Anna Grayson and The Order of Merlin
Victoria Grayson

Anna stepped through the frontdoor and dropped her bag.

“Anna’s home, Anna’s home,Anna’s home,” squawked the blue parrot in the entranceway. She ran over to theblack sphere on the newel post and hopped up onto the first step.

“Hi, Cookie! Do you know wheremy father is?” she said, rubbing the top of the heavy ball. A dark green cloudbegan to form on the surface of the sphere. Light blue flashes like hiddenlightning seemed to emanate within its green translucent swirls, which slowlyturned to form a face.

“Ye-haaa! Howdy, little lady.Welcome home. The critter’s in the kitchen makin’ vittles,” said the scruffybearded face, speaking from the surface of the black marble.

“No — no, not Widwick. Do youknow where daddy is?” asked Anna, rolling her eyes.

“Oh! Well then — why dit’n yasay so? Yer daddy’s in the boardroom yakketty-yakkin wit-dem fraowgs. Hate demdang smelly ugly fraowgs. Caught em swippen the silver last time they camea-callin. Lousy no-good thieven fraowgs — can’t trust any of em.”

“Thanks, Cookie,” said Anna,and she turned to run down the staircase.

“Take care yer-self littlemissy — and watch out fer dem fraowgs…. lousy… smelly… good fer nothin’…”

“They’re not frogs, Cookie,they’re Goblins,” Anna yelled back, trying not to laugh.

“THEY’S FRAOWGS! Dirty, smelly, bug-snitchin fraowgs — don’ttrust em. Keep an eye out — and watch yer back! Greedy dang hobby gobbles,” theghost said, angrily, as his voice faded out of range.

Anna galloped down the twistingstaircase three full flights before she finally made it to her father’sMinistry floor. There was a very long hallway connecting the bottom of thesteps to the door of her father’s private study. As Anna walked along the longcorridor, she studied the many pictures hanging on the wall of various pastmembers of the Grayson family.

There was Tarson Grayson, hergrandfather, from whom everybody said Anna had inherited her green eyes. Thenthere was Senseless Sarasil Grayson, who had a habit of mindlessly laughing outloud from his portrait for no apparent reason. Anna remembered an occasion sixmonths ago when her father couldn’t continue an important meeting through allthe noise coming from this hallway. Sarasil’s picture had to be removed andplaced in the deepest part of the basement until his behavior had improved. Hedidn’t appreciate this kind of treatment, of course, and did everything hecould to be a burden on Anna’s father ever since. On the quiet eveningsfollowing that day, you could hear Sarasil’s irritated hooting guffaws,whistles, and animal calls throughout the entire house from his place ofisolation downstairs.

“Hello, Uncle Sarasil,” Annasaid, walking by his frame.

“Hee, hee, hee,” snickered the odd-lookingman in the portrait.

Then Anna stopped in front ofthe last portrait next to her father’s door, the one she always rememberedtrying to avoid as a child. The woman in the picture seemed to radiate a senseof dislike toward her, which made Anna feel like an unwelcome guest in her ownhome. Posing before her, nearly six feet tall was the solemn image of LeolaGrayson. Anna stared at the portrait of this, her father’s first wife, and themother of Damon, Tencha, Dowla and her brother Eric. She was standing next to alit fireplace, holding a closed fan near her waist. The woman was very prettyin a natural way, with long jet-black hair, elegantly wrapped to expose herbeautiful pale neck. Her eyes were nearly black, and Anna thought the look onher face was strangely mysterious. Anna couldn’t decide if the woman was tryingto present a stately manner, or a look confirming she was barely tolerating theworld around her. Her cheeks were rather bony, but she was clearly promoting animage of health, vigor, and strength. Her lips were pursed so tightly they werenearly invisible. Anna always thought the portrait delivered one distinctemotion — that of some unknown sense of immense gratification.

Anna despised the portrait. Itwasn’t the way the woman looked, or because she was the mistress of the housebefore her own mother. No, it was because the portrait simply existed. Therewere no portraits of her mother, Victoria Grayson, anywhere in the house. Infact, Anna had no idea what her mother even looked like. She remembered askingher father about her mother many times as a child, but he always refused tospeak of her. Initially, Anna remembered thinking he was angry with Victoria, as if her dying was something she had carefullyplanned and looked to implement without remorse or a care of those left behind.Then there were the years Anna felt as though her father couldn’t rememberanything about her mother at all. Recently however, Anna had giving up tryingto discuss the subject all together, believing she would probably neverunderstand the complicated relationship her mother and father shared. It seemedodd to Anna that her father, a man of great passion and enthusiasm, a man sostrongly driven, found it difficult to discuss anything. But hisunwillingness to talk about her mother had lead Anna to privately believe theymust never have really loved each other at all.

