The Grey-eyed Serpent

Chapter 1: The grey-eyed serpent

Alix Clementine stared at herself in her vanity mirror located in the opposite direction of her bed. She stroked the ends of her long midnight hair before smiling in satisfaction. "Alright," she said as she stood up, her lilac irises filled with excitement. She looks at her familiar, a Zouwu who was taller than her by 2 feet yet had still so much left to grow.

"Are you ready now, Alix? I'm sick of waiting already!" the Zouwu named Mina complained, growling. To others, it may seem that the Zouwu was about to attack the 11-year-old girl but Alix was able to understand the Zouwu as did her family being the only ones in wizarding Britain that could communicate to any creatures.

"Just wait a minute, I have to be presentable you know. I'm about to get my own wand after all!" Alix growled back, the language of the Zouwu rolling off her tongue easily.

"Humans" Mina said, rolling her yellow eyes.

Alix stared at herself in the full-length mirror just beside her vanity, making sure that her outfit was as perfect as it can be. She nodded to herself, satisfied before she grabbed Mina by the neck. "Alright let's go now, I wouldn't want to make madam Mina wait any longer" Alix teased. She and her familiar had been together ever since they met each other in the forest behind the Clementine manor.

Everyone in the Clementine family had their own familiars, it was public knowledge. However, their bonds are different than the other magical humans. The Clementines all meet their familiar just shortly after they reach their 5th birthday. Their familiar's soul would then be linked to them, making it so that they could feel their familiars' emotions and the familiars' theirs. When someone in the Clementine family dies, so does their familiar as it was part of the bond. No matter the creature, the Clementine family could bond with them, if fate allows it so. Their family dates back to millenniums making them one of the most ancient families ever. Although they are an ancient house, the Clementine remains neutral, not siding with the light nor the dark. They are not prejudiced either and are willing to welcome anyone into their home, no matter their lineage, although they still participate in the olde ways of the wizarding world, staying rooted to their ancestors' beliefs and ways, earning them respect from both sides.

Alix exits her room with Mina by her side, the Zouwu's maroon tail flicking back and forth. She arrives at their foyer and her family was already complete along with their familiars, she was the last to arrive. Her father, William Clementine was flirting with her mother, Delphina Clementine who had a soft smile on her face. Their familiars, a white tiger, and an orange tiger were playing together. Althea Clementine, her sister 3 years younger than her was playing with her familiar, a Hungarian horntail, although it was still a baby dragon, it was already the height of Althea's waist.

William Clementine noticed her oldest daughter first, his lilac eyes, the same ones as Alix's twinkled with delight. "Ah, Alix, about time darling!" he said with a smile before engulfing her daughter in a hug.

"Dad, can't breathe," Alix said trying to push her doting father away from her. William didn't let go of her before he pressed a kiss on her forehead. Alix pushed him away after and embraced her mother next.

"Your father is just nervous. You're about to attend Hogwarts soon, after all," Delphina Clementine, a kind woman with raven hair and navy blue eyes said, softly pressing a kiss on her daughter's temple. "He worries you're going to meet your soulmate and leave the nest soon" Delphina added, whispering to Alix's left ear to avoid being heard by her husband.

Alix rolled her eyes. She was still just an 11-year-old girl, barely even a teenager, and her father was already worried about her leaving them. Alix thinks about how dramatic her father was. "So dramatic," Mina said, speaking Alix's thoughts for her.