scan· dal· ous
\ ˈskan-də-ləs \
" offensive to propriety or morality "
•
h.s.

Laddie ended up taking me to some random, snow-covered field miles away from Grimmauld Place where no one was to be seen and there were no buildings or people in sight.

"I sincerely hope this isn't your grand plan to murder me," I hated the idea of him besting me before I ever had a chance to do him in, even in a joking way,"Not that I haven't always wanted to die in a barren, frozen wasteland, but.."

"Unfortunately not," he winked, flashing me a grin that most people would grow weak at the knees at,"but there's always tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes, bundling closer to my scarf and jacket,"Then why, grand sultan, have you brought me to this random ass field?"

"For this."

Barely a second later, Laddie yelled out the most guttural, raspy scream I've ever heard someone make without being in physical pain. But I had a feeling he was in pain, just not in the physical sense.

Once he stopped, he was out of breath. His deep, heavy breaths showed up as puffs of hot air in the freezing climate and he turned to me, looking less tense than before,"Try it. It works."

"Why?"

"Think about how much you need to show Luke that you don't give a shit. That everything about him makes you so livid that you can't barely think about him without wondering about how good his throat in your hands would feel. That's why," Laddie's face was contorted in pain, his eyes slowly filling with tears but refusing to let them fall,"to show him that you don't fucking care."

So, I did. I took in a deep breath, waiting a few seconds of silence engulf my senses..before I let everything out.

Screeching, screaming, yelling, and cursing came out of my mouth. I tore through the snow, kicking and plowing it, and punched a random tree until bark went flying. My throat went raw, my eyes stripped of their skin from crying so hard, my fingers and palms chapped.

Eventually, I stopped. I didn't look at Laddie for what felt like hours, but I gave in as I looked up at him and saw his content expression,"Better?"

I swallowed deeply, knowing that, deep down, I did. I nodded. Laddie smiled solemnly. And I wasn't sure why I was being so comfortable with a guy I've hated my entire life..but I didn't care. Just like I didn't care about Luke Patterson anymore.

"Better."

•

July 7th of 1991 was the day I realized I hated Laddie Viziri and I would never be his friend because I wanted to.

Laddie had just started going by his nickname after throwing a bitch-fit over Aziz calling him "flower" every chance he got since Ladan means flower in Arabic, the Viziri family's native tongue. I, personally, didn't think it was a big deal. Laddie, on the other hand, thought it was the most traumatizing thing for his thirteen year old self to experience.

The Viziris had just arrived to my family's estate for our annual Big Three Dinner that was always a week after the most recent term at Hogwarts had ended. It was always that way because the next day, Laddie and Aziz went to Agrabah while I went to Newt and Tina's for the summer. It had been that way since Laddie and I's first years at Hogwarts, a perfect plan for each of our family situations.

Laddie and Aziz would train to be the next sultans of Agrabah while I was carted away since my parents couldn't stand the sight of me. I had secretly hated both the Viziri brothers for that for awhile, but then I realized it wasn't my fault a couple years before. But it was this dinner that made me hate Laddie all over again.

The Malfoys arrived late, like always, but Father made excuses for them every year. Saying that they weren't late but we were early despite being in our house.

That year, we had sat in the dining room at the big, long table that was nearly twelve feet long with food lining every inch of it. My father sat to the right head of the table, my mother at his right, me at his left. On the other side, Lucius took the other head while Narcissa was on his left and Draco was on his right. Jasmine was next to Mother while Aladdin was next to Narcissa. Laddie sat next to me while Aziz sat next to Draco.

The seating arrangement hadn't changed at all in the past thirteen years and no one dared change it since.

No one had spoken which made me anxious. I always hated silence, especially in a room full of people where they could be thinking about how much they hate me. I itched to say anything, make a noise, something to keep the silent tension between the group at bay.

If only my father hadn't been the first to speak.

"Anahera," I was called to attention, my head lifting to his direction,"Any boys you have an eye on yet?"

I felt my body reject itself as I began to slouch, Laddie vibrating with repressed laughter beside me. Laddie knew I had a thing for Aziz..at this point, even Aziz probably knew. But it wasn't that bad, he was more of a friend anyway.

"Not that I'm aware," I mumbled as I sipped from my cup full of pumpkin juice, trying to avoid the conversation as much as possible. I was never one to share my feelings with my parents, it wasn't like they listened or cared,"Besides, I'm only thirteen. I think it's quite common for thirteen year olds to not have crushes yet."

