After the War.

Celebration for One.

The sun didn't shine as the day was still only just starting and the night still seemed to be biting back at the day. My eyes didn't seem to mind though as they adjusted to the dark and I managed to find my wand on the table beside my bed. With a flick and faint whisper the wand lit up and my room came into full view.

The fire that was in the room hadn't lit yet but it was due to go up in flames soon. The clock wasn't quite at seven so patience was a virtue I would have to hold onto. It didn't take long though as the clock hit seven and one of the house elves popped into the room. A slight wave of nerves seemed to wash over them as my conscious state was noted.

"Daisy is so sorry. Daisy should have been more careful. Stupid Daisy and her stupid actions. They could annoy poor Miss Flint." I stepped closer to her and pulled her close to me and she still spoke about how 'stupid' she had been.

"Daisy is a lovely house elf who only ever does any good. You should know that about yourself and I will tell you what, you were doing exactly what I had hoped you to do. I am a little cold and can't see a thing in here without this fire." Daisy silenced as I began to speak and wide brown eyes met me as her large head was supported by a skinny little neck that matched her body.

"Oh Daisy is so proud. Daisy could cry," as though it was a natural reaction the small creature began to sob uncontrollably whilst her dress like fabric was pulled up, used like a tissue to wipe away the tears and bogies.

"Um, Daisy, would you like a tissue? I can grab one or you may if you wish." Her face was growing to be pinker as more tears fell but she accepted the tissue I had grabbed from the bathroom and blew her nose in it. Her hands were shaking and so I stepped back again before speaking,
"Daisy if you could wait here until I get dressed. It will only take a second and then we can walk out of here together." She was so busy crying that I just did it. Grabbing something warm on.

My jumper was pulled on first and then a short skirt that flowed out a little. The tights were pulled on in such a rush that I could feel a slight twist but that was only going to take a second to fix it. My black boots were tugged on and then I applied the lightest makeup before walking out.

The floor had an elf that was still crying but it was so light that she could hear everything in the room but as I walked closer she looked up at me. Large eyes ready for me to dote on and my hand moved out for her to take, which she did, quickly before we walked from the room.

"You are so kind. If Dobby was here he would love you so much. He always liked the kind ones just like he was." I wasn't sure what she spoke of but the name sounded sweet and strange.

"Who is or was Dobby?" I was so distant from the magical world that it seemed everyone else knew all there was and yet none of the books mentioned him at all.

"Dobby was a house elf. A free one, but he died when protecting Mr Harry Potter. Dobby always thought that Mr Harry Potter was a blessing to serve so he died happy, Daisy is sure. You are nice, like Mr Harry Potter is. Daisy is sure all of us house elves would love to serve you Miss Iona Flint. If Miss Iona Flint wants them to of course but Daisy was just assuming that you would. Daisy loves to help people." She was rambling but it was a happy and healthy distraction from the usual thoughts that filled me. Regrets and wishes, the past couldn't be changed. Not for me at least.

Finally we got to the hall and most staff sat at their usual table. I was allowed to sit at any of the other tables and when I sat at the Hufflepuff one I placed Daisy next to me. Her eyes bright red still and her nose was dry from all the tissue she had been using for quite a long time.

Food suddenly appeared around me and Daisy sat looking unsure of what to do. Her eyes kept moving from me to the staff and a few staff had looked up to see what I was up to. I hadn't actually sat in the Great Hall once since the holidays as I would walk in and grab a piece of fruit or a sandwich before I would walk to the library.

"Daisy, if you don't feel comfortable you don't have to stay but you can also eat if you wish." Her head began to nod so quickly that I feared it would roll off of her neck. That was when I picked at a piece of chicken with my fork. Nothing was eaten of it and my hands worked overtime, I didn't realise though as my mind was elsewhere. Nowhere that it should have been.

"Oh Miss Iona Flint, I must be off. I have been gone for far too long." I smiled at her but as she jumped off of the stool I spoke quietly and quickly.

"Could you feed this to Babushka please? She is the grey cat in my room. She also likes to hang out on the third floor." The chicken that I had stripped was taken with a nod and the plate wasn't seen again as I stood and walked from the hall. Most staff having left already so I felt no desire to outstay my welcome. I was sure they had to of had things to say to one another about something.

As I stood though a letter landed and as soon as it did I tore it up. Recognising the writing as soon as I had seen it and then I threw it into the next fire I saw which just so happened to be an abandoned and old classroom.

My body wandered to the library where I read for a while before leaving to my room. When I got there though two cats sat outside. One was my little Babushka and the other was an attractive tabby cat with strange marks. I felt uncertain and so picked up my cat.

"Come on Babushka, oh goodness, it's Christmas today. Well, not for me I suppose." a slight squeal was heard and as she was lifted she climbed back down. Staying with the cat there. My eyes strained for a second before finally I opened the door by touching the bricks and whispering; "Morsmordre." As I spoke it the door swung open and both cats sluggishly walked into the room not all too far behind me, though they could have been far quicker.

My room was quiet aside from soft purrs from my cat as it lounged on my lap and moved so that the optimum scratches could be had before finally she jumped down and began to meow forcefully at her bowl. Something she did that drove me up the wall whenever she did it.
"Fine you fat cat." I grumbled and stood, grabbing the bag and placing the usual serving into the bowl but the second cat wasn't the biggest fan of it clearly as the tabby sat at the door. Not moving from when I had let it in.

I was unsettled by such actions but grabbed at my pyjamas and walked into the bathroom. The cat was bound to move without me in the room and so I took my time. Hoping it wouldn't just cruise on the room from the door. Not that it would be able to get out but as I pulled the crop top over me I realised that I had left my jumper on my bed and so walked out of the room. As I got out of the bathroom though a woman stood at the door. She was stern and set upon something as her eyes peered down at me. Black bun firmly on her head and an angry glint in her eyes.

"Miss Flint." She cut short when my outfit was taken in. Booty shorts and a crop top weren't ideal for my clothes and so the jumper was sought but it wasn't where it was supposed to be.

"Sorry, Professor, I didn't hear you come in and well, I thought I had a jumper somewhere." She raised one of her eyebrows before hardening her stare again,
"Actually, did the tabby cat leave when you came in? It wasn't, anyway, how can I help you?" The woman kept a close eye on me as she called me over and we sat, her on the sofa and me on the arm chair.

"How do you know Morsmordre?" I froze for a split second and spluttered for a moment before finally I could give an answer.

"I heard it somewhere. My birth mother wrote it or something. It's just a word I have always known, like my name." She nodded but I could see that it wasn't a good word to use. The mental note was made. "Can I ask? Just, how or what, um, what is it?" She sat still for a second and shook her head deciding not to tell me. Secrets were filling blanks in my life but I had no clue what any of it was.

"Now, you have hardly eaten today or for the whole of the holidays in fact." I sheepishly looked down and said nothing to her. Trying to avoid anymore of her berating.
"Now, you have no head of house, no perfects and no support system so I am taking it upon myself to try and be all of those things. Do not think that you are all alone and you should also know that in becoming the headmistress of this school I am able to tell and know things that most simply can or could not and I am not stupid, something is bothering you. Your letter today was torn up. You thought that I didn't notice but I did." She finished speaking and I slumped down in the chair a little.

"I am just struggling to adjust to the school." I was about to ask something but thought against it as she seemed to be rather upset with what I had said to her rather quickly.