Witches.
What does the word bring to mind? Blood, bone terrifying things. Tell the truth. Not beauty. Sexy maybe but never beautiful. Tales, incendiary, hateful tales are probably what was impressed upon you for most of your childhood. Hermione remembered her childhood. How witches were evil, hated, never loved. As a human girl, before she knew, she was often criticized for being too odd. She just believed in embracing your dark side, your shadow self. And with her keen intelligence came a talent of reading people, she knew she was feared. She loved metal, the coolness, the weight to it, always so calm and reassuring. She loved the color black, silver jewelry, shadows and embers. She was a reader for life, Kim Harrison was her favorite author, much to the consternation of the adults in her life.