She's A Hufflepuff ~Book One of the Hufflepuff Chronicles

Chapter Seven

When we got back to the castle people stared at me and I didn't have to wonder why. We walked into the great hall and I bumped right into Duke. He backed up so fast he fell over and skittered around a bit before regaining his wits and running away. Professor McGonagall approached me next.
"Miss Malfoy, my office now, if you please."

Professor McGonagall's office a circular, grey stone tower. It was full of bookshelves and interesting looking knick knacks. I sat in the chair in front of her desk and she propped herself on the corner.
"I apologize for the lavatory, professor," I didn't look up. I kept my eyes in my lap.
"Nothing a little magic couldn't fix," her voice didn't sound angry at all. It sounded soft and empathetic. "Guinevere, I need to discuss something interesting with you."
"Yes professor?" I felt a little more comfortable knowing I wasn't in any trouble.
"Many years in the past, long before the first Wizarding War, there lived a powerful sorcerer, Arcturus Clave. He was an experimental wizard. He cooked death and steamed pride. He was unstoppable and reckless. He lived in an isolated castle alone...except for his daughter, Iracebeth. He loved her with all his heart and the girl often kept him from destroying himself.

"One day an experiment went horribly wrong and Iracebeth was specially enchanted. If she became overly emotional strange things would happen. The power had been lost until twenty years ago. A little Hufflepuff girl could be seen making flowers die when she was sad and the sun would change color when she was happy. This power was then named, Inperimae. That little girl was your mother, Guinevere."
I gasped. No one had mentioned my mother in ten years.

"Guinevere, with proper care your Inperimae could turn from a weapon to sheer beauty. But you must be in control of your emotions. Another outburst could prove fatal. Do you understand me?" Professor McGonagall smiled down at me.
"I understand. I can do it," I smiled. "So? My mother had Inperimae?"
"Yes. She knew how to use it as well. She was one of the most gifted witches I've ever met. But her power was desired by selfish people."
"The Malfoy's," I growled.
"Her Inperimae was abused and misused and it killed her." McGonagall's voice was low and sad. I exhaled,
"I never got to know her. Maybe now I can."

I laid in the grass and breathed in the fresh spring air. I saw the wind rustle through the cherry trees a few feet away from me. My friends Pepper, Taylor, Ash, and Mack sat in the grass with me. They were locked in a heated argument over something ridiculous. I swirled my fingers and the pink blossoms swirled in a steady pattern off the branches. I ran my wind through the whole grove until my wind had created a cloud of flowers. I summoned my cloud to just abound us and released it. It began raining cherry blossoms.
"You just think your so clever don't you?" Ash swatted at the petals.
"A little," I winked at him.

THAT SUMMER...

Pepper, Taylor and I sat high in the branches of Casa De Flores. Pepper was braiding Taylor's hair and Taylor was sketching the skyline. I was fidgeting with my snitch necklace.
"Why haven't you thrown that thing away yet?" Taylor scoffed.
"I did but it didn't feel right. There's something special about this necklace. I can feel it."
"It was given in love. Of course it won't feel right," Pepper smiled sweetly.
"No. That's not it. He didn't love me. It's something else," I replied.
"You know what we should do?" Pepper perched up. "We should do something crazy!" Taylor laughed at her. Normally I would to but I needed a change in my life.
"No she's right," I sat up straight. "I'm going to dye my hair!" I looked at pepper. "Yours has streaks of purple in it. Can you do mine?"
"I guess I could give you some high lights."
"No," I grinned. "All of it."