The Prince's Secret

The Ministry of Magic

Somehow July passed quicker than the other months, and Leilla knew that every day brought her closer to St Mary's school and further away from Hogwarts.

For the first two weeks of August, she was so upset, she thought she'd lost all of her magical abilities. She didn't know whether she imagined it or not but anytime she tried to do one of her usual tricks – like make books hover in midair – they just wouldn't work. And to top it all off, Snape was nowhere to be seen. Not only did he miss her birthday, but he also didn't bother to appear the next week or the one after that. Neither did her school letter.

On one gloomy August morning, Leilla went downstairs to have her breakfast and saw Aunt Isabel dressed in some of her fancier Muggle clothes. Leilla sat down at the table and bore her eyes into her aunt. She already knew what was coming before Aunt Isabel said it out loud.

'Well, it seems like you'll be going to St Mary's after all,' Aunt Isabel sighed deeply. 'I'm terribly sorry. Come on now, let's do something with that hair of yours.'

Leilla looked down at the floor and sat down to let her aunt comb her waist-long hair. She yelped at a particularly painful stroke of the comb.

'You need to look put-together for this,' said Aunt Isabel, and Leilla thought she could hear the subtle disappointment in the lady's voice. 'I hope they can still grant a last-minute placement – only two days left till September 1 st, they'll have thought us mad...'

Leilla didn't say anything. She pursed her lips, trying not to squirm as her aunt pulled her hair, trying to comb out the tangled locks. She wondered what it was like for Aunt Isabel to never receive her Hogwarts letter. Her sister (Snape's mother) did, and she went to Hogwarts alone, leaving Aunt Isabel behind.

'Are there houses at St Mary's school too?' Leilla asked.

'What do you mean?' said Aunt Isabel, whose fingers were now braiding her hair.

'Well, Severus told me that there were different houses at Hogwarts. Like Slytherin and Ravenclaw,' said Leilla innocently. 'I really hoped I'd get into Slytherin, like him, but... ouch... but there's not really a chance for that now, is there?'

Aunt Isabel didn't reply. She finished off the two braids and delicately weaved in two white ribbons.

'There you go, my dear. You look splendid. Come on now, get dressed,' the woman said with an attempt at a reassuring smile.

Leilla thanked her glumly before dragging her feet back upstairs, until she reached her room.

Leilla lived in the attic. It was a very big space, and there was a skylight that allowed lots of natural light to flow in. Leilla took a seat at her dressing table in her bedroom, in front of her mirror, and stared at herself. She felt gloomy, and the weather outside did not make her situation any better. The sky was as pale as her skin.

Shaking her head lightly, Leilla hopped off of the chair and walked over to her wardrobe, where she picked out her favourite outfit; a knee-length lilac dress, with dreamy puffed sleeves, paired with lacy white tights. Seeing herself in the dress cheered her up a little bit, and she exited her floral green painted bedroom feeling slightly better about her day.

Aunt Isabel clasped her hands together when she laid her eyes on young Leilla. 'Oh Leilla, please don't dirty that pretty little dress of yours at St Mary's,' Aunt Isabel pleaded.

Leilla did a little twirl. 'It's almost too nice to be worn outside,' she agreed. 'I promise it will stay clean.'

'Alright then,' Aunt Isabel nodded. 'Put on your new hat.'