The Footsteps of my Father

The Footsteps of my Father

Chapter Four

-Dominic Conner -

The sun rose, a red blur on the horizon, lighting up the tops of the mountains. The sun stretched its fingers over the mountains and through the woods and then finally, lit up the east side of the manor, streaming in through the windows.

On the outskirts of Birmingham, there was an old abandoned train station. A lone boy stood on the platform, having recently been dropped off by the Knight Bus. A large trunk sat next to him and a cage containing a tawny owl sat on top. He walked up to a seemingly innocent-looking brick wall, carting the trunk and cage behind him, and stepped through onto the grounds of the Connor Estate. The land he now stood on was unplottable by Muggles and the only way to reach these lands was the barrier at the old train station. The boy looked up at the manor and began making his way up the long path.

Sindaria stretched, her covers slipping to her ankles. She yawned, pushing her arms out in front of her. She blinked and gradually opened her eyes. The drapes around her bed were highlighted with the morning sun. Her heart raced as she bolted up. Where was she? Then she lay back down, remembering the previous day's events. She smiled. She wished she could stay here, but she knew that she couldn't. She would be going back home tonight.

Sindaria sat up and pulled the drapes apart. She climbed out of her bed and walked over to the balcony doors. As she walked, she noticed that the fire was still burning and a tray sat on a table next to the fireplace with a goblet, some toast, and some fruit. Someone must have come earlier, taken care of the fire, and brought up her breakfast. She picked up the orange and smiled, opening the balcony doors and stepping outside. A cool breeze rustled her long hair and the silky pajamas that she wore. She placed her hands on the rail, looking out over the woods and to the distant mountains. She took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs. She was really going to miss this place.

She peeled back the skin of the orange and pulled off a wedge. She bit into it, savoring the juicy flavor. This place, it seems so, I don't know, right. It seems really familiar, like I've been here before, or to a place similar, but that's impossible. Of course, things I once thought were impossible seem to be happening to me. Shattering glass, fire and ashes. What is happening to me?

She walked back into the room, closing the doors. She finished the orange and ate the toast, draining the pumpkin juice. She set the empty goblet down and walked over to the closet. She opened it and shifted through the various colored robes, shirts, and pants. A black robe, with some sort of emblem on it, caught her attention. She pulled it out, looking at the stitched emblem. It looked to be some sort of crest. There was a large 'H' in the middle, with four sections. A snake, a badger, a lion, and a raven. "Huh, interesting," she said. She put the robe back and pulled out a dark purple turtleneck. It felt very soft to her touch. Placing the turtleneck over her arm, she looked through the pants. She pulled off a pair of black pants. Then she looked down at the bottom of the closet. Several pairs of black shoes sat there, all with gray socks lying on them. She picked up a pair, along with the socks, and walked over to her bed, shutting the door with her foot. She quickly slipped into the clothing and folded her pajamas, laying them at the end of the bed.

She walked out the door and into the long corridor. Tapestries lined the hall and as she walked towards the steps, she could have sworn one of them said, "Good morning," but of course that was nonsense. Tapestries didn't talk.

She hurried down the spiral steps and nearly ran over someone walking by the bottom. "Whoa there, is there a fire I don't know about?" a laughing voice asked. Sindaria looked up into a grinning face. The boy, nearly a head taller than her, had short brown hair and the bluest eyes she had ever seen. He had a very dignified face, with high cheekbones and all. He was very handsome, overall.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Sindaria said, stepping back.

He shrugged. "It's alright. You must be Ari."

She nodded. "Yes, I am. Who are you?"

The boy smiled. "I'm Dominic Conner."

"Oh yeah, you just came back from school, right?"

Dominic nodded. "Yes, Hog - I mean, my school has let us out for the winter holiday. I'll be going back in two weeks. What about you?"

"The same. So your parents explained to you why I'm here?"

Dominic nodded. "They did. It's really good that they found you."

"Tell me about it!"

"So you live in New York City?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell me about it?"

Sindaria smiled. She was beginning to like Dominic more every second. He really made her feel at ease. "Why don't we go sit down somewhere, instead of standing here on the stairs?"

Dominic laughed. "Right, of course. Did you eat breakfast?" Sindaria nodded. "Why don't we go sit in the den, then."

"Okay." She smiled, putting out her arm. "Lead the way."

Dominic laughed and she followed him through the sitting room and into the room she had been in when she first awakened here. They sat down on the couch in front of the fire. "What's that a picture of?" Sindaria asked, pointing to the tapestry above the fireplace.

"Oh, that? It's a picture of my school," Dominic said.

"Cool," Sindaria said, smiling. "What's your school like?"

"It's brilliant. We study many different subjects, and we play my favorite sport: Quidditch." Then Dominic's eyes widened. "Shouldn't have said that," Dominic muttered quietly, so quietly that Sindaria barely heard him.

She ignored this and asked, "What's Quidditch?"

