I have travelled a long and weary journey to fall down outside the house where my family began. I stumbled into number twelve Grimmauld Place tired and wondering how I did so much in the few short years that have passed in my life. I am Layla Maria Black daughter of Regulus Black who was killed when I was six years old.
I come into my family's home to find the crazy house elf kreacher still here muttering about wanting to join his family by having his head mounted on the wall. Then a voice that is far from welcoming yells "SILENCE KREACHER!" it could only be my uncle Sirius. I heard of his escape from Azkaban and knew he would be either hiding in the hills of the countryside or in the house. Then the screams of my grandmothers' portrait filled the house "DISGRACE TO THE FAMILY ... FILTHY HALFBREEDS ... MUDBLOODS!" I ran to the portrait and fastened the cover over her. I turn to see my uncle standing in the door way of the kitchen looking a mix of shocked, surprised and on disbelief "Hello uncle how are you?" I asked grinning
"Layla is that you?" I just nodded and walked up to him
"Did you miss me?" he just hugged me I had missed him he was the only family that was there for me the rest were just awful I hated everyone of them except Sirius.
"I never thought I would see you again it's been years since I've seen you, I heard you were travelling I even heard you were a Deatheater-"
"Who told you that?" What? Where did that come from? Who was spreading nonsense about me now?
"Rumours I've heard from people in pubs why?"
"Curious, it's good to see you again you haven't changed a bit." I smiled
"You have changed I only recognised your eyes otherwise I would have gave you an interrogation," We both laughed "You've grown up into a beautiful young woman." He beamed down at me
"Please Sirius you're embarrassing me don't fuss." We walked into the kitchen as Sirius waved his wand and some pasta and a plate of bread appearing. He gestured for me to sit down
"Are you hungry?" thinking about it I hadn't eaten in about three days
"I'm ravenous I haven't eaten in about three days. I've been a little busy avoiding Deatheaters that have been hot on my trail." I smiled as I started stuffing the pasta into my mouth he pulled a face
"What have you done to have Deatheaters chase after you?"
"Nothing yet to annoy them as far as I know," I grinned "But I'll fill you in, later I'm starving." We ate in silence after that mmm... it was so nice I love pasta.
I took the dishes to the sink and cleaned them up while Sirius went over to a cupboard "Would you like a drink Layla?"
"Butterbeer please." I wanted something stronger like Fire Whisky really but I wasn't going to let Sirius know that at this very moment. We sat back down and drank our Butterbeers then Sirius broke the silence obviously wanting to know what I've been up to over the last seven years. "So what have you been doing all these seven years."
"I've been looking into family history mainly but not everyone likes me and what I am so I've had to travel the world under a few names but it has been fun seeing the world. Where's the fun in life without a little danger?" I had been doing more than that I had been looking for ways to kill Lord Voldermort as he killed my family when I was six. I also knew the prophecy of how only Harry Potter could kill him but there was another that was unknown to nearly everyone except me and two others but they were not aware that it was a prophecy just a story to them – Fred and George Weasley. They knew the prophecy of another who would rise up against Lord Voldermort and Harry Potter to finish this war but to accomplish it they must leave those they love and sacrifice them self to save the world from the one who will destroy the world as it stands now to bring peace. But Harry Potter would be called the hero, the savoir of the world and the boy who defeated Voldermort. Who was the third person in the prophecy? I found out when I visited Egypt that I was that person who could kill either one of them by giving my own up. What a wonderful life in store for me. But my only worry was leaving Sirius by himself; the only true black remaining in our family. I wanted to be normal but I suppose no one who is a black is normal really. Things will get better after this is over, I will be gone but there will be peace again and no one will live in fear of Voldermort and his Deatheaters.
