UNDER EDITING ♡
Salvia Rune Cemetery was once beautiful.
People showed up at the little graveyard nearly every day, coating the place in fallen petals as they gave flowers to their lost loved ones. Footprints in the mud seemed almost permanent and the sound of bittersweet humming could be heard.
A church stood nearby and from the cemetery gates, you could hear a choir, their voices haunting and siren-like. The kids that attended would visit the graveyard every Sunday with flowers they picked gripped tightly in their tiny hands.
People would sit outside, just on the sidewalk, doing whatever they felt called to do. The holidays created a melancholy atmosphere, but people still showed. The lifeless were treated like they were home, and maybe that was why it was so loved.
It was enchanting how a place for tragic endings could create such comfort, even for the ones that could no longer be there.
But then the smell of smoke rose in the air.
The church went up in flames on a Saturday night, taking trees and homes with it. The fire spread faster than its natural pace. It burned hotter, taking down everything in its path. There was no way to stop it.
It went on for weeks. Flats burned, and homes were destroyed.
15 injured...five dead.
Nearly everything and everyone were engulfed in the flames, but it was all but one building, one place that stayed untouched. The graveyard.
Salvia Rune Cemetery was now known as one of the most haunted places in London. With the fire only scorching the edges of the trees around it, people that were once comforted became afraid.
They say it was the ones buried that caused it. Angered over the years. That was just one of the many rumors that surrounded the once-beautiful place.
Now, it has been eleven years, and since then it has been neglected over the years, sitting in Hampstead Garden Suburb, London with dead flowers and forgotten promises.
Broken, vine-covered headstones littered the front, surrounded by the the gate that was uprooted in the far left. The building in the back had broken windows and graffiti. The roof had caved in, leaving a few holes visible if you squinted.
The trees that encircled the cemetery and recanted structures, were rotted in certain areas, which enhanced its startling appearance. Moss covered the concrete with pretty green and brown colors.
Footsteps on the ground, creaks from the building, the snaps of twigs echoed throughout the night. Most people weren't brave enough to take a step past the gate, the sounds that came from within during the stages of twilight sending them away.
Tonight snow covered Salvia Rune Cemetery, and a young girl rested against a headstone. It was cleaner than the others, newer, only a decade old. She looked up and blinked as the wet, soft snow melted against her skin. A frown rested on her face as she curled up, hugging her knees to her chest as she waited for the chime of midnight.
"Few more minutes," she said, her breath visible in the air.
A soft wind pushed the falling snow around, and the night alighted with the white slivers. A few snowflakes landed in her eyelashes and she sighed, rubbing them away. She traced a cake into the snow, feeling the cold prick her finger.
"I talked to Dad about making red velvet, your favorite. You won't believe it, Mum, he actually said yes. Even seemed happy that I suggested it."
A humorous smile made its way to her face before falling slowly. She shivered slightly and gripped her jacket, pulling it around her.
Her family didn't eat sweets often, practically never. Her dad and stepmom prioritized health in all shapes and forms, and being dentists, they were particular with their dental care, so anything that could potentially rot their teeth was out of the picture.
But it was her eleventh birthday, the big one-one, the one that was going to change everything. It was the big day.
"Last birthday before Hogwarts, exciting isn't it?"
That's right. This year, by September 1st, she'd be attending the finest wizarding school in the world — Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a school full of magic and children just like her.
Well, maybe not just like her.
She was a witch, that's true, just like her mother and surprisingly her half-sister, but she was a little different- not to sound so cliche -maybe unusual is a better word.
She wasn't sure if the other students would be able to dream of the future or move things with her mind as she could.
Y/N eyed the messy picture she drew, rubbing the snow off her stinging finger. It barely looked like a cake, so she rolled her eyes and kicked snow on top, covering it with annoyance.
She shook her head and snuggled against her mother's monument, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. The snow fell against her warm skin and she flinched when it made its way to her neck.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she cracked her eyes a sudden realization flooding through her. She lifted her head and looked at the destroyed building in the back.
"Yesterday, the heat was coming off and on in the office. Do you think someone cut off the heat?" she asked, tilting her head. "Ghost must be freezing."