There was another problem withthe portrait of Leola standing before her. It was bad enough the first lateMrs. Grayson’s picture was here, but there was another one just like it in thefamily room hanging above the fireplace. That portrait portrayed Mrs. Graysonseated next to the same hearth where the picture was hung, and because thepicture occupied the same room depicted in the portrait, the woman seemed tohold a permanent presence within the house that Anna hated; because it wassomething to which Anna’s own mother obviously was not entitled.

Anna looked into the woman’sdark eyes. “I have just as much a right to be here as you. I’m a Grayson too,you know,” Anna said, trying to show the portrait she wasn’t a frightenedlittle girl anymore. She smirked, and then turned to look at the office doorbeside her. She stepped forward.

She placed her ear up to theoak door, listening for any activity coming from within. She knocked softly, openedthe door, and looked inside, but nobody was there. Her father’s study was afairly small space as compared to the rest of the adjoining rooms on hisMinistry floor. There were shelves of books on one wall, and scrolls rolled andstacked neatly on the other. There was a desk sitting against a third wall,next to a leather couch and a door, which Anna knew lead to the adjoiningconference room. There were no lamps anywhere in the office. Instead, anassortment of various colored globes was painted into the walls and ceilings,which emitted a warm amber light. The glow from the globes gave the room arestful-welcoming feeling, inviting of a nap on the nice couch.

There was a large glass case,which contained several of her father’s personal mementoes, including severaldecorations from the Ministry, a gem incrusted kaleidoscope, Grandpa Tarson’swand, and several old photographs.

Anna carefully opened thecabinet. “Don’t touch,” warned one of the pictures inside. Anna glanced back over her shoulder to insurenobody would see her, and reached in to point the barrel of the kaleidoscopetoward the middle of the room. She then ran her finger down the length of oneof its legs, and then tapped it twice. A soft blue light began to glow from thescope’s lens and the entire room suddenly exploded in an array of fabulouscolor.

Various objects of differentshapes and sizes began circling and filling every corner of the room aroundher. They seemed to be painted an assortment of bright colors that faded in andout of focus and intensity. First; there were common shapes, squares, circles,triangles, and then a variety of elongated rectangles. Then the shapes slowlybegan to change and evolved into different animals, each looking like smallcardboard cutouts being carried about the room by children on little sticks.The shapes never seemed to touch anything in the room, but they circumventedand darted around the different fixtures and furnishings like small animals atplay. A calm waft fell over Anna’s mind like a gentle breeze, and she knew shecould sit there for hours watching the beautiful cabaret of lights. She hadn’tnoticed before, but the glow of light given off by the globes had slowlydimmed, as if surrendering their place to the magic of the kaleidoscope.

And then, “I win,” came a voiceto her right.

Anna recognized the voice eventhough it was too dark to see. She spun around quickly, gave the scope twoquick taps on the leg again, and watched as the colored shapes in the room weresucked swiftly back into the kaleidoscope’s lens. Anna looked around as thewarm light from the painted globes began to brighten the room once more. It wasMeredith McConnell, her father’s secretary.

“Oh… hello Meredith, I wasjust…ah,” Anna stammered. “What did you win?”

The woman was smiling gently asshe looked behind her that led into her father’s conference room. Anna heardher father’s voice on the other side of the door.

“Sorry about that everybody,just a bit of old magic. Thank you, Meredith,” said Mister Grayson, as the womanquietly closed the door behind her.

“Oops,” Anna said, raising hereyebrows, and forcing a toothy smile. She realized the show of the kaleidoscopehad obviously invaded her father’s conference room when the secretary hadopened the office door. Mrs. McConnell was wearing a dark green velvet robewith a formal lace sticking up like a collar. Her hair was pinned up in abusiness-like bun, and she was looking over the top of her half-moon glassesattached around her neck with a length of silver chain. She had gray-streakedred hair, which was always pulled up. Anna’s father was totally dependent onMrs. McConnell, as she helped him maneuver through his day-to-day businessmeetings and appointments. She walked over to Anna, placed the scrolls she wascarrying down on the chair next to her, and stood straight again with her handscupped in front. She was smiling triumphantly.

“I won the bet I had with yerfather,” she said, with a grin. “Mister Grayson said it would take ye at leasta month to figure out how to work the scope, but I said it’d take ye no morethan a week,” she said, gratifyingly through her thick Irish brogue.

“Ohh,” said Anna. “When did heput it in the cabinet?”

“I believe your father placedit there Wednesday-last,” she replied.

