I looked at Sally full of confusion and a strange sense of excitement as she handed me the black cup before bed. She always handed me a cup of tea and these were the kind that she made all on her own and it was always marvelous.
"I know you asked me over and over to ask you to let you in.. To tell you more of who I am ... This will help you." She said. "You're always going to be curious. But if I allow your curiosity about me to be free and cured then I will beyond peaceful." She said and looked at me. "I've had a lot of bad happen to me, and I don't want you to know about it... But I am going to help you in anyway I know how."
I looked at the cup. It honestly looked like regular tea to me. I nodded to what she was saying and drank like I truly understood. I was a child, then, I didn't. I had no idea she was going to do this. She'd locked down any chance I ever had of knowing her. So I just looked at her and nodded. "Thank you." I said.
She kissed my forehead right on my scar. It had become her most favorite part of me I begin to believe. "Good night my love. Sweet dreams."
"G'night Mom," I said and let her go.
Then I was off to sleep.
I woke up in pain that felt like a million volts to my chest. I jolted awake to Dr. Finkelstein looking at me with a home made cattle prod. "You don't have to do that." Sally Said. "I can get up on my own."
I looked down at my hands. I want to know why I can't talk and there it was. I was in Sally's memories. I'm sure that this was obvious now looking back on the same conversation that we had before. But this is something that I didn't think about. Not til now. I looked at him again and he zapped me.
"Then why aren't you up yet?"
From the bed her body slid. I could feel the dead fatigue weighing on her. She was so young and like me she was so tired. She yawned and looked at herself. She was young. She was almost my age. Her red hair was short, but not like him. She stretched and she could hear her seams pop into place. She walked down the stairs holding it in.
Working for someone who hated her just as much as the Dursley's hated me. It was harder than ever to see someone I loved being in the same situation I was in and that was saying something. She wanted to protect me from it, but at the same time she needed me to feel it. So she wouldn't feel forced to cut corners.
"You're a dumb girl!" He said shoving her. I felt her body lunge forward. "You're just like her! You know that! You're just dumb dumb dumb dumb. Maybe even dumber than her. Maybe I shouldn't have used half of her brain to make you. But that's what she wanted. She wanted you around and then she just left. She begged me to make you have half of her. So she'd be special. That's what she said... But you're not special You're just a pain! A pest!" He paused. "MAKE ME BREAKFAST!" He yelled at her and then smacked her harder.
Just like that I was out there. Looking at myself with the Dursley's. Being berated, belittled, and abused for the simple of amusement of so-called "Better People." I worked my literal finger to the bone, and it appeared so did I.
"CLEAN!" He screeched at her. She scrubbed and polished she made the house and his lab spotless. She cleaned as she cried. She cried as she cleaned. She had hours of tears and she wasn't sure how long it would last. She held on to her hope and dreams. She cried as she smiled She sang. It was hard to her, but she knew she was meant for happiness and she'd been waiting. She just knew that this was all it was. She looked at the picture of her mother.
It had a large golden plaque on the bottom. 'ARRONDA L. RAVENCLAW. SHE DIED PROTECTING A SISTER WHO WOULD BE GREAT AND A MOTHER WHO WOULD LOVE HER ALWAYS.' I could read her mind and she wanted to know who they were and why did she die protecting them... She was confused. But she was proud that that was the women on the head. "I'm proud of you mama... I love you.." She clutched her locket. I felt it cold. And then he kicked her and the burning pain in her ribs. The old man kicked her. She fell over.
"You missed a spot." He spat. Then walked back into the lab.
Her brain went dark and she was cold. Everything in her changed.
She walked by a mirror. "He'll never kick me again."
That night amongst the darkness that burned deep inside of her and she couldn't stop it. She couldn't take away the darkness. She walked into his room and pulled a sewing needle and dipped it into a poison.
A poison I only knew about just recently. It's called Zensa root. It could paralyze and kill people if it wasn't used in the somewhat healing way it could be. But she was going to use it in the wrong way. Sally was a very smart girl. Very smart.
She gently pushed the needle into the sleeping professors back. She made sure all the venom got off of the needle and like that she was pulling the needle out and walked out. Like that the dark cloud lifted she felt free. She walked right out of the house and smack into the skelington prince.
"Sorry, your highness."
"Apologies are mine to make Sally." He said and helped her up.
"You know my name?"
"Best nature witch this side of the bridge and daughter of the best scientist. Of course."
