The Professor's Niece (A Peter Pevensie Love Story)

Chapter 1

The bombs came from the Germans in the last months of 1939. It was right after England decided to join the war. When the war had just started, Dad was convinced it would come to an end quickly. No one thought it would have gone on this long. And if it weren't for the control Hitler had over the Germans and the Nazis, then I'm sure it would've ended sooner. But he was determined. So September 3, 1939, the King and Parliament sent our brave soldiers into war. My dad was one of the first to go to war. Since mum had died giving birth to me, I was sent to live with my uncle. Uncle Digory lived in the countryside, where the Germans were not attacking. When the Germans started to bomb us, the Ministry of Health gave the order to evacuate all of the children to the countryside. Anyone who had room was urged to take in as many children as possible into their homes. Uncle Digory took in 4 siblings. And that's where this story starts.

When I was a little girl, we would spend every Christmas with Uncle Digory. And every night, he would tell me a story about two friends, one boy and one girl. The boy's wicked uncle made sets of rings that allowed their wearers to travel to other worlds (of completely different universes) by first passing through the . The uncle tricked the girl into trying on the ring, then when she disappeared, he blackmailed the boy into going after her. After passing through the and finding his friend, they decided to jump into a pool at random, after first marking the pool that would lead them home. The boy unwittingly broke an enchantment, by ringing a small , which accidentally released 's former Empress, and its destroyer, Jadis. After they released her, they tried to escape, but she followed the children back into the Wood. Though she was weak there, the Empress managed to arrive with the two back in London.

Jadis caused much commotion in London before the kids and the uncle were transported to the newly born world of Narnia with Jadis. Because the boy was the one to have brought the evil (Jadis) into Narnia, its leader (Aslan) sent him on a journey to help protect the land from her. He was sent to find an apple from a sacred , which would protect Narnia centuries to come. Upon his arrival at the , he found that Jadis had followed him there, and had already eaten one of the trees' fruits, thus making herself immortal. She tried to persuade him to not plant the tree that would lead to her banishment; first by encouraging him to eat the fruit himself, telling him that it would grant him eternal life as well as endless youth, and they could control Narnia together. Second, to give the fruit to his dying mother instead, assuring him that it would cure her of her illness.

Fortunately, the boy was able to resist both temptations. After his refusal, Jadis immediately set out toward the north, far from Narnia. After he returned with the apple, the boy planted it, and it grew into a magical tree called . For his courage and his successful resistance towards of Jadis' temptations, Aslan gave him a piece of the fruit from the first tree to take back with him to Earth for his bedridden mother. Just like how Aslan had promised, the fruit healed his mother her of her illness, and she lived to a ripe old age. The boy then took the eaten fruit and planted it in his yard. The tree grew just as well as the other trees in Narnia, and seemed to have a link to the other trees in Narnia It was eventually blown down and its wood was used to build a wonderful .

I always found it odd that Uncle Digory told me this story in front of the wardrobe in his home and the fact that he spent so much time staring at it, but never going in. In fact, no one ever went in there until the 4 siblings came to live with us. They changed everything around here.

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"Ms Macready!" I shouted, calling out to her. I wanted to know if the siblings were here yet. I was bored out of my mind. Usually, I would be caught reading or playing out in the yard or playing chess with Uncle Digory but I couldn't contain my excitement as I waited for the others. It would be nice to have people here my age. As I walked down the stairs, I met Ms Macready's eyes. "When are the others... oh." I saw the 4 siblings standing behind her, making a small blush rise to my cheeks. "Nevermind." I mumbed, walking down the last pair of steps, reaching the group. "Hello. I'm Anastasia Kirke." I reached my hand out, shaking the hands of 2 of the 4 siblings. The younger boy refused to look at me, keeping his arms crossed the whole time. I didn't blame him. I knew how hard this must've been for him. The older boy and older girl shook my hand.

"I'm Peter Pevensie. These are my sisters, Susan and Lucy and that is Edmund." He introduced. There was a moment where my hand remained in his as I looked into his charming blue eyes and faint smile. We stayed that way until Edmund coughed, everyone looking at us. I let go of his hand and he scratched the back of his head, both of us smiling at each other. Susan was the older sister, who's hand I shook. Edmund was the one with black hair. Lucy looked up at me with her nervous eyes and I smiled at her. She smiled back and gave me a hug.

"Anastasia, would you give the tour? I'm going to check in on your uncle." I nodded and Lucy let go of me. I grabbed her hand, starting to show them the rest of the house. Everytime I would turn around, I would look at Peter and we would smile at each other.

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"Good evening Uncle." I spoke as I opened the door to his study. He spent most of his time in here. He looked up from his book and smiled at me, nodding his head towards the chair across from him.

"Good evening Anastasia. How are the children?" He asks me, putting a bookmark in his book and shutting it. I sigh and shrug.

"They're like expected. Lucy, the youngest, is scared and she really just misses her mother. Edmund is just a little older than her and he is hurt that he had to leave. He comes off as a rebel type but he really just misses his dad. Susan and Peter took the role of parental figures, but I know they're hurting too. I just wish there was something I could do to help." My uncle nodded with a faint smile on his lips.

"How about you visit them before you go to bed. I doubt they're sleeping yet." I smile and nod, getting up to leave. I kiss my uncle's forehead, wishing him a goodnight before going to check on the Pevensies.

I knocked on the door of the girls' room, not expecting it to be answered by Peter. "Oh, hello Peter." We smile at each other before he steps out of the way, opening the door wider for me to step in.

"Good evening Anastasia." He smiles, making me smile back. I see Lucy sitting on the bed, some tears in her eyes. I hear Susan shuffle over the the radio and shut it off, not wanting to hear the news of the attacks.

"The sheets feel scratchy." Lucy says, looking at me. I sigh.

"I'm sorry Lucy. I can try to get you a change of sheets in the morning." I tell her, drying her eyes with the end of my dress.

"Wars don't last forever, Lucy. We'll be home soon." Susan said, sitting next to her on the bed. I nod, agreeing with her.

"If home's still there." Edmund mumbled, walking into the room. Susan rolled her eyes.

"Isn't time you were in bed?" Susan asked him. Well she sort of asked him, but we all know it was more of an order.

"Yes, MUM!" Edmund sneered at her, rolling his eyes. Peter glares at Edmund, shouting his name to get him to shut up.

"Lucy, this place is huge. We can do whatever we want here. You'll see." I tell her, giving her a smile. "I better get to bed. I'll see you in the morning." I said to all of them, but I looked at Peter when I said it. As I walked out, I heard someone following me, so I turned around and saw Peter walking to catch up.

"Thanks for what you did in there. Lucy really needed that." I smiled at him as we continued walking to my room.

"It's no problem, really." I smiled at him. His hand brushed against mine, but nothing more than that. I opened my bedroom door and stepped inside. "It was a pleasure to meet you Peter." I kissed him cheek, smiling at him.

"You as well. I'll you you in the morning Anastasia." I nodded and watched him walk away, his hand touching his cheek where I kissed him.