"Weren't you around thirteen when you started liking Kore, Aidoneus?" Lucius spoke, making me want to slap him across the face.

And my father didn't seem to look too pleased either,"I remember discussions when we were that age..but, I suppose so."

My mother held his hand on the table and it felt weird to see it. My parents had never been affectionate to each other, it was a foreign concept. Every dinner, however, they always made a point to do something intimate without being extreme. It made them look like they loved each other more than they did and I hoped, one day, I would experience the true love that they didn't have.

That the inconspicuous moments like just then would be real and not just for show.

"What do you think of Anahera, Ladan?" Father took a sip of his wine, no doubt some bitter blend he got from Greece a couple days ago when him and Mother went, his expression back to calm and collected.

I looked at Laddie next to me, he looked just as confused as he blinked at me, unsure what either of us should say.

"I think we're both close enough, if that's what you mean," Laddie stated, shrugging like it was common knowledge that we, at least, tolerated each other,"We don't see each other much at Hogwarts but, other than that-"

"How come you don't have feelings for Ladan, Anahera?" Father interrupted Laddie and I choked on my drink.

"What?" Laddie almost yelled, nearly springing up from his chair but he didn't as he looked at me to make sure I was okay.

In between coughs, I found my brain feel like it was on fire. Why Father was so concerned, a mystery. He never cared about boys I liked before...and I don't think he'd care to hear about the girls. But something was different now, he was looking at me as if it was a life or death scenario and I wanted to hide under the table to avoid it.

I averted my eyes to others around the table, eventually connecting with Aziz's eyes. He looked just as awkward as I felt, but there was a comfort there I couldn't ignore as I took a deep breath in.

"I've never seen Laddie that way, he's more of a sibling or cousin, if anything."

Father raised his eyebrows, taking a bite of his chicken before looking at me again and saying with passive-aggressiveness drenched in his voice,"Things can change. Everything does eventually."

Ever since then, I made it my life's mission to never fall for Laddie. Somehow, the disgust from the insinuation of my father's thoughts at that dinner turned into hate for Laddie Viziri and effected my thoughts and feelings for him.

I didn't want anything to do with him ever. But, as we made our way into the heated space of Grimmauld Place after our screaming escapade, I found that I could possibly be fonder of him. It felt impossible, but he did care.

And that was more than Luke ever did.

"Where were you two?" Jasmine, whom I had forgotten was even here due to the events of today, emerged from the hallway from the kitchen and walked up to Laddie before giving him a hug,"Aladdin and I have been looking for you two everywhere, you just disappeared."

"We just went for a walk, Mum," Laddie stuffed his hands in his coat's pockets as Jasmine hugged me, making me feel at ease. Jasmine may not have been my mother, nor did we know each other as well as we should since we only saw each other once a year, but she was there when my mother wasn't,"Hera and I had to blow off some steam. We both had some recent..bad luck."

"Oh? That so?" She brushed off the front of her dress, turning back towards the direction of the kitchen,"Well, I'll be in the kitchen if you two want to talk about it. I'm baking desert mhadjeb with your father, it'll be ready soon."

With that, she kissed Laddie on the cheek and squeezed my shoulder before walking back into the kitchen where I could smell sugar and cinnamon waft from the door. My mouth watered, Laddie didn't seem too concerned.

"She's never made desert mhadjeb, I wasn't sure she knew how," Laddie sounded like it was humorous,"Dad always makes it, I'm not sure why she's interested now."

I think about how his parents made such an effort to do things with each other. Laddie and Aziz always had their stories of doing stuff as a family, and it made me think of my parents who traveled to different countries for thirty minutes here and there just to get away from me whenever I was home.

And then my anger towards Laddie came back, but only slightly instead of full on.

"You look angry again," Laddie said, a little disappointment present.

"I just need to find another outlet to get it out, it's nothing," I started thinking of George and how he was here somewhere. Hell, maybe even Charlie would be fun.

"I think I saw some board games in the closet next to Sirius's room."

Or that would work.

We made our way upstairs as we approached the closet, a giant door that looked daunting as I opened it and entered. It was dark, dusty, and destitute with nothing but old notebooks and writing supplies all over the place.

