Disclaimer: I do not own blah, blah, blah…
You guys know the drill…
Author's Note:
It's finally here! Chapter Two! Finally! (Great. I'm starting to repeat myself.) Anyways, I hope you guys like it, and I hope you guys review! A great, big thank you to all those who reviewed my before, and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. And about some of the things some of you mentioned- it will all soon be made clear… Much like Deathly Hallows, which I'm not too fond of. Which reminds me, this story will be mostly DH compliant. I've managed to work out the events in the story that didn't go with DH, and it's all fixed. Also, the short excerpt that I posted on my profile will be in Chapter Three. I thought it would be in this chapter- but that would have made this chapter probably 20 pages long. And I figured a sooner update would be better. (So you all don't forget about me. Plus, this chapter is pretty, pretty long. It's ten pages, which is more than the first two combined, sadly enough.) Now all I've got to do is write out chapter three…
Now on with the story!
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"Sienna. Sen." Sierra Aden sighed. "It's not possible."
"Why not?" Sienna shot back, glaring at the back of her older sister's blonde head.
"Well, for one thing, I've never heard of this spell. Secondly, it's not possible." Sierra replied, enunciating each word, a brief pause between each one, as she shut the journal. She turned around in the chair and noticed her sister glowering at her.
"Oh, be reasonable, Sen! How could a boy, named Harry Potter, contact you through your dreams?" Sierra paused for emphasis. Noting her sister's scowl, she took a deep breath and continued. "Not to mention the fact that there is no one named Harry Potter. The only Potters that are alive are around their mid-forties, maybe a bit older, and have a son your age. His name is James. So," Sierra concluded, "you made up this entire exchange between you and 'Harry Potter'." Seeing Sienna's face, Sierra hastily amended her last statement. "In your sleep. It was a dream."
"But Harry said he would-" Sierra sighed.
"Sen-"
"Fine. You don't believe me." Sienna cut her off with a snort.
"I'm NOT arguing with you anymore. We have to go down now, I'm sure Mum wants us for dinner." Sierra replied, fed up and cross. Sienna gave her a broad grin, clearly amused. "What?" Sierra snapped.
"Since when has Mum been a cannibal?" Chuckling, Sienna dodged her sister's hands and ran out of the room.
"That's not funny, dimwit!" Sierra shrieked at the now empty doorway. Sienna just laughed harder and moved faster, scampering down the stairs.
Staring at the doorway, Sierra spoke to the now empty room. "Humph. Why do I even bother?" So saying, she stalked out of the room.
"Sere?" Scott's voice floated up the stairs to where Sierra was.
"Coming!" Sierra stomped down the stairs, frowning at her shoes. As soon as she reached the foot of the stairs, she launched into speech.
"Evil little prat. Comes up with odd dreams, and yells at me!" Sierra snorted. "As if! There can't be such a spell, could there?" Perago Somnium, she thought, I think that means…'Dream Ender'…Maybe Scott would know? She stared at her husband who was now standing in front of her, holding Sawyer. Sierrra felt that automatic smile that appeared everything she was thinking about, or near, her son. She stretched out her arms for her baby. Once settling the baby in her arms, she looked up at her husband.
"What did you do to your sister?" Scott asked curiously. "She looked all happy, and then your mum asked where you were, and she ran out of the room as if a bludger was after her!" he grinned, waiting for her answer.
"Erm…she's a little, just a little," Sierra added, seeing her husband's face, "at least, I think so. No, maybe she is. More than a little, I mean." She added. "You know how she gets when you tell her she's wrong."
"Darling, I have no clue what you are talking about. She's a little what?"
Sierra blushed a faint pink. "A little angered?" Scott shook his head. Sierra immediately initiated her defense. "The little dear has become quite spoiled nowadays. Becoming a veritable brat. And it's all our fault," Sierra's voice rose, "Yours," She continued resolutely on, ignoring her husband's indignant expression, "mine, Mum's and Dad's."
