The Road Not Taken

Chapter 2

The Road Divides  

Josie stared after the daughter that just acted beyond her years, and just went against her father using his own book against him. She had to sit down. Then the chord snapped that had kept her husband so calm. He slammed his bible down on the chair, and stormed up the stairs.

All Josie could do was put her head in her hands and hope she wouldn't start laughing. When she heard the screaming coming from upstairs, the smile quickly faded.

"YOU GET BACK DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT! YOU DON'T MAKE A STATEMENT LIKE THAT AND JUST LEAVE!"

Josie heard the door open, and the calm, eerie voice of her extremely angry daughter. "And you don't go making my life choices for me!" she snapped while breathing heavily, "I have lived my entire life living by you telling me what was right and wrong, leading my path for me, hiding me from things I don't know about because you think they are dangerous! WHY CAN'T I FIND OUT FOR ONCE WHAT IS RIGHT AND WRONG!?!"

Josie cursed, she'd better do something and better do it fast before fire bolts started flying from her daughter. She quietly walked up the stairs. She could hear her husband's voice trying to calm his daughter down, but what he was saying wasn't helping.

"Albert, you're only upsetting her! Doing that isn't going to help matters at all. You know how stubborn she is, and saying things like that will only make her rebel further."

"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king." Samuel 15:23.

When Albert said this, Josie just snapped, "WILL YOU QUIT IT WITH THE DAMNED BIBLE!?!" Josie took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down before continuing, "Could you once in your life look at your daughter like a human being and see her with her faults, instead of looking at her like a piece of clay to be molded?" she paused, "Stop treating her like she's got to be rid of all evil, and start treating her like a little girl. Our little girl. She's only eleven. Let her be human and make her own mistakes. Let her live her own life!" Josie felt tears stinging her eyes "Don't treat her like she's evil to block out the inevitable. You and I both knew when she was born. Treat her with the same respect."

Sarah, by this point, was utterly confused. It wasn't until she cleared her throat and asked what was they were talking about that both mother and father realized she was still there.

Her mother smiled and her father just stared. "Are you just going to look at me, or actually tell me what's going on?"

Albert cleared his throat, "Sarah, I wanted to apologize for my rash behavior. I didn't mean to yell at you, and you know that I hate yelling. Please forgive me."

Sarah smiled weakly and hugged her father. Then came an impatient sound from Josie. Albert let go of Sarah and embraced his wife. "I'm sorry dearest, I'd never disrespect you. You mean too much to me." As Albert started kissing his wife, Sarah backed away slowly into her room and shut the door quickly, muttering a sound of disgust under her breath.

When she got back to her room she let out a long breath she realized she had been holding. She was extremely excited about being able to go to Hogwarts, but she knew it wasn't long until her father said he was praying for her to come back to "his path". She sighed. Why couldn't he realize that she could be both? She could be a witch and have GOD and Christ in her. She could manifest Holy Spirit while reciting charms. She could create potions and feel the wonder of GOD'S graces and blessings in her. Why did it always have to be one or the other? Buddha always talked about the middle path...didn't that apply here? Wasn't the middle path always the best? She collapsed onto her bed. No, unfortunately, life was never that easy. One had to earn it and fight for it. Why did there have to be all this bunch of frippery and nonsense over nothing? No wonder everyone wished for world peace. She closed her eyes to rest her mind on this tiring subject. Better get some rest before dinner, she thought. Make things easier on others and myself. She slowly dozed off, waiting for the calls of dinner. 

* * * * * * * * * * * 

"SARAH! DINNER'S READY!" came the grudgingly loud voice of her mother. 

"mmfshmm, alright...uhn...I'm coming..." After a few grunts and groans and the sleep rubbed out of her eyes, Sarah safely made her way to dinner. As she came down, she realized that the sleep only darkened her mood. 'Great...now there'll be fireworks exploding before dessert instead of after. Oh boy oh boy oh boy, I'm terribly excited. Maybe we can have burnt meat loaf for dinner, and darkly toasted rolls on the side, with carbon coated mashed potatoes. Wonderful! This should be the best dinner ever. Too bad we can't have sarcasm to coat it all.' She smiled wryly.

Her mother noticed her...sadistic...mood, but decided not to ask being that it might push her over the edge she was teetering on. Josie smiled warmly at her daughter. "Darling, it's alright. He'll eventually get over it. Now, go eat dinner and we'll have a little talk afterwards, alright?" Sarah nodded.

Slowly her anger dissolved into sadness, and tears were stinging at her eyes. She willed herself to push them down. 'No, don't cry. Calm down. It'll be all right. Mum always knows the right time for chicken noodle soup. She knows what's best.' But her tears weren't listening. The tight shell she had built around herself was dissolving, and the tears were coming fast. She felt herself being ushered out the kitchen into the living room and being cuddled on the sofa by her mother.

