"If you can't spell it you shouldn't say it" well, if I can't spell it I shouldn't type it down. Yes, I misspelt Ljömberg last chapter, like an absolute mug. In my defense it does sound like it's spelt with a Y.
Thanks for your reviews too, keep the suggestions coming, the OC idea is open for many chapters to come, so keep them coming.
If you're a knowledgable person you'd have worked out what decade this story is set in. Ipod's weren't invented until 2000 and there's a song in this chapter that came out in 2004, so before I get reviews telling me I got the timeline wrong, note that I purposely wrote this story in the 00's, 2006-2008 is the entire story duration in fact.
Draw a picture of your perfect family, and Ilena's mum and dad would match it quite well.
Sandy blonde hair and rust coloured beard, her dad is like the most benelovent viking of all time. His kind smile stretches so wide, without a smidge of creepiness. The only other man I've met whose eyes twinkle with so much mirth as this man, is the great Albus Dumbledore.
He could be a young, Swedish, muggle Dumbledore.
And Ilena's mum, beholds a smaller smile but just as warm. White blonde hair that is far more cared after than Ilena's. Her physique is just like her daughter's though, can see where Lena's athleticism comes from.
Honestly, they are a rather attractive and happy-looking family. I could imagine them as rockstars definitely, but also film stars, celebrities...you basically are looking at top class people.
And I'm going to be staying in a mansion? I hadn't actually realised Ilena's background is so...well, rich.
"Mother this is Hermione, father this is Hermione, Hermione this is father, Hermione this is mother." Ilena introduces us, too excited to endure the formalities for too long.
"And this is our daughter Ilena, when she believes we're about to embarrass her" Father Ljömberg jovially answers in a thicker accent than his daughter. He is extending his hand to me and I don't know why I hesitate.
Too blown away by their staggering smiles, that's why. "Pleasure to meet you, Ilena said you were cool but I think that was down-playing it a bit."
"Ha ha" his laugh is jolly and bassy, it goes right through you all warm and comforting. "We need this girl around every day with compliments like that. Lucas is the name."
Then mother Ljömberg pushes through and hugs me. Not a Molly Weasley hug that rearranges your innards and cracks your spine, a friendly hug just like one of Ilenas. Hugs you could live and die in happily.
"Hermione, a beautiful name. You can call me Tyra, do forgive me if I ruin the English language, I do my best."
"Your English is wonderful...and don't bother too much about it. We can barely speak it ourselves."
"Hermione has explained that spag bol is just a lazy term for spaghetti bolognese mother." Ilena informs her.
"Italian it is then. I don't really like spaghetti pasta, so I'll do it with tagliatelle. Oh, lamb or beef Hermione?" Tyra asks me.
"I really don't have a preference, it all sounds absolutely delicious to me." My stomach is growling at the mention of such rich, filling food.
"We should get going mother, the barrier will close soon" Ilena hurries her.
Wait hold on "you're mug-I mean non-magical people, my parents have never gotten through the barrier?"
"Oh, we've got a wizard guide who apparates my parents in, takes them directly from Sweden to here" Ilena explains. "It's a one-way trip though because they can't keep the anti-apparation wards down for too long, for security reasons."
"How do they get out then?"
"Once you're on the platform anyone can get out, Hogwarts: A History only says muggles can't come through, but they can leave the same way we can."
"Yes, very helpful your school is, very helpful. Right, we'd better get going before your sister eats all the food from the refrigerator" Tyra says it like a joke, but I get the feeling Ilena's sister may actually be a fridge raider.
But wasn't she supposed to be on tour?
Ilena has the same thought as me, and she's very unenthusiastic about the news. "Parrot's home?"
Parrot?
"Sabina is home, yes" Lucas confirms. "She's working on her first solo cover on piano, and she wanted to use the music room to practice in."
"What about her tour?" Ilena questions.
"The band is having a hate-us, though I don't know what they did to hate each other" Tyra comments, and I click on immediately to correct her.
"I think you mean hiatus, and I presume they're just taking a break from performing until Sabina has learnt the song fully." So you're an expert on how the music industry works then are you Hermione?
