Ellen sat for the last time in the tiny bedroom she had shared with two other girls. She was reading a letter she had hoped for her whole life, a letter from her biological mother; a woman she had never had any desire to meet. Although she had now read it in total four times, she was still having trouble comprehending some of the words in it- one part explained that she was what was named a squib, which is like a muggle only born to magical parents. She did not know what these meant and assumed that they were not proper English terms, maybe slang that was used where her mother was from. The letter also said that the reason for her mother leaving her was because Ellen was born when her mother was only eighteen. The age, it struck with a pang of remorse, Ellen was now. There were a few words in the writing that, although she knew what they meant, she couldn't understand why they were used to describe real people; in the letter it said that her father was a wizard. Though this did make a little more sense to Ellen."Maybe 'wizard' is slang as well? Like 'he's a wizard at that'." Ellen thought to herself upon yet another read through.The more she thought about how it could make sense, the less sense it made.She had received the letter today because today was Ellen's 18th birthday. Tomorrow she would have to move out of the home into a flat that had been arranged for her. It was at reduced rent for the first three months, which gave her time to find a job. Ellen suspected that the government had something to do with it, but she knew that she wasn't smart enough to understand all the complicated stuff that went on with it. She had also learnt that it's best not to ask too many questions. Except after reading the letter full of mysterious words she was full of questions. Not about her mother, Ellen did not want to know anything about the woman who had deserted her at birth, but instead about her father. A man who; according to the letter, did not have any knowledge that he had a daughter.
"Rise and shine! Today's going to be a long day, so you'll want some breakfast in you."Ellen woke to see her guardian, or former guardian, standing at the side of her bed like a nurse, holding a bowl of cornflakes. Luckily she had packed the majority of her things the night before since she was not in the mood for celebrating her birthday, so could therefore take time over her breakfast. After all, she could hardly drink to the fact she had to leave the next morning."I'll be back up in ten minutes to get your things."Ellen sighed and pulled out the letter again from under her pillow. She slipped it out of the envelope and opened it once more. Suddenly she realised that the writing on the envelope wasn't the same that had written the letter. She cursed herself for not seeing it before. The letter was a scratchy, quick, tearstained scrawl whereas the address had been written in a beautiful, flowing hand. Before Ellen had time to ponder this, one of the girls that shared the room with her came shuffling in from the hallway to say goodbye. They hadn't been particularly close but Ellen sensed that Gina wasn't exactly happy about having to get used to another girl sharing the room. They both sat on the bed while Gina played with her long, curly hair. Ellen had a sudden brain wave and as Gina shook her locks behind her shoulders, Ellen took one hair-band from her desk and popped it on her wrist. She gathered the other few up and handed them to Gina. Receiving them, Gina looked confused."They're a precious thing around here," Ellen explained, "They always get nicked or lost."It wasn't a big gesture but Ellen knew that it was better than nothing.Once fully packed and having said all her goodbyes, Ellen and her guardian walked to the tube station and said one final, tearful goodbye.