Miz Lorelai

"MIZ LORELAI."

Prologue: 1990

Atlantic Ocean.

20 Miles off the coast of Maine.

"Mum, isn't this the best idea we've had?" gushed twelve year old Elenore Banks as she leaned on the railing over looking the ocean.

"A cruise? Yes. I had no idea that there was a ship for witches and wizards. Is this new? I've never heard of it before," said Mrs. Banks as she too, stood beside her daughter and leaned on the railing with her elbows.

"Yeah! She just came out this year. She's two football fields long and about fifteen stories high," Elenore gushed excitedly as she looked down along the deck they were on. All around them, witches and wizards were lounging, or just walking along the deck dressed in their robes. This was the only other place where they could all be themselves, and it was entirely Muggle free. They had boarded the ship yesterday. It sailed from New England in the US, and it would reach London, England in seven days. The ship was black on the bottom and white along the top and sides where the portholes were. There were two smokestacks about ten feet apart. Red and blue flags were on the rigging as well as a small string of lights. On the side in white lettering over the black paint was the name MIZ LORELAI. There were five decks. On the first deck, below, were cabins. The deck above that was more cabins and a shop where witches and wizards could go to get their wands checked out and serviced . The third deck, was a restaurant, hospital section, and a library and pool. The fourth deck, which they were on, was outside and went around the entire ship where everyone could sit and watch the ocean, and finally, the last deck was where the captain and his crew were in a small tower. On the bow was where the anchor was stored and several small round objects where ropes were wrapped around. When they pulled into port, the ropes would be tied around them and the pier to keep the ship from drifting. Elenore had heard about this ship from her best friend. She wanted to go on it, but she couldn't because she was starting Hogwarts next month and needed the money for books and supplies. Elenore was also starting Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry next month along with her best friend. She was looking forward to it and hoped they'd be sorted into the same house. Elenore's dad had decided against going on the ship. He had this strange feeling for some reason that somethi ng wasn't right with it. For instance, he told Elenore two days ago, why would this ship only harbor people with magical backgrounds? Weren't Muggles normally using cruise ships? Why only witches and wizards are allowed?

Elenore argued that maybe someone decided to give the witches and wizards a break too and decided to build a ship that could have people with magical backgrounds go and be normal and not have to hide from Muggles. Elenore didn't mind Muggles of course, as her best friend was Muggle born. She read a lot of the wizarding newspapers to catch up on news in the magical community. That's how she really came across the Miz Lorelai.

Elenore had shoulder length dark auburn hair and blue eyes. She was a spitting image of her mum. People often mistake them for sisters. Elenore was dressed in dark blue robes. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Her mum was dressed in ivory robes and her chin length curly dark auburn hair was tucked behind her ears. Her green eyes met Elenore's after she checked her watch.

"Ele, it's dinner time,"

"Oh great!" Elenore cried eagerly.

They headed down to the third deck.

The restaurant was huge. It was half the length of a pitch. Tables, about seventy of them, each holding twelve people, were set up. A crystal chandelier hung. There was a gentle tinkling of glasses and forks and knives. There were people already sitting and eating.

A waiter bowed and escorted Elenore and Mrs. Banks to a table.

They sat down and ordered drinks. There was an elderly witch in a green robe talking with a young wizard around Elenore's father's age enthusiastically and seemed to be deep in conversation. There were two witch sisters eating and throwing the elderly witch withering looks, obviously jealous that she was talking to a cute wizard.

A married couple was beside the sisters. They had just gotten married and were staring into each other's eyes adoringly. The rest looked like they belonged to some sort of club or something. There were two witches and two wizards. They were also dressed in identical black robes with just a picture of the bow of a ship and a wand and bone crossed above the bow.

Maybe those are the hospital doctors,

Elenore thought tilting her head to the side. They had the strangest look on their faces, like...like they were evil or something. Elenore shook her head.

I'm just being paranoid

, she scolded herself.

She and her mum ordered dinner and they all ate.

After that, they went back to their cabin. It was an outside one, so Elenore loved looking out the porthole at the morning sunrise.

Around eight o'clock that night, there was a knock on their door.

