Moonlight

Chapter Eleven

May 1st 1976

Lilith was standing in front of the headmaster's office. The gargoyle seemed to be staring at Lilith. Her skin crawled. She didn't want to go. All night she had searched for an excuse to stay. But the girl had no choice.

She read aloud the word written on a piece of paper she had found on her nightstand this morning. The gargoyle moved aside to reveal a circular, moving stone staircase. The girl hadn't told her friends about the reason for her trip home.

Lilith knocked. She entered after a short reply. "Come in." The office was a large circular room. Many windows and many portraits decorated the walls. The face of Phineas Nigellus Black appeared in the corner of her eye. Most impressive for Lilith was the number of books in this room. Large bookshelves towered over her. Right in front of them stood Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. His hands were crossed behind his back and he was wearing robes the colour of the moon.

"Good morning, Miss Starlight," the silver-bearded man greeted her.

"Morning, sir." She tried to be polite even though she disliked him for letting her home. Dumbledore smiled at her, his eyes twinkling in a brilliant shade of blue.

„I hear you are not looking forward to your trip home. "

„No, sir. "She knew she couldn't lie to him.

„I understand. "Dumbledore's eyes were fixed on her. And he seemed to understand. „Sometimes we realize the importance of family, once it is too late. "It was the distant look in his eyes that made her think about the truth of his words.

The screech of a Phoenix brought them back to reality. Dumbledore went over to the fireplace and Lilith followed him shortly. She took the green powder known as floo powder and threw it into the flames.

"Primrose Alley 16, London"

Lilith stepped into the green fire and the next moment; she was home. Well, not her real home anyway. She was in the house she grew up in. Where her parents lived. It was as dark as she remembered. Dark wooden floor and dark blue walls. Bookshelves and portraits covered most of them. Her parents were sitting on one of the dark blue sofas. Her father sat on the left his legs crossed. Her mother sat straight; her hands neatly folded over her legs.

"Good morning, mother, and father," Lilith greeted them. Her voice was emotionless and quieter than usual.

"Good morning, Lilith." Her father was stern. Her parents didn't tell her to sit down, neither was she expected to talk. She simply stood there, waiting.

"You will have dinner with the boy and his family this evening. Of course, we will attend and host it. Before, you are expected to go for a walk with him. To get to know him. I arranged everything," her mother Amalia Starlight told her.

"Yes, mother. Thank you, Mother."

"But first, we have to get you changed. We'll start with a bath," she ordered. Their house elf Pimley proceeded to prepare for Lilith's bath. When her parents' attention turned away from her, Lilith went up the stairs to her bathroom. She took off her robes and prepared her hair. She always saved a few bottles of hair potion in her bathroom. Her hair would shine like the golden sun. She then braided her hair the way Regulus had done it when they were younger. Two braids, one on each side of her head. She then pinned up her hair. The house elf went to get the soaps and oils while the girl stepped into the bathtub.

When her skin was scrubbed cleaned and oiled with fresh rose oil, Lilith put on a bathrobe. Her mother once told her, her eyes looked better with a silver line on their lid. She also gave her blush and highlighter. The house elf put the make-up on and indeed, the silver line brought attention to her eyes. She unpinned and unbraided her hair. Golden curls framed her face. Pimley put them in a half-bun, leaving strands to fall in the girl's face.