Innocence

Chapter One

Sophia hammered on her parents' door, eager to see them. A groan emitted from behind the wood before the voice of her father called out:

"Son or daughter?"

"Guess!" She called back, grinning.

There was a short pause before the door was yanked open and Percival Graves stood there, towering over his young daughter, attempting to blink the sleep out of his eyes while the grin remained plastered on her face.

"Sophia." He sighed, more amused than annoyed. "Have you any idea what time it is?"

"Time for cake!"

Percival sighed again. "You know, your dad is almost as excited for today as you are; he was like this last year. I've barely slept, he kept me up half the night with his constant talk about you."

"Let the girl be excited!" A voice called out from the darkness behind him, before Credence stepped into view, placing a comforting hand on his husband's shoulder before turning to his daughter with an expression to match her own. "How does it feel to be older now?"

"Not much different."

"It should. It's an important year. Go and wake your brother, Sophia." Credence said softly, turning to face Percival once she had walked away. "How are you not happy for her, Percy?" He whispered.

"I am happy for her, Credence. It is merely the illusion that your excitement has portrayed me to be anything less." He gently took the hand that was resting on his shoulder and raised it to his mouth, kissing the knuckles carefully. "But I do not blame you; I understand why you are like this. I would be too if I had been the one who had had this moment cruelly ripped from my childhood."

- - - - -

Sophia found herself once again standing in front of a door, knocking to wake someone on the other side of it. Only this time, she was kinder.

Gently rapping on the wood with one of her knuckles she called out softly to her brother. "Adam? Adam! Wake up, Adam. It's today!"

Without a second's delay the door swung open and she found herself being swung up into the air by her older brother. Although only a year older than her, he was still capable of picking her up and holding her for long periods of time.

He beamed at her. "Happy birthday, little sister." He said warmly. "Excited?"

"How could I not be?"

"Many would be scared."

"You weren't."

He chuckled slightly. "True." He let go off her and she landed back on her feet before he offered her his hand, which she took gratefully. "Let's go and wait for our parents downstairs."

- - - - -

Cake and presents were rushed, all four of them eager to get them out of the way. For the rest of the day they sat around waiting, under the orders of Percival to "stay alert and not miss a thing".

Sophia sat on the carpet, staring longingly out of the window, trying to maintain the pretence that she was calm when she was actually both excited beyond belief and more terrified than she had ever been in her entire life.

What if it didn't come?

She glanced at her brother swiftly, and saw him watching her out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, he gave her a soft smile, obviously aware of what she was thinking.

"It will come, Sophia, I promise." He said calmly, walking over to her and kneeling down to her level. "You have no reason to worry."

"But what if-"

"Impossible." He said defiantly, his smile growing larger. "You know that more than any of us."

She gave a soft, sad sort of laugh and turned her attention back towards the window.

- - - - -

The morning steadily grew into the afternoon, and yet the family of four still remained, silent and poised, waiting.

By around half three Percival sighed, and was just about to suggest that they all go out and eat something to take their minds off of it when Credence suddenly cried out.

"Look! Over there!" He called, storming up to the window and pointing at a grey blur in the distance.

Sophia struggled to her feet and leapt at the window, pressing her hands and nose against the glass while watching the grey begin to focus and form into the shape of a bird.

"Quick, step away from the glass, we need to open the window for it." Adam said, pulling his sister away gently by her sleeve.

Two seconds after he had unlatched it and thrown it open as wide as it would go, the owl sped into the room and came to a halt on the carpet where Sophia had been sat moments before, coal black eyes blinking up at them.

They stood there for a second, no one daring to move, but all focussed on what the creature held in its beak.

Percival glanced at his daughter before taking a deep breath in and stepping forward to kneel down and take what had been delivered, the owl pecking at his finger as he stood up again. There was a tense few seconds as he stood there, back to the others, and inspected the envelope in his hand, turning it over.

Credence broke the silence. "Well?"

Percival slowly turned to face them, showing no expression before suddenly smiling.

"It is sealed with the Ilvermorny crest."

He held it out as Sophia ran towards him, tearing it out of his hands and inspecting it herself. It was addressed to her, swirling black ink on the cranberry coloured envelope. She turned it over and ran her fingers delicately over the wax seal, the Ilvermorny crest set into it.

She glanced up at her dad, who nodded at her once. Holding her breath, she turned the envelope in her hands and broke the seal, blue wax crumbling in her fingers. Slowly and carefully, she took the letter enclosed out of the envelope and opened it, skimming the first line.

She read it again. And again. And a huge smile spread over her face.

"Dear Miss Sophia Mary Graves,

We are delighted to inform you that you have been accepted a place at Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

- - - - - - - - - -

Hello! I've missed writing. Anyway, this is a story about Sophia, as you can tell. I hope you enjoy it, and if not then that's a shame.

I'm so sorry I haven't been able to write in so long, but I promise to publish at least once a week over the summer.

Anyway, vote, share, follow me if you want but don't forget to comment and tell me what you think.