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Literature Text
The sterile odor that so often seems to permeate hospitals engulfed a young witch as she stepped into the reception area of St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. "Would you like me to go with you, Jennifer?" An older witch, who seemed to be accompanying her, looked towards the inquiry desk.
"I can manage, Aunt Libby," came the quiet reply as dark blue eyes surveyed the corridor leading further inside. Turning to look at her aunt, Jen(as she preferred to be called) pushed a lock of golden hair behind her right ear.
Libby nodded, watching the younger girl disappear through the double doors leading to the patient wards. 'She's trying to grow up...I hope Jennifer knows what she's doing.' Loving concern could be seen in her light green eyes as Libby settled into one of the more stable chairs to wait.
***
"Honestly..." Jen's footsteps clicked in time to her mumbled words as she made her way towards the fourth floor. "Aunt Libby treats me as though I were still a child! I'm thirteen years old, for heaven's sake!" Her pace slowed as she drew near the closed ward, anxiety beginning to manifest itself.
Stopping outside the door, the girl closed her eyes, fingers wrapping themselves about the silver locket around her neck. 'Ok...I have, no, I WANT to do this. I haven't seen him since the beginning of the holidays.' Opening her eyes, Jen pushed her silver-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose, the freckles spattered across her face standing out as she paled slightly. Her hand shaking just the slightest bit, she pushed the door open.
"Hello, dear." A motherly Healer smiled at Jen, recognizing her. "We haven't seen you for a while. How are you?" Forcing a small smile back, the young girl shrugged.
"Oh, it's about the same. Is Merlin Clayton where he was when I visited last?"
Nodding, the Healer patted Jen's shoulder. "Yes, he's in 10." Folding her lips nervously, Jen offered her thanks as she turned towards the far end of the ward. Her feet seemed to be made of lead, though she was able to hurry past the room her former Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, occupied.
Moving onward, Jen passed a boy she recognized from her House, Neville Longbottom, who was visiting a couple that she assumed were his parents. A bit further on, she saw a woman with chin-length auburn hair who seemed rather frightened, bright blue eyes huge in her freckled face.
At last, Jen reached Room 10. A tall man, dark brown hair streaked with grey, looked up at her from where he sat, deep green eyes blank. "Hello, Dad." Jen sat across from him, reaching for his hand. "How are you?"
A light seemed to grow in Merlin's eyes, a smile crossing his face. "Sarah! Where have you been? Jenni's been crawling all over the place looking for you!" Lips trembling, Jen clutched her locket again. Her father didn't seem to notice as he went on, "She's growing up so fast! Can you believe our little girl's going to be a year old tomorrow?"
An old pain, familiar and sharp, grew in Jen's heart as Merlin went on, saying that she would surely grow up to be a beauty, and so smart, "just like you, Sarah!" Shaking her head, the girl forced herself to speak.
"I'm not Mum." Her voice was gentle, though thick with unshed tears. "I'm Jen, Dad. Mum's gone..do you remember?"
Confusion crossed her father's face as he looked at her. Slowly, recognition grew in the dark green eyes. "Jen...oh, my little girl." Standing, he wrapped his arms around his daughter, rocking her back and forth. "You're so much like your mother, more like her every time I see you."
Kneeling down, Merlin kissed Jen's forehead. "I love you so much. I just wish I could always be there for you..." His voice trailed off, causing Jen to look up.
'Dad's retreating into himself again...because of what He did!' Anger flared briefly within the girl. Standing, she forced a smile. "I know, Dad...and I love you too."
Touching her father's arm once more before turning towards the exit, Jen hurried away...before her tears escaped.
"I can manage, Aunt Libby," came the quiet reply as dark blue eyes surveyed the corridor leading further inside. Turning to look at her aunt, Jen(as she preferred to be called) pushed a lock of golden hair behind her right ear.
Libby nodded, watching the younger girl disappear through the double doors leading to the patient wards. 'She's trying to grow up...I hope Jennifer knows what she's doing.' Loving concern could be seen in her light green eyes as Libby settled into one of the more stable chairs to wait.