"It's a sport where you throw a ball around and try to get it through hoops."

"Like soccer then."

"I suppose. Well then," Dominic said, changing the subject, "what's your school like?"

"It's alright, I guess. The subjects are okay, but they're too easy for me. I spend a lot of time in the school library, reading books. That's one of my favorite things to do, other than sit in the Tower."

"The Tower?"

"It's a place at my house where I can go to be alone. I have my books up there and that's where I do most of my reading."

"I have a place like that. I'll show it to you later, if you'd like."

Sindaria smiled. "I'd love that."

"So you like reading?"

Sindaria nodded. "Oh yeah, a lot. Do you read much?"

Dominic shrugged. "What with my school work and all, I don't have much time to read casually, but I do on occasion. What sort of books do you like to read?"

"Fantasy, mostly. I love books about magic."

Dominic smiled as if he wanted to say something, but couldn't. "Well, you know, there is some truth to some of those books."

"Really?" Sindaria asked, her eyebrows lifting. "You mean stuff like that actually exists?"

Dominic shrugged. "Possibly. Well," he said, standing. "I have something I want to show you, but then I'm going to finish my homework. It's unbelievable," Dominic said, shaking his head. "You would think that the professors would be kind and let us have a break over the holiday, but instead, they pile even more on us."

Sindaria laughed. "I know. I think teachers think that we have no lives except to do homework."

Dominic smiled. "Exactly. Well, come on. Follow me."

They stood and she followed him out of the room and up the spiral stairs. They walked down the corridor, past her room, and nearly to the end. They stopped in front of two large doors. He looked at her and smiled. "Close your eyes."

She looked at him curiously, but obeyed. She felt him take her hands and lead her forward. He let go of her hands and she stopped. "Okay," he said.

She opened her eyes and gasped, looking around at the huge room. The ceiling was so high that she could barely see the top and the walls were covered from floor to ceiling in shelves and rows of books. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed. "There have to be thousands of books here!"

Dominic grinned. "I thought you'd like it."

Sindaria looked at him, grinning. "Like it? I love it!" She looked at the huge Gothic windows that were placed around the library, letting in the sun. She looked down at the plush red carpet beneath her feet and at the large, comfortable-looking armchairs that were placed around. Lamps with unlit candles sat on tables near the chairs. "This is so cool! You know, I don't think I'm going to want to leave this room ever, much less the manor." She turned to Dominic and hugged him. He tensed a little, and then gave her a quick hug. "Thank you so much!"

"Don't mention it. This is my favorite place to be. It's nice and quiet. You can really just curl up in one of the chairs and place yourself in another world. It's quite amazing, actually." He sighed. "Well, I'd better get an early start on my homework," he said, pulling away. He smiled. "If I can manage to finish it right off the start, then I may actually be able to relax."

Sindaria smiled. "Thank you again. I know that once I leave tonight, we probably won't see each other again."

"Don't worry," Dominic said, smiling. "We'll still be able to keep in touch. With the post and all."

Sindaria nodded. "Great."

"I'll see you later," Dominic said. He turned and left the library, leaving Sindaria to gaze around in awe. A dream come true! All these books! I'll never get to read them all! Where to begin?

She walked over to one shelf and ran her finger over the titles. Finally she stopped on a book called, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." She pulled it out and walked over to chair. She opened the leather-bound book and looked through the table of contents. Her finger stopped on a chapter about Unicorns. Unicorns! She opened to that page and began reading.

* * *

Gabriel found her later that evening, completely absorbed in the book that she was reading. It was about the history of magic and it was very interesting. "I see you have found the library," he said.

Sindaria looked up and smiled. "Dominic showed it to me earlier."

Gabriel smiled. "This is a wonderful place, to be assured. I just came to tell you that supper is ready."

"Okay. Thanks."

"You know. If you wish, you may take any of these books back with you."

"Really?" Sindaria asked, her eyes widening.

"Really," Gabriel said, laughing. His eyes twinkled behind his glasses. "There are so many books here, that I still have not read all of them."

"Thank you so much!" Sindaria cried, leaping up. She ran over to Gabriel and hugged him.

He patted her on the back. "You are most welcome," Gabriel said, laughing.

She pulled back, grinning. "This is so cool!"

Gabriel smiled. "Well, after supper, you may come back in here and select the books you wish to take with you. Then I will take you home." Sindaria nodded, looking down sadly. "What is wrong?"

Sindaria looked up at him. "I can't wait to see my family, but I'll miss this place. I really feel at home here."

Gabriel smiled. "I am glad that you like it here, but you do have to go home. Your parents are waiting for you."

Sindaria nodded. "I guess so, but I still hate to leave."

"Ari, I am sure that you will be back here someday." They stood in silence for a moment, and then Gabriel spoke up, "Let us go to supper, shall we?"

Sindaria nodded. "Sure."

