The Making of Pansy Parkinson
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Anatomy and Physiology: (Task 2) Write about someone removing something or someone from their life.
WC: 659
Pansy Parkinson stifled a sob as she packed her clothes into the suitcase. She looked around her childhood bedroom that had served as her sanctuary for seventeen years. The room was a princesses paradise with enough pink things to make Dolores Umbridge green with envy. A crystal chandelier lit up the room, while her luxurious bed was plush and covered in cushions; the pictures on the wall featured a happy, popular, girl. Anyone viewing the room would think that the young girl was the apple of their parent's eye; they'd be wrong.
Peregrine and Cornelia Parkinson didn't give a damn about their daughter, but it was essential to keep up appearances. She was just a nuisance to be put up with until they could marry her off to a rich pureblood. If they were lucky, maybe he would live abroad, and they'd only have to see her on special occasions. And yes, Pansy had heard them say this many times over the years. Her older brother, Phineas, was useful because he could carry on the family name.
When no purebloods from Durmstrang showed an interest, Pansy found herself engaged to Draco Malfoy. Pansy was happy about being paired with the handsome blond Slytherin. At least he wasn't some brainless troll like Crabbe or Goyle. She played the part of devoted girlfriend perfectly, being loyal, sympathetic and loving. The match worked, even though Pansy couldn't deny the fact that it was one-sided.
It was in her seventh year that things started to go wrong. The words that came out of her mouth changed her life.
"But he's there! Potter's there! Someone grab him!"
Pansy glanced once more at the pictures of her ex-friends. They didn't want to know her now, and she couldn't blame them. Harry Potter was the darling of the wizarding world. What had she been thinking?
"It doesn't matter," she told herself. "It's too late to do anything about it now." She left the memories on the wall and walked out of the room, not looking back. Her suitcase trailed behind her.
Peregrine and Cornelia were waiting at the bottom of the stairs with Phineas, who smirked at her. He had plans for Pansy's bedroom, and he loved telling her about them in detail.
"Took you long enough!" her mother snapped. "You've disgraced this family and no pureblood in his right mind will want you. You're dead to me." Without another word, she turned and stomped away. Phineas followed Cornelia silently, leaving Pansy with her father.
Pansy expected to be swept up in a wave of sadness, but the only thing that washed over her was numbness. She looked into her father's eyes; the eyes that were so much like her own. He stared back with a look of deep loathing. "Here," he snarled, handing her an envelope. "This should be enough to tide you over for a month. After that, you're on your own. Don't even think of coming back to ask for more."
She lifted her chin and glared at her father. "Keep it. I've found a job at the Leaky Cauldron, and I'm to have a room there until I find somewhere else." Pansy dropped the envelope on the floor and stamped on it in disgust.
Her father's eyes darkened until they were almost black, and she saw him grip his wand. Pansy grabbed her own, refusing to back down. "It's only a cleaning job, and it will hurt my pride to be seen in that dump, but it's better than staying here and being treated like dirt by the people who should love me the most. I took a hard fall, but I will get back on my feet."
"Get out of my house," Peregrine hissed.
"Gladly," Pansy answered with new conviction. Her new life was about to begin, and she was ready for it.
She was a determined, resourceful woman, and she would show the world just what she could do.