It seemed as if no time at all passed between their day in Diagon Alley and that of Catrina's departure for Hogwarts, and the same could be said for the time that had passed since Shay had been on Platform 9 ¾. Nothing much had changed. Children still bid sometimes teary goodbyes to their parents, owls hooted, cats meowed, and the great scarlet steam engine that was The Hogwarts Express. Majestic as always, a great cloud of steam had already begun to shroud the train and the clocks were ticking down impatiently to departure.
"…Make sure you write as often as you can," Mrs. Morse was saying to her daughter, "Behave yourself, listen to your teachers, and remember that no matter which House you get Sorted into, we will still be proud of you."
"Emily," Mr. Morse said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Emily, it's nearly time for her to go."
"Oh…oh. Oh, of course." Mrs. Morse's eyes were beginning to brim, threatening to spill over.
"Don't cry, Mum!" Catrina said, catching on quickly. "If you cry, I cry, and then I'll never get to Hogwarts!"
Emily Morse let out a burbling laugh and hugged her daughter close.
"I love you, darling," she said. "And I'll miss you very much, but I'll see you at Christmas."
Mr. Morse said his (not quite so lengthy) good-byes, hugging his daughter close and kissing the top of her head. Shay smiled and slung an arm around her sister's shoulders, pulling her trunk behind her.
"Let's get you settled in," Shay said. Catrina smiled up at her sister gratefully, and allowed herself to be led aboard the Hogwarts Express and settled into a compartment with two other first years already awkwardly assembled.
"Make friends," Shay whispered, shoving her sister's trunk in the luggage rack and smiling politely at the two other eleven year olds: a boy with red-blonde hair, and a girl with shiny black curls. She ruffled her sister's hair, grinned, and then headed back to the Platform.
"Oh," she said, turning back suddenly, "and Catrina? Have fun. Don't be too good."
Catrina grinned and shook her head, settling back in her seat. Satisfied that her sister was ready for the trip, Shay hopped back onto the Platform and re-joined her parents. The train whistled its last warning call and began to chug away, parents and siblings waving excitedly from the still platform, whether or nor their student could see them. It was all so familiar and comforting, yet so incredibly strange to wave goodbye from the platform. Almost as if it were against her nature; so many September mornings had been spent on this platform, waiting for the train to take her back to Hogwarts. And now, she had to walk the other way.
Shay and her parents walked back through the crowded station to the place designated by the Ministry as a safe Apparition zone; an abandoned alleyway that no sane Muggle would venture into. Three sharp pops later, and the family was back home. Emily immediately set to work making lunch while Shay collected her things from her room. With a wave of her wand, the items folded and packed themselves, the covers to her bed straightened, and any loose, leftover clutter was swept into orderliness once again. Everything was as it had been when she'd first arrived. Tugging the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she returned to the kitchen for one last meal with her parents before she returned to the farm.
"You're sure you're all set?" Emily asked anxiously as she placed a steaming bowl of soup in front of her daughter. "You have everything you came with?"
"Yes, mum," Shay said with a grin. "Don't worry, I'm all taken care of."
"I'm your mother," Emily said. "It's my job to worry."
Shay laughed, buttering a piece of crusty, fresh-baked bread.
"You have no worries while I'm at the farm, Mum. I'm pretty sure the thestrals would tear apart anyone who tried to hurt me."
Her mother frowned, sitting down at the table with her own soup and bread.
"I still wish you didn't have to see those things," Mrs. Morse said quietly.
"Mum," Shay said gently, reaching out to touch her mother's hand, "They're a blessing, really they are. Don't worry about me. It's not like I saw someone murdered. Death is natural, it didn't scar me."
"I know," Emily said, her voice near a whisper. "I know. But still, you were only ten. That's too young to understand death."
Shay shrugged, stirring a spoon through her soup and hoping that the conversation would soon be dropped. Thankfully her father, surprisingly sensitive to such things, brought up work and slipped the topic into another vein. With the topic directed away from Shay's ability to see ghostly, skeletal horses, the rest of lunch passed quickly; almost too quickly, in fact, as Shay soon found herself slinging the strap of her bag over her shoulder, kissing her parents good-bye, and Disapparating.
As much as she tended to complain, about work and early mornings and the smell of winged-horse manure, the farm was a sight to return to. It was beautiful, nestled amidst the brilliant emerald green of its surrounding hills, the house so white it could be made of cloud. And, of course, the sound of the winged horses calling to her from the paddock. Shay couldn't keep the smile from her face as she burst through the door, dumping her bag in the hallway to be taken up again later, and exchanging her neat tennis shoes for the mud-stained red boots. It was after noon - the others would be in the barns, cleaning out and brushing down, caring for wings and hooves and eyes and ears and all the rest. The house was silent around her, empty and waiting as she swung through the back door and through the cool grass to the Abraxan barn.
