Holly stared at the ceiling of her dark room, lost in thought.
'If only I had been stronger. Then maybe she wouldn't have died. If I had just sat down and read the letter, maybe Natasha might still be alive. I didn't think she would no, could go through with it. She did, just like she said she would at dusk, the same way her little brother died a year prior. Falling off from Big-Bens observation rail, or in Tasha's case jumping.' She simply couldn't keep those thoughts from penetrating, no matter how hard she tried. The bedside table shook as a new wave of sadness swept over her at the memory of her best friend taking her life simply to keep Information out of reach. The dagger with it's already bloodstained blade, rattled as it hit the floor the fresh blood running off the now slick blade into a small puddle on the floor. She took some deep breaths and tried to control her grief. The Limbers would not take it lightly if their furniture started chasing them again, when they finely had a vacation from work.
They where going to be going to Spain and she was staying here… alone and safe, free to do as she wished as long as they never found out she left her room. They said they would leave some canned pears in the pantry and some leftover chicken scraps in the fridge. However if she needed something to drink she had to drink STRAIT from the tap, no 'wasting good dishes with bad rubbish'. There where also some apples on the table in the Dinning room, likely rotten but edible. Till then she was locked in the attic sneaking out her window and a role out escape ladder, when three roaring snores echoed through the house .
Darkness. Night, or day it didn't matter her light was broken, and her windows were painted black to prevent the neighbors from seeing her. She was thier dirty little secret. The Limbers had given up years ago on replacing the light bulbs in her shabby attic room because they just kept blinking out or bursting every other day. So the dark became her friend, she learned to manipulate shadows her eyes adjusting and becoming more sensitive to light giving her some semblance of above human night-vision.
Not having to deal with all of life's pain might be worth a fight to the death. She started humming at that thought, trying to decide how she wanted to go down.
It was Lost-fox, her foster 'brothers' Black Arabian that kept her mind in reality reminding her of her duties. Lost-fox was a forgotten birthday present of her foster brothers left over from his obsession with 'the back stallion' almost two years ago. Holly always had to clean out the stall and groom him however it didn't bother her in the least, in her opinion taking care of the emaciated stud she confided in daily. She had to care for him that was one goal for her to accomplish to keep her mind off her foster family till they left. It wasn't much, but it helped with the daily work, knowing that there was a reason to keep on living. (AN: the reason it is emacated is she does not by the food as she at this point is not allowed to.)
She came down from her room at ten and made a beeline to the barn totally unmotivated to do anything but read a new book from the book shop in the hidden alleyway to Lost-fox like she did every Sunday while the Limbers were at church. The other two in the room a local stray tomcat and a barn owl that lived in the eves. The latter of which kept casting glances at her reading a book that seemed to be written in what looked like blood. Holly had many alliances in the magical domains around her home area but no true friends to speak of other than the three animals in the barn. Holly stared at the ceiling of the dark barn, lost in thought, a stomp of Lost-fox's hoof returning her to her reading.
~a week later~
"Girl, pay attention we've been beyond nice over the years giving you food, clothes and a roof over your head… we only kept you for the penitence check but you know that" said her foster father, in a fit of anger over another 'stunt' at the supermarket that morning. "I'm tired of putting up with you for the meager three-hundred pounds we receive to provide for you. You have three hours to get your things and be out of my house, am I understood you filthy Barn rat! OUT!" Said the smug man getting louder and louder.
"Yes sir" holy replied walking up to her room… "Sir? May I bring the horse with me, that way it's not wasting anymore of your money."
"That old nag? Whatever I was going to sell it to the Glue factory anyway… fitting, a rat and a dying useless nag."
"Thank you sir, I'll go gather my things now and be going." And she did just that.
The belongings now in the old duffle bag included: Her few clothes, her brush, pillow, few books she has swiped, toothbrush, hand rag, thread bare teddy, her journal, a can of pears stolen from the fridge last night, and a blood red spell book that she tucked into her coat pocket. She went over the list in her head before thinking to add the dagger. Sighing Holly zipped the bag and headed for the back yard, soon she would be homeless but at least she was free.
Out in the barn she debated as to where she could go… tacking up the Arabian she put on his black and silver western Bridle and the Australian Saddle. Putting the rest of the supplies, like brushes, hoof-picks, halters/leads, extra bits and lotions/sprays into a few new Saddle-bags fromwhen her 'mother' had the brilliant idea to take Lost-fox trail riding. Then her 'mother' changed her mind desiding it would be too buggy.
"So where should we go Fox?" rubbing his withers softly "Why don't I go look for my sister? Do you remember my sister Hannah; she used to live here a long time ago back when we were little kids. Soon all of us will be together again. Now what the heck was that place they sent her to called? Knocktall, no Knocktwist…" sighs "no that's not right either, Knockturn, yes that sounds right. So Knockturn it is Lost-fox, lets go!" she said vaulting onto the stallion and cantering down the street. Following her instincts to lead her to her sisters home. What she didn't know was her little sister was currently a servant in the Malfoy's home... even if she was treated well and even cared about by one the other two treated her like the whipping boy. Shortly after a stop in Diagon Ally (where she exchanged her savings to get a new set of robes and her wand.) she was in a little known shop, owned buy a Harpy acquaintance of hers Holly rang the bell.
"What do you want!" screeched a lady from the back.
"Klora Stormfeather? It's me Holly Limbers from the park, I need you to take off the ministry guards on my wand?"
"If it means we are even I'll do it whelp. But then be gone with yah!"
"Thank you Klora" she said leaving the run down shop in favor of another larger shop, a pet shop to be exact.
As she stepped inside the large barn looking building a oder of rotting meat and mildew hit her. "Waddya' want brat!" rang out from the back.
Glaring at the man she stated "I need a health recovery, and strength returning potions for an Arabian horse, male, three years old. He'll need your highest quality food, a months worth will do." then as an after thought on a book she has looked throught she said "I would like an unshoed Thestral mare, albino, between the ages of 2 and 10 years, and have a harness sent here."
"We have no albinos Miss, do you still want a mare? And all total with mare is 5,000 gallions, with out mare is 1,000 gallions."
"Yes give me the mare but make it one who is with foal same price. To make up for not having what I wanted." She said with a false glare, glad at having managing to get what she really wanted for nearly half the cost.
"Sold" snatching the gold he waddled into the back leading out a fine looking, foal heavy 5 year old brood mare.
"She's perfect, I'll name her Lakota" she wrote the name on the sales contract. Gathering the rest of the shrunken stuff into her new cloak. "I need a wand maker."
"At the very end of Knockturn there is a wand shop with boarded windows, knock three times wait ten seconds then say the reason you are there. She will also trade rare and or illegal materials. If she knocks back once go in two knocks and you have five seconds to flee before the traps kick in.
"Pleasure doing buisness." she scowled as she left the store and then burst into exited giggles as she remounted Lost-fox and tied Lakota's Lead to the saddle. Making her way to the storefront...