"There's not board games in here, Lad-"

I wasn't sure what was happening when Laddie suddenly put his lips on mine and the door behind us shut. I nearly pushed him away, my eyes wide open as I was processing the situation..but then I melted into it, loosening up as my mind was screaming. Not in protest, but in surprising arousal.

I felt his hands cup my face, his lips moving in sync on mine as he pushed me onto the wall. I raked my hands through his wavy hair, silky yet tangled in my fingers as I curled the hair around the nape of his neck.

If he had been looking to distract me from Luke and keep my emotions from before at bay, this was the perfect plan. I had never been kissed before like this. Breathless, captivating, hot against cold, metal against skin. His ring-laden fingers pushing a little too deep into my cheeks and his teeth hitting mine a few times but that was the beauty of it all.

Laddie Viziri was giving me the kiss of my life, kissing me like his life depended on it, and I didn't care.

His tongue started to slip through my lips, wanting to go even further than I ever thought I ever would with this man on my life. I allowed it, immersing myself in the feeling of the moment. The adrenaline going through the both of us was uncanny, fun, exciting.

Soon, one of his hands gripped the back of my head as he brought us together even more harshly, making me ache for more.

More. An odd word for someone who hates the person they're experiencing this with.

Unfortunately, light filled the space we were in and I pulled away, looking over to see Aziz staring at us with his face drained of blood like he had seen a ghost.

"Hera...?" He looked Laddie up and down, making Laddie back away from me as far as the broom closet would let him,"What the fuck?"

"It's not what it looks like," I tried explaining but Aziz looked more horrified as the seconds went on.

"What the fuck?"

"Aziz, we were just-" Laddie tried to add.

"I saw, Ladan, I saw."

"Don't tell Mum," Laddie sounded afraid, his face pale as he was no doubt daunting the thought of Jasmine yelling at him for making out with me in a house she was currently in...at least, I knew my mother would react that way,"We're both just-"

"I'm not telling anyone, don't worry. If anything, I'm pouring bleach into my eyes and then telling Xenia that we need to fall of the face of the fucking Earth," Aziz continued to hold his eyes open and not even blink at us like if he did, we'd go right back at it in front of him,"I'm just going to close the door and we're going to forget that happened, okay?"

With that note, he plunged us back into darkness where Laddie and I were still so close that I could feel his breath on my face. I wasn't sure where to go from here. Keep going or leave like nothing happened.

Remember what Father said. You need to spite him. Spit in Laddie's face and leave.

But then I remembered the pain of Luke's betrayal, his face when I broke up with him as if I were insane and deserved the shit he put me through.

My father's ideals be damned.

I kissed Laddie first, making him nearly fall back this time but he went back along with it, putting his hands on my hips.

I felt my body react as Laddie pressed me against the wall again, this time closer and so much harder that his entire form was against mine. The sound of our clothes rustling was almost too much and I had to hold back to pull his jacket off him before the door opened again.

We both turned, seeing Stella with tears streaming down her face as her eyes suddenly widened and then her face went blank as she slammed the door. I immediately went into action as I wiggled away from Laddie and whipped the door open,"Stella, wait."

She didn't say anything as she went down the stairs, the sound of her letting tears go making my heart sink,"Stella."

"What, Hera?" She halted directly in front of the front door, almost making me fall off the base of the stairs,"Don't let me interrupt you cheating."

"What?" I said, realizing a split second later that she didn't know about Luke. I never told her that Luke and I had broken up,"Oh, no..Luke...he..we.."

"Hera, it's fine, I can't tell you what you can and can't do," she sounded bitter and considering what she just walked into, I didn't blame her. Not at all.

Before I could explain myself, I heard Laddie's heavy footsteps as he rushed down the stairs and nearly tripped on the step directly above me. Stella's face turned red as her facial expressions turned even more distressing.

"Whoa," Laddie noticed her expression,"What did I do?"

"I don't know, maybe make out with a girl who has a boyfriend already?" Stella spat at him, making him look flabbergasted and almost offended as he put a hand up to his chest as if to say "the audacity".

"We broke up," I blurted out, wanting to diffuse the situation before it got worse, and seeing Stella's face fall as she focused back on me again after her and Laddie's couple's argument,"Luke and I broke up a couple hours ago."

Stella was quiet before she stepped closer and grabbed my hand,"I'm sorry."

Two seconds later, she eyed Laddie before sighing and saying,"Aspen..just told me my life's story."