“Hmmmmm,” Anna hummed, lookingback at the scope and thinking to herself. “Two days then,” she said, grinningback at her father’s secretary.

Mrs. McConnell smiled kindly,dropping her chin to look at Anna over her glasses again. She reached over andslid her finger down the scope’s leg as Anna had done and, tapping it twice,she tilted her head to look at her. “It belonged to yer grandmother,” she said,reverently. The scope burst forth once again in a beautiful array of color, andAnna smiled as she looked across the open spaces to see the transforming shapesdance about the room.

As the lights from the globesbegan to dim, Anna heard McConnell instructing her, “Now watch.” She taped asecond leg of the kaleidoscope, and the flattened images floating around the roomsurged forth and changed into very detailed animals galloping, running, andswimming through the air. Anna cooed with delight.

“Oh… they’re beautiful,” shesang in amazement, as a purple zebra slowly galloped by her head and thenturned green as it leaped over her shoulder. The animals were moving slowly andgently, changing their colors to match the rainbow of possibilities from withinthe scope.

“Yes,” said Mrs. McConnell,watching the scene around them with deep admiration. “Mary — ahhh, I mean, yer grandmother,loved animals almost as much as you, dear,” she said, in a longing voice.

“Did you know my grandmotherwell?” Anna asked, looking at her.

“Oh yes, dear. Yer grandmotherand I were very, very good friends. We used to play on the grounds around theestate together for days in the summer months.” She leaned forward with a grinand whispered, “I had such a crush on yer Great Uncle Allison.” Anna smiled, asMrs. McConnell straightened again to look back up into the room, the silver inher glasses reflecting the colors around her head.

“Well!” McConnell saidabruptly, reaching over to tap the scope once more. The lights in the roomsuddenly popped on again, as the galloping rainbow around them was sucked backinto the barrel of the scope. “So…What can I do for the youngest Grayson,” shesaid, in a returning business-like voice as she closed the cabinet door.

Anna squinted slightly, “Ireally need to talk to daddy, Meredith. Can you tell me when he’ll be finishedwith his meeting?”

“Ohhh,” McConnell groaned in arather stern tone, “he should have been done long before this, but the goblinsfrom Gringotts are making such a fuss about a few sickles. You’d think theywere bargaining for a member of their own family.” She grimaced. “It’s a goodthing they’re not. I think those creatures would sell their own mother for asack of gold,” she said, in a sickened voice, shaking her head indignantly. “Goon inside, dear… and wait for yer father in the conference room. Make sure theyall see ya too; it’ll give yer father a reason to end this.”

Anna walked to the door of theconference room and slowly turned the knob. She opened the door just enough tosqueeze her body through, hoping not to make a disturbance. Her father, seeingher, smiled and motioned to Anna to sit in a large leather chair against thewall to his right. Those not speaking in the room watched her as she walkedover to take a seat.

The room was moderately lit,and her father was standing at the stone pedestal at the head of the shinyblack oval table. There were many witches and wizards wearing different coloredrobes and seated in the chairs around the conference table. They were alllistening intently. A light blue fire was blazing out of some of the stonebowls sitting on the tabletop in front of empty chairs, and each had adifferent face looking into the room through the flames. There were several goblinssitting in a small group at the end of the table, listening to one of thebluish talking heads.

“Alvight,” said one of thevoices inside the flames with a Russian accent, “ve vill reduce our rates byone half of one percent, and the banks in Londonvill do the same.” There were whispered grumbling sounds coming from the goblin’scircle as they began nodding to each other. They were suddenly quiet as theysat back in their chairs. One of the Goblins looked up at Mister Grayson andthen to the individuals seated in the room. He nodded.

“Right, then,” said Anna’sfather. “Well, my friends, I believe we can conclude. I’ll have Meredith drawtogether the appropriate scrolls for your final review. Thank you all forcoming.”

The lights in the roombrightened slightly as Mister Grayson stepped down from the podium. The Goblinsstood and started heading for the elevator doors across the room, grumbling andseemingly bickering back and forth at one another. The floating heads over eachbowl disappeared from view with a slight pop, and the flames over the bowlsextinguished themselves as their image disappeared. Mister Grayson was standingby one of the large fireplaces, which was roaring high with bright greenflames; he was shaking hands with each of his visitors as they passed him in aline toward the hearth. As each witch or wizard entered the glowing emeraldframes, they called out their final destination.

“The Ministry.”

“Shepard’s Lane.”

“Farmstead Drive.”

Each then disappeared from viewwithin a gusting whoosh of flame. Asthe last group of goblins entered the elevator, Anna heard a rush of windbehind the brass doors and they too were gone.