Tyra appears gleeful to have learnt the true pronounciation of a word. Lucas smiles at me "it's great to have you with us Hermione".
Acceptance, how sweet it tastes.
We arrive in Sweden from ministry to ministry, and then a portkey to the Ljömbergs house. Or as I had estimated, their mansion.
"How rich are you exactly?" I ask, I know it's rude but I'd be gloating about it if I lived in this place.
"We're set for life, but I wouldn't care if we lost it all tomorrow. We pride ourselves on family and fulfilment, and money doesn't come into it with us." Ilena truthfully answers, and I know she's not just saying that. She never spoke of her family's wealth, or has entitlement issues. And it speaks volumes that she can easily buy and do anything she wants, but chooses to completely live ordinarily.
The place doesn't have that long drive with the hedges, but it appears they like to ride the waters to get around. The sea goes round the back of the building, and I can see white yachts docked at a jetty.
The house has marble columns with...yes limestone walls. About six storeys at least above a large front door, the size you'd find on a barn. A large water fountain completed the setting. It is absolutely staggering.
"Hey" Ilena whispers into my ear, I didn't even hear her move. "You wanna know what it's got?"
"Every room imaginable I think"
"Not quite, but it does have a library. And it's quite impressive, a fraction the size of Hogwart's but still plenty to read."
"Well you'll know where to find me if I suddenly disappear" I turn towards her in amazement. "Ilena, have you ever seen the film Richie Rich"?
"With McCauley Caulkin, yes I've seen it but don't worry my parents haven't gone missing up until now, so I think we're safe" Ilena jokes.
"No I mean...well in the film, Richie has everything he could ever want in money and loving parents, but it's very hard for him to make friends."
"I see where this is going...you think my wealth has something to do with why it's difficult for me to fit in" her voice is laced with amusement but I honestly never intended to imply that.
"No no, it's just-"
"Relax Mione, I can see why you think so, but as you already know I never mentioned my family or my home to anyone, not even you. Therefore nobody actually knows I'm wealthy, and I'm incredibly glad about that. My reason for not fitting in is like I said it was, people just don't understand the real me."
"Well I do" I couldn't be more serious about that.
"Which is why I'm letting you spend a week here, I don't give this opportunity to just anyone" she pats my hand that I had no idea she was holding. "Come on, I'll give you a tour."
Every square inch of this place is worth more than my entire house in England. The front hall with the chessboard flooring, worth about twenty thousand. The huge kitchen with a half-moon worktop made of granite, worth about thirty thousand. Three main bathrooms and an en suite in the master bedroom, fifteen thousand each.
Seven more bedrooms, the aforementioned library, two dining rooms, a boardroom (used as emergency board meetings for Lucas' telecommunications company), two offices, a home cinema, a games room. We pass the lot.
I would call this over-indulgence, but thinking about it I don't think that's true. You've got millions, enough to last generations, have you ever known a millionaire not to spend their money. The Ljömberg's have money that they put to use, it doesn't mean the money is all that they are about.
We just leave this incredible library, and I'll be seeing it again very soon. "So your sister Sabina, why did you call her Parrot?"
Ilena chuckles "you'll see when you meet her".
Right, I'm guessing there's a resemblance thing going on there. "You weren't very happy about her being home earlier, do you not get on well?"
Ilena pulls that face she makes whenever she hates to explain something. Sort of an elongated wince. "It's not that we don't get on, we get on better than she does with mum and dad. But Sabina is a free spirit, with a punkish attitude."
"Makes sense, she's in a band."
"Yeah I spose. Sabina is a very bold character like me, but incredibly flirtatious."
"There's nothing wrong with that if it's only playful."
Ilena shakes her head "it doesn't always end at playful, she takes it too far."
I'm not judging her until I meet her, but I would be lying if I said I'm not a little anxious to meet her after that. "So where's the music room?"
"This way" Ilena leads me down another hallway, it's like being back at Hogwarts except much fancier. "She'll be practising hard so we cannot make too much noise."
"You don't have to tell me that, I spend most my days in a library don't forget"
"I couldn't possibly"
The sound of a piano tells me we're getting close. Wait, I recognise this...oh that's right "so she's practising a cover song?"
"Yeah, she's been trying for years to persuade the band leader Jenna to let her do a solo piano performance as a sort of wind down at live performances. She's the second lead singer and usually plays guitar, but Jenna's the main song-writer."
"Why has it taken so long for Jenna to agree to it?" seems like the band leader is too arrogant to give anyone else a chance.
"Not sure, but I suppose she can't write for piano, and she believes a cover cheapens their bands potential. Which is BS if you ask me." Ilena adds with an eye roll. I agree.
"So what changed her mind?"
"I guess we'll find that bit out together."
We make it to the door where the music seems to be coming from, she stops with her hand on the door, hesitant.
"We don't have to go in if she's working" I say even though I really want to see her sister play.
"Oh don't worry, she doesn't mind an audience, as long as we're quiet. But I just want you to know that...yes, she did choose to have her hair that way, it wasn't some horrific accident in a hair dye factory" Ilena laughs and swings the door open.
I can hear the music much clearer now and I recognise it from Ilena's spare Ipod she's letting me borrow. An excellent choice actually for piano.
I hear a fumbled note followed by a soft grumble in Swedish "Din Jävla"."That means 'damn it' in Swedish" Ilena whispers with a giggle. "Mother wouldn't like that language."
Oh no, did our entrance cause her to make a mistake. Phew, she's playing again. Oh my word, Ilena was right her hair is very vibrant indeed. But it's not that funny, it looks very cool in fact.
She's playing on a grand piano...of course, facing a wall with floor-to-ceiling window panels overlooking the choppy sea. Her hair is black mainly, jet black. Around her ears are two patches of coloured hair flowing in tendrils, one baby blue and the other bubblegum pink.
We sit at a sofa just behind her at the piano, where I can see her entire body in motion, not just her fingers. The whole length and width of the piano visible as she plays. She never once looks up to acknowledge us, even though I'm positive she knows we're here.
She stops in the middle of a bar, now speaking to herself in English. "Okay okay, got it. From the top."
She begins the song once again and that familiar intro is accompanied by her beautiful singing voice this time.
"You say you wander your own land, but when I think about it I don't see how you can" her fingers move fluidly over the keys, that familiar music becoming now a very familiar song. "You're aching, you're breaking, and I can see the pain in your eyes. Says everybody's changing and I don't know why."
"So little time, try to understand that I'm, trying to make a move just to stay in the game, I try to stay awake and remember my name, but everybody's changing and I don't feel the same."She's an absolute machine, usually people find it hard to sing and play at the same time, she's like Elton John on the keys. I can hear Ilena humming beside me too.
"You're gone from here, soon you will disappear, fading into beautiful light, cause everybody's changing and I don't feel right."
"She's incredibly talented...are you sure she doesn't play piano regularly?" I whisper to Ilena, this is a star in the making if she can master TWO instruments at such a young age.
"It's her second instrument, but she played piano years before she got into electric guitar" she whispers back.
"That's amazing, I'd love to hear her original stuff too, but won't the rest of her music be in Swedish?"
"Only a couple of their early ones. You don't get very successful if you don't sing in English, and they're looking at getting onto the national scene."
"They're doing that well. I think I might get her autograph."
"Oh god...please do NOT ask her for that."
I was only joking, but she's definitely worthy of fame that's for sure.
"So little time, try to understand that I'm, trying to make a move just to stay in the game, I try to stay awake and remember my name, but everybody's changing and I don't feel the same. Ohhh, everybody's changing and I don't feel the same."Was that the last chord, oh yes, brilliant!
Oh bum, what did I just do? I just clapped like a seal. I gave a flipping standing ovation before I could stop myself. Ilena's laughing but that's the least of my concern, because Sabina's eyes are on me for the first time. "Errr, I'm sorry."
The most erotic smile I've ever seen grows on the face of the multi-coloured girl, who for the record is the spitting image of Ilena. Except has green eyes, and the obvious difference in hairstyle. "Well hello."
"Hello" my response is far too squeaky.
