Black Swan

Before it all

August 1st, 1990 South Texas, United States

Water licked at the sand underneath my feet as I sat beside the ocean. Heat bored down on me in waves, stinging my skin and making it turn pink. Salt filtered through the air as I exhaled softly. The letter in my hand was in response to my resume. After I graduated from Ilvermorny and received my potions mistress license, I sent my resume out to every magic school I could think of.
The light green envelope bore the seal of Hogwarts. I stared at the elegant cursive, reading the lines over and over.

**Ms. Elizabeth Black,
I was pleased to receive your resume. Your research and skills speak for themselves. Hogwarts prides itself on prestigious instructors, and you would be a welcome edition. Please arrive promptly, August 3rd, 1990 9:00am,
and the interview will be conducted. A demonstration of your potion skills will be required.
We look forward to hearing from you,

Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress**

I wondered if it would be worth it? Returning to Scotland and possibly ran into my father's family. The same family that practically disowned him. I received a letter from Narcissa Malfoy. My aunt.

She had desperately wanted to get in touch with me, and I was beyond happy to finally have someone reach out. I would be going to the manor to meet them. Her and her husband would host me until I could find a place to live. It almost felt too good. The earnestly in her letter made me believe it wasn't. She had said she wanted to find me. Reconnect. I wonder if news reached her of my father's passing?

After a while, I decided to gather my things and head home. I had a lot to pack.

I arrived outside my apartment just as the sun was setting. Heat never really cools in Texas. It goes from 95 to 80 at night, but the sticky humidity clings to you even inside. The scent of magnolia and jasmine filtered through the air. Faded wooden floors creeked underneath my feet as I dropped my bags by the door. A meow catches my attention, and a little ball of black fur scuffs the floor to greet me. I had found Anubis late one morning on my way to work. He was hiding behind an old building that I pass by all the time. A dented statue was peaking out from the dumpster, and I recognized it as a cheap representation of Anubis. His bright green eyes peered at me curiously as he rubbed his head on my legs. It took a lot of research and medicine to help him out. He may have lost one of his legs, but he was still a very sweet cat.
The light overhead flickered. "Fuck. Not again. " I huffed. The electricity was always flakey here. I knew I needed to stop procrastinating and call the landlord. I pictured his thin hair and murky brown eyes. His glasses were too big for his face, and he always looked annoyed. I sometimes wonder why he chose to interact with the public at all.
I could hear his voice, thickly southern accent. I hated how he seemed to spit my name like a curse word. I don't know why Harvey agreed to give me the lease if he didn't like me so much.

Turning the water on, I slipped into the clawfoot tub. I needed to get all this sand off before I started packing. I shouldn't be such a pack rat. It would take forever. I'd definitely need to consolidate before I literally moved countries.

It was close to midnight, and I still wasn't done. The plane ticket on my dresser mocked me. The flight was leaving at exactly six in the morning in four days. Anxiety was starting to grate on me. Ticking at my sanity like a broken clock. Clothes were half folded on my bed, and various books and shoes littered my normally neat room.
If I didn't get a hold of myself, I'd never get this done. So I put a record on the player in the corner and got to work. I flicked my wand at my things, and clothes folded themselves into organized piles. My books stacked into boxes, and it was already looking better. All of which would test the limits of my expanding suitcase. Patsy Cline crooned in the background as objects flew past me, settling into boxes. Magic chimed around me like soft bells. I tried to organize everything and hopefully make it a little easier on myself when I arrived.