She had been right, of course: Aaron was inside, pitchfork in hand, wheel-barrow filling steadily as he cleaned out stalls. The smell of digested single-malt whiskey filled the barn. It nearly stung, like the day after drinking too much Firewhiskey without the headache.
"Welcome back," Aaron said, leaning on the handle of his pitchfork with a slow grin. "Had some excitement, did you?"
Shay groaned, pulling a shovel from the holder on the inside of the sliding door.
"I do not want to talk about it," she said. "I'm trying to pretend the worst thing that happened was that Wronski Feint. Need a hand?"
"Please," Aaron replied, fingers tightening as he turned back into the stall. "The others abandoned me."
"Where'd they go?"
Aaron shrugged.
"Addie Disapparated to Hogsmeade this morning, to meet with some breeder, I think. And you know how Rob is with these monsters. He's up in the Granian barn, instead. Likes them better, I guess."
"I think," Shay said, setting to work in the stall next door, "That he needs to get over it. They're great big babies, is all."
"…Great big baby elephants, you mean? Yeah, I know," Aaron replied. "Did your sister get off to Hogwarts alright?"
"Yep."
"She's in for an interesting first year."
Shay felt her forehead crease as she glanced up.
"What do you mean?"
"You haven't heard?"
"Obviously not, Aaron. What are you on about?" "The Tri-Wizard Tournament. It's all over the Ministry."
"Clearly," Shay said, struggling under the weight of a shovelful. "I haven't been to the Ministry in eons. What about the Tri-Wizard Tournament?" "They're bringing it back this year," Aaron replied. "Something about international wizarding cooperation or something. You know how Dumbledore is."
"But people…"
"Die? Yes, it's happened. Anyway, Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are in it, this year. They'll be arriving sometime in the fall. Hogwarts is suspending Quidditch for the year to allow for the Tasks. And there's an age limit now, too. You have to be of age to even enter. I'm really surprised you haven't heard of this, Shay. It's honestly everywhere." Shay shrugged.
"I guess I've just been in this little bubble so long that I've lost track of reality," Shay replied with a smirk. "Although the fact that I just saw the first Death Eater rally in at least a decade may have had something to do with it."
"Aaron! Is Shay back yet? Have you seen her?"
"Right here, Addie," Shay called, leaning out of the stall door and down toward the house: Addie was rushing up the path, hair loose and flying out around her head like a halo.
"Oh, thank God!" She said, crashing through the stall doors to envelope Shay in a bone-crushing hug; Shay could have sworn she'd heard her ribs snap. "We heard all about it in the Prophet. Death Eaters, can you imagine?" "Yes," Shay gasped. "Unfortunately, I can. I was there. Loosen up, Adds, I can't breathe."
"Oh! Sorry."
Shay took a gulp of blessed air as Addie took a step back.
"It wasn't really that big a deal," Shay said, finally. "It was scary, yeah, but…I mean, no one died, that I saw. The worst part was the Dark Mark. Everyone went into a panic after that. Understandably."
"I can imagine," Addie replied. "But you're okay, right? And Cat went to Hogwarts alright?"
Shay nodded, leaning her shovel against the wall.
"Safe and sound," she replied.
"Good. Look, something came for you in the post today. It's on the table, when you go back in."
"Does it look important?"
"Ministry seal."
"Great. Probably getting reassigned or something, just watch."
"No, you're not," Addie said with a snort. "They wouldn't take you out of here. Maybe Rob or I, but you and Aaron? You're miracle workers. No way they'd get rid of you."
Shay shrugged, pulling the shovel back into action.
"I have to say, Addie, I hope you're right. I don't want to leave."
"We don't want you to either, love," Addie said. "Believe me. These monsters will be less manageable than they already are, if you have to leave. And I think those thestrals would go off their meat."
Shay laughed, ducking her head.
"I'll finish up here," she said, "And then go check it out. You haven't opened it and resealed it already have you, Addie?"
Addie's fair skin turned a shade of melon-pink that Shay had only seen once or twice before.
"That only happened once!" She defended. "And could you blame me?" "Yes, in fact," Shay replied, waving her wand at the full wheel-barrow and sending it on its way to the manure pile far in the back. Another wave sent new bedding into the stall in perfect amounts for heavy Abraxan hooves.
"Alright," Shay said, opening the stall door to the fresh breeze and stepping into the barn's wide aisle. "Let's go seer what the Ministry has sent for me, shall we?"
Addie brightened visibly, the change nearly immediate. If curiosity could truly kill the cat, Addie would be in enough trouble to wrack the world three times over. The two girls strode down the lawn to the house, kicking off their boots in the hallway and heaing into the kitchen. Addie jumped up onto the kitchen counter, crossing her legs at the ankles and watching Shay intently as the other girl approached the table. Sure enough, there on the rough wood sat a thick, ivory envelope with a Ministry seal stamped in red wax.
Miss. Saoirse A. Morse,
Department for the Research and Care of Magical Creatures,
Icarus Farm,
Wales
Important: Response Urgently Required
The writing was spindly and unfamiliar, slanting uncomfortably to the right. Shay slid her thumb beneath the red wax seal, breaking the envelope open with a quick snap and extracting thick, creamy sheets of paper.
