(sorry if I'm being repetitive or a tad bit confusing in this chapter)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~CHAPTER 2~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked down Wizard Way and looked at all the little shops. I decided not to tell Septimus about my "evil eye", because I knew he would make a big fuss over me. He really started going crazy after I came back to life. Like he was always running out of time. I sighed and Transported to my room. No use of walking through the crowd. I sighed. Insanity really had ruined my life. I glanced at my bed and something caught my eye. A baby. A BABY. With one blue eye and one clouded green eye. She had my straight hair and straw-colored hair. I rushed to Septimus's room, furious, with the child in my arms. "Septimus! What. Is. THIS?!" I yelled, stretching out the child. He turned red. "Septimus! What did you do?!"

"I didn't do anything!"

"Then how do you explain her?"

"I-I don't know! I swear! Where did you find her?"

"In my room! Now what in the world is happening? I know I did not do anything. And since she was your straw-colored hair, I know you did something." I started panicking. I did not have a child, I did not have a child, I thought. "It might have been one of my brothers," Septimus murmured. I wheeled around and glared at him. "Sure, sure, one of your brothers! Of course! They are completely allowed to sneak in here at night and go through each of our rooms, are they not? I'm going to Marcia." I stormed out with the child. I did love her, and she had the most innocent look to her. But when I looked closer, I saw pain. I couldn't think. There was no way I could be her mother. I had already gone to Marcia to tell her about the voice and I wasn't planning to tell her about the child. I had used that as an empty threat. I knew I either had to tell Rose or Jenna. I didn't want to risk being seen outside with the child, who I decided to name Xenia. Rose it is. I burst into the Charm Chamber. To my relief, Rose was there. "Rose! I need to tell you about… her," I said. She had a look of astonishment on her face and her mouth gaped open as I showed her Xenia. "Where did she come from?" Rose asked, who was looking very anxious. "I don't know. I suspected Septimus and I'm freaking out! I can't be her mother! I can't!"

"See Syrah. I bet she knows more about this stuff than I do."

"But, what should I do with her if Syrah doesn't know?"

"I don't want this to be an option, but you know that orphanage that Jenna recently opened up?"

"No."

"If you don't want that, you have to take care of her. You're either her mother or not. Besides, you're seventeen. We can do this." I nodded and headed for the Ramblings. I did a quick UnSeen on Xenia and myself and walked out. I Appeared outside Syrah's door and knocked. "Elara! A nice surprise! What do you need?" I showed her Xenia. "Ah. And what of Septimus?" she asked, half-smiling. I shook my head. "I suspect him. But can you tell me where she came from?"

"She came from you," Syrah whispered hesitantly. Noticing my horrified expression, however, she said, "Not you, you. She is another form of you. When your friends freed you, or whatever, this child was, er, existing. And she was, erm, born today." I breathed a sigh of relief. So Septimus really didn't do anything. "But, I am still her mother?" She nodded. "But you don't have to do what mothers do! As long as you live, she will grow, so, yeah!" Throw her away. She will only be a distraction. No. I'm her mother. But she is just another form of Insanity. You will become a monster again. Shut up!

I waved goodbye to Syrah and carried Xenia back to the Wizard Tower. There was no way I would let anyone know about her. What if someone tried to take her away? Besides, she was technically a Princess because I was related to a Queen. I could see a tinge of purple in her blue eye. I hid her in my cloak and hid my face. I mothered a Princess, birthed when my friends resurrected me. Xenia, my child. Throw her away! Put her up adoption! She is another obstacle in your life! How about you shut up and mind your own business? I'm helping you. I believe you said, "Deal." I take it back. You can't! Yes, I can. And I just did.

I carried Xenia slowly up the spiral stairs, because I didn't want her to get sick on her first day in the world. After what seemed like an impossibly long time, I finally reached the twenty-first floor. I grabbed a few mangoes, peeled them, removed the stone and mashed them. I added a little water and gave it to Xenia. I couldn't keep her hungry. Unsure, I took a spoon and fed her in my room. "I can't believe I'm doing this," I thought aloud. Xenia was obedient and she ate it. I smiled and shook my head at the same time. A wave of happiness and embarrassment filled my heart and I didn't know what exactly to feel. I did not want to think Septimus was her father, because he was definitely not. When I brought Xenia to the light, her hair was a shade of brown, but in the dark, it was not. I had made a mistake and with this I threw the curtains covering my window to the side. Now I would never feel uncomfortable. I walked into Septimus's room, where he sat hunched over his desk. "What did Marcia say?" he asked shakily, not taking his eyes off whatever it was he was working on. "I didn't go to her. And you're not her father." Septimus looked up, amused. "I'm not Marcia's father?" he chuckled. I bit my lip. "No! You're not the baby's father!"

"Suddenly Marcia's a baby?" I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "You're impossible." He shrugged. "You're really lucky, you know. I'm here, working on my research paper on removing ghosts from their Resting Places, cough cough you know why cough cough. And then you're here already knowing how to do it." I shrugged this time. "Oh, and if you're wondering," I started as I was walking out the door. I lowered my voice to a hushed whisper. "You have to describe a beautiful place to the ghost and convince the ghost it existed. When they are completely lost and daydreaming, throw a StunFlash at them and they will be removed." I winked. "I won't help you again." He stuck out his tongue at me as I walked out. You know, at the bottom of his paper, right now, he is writing a small note that says, "Elara helped me." Really? Yeah! Can you believe it? I can't believe you because you're lying. No I'm not. I vowed to help you, did I not? You did… So? I still don't believe you.

It was like Xenia disappeared. I couldn't find her, but I found a strange black kitten with different color eyes. I groaned. Xenia was a ShapeShifter. Life became so much harder. Soon she wouldn't be able to control herself. Irritated, I waved my hand and Xenia became human again. I sat down on my bed and rocked her to sleep. I laid her down when I was absolutely sure her eyes were closed. I took a box and put a thick sheet of memory foam inside it. It fit perfectly and I breathed a sigh of relief. I put a small pillow in it. And, just to make sure I didn't step in it, I took four wooden poles that were under my bed for some reason and glued it to the bottom of the box. I also put four boxes under the poles so they didn't fall. I cut out rectangles in the box where I put the foam. And a little touch so it didn't look very ugly, I snapped my fingers and it turned red and silver. I also made it so it didn't look like there were any boxes at all. Xenia was sleeping so soundly that I didn't want to pick her up, but I knew I couldn't keep her on my bed. Carefully, so as to not wake her up, I placed her in the makeshift crib. I looked out onto the horizon. It was already sunset, and the sun was a brilliant orange. It was October 1rst. I said it over and over again in my head. A nice birthday.