The Tabby, the Phoenix and the kitten

Chapter twenty-three

With promises to owl, Arianna left her friends and waited at the station for her mother to come and get her. The butterflies in her stomach increasing to feel more and more like big angry birds rather than butterflies. After a few minutes there was a pop, making Arianna jump, and Minerva was there. She smiled and walked over to her daughter.

"How was your train ride?" She asked.

"Good." She answered suddenly becoming very shy. This was most unlike the Arianna that Minerva had come to know in the past few weeks.

"Are you alright?" Minerva asked, hoping Arianna would tell her if there was something wrong.

"Yes." She whispered, Minerva could have sworn she heard a ma'am after the yes. Choosing not to mention it she held her hand out.

"Take my hand, and hold on tight, I'm going to apparate us to the manor." She explained and Arianna took her hand. Apparating to the front of the manor, she waited a moment for Arianna to gain her footing before walking up to the door.

As Arianna looked around at the perfectly kept garden, and the large heavy wooden door to the manor, she became even more self conscious about how she should act. She held her hands in front of her, and took careful steps following Minerva.

This hadn't gone unnoticed by Minerva, but she chose to wait and see if Arianna would speak with her, instead of forcing it out of her. Albus was standing in the entry way and he too noticed Arianna's timid behavior. He smiled at her and took her trunk.

As Arianna walked through a doorway and into the sitting room, she tripped and fell, knocking a rather large vase over and it came crashing to the floor. Albus and Minerva rushed to her, trying to make sure she wasn't hurt, but before they could ask if she was alright she burst into tears.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! It was an accident honest! I'll fix it! I promise! Please don't hit me! I promise I can fix it, I can!" She begged all the time not looking at Albus or Minerva. Suddenly they understood her behavior. She was worried that they would hurt her like the Winters had.

Minerva sat back on her knees, and put a hand over her mouth, looking sadly at her daughter, she went to comfort her but Albus beat her to it.

"Arianna," he said to the shaking girl on the floor.

"Look at me Arianna." He continued and she cautiously looked up at him, fear in her eyes.

"Arianna, my dear, what the Winters did to you was truly horrible. It was greatly unnecessary, and wrong. You can trust me, when I tell you that they will not ever hurt you again, and that Minerva and I would never lay a hand on you." He said and Minerva smiled, she knew he hadn't had much time to spend with Arianna during the school year, the Minister always requesting his help and such. So she was glad, when Arianna nodded, trusting him.

"It was an accident," He said waving his hand over the broken pieces. Arianna watched as they shook and then suddenly sprung to life and put themselves back together on the shelf that the vase was originally sitting on.

"All that matters to us, is that you were unharmed."

"I'm sorry," She said feeling stupid. "I know that you would never hurt me. I don't know why I thought you would. I had just been thinking about the Winters and how I lived when I was with them.." She trailed off.

"You have nothing to apologize for sweetheart. It isn't your fault, none of it is, I want you to always remember that." Minerva said stroking her hair.

"Now, how about we bring your trunk up and show you your new room." She continued and Arianna nodded with a smile. As they made their way up the stairs, Minerva turned to look at Albus, who smiled at her and gave her a wink with his twinkling blue eyes.