YEAR: 1995
Rosabella was smiling from ear to ear as the red-headed boy spun her around in gentle circles. Her mint green dress swaying just below her knees as she danced, with the mystery boy. Her long golden locks hung free, adorned by her dainty emerald heirloom tiara. The older boy continued to spin her around in enigmatic circles as she began to feel warm, as the rooms temperature began increasing a rapid pace.
A panicked mania invaded the room. Rosabella gazed around the room as the children beside her screamed for their parents as the fire appeared eagerly. The fire appeared with a roaring, bellowing noise. The flames chased her brother and his friends away from the desserts table, gobbling up the sweets abandoned by the fleeing children. Rosabella watched as concerned parents latched onto their frightened children as the dark magic Fiendfyre threatened to encompass them all.
Rosabella froze, watching the flames in awe, as the red-headed boy clutched her hand, in a protective manner. As the flames neared, the boy attempted to drag Rosabella away but failed as she stood there immobile, unable to move from the magnetic trance she was trapped in.
Thick black smoke filled the air, plunging the once alight room into total darkness. The plumes of smoke smashed out of the windows. Shards of glass shattered to the floor, as guests rampaged towards any means of escape. Tongues of flames licked at the extravagant ceilings, beginning to close in on its prey.
The acrid smoke seared in Rosabella's eyes, making it difficult to see as she was swallowed whole by a ring of flames, as she felt her body pulled into the darkness.
Rosabella held her breath as she approached the large brick wall, tapping the bricks carefully with her wand. She had agreed to meet her mother and grandmother at Diagon Alley today, to collect her some additional school suppliers. In an instant, the red brick wall began shifting and rearranging until it revealed the long cobblestone street of Diagon Alley. She hadn't been since she'd collect her Yule Ball dress almost a year ago.
Rosabella stepped out onto the street, followed shortly by her Aunt Margaret who had agreed to accompany the girl to her family before work. Rosabella tried to contain her excitement, even with all the trouble this move had caused, shopping for school supplies always brought Rosabella joy and she was excited to spend it with her mother and grandmother.
Margaret placed a hand on her niece's shoulder. "Where were we meeting your mother, Narcissa?" She questioned, as they stood at the top of the large cobblestone street.
"I'm meeting them at Madame Malkin's." She replied quietly as her aunt Margaret urged her down the street towards the store.
"You have nothing to worry about," Margaret reassured the girl, sensing her apprehension after leaving so abruptly six nights prior. "They'll just be pleased to have you home again, especially since you've been at mine for almost a week... and the last time they saw you, was on stage at your dance concert." Rosabella opened her mouth to disagree but she couldn't seem to find the words, so instead the little simply nodded.
The pair wondered towards the blue weatherboard store, which she knew to be Madame Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Margaret turned the golden handle, ushering her niece inside the store. Rosabella couldn't contain her smile, as they were greeted by the cheerful Madam Malkin herself.
"Ah, Rosabella, est un plaisir de vous revoir," Madame Malkin said kissing the younger girl on either cheek, who quickly returned it.
"Et à toi aussi," Rosabella responded kindly in French, glancing up at the old witch she hadn't seen in years.
Madame Malkin smiled down at the young girl, "Your mother and grandmother are waiting for you in the other room." She continued, leading both Margaret and Rosabella into the fitting room.
"Merci Madame," Rosabella responded politely, nostalgic of when she first arrived for her Beauxbaton's uniform.
Rosabella watched as her mother's face instantly brightened at the sight of her daughter, "Rosie, dear," She grinned, rising from her seat to embrace her daughter tightly. "I missed you so much, darling," She cooed, not wanting to let her daughter go.
Rosabella returned the hug, gazing up at her mother apologetically, "I'm sorry for leaving like I did... I didn't mean it... I ju-"
But Narcissa simply shook her head, "There is no need to apologise for the other night... it wasn't your fault and I think we'd all rather forget it."
"Yes, please," Rosabella agreed, moving to hug her grandmother tightly.
"Who's your friend?" Anita asked curiously, releasing the young girl from her tight embrace.
Rosabella returned her gaze to Margaret, a small smile forming at her lips, "This is my Aunt Margaret," She introduced happily, turning between the three woman. "Auntie Margaret, my mother, Narcissa and grandmother, Anita."
The woman shook hands and conversed politely as Madame Malkin whisked Rosabella away to fit her for her new Hogwarts Robes. Madame Malkin hummed quietly as she began to take Rosabella's measurements. Yet, it seemed as though she was done in an instant, as Rosabella was notified that they would be delivered to her home later that afternoon.
Rosabella lifted her suddenly when the adjoining room with her family filled with chatter and laughter. The young blonde, hesitantly walked into the room after being dismissed by Madame Malkin to see her mother and grandmother in fits of hysterics over something Margaret had said.
"Oh Rosie, darling," Anita smiled, urging the girl to move out of the doorway, "Malkin was quick." She observed as Rosabella took a seat beside Margaret.
"Well, I have to get going, dear," Margaret announced, looking down at her watch. "I'll floo your bags over later tonight," She remarked, kissing the girl forehead as she moved to leave.
Narcissa stood, "It was lovely to meet you, Margaret," She said kindly, shaking the woman's hand. "I hope we can do it again sometime," Margaret agreed with a small nod before winking at her niece as she exited the shop.
"Can we go to Flourish and Blotts next?" Rosabella asked her mother hopefully, as they rejoined the cobblestone streets of Diagon Alley. The colourful, glittering window displays of spellbooks, potion ingredients, and cauldrons were slightly lost to view, hidden behind the large Ministry of Magic posters that had been pasted over them...