I wanted to gasp, ask her immediately how it went..but then I remembered Laddie was behind me and that her face was streaked with tears only minutes ago. I stepped off the base of the stairs and gave her a hug,"I'm sorry."

We both hugged each other for a minute, suddenly feeling sad about everything as my eyes filled with tears and I sniffed, pulling back,"Let's find somewhere else, hm?"

Stella nodded, glancing at Laddie before we found our way into an empty room, waiting for the heaviness of our broken hearts and hands to make everything worse.

•
ve·rac·i·ty
/vəˈrasədē/
"conformity to facts; accuracy."
•
s.g.

I felt guilty about my yelling as Hera, Laddie, and I entered the room. I can't help but be mean when I'm upset. Everything, when I'm upset, is overwhelming.

"I'm sorry for yelling at the both of you." I wanted to comfort Hera for her breakup. I wanted to make her feel better rather than think back on everything I just learned, but Hera was my best friend. I needed to share this with her.

"It's okay. I would've reacted the same." Hera wiped away tears I hadn't noticed formed on her cheeks. She continued to hold my hands as she led the both of us to the sofa.

Laddie was getting ready to join us once we both sat down, but Hera glared at him. "Go away now, Laddie," She demanded as if she didn't just have her lips locked with his.

I remembered Laddie's note.

I hope we can become best friends eventually.

"No-" I protested as I watched Laddie's face fall. If he cares enough to stay right now, he could. God knows I needed as much support as I could get. "He can stay."

Laddie's face softened and he sat next to me, making me in the middle of both him and Hera.

I took a deep breath, rubbing the remaining tears away from my cheeks. "Okay.." I took one last look at the baby photo I had been holding this whole time before beginning.

a few hours earlier

I dropped my drink. As soon as I heard it hit the ground, that's when Hera started yelling.

"What?!" Hera started. "You're the one who left Stella?"

I wanted to ask her to stop. The yelling.. The shock.. Everyone in the room.. It was too much. But I couldn't move. I couldn't move at all, and that was the scariest part.

My chest started to tighten, and the sound around me started to muffle.

'I can't do this in here,' I tried to say, but the words seemed foreign on my lips. Something that couldn't seem to be pronounced.

Aziz and Laddie both rushed to Hera's side and ushered her out of the room. Fred and George trailed behind, and I noticed Laddie looking at me one last time before the door shut.

I ached to have him- Or Hera, or even Sirius here with me. But it seemed everyone mostly left the room, too. Deep down, I knew just like going into my father's room that this was something that I had to do alone.. But I didn't want it to be that.

I think my mum noticed what was happening to me because she knelt in front of me, already prepared to go full-mum mode when we hadn't even spoken a word to each other.

"Let's not talk in here."

My nerves started to calm down a bit as Mum- if she even deserved that title- (I didn't want to call her just Aspen, it seemed too weird) led our way up the stairs and to a room I hadn't been in. There was nothing special about it, nothing distinct to connect it to anyone else, just another bedroom that she'll probably be staying in.

Mum opened up the window curtains. "That friend of yours is very sweet, isn't she?"

"Hera had every right to react like that, to be honest.." I mumbled.

Mum made a face at the name. A face filled with confusion like something was connecting inside her head. I wondered if she recognized Hera's name.

She started walking toward the bed I had sat myself down on. "You're right. I'm sorry. I take it your brother didn't want to come?"

My heart lurched to a halt. "My.. brother?" Why did no one tell me this before? Why didn't Sirius? Professor Lupin? The fucking Griffins? Why wasn't he on the tree?

"No one told you?"

I shook my head, and mum gave me a sad look. "I gave birth to you and a boy named Galileo. He got adopted by a family named the Devans a little after you did. I knew you two weren't adopted together but I didn't think- I didn't think they would keep you apart, or at least not tell either of you. He should be at Hogwarts."

My brain buzzed with the names of all the boys in my year, trying my hardest to remember who had the last name 'Devan.' A light bulb went off as I remembered one of Flynn's friends. "There's a.. Boy in Slytherin named Leo Devan. But, he wasn't on the tree Sirius showed me."

"The tree's out of room. If you have kids, they won't be on it either. I'll talk to Remus about it later. I've never been able to reach out to either of you myself because both of your families decided to have a closed adoption. It wasn't my choice but they couldn't get ahold of me when the two of you got adopted. Do you have any questions before I start the story?" She sat beside me.