"Shh...baby, don't cry." The soothing and soft rubbing of her back made all the hurt even worse. Her heart was in her hands. Torn. Ripped to shreds. By all the years of having to hold herself back. By having to force the Sarah that wasn't Sarah, just to please her parents. Having to make sure everyone was happy. Her reward? Not being respected, or having her wishes fulfilled. Her sobbing quieted down, and it was then she noticed the grave face of her father in the doorway of the kitchen. Which brought to light another part of her life she didn't want to face. Her father.

The man who was her biggest fear and biggest joy. The father that was bundles of fun, yet bundles of sermons. Pretty much, a humongous contradiction. Life would be a lot easier if the bad guys were bad and the good guys good. But no, everyone had to have a dark side and a light side. So no one was totally bad. Especially her father. He was a wonderful father. The kind that would throw her up in the air, and make her laugh about bodily functions. They went out fishing and swimming. He even taught her how to play chess. It was just those once-every-now-and-then-play-on-her-emotions-with-guilt that made her fear him.

She heard her mother say something, and then, "Honey, lets go for a walk." Once they were outside, Josie said, "Well, something is really getting to you. Care to enlighten me?"  

"No."

Josie chuckled. "I'm not the bad guy, you know. I'm here to help you. I don't want you to feel like you can't go to this school, just because your father is acting like a self centered prat."

The face that Sarah made was so classic Josie burst out laughing. "Mum, I thought you were on dad's side." 

"Oh, heavens no! Just because I'm his wife doesn't mean I agree with everything he says. Or, more importantly, doesn't mean I do everything he tells me to do." 

"But he's so rigid with his 'I'm the head of this family, so you do what I tell you to do' and all." 

"Yes, well, if the man is the head, then the wife is the neck, and she can make the head turn in any direction she wants it to go." 

Sarah burst out laughing. "I had no idea you thought like that! I always thought you walked behind his footsteps." 

"Nope, I think it works a lot better if we walk side-by-side. That way, we are equal. Yes, he may make the final decisions, but that doesn't mean I don't have any say in the matter. And he knows very well that once I put my foot down he is going to go through hell and back if he contradicts me. So, you see, we have extreme respect for each other's thoughts and wishes." 

"I only wish he would have that same respect for me." 

"Nonsense! He already does. The courage you showed him when facing him was that beyond an eleven year old." 

"You really think so?" 

"Absolutely." 

"So then how do we get me to this school with everyone happy?" 

"Well, first we use a bit of his own medicine. A little guilt here, a dab of despair there, and if worst comes to worst full blown fire bolts may do the trick." 

Sarah grinned crookedly at her mother. "So you're saying we're turning his head?" 

Josie looked mischievously at her daughter, "Yes, but remember, what gets said on this sidewalk stays on this sidewalk." 

Sarah giggled, "Alright." 

* * * * * * * * * * *  

Dinner was quite uneventful, except for the fact that mysterious flutes were playing the whole time, but otherwise, everyone was happy. Albert never knew what magic Josie worked on his daughter, but whatever it was, he was glad it worked.

Once dinner was over they washed the dishes, and entered the family room for some rest and relaxation. Usually this was spent listening to some music, reading, playing cards or chess, wrestling, etc. Tonight though, was the family council of Mother and Sarah vs. Father in the "To-Turn-the-Father's-Head-Without-Being-Noticed" trial.

And, it started. "Albert, I think it's time we send the owl to Hogwarts saying Sarah will be going to Hogwarts." 

"Hmmph." 

"Okay! Sarah, go get a pen and some paper." 

"Wait a second. I never said she could go." 

"Oh yes you did. And besides, this just proves the point of how your daughter has to be what you want her to be and not what she wants to be." Josie winked at her daughter. "So, do you want her to be miserable because she fulfills your goals and not her own? Or happy because she is who she wants to be and not who you think she should be."

Sarah tried not to stare agape at her mother. Albert sighed. "Your right. Sarah, you may go to this school. Go get the paper and pen and we'll write your letter of consent."

Once they finished writing it Albert said, "It is written, so how do we send it?" As if on cue, a tapping sound was heard on the door. Sarah went to open it and a large tawny owl swooped in. It hooted softly as they tied the letter to its foot. Then, as it left, another one swooped in; this one a simple barn owl. Sarah untied the letter on its foot, patted it affectionately, and with a final hoot it was gone. And with much vigor, she opened the letter, squealing with delight.

The letter read: 

Dear Miss MacAllister,

We received your owl, and are happy to be having you at our school. Enclosed is the list of supplies you'll need. Also enclosed are the instructions to Diagon Alley, where you will be getting your school supplies. Your ticket for the Hogwarts Express is enclosed as well with the instructions for getting onto the platform.

We will be expecting your arrival to Hogwarts on September first. 

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress