Blooming Lonely
Prologue
My eyes rolled out over the large sprawling fields of green trees from my seat at the window of the library. A book sat forgotten in my lap as I traced my childhood home with my eyes. My eyes followed the gentle curves of the white stone that built up our school and followed the line of grey pathways that carved across the grassy hills and slopes that held trees and clearing where students were sitting and talking or laughing and playing games with one another. From there I look to the left to see the large lake that was crystal clear and held a few swimming students who were relishing the first few waves of heat that summer weather was bringing as the spring came to a close and with it the end of our final semester this year. Behind the lake I could just make out Alphyn Hall with its tall windows corridors and beautiful faulted dome in the center. Just to the east of Alphyn Hall was the House of Nix which was an old German style house which was colored with warm tan wood and stark white boards. Large circular windows sat at the front of each side and spiraled up to the top of the building where you could just make our the flat surface that students often sat on. To the east of the House of Nix was Dryad Manor which held warm dark colors and contrasting white tones that tied the entire building into the landscaping. Each floor of the building had beautiful curving walkways which were tucked away from the frigid cold of winter and fall by thick glass that was only slightly tinted in the sun light. You could see the beautiful wooden doors that lead into equally as beautiful rooms. The dorms and halls made a warm feeling of hominess burn in my chest causing me to smile. My dorm was on the higher floors and over looked most of the school.
Our school was surrounded by a thick visage of fog most of the time and hidden behind a strong disillusionment charm that had been in place for centuries due to the persecution of witches and wizards. Our school was founded by three witches and is therefore called the Salem Witches' Institute however both boys and girls come here from all over the United States as well as Canada.
"I can't believe we're leaving Bry…it's so sad to think mom is sending us back home after being here for so long." I turn my head away from the beautiful scene our school presented to us and I smile softly in Lillie's general direction. She smiles back and leans against the white frame of the window sill and folds her hands neatly against her thighs after tucking a strand of black hair behind her ears. While Lillie and I share the same hair color we look nothing alike. Lillie is tall and resembles our mother very strongly with a long elegant nose, full lips, cheeks that are colored by a perpetual red blush, long graceful hands, and a slim build. Lillie's eyes are the color of rich mahogany and were framed by her hair which rivaled the golden silk of any tapestry hung in our dorms. I looked more like our father and his side of the family. I had long black curls that fell in silken spirals to my waist. My eyes were the same shades of striking grey that my father's had been, his brother's had been, and many others in their families are. My mother often commented on the casual elegance that I had somehow gained from our family line despite ever meeting any of my family on my father's side. I was on the smaller side by I was much more muscular than Lillie is from years of playing Quidditch for the Dryads. By now I was also tanner than she was for the exact same reason. Over all I had dainty features that matched well with my small stature. The only parts of me that weren't small were my temper, my power, and my bravery. While Lillie sometimes shied away from challenges she was the more cunning of us and often spent her time behind the scenes instead of in the fields where I preferred to stand.
"Lil…" Her eyes turn to me as I turn to stare back out cross the school grounds. "You know that we have no choice…our Uncle has escaped from Azkaban and the Dark Lord is on the rise again. They will need as much help as they can get…especially after what that man did to Daddy." She nods softly and upon seeing the faraway look in my eyes she must have left to return to her dorm room. After I don't know how long I stood, replaced my book on the shelf with a flick of my wrist, and returned to Dryad Manor slowly taking in every memory I could possibly find.
Only a few short months later Lillie, Mom, and I were holding tightly to a portkey with what little belonging we hadn't sent over already held tightly to our selves. When we appeared I idly fingered the pendant around my neck which was carved in fines on the outside. Once the pendant was opened two family crests stood proudly looking back at me. One was of a large phoenix soaring proudly with the name Saunders scrawled below it and the other was another family crest. This one was topped by a skull. Below the skull was a knight's arm with a sword and below that sat three ravens with the middle being the biggest. This Family crest was that of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black with which my father, Regulus Black, was born into.