… Who Are You? …

I lay on the couch with my head in my mother's lap. We watch the fire crackle and spit keeping us warm from the chill of the outside. I fight to keep my eyes open. "Mommy, what happened to daddy?" I ask. Mum runs her fingers through my honey blonde hair. "Your father did something very bad. He's in a lot of trouble. I fear you may never be able to see him." mum keeps her voice even, but I can see tears forming.

I reach up and try and wipe the tears away. There's a knock at the door and mum motions for me to stay put. I nod and hug my teddy bear. "Alexandra! It's been a while. I heard what happened. I won't beat around the bush. Is my son's child here? Is my grandchild here?" a woman asks mum as she opens the door. "Mother, you could be a bit nicer." A man's voice scoffs sounding slightly bored.

"I'm just a bit excited Regulus." The woman giggles. "Yes, Mrs. Black. She's here. Eleanor sweetie, there's someone I'd like for you to meet. Come say hi to your grandmother and uncle." Mum calls. I hop off the couch and make my way to the door. "Hello there. I'm Eleanor, but you can call me Ellie." I smile up at the woman and man.

I play with uncle Regulus on the floor while grandma and mommy talk. I'm coloring in a picture of a unicorn when grandma and mommy's conversation takes a turn. "Does he know? Does he remember?" grandma asks solemnly. "I don't think he does. I'd love for him to remember me and Ellie but the blast… I think it effected his memory." Mum sniffles and grandma pulls her into a comforting hug.

I nudge uncle Regulus and show him my finished picture. He taps the picture, and the unicorn begins to gallop around the page. I gasp and giggle in delight. I fall asleep in uncle Regulus' lap and when I wake, I'm tucked into bed. I curl up with my teddy bear and fall back asleep.

I'm wake early in the morning and stumble tiredly into the kitchen. Mum has breakfast ready. I just received my Hogwarts acceptance letter yesterday. Kreacher is running around trying to get everything cleaned up. After grandma and uncle passed Kreacher came to live with us. He's a bit weird but perfectly nice when he wants to be. When my cousin Lavender or Draco come over, he hides. He can't stand Lavender's attitude and overall positivity and he thinks Draco is a spoiled brat, but he's not wrong there.

"Morning Ellie! Eat and then go get dressed. We have to get your school things today." mum places my plate on the table. I dig into the frittata my hunger now surfacing. I finish my breakfast so fast that mum frowns. "I didn't know I raised a hungry wolf." She laughs and places a bowl of fruit and granola on the plate. I smile and she ruffles my hair.

I chug the last of the smoothie mum also prepared then hurry to get dressed. I wait patiently outside the bookstore while mum gets my books. It's so crowded I would've lost sight of her in an instant. When she comes out, we head home package laden.

Kreacher has made a mini feast for dinner. I dig in with a happy smile. "Are you looking forward to staring the school year?" mum asks. I nod savoring the taste of the roast chicken with roasted vegetables. Mum gets up from the table. "Your grandma and uncle wanted to give you this before you started your first year at Hogwarts." She slides a small, wrapped box towards me.

I open it slowly and find a necklace with the Black family crest in the middle surrounded by emeralds. My mouth drops open in shock. On either side of the necklace are teardrop earrings encrusted with emeralds and diamonds. Tears spring up into my eyes as my fingers hover above the beautiful jewelry. "There so gorgeous." I gasp. Mum puts the necklace on me.

"I take it you love the gift." Mum pinches my cheek and I nod. I sniffle and she wipes away a few fallen tears. Kreacher comes in with my favorite ice cream cake and cuts me a big slice with a butterbeer.

I board the train with Draco my new necklace tucked safely inside my shirt. I can barely keep still. "Are you nervus or something?" Draco glances my way. "No, I was just thinking." I laugh and swing my feet. "What could you possibly be thinking that's making you so happy?" he sneers. "One, I get to go to a wizarding school. Two, I get to make new friends. Three, I got a beautiful gift. Four, I just saw a flying car!" I giggle pointing out the window.

Draco jumps up and looks out the window. He makes it just in time to see the car fly up into the clouds going invisible as it flies higher. "That's certainly not supposed to be like that." Draco snorts as he sits back down. I frown in confusion. "No car is supposed to be modified like that Ellie. Whoever it is, is about to be in trouble." Draco shakes his head and stretches out on the seat.

