Daughter of Black: FIRE BURNS

Chapter 1

Half past four, and I'm laying awake, staring at my ceiling. The Quidditch House Cup game is in nine and a half hours. We're going to beat Slytherin. We have to. I'll be damned if I don't score at least 100 points for Gryffindor.

My mind is crowded with so many thoughts. The Quidditch House Cup. Uncle Remus. Daddy. I decide to get up and sit in my window. I'm on the farthest corner of the fifth year girl's dorm, I have the most space, and I get the largest window to myself. As I slowly slide out of bed, I let my fingers brush against the thick velvet curtains that hang from the four large mahogany bedposts, taking in the soft texture. The animagus side of me heightens all of my senses, so the simplest things feel extraordinary to me. The velvet curtains. The plush tapestry on the floor under my bed that engulfs my feet in a soft embrace. The rigid stone that lines the windowsill as I climb onto it. The dew forming on the glass of the window due to the humid air outside. It's all so calming.

I sit at the window until I see the sun creep over the horizon, it's at that moment when I climb down from the windowsill and decide to write a letter to Daddy.

"Daddy,

I hope this letter finds you in good health, and safe at Grimmauld.

If you're not there and Kreacher is reading this, please close it and save it for father's return, I'm excited to see you soon old friend.

But father, if you're reading this, I can't wait to spend the summer at Grimlaud. I miss it so much. I know we never got to spend much time there together, but Uncle Remus took me there to remind me of you and the family, and obviously to check in on Kreacher, whom I dearly miss. I'm so glad you're out and safe, and I can't wait to catch you up on everything that's happened.

I've finally controlled my metamorphmagus side, and I can actually change my appearance as a wolf, but I prefer the silver gray, because it's the one you know and love.

Also, George Weasley is my boyfriend, sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but he got Uncle Remus's approval, and you need to formally meet him because I know you'll love him.

Anyways, the House Cup game is today, and hopefully we'll win. I love you so much, and I've truly missed you Daddy.

Love,

Your Princess"

After I finish writing it, I seal the letter and call for Gadget, my beautiful great horned owl. With one word he was off, flapping his long wings, and I watched as his feathers rippled in the wind as he flew to deliver my message.

At about half past six I decide to go get George and Fred up, so we could all have some quiet time in the common room before the hooligans begin storming the stairwells, screeching with Gryffindor pride as they rally for the big match.

I silently slip up the stairwell and into the fifth year boy's dorm, and as usual, it's covered in stuff that was just strewn about. The sensation of the old wood floors on my barefoot, to the transition of the lush carpeting under the twins' beds made me walk even slower and quieter, just so I could have a minute to be with my thoughts.

Freddie's bed was closer, so I woke him up first and gave him time to grumble as he, as quietly as he could, went downstairs to the common room. As I was walking over to Georgie's bed, I noticed he had something in his hand. I managed to pull it free without waking him, and it was a wizard's picture of me laughing. Instead of replacing the picture, I decide to switch it for myself. As soon as he felt the bed dip, his eyes shot open, and stared at me with a combination of fear, anger, disapproval until he recognized who had just entered his arms. He pulled me closer and mumbled with his morning voice that's crisp and raspy, "this is how I want to be woken up every day for the rest of my life." He pulls me closer and nuzzles my neck before I roll out of his bed and pull him with me to go down to the common room. I grab his hand and guide his sleepy and clouded conscience down the stairs, only to find a snoring Fred on a lush couch near the fire.