* * *

Sindaria took a bite of her chicken, listening as Dominic told them about school. Sindaria had sat down in the seat next to Gabriel, and Dominic was on her other side. Sarah was sitting across from Sindaria.

"And, you wouldn't believe the new DADA professor. He's wicked!" Dominic exclaimed, taking a bite of corn.

Gabriel smiled. "What is his name?"

"Professor Lupin. He really knows the subject though, and we've even been able to have some hands-on activities."

"That sounds wonderful, love," Sarah said, smiling.

"It is," Dominic said, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"How are you doing in your studies?" Gabriel asked.

Dominic shrugged. "As well as I can. Hermione Granger, of course, is still head of her class, and I think she's top of the school right now. Professor Snape and that blasted . . ." Dominic glanced at Sindaria, his eyes wide. "Um . . ." He pursed his lips, trying to think. "The, uh . . . Chemistry class is the only one that is really holding me back." Dominic grew slightly angry. "How does he expect us to memorize all that stuff?"

"Doesn't sound like fun," Sindaria commented.

"It isn't," Dominic said grudgingly. Then he brightened. "But guess what? I made the house team!"

Gabriel and Sarah beamed. "That is wonderful!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Exceptional! Especially since this is only your second year. My son, on the house team!" Gabriel said proudly.

"Is it really hard to get on the team?" Sindaria asked.

"Usually only third-years and above make the house teams, and even then, it is very hard," Sarah explained.

Sindaria nodded. "Wow."

"What position are you playing?" Gabriel asked.

"Chaser," Dominic declared proudly.

"What does a chaser do?" Sindaria asked.

Dominic looked at her. "Chasers are the ones who control the quaffle and try to get it through the hoops."

"The quaffle is the ball?"

Dominic nodded. "Right."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks," Dominic said, smiling. He looked at his parents. "Have you heard anything more on Sirius?"

Gabriel shook his head. "He is still out there, making trouble, I am sure. I just do not see how he could have escaped from Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" Sindaria asked.

Gabriel looked at her. "It is a highly guarded prison in England."

"Oh, so you're talking about that guy that escaped? It's been all over the news."

Gabriel, Sarah, and Dominic looked at her. "Figures he'd make trouble for everyone," Dominic muttered.

"No one is supposed to be able to get past the guards there," Sarah said, shaking her head. "I do not see how he could have done it."

"The guards are really tough?" Sindaria asked.

"The people that are put in Azkaban go mad, Ari," Gabriel said. "After awhile in there, they usually do not have much of a mind left to do much of anything, much less escape. Sirius Black has been in Azkaban for years, so you would think he could not escape. Well, obviously, we were wrong and now he is out there, making trouble."

"He probably went back to -" Dominic stopped at a look from his parents. He shrugged. "It's just possible, that's all."

Gabriel gave him a stern look. "I know it is possible, and if it happens, we are all in serious trouble, but I suggest that you do not speak of that here, at supper."

Dominic looked down and began cutting some more of his chicken. Gabriel and Sarah began eating again, so Sindaria just focused on a very interesting piece of rice. The rest of the dinner was silent.

When they had finished dinner, Gabriel took Sindaria back to the library where she picked out several books, including "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

As they were about to leave, Sarah and Dominic came into the entrance hall. Sarah handed Sindaria a dark blue robe. "This is one of the warmer cloaks. I hope you enjoy it," she said, smiling.

"Thank you!" Sindaria exclaimed, grinning. She hugged Sarah. "Thank you so much for everything."

"As long as you stay in touch," Sarah said, pulling back. She smiled. "We will owl you shortly, and then just send your reply."

Sindaria nodded. "Sure." She looked at Dominic, who smiled.

"I'll send you a letter," he said.

Sindaria smiled. "Great. I can't wait."

"We have a long ways to travel. We had better be going," Gabriel said.

"Right," Sarah said. "Goodbye, Ari."

"Bye," Sindaria said as she followed Gabriel out of the manor. A fancy car sat out in the front and they climbed in.

* * *

They drove for what seemed like hours and Sindaria fell asleep. When she woke up, she was in the back of a taxi cab. She bolted up, looking around. "Where's Gabriel?" Sindaria frantically asked.

"Who?" the driver asked.

"Gabriel, the man that was with me."

"Oh, you mean the man that called for the cab. Yeah, he left. He just told me where to take you. Already paid for."

Sindaria didn't say anything. She looked out the window as the buildings of New York City passed them by. They moved slowly, since rarely did anything move fast in the city.

After a long while in traffic, they finally pulled into her familiar neighborhood. The taxi stopped outside the apartment complex. She climbed out. "Thank you," she said.

The cab driver smiled. "No problem. You have a nice Christmas."

"Thanks. You too." She closed the door and the taxi drove away. She looked up at the complex, beaming. "Home!" She hugged her cloak tightly, along with the bag of books. She ran into the complex and hurried up the stairs.