I should have died fourteen years ago when the rest of my family was killed by Voldermort and his followers because my parents refused to become Deatheaters and we fled to Bulgaria soon after I was born. There we lived for six years without any disturbances we lived in a wizard community and were neighbours to Viktor Krum. We grew up together with only a week between us him being older and were best friends but that all changed on the night of my sixth birthday when I had got home late from spending my day with Viktor. We were all sat talking my mother, father, brother and me we were taking turns to say what we had been doing that day when the door suddenly opened and hooded figures walked in. Everywhere went dark and all we could do was try to run we all knew who they were and why they were here my parent pushed me behind them but my brother had his wand out with my parents thinking he could stop them but he was eleven and knew nothing much of magic. I didn't want this to be the end so I ran to my room and hid underneath my bed hoping I was only dreaming I wanted things to stop for time to freeze but it wasn't I heard a loud laugh shortly before three shouted "AVADA CADAVA!" then there was silence as three bodies fell to the floor my family was dead "Wait there was another a girl where is she?" I heard a serpent like voice ask I saw a cloaked person enter the room but this one showed his face is was pale and there were slits for a nose and he had brilliant red eyes no hair and his whole figure reminded me of a snake I was scared and angry that they had just killed my family I knew no magic but I was better than they were as I was brave enough to stand up to them I looked up realising the person in my room was Lord Voldermort and he was just doing what he usually did killed others for fun I crawled out from under my bed and said "I'm here and you murdered my family. I hate you," I suddenly became exceedingly angry I couldn't control it my vision went slightly red the next thing I remember was seeing and feeling fire all around me thickening the air around me. I just wanted to give this man the justice he deserved and it wasn't going to be a nice one "Master be careful she's an elemental." I heard a female voice say from behind but what did she mean I was an elemental? I felt a burning into my arm but it wasn't painful I just felt stronger "No need to worry Bellatrix she cannot harm me as she cannot have discovered her true powers at such an early age. She will only suffer herself."
"Murderer," I finally found my voice "You killed my family and now you will pay with what you done." Flames shot out of my hands as I lunged forward at him using all my strength to hit him and attack him Voldermort was not going to get away but he threw me to the floor. My vision cleared a little and I noticed that he had a burn on his arm where he had pushed me off of him at least I knew I had done something to stop him momentarily. I suddenly couldn't move but was lifted into the air "My, my you are a feisty little one but you have not discovered your true potential your mark has only just formed join me and my army where I can train you to wield your abilities so you can help me." Voldermort looked straight at me but he meant I was going to be a follower of him and my answer would always be the same "NO!" I yelled at the top of my voice then I fell to the floor and felt something oozing in my hair he just laughed at me "Pity child you could have become a great person "Bellatrix deal with her for me." He nodded at a woman in a cloak then pointed to me.
"Yes master," she waited for everyone else to leave the room before she took out her wand and removed the hood of her cloak and I looked into the face of my aunt Bellatrix I shook my head and mouthed no. How could she kill family? "Goodbye Layla I hope you have better luck in the next world." She just grinned I closed my eyes all I heard was "Avada-" before I felt my head hit the floor.
When I finally woke up I was told I was living with muggles for the next few years before I started Hogwarts. I dropped out in my third year and left for other countries teaching myself magic along the way I have been travelling ever since finding out as much as I could about myself as an elemental and about other creatures like vampires, giants, werewolves, and many others which brings me to now sitting with my uncle explaining to him why I haven't been seen much in just over the fourteen years since I left Hogwarts and all the encounters I've had with others. I was followed by Deatheaters because they knew of my age and had been keeping an eye on me after I apparently was immune to the killing curse as more than one Deatheater was after me but they knew that one person performing the spell did not have any effect on me neither did many attempts to kill me like that but they all oddly failed. But I did not know why that was.
"Layla you must be tired." Sirius said looking at the time it was after midnight
"I am a little. I think I'll turn in." I smiled as we both got up
"I don't know if you remember your old room but it's still habitable so I'll show it to you." We walked up the stairs to the third floor and there was a room with a sign with 'Layla' on it I opened the door and I remembered the dark red polished wood of my bed posts, my wardrobe and shelves full of books. There was some black bedding and the walls were grey with white symbols of: fire, water, earth, wind, and light and dark magic all over the walls. To finish it off was a black ceiling with a huge red five point star with the symbols in their order around it. I said goodnight to my uncle and put the rucksack I'd been carrying all around with me down by my bed and pulled out a pair of grey shorts and a white top changed into them climbed into bed and drifted off for the first time in over three years into a comfortable restful sleep.