I'm glad she wasn't trying to converse with me like she knows anything about me. I think I deserved to hear the story first. I needed to know why me and my brother- my twin got separated in the first place. Deep down, I've always felt a part of me missing, but I could never figure out what. Now I know and now I have even more reasons to hate the Griffins.

But did he know? Did the Devans tell him he had a sister? If they did, why hasn't he reached out? Would he have reached out if he knew? I've talked to Leo Devan in class before, he knows who I am. So why..?

A ton of questions were whirling through my head besides those, but the only one that actually came out was, "When's my actual birthday?"

"June twenty-seventh," Mum answered. She didn't even need to think.

I nodded. What I thought was my birthday wasn't too far off from that. Maryanne and Joseph would always celebrate it on May thirteenth. It was the day they adopted me and they weren't sure when my actual birthday was. It felt weird knowing now. That was another part of myself that had been a lie.

Mum pressed her lips together and then let out a shaky breath, looking straight at me, her green eyes radiating that made me feel burnt. "Okay.. It all started in 1972. The first war had started a couple of years before that and.. You-Know-Who initiated a kill order against my family, The Castros. I still don't know why, I think it was because my father was a Pureblood who married a muggle-born, but there might have been things they didn't tell us."

"Us?" I interrupted.

"My siblings. Mercutio, Amabella, and Marleigh."

Marleigh. My middle name echoed in my mind as mum continued.

"When our father Kodi died in 1973, it left a strain on our family. He died from a heart attack. Even with the kill order, it was something so unexpected for us." I could see the emotions changing through mum's eyes. The light that had been there since she first saw me was now gone as she told the tragedy of my grandfather. My grandfather. "I was only twelve when we lost him. It brought me and my siblings closer together, but our mother Chae became distant from her grief. Mercutio ended up being the parental figure. I know he felt obligated to because he was the only guy left and the oldest. His.. His birthday would've been this past Thursday. My sisters and I had gone back to Hogwarts a week or so after the funeral, but Mercutio stayed with our mum for a few weeks after that just to make sure she was alright. At that point, I wasn't really close with your father. I was closer to his best friend Caleb Covington. He teaches at Hogwarts now, I think."

All the color drained from my face. "Yeah," I answered bitterly. "He does."

Mum's mouth hung agape. "Sirius told you about Regulus, correct?"

He could have mentioned that. I only nodded and sat up straighter, eager to hear the rest of the story.

"It wasn't until my fourth year that your father and I became close. He wasn't a death eater yet then, but he and Caleb both always had this weird obsession with You-Know-Who. Looking back on it, I think Caleb more followed along with it. Still, Regulus would make attempts to be my friend, and I would always avoid them because he wanted to join a group filled with people after my family and who stood for everything I hated. But, eventually, I gave in because I realized I couldn't be friends with Caleb and avoid Regulus. I fell for him in my fifth year, but there was always an unspoken issue between us. I ended up giving him a choice, joining them or me. He chose them and I didn't speak to him for months. That summer, my mum was murdered. The kill order had officially begun, and I practically begged my siblings to let me join the order. They were resilient, obviously, especially Mercutio and Amabella. Mercutio was in hiding and Amabella was preparing to. She was newlywed to a muggle, Efan, and pregnant, so that didn't go over well with the Death Eaters. They eventually gave in and convinced Mad-Eye to let me join. I hadn't talked with Regulus or Caleb for five months at that point."

Mum looked away from me, and I noticed a tear roll down her eye. I knew this story was just getting harder and harder for her, with her shortened breath and delicate tone. It was hard for me to listen to all of it, but I didn't live it. She did, and she was so young too. I was beginning to change my opinion on the abandonment. It would be different if she had been older and given me up, but she was my age, but she still needed to finish her story.

"At the end of that year, Mercutio was killed, and I started to spiral. Regulus came to me then and apologized for it all, and told me that he was going to do whatever it took to leave the Death Eaters, but it wasn't going to be easy. I believed him because of course, I believed him. He ended up even telling me the plans they had against my family, how they were aiming for Marleigh because she was the only one besides me not hidden. She was very.. Mercutio's death affected her the most out of us. She became obsessed with trying to kill the person who killed Mercutio. I still don't know who it was to this day, she never told me. Anyway, Caleb and I reconciled too and Regulus and I got together at the beginning of 1978. Dating wasn't something I was seeking to do during a war, but Regulus and I were convinced that we were it, that we were each other's other halves, just dumb, high school romance stuff.. Which led to us doing something reckless which.. Led to you and your brother."

