A/N: I know I haven't touched this story in over a year, but after I got so far with it I wasn't happy with the beginning. So I am in the process of revising all of the chapters. I don't think I'm gonna change much content but the grammar was baaaad, and it had tons of other common little errors I am hopefully weeding out. Anyway I am back and working on this story again for anyone still out there from before. I will try to get a revised chapter a day done, then I'll get going on more story...yay!!!!! Anyway, thanx for hanging in there.
Much Love,
Phoenix Bride
Introduction
Ellexia awakens, weary to open her eyes, for today could either be a new beginning, the much needed and hoped for bright light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel, or the continuation of her previously hell-ridden existence. Today could change her life as she now knows it; today she meets someone who can help her out of the deep dark well she has been consumed by for way too long. Wanting to postpone this inevitable fork in the road just a little bit longer she lies in her bed facing the ceiling, eyes still closed, wishing she had just awoken from the nightmare which was her miserable existence, to open her eyes on a new life which she could stand to face each and every day.
Grimacing at the thought of what she would see Ellexia slowly opened her eyes, her pupils slowly contracting in order to adjust to the bright morning sunlight invading her dank bedroom. The little hope remaining in her vanished as she saw the very plain and customarily white walled tiny apartment bedroom in which she usually only stayed in a couple months of the year. It could hardly be called hers as it was more of a guest room/storage space her parents used to hide all of their unwanted junk, which Ellexia felt included herself. She rolled over to face her bedside table, which was really just a cardboard box with a small lamp and an alarm clock on top of it. She lifted the alarm clock and pulled out the razor blade she hid underneath it, not that anyone ever graced her room with their presence, let alone actually cared about what she did to herself. As she stared down at the blade in her hand she thought about where she would cut herself next, wondering which place on her body would fulfill the need for the feeling of pain and its release most. She chose her left forearm, because it was the easiest place to control exactly the amount of depth and pain she wanted with her cut. She slowly placed the sharp blade against the pale white skin on the inside of her arm, half way between her wrist and elbow creases, then ever so slowly with just the right amount of pressure drew the blade across her skin reveling in the release of all the painful feelings holed up inside her leaving with the pain and blood escaping the quarter inch deep gash in her arm. She lay back onto her bed with a low moan letting the blood flow from her arm and staining the plain white cotton sheets, then with one long deep breath she sat up looking at her wound, maybe just a touch too deep, and looked around for something to stem the flow. It was time to get ready for the meeting that awaited her.
Chapter One: The Meeting
Ellexia was standing in her parents' kitchen draining the last of the milk at the bottom of her cereal bowl. The doorbell rang, startling her just slightly. She took a deep breath as she sat her bowl on the pale yellow counter top, then wiping off the milk dribbling down her chin with the sleeve of her shirt, walked to the front door. As she placed her hand on the doorknob she paused, wondering if she could look forward to brighter days in the future, and then feeling the deep dull throb in her arm from her earlier release, she turned the knob and opened the door. Not saying a word she stood in the doorway looking out on the two people standing outside. One of which she knew all too well and detested with all of her being, the headmaster of her previous school, the Eagleseye Institute of Magical Education. The school in which she was unceremoniously kicked out of for beating a girl bloody and senseless, as if the girl had any sense to begin with. The other person she had never met before, but assumed was the person that could save her from this dark existence.
"Ah Hem," her ex-headmaster throated waking Ellexia from her daydream. "I would suggest you let us in if you would like to accept this second chance I have so unnecessarily set up for you, not that you deserve it in anyway."
Ellexia silently stepped aside letting them in, then pointed to the living room where they could sit. Headmaster Livetons stalked past her with his nose high in the air, and the usual disgusted look on his face that he always wore in her presence. Ellexia seethed with anger as he went past. Stepping across the threshold behind him was a tall dark haired middle aged woman. Her posture was very strait and she emanated a presence that demanded respect, but not in the harsh stuck up way of Headmaster Livetons. The woman had a stern calmness to her even though she had a slight wariness in her eyes as she looked at Ellexia. The woman looked her directly in the eye and greeted her with a strong English accent, "Hello, my name is Professor McGonagall, I am the Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it is nice to meet you." The woman held out her hand for Ellexia to shake. Looking down at the hand Ellexia slowly grabbed it and gave it a quick shake, while barely audibly mumbling, "Hi."
Still looking Ellexia in the eye, the woman very calmly, and with a touch of sweetness, suggested, "If you wish to attend my school I would prefer you to greet me with a 'Hello, Professor McGonagall,' a little manners can go a long way, M'dear."
Ellexia cleared her throat nervously, and trying her best to speak loudly enough to be heard, she spoke, "Hello, Pro...fessor McGonagall." She hated talking to people, it always made her so nervous, and it really showed that she had to literally force the words to come out.
The woman walked past into the living room with almost a look of pity on her face, she sat down on the old worn couch next to Headmaster Livetons. Ellexia shut the door and reluctantly walked over to a very shabby old armchair facing the couch and sat down, slouching with her face towards the floor.
"Well, Miss Baine, are your parents joining us?" Headmaster Livetons asked, barely acknowledging Ellexia as a person.
"No, they're at work," Ellexia mumbled.
"And they expect you alone to convince this woman to accept a dirty little miscreant like yourself into her prestigious school. Well we might as well leave right now." Livetons stated very crassly.