Miss. Morse, the letter began, We would like to begin by thanking you for your dedicated service to the Ministry of Magic's Winged Horse research and breeding program. Through your talent and diligence, as well as that of your teammates, we at the Ministry have gained invaluable information about these beautiful and mysterious creatures. Due to your recent success with the capturing and taming of Abraxan horses, we would like to extend a new opportunity for your consideration.
Though entirely different creatures in many ways, winged horses and dragons have much in common. We would like to follow up on these similarities, and delve into the opportunities for training which these may provide. As such, we would like to invite you to the Romanian dragon reserve, where you will work closely with our talented dragon research staff to explore new techniques with these magnificent creatures. The Ministry has recently become quite interested in more humane methods of sedation and training. The similarities in mind structure of dragons and winged horses may well be instrumental in influencing these changes.
Should you wish to accept our invitation, please send an owl back with your response. If you reply in the affirmative, your transfer will be effective immediately upon your receipt of our next owl. You will be required to Apparate just off-base of the Romanian dragon reserve, where you will be met by a Ministry employee and shown the base.
We would like to inform you that, along with this transfer, you would be given the opportunity to be involved in the Tri-Wizard Tournament to be held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as well as receiving a pay raise to compensate for the dangers involved in such a post. The opportunities extended to you through this program will be immense; we truly hope that you will choose to join us on what is sure to be one of the most interesting initiatives this branch of the Ministry has undergone in many years. We look forward to your response.
"They want me to go to Romania," Shay said, whispering into the dead silence. "To study dragons."
"Dragons?" Addie said incredulously. "Shay, you have to be joking."
Shay shook her head numbly and handed the parchment over to her friend.
"See for yourself," she said, dropping into the nearest chair, its legs creaking in protest.
"Shay," Addie breathed, scanning the writing. "Shay, what are you going to do? Will you take it?"
Shay shook her head, staring into the grain of the table as if it might display the answers.
"I don't know. But this is big, Addie. They singled me out for this entirely. I feel like…I feel like I should. But I don't want to, and I don't know what to do."
To her horror, tears began to prickle at the back of Shay's throat. It had been so long since she had last cried. The feeling was alien and uncomfortable. She tried to swallow down the lump in her throat like a bitter pill, but couldn't.
"Oh, Shay," Addie murmured, settling into the chair next to her friend and rubbing her shoulders comfortingly. "It's nothing to cry about, silly. It's okay. Take a little while to think about it. They don't need a response right now. Take the rest of the day to think it through. You know we'll back you up, no matter what."
Shay nodded, trying to smile through the slow but steady flow of tears.
"Dragons," she murmured, watching as Addie got to her feet to make tea. "Addie, how the hell am I supposed to manage dragons? The Abraxans are enough of a handful, as it is."
Addie shrugged, setting the water to begin boiling.
"They said something about their having similar minds," she replied. "They must have some kind of research to back it up. And you are one of the best trainers we have, besides Aaron. Rob and I have nothing on the two of you."
"So why didn't they ask Aaron?" Shay asked, sliding the envelope back and forth between her fingers and the table. "He's stronger than I am."
"Can I be totally honest with you?" Addie asked, setting two mugs on the table before turning to Shay. "I mean, really honest?"
"Of course," Shay responded. "When have I ever said "no" to that?"
"There's probably some kind of quota that they have to fill," Addie replied. "I mean, think about it. Between wizards and witches, its mostly men that apply for dragon research. Women go for the unicorns and the winged horses, more often than not. So when it came down between you and Aaron, they probably looked at the pool of people they already had and decided on you because you were a girl."
"It comes down to that?"
"Sometimes," Addie responded, passing a full mug of tea across the table. Shay folded her fingers around it, letting the warmth seep around her fingers. "They also just know talent when they see it."
Shaking her head, Shay raised the mug to her eye level, staring directly at the cup as if she could see through it.
"I think…I have to take it," she said finally. "I really think I do. Does that make me a bad person?"
"Why would it?"
"Because it's not necessarily want I want. It's what I think I need. Does that make sense?"
Addie shook her head, but laughed.
"No," she said. "Not really. But what does? And, somehow, I know what you mean. You've been here pretty much since you left Hogwarts. Maybe it's time for a change."
"Maybe."
The two girls sipped their tea, listening to the chirping of birds and faraway nickers of the Granians being let out into their paddock.
"I think you should follow your instincts," Addie said, tracing patterns along the grain with her fingers. "But we'll miss you."
There were tears sparkling in the corners of her eyes, her voice strangled and a good pitch higher than usual.
"I'll miss you, too," Shay said, setting her mug down rather roughly and standing to embrace her friend. "But please don't cry, because then I will."
Addie chuckled, returning the hug whole-heartedly and said:
"Well, love, you have an owl to send."