Mrs. Banks answered it. It was one of the crew members.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if you'd care to join a little party on the captain's deck. It's to celebrate the new ship's successful journey," she said, smiling sweetly.

"Oh. Sure! We'll be right there," Mrs. Banks said eagerly.

The crew member smiled again and turned to leave to head down the corridor to the next cabin.

"Hear that, Elenore? A party! You like parties!" Mrs. Banks said.

Elenore frowned.

Now she was getting that strange feeling that her father had.

Something was now nagging at her gut...something was telling her something was wrong with this whole situation.

"Cool. Um, you go ahead. I'm going to hang out here for a bit. I don't feel well," Elenore said.

It was true. She felt extremely sick. Nauseous.

Mrs. Banks nodded. She gave Elenore a hug and kiss before she left the cabin.

Elenore sighed and laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

She started feeling sick after she'd eaten the roast beef. Maybe it wasn't cooked right?

She began thinking back on yesterday when she and her mum first entered the ship's atrium, which was another name for lobby. It was huge and gorgeous with a large grand staircase. The banisters were oak, and the steps were carpeted. To the left of that was a registration desk where they had to go and make sure their names were on the guest list.

To the right, a bar named The Magic Wand. It looked like it was composed mainly of young witches and wizards in their twenties. A gift shop was to the right of that.

She had been amazed at the ship. It looked like a floating hotel. Surprisingly, the outside of the ship looked brand new. The paint wasn't chipped or peeling. On the contrary, it looked like it was painted just yesterday.

Elenore opened her eyes.

That married couple must be next door because she heard shouts and moans coming from there through the walls.

Irritably she banged on the wall.

"Get a room!" She shouted angrily.

Then she realized that they were in a room.

"Crap," she muttered.

The nausea came on stronger, and she clamped a hand over her mouth and flew into the bathroom. She lifted the toilet seat and vomited into it.

She felt fear gripping her chest.

It was all brown and a bit of red tinged in it. She flushed it and decided to go to the hospital section.

She hurried out of the cabin and down the corridor to where the stairs were. She had to go up one deck.

She felt worse now and weak.

She passed the kitchen entrance for the restaurant. She just happened to glance in and see the cooks and crew standing over a piece of meat and dousing it with Clorox and Listerine. She froze.

That's what I had for dinner!

One of the cooks looked up and spied her. She turned around and began running up to the captain's deck to find her mother. She heard the cook and the other crew members running after her.

She stumbled up the stairs. Her heart pounding in her chest.

Why on earth is the crew poisoning the guests? What's going on here? Why didn't I listen to Dad when he had the bad feeling?

She turned the corner and ran up another short flight onto the deck.

Everyone was dancing. Her mum was dancing with the captain.

"Mum," Elenore choked out.

She lunged forward, but a pair of hands grabbed her and pulled her back.

She looked up. It was the cook.

It all happened in slow motion.

There were four crew members standing around the group of witches and wizards dancing in the center of the deck.

They pulled out their wands and aimed them at the group. The witches and wizards didn't seem to notice the crew members holding wands, which were aimed at them.

Two words were shouted.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Jets of green light shot out from each wand and hit nearby witches and wizards. The rest began screaming and running toward the stairs.

More crew members pulled out their wands and shouted those words. A witch was hit square in her back and fell forward down the stairs. Elenore heard the thuds then silence. Witches were screaming and people were going in all directions trying to avoid being hit. Elenore saw her mum running toward her. The cook that was holding onto Elenore's shoulders pulled out his wand and aimed it at Mrs. Banks.

"Avada Kedavra!" he shouted.

Elenore screamed as a jet of green light hit her mother right in the chest. Mrs. Banks stood stunned for a moment before she dropped to her knees and then fell sideways.

Elenore screamed again. Jets of green light were just shooting everywhere.

Elenore jabbed her elbow into the cooks' stomach and spun away from him.

She tore back down the stairs and began running along with the other passengers.

She ran past one of the smoke stacks and heard what appeared to be Muggle gunfire. The captain passed her as he ran. The crew was still holding their wands out, shouting. It was like it was raining jets of green light. Elenore had to leap sideways to avoid being hit with one of them.