In the distance, the clock tower struck midnight and she bit her cheek, the sound making her body tense. She eyed the headstone before grabbing her bag and bringing it to her lap. She quickly unzipped it and pulled out a sack of chopped turkey and blueberries.
She joggled it before getting on her knees and throwing her bag over her shoulder. She placed a hand on the stone and pressed her lips together.
"I should go, I'll try and see you tomorrow, okay? Love you."
Pressing two fingers to her lips, she placed them to her mother's name and stood, shaking the snow off her. She walked toward the abandoned building, nodding to each gravestone she passed.
Hitting her boots on the outside wall, she waited for the snow to fall off her feet before placing a hand through a broken window. She waved it around and frowned.
She made sure to walk in quietly, thanking the moonlight for lighting up the place. She felt no warmth and her nerves started to spread across her cold skin.
"Ghost?" she called, shaking the bag of turkey and blueberries. "You here?"
She took a few steps forward and winced as she heard the crunch of glass under her boot. She looked down, lifting her foot, and shook her head.
"Could've sworn I cleared it all out..."
A soft meow caught her attention, and she looked up, smiling as the sound repeated. She moved slowly and saw the familiar swish of a gray tail in a doorway. She placed her gloved hand on the frame as she came closer and chuckled at the sight that met her.
She bent down and grinned, petting the cat that was cuddled in the thick, black blanket that Y/N brought when the winter began. Ghost nuzzled into her happily, a soft purr vibrating against the cloth.
"Hey, you. Are you hungry?"
Ghost meowed in reply and pawed at her leg. Y/N raised a brow, and dug into her bag, bringing out a water bottle and soup bowl when she heard the cat's dry vocal.
Slowly pouring the water into the bowl, she placed it beside the blanket, making sure not to splash the shivering cat. She then grabbed Ghost's plastic dish and wiped it clean. Placing it on the ground, she opened the sack of turkey and blueberries. She tore a few pieces and placed three blueberries in the container.
She closed the bag and petted Ghost quickly watching him shake before placing his face in the food bowl. Frowning, she pointed down at him.
"Don't inhale that, you'll get sick."
She lifted his head softly, making sure he was chewing before scratching behind his ear.
There was no response from Ghost, but he stood and stretched, shaking his head. He nudged her hand before starting on his food.
Y/N sighed and used her finger to pet down his back before getting on her feet. The news has been blaring with freezing temperatures and blizzard warnings. This winter was the coldest in years.
Looking down at Ghosts shivering form and wet fur, she closed her eyes as heartache filled her, only opening them when Ghost called up at her. Fear soaked through her as her mind raced.
She watched as Ghost lifted his head, eyes bright as he waited for her to acknowledge his slowed pace. She chuckled slightly, adding another blueberry and poking his nose lightly.
"Good boy."
Standing straight, she cleared her throat and rubbed her nose. She eyed the broken window and pressed her lips together, walking towards it. Her hands hovered over the frame as she stared out at the extensive building across the street.
Her head tilted as she sniffled.
"Maybe the heat is on in the old Prinkle House, it's —" she stopped herself, seeing the light smoke of teenagers, drunk laughter echoing from the inside. Y/N glared out at the snow, scoffing. "Figures."
Y/N sat down on the ground and leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. She was never good at coming up with solutions. If it was up to her, she would have taken Ghost home a long while ago, but her dad was allergic.
Ghost's footsteps caught her attention, and she smiled sadly as he climbed into her lap and snuggled into her jacket. She chuckled and ran her hand down his back before resting her head against the wall once again.
She began to hum a song as quietly as she could, and she couldn't help but smile as Ghost started to purr. The cold seeped through her clothes and she shivered violently, holding Ghost close, his damp, icy tail brushing against her face.
Y/N took a deep breath and used to jacket to provide him some warmth. She tried desperately to transfer some of her body heat to him, but the cat stayed as cold as ice. It only brought the most obvious and terrifying question to mind.
If Ghost stayed here any longer, would he survive?
A quiet, fragile whine escaped the cat on her lap and Y/N knew she had her answer.