With more anger than courage, Ellexia straitened her back and looked Professor Livetons strait into his cold brown eyes, "Fine, then leave, I will just leave here and find another life to live on my own, I don't need anyone else to help me, especially a fat old asshole like YOU! I can take care of myself! That's basically what I do now." She just couldn't take his abuse any longer. She didn't care if she had to live on the streets in order to escape this miserable life, he was no longer in charge of her and she wasn't going to take his shit anymore.
"Alright then, come Ms. McGonagall, I'm sure you have much more important things to attend to than dealing with a freaky little bitch like this piece of dirt." Livetons hissed.
Ellexia seethed with hatred ready at any second to leap from her chair and lung at him grabbing anything within reach and beating him on the outside for every way he has abused her on the inside with his words for the past five years. But before she could escape her chair, Professor McGonagall stood up very tall, and looking down at Livetons, who was at least six inches shorter, with a look of disgust. "I'm sorry Headmaster, but no matter how this young lady has acted to get expelled from your school, I can in no way imagine treating her the way you have here today. You may leave, but I shall stay and give this poor girl a chance to share her side, which I'm sure by the way you look and speak to her, as if she is so far beneath you, you didn't take the time to listen to."
"Fine, she's your problem now, as long as she is out of my hair." Livetons spat, then turning on his heel, left the small apartment with a slam of the door.
"Well, now that he is gone, let us talk of that incident, shall we?" Professor McGonagall politely mentioned.
"Okay." Ellexia replied a little unsure of the situation.
Professor McGonagall sat looking at Ellexia, waiting for her to start her explanation. But Ellexia just sat there unsure of what to say or how to feel faced with such openness towards her.
"Perhaps you would like to start by explaining to me how you came to be expelled." Prof. McGonagall started.
"I'm sure that HE told you what happened" Ellexia blurted.
"Yes, but I would like to hear about it from your point of view. I shall listen to both sides before making my decision of whether or not to accept you into Hogwarts. I know all too well that everyone makes mistakes, and there can be difficult situations behind them." Prof. McGonagall stated in an almost all knowing tone.
Ellexia lowered her head and talked toward her hands clasped in her lap. She explained how hard it was being an outcast at Eagleseye, how she suffered everyday being tormented by everyone there, including most of the staff and of course the headmaster himself. She told of her parents struggling to afford her expenses, her parents were muggles and barely understood that she had special abilities. Over the years they gave up trying to understand her and paid for what they could just to keep her from lashing out at them, being a witch was the only thing that made complete sense to her and she needed that little piece of sanity. The only reason she was able to attend the school in the first place was that her wonderful beloved grandmother supported her, and did everything in her power to make sure Ellexia was able to excel with her gift. She began to feel very comfortable talking to Professor McGonagall, who hadn't said a word other than to acknowledge that she was indeed listening. Ellexia started spilling everything, things she had never told anyone, even how she cut herself and smoked pot to escape her painful world. She explained about the girl who had started the fight on the day she was expelled, and how she had tortured her worst of all, calling her the worst names abusing her in front of as many people as she could gather, doing unspeakable things to provoke her to get some reaction. But Ellexia just bottled it up; trying to ignore it, hoping it would all go away on its own after awhile. Until one day it had happened, Ellexia burst at the seams and all of the pain she endured over the past five years was released through flailing fists. She punched out as her anger escaped, hitting every part of the girl's body in sight, until she started calming and she realized the damage she was causing. Her fists weakened and she stopped, but it was too late, the girl was bruised and bloody from her waist up, and knocked unconscious. Ellexia hated herself for doing what she did; she normally couldn't hurt a fly. But the girl had released a monster that Ellexia couldn't control.
Professor McGonagall listened until Ellexia could no longer speak through the tears and sobs that had left her after letting go of everything after so long. The headmistress stood and silently walked over to Ellexia and placed a hand on her shoulder. Ellexia jumped with this gesture of kindness, and then relaxed slightly. After a minute of silence, McGonagall stepped in front of Ellexia's chair and handed her an envelope. "You will start at the beginning of term, in just three weeks. If you can wait until then I will set up transportation for you to London, from there you will take the Hogwarts Express to the school. Due to your lack of funds I will send one of my staff to accompany you to Diagon Alley in London to help you get what you will need. I shall also have this person spend time helping you adjust to the change, and also provide some counseling while necessary, after the term begins. I will not allow self mutilation from any of my students, and will provide this as help for you to release your feelings in a healthier manner. I have someone in mind who has felt very similar to yourself and perhaps can relate, not that they will volunteer willing but I will deal with that myself. Now, there you have a list of classes to choose from that will transition from your previous learning. Things work quite a bit differently at Hogwarts, so after you arrive you will have to be sorted into your appropriate house. If there aren't any questions then I must be leaving and I will see you at the beginning of term. I will send you the information you will need to get to London as soon as it is arranged." The headmistress looked down at Ellexia and waited for a response.
Ellexia was so confused by everything that was just said. It still hadn't sunk in that she was even accepted into Hogwarts. She just looked up at her headmistress and muttered, "Okay," still in disbelief.
Professor McGonagall walked to the door, then turned quickly wishing Ellexia much luck and strength, opened the door and left; leaving Ellexia alone to sort out all that had just taken place.