“Finally,” said Mister Grayson,heaving deeply and unbuttoning his robes. He turned to face Anna still sittingin the chair. He smiled, and walked over to her. “Hello, sweetheart,” he said,kissing her on the forehead. “How was your day?” He sat down in the leatherwinged-backed chair next to her, pulled out his wand, and waved it above thesmall table between them. A small cup of coffee on a saucer slowly whirled intoview next to a small bowl of fruit on a silver tray. He picked up a spoon onthe tray and began stirring his coffee. “Can I whip you up something?”

“No thank you, daddy,” Annasaid, brightly. “I needed to talk to you about something that happened to metoday,” she explained, thinking about her walk up the driveway.

Her father studied her. “Oh — Ithink I know what this is about,” he said, in a calm and unsurprised voice,raising his cup to take a sip.

“You do?”

“Yes. You see… I got a messagefrom a Mrs. Drummond this morning,” he said, pointing his wand toward one ofthe television sets in the wall behind his desk. One of the screens suddenlybrightened, and Anna could see the back of a woman’s head shaking animatedly asshe began to speak.

“Hello? Hello… this is Mrs.Drummond, one of your neighbors from down the hill. I wish to speak to you aboutyour daughter, Anna.” Anna shuddered at the woman’s voice. She tried toremember how Veronica Drummond’s mother sounded when she found her lost in thewoods, just to keep her blood from boiling over again. “I have two witnesses,”the woman continued, “who told me your daughter was seen attacking my daughterVeronica on the trip to school this morning. I have to say I’m shocked thatsuch a thing could even happen on a public school bus, but I’m absolutely lividthat a member of your family could stoop to such violence.”

Anna could feel her faceheating up again. She started to say something to explain what really happened,but her father quickly turned to glare at her. Anna closed her mouth, crossedher arms, and slumped angrily back into her chair. Mister Grayson turned hisattention back to the screen.

The woman’s head was stillturned away as she continued to speak. “I demand that you take immediate actionto place your daughter into the care of a professional who can work with heranger management skills. If these steps are taken immediately, I willreconsider pressing charges for this malicious attack.”

“Charges?” Anna roared,“Attack? But…Daddy, I didn’t…” but this time her father jerked up with a singlehand.

“Wait for it…” he said, stillwatching the monitor. Mrs. Drummond’s head finally turned to face the room, andAnna was stunned by what she saw. The top of the woman’s hair was stuffed fullof pink sponge rollers, which was encased in a very tight net-like bonnet. Herface was covered in a lime green colored goop that made her face look more likea fancy doughnut than a person. Her eyes were bulging out of her head withrage, looking like two very large mushrooms rooted near an open hole that washer roaring mouth.

“I will be visiting your home thismorning to see to it that your daughter is properly disciplined for her actionstoday. Good bye!” Mrs. Drummond finished with a slam and then the picture wentblack. Suddenly, Anna’s father began roaring with laughter, pounding his kneewith his hand and stomping his feet in uncontrolled fits of delight. Annacouldn’t help smiling, seeing her father expressing a level of amusement rarelywitnessed by anybody.

“Can you imagine — waking up next to that?” hesaid, shaking his head and laughing still harder.

“Mister Grayson — please!” camea voice from the other side of the room. Meredith had walked back into theconference room unnoticed. “Don’t tell me you’ve been watching that ghastlyrecording again?” she said, as she began picking up the scrolls on theconference table.

“Uh-oh,” said Mister Grayson,with a sudden straight face. His eyes darted over to Anna with a slight smilecurling in the corners of his lips. “Oh, Meredith, look at the woman…Do youreally think she’s sane enough to judge Anna’s behavior?”

“I don’t know…Did ya bother toask your daughter what actually happened on that bus?” said Mrs. McConnell.Mister Grayson was silent.

“I thought not. And I don’tthink the Muggles would appreciate knowing yer recording their image when theycall in on the telephone,” Mrs. McConnell said, indignantly. “There is a matterof privacy to consider.” Her eyes moved from Mister Grayson to Anna. “Yerfather has been showing that horrible recording to the entire wizarding worldtoday,” she said, lifting her chin and glaring at Mister Grayson again in anaggravated you-should-know-better way.

“It’s just a simple spell,”said Mister Grayson, “I replace it easier to understand what the Muggles aretrying to say if I can see their face,” he finished. Then, leaning over toAnna, he whispered, “It’s amazing what the Muggles will do when speaking to oneanother on the telephone. You can’t imagine the things I’ve seen...”

“Still!” Mrs. McConnellinterrupted, still glaring at him.

“Yes — yes — that will do,Meredith. You’ve made your point,” said Anna’s father.

