I must have fallen asleep almost immediately as Rose transversed the windey dirt roads; because one minute I was chatting with her and the next the car had stopped and she was shaking me awake.
"Nyxia sweetheart, rise and shine." She beckoned.
I felt so groggy, waking up was like wading through molasses.
"You poor dear, I bet you have been suffering from exhaustion for some time." Rose cooed.
I finally managed to keep my eyes open when they became glued to the sign outside.
Salem, Massachusetts
"How? We were?"
"Magic dearest." Rose giggled, as she placed her hand on my back to steer me towards a large brick building near the waterfront. A few people turned to the door as we entered but it was mostly empty except those attending the bubbling cauldron in the stone fireplace, and a few others reading in nooks.
"Welcome Nyxia, this is The Black Cat Sanctuary for weary witches and wizards. It will also be your new home for the next week until you depart for Ilvermony.
Suddenly it was like a whole new world sprang to life around me. Inanimate objects moved by themselves, bursts of color sprang from the cauldron, and owls cooed in the rafters high above.
Once again she kneeled down to my level, "I know this is scary and alot to process but I promise this will all seem natural in no time."
I stood before her petrified, unable to speak.
Her gaze became more scrupulous as she really looked me over. I was severely underweight and my skin as pale as milk. She ran her fingers through my long straggly raven hair, a sad look upon her face.
"You poor dear." She whispered continuing her observation. She stopped her fingers to trace the dark circles that shadowed my emerald green eyes, a clear signal that I was indeed sleep deprived as well as malnourished.
"I'm fine." I told her, pulling away from her touch, ashamed at how she saw me.
"Of course you are!" She beamed, ushering me over to one of the tables. Two seconds later hot food appeared along the table in front of us.
"Dig in." She said, plunging a ladle into a pot of clam chowder.
An hour later and I still was going back for more, my appetite insatiable as well as my curiosity.
"Ms. O'Brien?"
"Rose, dear. Call me Rose."
"Rose… how did you know.."
"About you?" She smiled.
I nodded.
"Well dear, when potential witches or wizards are about to come of age and they are located with no-maj's it's my job to go fetch them and bring them into this world."
"But how did you know I was one…"
"You my dear have been marked since birth."
I couldn't help the confused look plastering itself on my face.
"You see dear, when you entered our system, someone made the decision to send you to live with no-magi's. This happens sometimes, especially when there are chances for a home and family. They see it as a better alternative to bouncing around magical orphanages for years. Cleary they were wrong in your case." She uttered, trying to hide the venom in her final words.
"Do...do you know who my parents are?" My heart raced at the possibility of finally after all these years, knowing where, who I came from.
She gently took my hands in hers.
"I'm sorry but I don't. What I do know is that they were both magical, there is no sign of no-mag blood in your tests and you were picked up when you were around three years old in Ireland."
I sat there dumbfounded. She told me so much yet so little.
"It's been a very long day, and I know you're exhausted so let's get you up to bed and we will get things sorted out in the morning."
I nodded and within the hour I was clean, fed and bundled up in a bed as soft as clouds. My future had come but I knew nothing of what to make of it.
