Draco was alone in the Slytherin common room late that evening, when he noticed the distinct pecking of Cecil, his family owl on the dungeon skylight. He silently removed the glass barrier with his wand, allowing the owl to glide in, descending towards the armchair that Draco was slouched in. Receiving the letter from the bird's beak, the envelope had his name scrawled neatly in his mother's cursive writing. Cecil was a rather rude owl and did not wait for Draco to read the letter before exiting promptly out of the magical skylight. Draco read the letter carefully and proceeded to quickly burn it in the fireplace, with sparks of emerald emitting from the parchment as the perilous flame consumed the secret words regarding his sister. Quietly collecting the items he needed from his dormitory, avoiding the passed out Crabbe and Goyle, he rushed back to his seat in order to respond to his mother.
Dear Mother,
You shouldn't worry about me, I understand that father shows his emotions in different ways.
I deserved what I received for bringing up the rather sensitive topic.
I do plan to get to know her better.
From what Blaise has told me she lives in London, not France with her parents.
I hope you are well, as is father.
- Draco
Draco inconspicuously left the common room and soundlessly stalked his way through the castle, making his way out of the main building to the slippery steps of the owlery. Upon entering the room, he located Desmond, his moody owl with midnight black wings and beady orange eyes. Draco passed Desmond his responsorial letter and watched him stretch his wings before flying out the glassless window. He stood for a few moments, admiring the utter darkness surrounding the castle and heard slight footsteps behind him. He turned and noticed the girl he thought to be his sister, enter the room. "Hey," Draco hesitantly spoke, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Hi," Rosabella replied sharply, as she gave her owl Jax a letter, instantly turning to exit the stone room.
Draco stepped in her way, "Look, I know we got off on the wrong foot but I was hoping, maybe we could start over?" Draco questioned, nervously fidgeting with the fabric of his black gloves.
"Je ne sais pas," Rosabella replied suspiciously, curious to know whether he understood.
"Please?" Draco uttered desperately, unsure of what she had said.
"A fresh start...I guess so," Rosabella responded, quietly thinking it over.
Draco beamed, taking her answer as an immediate 'yes', "I'm Draco Malfoy," He began re-introducing himself, holding his black gloved hand out for her to shake.
"Rosabella Russo," Rosabella returned, shaking his hand. Draco smiled at the name.
They both stared out the gaping window in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Draco returning his gaze to the girl who had come to stand next to him, "So, you sang amazingly at the first task today," Draco began, attempting to fill the silence with conversation.
"Thank you," Rosabella thanked sweetly, "That's very kind of you,"
"Only telling the truth," Draco chuckled putting his arms in the air. "You were one of the gymnasts, that tumbled down the great hall when you first arrived at Hogwarts, weren't you?" Draco asked, remembering from when they first arrived, almost three months ago.
"Oh, yes," Rosabella laughed lightly, "Me and Gabrielle," She sighed staring up at the stars in the now very dark sky. "It's getting late I should probably head back," Rosabella turned to bid Draco goodbye but he stopped her.
"Let me take you, it's rather dark and you're still learning your way around," Draco offered, promptly buttoning up his charcoal coat.
Rosabella repositioned her white beanie, "That's very kind of you, but I'm sure I'll be fine," Rosabella rejected his offer.
"Please, I insist," Draco pressed, blocking her way.
"Well, thank you then," Rosabella stopped resisting and allowed him to escort her back to the castle.
"My pleasure," Draco replied walking out of the owlery with her, "Now why don't you tell me about yourself," Draco requested as the pair walked along the grounds towards the castle.
"Uh," she stuttered, "What's there to know really?" Rosabella questioned, her eyes fixed on the glowing castle up ahead.
"What are your hobbies?" Draco inquired, coming up with topics to discuss.
"Well… J'aime le patinage artistique," she giggled wildly in French,"I was actually the top figure skater in London for my age, but I had to pull out of competitions when I began school," Rosabella sighed, reminiscing about her many competitions with Daniel.
"That must have been tough," Draco stated quietly, barely understanding a word of French.
"It wasn't too bad," Rosabella smiled, turning her head to the side, "Beauxbatons offered it as an extra elective, along with many other of my favourite electives,"
"You have other electives?" Draco asked shocked. He could barely manage Quidditch as an extra elective, let allow more on top of his classes.
Rosabella gave a small nod, "Dancing, gymnastics, occasionally choir and Quidditch,"
"Wow, that's impressive," Draco sighed highly impressed as they reached the castle.
"Well goodnight Mr Malfoy," Rosabella giggled as she left him standing there walking towards her dormitory on the opposite side of the castle.