"Now, why would you say that?" Scott asked, frowning. "I'm pretty sure this is the same woman who stayed up the entire night when she was fourteen because her beloved little sister, was having nightmares."
"It was the first time Mum and Dad didn't take her with them! She was always with them, before that." Sierra added defensively. "Plus, she kept on waking up crying or screaming! It's not like I was going to get any sleep anyway!"
Sierra's eyes suddenly glowed mischievously. "Isn't this the same man who went out of his way to get his girlfriend's little sister a rare stuffed animal for Christmas? When he was sixteen?" Scott snorted.
"Your parents want us in for dinner now." He kept up the irritated façade for a moment, before giving her his customary grin. She automatically smiled back, and after shifting the sleeping baby in her arms, walked towards the door to the dining room. Opening the door, the couple walked in.
"Sere-!" Sari Stratton, the forty year old mother of two, grandmother of one, started to stand up, but stopped when she noticed the precarious position of her drink glass.
"Watch out, Sari." The deep baritone of Sierra's and Sienna's father, Seth Stratton, and Scott's, formerly much-feared, father-in-law, cautioned his wife.
"Sawyer!" Carefully pushing her chair back and setting down her glass, Sari moved gracefully towards her daughter. "Sere!"
"Mum, you just saw us." Sierra chuckled, handing over her son to his excited grandmother.
"Actually, I was in the kitchen, you were upstairs, doing what, I don't know, and Sawyer and Scott were in the Study with your father."
"Sorry, Mum."
"It's okay." Sari smiled before cooing at Sawyer, who had woken up, and miraculously, in his parents' opinion, hadn't cried yet. Seeing that her mother's attention was temporarily, if not permanently, on something other than her, she turned towards her father, taking her seat at his left. Scott, following her, took his seat directly in front of his wife, seating himself next to his young sister-in-law.
"Sooooo, Sen, excited to start Hogwarts?" Sienna blinked. Her ivory complexion seemed to flush, and then pale. She hurriedly looked at her sister and father, and then turned to look at her mother. A second later, she turned back to Scott.
"I guess…" Her voice trailed off as she realized that all three of the adults were staring at her. Instantly, her hackles rose. "What?"
"You guess?" Scott's voice thundered. Sienna scooted over slightly.
"Sen. I thought you wanted to go?" Her father asked, confused.
"How can you not want to go?!" Sierra had turned pink in her indignation and was gawking at her sister. "You are a witch, aren't you?" She asked, ignoring both her husband's and Seth's exclamation of protest. Sari turned her attention back to her grandson, ignoring her daughters' squabble. "When I was your age…" She trailed off, staring into the distance. She suddenly snapped back to the present, and continued with her tirade. "I was so excited! I didn't think there could be anything more fun, and great, and fun, and, and-!
"Ow!" Sierra stage-whispered, suddenly conscious of the fact that her mother was staring at her oddly. "You didn't have to kick me!" She hissed at her husband.
"I didn't kick you, Sierra." Hearing her full name, Sierra stopped huffing indignantly and focused her full attention on her little sister.
"Sen," She started, "do you really not want to go to Hogwarts?"
"I want to go. But what about Lily?"
"What about her?" Sierra asked, curiously. Scott, looking to see what Sawyer and Sari were doing, noticed a significant glance passing between his in-laws.
"How are you going to explain my absence to her?"
"The same way we explained mine, Sen." Sierra replied sounding confused. "A very exclusive boarding school in Scotland."
"How do I contact her?" Sienna asked, leaning away, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"You send us the letters by owl, and then we give them to her. Easy as pie!"
"Parchment letters?"
"Uhhh…yes?" Sienna snorted.
"Because that wouldn't be suspicious at all, right?"
"Darling, you'll find a way. You're resourceful. And you know the whole 'where there's a will'" Sari put in.
"Is Sawyer-?" Sierra asked, immediately rising from her chair.
"Yes, dear, he's asleep." Sierra took her son from her mother and placed him in the bassinet that had replaced the chair next to Sierra.
"Now, shall we eat?" Sari asked. Once everyone nodded, she clapped her hands before sitting down.