“Well, I should hope so,” shesaid, straightening with a number of scrolls in her arms. She turned and headedfor the door to the study once again.

Mister Grayson looked over atAnna. He waved his wand over his cup again, which filled instantly. He pickedup his saucer and cup and took another sip. “So — what did happen on that busthis morning?” he said, peering over his cup at her.

Anna thought. What did happen?She surely didn’t do the things the Drummond woman was accusing her of, but shedid have a part. Anna knew that if she hadn’t been there, Veronica wouldn’thave been hurt. Looking up into her father’s eyes, Anna said the only thingthat seemed to make sense.

“I was mad,” she said, curtly.“I just got so… so…” she hesitated, trying to replace the right word to describehow she felt when she saw Damon kicking Widwick, when the Drummond girl wasteasing her, when Mrs. Drummond was accusing her. “I just got… so… mad,” sherepeated, feeling her blood starting to simmer once more. She crossed her armsin a way that told her father this explanation was the best she could offer.

Her father lowered his cup, andhis face seemed to show a surprising look of concern more than anger. He setthe saucer down on the silver tray, and then sat back in his chair staringblankly across the room. He seemed deep in troubled thought; his finger on onehand tapping the arm of his chair, while his other hand pressed his lips. Heslowly turned to face Anna again.

“You know… you remind me somuch of your mother,” he said, in a soft whisper.

Anna was shocked. It was thefirst time she could ever remember her father saying something about her motherwithout her pressing the conversation. Anna stared at her father for whatseemed to be an eternity before she realized, unless she intervened, he mightsay nothing more. She wouldn’t let the opportunity pass.

“How do I remind you of her?”she asked him tentatively, trying not to scare him off the subject.

He looked at her slightlysurprised by the question. “Oh — in so many ways, Anna,” he answered, sinkinghis head into the chair and looking back into the open room again. “You look somuch like her. You may have inherited your grandfather’s eyes, but you haveyour mother’s beauty.” He rolled his head on the chair and looked at her again.“She was so very beautiful,” he said, mournfully.

“Why can’t you talk about her?”she asked him, trying to hold off the burning in her eyes.

Mister Grayson raised his headand frowned. Then his eyes sank to the floor, staring blankly into the darknessnear his feet. He slowly raised his head again to look at her. He could see thelonging in Anna’s eyes, the desperate need for understanding, for indulgence,for any information he might now be willing to offer her. At that moment MisterGrayson realized how unfair he had been to his daughter, and, like a manstanding before the sentencing judge, he spoke with deep and open remorse.

“I’m sorry, Anna,” he said,softly. “I should have told you about your mother. I should have told you moreabout who she was before…” but he stopped again, and his eyes suddenly widened,“before… now,” he finished, in an almost awkward change of tone. Anna got thefeeling her father had almost said something completely unguarded, and had stoppedhimself just in time.

“You loved her, then?” sheasked, looking for anything to keep the discussion going. Her father looked ather in surprise.

“Loved her? I more than lovedyour mother, Anna. I adored Victoria. She wasgracious, and delightful, and yes… she was very, very beautiful. I remember howshe could bedazzle any man near her — totally disarm even the goblins with hercharm.” His eyes looked longingly into the room in front of him again, as ifremembering something a dying man would summon on his last day.

“Why don’t you ever talk abouther? I’ve never heard you speak of her this way before.” Her father looked backat her, and Anna could see he was a man obviously struggling with his emotions.

“It still hurts, Anna. Youcan’t possibly know. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of yourmother. In the ways most important, I’m still married to Victoria,and… I do miss her… so very much. We lost so many things when your mother leftus. I lost a wife and my dearest friend, but my greatest sadness is knowing shewould have made a wonderful mother to you. She was really looking forward…” hisvoice stumbled, “to… being a mother… to being your mother.” He looked away andAnna could see him fighting to regain his control. Anna looked down in her lapand could see where her own tears had fallen into her hands. Her father lookedat Anna again and, recognizing her struggle, he reached out to her. Anna stood,walked over to his chair, and sat in his lap. She buried her face in his chestand began to weep.

“I’m so sorry, Anna; we shouldhave talked about her long before now. Forgive me. I only now realize how youcould miss your mother, even if you didn’t know her,” he said, stroking herhead softly. “Forgive me.”

Anna rose up and looked intoher father’s eyes. “I don’t even know what she looks like,” she said, throughher very wet face. “I’ve never even seen a picture of her.”

