CHAPTER 16
TRAVELING
Aeryn sat down like usual with Harry and the others at the Gryffindor table at lunch that day with smile planted on her face from ear to ear.
"Why are you so happy? In case you haven't noticed with all the rain, that it is an exceptionally gloomy day." Harry asked shoving a few chips in his mouth.
"Yes do tell you were very chipper in Arithmancy." Hermione added.
"Well you may remember a certain letter this morning and because of it I am going back to New York, just for the weekend. McGonagall just told me that I am allowed to bring 5 friends at most with me. You know dance next week, us girls need dresses. Lupin has agreed to chaperone. What do you think? Do you want to come?" Aeryn waited for a response.
"Us? Go to New York?" Hermione started unsure.
"Did I mention shopping?" Aeryn implied.
"What was I thinking, when do we leave." Hermione quickly said.
"Hey Mate, next time you want Hermione to go anywhere, don't promise her books, promise her shopping." Ron said to Harry. Hermione slapped Ron in the arm. "Ow!"
"Well then it's settled we are coming with you. We just have to ask Ginny and Luna to come." Harry said with anticipation. Aeryn sat down and the smile slowly went away.
"It's actually an either or situation. I kinda need Draco to come with me for this business I need to take care of. So with Draco, you, Hermione and Ron, I can only take one more person."
"It's Ok Luna has already gotten her dress and she's not really into shopping so we will take Ginny." Ron said coming to the rescue.
"I'm really sorry Ron, but you know how McGonagall is with her rules. I'm really lucky she is letting me go at all, I don't want to push it."
"So when do we leave?" asked Hermione.
"Late tonight. McGonagall set a portkey up for midnight. That's 7 o'clock New York time. So be sure to get your homework done and pack!"
*
Aeryn and Draco were talking with Professor McGonagall when the other four traveling companions walked in. As soon as Aeryn noticed the others she stopped talking.
"So everyone all packed?" Aeryn said breaking the silence.
"All set, just waiting for Professor Lupin." Hermione replied. Just as she a said that Lupin walked through the door carrying an old tattered overnight bag.
"I tell you I haven't been to New Your since," he paused thinking, "well since I taught at your school Aeryn. I always liked New York. Is everyone ready?" he asked. Everyone nodded in compliance.
"Now the closest I could get on such short notice was on the outskirts of the village." McGonagall explained, "So you'll have to walk."
"Where exactly will we be going?" Ginny asked.
"Wyndam Valley. My family and their big heads," Aeryn rolled her eyes, "the village was named over a century ago. There are only a few muggle families that live there. We will be staying at my house."
"I wouldn't exactly call it a house." Draco added.
"All right, Mr. Technical. You're just jealous because my house is slightly bigger then yours." She said with a grin.
"If you don't mind, I would like to get some sleep tonight." McGonagall implied. She held out a snow globe and when all seven of them touched it they disappeared.
*
They walked into the dark cold mansion. The sun had set and the only light that could be seen was from seven lit up wands. As they walked to the center of the room a huge ancient looking chandelier lit up. The walls were made of stone and the high ceilings were painted with dragons. Harry recognized the grand staircase with its red carpeting from Aeryn's memories, but actually seeing it was amazing. Two hallways flanked the stairs, each looking dark and gloomy as if death were waiting in the darkness.
"Welcome to Wyndam Manor. We call it that even though it's a mansion. It just sounds better," Aeryn said with a shrug, "I guess I'll show you where you will be sleeping, Merlin this is worse than jet lag."
Without words Draco took Aeryn's bag from her and went up the stairs, while Aeryn and the others walked towards the left hallway. The hallway lit up as they walked through, they took a series of turns left and right until they finally reached a spiral staircase. No one was up for much talking considering how late they felt it was. Ron and Ginny yawned a lot along the way. They went up the stairs, when they reached the top there was a narrow hallway with a low ceiling about seven feet high. At the end of the hallway there was a dead end. There were five doors on the right wall and five doors on the left.
"This is one of the Guest Room Halls." Aeryn opened the first door to the left, inside was a simple room with white walls. "All the guest rooms are enchanted they change to whatever will make whoever is staying there comfortable, Harry." She motioned that this was Harry's room and as he entered the wall changed to a deep scarlet color. The large white comforter changed pattern to form pictures of lions and golden snitches. To the right was a fireplace flanked by two bookshelves filled with books that would spark Harry's interest. Aeryn continued walking down the hall and pointed to the second door. "Hermione you can have this room. Ron you can have the third room, Ginny in the forth." Then Aeryn walked to the third door on the right. "Professor, you can have this one."
Lupin having to be the responsible chaperon of this trip had to ask all the questions. "And where will Mister Malfoy be staying might I ask."
"Draco has often stayed here and has his own guest room; I can show it to you if you like."
"No it's alright I trust you. And you will be staying in your own bedroom?" he asked.
"No I thought I would sleep in the ballroom." She said with a straight face. Then she smiled, "Of course I will be in my own room."
As the five of them walked into their rooms and shut the doors Aeryn quickly called out to Hermione, "Hermione can I talk to you for a sec?" Hermione nodded as they entered her room and shut the door hearing the door shut as well. Hermione's room was a light purple. It had the same fireplace and bookshelves but to the left of the room.
"What do you want to talk about?" Hermione asked. Aeryn didn't say anything she just walked over to the bookshelf to the right of the fireplace and started to pull out a book on the top shelf. Suddenly there was a creaking noise then the bookshelf swung open to reveal a startled Harry on the other side.
"Oh, nothing I just wanted to show you a book on the book shelf," she said innocently. "Oh my, would you look at that, a secret passageway that leads right into Harry's room. I'll see you two tomorrow." She said as she headed out the door.
Aeryn ventured back down the stairs and though the maze of hallways back to where the grand staircase was. Her mind wondered of to the many memories created in the mansion. She climbed the lengthy stairs and went down the hall to where the door to her bedroom was. She opened the door to find Draco already asleep in the King size bed. Aeryn smiled as she looked on. She walked into her dressing room, and even though she had come here with Dumbledore himself back in September to retrieve some clothes as well as a few personal items, the room was still full. The back wall has a huge rack that was filled with shoes and boots. She had a variety of different style clothes that hung on rails. And even though the room was too big to be called a closet the space was filled up that often a Boggart called this a home. She quickly changed into her night clothes and climbed into bed and nestled close to Draco. He felt her presence and moved to wrap his arm around her, where they slept the night away.