Chapter 1::: The Redeeming of Mrs. Norbury
In this, we get to know about Mrs. Norbury and Mariah a lot more than they would let on, for this comes not from their perceptions of themselves, but from the Authors.
Mrs. Norbury was a rich, proud and conserved lady. Or rather she used to be more of that. Now she was less of these things and more of a mother. She was mother to the 12-year-old hope that went by the name of Mariah. Mariah was hope to Mrs. Norbury, for, she was a child. A child represents such beauty and such power in the hearts of the likes of Mrs. Norbury.
Her motherhood saved her from the darkness that had almost taken the wizarding world during the First War that the Dark Lord waged against their fragile world. In her youth, Mrs. Norbury held a lowly opinion for all that was sentimental and weak. To her, all the humans were nothing but another pack of animals. In reality, however, she was just as sensitive and greedy as any other goblin. And perhaps more.
Being half-a-goblin and half-a-human was a disgrace she bore with apparent ease. Goblin community did not have the good fortunes of wielding a wand, no matter how much they boasted over metal work. In this single merit, she relished. All the rest, she endured. Mrs. Norbury did not know of her parentage - or so she told Mariah. But I can tell you one thing- those who knew her thought she was overly obsessed with her origins. That, however, is another tale.
Right now she was Mrs. Y. Norbury of, The Single Barrel, Sweetwater Residence, Below the Cliff. And Mariah was her savior.
Her adoptive daughter had opened the doors of newfound love and acceptance that Mrs. Norbury had closed long, long ago when she succumbed to her greed in the mad rush of World's Fare. She had earned for herself a vault with arguably sufficient gold, silver and exquisite merchandise in Gringotts. But she felt there was more to her than her greed & thought she had lost it (whatever it was). Mariah, her child, found it back. When she read to her, when she tucked her to sleep, when she fed her Mrs. Norbury humanized. Listening to her curious questions, witnessing her pretty imitations, watching her walk and hearing her heart beat, Mrs. Norbury finally gave in to what she called domestic sickness. There now was no cure, but Motherhood. And Mrs. Norbury was redeemed of her greed and finally found happiness – in keeping Mariah happy, safe and/or alive.
Mariah Norbury was little interested in newspapers and books. And further little in completing homework. And though she could have been a clever well-read child, she chose to sing, play and make friends. In many manners, she was rotten, and in many she was fun. This was her second year at Hogwarts and she was counting days to visit Diagonal alley, where her mother would buy her gifts. She was taller than her mother and wider too. Yet like a child she had behaved and loved Mrs. Norbury. This year, however, she held a secret in her trunk. A letter.
Sirius Black and his escape had greatly frightened Mrs. Norbury. Sirius Black, the right hand of Dark Lord was fearsome more than dragon-blaze. And so was the place he escaped. If he had managed to escape, who is safe in England from the other horrors that the fortress of Azkaban holds? Luckily, Mariah would be safer than her, for, Darkness had never fallen upon Hogwarts. Not even in the First War.