I gulped.

I could tell now that she was trying to be careful with her words, that she didn't want to make a mistake. "We were both only seventeen. I didn't even go to Hogwarts for my seventh year and just went into hiding as Amabella had. Only she and Marleigh knew where I was, not even Regulus or Caleb, but that didn't matter, because Amabella and her family were slaughtered shortly after. My nephew wasn't-" She choked back a sob. "My nephew wasn't even a year old. Regulus felt horrible about it because his cousin and her husband were the ones that did it. Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange."

A tear rolled down my cheek, too.

"I had you two in June of 1979 and.. Regulus.. He.." Mum broke down. "He never even got to meet you, Estella."

I wanted to reach out and hug her, but we weren't there yet. Not even close, but I did grab her hand.

Mum sniffled and continued once more. "It was fine until the next year. You and Galileo were healthy and Marleigh was helping me raise you guys. She ended up telling Remus the location because I made him one of your godparents along with her and.. Caleb. That was something Regulus wanted."

I let go of her hand. "Are you fucking serious?" I couldn't hold that back. "He's treated me like shit the years I've been at Hogwarts."

Realization dawned on Mum's face. "He's the reason you even found out about all of this, isn't he?"

"Yeah."

"Mother fucker," She cursed. "He hasn't tried to form a relationship with you? Like at all?"

"No.. He loves Hera, though."

"Of course he does, she's Aidoneus Sincaid's daughter. Caleb fancied him when we were kids."

I couldn't help but laugh, even though there was still a huge ache in my heart from the unfinished story. I concluded that Hera being Aidoneus Sincaid's kid was the thing she seemed to connect with earlier.

"Anyway.. Marleigh died in 1980. Her death was.. Her death was the one that made me panic the most. She was the anchor after Mercutio. Marleigh was one of those people who no one disliked. Even when she went off the deep end, everyone was more worried. Because Marleigh was sweet and kind, and she turned cold and quiet. But that's why I named you after her, because both you, her, and Galileo were the lights of my life at the time. But I knew that since she was gone, I would be next. People from the Order were dying left and right. Caleb and I didn't talk after Regulus died, so I had no way of knowing if they were even coming for me- But I couldn't risk you. I.. I don't want to make excuses for what I did, because the way this story ended is my biggest regret because I had.. so many different endings, but I was eighteen with two kids, and everyone I loved was gone. I found Rosewood Orphanage in Birmingham and figured that would be the best plan. It was away from everything, I couldn't provide anything for the two of you, and if your father's family found you.. I was so scared for you, Estella. I dropped your last name and left you there with Galileo before I.. I went to France. The original plan was I would come back and get the two of you after the war was over, but I couldn't make it over. I told Remus to, but he panicked because he didn't think he was worthy of a kid, you know? But somehow, he was convinced and went to get you but you had-"

I finished for her. "I had already been adopted out by the Griffins," I stated quietly as I felt the tear that was rolling down my cheek drop onto my jeans.

It hurt to picture the woman in front of me around my age going through this. I couldn't imagine what I would do. I had felt so defeated when Cedric was killed. I didn't get out of bed in Rosewood for weeks. I understood what it felt like to lose your family all at once, and I couldn't fault her for giving me up. The story lessened the resentment that I've built up for my biological parents over the years, but I needed time. But if she was willing to make it work, so was I. All I've wanted since I was eleven was a mother.

I needed a mother when I got my first period. I needed a mother to just hold me in her arms while I cried. I needed a mother to write home to. I needed a mother when my first boyfriend was killed and everywhere I turned people were asking if I was okay when I clearly wasn't.

At least I had Hera through all of that.

I felt the grief for what could've been. The heartbreak at the idea that my father never met me and that my whole family was dead. That was not the truth I had been expecting after years.

Mum frowned a bit. "Hera mentioned you have trauma from Maryanne and Joseph.. What did she mean by that?"

It was my turn to tell a sad story now. I inhaled a breath, trying to unlock the memories that I'd suppressed for years. When the door that led to them finally opened, I began.

"It started small when I was nine. It was little things at first, like changing the colors of my shirts by accident or dying my hair. Maryanne blamed it on the laundry and shampoo, but then I made my adoptive sister's hair grow when she had just gotten it cut. No one could figure out how that happened, but no one cared enough to find a solution. When I was ten, stuff started to happen more severely.

