over to close the window - just in case the animal decided to prolong its stay after all - before returning back to the desk and carefully picked up the abandoned envelope.
". . . Okay then. That takes care of that problem at least. Now how to explain to whomever this belongs to that I have . . . my letter . . . weird . . ." Will trailed off as her eyes read the front of the envelope and saw that it was indeed her letter. What was even more strange to the teenager was the way it had been addressed.
Emerald green letters shone brightly up at her as it curiously read: To Miss Wilhelmina Vandom, The Messy Bedroom on the Right, Heatherfield, California, America.
Not sure whether to be more surprised that whomever sent the letter knew precisely where she lived, or offended that they also knew her room was frequently in disarray and called her on it, Will tore open the envelope and began to read the letter inside:
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, 1st Class. Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss Vandom,
We are pleased to inform you that you've been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1.
Immediately a dozen or more questions raced through Will's mind as she finished reading the letter. Who sent this? Why did they send this? Moreover, why were they accepting her to a school exclusively for witches and wizards when she, last she had been aware of, was neither?
After several more minutes of careful deliberation, Will folded up the letter, put it back inside the envelope and began to get dressed.
"Well, one thing's for certain. I won't get any answers hanging around here. I'll just bring the letter over to Hay Lin's and see what the guys think of this."
And with that, checking to see she hadn't forgotten anything important, Will quickly snatched the letter from off the desk, then racing down the staircase and out of the house as she made her way down the street to meet her four friends.
When she'd finally arrived at her destination, fifteen minutes behind schedule, Will managed to catch the remnants of what seemed to be the conclusion to a heated conversation between a Caucasian girl with long blonde hair, and another girl, Hispanic who sported short, light brown tresses.
". . . Well, I don't care what the thing says, Irma! I'm not going, and that's final!"
"Aww, is it because poor wittle Cornikins would die without seeing her boyfriend, Caleb, for such a long time if you did? We all got one, and I'm assuming Will did too, if she ever shows up. We can't just ignore this!"
Always an argument between those two, Will thought in slight amusement as she approached the far table in the back of the restaurant where her quartet of friends were all seated.
But it also sounds like they got -
"Hey, Will! You're here! So, tell us! Did you happen to get any . . . certain letters delivered to you today, by chance?" An Asian girl with glossy black hair pulled into twin, long pigtails interrupted her thoughts, a warm, excited grin plastered across her saffron complexion.
As usual the naturally cheerful girl was a vision of eccentricity, always breathing life into her art. Or, in this case, breathing art into her life, so to speak, as today she donned purple leg warmers bunched around her ankles; lavender goggles cocked gaily on top of her head; and a swishy, eggplant miniskirt while her bright fuchsia book bag rested, forgotten, upon the floor underneath the table.
"Well, um . . . you might say that, Hay Lin," Will responded with a bit of uncertainty as she sat down besides the blonde haired girl, whose arms were crossed over her chest and still seemed to be fuming.
". . . Did it come by way of creepy owl post?" inquired an African American girl with pretty brown eyes and broad, round glasses as she nervously tugged on the medium length black ponytail of her unique hairstyle.
"Oh, relax, Taranee, would ya? I'm sure your owl was just as small in size as mine was, and left you just as quick! Now, if yours had been as big as Cornelia's, then maybe I could understand the obvious fear you're now going to develop for these creatures," smirked the brown haired jokester girl by the name of Irma Lair, wrapping an arm around the worried looking girl next to her.
Leaning over the table, eyes now widened in disbelief, Will motioned for the others to move in closer so as not to have unwanted eavesdroppers.
"So then I'm not alone in this. My letter, which had been very specific on where to find me, I might add, was also delivered by an owl . . . what do you guys think all this means?"
Cornelia Hale was the first to speak.
"I'll tell you what it doesn't mean, Will. It doesn't mean that I'm going; furthermore, even if I wanted to, there's not a school of magic in existence! How could it be possible? Oh, and for the record, 'Little Miss Thinks-She's-Funny,' Caleb is not my boyfriend anymore! That was so three years ago, thanks," the tallest of the five submitted defensively as she reached across the table for the plate of egg rolls that had been set out for their lunch.
"Yes, Cornelia - we all know you two broke up a long while ago, and are just friends now. Irma was only kidding; weren't you, Irma? In any case, I really think you should reconsider your thoughts about this school. I mean, I think it could be possible it exists the same way our powers over the elements can," Hay Lin reasoned soothingly, following suit as she grabbed an egg roll for herself.
At last relaxing after having gotten over the memory of watching her owl fly towards her while at the park earlier that day, Taranee Cook took a sip of her tea before adding in her two cents.
"Hmm . . . Hay Lin does have a point about that. I mean, it's already been three years since we first found out we were Guardians of the Veil, finally managing to restore it so that no one from Meridan can cross over to Earth and vice versa, and I'm still honestly surprised about it all."