He was too feeble and too delicate to survive in this weather.
She knew it was risky to bring him home, knowing that there was a chance her escapades to her mother's grave could be exposed, but there was no guarantee that Ghost could make it another week.
Her eyes opened slowly as she sat straight, her hands freezing on Ghost. She gazed down at him, her E/C eyes staring down into his blue ones, which shone a beautiful silver in the moonlight.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she ran her finger above his nose, watching him close his eyes.
"Alright..." she said softly, "Let's take you home."
━ ⚯͛ ━
Y/N balanced on the tree near her room, her foot pressed against the tight shoulder of a branch as she reached forward to open her window. She held onto Ghost as his nails dug through the blanket wrapped around him, the tip of his claws making their way to her clothes.
She placed her right foot against her house, her knee bruising against her windowsill as she managed her fingers under the frame and pushed the window open, hissing slightly as she felt a piece of wood prick her finger.
Making sure the window wouldn't fall, she placed Ghost near the window, letting him jump through.
"There you go," she said, watching him land on her floor.
She threw the blanket in after him and stretched her leg farther, letting her knee sit on the sill, and quickly grabbed the bottom of the window. She curled her fingers around it as she kicked off the tree.
She swung her leg in her room, letting the other hang outside as she held the window up. She looked around her room before stepping in and closing the window. She slid her boots and jacket off carefully, cringing as she noticed the moisture at the bottom of her sleepwear.
She glanced down at Ghost before quietly walking across her room, signaling for him to stay still. She tiptoed to her door, seeing it cracked, and frowned.
A faded meow was heard behind her and she quickly placed her finger to her lips, turning to Ghost, seeing him walk beside her. She rolled her eyes and patted the air above him as she grabbed her door and looked out of it, seeing nothing but her darkened hall.
"I must have left it open," she muttered before stepping out, feeling Ghost run between her legs.
She closed the door behind her slowly, sighing in relief when it made close to zero noise. They both walked to the stairs, but Y/N stopped in frustration as she lost her footing.
She shook her head as Ghost continued to zigzag through her legs, his gaze never leaving her face.
Shaking her head, she bent down and picked up Ghost, ignoring his sound of shock as she walked them down the stairs and past the sofa. She wandered toward the kitchen, her pajama pants getting caught under her feet with each step.
She sat him on the first stool in front of the island and patted his head.
Her hand moved across the counter and she grabbed an apple, staring at the fruit before heading towards the sink to wash it off. The water poured harshly onto the yellow apple and traveled down her hands, making her flinch.
Y/N flicked her wrist to fling the droplets off her and her choice of breakfast. She looked over at her cat with a raised brow as she grabbed a towel from the cabinet above, drying the apple.
He stared over the counter at her, his eyes wide and ears perked as she took a bite of the fruit. She eyed the juice falling from her hand as she flickered her gaze back to Ghost, his tail swaying behind him.
She gave him a deadpan look before sighing and opening the drawer next to her and grabbing a knife. She turned to the counter and placed the apple on top and slowly cut a piece out, making sure to get the skin off.
"Here," she placed it in front of him and shook her head as his teeth sunk in, making a satisfactory crunch.
She placed the knife in the sink and opened a cupboard next to the fridge and raised a brow, a box of oatmeal catching her attention.
She grabbed it and turned around, pressing her lips together.
"Can cats eat oatmeal?"
Y/N hummed, reading the back.
Placing it on the counter, she looked at Ghost. Apple juice dropped off his chin and she sighed.
"I mean," she shrugged, "It's just oats, isn't it? It's not like it's flavored... no not in this house."
Grabbing a saucepan and a jug of water from the fridge, Y/N sang quietly to herself as she let the water heat up. She peeked at Ghost over her shoulder and smiled, seeing him disappear as he lay, hearing a loud purr from his direction.
He seemed to fall asleep a lot.
Y/N went over the ingredients of the oatmeal once more before stirring the oatmeal in the boiling water and grabbing a plastic dish to pour it in.
Y/N raised her brows as she stirred.
"Safe to say I shouldn't add anything," Y/N smirked as she chuckled to herself. "Better get used to it, Mister."