A house elf, wearing what appeared to be a buttermilk-colored toga, embellished with a large, burgundy 'S', arrived, carrying a tray. He was followed by various other house elves, all wearing similar uniforms, though some house elves' uniforms were burgundy, with the embellishment in buttermilk. Placing the serving dishes on the table, the elves bowed and, after the Stratton's and Aden's thanks, left the room as silently as they had appeared.
"Soooo…" Drawled Seth. "Are you two going to be traveling soon?"
Scott frowned. "Nah, I don't think we are, right?" he asked his wife, and at her nod, continued, "Sere's got Auror finals day after tomorrow…"
"Really?" His mother-in-law asked. Her usually coolly elegant voice was excited. She turned towards her daughter. "Really?!" Sierra gave her a noncommittal shrug, preoccupied with scooping up some of her Lancashire hotpot. Sari gave her a slightly disappointed look for her lack of response and turned towards her husband.
"Dear, we are going to Italy, right? After Sienna leaves for Hogwarts?"
"Yes. I have a meeting with some of the Board of Directors…and we're going to be visiting Mum."
Sari's expression visibly soured. "That's great, honey…" Seth, markedly ignoring his wife, motioned for his second daughter to pass the bread.
"You guys are going to see Grandmum?" Sienna asked unhappily. "Why couldn't you take me with you? Or go before Hogwarts? I love Grandmum!"
"The only reason the old bat likes you is because you're named after her." Sierra hissed at her sister. "Which is surprising, seeing as you look like Mum, and all that." Sienna glared at her, and looked beseechingly at her father, who hadn't heard any of the conversation.
"Master?" All heads turned to Wonky, the house elf. Seth motioned at him to continue. "There is an urgent letter for you in your study."
"Thank you, Wonky." He replied to the elf. "May I?" He asked his wife. At her nod, he stood up, placing his napkin on the chair, and left the room with the elf trotting beside him in an attempt to keep up. As soon as the door closed behind him, the discussion about Sienna's grandmum resumed.
"We-ell, since you look so much like Daddy, how come she doesn't like you as much as she likes me?" Sienna demanded belligerently.
"Because I refused the man she had decided I was to marry!" Sierra retorted, no longer trying to keep her voice hushed.
"Your grandmother likes control of her relatives." Scott put in, ignoring his wife's "I'm talking, dammit!".
"Which is unsurprising, seeing as she had control of the family fortune for a long time, since your grandfather died young." Sari added, her voice quiet, yet steely. "She loves both of you very, very much. And I have no clue what Sen looking like me has to do with this discussion. Since she's the one who asked for my hand in marriage, she doesn't hold your father's wedding against me.
"Plus, she's old. That woman was once the most beautiful, intelligent, talented witch of Italy, and she's used to it." She admonished. "It took her three years to finally find a wizard she deemed worthy of you, and she was looking forward to a grand, Italian wedding. I would think you wouldn't hold that against her."
Both of her daughters quieted. "Sorry, Mum."
"It's okay, darlings, just be careful of what you say to your father." At their questioning look, she clarified. "He's in the middle of acquiring another company, and the other company is being very stubborn. He's very tense. Now, are we finished?" The others nodded.
Rising, Sari clapped her hands twice. Immediately, house elves appeared.
"We are finished. Would you clean up our supper?"
The house elves bowed. "Of course, Mistress!" They chorused.
"Come on. Let's go into the drawing room." So saying, Sari left the room. Shrugging, Sienna and Scott followed her, Sierra stopping to pick up Sawyer.
They entered the room, which was colored red and gold, Gryffindor colors.
"Huh. The sofa's new, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is, Sere, but it's been there for a while. For those of us who are more observant, let's have a drink!" Scott moved towards a side-table where a bottle of decanted wine stood.
"Mum! How long has it been there?" Sierra demanded, her face slightly flushed.
"Two weeks, dear." Sari replied gently.
"And to think this unobservant person is going to be an Auror. Makes me shudder, right?" Scott directed at Sienna, who gave him a sleepy nod, sinking into the sofa.
