After the tragic death of her best friend/unrequited love, Cedric Diggory, Elliana Kingsley, a Muggle-born witch, chose to leave Hogwarts and travel with her parents to the continental US, hoping for a fresh start.
But her world is turned upside wh...
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"Anything could happen to any of us at any given time, Elliana. Life is about taking chances— Taking risks. Life is about actually living— Having adventures and putting yourself out there. I don't want to live in the shadows for the rest of my life. I want to experience everything life has to offer."
The words of my best friend, Cedric Diggory, played on repeat in my mind as I stepped out of the car, waving goodbye to my mother as she drove away. I was quick to pull my hood up, trying to appear inconspicuous as I searched for the main entrance. My eyes drifted to the sign beside the road— Dobyns-Bennett High School.
It had been three months since the tragic death of my best friend. Three months since he was murdered by He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Or as some people call him— The Dark Lord. Voldemort. Even thinking his name caused a chill to travel down my spine. Many people didn't believe that he had actually returned. In my opinion, they were simply in denial.
I had spent the summer in my childhood home in Derbyshire with my parents. They were aware that my best friend had passed away, but they weren't provided with specifics. They knew that I was a witch and that I had been attending Hogwarts, but the less they knew about the wizarding world, the better. Especially with the return of You Know Who.
My father was a struggling journalist, who was offered a job he couldn't pass up in North America. My parents were all for me returning to Hogwarts, but I simply couldn't bring myself to. Not yet.
I had been writing letters to my closest friends— Fred, George, Natalie, and Trevor. I even exchanged a few letters with Harry. They were all hoping I would return, but they knew how deeply I was struggling with Cedric's death. I would keep up with my wizarding studies from afar. I knew there was only so much I could learn through 'homeschooling' when it came to magic; I didn't want to fall too far behind. But, to be honest, I wasn't sure if I would ever return to Hogwarts.
My mother was persistent that I enroll at the local high school here in Waverly, Minnesota— One of the rainiest towns in the continental US. To be honest, I didn't mind the rain, but it wasn't a pleasant feeling walking around in wet socks all day. I cursed internally as I stepped directly into a puddle, the water seeping through my converse and soaking my feet. Just my luck.
I hadn't realized how small the town actually was until I took a good look at the school. Compared to Hogwarts, this school was quite literally an ant hill. My eyes automatically drifted to the sky, half expecting to see Quidditch players flying through the air on their broomsticks. My heart dropped at the reminder as memories of Cedric sailing through the sky consumed me.
Despite my attempt at being discreet, I could feel the students' stares as I trudged through the parking lot. With a town this quaint, a newcomer is easy to spot. I kept my head down as I walked into the school. Luckily for me, I was able to stumble upon the main office without any trouble.
I walked into the glass room and saw a middle-aged woman with bright red hair and large purple glasses. She looked up from her computer screen and gave me a kind smile that I was only able to return half-heartedly.
