Returning Home

Please No

It's been eight years. Eight years she's been in her own personal hell on earth and she hasn't forgotten one single second of it. Something happened on Samhain all those years ago. Something that changed everything and kept her Tom from coming back to her and her parents from returning the next day. What it was she didn't know but one day she would find out.

She had also vowed to herself to find out what had gone on with her cousin. Harry meant the world to her and she loved him like a little brother. Were his parents okay? Had something happened to Aunt Lily and Uncle James and was that why Tom had to go there that night? Was he like her now except stuck in some awful home for boys?

Sure the matron at Griffiths' Home for Girls had loved her when she arrived at just two months shy of being two years old. With her little doll face and big brown eyes that had confused Gwyn at first. With nothing but a small scratchy blanket and a note card declaring her "Gwynyvere Peverell" the matron had done everything to find her family at the girls protest that her parents must be looking for her. Unfortunately none ever came up and she had been here ever since, refusing to be adopted and making sure to ruin any chances with any family that came along.

Her first sign of accidental magic came at the same time the matron declared her evil incarnate. Gwyn rolled her eyes as she thought back on it. She was almost three and sick of looking in the mirror and seeing brown eyes she didn't recognize as her own. She just wanted her normal amethyst eyes back. And suddenly they were. She had taken off running out of her small room to show the matron that she had been right all along. Instead of the smiling face she was used to, the matron's face had twisted into horror and Gwyn had learned to fear the priest.

When her eyes stayed their true color it just got worse. Soon the other girls caught onto the attitudes of the adults and didn't even bother to hide their antics. Tormenting her was okay, encouraged even. Circe above help her when she decided to react, though. If anything happened to the other children it didn't matter if she wasn't even in the same vicinity or building even, it was her fault and she was punished. If anything turned up missing, or broken, or damaged in any way, it was her fault and she was punished.

She was on one of those punishments now, in fact, tending to the gardens. As much as the matron despised her, she couldn't deny no one was better with the plants than her. Tending to the gardens was the only time she was ever left completely alone, so naturally she adored it. Not to mention the snake that would come by to always make sure she was okay.

She would always miss Nagini, but Nero kept her company and gave her comfort whenever he could. The nights would be getting colder now which means it would be time for him to burrow down soon. She would miss him during the winter months but it just wasn't safe to bring him inside with her. She had tried that once when she was six and her magic had reacted badly when they spoke of an exterminator. Granted, the dampeners someone had placed on the building had made sure the entire interaction had left her comatose for a week and the matron took advantage for another exorcism.

It wasn't long before she saw his black scales sliding along the ground as she let her magic into her fingertips to help bring the flowers on the bush to life once again.

'Mistress what on earth are you doing. You know what they will do if they catch you again.' Even as he scolded her there was an underlying fear in his tone. It looked like neither of them were quick to forget that incident.

'Do not worry Nero. And I've told you to call me Gwyn.' She gently soothed as she knelt down to the ground, stroking along his scales.

'It would not be proper. If I am to be your familiar then I must address you properly.' He gave a small nod of his head while she smiled at him.