Her father smiled. “Well…despite her enormous beauty, your mother was never one for allowing a cameraaround her. I remember one time I even tried to get her to sit for a portrait,but she wouldn’t have any part of it.” He smiled again and cupped Anna’s chinin his hand. “But I think I was able to sneak a few pictures, despite herthreats to turn me into a toad.” Anna grinned. “Give me some time; let me seeif I can replace them for you.” Anna nodded, and then hugged her father again.

They sat there together,holding each other close in the warmth of the cozy chair for a very long time.Anna was feeling sad, but immensely grateful. She had learned more about hermother in the last few minutes than in all the time before now, but what wasmost gratifying was knowing her father loved her mother; more than that, hestill loved her. It was all too much to take in. Anna never knew how much thedeath of Victoria Grayson had hurt her father. She held him close, wanting tohelp him through his lingering pain. After another length of time, Anna felther father tickling her ribs.

“You know, my dear, there’sstill the issue of your ‘anger management’,” he said, in a high mocking voice,trying to mimic the angry Mrs. Drummond. They both laughed. “Despite the goodthings I’ve told you about your mother, there was the matter of her temper, andI’m afraid, my dear, you have inherited that as well,” he said, smiling, buthis face then drifted into a serious calm. “Anna, we all get upset, andsometimes we get angry… but never allow your anger go as far as… as madness.”At this, Anna father seemed to stare through her as he continued to speak. “Youmust maintain your balance,” he said, staring into the distance. “You must…stay your control, because… even the briefest moments of madness can lead… tothe loss of one’s sanity. Never allow your anger to go that far, Anna. For eventouching the edge of madness… is like summoning the abyss,” he explained,almost as if in a trance, “a place from which it may be difficult to everreturn.” There was a very long pause, as his eyes seemed to float away from heragain. Then, sensing he had lost his thread, he snapped back to her and smiled.“I hope you understand what I’m trying to say, sweetheart, because it’s veryimportant. You must maintain your control,” he said, combing his fingersthrough her hair. “Will you do that for me? Can I count on you to try?”

Anna frowned “I think so,” shesaid, desperately trying to understand the meaning her father’s advice.

“That’s my girl. You know, I’mreally happy we got to talk about your mother. I think we should do this moreoften — what do you say?” he said, with a happy grin.

“I’d like that.”

“Good — well — are we done,then?” he asked, as if ending a friendly business meeting.

“Yes, sir,” Anna replied. Shehugged her father again, stood, and headed for the door. “Oh,” she said,turning again, “I almost forgot. Something else happened today. I noticed I wasable to see the gates from the outside of the property. Did you change thespells on the grounds?”

This time her father frowned,“No, I haven’t changed anything…” he stopped, suddenly. “Wait a minute — Eric!”he barked, and his face slowly broke into a smile.

“What about him?”

“I recently asked your brotherto take over for me in that department. After all, Eric’s going to be startinghis last year at Castlewood, isn’t he? I figured it was about time he took alittle more responsibility around the estate.” Mister Grayson shook his head,still smiling, “You know your brother, Anna; always thinking he can improveeverything he touches. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s wiped out all of the oldspells on the grounds and started from scratch. He’s out and about at themoment collecting school supplies; won’t be back until very late tonight. Bestto check with him about this in the morning.”

“Yes, sir,” Anna nodded.

Anna had the sudden urge totell her father about the odd things that had happened to her over the lastseveral days, and especially the strange way she found Mrs. Drummond in thewoods, but she could see her father looked very tired. Besides, she had alreadydecided to talk to Eric about her heightened senses, and now she was expectedto discuss the charms surrounding the estate with him as well. She decided towait for her brother’s return.

As Anna walked back up thestairs, a startling truth suddenly came over her. Despite her father’simportance to his family, to the ministry, to the Muggles, and to everybodyelse with whom he came into contact; despite his openness and his charm, whichgathered so many friends and business acquaintances; despite all of thesethings — Anna unexpectedly realized her father was a very lonely man. But shealso realized the reason for his solitude was because he was still in love withher mother, Victoria, even after all these years without her, and the thoughtof it made Anna smile.

Anna raced up the stairs to herbedroom. Throwing her book bag on the bed, she opened the large doors of herwindow balcony and walked out onto the terrace. The early evening sun painted areddening light on the ocean below. A wonderful breeze was blowing through herhair as she lifted her head and closed her eyes to smell the wonderful oceanbreeze and flowers. The dried tears on her face made her skin feel tight in thewarm gusting wind. She looked down over the railing overhanging the cliff’sedge, and Anna could see the waves crashing down on the beach hundreds of feetbelow her. Several people were lazily walking along the water’s edge on thewettest parts of the sand, leaving darkened stains in the flats behind theirfeet. She loved this part of the day. Overlooking the water, taking in the lasthours of softening sunshine around her, Anna felt wonderful; her senses felt asif they were alive and on fire. The talk with her father was making her smileuncontrollably.