Narcissa nodded, "Of course we can, and later your grandmother and I thought we could get our hair done together?" Rosabella grinned at her mother, passing Olivanders on their way to Flourish and Blotts, knowing that she missed spending time with her mother the last week at her Aunt's. Although she didn't regret leaving, it gave her time to think, it gave everyone a chance to think about the situation. It was best for everyone that way.
Rosabella turned the ornate handle of Flourish and Blotts, revealing the beautiful old store within. The shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with nothing in them at all.
Narcissa assisted his daughter in collecting double copies of all the books for the school year, for both Rosabella and Draco. Whilst Anita gathered some additional supplies, for her granddaughter, including new quills, ink and parchment. She definitely wanted Rosabella to continue writing to her during the school year, she was creating the relationship she always dreamed of having with her granddaughter and she didn't want either to get in the way of it.
The women exited the store, heading along the cobblestone street towards the south side of the alley. Rosabella listened to her mother and grandmother discuss potential styles on the way to the salon, yet the young blonde couldn't deny the excitement that brewed in her stomach. She thought it fitting with her changing schools and identities in a way... she would be a different person to many and the thought somewhat scared her.
Rosabella stared at the giant sign in the distant; a pair of golden scissors that read "WITCHCRAFT HAIR SALON" across the blades.
"We're here," Her mother announced eagerly, turning the golden handle to the salon.
Rosabella stepped in first, shortly followed by Narcissa and Anita who were instantly surrounded by a group of young witches who lead them to their salon chairs. "Ah Narcissa," A deep voice with a clear Italien accent boomed through the salon, "It's so wonderful to see you again, darling,"
"Marco," Narcissa grinned, embracing the man from her seat. "You know my mother-in-law Anita... but this is my daughter Rosabella," She introduced, causing Rosabella to refocus her gaze on the man beside her mother.
"Che Bellezza!" Marco chuckled, moving towards the younger girl to take in her appearance, particularly her long golden locks and her sapphire blue eyes.
A smile formed at the edges of Rosabella's lips, "Grazie, sei molto gentile," She replied, shaking his hand.
The man stared at her in surprise, "Your Italien is perfetto!" He complimented, clearly intrigued by the young girl he observed through the mirror.
"Grazie, mia nonna mi ha insegnato da bambino." Rosabella remarked, causing Marco to raise his eyebrows in surprise.
"Now, what are we going to do today?" Marco questioned, resting his hands on the back of Rosabella's chair and glancing between the three women.
Anita glanced at herself in the mirror, "Just the usual cut and highlights for me," She remarked fixing a few stray hairs, as one of Marco assistance attended to her almost instantly.
"And Narcissa, is the usual for you as well?" He asked, releasing the two-toned hair from her tight bun. "Cut and Colour or something different?"
Narcissa nodded her head, "I trust you, Marco... just do what you usually do." Rosabella watched as a second assistance moved to begin preparing Narcissa's hair with a range of spells Rosabella had never heard of.
"Rosie, dear," Rosabella twisted in her seat to see her mother hair instantly twisted into rollers. "We need to start your hair, darling." She smiled, Marco moving towards the young girl.
"What did you want to do with your hair?" Marco questioned, fiddling with the ends of her golden locks.
Rosabella shrugged her shoulders, "Something different? It's always been this way." She replied, curious to know what he wanted to do with her hair.
"Well, if I had it my way I'd make you entirely a brunette," He chuckled, causing Rosabella's eyes to widen at the thought. She'd never had dark hair and never imagine it would even look remotely good on her. She'd always just admired Margaret's thick chocolate locks as a child. "But I can tell that not so much worries you... but you're not looking for that big of a change just yet..."
Rosabella gave a huge nod, causing a laugh from her grandmother, "What about somewhere in the middle," Anita suggested, flipping through a Witch Weekly magazine the young assistants had given her. "Like Narcissa's hair, but slightly different."
"Something that fits her personality better," Narcissa agreed, nodding her head at Anita through the mirror.
Marco leaned closer to Rosabella, conversing in her ear his plans for her new hair. Rosabella raised an eyebrow at the change but nodded eagerly, causing a grin to form across the man's face.
Rosabella relaxed into her chair as two witches attacked her hair with a range of spells. Rosabella had closed her eyes when they began the colouring of her hair, wanting to keep it a surprise for the end. Both her mother and grandmother had finished well before Rosabella and watch intently as her hair took a new form.
Marco cast one last spell to ensure her hair would last throughout the school year until she was able to return. Both Narcissa and Anita gasped in shock when they saw the finished product momentarily worry Rosabella.
"Wow," Narcissa breathed, squeezing her daughter's hand. "You look beautiful," She grinned moving her Rosabella's chair around to face the mirror once more.
Rosabella ran a hand through her instinctively; it felt perfect really. The balayage was the perfect blend of her golden curls with darker roots. "I don't know what to say," She said quietly, looking at Marco gratefully. "It's really wonderful."
Rosabella hugged her mother tightly. She was beginning to resemble her mother more and more each passing day, and not just appearance wise; though she didn't mind, in fact, she loved the idea of resembling her mother in multiple ways.
"Che Bellezza!" Marco chuckled, farewelling the group of ladies as they prepared to leave. "I have a feeling I'll be seeing you for a bigger change sometime in the future Rosabella," He remarked, causing Rosabella to furrow her brows in confusion over what the true meaning of his comment was.
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