"You must be that magical British girl who's come to stay with us. I had my doubts at first, but having such a gorgeous face around is certain to liven this place up." She gets up from the piano stool and stands before me, eyes doing laps of my body. My god, she's taller than I thought. "What's your name sugar?"
"Her name is Hermione, and stop looking at her like that, you're creeping her out" Ilena admonishes her beside me.
Ilena was completely ignored by her older sister, she's adamant on checking me out. This isn't flirting, this is someone hitting on me. "Tell me Hermione, would you like to have a go on the piano? I can show you a thing or two, things you never thought your fingers could do."
Oh the sexual implications there "erm, I er, I know a few tunes, nothing like what you just played."
"Oh well, then allow me" She snatched my hand up, holding it to her lips. "Oh yes, you've got incredibly long fingers, piano fingers. You can reach notes with more ease than stubby fingers." She kisses the knuckles and a jolt of something goes straight through me.
"Oi Parrot, she's got a boyfriend, so stop harrassing her" Ilena's getting irritated and I'm getting hot under the collar too.
"Where, I don't see him?" Her eyes haven't left my face for a single moment.
"He-he is coming in-n-n a few days" She just sucked my knuckle!
"You heard her, now stop it" Ilena stands and stands there in challenge, despite the height difference of above seven inches in favour of Sabina.
"Dear sister, Hermione must be thirsty why don't you run to the kitchen and get us some lemonade?" Sabina suggests, I get the distinct impression we won't be drinking any lemonade if Ilena walks out that door.
"I'm really, perfectly fine" I don't know why I'm not smacking her in the ear for trying it on. I physically can't do anything but sit here and get worked up.
"Are you sure, your throat sounds very dry to me?" Yeah, that's a very recent development caused by you.
"Are you deaf she said she's fine, besides we can both go down for some lemonade. You have some practicing to do, or were you lying to mum and dad about why you're here?" Ilena disconnected my hand from Sabina's and it's like I'm taking my first breath again.
Sabina's eyes turn away from mine and her expression darkens. "You're such a buzzkill, no wonder you've never had a-"
"MUM!!!" Ilena screamed at the top of her lungs, which you're gonna have to do in a place as big as this.
"Shut your mouth you little snitching skit! Can't fight your own damn battles! You know what fine, get the hell out, I never gave you permission to come in in the first place!" Sabina tears into her before storming back to the piano.
Ilena doesn't waste a second and physically pulls me off the sofa and out the room. She's stopped at door by Sabina's parting words for me. "Hey Hermione, the offers still on, my door is always open, unless there's a cause good enough to lock it."
A shiver of something down my spine and we're gone.
"Arrghh, didn't I tell you, she's a psycho!" Ilena growls and releases me.
I'm a little shell-shocked, what happened to me in there? "She's very intense that's for sure."
"She's like that with any new pretty face, and I knew...I knew the moment mum said she was back home that THAT was going to happen. I tried to prepare you but I didn't want to scare you."
"Well...at least I know how good of a musician she is, she's got that on her side." But I just can't shake off that feeling I got when she was saying all those innuendos, and sucking my fingers...why wasn't that revolting?
This is incredibly embarrassing to admit, you young ones cover your eyes because my woman's region is absolutely soaked, and I'm pretty sure pee isn't the culprit.
That aroused me. Nothing has ever aroused me like that before. But what does it mean? I didn't think of Joe at all during that exchange, and that's horrible for me to admit that. What's more I'm scared of what might've occurred if Ilena hadn't have been in the room.
Would I have cheated on my boyfriend in the same day that we got together?
Shut up, she was just screwing with your head. She wouldn't have actually done it, surely. I wouldn't have let her, the minute she went anywhere intimate I would've snapped at her and run out of there.
Now you know to never be alone with her, you know what to expect now. And I most certainly will not be taking her up on her offer to give me 'finger lessons'.
The song Sabina performed for us was Everybody's Changing by Keane. And it belongs to them, but I'm learning to play that song myself so slipped it in here.Is Hermione figuring out things about herself she hasn't discovered before? How far will Sabina take this? Can Joe come onto the scene quick enough for Hermione to stay faithful? What about Ilena, will she have TWO people to contend with?You'll have to check back when I update next