"Are you complaining about my cooking, again?"
Y/N gasped, the spoon falling from her hand as her heart dropped. She turned, her face going pale as she watched her stepmother walk down the stairs, a playful smile on her face as she fixed her hair in a low bun.
"Dinah," Y/N said breathlessly, "What are you doing up."
Dinah raised a brow, crossing her arms.
"I should be asking you that."
Y/N glanced around and picked up the spoon, turning around to continue stirring the oatmeal. She closed her eyes as Dinah came closer.
"Midnight snack, I guess."
Pausing, Dinah stared at her in concern, her hands falling from her as she walked closer. Y/N eyed her, doing her best not to glance over at Ghost.
"It's early, you should be sleeping," she said, "Did you not eat enough dinner?"
Y/N gulped before shaking her head and turning off the oatmeal. She gave it one last stir before shrugging.
"No, wasn't really hungry before," she grabbed a mitt and wrapped her hand around the handle, using the spoon to help pour it into the bowl, "Must have been birthday jitters, excited for the big day, you know?"
"Not really...you hate you're birthday. And is that oatmeal? You hate oatmeal."
Y/N looked over at her with a smile before refocusing her attention on the food, shaking her head.
"No not that. Christmas break is over and Hermione is going back to Hogwarts. Big Day," cheek laced through her tone as she spoke. "And yes, it's oatmeal. Decided to try something new."
Placing the pan back on the stove, Y/N squeezed her eyes shut. She heard a stool move and sucked in a breath. She looked at Dinah, who was oblivious to the cat who was waking from it's short nap.
Dinah chuckled and placed her hand on her shoulder. Y/N looked up at her and watched as Dinah took the spoon and saucepan to the sink.
"I'll ignore that comment for today, Happy Birthday, by the way, but I can't ignore the oatmeal. You gag at the mere mention. Plus, plain?"
Dinah gave her a look as Y/N grabbed the warm bowl, trying not to cringe away from it. She glanced over at the island, praying that Ghost wouldn't sit up.
"My stomach's...upset?"
Dinah placed a hand on her hip.
"Probably because you haven't slept," she turned on the water and Y/N flinched, once again looking at Ghost to make sure he didn't react to the noise. "You should get some rest before the party tonight."
"Party? What party?"
Dinah sighed, a smile growing on her lips as she rinsed off the spoon.
"Your dad and I are inviting family over, they want to see Hermione before she leaves again, and they all want to watch you blow out your candles... they finally seemed to realize you're growing older, not younger."
Y/N's body went cold as her fingers curled around the dish. She placed it on the island and frowned, staring at Dinah out of the corner of her eyes.
"When you say all —"
" — you know, the usual. Grandma Tate, Pops...possibly your Uncle Oliver?"
Y/N swallowed in relief. Her heart started to restart and she pushed the bowl to the sleeping cat, not thinking.
"Here let me pull this out for you."
Dinah walked over, placing her hand on the back of the seat and Y/N blinked away the previous cold sweat before feeling her stomach drop.
"I'm not going to sit there," she said quickly.
Dinah froze in confusion, her face dropping.
"Hm —"
She stopped midsentence as she looked down, seeing the silver fur of Ghost. He jumped up onto the counter as his spot was moved and Y/N widened her eyes.
Dinah glanced up at Y/N, who quickly turned around, grabbed her forgotten apple, and threw it in the trash. She heard her stepmother take a deep breath and pretended to look in a cupboard full of ingredients.
"It was a smart choice, oatmeal is good for them," said Dinah. "You used water, right?"
Y/N brushed her hands together before pausing. She slowly spun, her mouth parted slightly as Dinah picked up the bowl and examined it. Her eyes met Y/N's in search of something and Y/N cleared her throat.
"Umm, yeah," she stuttered, wiping her palms on her cloth-covered thighs, "Don't worry, it wasn't the tap."
"Good," Dinah said, placing the oatmeal down.
She reached down and gave Ghost a pet. Her nails scratched the top of his head, and Y/N watched in confusion as he shook the sleep from his eyes.
