Part One: Beginnings
Chapter 1
"Nellie! Nellie, look at this!"
Her mother suddenly burst into the room with an open letter in hand.
The small girl sitting at her desk in the far corner of the room shot up out of her seat and turned to face the woman. The large book she was reading suddenly fell down onto the wooden surface with a loud thud.
"Yes, mum?"
She saw the woman's large smile quickly fade into a disapproving frown. "What did I tell you about using magic? No magic, you hear me? No levitation. Nothing of that sort." She strode over the desk to peer at the book's pages.
Nellie twitched a few of her fingers defiantly. The book spun over to its back cover and slid across to the opposite side of the desk.
The woman narrowed her light brown eyes and looked at the child sternly. "Nellie. Don't you remember what I said about reading about those kinds of things? And what did I just say about using magic?"
"But Uncle Marco said I should broaden my studies to include all aspects of magic and magical history." She turned her head to return the woman's stare. "Including those of dark magic and dark wizards and witches. There's no harm in just reading, is there?"
"I don't care what my brother says." The woman lurched forwards and made a grab for the book, but Nell moved again to defend it. "Now, you listen to me. You were too young to remember, but not nine years ago, thousands of wizards and Muggles were persecuted and brutally killed under the reign of just a handful of powerful dark wizards."
Nell heard her adoptive mother's voice thicken in those few last words. And she knew well what the woman was talking about—she had read about those same events and dark wizards in that very book she had been reading. Nell nodded obediently. The tension between the two cooled and her mother looked down at the letter in hand.
"See here?" she pointed to the paper and stiffly handed it Nell. "Addressed to you."
Nellie seated herself and opened up the folded letter.
"To Nell Bennett," it read. "The Ministry of Magic addresses this letter to you in response to your request for the early obtainment of a wand. The aforementioned request has been extensively reviewed by our officials. We are pleased to inform you that it, as of now, has fulfilled the primary and secondary procedural qualifications and will now be subjected to the Head of this department for review. Two department officials will be visiting your home at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, the 17th of April 2007 in order to complete the required household and home check. Regards, Ava Prood, Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Ministry of Magic."
Nell stared at the paper blankly for a few seconds, and then read it a second time. "So, I'm getting a wand?"
"Yes, Nellie. It's about time you stop reading about spells, and for you to actually start casting them. I think both you and I have had enough of your hand waving and uncontrolled magic. A wand will give you better control over your magic and help you become more efficie—"
"But I don't want a wand," Nellie said flatly. She knew what her magical capabilities were. They were extraordinary. She didn't need that woman to tell her how to handle magic.
"Well, you're getting one, child. And, anyways, as I was saying—"
"No, Mother," she said calmly, yet felt an unintentional edge showing through in her voice. "You may be my mother, but it doesn't mean you know magic. Squibs like you can't understand magic like true wizardkind."
Nell watched her bristle with silent rage, and then march from the room on the verge of tears. With a careless flick of her wrist Nell shut the door and, with practiced skill, locked it with a twitch of her fingers. Once the act was done, she sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"You may have gone a little too far there," a voice said from across the room.
Nell let out a halfhearted chortle and turned her head towards her bookshelf. "Well, perhaps a bit. I should really watch when I shut the door from here—I did slam it a tad harsher than I meant. At least I know she won't be cross with me for long."
"Whatever you say, Nell. At least she didn't ground you again."
Nell went over to her single window, lingering only a moment while watching a passing bird fly across the red-orange sky, and then yanked the curtains closed. "It's not as if I ever go outside, anyways."
She then strolled over to the bookshelf and felt along the top of the large tank. Her hand brushed across smooth, cool scales. The snake slowly twisted and slithered up the length of her outstretched arm. He began to curl around her neck.
"Good to see you again, friend," she said, grinning. "I see you've made it back unscathed from your adventure outside."
"I did nearly get clipped by your neighbor's lawnmower again," the grass snake replied.
"When did you return? I didn't hear you come back."
"Shortly before your mother came in. We are fortunate that she didn't glance across the room to see me sitting on top of the tank, not in it," Gash said. "She would have thrown your book at me."
Nell carefully made her way over to and climbed into her bed. She reclined her head on the pillow, taking care not to squash the snake beneath her head. She closed her eyes. There was a long pause between the two, but they were both enjoying each other's company. She could feel his tongue flicking against her cheek every minute or so and he was soaking in the warmth from her neck.
"Maybe you're right. I was a bit harsh on her today. You know how my temper flares when she interrupts me like that."
"Yes, yes I do. Especially when she catches you reading the things she forbids you from reading. Especially after you've spent half the afternoon moping around in your room all by yourself, without me to keep you company."
"Mhm." A few more long minutes passed. Nell's thoughts returned to the book she'd been reading, Hogwarts, A History. "Gash, earlier today I read about some geezer name Salazar Slytherin. It said he could talk to snakes." Nell hesitated. "You've encountered lots of people, so, before I met you for the first time in that forest, did you ever meet anyone else who could talk to you?"
"No," he replied, and then added quickly, "but they might have all been Muggles. Most people are, after all."
Nell took a few moments to contemplate his words. "Well, that's all I wanted to know. I'm starting to get tired now. G'night, Gash," she yawned.
Slowly, the snake slid out from under her neck and coiled himself on top of her chest. "I'm very glad to have helped. Perhaps in return you could find me a larger tank? I'm beginning to outgrow the current one."
"Sure thing. I'll just cast Engorgio on it once I get my wand."
"Much appreciated."
"It was nice talking to you again, Gash. You had best get back into your tank soon. Mum will probably stop in sometime tonight, and you do know how she screams when she sees you out. I'd hate for her to wake me." she mumbled drowsily.
"And you too, Nell."
She felt him winding his way back down her arm and could hear him slithering back towards the bookshelf. She rolled over beneath the covers and dreamt of her faceless birthmother.