***
"Honestly..." Jen's footsteps clicked in time to her mumbled words as she made her way towards the fourth floor. "Aunt Libby treats me as though I were still a child! I'm thirteen years old, for heaven's sake!" Her pace slowed as she drew near the closed ward, anxiety beginning to manifest itself.
Stopping outside the door, the girl closed her eyes, fingers wrapping themselves about the silver locket around her neck. 'Ok...I have, no, I WANT to do this. I haven't seen him since the beginning of the holidays.' Opening her eyes, Jen pushed her silver-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose, the freckles spattered across her face standing out as she paled slightly. Her hand shaking just the slightest bit, she pushed the door open.
"Hello, dear." A motherly Healer smiled at Jen, recognizing her. "We haven't seen you for a while. How are you?" Forcing a small smile back, the young girl shrugged.
"Oh, it's about the same. Is Merlin Clayton where he was when I visited last?"
Nodding, the Healer patted Jen's shoulder. "Yes, he's in 10." Folding her lips nervously, Jen offered her thanks as she turned towards the far end of the ward. Her feet seemed to be made of lead, though she was able to hurry past the room her former Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, occupied.
Moving onward, Jen passed a boy she recognized from her House, Neville Longbottom, who was visiting a couple that she assumed were his parents. A bit further on, she saw a woman with chin-length auburn hair who seemed rather frightened, bright blue eyes huge in her freckled face.
At last, Jen reached Room 10. A tall man, dark brown hair streaked with grey, looked up at her from where he sat, deep green eyes blank. "Hello, Dad." Jen sat across from him, reaching for his hand. "How are you?"
A light seemed to grow in Merlin's eyes, a smile crossing his face. "Sarah! Where have you been? Jenni's been crawling all over the place looking for you!" Lips trembling, Jen clutched her locket again. Her father didn't seem to notice as he went on, "She's growing up so fast! Can you believe our little girl's going to be a year old tomorrow?"
An old pain, familiar and sharp, grew in Jen's heart as Merlin went on, saying that she would surely grow up to be a beauty, and so smart, "just like you, Sarah!" Shaking her head, the girl forced herself to speak.
"I'm not Mum." Her voice was gentle, though thick with unshed tears. "I'm Jen, Dad. Mum's gone..do you remember?"
Confusion crossed her father's face as he looked at her. Slowly, recognition grew in the dark green eyes. "Jen...oh, my little girl." Standing, he wrapped his arms around his daughter, rocking her back and forth. "You're so much like your mother, more like her every time I see you."
Kneeling down, Merlin kissed Jen's forehead. "I love you so much. I just wish I could always be there for you..." His voice trailed off, causing Jen to look up.
'Dad's retreating into himself again...because of what He did!' Anger flared briefly within the girl. Standing, she forced a smile. "I know, Dad...and I love you too."
Touching her father's arm once more before turning towards the exit, Jen hurried away...before her tears escaped.
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A short fan-fic that may be explained in other stories, this actually could take place in real life(with the exception of a few small details). One point I want to make is that Jen's "aunt" is really her first cousin once removed on her father's side, and she and her husband took Jen in as an 18-month-old.
Oh, one other thing: I get the names for my original characters mostly from my family history(there are six exceptions). I really do have a great-great uncle who's name was Merlin(ok, it was his middle name, but according to my grandfather, that's what he went by). When I saw the name on the family tree, I HAD to use it!
Jen, Libby, Merlin, and Sarah (c) me
Odile Renard (c)
Everyone and everything else (c) JKR
Oh, one other thing: I get the names for my original characters mostly from my family history(there are six exceptions). I really do have a great-great uncle who's name was Merlin(ok, it was his middle name, but according to my grandfather, that's what he went by). When I saw the name on the family tree, I HAD to use it!
Jen, Libby, Merlin, and Sarah (c) me
Odile Renard (c)
Everyone and everything else (c) JKR
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Comments5
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Thanks so much! I wasn't aiming for tragedy, but...I guess it could be seen as that. 