Gabriella Con stood on her balcony with a very majestic appearance. The wind didn't seem to sway her at all, though her hair whipped carelessly across her face. She took a sip of the drink in the mug, which she held in her hand.
Gabby (though few knew her well enough to call her that) was one of the most talented witches in the country. Being the incredible witch that she was, she had become the Minister of Magic two years previous. She was a particularly wealthy woman for a 25 year old.
Her house was not large. She spent her money on more necessary things. Gabby had 6 charges, usually orphans or children who were deserted or lost. She had 3 charges that were hurt or in rehab, and 3 that were working towards something. They lived in a very nice, 4 bedroom house with a tennis court and a pool.
When her charges had done what they had come to her to do, she let them go and replaced them. Some stayed for years, some for mere months. She had one opening spot for a man with some sort of very difficult goal. She had not yet decided who she would take on.
Paula Spartz was one of her long term charges. She was also one of her youngest. Paula was an 18-year-old anorexic. Gabby knew only to well of this disease, because her half sister had it for a good two years. Paula had had it for four. The girl looked like she would die any second. She a very pretty Porte Rican girl, but her hair was flat and damaged from not getting enough protein. Her complexion was dull. She weighed 75 pounds and she was about 5" 10'.
Kira Gomez was a murderer. She joined the death eaters when she turned 16. A Death Eater murdered her father when she was 5, and then she was raised on the dark side, learning dark magic and how to kill. She was occasionally given a lesson by the dark lord himself, but was usually just taught by skilled death eaters. Kira was the youngest death eater Lord Voldemort ever recruited. At 17, she murdered for her first time: an auror with a wife and daughter. She instantly regretted this, and tried to find a way out of every murder Voldemort assigned her to. It worked a couple of times, but she knew it would always work out, so she fled to America and Gabriella found her. Gabby managed to clear the girls name, and she hid Kira and made her one of her charges.
Jake Thomas was a drug dealer. He was tall, black, and very athletic. Gabriella loved his personality, and took him in instantly. He was 23 and already had a permanent scar on his arm from a bullet. He didn't do drugs. He just sold them. He had a 3 year old daughter that he couldn't support unless something changed. Jake's daughter was sent to Gabriella's half sister, Sarah.
Then there was Vivian Baker. One of the craziest 19 year olds Gabby had ever met. She had huge brown eyes and blonde hair with random streaks of pink. Vivian had a contagious smile and made everyone around her feel at home. Gabby met her at a club in Miami. That girl could sing.
Shane Lump was hysterical. He was very bright and he was a terrific writer. Gabby met him at a werewolf convention in New York. They had lunch together and Shane confessed he was having trouble in New York and thought he might move somewhere else to get a fresh start and write a new book. Two week later after he turned 21, he agreed to be one of Gabby's charges.
That left gabby One charge short.