"Right! And I mean, think of it! A whole school dedicated to teaching you all about magic! Still don't understand how the witch and wizard factor fits in with us, but hey! If they don't seem to mind that we're not witches, then I'm not complaining!" Irma gushed, giggling at Cornelia's scorned expression as she managed to steal one of the Red Bean Paste dumplings from off her plate.
Will, who had been lost in thought for the remaining duration of the makeshift meeting, blinked her brown eyes a few times as if to help snap her back into reality. Clearing her throat, she looked from friend to friend before speaking, a serious expression upon her face.
". . . I think we should do this."
"Excuse me?" Cornelia rudely intervened, scoffing as she tossed some of her golden locks over her shoulder in dismissal. Undeterred by the motion, Will simply pressed on.
"I said I think we should do this. Go to this . . . Hogwarts school. I mean, it's like Hay Lin and Irma said: if our having magical powers can exist, then why can't this school? And if it does, it is a magic school! We can go there and maybe learn more about our powers and how to control them better! Maybe even learn more about ourselves in the process."
Grinning from ear to ear in satisfied triumph, Irma eagerly slapped her friend and leader of the group square across the back just as she reached for her cup of tea to drink, causing it to spill everywhere.
"Oops! Sorry, Will! But, anyhow! I don't think I could've said that any better, myself! If you're willing to go, then so am I! How about the rest of you?"
"Well . . . it could be a fascinating, and even life altering experience if we went . . . hopefully a positive life altering experience," Taranee quickly added, her rattled nerves beginning to flare up again at the thought of something horrific happening to the five of them if they attended this unknown place of education.
However, she dismissed the morbid thought just as quickly. Everything would be just fine if they went, with absolutely nothing to worry about, she rationed as she listened to Hay Lin's feelings on the matter.
"Yeah! And maybe it has some really great scenic views for my landscaping project I've been working on! Plus, I think it'd be a lot of fun to be around others our age who also embody magical powers! Count me in!"
All that was needed now was for Cornelia to cast her vote to make it unanimous, however the girl continued to remain silent. Quickly racking her brain for something that would convince the Guardian of Earth to join them on this new adventure, Will's face lit up mischievously as something hit her.
"You know, Cornelia, no one's forcing you to go -"
"We're not? Ow! My foot!" Irma wailed as she felt Hay Lin slam abruptly down upon her right sneaker.
"Anyway! As I was saying, you don't have to come with us to this school if you don't want to, Cornelia. I mean, you can stay here back in Heatherfield - no problem. We'll just have to remember to send you lots and lots of pictures of all the cute new classmates we'll undoubtedly encounter while there," Will finished, smiling a small calculated grin as she watched Cornelia's stubborn resolve begin to gradually crumble upon hearing those words.
Check, and mate, Will thought happily as she was sure the next words to come out of the blonde's mouth would be something dripped purposely in cold sarcasm and resistence, underlined with extreme intrigue at the prospect of surrounding herself with handsome new boys to mingle with.
". . . Well . . . I guess I can come along. I mean, if only to make sure you guys don't get into trouble or something . . . maybe check out the sites like Hay Lin said," Cornelia muttered, forcing a frown to appear across her face though her light blue eyes shone with happy interest.
Standing up suddenly, Irma pumped a fist into the air as she grinned cheesily, drawing some attention from the other customers around them.
"Then it's settled! Hogwarts, here we come! Oh, wait a second . . . didn't it say to send an owl back to them, telling them yes or no? How're we gonna do tha-"
"Oh, girls! There you are! Perhaps you wouldn't mind helping me out in the back? There appears to be several owls hanging around in the alley - they don't seem to want to leave no matter what the staff has tried! It's as if they're waiting for something . . ." Yan Lin, Hay Lin's grandmother and former Guardian of the Veil in her own day suddenly appeared from behind the still standing girl.
". . . Guess that solved that problem, huh, Irma?" Hay Lin grinned as she and the others began to giggle knowingly, standing up from their seats and following her grandmother to the back.
Just think, in only two months we'll all be in a new, magical place, on a brand new adventure, Will thought to herself, the last to leave the table.
I have a feeling that it's going to be an experience we'll never forget . . .
YYYYYYYYYYY
"Oi! Come on then, Harry! It's nearly noon, and you're still asleep, shaking the house apart with your snoring," A tall, skinny boy with red hair and freckles by the name of Ron Weasley teased as he walked into his shared bedroom with the still sleeping Harry Potter.
He watched in amusement as his best friend smirked and slowly stretched before rising from the bed, rubbing sleep from his green eyes.
"I didn't know my audience was so vastly anticipated by everyone else in the house, mate. Though I am kind of sorry I'd slept for so long. Mrs. Weasley isn't too upset with me, is she?"