The first incident had been when Holly and I had gotten our report cards back. Holly's grades were perfect while I had As and Bs, which wasn't an issue to me but I had a C in maths. My parents were over the moon about Holly while I wasn't acknowledged because my grades weren't as good as hers, and it made me angry because she wasn't even trying and I was. I had clenched my fists and shattered all the windows by accident.

The second time happened in my music class. When I was younger, I was really into the arts, mainly dance, but music gave me just as much adrenaline. I still feel the calmness I felt at that age when I would listen or play. It was a sort of escapism I had, being able to get lost in the music and forget everything around me for just a few minutes. That day, nothing had set me off, it was normal, except for the fact that I had just seen the girl I fancied at the time, and my heart was racing as I entered the class. The class was going fine, but that professor at that school was known to be tough on all the kids. She had purposefully called on me to answer a question that I didn't know the answer to, when I said I didn't know, she said I needed to do better. A few kids around were whispering, and I felt my eyes starting to get wet. The magic inside of me had emerged and all the Instruments started to play. The school didn't know what to say when they called my parents.

My parents decided they were sick of me causing problems when I got my Hogwarts letter. They were extremely Catholic and didn't know what to think about their daughter getting a letter to a wizarding school. They concluded that I was possessed and took me to the priest.

The priest had called me an abomination. A human demon chose from Satan himself, and that I needed to return to him. I didn't know what that meant. I was barely eleven, of course, I didn't, but then he pulled out the bible and my father put his hands on my shoulders. I knew what was happening then.

But nothing happened, because I wasn't possessed. I started to sob, sob from the yelling of the priest, the idea of the Griffins not trying to stop him, for them not realizing that my magic was a part of me and it wasn't going away-" I had to pause from my storytelling. I had tears streaming down my face, a replica of what Aspen looked like when she was telling hers. The tears spilled into my mouth and Mum grabbed my hands.

"You don't have to continue," She reassured me, but I shook my head at the thought. No, I do need to continue. I need to finish the story for myself. This story is something I've been bottling up. Hera doesn't even know about it, she knows how hard it is for me to talk about the Griffins. Hera only knows they didn't like that I had magic and how this story ends.

"I had yelled for Holly, for my mum- but they both only stood there. It was then when it didn't work that my parents decided my fate. The car ride back from the church was filled with horrible silence until Maryanne said that I had to pack my things when we got back home. The worst part about it was that I wasn't even surprised. I cried harder and then Maryanne said- "Holly, you too," and it was the look Holly gave me that makes this my worst memory. Because even if I lost my parents- again- that could at least still have my sister, but she hates me now. They put us both back in the orphanage and Holly has made my life hell there ever since. I still to this day don't know why they didn't just keep her. She isn't a witch.

And I can't hate her for hating me, because I would hate me too."

Mum squeezed my hands. "It's not your fault, Estella, and I am truly and deeply sorry that I ever put you in that position."

I shrugged it off, letting go of one of her hands to wipe my tears. "It's not your fault I got adopted by a couple of daft cows. And, just call me Stella. Everyone calls me Stella. Estella feels too long."

Aspen gave me a small smile and pulled something out of her pocket. "I have a photo of you and Galileo as newborns. It's one of the few photos I have of the two of you. I may have lost the two of you but I.. Never expected for you to lose each other."

She handed the photo to me and I inspected it with a curious eye. Leo and I looked exactly the same- minus our eyes. His are green to my brown. I couldn't help but wonder what he would think of all of us.. If he even wants to know. Even with only talking to my brother a few times, I yearned to tell him all of this, and Hera, and Carrie. God, I didn't even know how to explain this all to them, but I know Carrie and Hera will be happy for me. They both know I've always wanted to know my story. Those were the people I longed to talk to about this, but if Leo doesn't want to know, if he doesn't want to know his long-lost twin, then I won't force him to. I couldn't help but feel like both him and Mum both deserved that sort of closure, though, because, at the end of the day, Leo was still adopted, and if he's anything like me and the other people from the orphanage I know- he can't help but wonder about where he came from.

A few stray tears slid down my face. At this point, I'm convinced I won't have any more tears left to cry after today. I caressed the photo. This is what I've always wanted. A family who might actually want me, who won't leave me. "Can I keep this?"

Mum hummed and slid a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "You're so beautiful, Stella, More beautiful than I could've ever imagined."