Chapter 1 - Long walks
As every night she decided to walk towards the forest. It was a ritual almost, a burden and a soothing draft. It felt calm there. The trees, the cold air and those thoughts that continued to reappear...haunting her, tormenting her and then the numbness would take over at dawn. Another potion to ease the pain inside, another night to forget it all, another walk to keep going further.
She arrived at the lake and stripped from her dress, carefully she put the robes on a moss tree behind her and decided to go for a swim. It always calmed her, the feeling of the icy water on her pale smooth skin. Her long brown light hair with curls at the end embellished the waves that had form as she emerged herself into the water. And then nothing more. No sound, no worries, no more cares.
As she entered the small cottage an owl was expecting by the window with a letter. She knew it was time, she knew she was prepared, she had known this for the past month, however the aching in her heart told a different story.
My dearest,
The time has come. Find me.
Forever yours,
A.
The letter said nothing more. It didn't need anything else to say but somehow she wanted more, expected more, demanded more. She will leave the very next day in the morning and venture for another path, for another forest and for another walk.
By the time she reached the lake she inhaled sharply and calmed herself. Last time she saw him was five years ago. She closed her eyes and remembered his long hair, his smile and his pleading eyes. How could she say no after all that he gave her, how can she forget the happy memories they shared, the only things she owned. Bracing herself she stepped into the boat and was taken to the castle. The mist around that cold day of December prevented her to acknowledge and see right through the new surroundings.
The gatekeeper was waiting for her at the bottom of the castle and welcomed her with a smile when she arrived.
"Welcome, my Lady. This way please" said the big fury man.
Her blue eyes gazed upon him. Had she forgotten the way that people looked? Her life in solitude has not allowed her for human interactions. Most of her errands were runned by her servants. She didn't need to go to the city, she only travelled through the forests and the country side, visited abandoned places, collected herbs for her healing potions, mainly occupied her time with reading books and concentrating on developing her strengths.
By the time she reached the corridor the noises became clearer. She could hear those happy voices, too many maybe but she was prepared, it all came that to this moment.
The doors opened by themselves and she made her entrance. The silence was unbearable, magical, surreal. All those eyes were on her but she focused on the centre of the hall were he was waiting. Her long, dark blue velvet cape that covered her from head down swept the stone floor as a dance, she didn't hurry nor she paused but floated right through like music. She took her cape down and looked up to meet his eyes, he reached her and took her hand and presented her to the audience.
"My dearest colleagues and students I present to you, your new teacher in Wandless and Non-verbal Magic, Lady Vivienne of Sherwood"
. Clapping and cheering were herd, there was no turning back now, she had started it, the last of the walks, the longest of them all, the deepest of all lakes, it was finally in front of her.
She was at Hogwards.