Ghost looked up at Dinah before startling back as he processed the new situation and sought Y/N out. His eyes met hers and he moved closer. He let out a yawn, his fangs out in the open as his face scrunched. He reached forward, arching his back in a long stretch until he noticed the bowl of oatmeal.
"There you go," Dinah said, moving it closer. "You must be hungry."
Ghost sneezed and looked at Y/N, who nodded reluctantly. He didn't hesitate to sink his face in the soggy food after.
Dinah flickered her gaze between Ghost and Y/N, her eyebrows furrowing as she walked around the island and slid her hand across the marble. She stood next to Y/N and sighed.
"I'm not going to ask, I'll give you the day," she said, shaking her head, "But we will need an explanation by tomorrow morning, alright?"
Y/N gulped and looked at her stepmother, who pinched the bridge of her nose.
Nodding, Y/N took a deep breath as her face turned hot. She toyed with the end of her shirt as she tried to process the trouble. She glanced over at her once again.
"Yeah, that's fair."
Dinah chuckled slightly and crossed her arms, watching Y/N struggle. She knew her stepdaughter well enough to know that she was trying to come up with an excuse.
Instead of pressing, Dinah just turned away and looked at the cat, examining him. Her eyes traced his silver fur, seeing the different shades of grey, all the way to his ears which were so light that the tips almost looked clear.
Dinah could assume he was no more than a year old.
Once in a while, he look up and glance around the house until placing his eyes on Y/N, who would smile softly and remind him to continue eating.
"What's his name?" Dinah questioned slowly.
Y/N tried to ignore her but let her shoulders fall as she peeked up at her.
"Ghost," she mumbled, "I call him Ghost."
"Well, Ghost needs a bath."
Y/N looked over at Ghost and silently agreed, taking note of some fur that has been knotted and then mud and dirt that stuck to him.
Dinah tilted her head and listened to the footsteps walking on the steps and scrunched her face, forcing a smile off her face. She reached over and brushed the hair out of Y/N's face, rubbing her thumb over her cheek.
Y/N let out a deep breath and smiled, leaning into her touch. She felt herself loosen up as exhaustion finally started to set in. She has one more day, she figured, to come up with a lie or tell the truth.
That was enough to keep her steady, or she thought so until a loud sneeze echoed from the top of the stairs.
Y/N's face wrinkled up as she heard her father come down. She peeked over at him as Dinah simply giggled and went to make tea, shaking her head.
Philip stopped as he came down and squinted over at them, exhaustion clear on his face. He closed his eyes for a second before looking over at them with exasperation, his gaze stuck on the cat that had oatmeal covering its face.
"Why is there a cat on my counter?"
Her father glanced over at her, and Y/N smiled at him, seeing his red nose and puffy face. She stood on her tiptoes and fell back, shrugging.
"Reminding you to take your allergy pills?"
⋄︎︎ ⬫︎︎ ⋄︎︎ ⥊ ⬫︎︎ ⚯͛ ⬫︎︎⥊ ⋄︎︎ ⬫︎︎ ⋄︎︎
Wobbling, Y/N carried the two trays of cookies into the living room, smiling at her grandmother and grandfather, as she set them on the table in front of them.
"Oh look at you," Grandma Tate said, looking up at her from the couch. "So beautiful."
Y/N warmed as her Grandmother reached up and softly grabbed Y/N's hair and pushed it to the other side as she organized the sweets. Her hand touched Y/N's cheek, and they met each other's gaze.
"You look so much like her, you know?"
Pressing her lips together, Y/N let out a soft huff as she nodded.
"Thank you, Grans."
Out of the corner of her eyes, she noticed her grandfather reach for a cookie, shaking his head. She smiled over at him and placed a hand on her hip.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Well, what do you think?" He said playfully. "I'm treating myself, your grandmother's right. These cookies are beautiful."
Grandma Tate smacked his arm and he dropped his jaw in fraudulent shock.
"What?"
Rolling her eyes, she scoffed.
"I wasn't talking about the cookies."
"Oh," he looked at Y/N and gave her an innocent look, his shoulders going up. "You see how she treats me?"
