Chapter Two

Family Ties

Shanie lay awake that night, lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. She counted the glow-in-the-dark stars over and over, remembering the constellations she had made and all their mythical stories.

Downstairs she could hear the argument still raging between her mother and Josh, her mother's boyfriend.

Shanie rolled over in bed and propped her head against her arm and watched her window. Her grandmother insisted she kept it open after all, only Shanie wished she knew why.

Below she heard a door slam and what sounded like a vase being thrown at the wall. She heard words she cared very much not to ever hear again. Shanie stifled a sob and buried her head into her pillow. She heard a car door slam, and the unmistakable screech of tires on the driveway.

Her mother continued to wail for nearly half an hour later. When Shanie at last thought her mother had calmed down, she heard footsteps on the stairs. Her mother flung open her bedroom door and flipped on the light, nearly blinding Shanie.

"You," Was all her mother could muster before she came down upon Shanie like a vulture on a carcass. Her mother's breath smelled strongly of rum.

Before Shanie could react, her mother had back-handed her clear off the bed. Shanie tumbled over. She tried to scramble under the bed, but her mother had grabbed a hold of her feet and dragged her out easily. Kathleen was putting her whole weight into her fists.

Screams escaped Shanie as she grabbed uselessly at her mother's arms.

"Stop!" She wailed as her mother proceeded to grip her throat.

"You should never have been born," her mother hissed, bringing both hands around Shanie's neck.

"STOP!" Shrieked Shanie, her own voice like a gunshot. Her mother flew back against the wall and slumped down, unconscious.

Shanie gasped violently as she carefully sat up.

Her mother's mouth dripped tiny drops of blood.

Shanie sniffled, then began to cry openly, bawling into her hands. There was a flap of wings at the windowsill. Shanie peeked over her bed to see not an owl, but a golden eagle sitting on her window ledge.

Shanie approached the eagle cautiously, unsure of whether to pick it up or not.

The eagle, however, hopped from the ledge and landed in the very center of the room.

It flapped it's wings once, and then changed quite dramatically into the visage of a woman.

Shanie nearly keeled over.

"Grandma?!"

"Shh," Amelie motioned," Not now. All the questions, concerns, everything, can be explained later. I have to get you out of here. Oh God, I was afraid this would happen. Are you all right? Where did she hurt you?"

Amelie kneeled beside Shanie, examining her face closely.

"It was foolish for me to have told you with your mother present. I'm so sorry Shanie. I had hoped she would have been...less violent."

"It's ok, grandma, really. It's...well, it's not the first time."

Amelie looked startled.

"What do you mean 'not the first time'? How long has this been happening?"

Shanie sighed and lowered herself to the bed.

"Since Josh. I've seen them sometimes, when they thought I was asleep. He would hit her. She would always deny it though, but ever since he started coming around, mom's been a lot...different."

Amelie, close to tears herself, wrapped Shanie in a warm embrace.

"Well, don't you worry Shanie. I've come to take you to live with me. Damn the Ministry. If they knew...oh and they will know."

Shanie looked at her grandmother through the gap in her arms.

Amelie gazed warmly at Shanie.

"I'm not supposed to take you without the permission of the Muggle government. But...."

Amelie sniffled loudly.

"I have no choice. You're coming with me. It would take far too long in the Muggle judicial system. And the HRS would get involved....no. I know. Oh this is going to look terrible. But I have to do it, I just have to."

"Do what grandma?" asked Shanie.

Amelie separated herself from Shanie and looked into her mismatched eyes.

"Shanie, I'm going to put a very powerful Memory Charm on your mother, your sister, and Josh. I'm going to make it so they don't remember you."

Shanie looked absolutely stunned.

"Why?" breathed Shanie.

"It'll be best for everyone. For you because you'll never have to come back here again. For her, well, it'll put her mind at ease nonetheless. If you don't understand now, someday you will. That is, unless you'd rather live here?"

Shanie hesitated slightly.

"So, I'll never get to see her again? Or Elizabeth?"

Amelie sighed.

"Memory Charms can be broken, but the ones I need to use on your family are extremely powerful. I don't think they'll ever recognize you again."

"But what about my friends? Other people who know me?" asked Shanie, standing up.

Amelie's mouth gaped.

"Yes, that's right. That's absolutely right. I'll have to modify their memories then. Alright, here it is then. You're mother, sister and all the rest-they'll think your missing."

"Missing?" repeated Shanie, eying her grandmother warily.

There was a noise from the corner of the room. Shanie's mother was beginning to come around.

"I'll charm Kathleen, Lizzy and Josh, and they can tell anyone who asks about you that you're missing. The police might get involved, but while your at school there's no chance of them ever finding you. And, that way, if you ever do want to come back, you can. How does that sound?"

Shanie shrugged. "Well..."

"Good, I'm glad. Now, let's get going. If your mother wakes up I'll stun her, but get packing and do it quickly. Josh might decide to come back. And where's your sister?"

Shanie dragged her duffle bag out from the closet.

"She's out with some college guy. She found out we weren't going bowling and she just left."

"Very well, very well. Hurry up now. Only bring what you absolutely need. Toothbrushes and socks and the like. We'll buy the rest for you. Don't bother with hairdryers or pencils or anything else. We don't use them in the wizarding world."

"Then what do you-?" began Shanie, but her grandmother cut her off.

"Not now! Pack!"