"Eleanor Brown." The woman with the piercing cat-like stare calls out. I take a deep breath and calmly walk up to the stool. The hat covers my eyes and I play with my fingers. "Where to put you?" a voice speaks almost in my head, but I hear it in my ears too. "You have family that have been in Gryffindor, and you show the same courage as those who have come before you. However, you have nearly the same amount of ambition and resourcefulness as your Slytherin predecessors." The hat sighs.

I knit my eyebrows together in confusion. "Ah what's this?! You have wisdom and the smarts to be a Ravenclaw but also the patience and loyalty of a Hufflepuff! What a difficult decision but a decision must be made. Slytherin!" the hat yells the last part for all to hear.

I smile and hand the hat back to the cat-like woman and skip to my house table. Draco ruffles my hair. "Welcome to Slytherin Ellie." He smiles. I return the smile with ease. "Who's this Draco?" a girl asks with a slight smirk. "Pansy meet my cousin Eleanor Brown. Ellie this is Pansy." Draco locks his fingers together resting his head on top of them.

"We know someone with the last name Brown but she's in Gryffindor, so how did you end up here?" Pansy looks me up and down. "I don't know. The hat said I could be in any of the houses but put me here because of my family." I shrug and turn to Draco. I nudge him until I have his full attention. "Do you think it was because of grandma?" I ask.

"Most likely." He chuckles. "Who's your grandma, Ellie?" Pansy asks in a teasing voice. "Why Walburga Black of course." I state as if it's obvious. Pansy goes pale and our section of the table goes quiet. "I guess I should be using my father's last name, but it sounds weird having two colors as your last name. Eleanor Brown-Black. Hmm, I'll stick with Brown for now." I giggle.

A girl named Astoria joins me and I tap her shoulder. "You're shaking like a leaf." I whisper. She jumps and turns to me I hold up her shaking hand. She nods and slowly starts to calm down. I turn my attention to the sorting.

Astoria and I yawn tiredly as we make our way to breakfast. Everyone stayed up late talking about their holidays or in the first year's case home and our families. I stifle a yawn and notice a few people staring at me. "Oh, Ellie, your necklace." Astoria points out. I forgot to tuck my necklace in and do so.

I'm just taking a bite out of my toast when the mail comes. I receive a letter from mother congratulating me on making Slytherin and a box of homemade chocolates and taffy from Kreacher. I smile fondly and put the treats in my bag for later. There's a bit of a scene at the Gryffindor table. A letter has begun to smoke, and a red-haired boy opens the letter.

A woman's voice screaming fills the hall drawing everyone's attention. I clap my hands over my ears and wince. When the letter is done screaming it tears itself up. I shake my head making sure my ears still work. "Damn, who got a Howler?" a boy next to Draco growls. "Weasley. That little flying invisible car thing yesterday." Draco sneers.

I take advantage of Draco's distraction and slip fruit and vegetables onto his plate. I finish my toast and make put some cream cheese and fruit on a bagel. Draco grumbles and turns back to his food. He stares at his plate in confusion then turns to me. "No." he grumbles. I take the sweets Kreacher made from my bag. "If you eat the healthy food on the plate, I'll share these sweets Kreacher made. You know how good Kreacher's cooking is." I wave the box in front of him, and his eyes follow the box like he's in a trance.

Draco looks from the box to his plate. "Maybe I'll share with my classmates and there'll be none left for you." I sigh and put the box back. Draco frowns and turns to his plate pushing the food around. "Chocolate and taffy. I wonder if he sent the ones with cream or caramel. Fruit or mousse. Marzipan or nougat." I smirk. Draco eats quickly and I tsk.

"How is your sweet tooth stronger than mine?" I mutter taking another bite of my bagel. Snape comes round with the schedules. I place my bag out of Draco's reach as I read my schedule. Draco starts pouting but stops when he realizes I have my schedule. He motions for me to hand it over. I take a sea salt caramel from the box and hand it over instead.

He thinks it over, but the scent of chocolate and caramel wins him over. I slip my hair into a low ponytail as Astoria, and I set off for our first lesson. By the end of the day my head hurts from all the new things I've learned but I soldier on and try to get a head start on my homework and start reading my books for tomorrows lessons.