Y/N shook her head and let out a laugh. He took a bite and raised an eyebrow, nodding as he chewed.
"No sugar, huh?"
"They have sugar... just not as much as you would prefer," she grabbed a cookie and took a bite. She looked at him with a wrinkled nose. "Don't worry, I snuck some into the cake."
He let out a laugh.
"That's my girl."
He high-fived her, and they chuckled as her grandmother shook her head. She moved to sit with them and they scooted down so there was space next to Grandma Tate.
"Oh," she said in wonder, and Y/N froze in surprise as she felt her grandmother's finger on the side of her neck. "You still wear it?"
Frowning, Y/N looked down and saw that her necklace fell out of her shirt and hummed, watching as she touched the chain until gently clasping the stone between her two fingers.
"Of course. I could never take it off."
Her grandfather chuckled.
"Gosh...your mother wore that all the time. Had it on whenever she came over."
"Didn't she?" Grandma Tate asked, looking at her husband as she traced the copper wire around the gem. "Feels like yesterday."
Y/N held back a sigh as her eyes fell.
Every year.
She glanced up at her grandmother as she visibly got lost in the memories of her mother. Her chest started to ache and she looked away from her, staring at the fireplace.
Today could be possibly one of the worst days of the year. It was a constant reminder that she wasn't here...that she died.
A hand fell on her knee and she glanced over at her grandpa. He gave her a small smile, squeezing her leg as his eyes filled with understanding.
"Looks like your father could use some help with the food," he nodded over to the kitchen, where Philip took over the cooking. "Why don't you go an uh..."
Grandma Tate broke out of her trance and softly apologized, letting the necklace go. She patted her arm and wiped a tear away.
Y/N smiled over at her and looked at her grandfather.
"Thank you," she mouthed.
He gave her a comforting wink before shooing her away, making her chuckle as she quickly scampered to her father.
"Hey you," Philip said, stirring noodles into a pot. "How's your birthday so far?"
Y/N raised an eyebrow before taking notice of the bowl of frosting. She stuck the tip of her pinky in, swiping some. She quickly tasted it and looked at her father in shock.
"That's sweet..."
Laughing, Philip swatted her hand away, poking her side until she backed away.
"Don't act so shocked, we can have sweets now and then," he smiled down at her. "Besides, I have a feeling you'll be grounded tomorrow so...figured I'd be nice."
Y/N pouted and he snickered.
He shoved her by her head playfully, messing her hair, smiling as she scoffed at him.
"Go, find your sister, make sure she's finished packing."
Y/N rolled her eyes.
"It's Hermione, Dad. She was done packing a week ago."
"Then tell her dinner is almost done," he eyed her, "Before I continue asking about that cat."
Y/N groaned and walked off, heading upstairs. She resisted the urge to stomp up them and just went slowly, pouting the whole way up there.
It wasn't abnormal for the two girls to avoid each other, but today was different. It was the only day her parents allowed it. Today, both girls were just strangers in a house. It was the most Hermione could give Y/N.
As she got to Hermione's room, she knocked softly.
"Hermione," she whispered, so quietly she almost couldn't hear herself. "Are you in there?"
Y/N waited a few seconds before shrugging. She turned away from the door and started towards the stairs.
"Oh well, I tri-GHOST," she screamed as the cat ran through her legs, knocking her off balance.
She fell backward, and she hissed as her back hit the ground. Her face crumpled and let out a broken groan of pain as Ghost jumped over her body, a whine leaving him as he moved around.
He continued to run around and Y/N took a deep breath, trying not to wince as she pushed on her elbows and rested on them. Her gaze shifted around the hall, looking for the cat, only to find him near the stairs.
"What was that for?" Y/N glared, feeling the discomfort travel through her spine.
Ghost huddled, his back arching as his ears started to flatten. Y/N frowned before following his gaze, looking to her left. She tilted her head, taken back, as she saw that her door was open.
She looked over at Ghost, but he stayed in his position, his eyes almost venomous as he stared at her room. He let out a dangerous hiss and she slowly sat up, raising her hand slightly.
"It's alright," she said, standing. "I'll go see."