"No, don't worry about it. No one's here except for Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Loon - I mean, Luna. Oh, and the two of us, of course. Fred and George went to their shop to do a bit of restocking - can you believe they've already managed to sell every single Weasley's Wildfire Whiz-Bangs and Basic Blazebox product in there? And they'd just finished setting everything out not but four days ago!
Anyhow, mum left behind a bit of lunch for all of us to eat in case we got hungry while she's away at another Order of the Phoenix meeting . . . Oh! And then dad's checking in with the ministry to see if there isn't any new news about . . . well, you know," Ron finished, trailing off, while watching Harry absentmindedly graze a shaky hand across the curious looking lightning scar across his forehead as his formerly vibrant facial expression dissolved into one of mixed malice and depression.
This had been the first time in several weeks that Ron's friend had managed to crack a smile or collect any sleep for longer than an hour, and he instantly felt awful for ruining both one fell swoop.
Looking back, of all the years of attending their school, Hogwarts, the last two have been the most brutal for Harry, and so Ron and the others intended to make certain that their last one would be as pleasant for him as possible.
Seeing the regrettable anguish riddled all across Ron's freckled face at reminding him of his constant and increasingly dangerous plight, Harry immediately forced as heartfelt a smile as he could currently muster - if only for his friend's sake.
"Hey, forget about it, Ron; it isn't as though none of it has been far from my mind, after all. But at least now the ministry - not to mention most of the entire wizarding world, for that matter - is listening and helping in trying to figure out how to do away with Voldemort once and for all . . ." Harry remarked a bit tonelessly as he stood from the bed to get dressed, putting on his round glasses for better sight.
"Well, of course, Harry! With most of the wizarding world united in the cause like this, I reckon this year will be a hopefully good one at that!" Ron offered, still determined to make the boy who lived feel a bit better about what hopefully would not be a lost cause.
"And speaking of this year, can you believe this will be our last? At Hogwarts, I mean. Imagine that, seven years already gone by, just like that! Bet it's crushing Hermione's heart to realize that there'll be no more piles of homework to look forward to the following year, eh, Harry? Harry? You all right, mate?" Ron asked in curious concern as he put down the box of chocolate frogs he'd brought up with him and watched the jet black haired boy stop midway in putting one on one his sneakers.
"What is it, Harry? Something I said? Was only a joke about Hermione, y'know - well, partly, anyhow, and -"
"No, Ron, it wasn't anything you'd said . . . well, kind of. I was just remembering a peculiar dream I'd had last night . . ." Harry revealed, pulling on the other sneaker before sitting back down onto the bed.
Just then, a tall, slightly chubby boy with dark brown hair, Neville Longbottom, strolled into the bedroom he was also sharing, a small smile splayed across his milky tinted face.
"Oh, right! You're awake then, Harry! Hermione and Ginny sent me to come check on both you and Ron, since he never came back to finish up her Wizard's Chess lesson," said Neville as he made his way across the room and sat down on Ron's bed next to the red haired boy.
"Harry was in the middle of telling me about a dream he had last night, Neville, is all. Besides, I wasn't aware I was on the bloody clock; I can finish teaching Hermione any time - she was actually beating me, anyhow," Ron remarked, reaching out for a chocolate frog and gingerly stuffed it in his mouth.
"Now, go on, Harry - continue on with your story."
Harry managed to smile at the display as he watched his two friends begin to cram as many chocolate frogs as they could deep inside their mouths, as if in contest.
Taking a deep breath, Harry began to divulge the inner pondering of his mind, closing his eyes while he strained to remember every detail.
He wasn't exactly sure where he had been in his dream, but it appeared to be outside somewhere on the grounds of Hogwarts - perhaps around the courtyards - when he'd heard the soft voice of a woman singing a most peculiar melody.
Walking several more steps, Harry remembered finding the owner of the lyrical voice: a girl with long ebony hair that eerily held a purple sheen to it as it cascaded down her back while standing in front of a fountain, her back facing him as he approached.
"'. . . Should Darkness see then all shall end, lest Light shine through to put it right again . . . once lion and serpent at last unite, the battle will begin for what is right . . .'" Harry managed to remember as he finished giving the details about his cryptic dream.
Neville, who had at last reached his limit of chocolate frogs after stuffing his fifth one into his chocolate smeared mouth, let out a faint whimper as a shiver ran down his spine.
"More like a nightmare, that dream was, Harry; such an eerie song that girl was singing, too . . . who do you suppose she was?"
"Yeah - ever get a good look at her face, do you remember, mate?" asked Ron as he finished his twelve and last chocolate frog for the time being.
Harry merely shook his head in response while gazing out the window, the current outside weather being a beautifully warm, sunny day almost mockingly reflecting the exact opposite of how he felt inside.