She couldn't believe what was going on here. Why was this happening?

She first thought about hiding in one of the lifeboats, but then they would probably be able to find her there. Then, she remembered her wand. She pulled it out of her robe. It was eleven inches and made from a unicorn tail, and it was oak. She spun around and aimed her wand at one of the crew members. She had no choice but to use the same curse they were using. It was life or death.

She shouted "Avada Kedavra!" at the crew member. It hit her right in the back and the crew member fell forward onto her stomach dead.

Elenore knew she wouldn't be able to take on every single crew member. There were like 1200 passengers and 800 crew. She turned around again and began running. She found a stair case and began going down it. All around cried and shouts were heard. Then the horrible sounds of 'thuds' from the witches or wizards bodies hitting the deck. Elenore kept going.

She had no idea where this led. All she knew was that she had to get someplace and hide and maybe somehow get a message out.

She reached the boiler room. It was hot. There was no crew down here. Pipes hissed, and a shot of steam lurched out from one of the pipes just missing Elenore's face.

She kept walking further along the boiler room until she hit these crates. Intrigued, she went over to one and wiped a bit of dust off the cover. In black stenciled ink were the words :

MINISTRY OF MAGIC

DEPARTMENT OF MYSTERIES

FRAGILE!!!

Elenore had no idea what something for the Ministry of Magic was doing on a cruise ship. But she had a feeling this was the main reason why the crew was killing the passengers. Feeling her heart pounding, she carefully began to remove the lid.

She peered in and gasped.

That's when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. She frightenedly looked up. It was the cook. He grabbed her arm and began dragging her away from the crate.

She began thrashing and screaming as he dragged her to the third deck.

Dragged her past the library, restaurant, and hospital section until they hit the pool.

The pool had been completely drained of water. The bottom of the pool was total concrete. The captain was standing there, in front of a few of the crew members.

"Did she see?" he asked the cook.

"Yes," the cook replied.

Elenore could not hear anymore cries from the rest of the passengers, and she realized that they were all dead.

"Put her in," the captain said, coldly.

Elenore was roughly turned around to stare into the face of the cook and she was taken by the shoulders.

The pool was at least twelve feet deep and near the deep end, fifteen. With one rough push, Elenore fell backwards into the pool. She screamed briefly.

She felt her back and head hit the bottom of the pool. She felt a warm liquid filling up in her mouth. She spit it out and felt it trickling out the corner of her mouth. She also felt a warm liquid on the back of her head.

She was still alive though. How she didn't know. She could not move or anything. She kept coughing up blood. She knew she had cracked her head open and had internal bleeding.

Suddenly, the ship slammed into something. Alarms went off.

"What's happening?" the captain demanded.

"We've hit another ship!" one of the crew cried.

"What about her?" another crew member asked, gesturing to Elenore.

"Shoot her. The wands can be traced too easily,"

The crew member pulled out what looked like a Muggle pistol and climbed down into the drained pool. Elenore began sobbing as the girl reached the bottom. A loud groan of metal erupted signaling that the ship was starting to go. Elenore felt the front of the bow lifting off the surface of the ocean. It was sinking.

Water began rushing in. The captain and crew began running, but it was too late. A wall of water slammed into them. The crew member had managed to stand over Elenore with the pistol aimed at her forehead.

The crew member clicked back the hammer and kept it on Elenore's forehead.

Elenore continued to sob.

The crew member's hand shook.

Elenore shut her eyes.

The trigger was pulled just as another wall of water gushed in.

The crew member was swallowed by the water and Elenore's lifeless body.

*The Miz Lorelai's bow was already under the surface of the water. The ship now looked like a straight line, the stern pointing up at the sky. It slowly began sinking.

Metal groaned as it continued to sink. The ship that it had hit suffered a large hole in its bow, just above the ocean surface and it was nothing dangerous. The other ship was in no danger of sinking. Lounge chairs and anything that wasn't bolted down began sliding down the deck and into the water with soft 'splats'.

After about 20 minutes, the stern slowly went under until the entire ship had been swallowed by the ocean*