Reborn - A Harry Potter Fanfiction

i.i chapter one

Content Warnings: Depictions of abuse.

Summer, 1991: St. Claire's Home for Girls

 Ember would not deny one thing that day: she was hopelessly tormented by an overwhelming sense of nerves and fear. It had been a mere two days since she'd left St. Claires for her new foster parents, but yet again she was back at this old place. The children's home was still as rundown and melancholy as it had been last week; the sun seemed to forget to shine down upon its opaque, stone walls, therefore, casting a permanent gloomy shadow over the place. St. Claire's was a place of little light; of little joy and of little comfort for those who inhabited it, but still, Ember took that first terrifying step through its gates.

The wind turned bitter cold, despite it being the height of summer and Ember clutched onto her small carpet bag tightly, filled with the very few belongings she'd collected over her short lifetime. The sound of the swings creaked in the air as they rocked back and forth by themselves; the wind moaned in warning to not take another step closer, urging her to turn around and run, yet still, Ember Swan persisted. Holding her breath, the young girl finally took her first step onto the stone staircase that led to the cryptic, elmwood door. She needn't knock as upon her arrival as it immediately creaked open and from within the gloominess of the house, the sour face of Mrs Verity Hammond, grimaced down upon her.

The woman's wrinkles looked even more defined with the presence of a shrewd scowl and Ember knew exactly what that meant. Rather than saying anything, the young girl nodded and took her final step into the looming house. After all, she'd been taught by this very woman that children should be seen and not heard.

***

"There must be something seriously wrong with you, you little witch!" Mrs Hammond screeched as she dragged Ember by her ear through the dark and foreboding narrow passageway, rife with vermin scurrying along the wainscotting.

"You're like a leech, every time I think I've gotten rid of you, I find myself stuck with your pathetic arse once again."

"I'm sorry Mrs Hammond! I swear I did everything right!" Ember pleaded her case, tears falling down her cheeks. She really did try her best to be helpful, kind and a good child to look after but no matter where she went, no one would take her for longer than a couple of weeks. The other girls liked to tease her, saying 'no one wanted a scrawny, little rat for a daughter!' It was true, Ember was hopelessly skinny; her skin pale and yellow; her eyes sullen and grey. Not to mention her sandy hair which was thin and wiry like the fur of a wild mouse.

"I don't want your excuses girl, Mr Hammond won't like any of them!"

The woman's voice was shrill as it echoed off the dusty walls, dragging the child further by her ear into the dark building. Ember knew her guardian was right, besides there was no way she could explain the true reasons why she was cast out so often. It was something not quite real; something unearthly; something so completely illogical that no one on this planet would believe if she told them.

Staff and children lined up to watch the spectacle as they drew further into the old house, like ominous shadows watching from the dark corners of the room. No one made a move to intervene, for they also did not want to be next on Verity Hammond's hit list. Ember saw the terrified eyes of the other girls, watching as she was dragged up the stairs before they too shrunk back into the bleakness of the children's home.

Ember's heart started to beat faster and faster; she was sickened by the fetid stench of bilious putrescence, emanating from the entrance just ahead and it was no surprise when she found herself back outside the dusty, dark green door, paint peeling off it; the one that had haunted her nightmares, the entrance to Mr Hammond's study.