She loved my father since they were children. That was clear. Seeing them be together so young. It gave me some sense of hope. It made so much sense that sometimes happiness can work out. There was nothing waiting around the corner for them. Not yet anyway.
She and Jack spent every day they could together. As friends, and happiness was something that she couldn't stop it. She loved this life. She wanted this to blossom but she didn't think about it. All she could think about was his potential to change a world. She was so proud of him when she heard his story.
Jack was one of the lost children who came here many many years ago. He witnessed his parents burn and die in a fire by a judge who longed for his mother but instead he burned down the house. His mother broke free fell out of the window protecting his sister. Saving their life. In the midst of it. He was dead and there was nothing they could do to stop it.
Later from the long waiting list. His death-father and death-mother came for him. Lead him to the castle and waited for him to grow into a prince. They showed him to treat people the way they needed to be treated. Give them the best respect they could. They loved him, and Sally did the most.
She believed so deeply in his ruling. She believed so deeply in his work. That he could change the world, and that's what this world needed. She helped him prepare speeches and rub elbows. To help the mayor prepare for everything because he didn't want the mayor to be overwhelmed. He wanted them to know this world was a partnership. The high and the low were names. The lost and purebloods were another. It was all us. Unified together. And that's what felt so good about it.
But as that grew the hatred between her and her father grew too. She grew to drugging him. She made sure that he wouldn't bother her again. She continued because she was tired of being someone's kick thing it was hard enough with him. He made her feel worse as she grew.
She grew into a beautiful young woman brushed her hair ever night, and made sure that her strings were always resown. She was proud of the beauty she had. She wanted to live a little. She wanted to live up to her full potential. She knew she could. Her beautiful mother melted away and moved away. She had to go to the attic and stared at her. Talked to her and begged her to understand why this was happening. That's when the cat fell from the sill.
"Your mother is a woman of history Sally.." She said and stood up into a woman. Right out of a Cat something so perfect. She smoothed her chocolate curls away from her face and sat beside her. "Your mother helped one of our founders...Her sister."
"Why did she do this. Why did she die."
"Because like you she had better and bigger ideas for her home, and she knew the person who was going to get them."
"That's not true." She said and looked at her. "She came here."
"This is a place of unfinished business so I'm told."
"You're right kind of... We are a place of holiday celebration as well... Halloween Town."
"I've heard of it from Judith Lovejoy... She's apparently been here for a while."
"Perhaps. She could go by a new name."
"Anyway... I want you to change this world... I need you to. Because there will be a time when something has to be done and that's when you're going to have to do it."
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
"The spell I cast to get me here isn't going to last long, but I can tell you that... I need you and this town to be protective."
"We are."
"We also ask you let other witches in."
"We do... Our new king has made a lot of changes. What else do you need Miss...:"
"Just call me Professor."
"Professor... What are you asking."
She looked at her watch. " In case what I know is going to happen doesn't I need you to tell the king... Or whatever he is... To put another door.. Behind yours.." She handed her a picture of the castle. "It'll open when you're ready." She stood and flicked the watch it was a peculiar thing because of its hourglass with the middle. She liked it a lot. She thought it was beautiful. But then the woman was gone. And the only thing that was left was the picture.
Who was this woman? That's all I can think. Who is this woman who is going to change whatever it is she could change. Would she die? Would this be a way to bring her back? I was more curious now, and of course Sally felt the same. I watched as she got up and snuck out and walked out of the house. I watched her run. Like she knew what this was for. Like she knew that somewhere down the line she'd have me. And she'd protect me if that was what it was. I sighed. I wanted to know what was happening. Did they put the door up?
She escaped and walked through the gardens she and Jack had planted for his scientific needs, her flowers, and her tea leaves. She ran and she jumped into his window. She looked at him.
"What are you doing here?"
"You... I got a weird visitor and I need you.. I need you to put up a new door."
"New major holiday.'
"No, but it is something major. And I need you to put this on a door."
"What is it, Sally."
"You trust me don't you?''
"Of course I do but-"
"So do this for me." She handed him the picture. "But don't tell me where."
He nodded. "Alright... I'll let you have this one." He sighed. But "You'll owe me for it."
She smiled. "Of course.
She watched her way home and watched the home, his lab come to view. She was scared when she watched as it peeked over the horizon and she felt her stomach- in turn my stomach- Lurch with the fear of her going back. But Sally with all the bravery and readiness in her heart did what she had to do. She walked inside. Ready for whatever it was that he came down on her.