"Oh, Scott!" She sat upright. Scott threw her a questioning look, before turning back to the decanter. "What does 'Perago Somnium' mean?" Scott frowned.
"I think that means-" He was cut off by Sari.
"Sleep ender. Where did you hear that?" Sari asked sharply.
"I t-think I saw it in a b-book." Sienna replied, taken aback.
"Which book?"
"One of your old ones." Sienna invented, still confused. As soon as she heard that, Sari relaxed.
"Oh. Oh. Well, that's good." Sari breathed in deeply, obviously relieved.
"Why?" Sienna asked, quietly, aware that her mother wasn't saying something.
"That spell…It's the ending incantation to the Somnium Iacio spell…It can alter the existence of time itself. Dangerous that is." Sienna nodded, shooting a meaningful glare at her sister, who ignored her.
"What's dangerous?" Everyone's head turned towards the doorway, Sierra and Scott reaching for their wands.
"Dad! You scared us to death!"
"What kind of Auror isn't alert for potential threats?" Seth asked, his silvery eyes twinkling at his daughter. She snorted and turned towards Scott who was still standing near the decanter, a glass in his hands.
"What's taking you so long?"
"I don't know why you care…It's not like you can have some anyway." Giving her husband's back a dark look, she settled herself further into her armchair, arms crossed.
"What's dangerous?" Seth repeated.
"Oh, some spell Sienna found in one of Mum's old books." Sierra waved her hand dismissively. Seth's face froze. He glanced carefully at his youngest daughter, who was leaning against her mother.
"Which spell?" He asked carefully.
"Perago Somnium."
"Oh. Well, what do you think of it, sweetheart?" His voice betrayed no emotion, but his face looked relieved.
"'Tis okay." Sienna mumbled, her eyelids drooping. Seth chuckled.
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Several hours later…
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"So, Sere, how do you think your exams are gonna be?" Sierra grumbled incoherently. "You're excited, I see." Seth winked at his wife. "Well, then, we should probably get to bed, it's almost ten."
"She's sleeping," Sierra pointed out grumpily, indicating her sister with a tilt of her head. "Why's she so tired anyway? She's been like that since we finished dinner."
"I'll take her up…You two go on up to bed." Seth looked at his wife.
"I'll stay here too, dears. I have some things to take care of." Sari said, responding to Sierra's and Scott's silent questions. Nodding their assent, they trooped off, carrying a still-sleeping Sawyer.
Seth scooped up his sleeping daughter. "We need to find a place to keep all those old spell books. Who knows what she'll find, looking through them? And she might accidentally let something slip to the Evans."
"I know. I just don't remember having a book containing Somnium Iacio." Sari paused from straightening a pillow. "Do I even have a book containing that?"
"You must. How else could she have found it?"
"I guess you're right, Seth. But still."
"I know, I know. I'm just worried. She's not excited to go to Hogwarts? Do you remember Sierra? She was so excited, I was glad when she left!" Noting his wife's reproachful look, he amended his words. "Well, I missed her after five minutes, 'kay?"
"Do you think we've spoiled her too much?"
"Nah." Seth gave an easy-going shrug. "She'll be fine. And if so, Hogwarts will soon clear that up."
"You're right, once more."
"Aren't I always?" Seth asked, giving Sari a smug grin.
"No." Sari's straightforward answer caused Seth to smile wider. "And about Lily…well, she'll find out."
"Yes, she will. For now, though, its best she doesn't know. She'll know by Sunday. She'll survive four days."
"She will." Sari agreed, giving her youngest daughter a fond look. "She's much stronger than she seems. Scared for the first bit, fine for the rest. I'm sure she could survive anything."
"Let's hope she doesn't have to, Sari." Seth moved towards the door, motioning for his wife to follow.
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So there it is! Chapter Two! Yay!
Well, anyway, please read and review. I want to know what you guys think…whether you like it, dislike it, are confused, etc.
So, I'll see you guys again, hopefully sometime soon!
S