Looking down, she could see anumber of swimmers paddling out on top of their surfboards. Anna’s eyes flashedas she watched them riding up and down over the waves and heading toward thesetting sun. She turned and dashed back into the room.

Within minutes, Anna hadchanged into her favorite swimsuit and was dashing down the stairs again. Sheburst out of the rear entryway, dancing through the courtyard behind the houseand through the very large stone archway guarded by two moss-covered marbleghouls. Anna stopped in front of one of the statues and lightheartedly placedher head upon the forehead of the cold stone. “Hello, Henry…you need a bath,”she laughed, skipping off down the path through the trees.

She stopped at a small stonehut at the edge of the woods, grabbed her surfboard from inside the door, andheaded for the long wooden stairs, which wound their way around and down thecliff wall behind the estate. Where it might have taken somebody else fifteenminutes to negotiate the steps, Anna was on the beach and running toward thewater in less than five. With her surfboard tucked tight under her arm and herfeet splashing into the warm surf, Anna finally leaped forward onto her boardand began paddling out to sea. It felt as though she was leaving her remainingtroubles behind as she propelled herself forward.

Finally, she stopped and restedon top of her board. Breathless from the effort, Anna rolled over onto her backand stared up at the blue-bruising sky above her. She felt wonderful, as if ahuge weight had been lifted off of her chest. She didn’t understand why, butthe very idea that her mother’s memory was still important to her fatherbrought a sense of exhilaration unlike anything she had ever felt before. Shestretched out her arms as if pressing the heavens off of her chest toward theopen sky.

“I am Anna Grayson!” she screamedin delight. “My mother is Victoria Grayson — and my father loved her — he LOVEDher!” She laughed hysterically as she pointed a threatening finger at the sky,“DO YOU HEAR ME??” she screamed at the top of her lungs, still laughing. Shedropped her arms, panting. “He… loved her,” she whispered to herself,exhaustedly.

All at once, a thunderousmountain of water crashed over Anna, flipping and rolling her over, and overbelow the ocean’s surface. She was still laughing underwater as she swam uptoward her floating board above her. As her head broke the surface, sheimmediately pulled herself upon her board and turned its nose toward the sandybeach. She smiled as she looked back with hopeful anticipation, and there, asexpected, was another large wave bearing down upon her. Anna started paddlingwith all her strength as the wave caught up to her, lifted her into the air,and tried to throw her over an eight-foot wall of water now falling below her.

With a final heave to ensureshe would drop into the chasm below, she quickly pushed herself up and onto herfeet. Anna screamed with delight as she plummeted straight down into the risingbowl of water at the bottom of the wave. Just before crashing into its base,she leaned hard into the wave in front of her, which instantly transformed herfalling energy into a launched rocket across the top of the water. She wasriding down a huge wall of water now, somewhere between its rising base and themonstrous foamy top six feet over her head. Anna loved this; it was the closestthing to flying she felt other than in her dreams. She knew she would never beable to fly in the way her family could, but this to her, had to be what it waslike - with the rushing wind, the speed, the pinpoint turns. It was glorious.

Glancing up, she could see theroaring wall of water streaking by her, just inches away from her face. Shereached out and let her hand make contact with the surface of the lifting wave,and a great spray of water, like jets of steam, shot out from behind her fingertips.

Then, from out of the depths ofthe green wall, two large eyes suddenly appeared by her fingers. Anna looked upin shock to see two very large fish traveling inside the wave in front of her.Matching her speed, their torpedo-like bodies came into full view of hersurprised gaze. A second later, several more eyes appeared within the giantmountain of water, as dozens of the large fish now joined the race. Anna wantedto reach through the wall of water separating their two worlds and touch them,but all at once, they were gone, darting deep into the thickening wave as thelight around her began to darken.

Anna looked up and saw the topof the wave rolling over her head to enclose her. Her eyes shot forward, andshe could see the wave’s tunnel in front beginning to close. Smiling, Annacrouched low and pushed the nose of her board down, leaning into the bottom ofthe wave again. Her speed increased dramatically as she headed for the nowcompletely closed exit disappearing in front of her. Anna smashed into theclosed door of water and burst out the other side into the warm sunshine again.She clinched her fist and screamed in fierce triumph as she sped along thewave’s front.

A few minutes later, Anna waslying on her back again, looking up at the sky as the sea lapped at the edgesof her board. Her legs dangled over the sides and swept gently back and forthin the warm water around her. She couldn’t remember ever being so happy. Sheclosed her eyes and found the image her father’s smiling face talking about hermother again. Anna giggled to herself as she relived that blissful moment.