She broke eye contact and pushed against her back as it cried out in resistance before walking to her room. Her hand grabbed her doorknob and she looked in, seeing a mess of papers and books.
"What?"
She looked back at Ghost before stepping in, only to roll her head back in annoyance, seeing Hermione going through her closet. She rested her body on the doorframe and sighed.
"Hermione," she said softly, "What are you doing in here?"
Hermione didn't even look at her was she went through her things.
"I can't find my book."
Looking around her messy bedroom, Y/N closed her eyes as something warm bloomed in her chest. She clenched her jaw and bent down, picking up her belongings.
"And what? You think I have it?"
Hermione turned to her, her face red and her eyebrows knitted. She watched as Y/N cleaned the mess and shook her head, closing the closet door.
"Well- I don't know...I haven't found it," she said, glancing around the place.
Y/N closed her eyes for a moment, pausing her movements. She took a deep breath as she felt tiredness seep through her. She looked up from the ground, frowning at her sister.
"Ask me next time," Y/N motioned at the clutter, paper crinkling in her hands. "You don't get to just destroy my room whenever you want."
"Well maybe if you just didn't steal things -"
" - Hermione. Please."
The two stared at each other before Y/N looked back at the chaos and placed everything back in her desk drawers. She heard Hermione let out a drawn-out breath behind her.
Y/N turned to her and gave her a look, leaning against the desk. She grabbed a small, glass bunny from her desk and shrugged, toying with it.
Y/N brushed the glass with her thumb before sighing.
"Just not today...that's all I ask."
Hermione inhaled before nodding. She leaned down and picked up a few books and placed them delicately on the bed. She walked to the door and placed her hand on the frame.
"Dinner's almost done," Y/N said, not looking up.
Hermione hesitated and looked over at Y/N, watching her move the little statue in her hand. She clenched her jaw, shaking her head before walking out and closing the door.
Y/N looked up as she heard it close and bit the inside of her cheek. She took a moment and placed the bunny down, walking over to her bed and sitting on the edge.
The door opened slightly and Y/N huffed, seeing Hermione's bushy hair, but she never came in, instead, she kept it open ajar and Y/N watched as Ghost ran in, the door closing softly behind him.
Ghost jumped up onto her lap and Y/N huffed, running her hand across his back. She softly brushed her thumb up his nose and smiled gently as his eyes closed, his head leaning into her touch.
"You're a pain," she said, chuckling.
But he was a nice distraction.
It's not like she hated her birthday. In fact, she didn't mind it as long as the reminders were gone, but that was the issue.... they never were.
It was in her necklace, the little bunny, and even her father. But the worst reminder, the one thing that destroyed it each year, was her own reflection.
No, today wasn't just her birthday.
It was also the day her mother died.
And each time she looked in the mirror, not only does she see her, but she sees the reason she left.
Y/N felt her eyes start to burn and she blinked clearing her throat. She quickly used her sleeve to rub her eyes before any tears could fall. Her lip trembled but she refused for it to continue.
The night Evelyn died was a mystery. To the rest of the world, Evelyn Hyacinth died giving birth, but Y/N knew a different story.
She knew it wasn't supposed to be Evelyn that died. No, it was supposed to be her. She wasn't supposed to be born, she broke their rules by being alive right now
She lifted her necklace, staring at the white stone. She rubbed it softly and sighed. It was given to her before she even knew what it was, placed on her as a simple infant.
She was told to never take it off, so she never did.
Her thumb traced the back of the stone, where the copper wire was thicker and he felt her lips twitch upward, seeing the initials E.H. carved in the back.
She wasn't sure what went wrong that night, but she knew one thing.
The wizarding world couldn't know she survived, but if she wanted answers, that's where she had to be.
⋄︎︎ ⬫︎︎ ⋄︎︎ ⥊ ⬫︎︎ ⚯͛ ⬫︎︎⥊ ⋄︎︎ ⬫︎︎ ⋄︎︎
Note - here I am again, giving it another shot.
Please let me know if you enjoyed it. Encourage me, please. I need it.
Anyways, love you.
~ wizardette