Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I only own Rhia and do not earn any profit from writing this.

Rated T for swearing and trigger warnings.

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Floral and Fading

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Prologue; Sweet Nostalgia

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I frowned at the parchment that had fallen from my haversack. It lay on the cold hard ground, slightly crumpled and yellowed from age. Picking it up, I recognised the feel of smooth, expensive parchment upon my fingers, before I unfurled it. The handwriting was all too familiar, and it only served to fuel to bittersweet emotions that came from reading it again. It was a letter, dated from nearly a year ago, and it was one of the last I had received.

Rhia,

I'm going to be starting my first year school soon. Do you reckon that I'll be good enough to get on the Quidditch team?
On another note, you haven't been sounding well. Tell me if there's anything wrong, alright?
I have to go to Diagon Alley with Mother and Father to pick up my school things now. I'll write to you again sooner.

Until next time,
D.M

I had written back to him, of course, reassuring him that everything was fine.

However, he had never written back, even though he stated that he would. The letter sent waves of nostalgia crashing down on me, reminding me of the times where the only thing I looked forward to each day was the post and the letters from home. His letters had essentially been the only thing that kept me afloat, but when they stopped coming, I began to plummet and drown.

Now that I was back here, I didn't know what to expect.

Lugging my belongings back home after what seemed to be a dream too good to be true.

Staring at the house before me, I raised my hand as I rapped the door lightly. There was a loud crack as the door opened, and I was met with a familiar house elf.

Pattie had long since served my family. She frowned while looking up at me, her nose even sniffling a bit.

"Young Mistress certainly looks as unruly as she did the last time she came to visit." Pattie half-lectured as I walked through the door. Compliantly, my hand made its way to my hair and I quickly retied it into a neater ponytail.

"Hello, Pattie. Has Mom come home yet?" I asked her, tugging my luggage behind me. Pattie shook her head.

Mom worked long hours at the Ministry. One summer a few years ago, she sent me overseas and barely contacted me. On the other hand, I never did find out why she had sent me overseas. Though to be honest, I didn't know why she had asked for me to return, either.

Climbing upstairs, I stepped tentatively to last room to the left of the hall. It felt strange stepping foot here after what felt like a few years.
I pushed open the door to my room. A small wooden sign hung on the door, with words written on it.

'Rhiannon'.

I recognised the childish scrawl as my own handwriting when I was five with the habit to persistently write my name on everything my hands came across. Almost smiling, I walked in and was immediately overcome with a sense of nostalgia.

The large room was spotlessly clean, with the covers on my bed already made. The walls were plain and tall, though the room felt smaller now than it did years ago now that I had grown taller. The last time I had set foot in this room was about three years ago when I came back briefly to visit.

Still, there wasn't the layer of dust that I had expected, which must have been Pattie's doing. I set my belongings beside my table, leaving them mostly untouched. Considering that I was heading off to stay at my new school in about two days, there was hardly any point in unpacking at all.
Pattie chose this moment to reappear by my side.

"Mistress would like you to go to Diagon Alley by Floo, Young Mistress. She'll meet you there," she said primly, large green eyes looking up at me expectantly.

"Alright then. Thank you." I responded, hastily moving to grab my purse. Making my way back downstairs, I stepped into the fireplace, before accepting the container of Floo powder that Pattie held out.

"See you later, Pattie," I beamed at her, before throwing down my handful of Floo powder. "Diagon Alley!"

The roaring green flames engulfed me, and I found myself vanishing from the fireplace. Within a few seconds, I reappeared.

Poking my head out, I stepped out of the fireplace, brushing soot from my jeans and grimacing at the black smudges they made on my hands.

"Rhiannon." A haughty voice rang out, and I turned, beaming slightly.

A feet away stood a woman, looking unbelievably proper in the work attire she donned. Her black hair, in contrast to my own, was tied up tightly in a neat bun. Her eyes were a warm brown, as compared to my own- my eyes were a colder, harsher grey.

"Mom." I said simply, taking a step forward. Her stern facade shifted as she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around me tightly.

We walked down Diagon Alley, stopping occasionally to get my things for school. Pushing through the crowd of wizards, a myriad of emotions descended upon me, and I reveled in how homesick I had been the past few years.

"What's wrong?" Mom brushed my hair away from my face in concern, eyes staring at the redness of my own.

"Nothing," I smiled, shaking my head. "Just missed it here."

The walk through Diagon Alley was strangely peaceful despite the commotion, and I hugged my new school books. It felt strangely comforting, like it was assuring me that this was not just a dream.

It was definitely good to be home.

I found my eyes drifting over to the envelope in my mother's hand, that was so delicately emblazoned with a school crest.

'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, huh? Wonder how it's like there.'