The deep water around her wascalm and quiet, but then she suddenly felt a tickle. It started on the bottomof her feet, and then began to move up her legs like so many tiny fingerstouching and probing her skin. Anna quickly sat upright, looking around at thesmooth water around her. Her feet were being nipped and nibbled time and againbelow the green surface.

“Hey, that tickles,” she said,laughing, and lifting her legs. She placed her feet on top of the board, andwrapped her arms around her knees before looking down again. She could seesmall silvery darts moving like streaks of light just below the surface andunder her board. Anna stretched her hand out over thewater and the surface immediately began to shake and ripple violently. Shesnapped back, surprised by the intense reaction to her movements. Shecautiously reached out again, and as her fingers touched the water, its surfacesuddenly exploded with life. Thousands of tiny silver fish began leaping out ofthe water in an ever-widening circle around her. The ocean’s surface seemed toboil as the little fish raced about on all sides, looking to close in. Anna wasconfused and enthralled at the same time; she had never seen anything like thisbefore. She extended her hand over the water once more, and hundreds of thetiny fish began leaping out of the sea over her outstretched limb. Anna’s eyeswidened in disbelief at the astonishing sight, as more of the little fish beganshooting and jumping in both directions over her hand.

She slowly extended her otherarm on the opposite side, and the fish immediately raced over in response. Theywere now blasting over both of her outstretched arms and, looking up, Anna sawthem slicing through the air over the front of her board like a chromed wheelgrowing ever larger. Anna couldn’t believe what was happening as she slowlybegan to stand, her arms still extended out to her sides. As she straightenedher knees, her arms rose higher off the surface of the water, and the smallfish seemed desperate to stay close, continuing to jump a full five feet out ofthe water in a massive circle around her. The water surrounding Anna lookedlike it was in the middle of a tumultuous hailstorm as the fish flew wildlythrough the air and splashed back down.

Then Anna noticed a darkeningshadow over them and she looked up. There were now hundreds of small birds ofevery shape and size circling in a tight pattern just twenty feet above herhead. The flock seemed to be dropping over her like a huge cupped hand pressingdown. Anna couldn’t believe her eyes. She didn’t understand what was happening,as she stood there motionless on top of her board with the life swirling allaround her. She reached up toward the birds and they reacted instantly,swooping down in mass to encircle her. Never coming close enough to makephysical contact, they flew in an ever-shrinking column of beating wind justout of her reach. Anna was numb with shock as she reached out to themulticolored wall of feathers in front of her, and watched in disbelief as thecolumn expanded as if to give her space. Anna screamed in uncontrollabledelight at the astonishing spectacle of devotion before her. She didn’tunderstand what was happening, but she could sense a powerful emotion reachingin to touch her. “I love you too,” Anna called to them, through the torrent offlapping wings.

Their speed increaseddramatically, and the wind around her swirled into an almost deafening roar.Anna threw her arms wide, hoping to embrace them all. She felt as if theyshared a connection to each other, a bond of love and admiration. She couldcount every heartbeat, every breath they took as she opened her arms stillwider to take them all in. And all at once, as if commanded to go, the birdsburst away like the sudden shock wave after an explosion.

Anna stood there, panting asshe watched the birds moving away in every direction. She was almosthyperventilating with excitement, and tears of joy poured down her face as shelooked around. The fish and the birds were gone now; everything was calm.

But then, before she could putreason to what had just happened, there was a huge blast behind her. Annaducked without looking and closed her eyes in anticipation of something hugecrashing into her. There was another blast, and then what seemed like cold rainfalling down around her. Anna slowly turned to see two enormous whales enteringthe waters around her board, their massive black bodies rolling up and over asthey approached. Anna watched in amazement as they passed on either side ofher. Like moving mountains, they crossed in the front and then began passingher again as the two of them completed their circle. Anna stooped to reach outand let her hand touch one of the creatures as it slowly passed by. She closedher eyes, and could hear his huge heart thumping like a drum in her head as hedove down and out of sight. Anna straightened to stand as a massive tail liftedup out of the ocean, turned toward the depths, and then slowly sank into themurky blackness again. And as quickly as they had appeared, they too were gone.

Anna’s mind was left buzzingwith disbelief. She couldn’t comprehend any reason behind what she was feelingdeep within her soul. There was life everywhere around her, she could feel it,she could sense it; she could almost touch it.

Anna turned toward what wasleft of the sinking sun across the distant ocean. “It’s so magical,” she said,in a soft whisper through her tears, and somehow she knew her life would neverbe the same.