From Home To Hogwarts - The Angelic Witch and Draco Malfoy (Book 1)

Birthday Gift In The Mail

Nearly ten years had passed since the Bradys had accepted Heroneka as their own child after their friends and her only known guardian died. Everything was changed by now. Almost a month after taking the baby in, the Bradys had moved to their parents old home in the countryside, far away from the Dursleys and Privet Drive. Mr Brady's mother and father were really happy to be with them. Also, Heroneka had been receiving immeasurable love from all of them as she was the only child in the family. When she was a baby, she looked like a baby doll that had chocolatey brown hair and bright blue eyes. But.. For some reason, the colour of her eyes kept changing a lot. Sometimes, it was blue.. Sometimes it was golden... Sometimes.. Black.. 

Mr Brady's parents knew that Heroneka was special and they were the ones to suggest that she should be brought to the countryside so that she'll stay away from the city buzz. 

Heroneka slept peacefully tangled in a thin sheet. Her long browny black hairs that were supposed to be tied up in a bun, were scattered, covering half her face. Her top was loose and her chest was slightly visible. There was a scar... A scar that was right above her heart, moving up towards her neck. It might have been the size of an index finger on an average man. She had no idea what it was and neither did the Bradys. They had told Heroneka that it was a birthmark. 

Mr Brady stood at the door of her small cosy bedroom and kept staring at his little girl. It was her birthday today. 7th July! 

He slowly walked inside and leaned over her, kissing her cheek. Pulling up the sheets, he covered her chest that was exposing her dreadful-looking "birthmark". He knew how much she felt embarrassed about it. She thought it made her look ugly. 

Heroneka pulled up the sheets covering her face as well. 

"C'mon, princess," he said, picking her up along with the tangled thin sheets. "Time to wake up. You're eleven now."

Heroneka woke up uncovering her face and looked around. "Where are you taking me, Tom?" She called Mr Thomas Brady 'TOM'. 

"To heaven!!" He said in a Santa Claus voice. "Happy birthday to you...... Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday, dear princessssss... Happy birthday to you..." He sang along as he took her to the hall and settled her down on the couch. 

Mrs Brady was smiling looking at them. "Happy birthday my lovely baby girl" she mumbled sitting next to her and hugging her tightly. "I can't believe that you're eleven years old now."

"You better believe it, Jane." An old woman's voice came from the kitchen. "Because you believe it or not but it really doesn't matter." 

They laughed looking at Heroneka. She didn't really seem to be happy about turning eleven. She had not been sent to any school till now because Heroneka was told that she was special. She was not allowed to make any friends or to go anywhere. Heroneka was told that on her eleventh birthday, she would be receiving a present that will change her life. 

"So....." Heroneka looked up at them. "What was that present you have been talking about?" She wondered if they had been fooling her all these years.

"Well...." Mr Brady cleared his throat and glanced at his wife who was looking at him for an answer. "Errr.. Princess, I won't lie to you. We do have a present for you that is really special... But... It's not here with us at the moment."

"And?" Heroneka kept looking at both of them. "Where is it now?" Her excitement and curiosity were making her really impatient now. 

"It might arrive anytime from now onwards." Mrs Brady said nodding positively at her. "Trust me."

Heroneka bit her lip getting out of the bedsheets. "Is it coming through a mail?" 

"Yeah...." They nodded, not knowing what to say. "Why don't you get fresh and have a bath?" Mr Brady added hurriedly, trying to change the topic. "Then we can have breakfast and.. and.. go out. It's your birthday today."