Rated: PG
Author: Vanilla Twist
Summary: "Such an Ugly Child!" Everyone talked about poor little Eloise Midgen, cursed to be ugly. Doesn't anyone realize, It's the inside that counts?
Chapter One -- Garden Parties and Momma's Temper
"Such an ugly child." The woman whispered to her companion. "The poor dear."
"Her poor mother!" The other said brushing her long Raven black bangs from her eyes. "I imagine she'll have trouble turning her into a proper lady, and even if she could, imagine trying to marry her off!"
"It's her own fault." The first said spitefully hatred filling her large green eyes. "If she hadn't run off with that kitchen boy, then the child wouldn't have brought such disgrace. Barely out of school, barely sixteen, and already a mother."
The Raven-haired woman nodded. "Not much of a husband to speak of either."
"Aunt Toni! Auntie Shauna!" cried a little girl of about five racing across the yard towards the sisters.
"Eloise! Darling!" The raven-haired witch answered plastering on a sweet smile. "Antoinette and I were just talking about you."
"Yes!" Antoinette continued. "Talking about your mother and father."
"My momma's here." Little Eloise informed them proudly. "She made me this dress all by herself!" Eloise dipped into a sweet little courtesy, showing off the little blue dress.
"How lovely." Antoinette said sourly, thinking of ruining perfectly groomed hands at the sewing machine made her queasy.
"There she is!" Eloise shrieked enthusiastically. Then she yelled, "Momma I'm over here!" causing both of her aunts to wince.
"I'm right here baby." Colleen Spruce-Midgen answered scooping her daughter into a gentle hug.
"Look momma! The aunts are here, too!" Eloise said into her mother's shoulder.
"Good Evening Antoinette, Shauna." Colleen greeted eyeing her elder sisters over her daughter's head warily.
"Colleen." Shauna nodded at the auburn-haired beauty before her.
Scowling at her youngest sister, Antoinette sharply asked, "So how are things in the lower class?"
Colleen frowned. "Ely honey, go play with the house elves."
"But momma, I wanna talk to the Aunts too." Eloise argued.
"Eloise, please go." Colleen pleaded with her eyes.
"Alright Momma." Eloise said, sulking off to find an elf to play with.
Eloise sat on a little garden bench playing a hand of Go Fish with a wrinkly old elf. She sighed as she watched her Mother and Aunts talking across the garden. They were getting really loud. People were beginning to watch their argument closely.
"Is young Miss well?" Asked the old elf, concerned at Eloise's lack of attention.
"Why doesn't momma like the Aunts?" She wondered aloud.
"Cannot say, any, Mushy cannot." The tired elf said.
"Deal again, please Mushy." The little girl commanded gently.
The elf did as instructed and soon the two were deeply engrossed in a game of Rummy. The voices from the other side of the garden grew louder until finally Eloise (and the other guests of The Spruce Garden party) heard Colleen exclaim (very loudly), "I don't need to take this from you!"
Eloise heard the SWOOSH of her mother's beautiful 2nd hand dress robes before she saw her. Colleen grabbed her daughter's hand and gently tugged her foreword.
"Come on baby, we're leaving." Colleen said softly.
"But I didn't say good bye to the Aunts!" Eloise protested.
"Eloise says good bye!" Colleen called across the lovely gardens she grew up in at the sisters she lost respect for.
"Momma." Eloise started. "You're walking too fast!"
Colleen just pulled her foreword, towards the fireplace.
"Clover Cottage!" She yelled throwing a pinch of white powder into the fire and stepping into the grate, firmly holding Eloise's hand.
They stepped from the rusty old grate of a cozy old cottage to be greeted by a large beefy man with a kind young face. He had sandy hair and Irish freckles.
"Colleen!" He exclaimed. "You're back so early." Then catching the cold expression on his wife's face he frowned. "What happened?"
"Eloise, please go get in pajamas, I need to talk to Daddy." Colleen said quietly.
Eloise hugged her mother before trudging up the stairs to the little loft where she slept. Opening a large wicker chest at the foot of the old little bed at the center of the room, Eloise pulled out her favorite nightgown. Her Daddy had given it to her for Christmas the previous year, but it still fit.
She pulled the little blue dress over her head and hung it back on its hanger, just like momma showed her. Then she yanked the little pink nightgown over her head and crawled under the covers, waiting for Daddy to tuck her in.
She heard her momma's angry voice from downstairs and sighed.
Why did the Aunts make Momma so cross?
Colleen's voice was getting louder and louder.
"This is all your fault!" She yelled.
"Colleen hush! Please honey, Ely's upstairs." Shane Midgen pleaded trying to match his wife' voice.
"She's another reason you should swallow your pride and go talk to them!" Colleen screamed. "They have so much and what do we have?? NOTHING!"
"That's not true." Shane said quietly. "We have each other. That used to be enough for you."
Colleen burst into tears as Shane climbed the stairs to his daughter's room.
"How's my little princess?" He asked softly into the darkness.
"I'm fine Daddy." Eloise said, slowly crawling out of bed and towards her father.
"That's good Princess." Shane said, trying to tune out his wife's miserable sobs from downstairs.
Sensing her father's distress and the cause of it, Eloise hugged him.
"She isn't mad at you Daddy. The Aunts make her cross." She said and his eyes filled with tears. "She loves you very much."
Shane Midgen hugged his 5-year-old daughter tightly, letting warm tears fall. He could only wish he shared her confidence in Colleen's love for him.
"Goodnight Daddy." Eloise said before climbing back into bed. "Tell Momma good night for me too."
Within moments she was asleep. Shane kissed his daughter's forehead, allowing his own tears to fall on her sandy colored hair. "Goodnight Eloise. I love you, my little princess."
A/N -
Ok. I hope someone is nice enough to read AND review my story. I know it isn't anywhere near done, but I think It's actually off to a good start. To avoid further confusion;
Eloise – Is the Eloise Midgen from the Harry Potter Books, Therefore I do not own her, only the idea of what she is like as a young child and later as a student.
The Aunts – (Antoinette and Shauna Spruce are original characters) Shauna's appearance is very loosely based on that of Scarlet O'Hara from Gone With the Wind (an excellent book I highly recommend). Antoinette's is from the depths of my imagination.
Colleen – Eloise's Mother was born into the wealthy Spruce family but fell in love with the son of a maid and had his baby (Eloise). Later she married him. She's young only 21 but acts like she's a grouchy old maid.
Shane – Eloise's Father. For an appearance think a Happy cheerful blonde Mr. Dursley. A large cheery man, who adores his daughter and wife.
Alrighty now! There will be more very very soon. I'm hoping to do a Cinderella spin off with this story, but I don't know yet. I'd appreciate your Opinion!
Thanks sooooooo much!
Sugar quills, love and a fluffy plot!
*~ Vanilla Twist ~*