"Goodnight Rosie," Draco breathed quietly as he watched his sister turn the corner.
The air, like frozen lace on her skin, delicate and cold. The sky was a washed grey, watery light illuminating thin patches of the depressed sky. In some moments, her eyes were fixated on her boots, trotting over the frozen sidewalk of jagged concrete slabs, and in others trapped in the grey cloud and white sunshine above. The November cold front was swiftly approaching, as a number of weeks had passed since the first task. Her mind continued to drift through the air, only the slipping of her boots brought her attention earthward once more, the need to stay upright pulling her mind into the dull and gloomy present.
"Did you hear there letting us go home this year?" Hermione rushed to her best friend, clearly lost in a trance, "I mean, we get to spend Christmas at home," Hermione continued to ramble, heading in the direction of the Black Lake.
"You're coming over for Christmas right?" Rosabella asked, placing her white gloved hands inside the pockets of her blue overcoat.
"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world," She giggled fondly at the memories, "but this year the Yule Ball is set to happen on the 14th, giving us plenty of time for Christmas break! How exciting is that?"
"Very," Rosabella monotoned, yet Hermione to wrapped up in excitement didn't seem to notice this.
"How nice was it of Molly to invite us over for Christmas," Hermione giggled, as they neared the lake, the others in plain sight.
"Yeah," Rosabella agreed, clearly distracted.
"Hey guys," Hermione greeted cheerfully, sitting on the patch of grass the twins had charmed dry.
Hermione took her seat next to George and Ginny, "Hey," Rosabella smiled at her friends.
"Hi, Rosie," Harry and Ron greeted, as she took a seat beside Harry and Fred.
"Hello Rosabella," The twins grinned, as they rolled each letter in her name out in sync.
"So…" Hermione began, rambling on about something regarding the yule ball, but Rosabella wasn't listening, instead her mind drifted away in thought, just like it had before.
Today was that dreaded, gloomy day that no amount of anything could affect the trance Rosabella was stuck in for those 24 hours. It was the day she was found on the soaking wet sidewalk. The day she lost all memory of her family. The day she became an orphan. The day she lost everything. Rosabella still imagined the day when her past comes to life, but the search had been hopeless every time she tried with her family... but they were her family now. The Russo's… and she was content with that. So why every year she put herself through this was a mystery...
"Rosie?" Harry nudged Rosabella's elbow, robbing her from the deep train of thought she had been locked in.
"Sorry, what?" Rosabella apologised unconsciously, bringing herself back to the present.
"It doesn't matter," Hermione continued, "Are you okay?" She questioned this time with a little more empathy. "You seem kind of sad?"
"Oh, I'm fine," Rosabella put on a smile, "I was just thinking about stuff..."
"What kind of stuff?" Ron asked, to be shoved by Hermione. "Ouch 'Mione," Ron complained cradling his elbow.
"Ronald, not everyone likes expressing their every feeling and thought, you know?" Hermione snapped at him angrily, causing giggles from around the group.
"It's okay, it was just silly stuff anyway," Rosabella sighed looking in the direction of the lake, the wind caressing her cheeks.
"It's okay, you can tell us," Harry said looking deeply into her soft blue eyes.
"No really, it's just nonsense," Rosabella reassured the group.
"Come on," George began, with a smile.
"Rosabella," Fred continued, throwing an arm around her protectively.
"You can tell us," The twins finished in sync.
"I was just-," Rosabella sighed, "It just that-," She continued to stumble, the words she had planned, failing her consistently, "today's the day I was found, seven years ago," She eventually managed to mumble out.
"Oh Rosie, how could I forget?" Hermione cried, dumbfounded that she forgot that today was 'the day,' of all days, "I'm so sorry, Rosie," She apologised, rushing to embrace her friend in a tight hug.
Rosabella gladly accepted the hug, "'Mione, it's fine," Rosabella gave her friend a reassuring smile. "I just wonder if I'll ever meet my other parents,"
"What if we found them?" Harry pondered aloud.
"Great idea Harry," The twins chorused, happily.
"We can conduct our own little investigation," Ginny smiled over at Rosabella, "to find your biological parents,"
The young girl just shook her head,"That's too much trouble, you guys," Rosabella protested against the eager group.
"Please, Rosie, let us," Hermione insisted, "We want to do this,"
"Yeah, let us," Ron copied Hermione, "We'll find them and we can do some research over the Christmas break," Ron suggested, only to be shut down by Hermione.
"Christmas?" Hermione complained, "We have to begin now," She gushed excitedly.
"Are you all sure about this?" Rosabella asked concerned about the amount of effort they were going to go through to help her.
