Freedom and Bondage ((Open))

[Gail Lawrence]

Flashback to early June...

Gail sighed as the Hogwarts Express pulled into Kings Cross. It would be the last time she would ride the beloved train, and she was rather loathe to leave it. Uncle Eli’s car had broken down yesterday, so she would have to make her own way to Swansea.

Her coming home, instead of heading out on her own, was still a sore spot with her aunt. Even with her academic performance, Gail had no job prospects coming out of Hogwarts. Aunt Dev had expected her to be gainfully employed, as a young person ought to be, immediately or soon out of school. Without a job, she could not pay rent on a flat and would have to remain with her aunt and uncle in Swansea.

As the train finally stopped, she sighed, pulling her trunk from the shelf above. She certainly had the scores to get a good job, if she had tried. The problem was, Gail had no idea what she wanted to do. She knew she wanted to help people, but about the only way to do that was through the Ministry. And they had shown their great worth last summer. So, she was trapped.

Something would come up. It had to. It just might take a while. She purposely ignored the question of how long it would take.

Bringing her trunk to the ground, Baldwin’s cage on top of it, she helped a few younger students unload their things as well. She recognized a few faces along the way--some from Ravenclaw, some from the invasion, and the rest from places she could not recall. As she pulled her own trunk onto a trolley, she heard a painfully familiar voice behind her.

“Abigail, dear! How delightful to see you!”

[Gail Lawrence]

Gail spun to see the esteemed Madam Anne Lawrence, her grandmother, headed toward her, arms outstretched for a hug. She looked narrowly at the approaching lady. Something was definitely going on here. Her dad’s mother had never been the ‘clingy’ type. Besides, Gail was positive that she had contributed to her father’s death, if not being the perpetrator herself. She had no proof of any of this, but the evidence undeniably pointed her direction.

Madam Lawrence came close to Gail and almost embraced her. She backed up abruptly, allowing the lady to stumble a bit. She had to suppress a laugh at her atypical lack of poise. It was quickly corrected, however, and the young woman gazed sternly at her elder.

“Can I help you, Madam?”

“Why, Abigail! I would think you would be delighted to see family again after so long at school.” Her voice sounded sincere, but considering her normally-emotionless state, it came off as very forced.

“Why, Madam. It seems to me that my family is not here today. I’m sorry, but you seem to have approached the wrong person. Perhaps I can help you find who you’re looking for.”

“But Abigail, we searched so long for you. And at last, here you are.” The smile that crossed her face seemed unnecessarily broad. “Come home with us.” Gail's eyes caught Gabriel standing near the platform's exit.

“I’m sure your home is lovely, but it is not mine. If I cannot help you, then good day, Madam.” Gail turned to finish putting her things on the trolley.

“Oh, Abigail!” Madam Lawrence wailed. “So long we’ve searched for you, my Amos’ only child, and you turn away from us so cruelly? Why?”

“Don’t think you can fool me, grandmother," Gail hissed. "I know how much I mean to you, and I’m less than the termites in your walls. So you’ll forgive me if I don’t swoon at the reunion.”

Madam Lawrence leaned in close. “Don’t you turn away from me, young lady,” she said quietly. “You are coming home with family, where you belong.”

“That’s where I’m going.” Gail said fiercely. “And it’s far away from you.” Then she put Baldwin’s cage on her trolley and covered it.

As she walked away at last, a hand came out and latched onto her arm like a steel ring. “You will come with me, whether you like it or not, young lady. Now come.”

Gail twisted violently in Madam Lawrence’s grasp, trying to escape the situation before they left their tense corner of Platform 9 ¾.

((Open to whoever comes along.))