She felt the volts to her neck. "You're pathetic! You're worse than anything! Oh I'm going to make another one of you... And she won't be half as idiotic! YOU WATCH And see." She hates that chair. As she is being down the stairs and chained to the wall. It'd be a month before she seen sunlight again. And for once she was ready...
She missed Halloween She hated that she did, but she knew it was best. She finally got out and fixed his soup she fake tested it. and then she made him eat it. She watched him drown in it and then like always fall fast asleep. She ran outside and seen the festivites. She watched him run away from all the action hide against himself. Only the red light of Zero's nose kept him in her view. She watched him leave. Before she got a chance to say anything. She reached out for him, but it took too long and that's what hurt the most. She watched him feel like he wasn't anything. When to her he was everything.
Days passed and Doctor Finklestein was busy in his lab. While she, of course locked in her room watched as Jack came into the house talking of flying reindeer and other odd things. She watched him give everyone orders, and then asked her to make him a suit. She agreed as always and she didn't mind. She was just worried that he was putting too much into this and that was what worried him the most.
She looked at him. She really looked at him and was so worried it almost broke her, she followed him as she was excited. She didn't know how to feel. Not this time. "Did you do the door?"
"I did. It's functional. It's actually beautiful."
"You think so?"
"I do its something out of your books." He said and then looked at her. "Are you Alright Sally."
She paused. "Jack what you're doing... Aren't you worried that if something horrible is to happen that you have no Heir. No wife no anything?"
"Oh, Sally you worry too much... I'm going to be fine."
Things weren't fine. Sally got kidnapped by the oh so wonderful Boogie man. Who was nothing but a pillow case of bugs. She and Jack escaped it. They decided to make a choice to start a life, but there wasn't a lot going in that perspective. Sally walked passed the door in the forest for years, and waited for the stork at the same time and there was nothing else. There was nothing left for them. She cried all the time. Then she got a white envelope and she found MY name. She ran for him- for me- She ran to find me.
Everything flashed to the night they got me home and put me to bed and then like that they left me there.
I had no idea they ever left me home alone asleep, but parents did it all the time. For reasonable reasons. I just never knew Sally took her loving protective eyes off of me for a second.
Jack and Sally held hands as they walked up to the cat that had jumped through the castle door. She quickly turned into an aged professor. "I'm so glad you've done everything I asked." She said
"If this whole thing was about Harry you can forget it." Sally said.
"Though we have agreed to allow him to make the choice." He said. "You need to make some other lucky kid your hero... He's happy here and he's not had one ounce of happiness since he began life! And you want to take that away over some villain?!" He shook his head. "I don't know."
She looked at him. Then at the professor. "We love him... We do, but this isn't fair. Not to anyone."
"No. No, it's not, but you have to think about the greater good."
"Harry is all we have and until you can show yourself on the night of the celebration... You will not and I do mean this... You will not come here again!"
The professor nodded. "We made a good choice here."
"You did?"
"I did." She said and looked at her. "He's protected here. That's all a mother can do. But he's got to help us... He's got to do what he was destined to."
"How do you know that won't change?"
"Because... It can't... As much as I wish it could that's the one thing that can't.'
"If he comes back to me beaten and broken... I'll show you the true meaning of . That boy is my world and I can't allow you to hurt him. I won't!"
"We know. And we're grateful. You remind me a lot of his real mother... She would have done anything to save him... And I'm glad you would do the same."
"He's my son. I am supposed to protect him in life, death, and any other way to life."
"Good." She smiled as she turned back into a cat and lept away right back into the door.
That's where it ended in a jolt of green lightning I was upright looking at Sally. I just began to cry. I wept for everything. I loved her so much for everything. She couldn't have been any better than she already had. She loved him so much. She wanted to help him. She was everything and I was so happy. "I'm so sorry mom."
"I'm sorry too honey... I'm sorry you had to see that." She said, "But I had to protect you I had to make sure you knew how I felt. You're my son and I can't for a second let anyone hurt you." She said and she meant it. I cried in her lap. Everything she suffered and tried to get to me. Everything she did. So she could be here comforting me. I couldn't find any reason to say goodbye.
And now... Now there was a choice that I had to make that would ruin her. I couldn't. I love her. She's my mother. I had a real father. I had friends I had a real life. Why would I leave this? This perfection. My home. I would have to leave... I had to chose to be a hero.
A hero to a place that I have never seen in my life. Only in a picture, and I knew I wouldn't belong. So why leave something amazing. Something Perfect. For a place I'd never belong. In my head I made up my mind. And in my mother's heart she knew the answer.