It was late when she got home that evening, but its not like she expected her mother to be home anyways. She was probably spending yet another night at the pub after her shift. Jessica took the house key from around her neck and slipped it into the lock. She stepped into the warmth of the wood stove, kicking off her boots and heading to the kitchen to start dinner for when her mom got home.
She didn't hear the muffled cry with her earphones in. She didn't see her mother tied to the chair in the corner. It wasnt until she open the fridge she saw him in the corner of her eye, she jumped and knocked they milk off the shelf. She pretended it was an accident and let out a tortured laugh kneeling into the wetness and searched for a weapon, anything that could strike a blow. But her ears were ringing and she could no longer hear the music flowing through the earbuds.
She slowly reached into fridge and snatched up a plastic fork. Oh god help me... she thought blinking away the tears. She took a deep breath and spun at the grim face in the corner but he was too strong he grabbed her hair and flung her into the table giving her a nasty cut. He kicked her once in the stomach before going back to her mother on the chair and he pulled out a knife that gleamed in the light. "NO!" she screamed and thats when everything went blank. There was a great white light and a boom.
It was foggy when she tried to open her eyes. Her first sight was florecent lights. Hospital or mental instituion? She thought to herself. No arm restraints... and then she saw him, well it. The longest beard she ever saw, and white as snow. "Well santa, i guess i am crazy..." Santa chuckled "no my dear jessica, you are not crazy." She rolled her eyes and buried her face into her pillows. He will go away if i just count to ten. "I suppose your wondering what happend here" Santa said staring blankly out the window. "No not really, I must be really mental because whatever meds these doctors have me hopped up on is pretty sick."
Santa chuckled. She always imagined Santa having a chuckle. "I am not Santa my dear girl, and you are not just a normal young lady, you are a witch!" Jess laughed "Well I don't know whether you realise this or not but calling me a witch may have hurt my feelings when i was, i dont know, seven but now it doesnt really have that big of an effect there old man." He smiled at her and sat beside her bed and pulled out a long thin stick. He took a deep breathe and flicked it at the television which turned on immediatly.
She rolled her eyes at this, she was definatly mental. "Your not mental Jessica, your a witch.". He said leaning back and crossing his arms. "Muggle?" She said grinning. Santa sighed and said, "My name is Albus Dumbledore and im the headmaster at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, that white light wasnt your imagination Jessica, it was your magic trying to save your mother." Jessica gulped. "Trying... you mean my mother is dead" Dumbledore stood up and walked to the window and looked as though he became dazed at the rain hitting the pane. "Im very sorry to tell you this, but yes your mother was killed in the crossfire your defence spell did not come in time." Jessica didnt have to fight the tears because none came, she still felt the emptiness in her stomach.
"I have no one" she said looking at him searching for a ray of hope. Dumbledore smiled, "but you have Hogwarts"