The Novelle Diaries & The Wampus Cub

Chapter 2: A Trunk Packed Twice

The next few weeks seemed to both drag endlessly and blur together as they passed in the blink of an eye. When Wren wasn't spending time with her cousins or helping her parents with chores around the house, she spent her time wandering the woods until she reached her hidden glade. She would often take her wand on these expeditions, though she couldn't use it yet she had found that since she had got it she disliked being without it on her person, as if it had already become an extension of herself.

Wren spent many a hazy summer hour sitting beneath the thick canopy of her oak tree reading her new school books aloud, as if the tree could understand or even hear her dictation. She showed the Bowtruckles her wand and reassured them that she would take good care of it as they tried to return it to the branches of the tree. She felt comforted that though she was about to leave her home for a very long time, she would carry part of it with her at all times.

One evening, a few days before she was due to leave for Hogwarts, she found herself sitting at the tree's roots until sunset. She spent a long time in silence, watching the breeze ruffle the long dried meadow grasses. The closer the day had become, the more trepidation she had felt. Then suddenly, she began to speak. 'What if nobody likes me? Or my episodes get me expelled? What if I end up being bottom of the class? No, I've read the books all the way through. I won't be bottom. But what if I get there and I don't like it? Will I get home sick? Or maybe I will get lost in the castle. Zeddi said first years go missing for days but then again, Zeddi says a lot of things. I just want to fit in. I want to have friends.' And that was the route of her worries and desires. Because of her nature, Wren had been kept very isolated, even from other wizarding children her age. The only friends she had ever had were her cousins and though she loved them dearly she had always craved more. The only other friend she had had was a muggle girl from the village, Georgina Walker. Their friendship had been a secret from her parents. And though her company had been fun, having to maintain such control over her emotions had been draining. Having to hide what she was, even worse. She had never been able to speak freely or feel entirely comfortable in her presence and as she had grown older she had realised that their friendship was based on a fake version of herself. She longed now to be surrounded by other children her age who she could be herself with or at least most of herself with.

Wren sighed deeply, feeling a little lighter after speaking her troubles aloud and as she began to wander in the fading light homeward bound, she began to turn her mind to all the positive things she was looking forward to when she got to Hogwarts, of which there were countless.

The day before the train left for Hogwarts was devoted to the family saying goodbye and packing. Miri and Prue spent most of the day with Wren in her room choosing which trinkets she should bring to school.

'I think you should bring a few more necklaces.' Prue suggested sweeping her ginger curls out of her face as she rummaged through Wren's jewellery box.

'I only ever wear my locket, I don't want to bring things just for them to get lost,' Wren challenged as she instinctively touched the silver, oval locket that contained pictures of all her loved ones, that hung around her neck.

'Very well, what about a teddy?' Miri interjected, shoving a rather ratty hippogriff teddy in Wren's face.

'Absolutely not. I'm not going to be that girl who brings a teddy to school.' Wren scoffed 'Besides i havent slept with a teddy for over a year now,' she added proudly. At that moment a small white owl swooped down from its perch on the curtain pole and landed gracefully on the open trunk lid, hooting softly.

'Well of course you're coming, Eremial! But I doubt you would like being packed in the trunk, now would you.' Wren giggled as she stroked the bird's head. A recent birthday gift from her mother, Eremial was a rather devaish screech owl, though her unusual albino complexion made her rather an oddity of her breed. It seemed to garner her the extra attention that she so desired.