"Yes, we're sure," They all agreed together.
Narcissa Malfoy was hidden away in her book filled sanctuary, on a frosty afternoon. Today marked the seven-year anniversary of Rosabella's disappearance, and Narcissa was clinging to the last bit of hope that her daughter is still out there. She had been awake before dawn, occupying her mind with anything but Rosabella. She had read every 'Witch Weekly' magazine from cover to cover, answered every questionnaire and completed every puzzle. The woman had demanded the passing house elf immediately retrieve her more from Diagon Alley, for she feared a meltdown should her mind become unoccupied.
Lucius, locked inside his study, read through the countless files he had accumulated from the Ministry on 'Rosabella Russo'. Lucius pulled the cover parchment which read as follows:
Rosabella Natalia Russo
Date of birth: February 14th, 1981.
Current Age: 13.
Biological Parents: Currently Unknown.
Adoptive Parents: Katherine Michelle Russo (neé Laurent) and Matthew James Russo.
Katherine Michelle Russo's Occupation: Charms and Transfiguration Professor at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
Matthew James Russo's Occupation: Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Date of adoption: November 26th, 1987.
Current place of residence: 43 Rosewood Rd, London, United Kingdom
Current school of attendance: Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.
Summary Report:
The young girl was found on the sidewalk of a muggle neighbourhood on the morning of November 18th, 1987, with what appeared to be no memory of her life six years prior. The sparse information that was gathered from the little girl was her birthdate and her first and second name. She was placed at St Mary's Orphanage for girls, located South of London, with hopes to find a new magical family as the ministry attempted to find her biological parents. However, after 13 months of searching, the ministry failed to locate the parents and soon after dropped the case. Four years later the Russo's conducted their own search, with attempts to find their daughter's true parents, however the case was dropped once more, after countless attempts by the family to locate the parents.
Lucius groaned, as his eyes trailed around the parchment page. It was really her. Lucius pulled out his pocket watch reading the time of 6:49 pm. He rose from his leather chair, heading towards the library, where his parents and in-laws would be arriving momentarily. The past seven years, this dreadful day was prolonged by the appearance of their parents, supposedly to relieve the tension. Lucius opened his mouth to inform Narcissa of the news but quickly re-closed it when the fireplace turned into an electric ball of green flames. Cygnus and Druella Black, stepped out of the stone white fireplace, followed by Abraxas and Anita Malfoy, in a matter of mere seconds.
"Ah, darling," Druella sighed, immediately grabbing the hands of her daughter and squeezing them tightly. "How are you coping? You really shouldn't lock yourself up inside, especially on a day like this," She complained, "You didn't spend the entire day here, reading those trashy 'Witch Weekly' magazines, did you dear?" She questioned, tilting her head as though she already knew the answer.
Narcissa knew better than to go against her mother, so instead she simply moved along to greet her father and in-laws. "Shall we head down for dinner," Lucius asked, noticing his wife recovering from her mother's attack.
"Yes, I think that's a great idea," Narcissa agreed, catching up with her husband. "Remind me again why we invite them each year?" Narcissa angrily whispered to her husband as they descended the staircase, towards the dining room.
"We don't," Lucius chuckled, shaking his head as they entered the dining room, "Just grit your teeth and smile," He finished quietly, pulling out her chair.
The group ate dinner over an apparently insensitive topic, Rosabella. Narcissa had successfully zoned herself out of the elder's conversation for more than a few courses, but was instantly shot back to reality when her mother made her presence known during dessert, "Honestly Narcissa, have you been listening to anything I've said tonight,"
Narcissa gave her famous tight-lipped grin, "Sorry mother, my mind was preoccupied with other things, but please do continue," She returned politely, but Druella was far too annoyed to continue.
"Lucius, have you made any progress on finding her since last year?" Abraxas questioned his son harshly. Lucius felt the desperation burning within him, he had succeeded, but it was Narcissa's right to know first, so instead he didn't respond. "That's what I thought," Abraxas mumbled to himself, earning a death glare from his wife sitting across from him. She had noticed her son's body language change, he knew something he wasn't sharing, something regarding Rosabella, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
The young Malfoy's had listened to their parent's bicker, judge and managed to weave Rosabella into every conversation, when Lucius called it a night. Narcissa bid her father goodnight before he stepped into the fireplace with her impatient mother. The flames turned green, once more, and Narcissa turned around in Lucius' arms, burying her head in his chest.
"Cissa… we will find her," He promised, kissing her lips softly, "Besides, I have something to show you," He grinned boyishly, leading her towards his study.
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Translations
Je ne sais pas
I don't know
J'aime le patinage artistique
I love figure skating
