Albus Potter and the Mystery of Eloise Elfenben #Wattys2017

Chapter 7

Dahmari stared at the cracked ceiling of the dorm room. As she closed her eyes, she reflected on her new life as a witch. She remembered when Professor McGonagall had first arrived to explain it to her family.

Dahmari sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, her hair changing colors frantically as she heard her parents yelling at the mysterious visitor downstairs. She had claimed to be a witch, and Dahmari knew that she was now facing the consequences. Witchcraft was a sin, and witches were spawns of the devil. Everyone knew that.

A few years earlier, Dahmari had first shown signs of her "sickness". Her hair had begun to change color depending on her mood, and her parents had consulted a priest to fix the problem. He had told them that she must be possessed by a spirit, and recommended they light candles and sprinkle holy water around the house, as it wasn't violent. It did not work. The symptoms continued. They realized they only had one option: hide her away.

They weren't malicious or abusive, they weren't mean- they just didn't let Dahmari outside or let her speak to anyone outside the family. But it was obvious to Dahmari that they were afraid of her- and her symptoms were getting worse.

She could now fully change her appearance, and change her voice to reflect the ones around her. She was gaining control though, and could keep her own appearance and voice for longer and longer periods of time. However, she had realized she had another skill- telekinesis, or something similar. She could move things without touching them. A few weeks later, the strange looking woman arrived. She explained that the telekinesis was just an uncontrolled form of magic, and her shape- shifting abilities were what made her a metamorphmagus.

She told them there was a school for people like Dahmari- witches and wizards. She could go there and learn to control her powers, and make friends with other children like her. After much yelling and crying, her parents finally allowed her to go. Dahmari was happy for the first time in a long time, and felt her hair turn green. She liked it. She decided to keep it.

She sat in the first empty compartment she saw, and a few moments later, a black haired boy and a red haired girl opened the door.

"Hi... Is anyone else sitting here? Could we sit here?"

The first three weeks of school had been the best three weeks of her life, but she still felt like an outsider. She wasn't a Gryffindor, she was an Elfenben, whatever that meant, and she knew that Professor McGonagall was no closer to solving the vague riddle the painting had given. What did Helga Hufflepuff have to do with anything? Would there be a clue somewhere about Eloise? What did it all mean?

Dahmari decided to find out.

She usually never used her metamorphmagus abilities besides her hair, because it was frowned upon at home, but she thought that this called for drastic measures. She turned herself invisible.

Unbeknownst to Dahmari, this was not a normal metamorphmagus ability. But that's a story for another day. Dahmari pulled on grey clothes, knowing they would blend in with shadows in the castle, and off she went through the portrait hole.

She ran the riddle through her head:
Helga Hufflepuff was the humblest of the founders, her house standing for equality among students. If you wish to learn the truth of Hogwarts, you must search for her ideals lying on the round table, each chair surrounding it the same.

Helga Hufflepuff... round... stands for... Dahmari's brain kept picking up on emphasized words throughout the clue. However, the connections seemed foggy... Where was the Hufflepuff common room again?

A/N: Hi! I hope you liked this chapter! I decided to have a chapter focusing on Dahmari because I think as a reader you don't know much about her and also because she is my favorite character. Hehe :)
Anyways, as I've said before, all feedback and votes are welcome, and if you like my writing please check out my other stuff! I have 3 new stories I'm working on and hopefully they will be up shortly, but I have an art book and an original story published as well. Thanks!