He was not entirely sure how to feel about the slightly prophetic dream, as on the one hand the mysterious girl's song had been pretty alarming - although he hadn't the foggiest as to what it all meant. However, on the other hand, the rest of his dream had felt surreal, almost serene to had been apart of.
The girl herself, although having been singing such a peculiar tune, didn't appear to hold any sort of malice within her, and even seemed to be a bit charming. Or, so what it seemed to Harry, even though the girl had never turned around to face him, and the dream ended before she even could had that been her intention.
". . . Right, Harry?"
The sound of Ron's pressing voice jostled Harry from out of his deep thought as he looked away from the window.
"Hmm? What was that, sorry?"
"I said that whatever it may or may not mean, we'll all be right there with you to face it together. Eh, Neville?"
"Right, Ron. No worries, Harry. If we all could get through the last two years together, then I have no doubt we can't make it through this last year as well," Neville commented reassuringly, displaying a bit of the newfound confidence he'd managed at last begin to acquire over the last couple of years.
Standing from bed once more, Harry smiled earnestly at his two friends and nodded in appreciation just as three more visitors came rushing into the room - this time girls.
One of them, Hermione Granger, carried a ginger colored, shabby looking cat in her arms as it lazily played with a few strands of her bushy brown hair. She entered first as the two other girls trailed in behind her, one with flaming red hair and resembling Ron a bit, while the other had cornflower hair.
"Oh, wonderful! The gang's reunited at last! Now the party can begin!" Ron joked, smirking as Hermione gently set her cat, Crookshanks, down onto the floor.
"Honestly, Ronald! Sometimes you can have the manners of a hog, making me wait like that to finish up our lesson!"
"And apparently he can eat like a hog, as well - both he and Neville, it seems . . ." Luna Lovegood chimed in her usual dreamy voice, running a hand through her blonde locks absentmindedly as the red head next to her, Ginny Weasley, giggled at the remark.
Faces beginning to turn a fiery red, and in Ron's case, almost matching the shade of his hair, both he and Neville quickly reached up and wiped off the smeared chocolate from around their mouths.
Clearing her throat, Hermione turned her attention to Harry, who was now moving toward the door.
"Harry, Ginny, Luna and I took the liberty of setting out the lunch Mrs. Weasley had made for all of us - you know, in case you're hungry."
"Yeah, and dad's back now as well, too; says that apparently Hogwarts will be getting new students not from here in Britain this year," Ginny revealed as Ron and Neville got up and followed Harry to the bedroom door where they now all stood.
"Is that right? Well where are they from, then?" Ron inquired.
"Mr. Weasley said there's to be eleven of them coming: six from Tokyo, Japan, and five from California, America," Hermione informed, brows furrowed lightly in brief contemplation.
"America? Japan? And eleven, total? That's a lot of new for exchange students, that is. Does Mr. Weasley know anything else about them?" asked Neville curiously as the six of them began to make their way out of the room and down the hall.
"Only that they're all seventeen years old, and are girls . . ." Luna answered in a soothing half audible whisper while playing with a speck of dust that had landed upon the sleeve of her sweater.
"All eleven of these new students are girls? That's pretty curious . . ." said Harry, at last joining in on the conversation as they made their way down the many flights of stairs within the Weasley household.
"Indeed, Harry. I wonder what they'll be like?" Hermione pondered, walking right behind Ron, who offered,
"They're seventeen year old girls, Hermione! What's to wonder about?"
"And what's that supposed to mean, Ronald?" Hermione inquired a bit vehemently as they made their way down the rest of the stairs.
"If you have to ask, then you'll never know," Ron mysteriously responded, letting out an amused laugh as he quickly ran down the last few steps and towards the kitchen before Hermione could touch him.
"Ah, another lover's quarrel, I see -"
"- And me without any popcorn to truly enjoy the scene. Guess some corn on the cob will have to do," Ron's twin older brothers, Fred and George teased as the two of them strolled through the front door and promptly took their place at the dinner table next to their father, Arthur Weasley.
Harry allowed the others to pass and begin to take their seats at the table as he took his time to join them, looking out the kitchen window to gaze at the beautiful day once more.
I really do wonder what these new girls will be like, he thought to himself as he watched a tiny blue jay whiz past the window before he moved to the table and sat in between Ron and Hermione.
What with the news of new exchange students - eleven no less - as well as the strange dream of the charming girl singing such a strange melody, Harry Potter surmised that his last year at Hogwarts was already shaping out to be, if nothing else (which was what he was hoping on), a very interesting one indeed.
(A.N. Yes, again, I know: some of you have already seen this fic of mine and read this, as well as chapter two. But, again, "stuff" happened and well, it's/I'm back. So please, if you could find it in your big hearts to leave a review for me again, I would be forever grateful...sniff...Thanks:) )