'Le vrai guerrier n'est pas á l'abri de la peur. Elle se bat malgré cela.'
"The true warrior isn't immune to fear. She fights in spite of it."-Unknown
Dearest Nia,
Hogwarts is as magical as Severus described and more. School is lovely and did you know they have moving portraits and pictures? Rather odd, but Severus says they have an echo of the people's soul in the painting so in a way it's like they've never truly died. I think I'm going to get a commission done for our parents they'll like that I think, Petunia. Compared to our longevity and father's line of work, we will only have them both for so long.
Our school is located deep in the highlands and so it's often colder than most on a given day. I cannot give you an exact location because apparently it was rendered unplottable by magic. The school has a motto 'Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon' only it's written in Latin. A rather odd motto but apparently it is after the fact that centuries ago one of the founders familiars was a dragon that slept underneath one of the long bridges.
The school was founded in the earliest 10th century late 9th due to the witch burnings and then the statue of secrecy that followed a close hundred or so years later. The founders were four of the most magical witches and wizards during that time period and their school houses are founded after them.
We're sorted into houses by a magical talking hat. No, Nia, I'm not pulling your leg I swear, it's an actual talking hat. He's rather nice if a mischievous piece of leather I ever saw. The houses are named Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Odd names I know, however, magical's tend to have weird names.
Hufflepuff is a lovely house and everyone I've met so far from there are nice. My friend Hamish from there is sweet and kind. You know I've always had a terrible sense of direction, so he usually shows me the way around the school. I'm seriously considering making a magical map, Nia. The other houses for some reasons believe Hufflepuff is the leftover house, unfair to the people of the house. Hufflepuffs are known for their dedication, kindness, fairness, patience, tolerance, modesty, and loyalty. These are pleasant traits to have and I think we all should strive to be like Hufflepuffs.
Ravenclaw is hailed as the smart house according to my friend Finley Boot, though I will hardly take his word for it. I read up more on the house from the book History of Hogwarts and Ravenclaw during her time encouraged the traits of intelligence, wit, wisdom, creativity, originality, individuality, and acceptance. The Ollivander family who are known wandmakers come from this house, though sometimes you can find a stray or two from Slytherin.
Speaking of Slytherin, Severus was sorted into this house though I'm not that surprised by it. This house is known to take the Grey or darker inclined students. Slytherin was said to despise muggles and muggle-born filth and that he fled from the school after a disagreement with the other founders. I don't think we will ever know the truth unless we find their portraits and ask them ourselves. 'History is written by the victors' has never been more so true than now. Slytherin was known to value students that held the traits of resourcefulness, cunning, ambition, determination, leadership, self-preservation, fraternity, and cleverness. I think my closest Slytherin friend beside Severus is Sora.
Lily, as you know, was sorted into-(the pen is pulled leaving ink spots)
Tuney I was sorted into the best house no matter what Lilac says about it! Lions are mighty and ferocious. (the pen gets yanked back leaving a violent streak.)
As I was saying before being rudely interrupted, Lily was sorted into the Gryffindor house which I think suits her fiery hair and all. This is considered the "best" house of all but I call foul on it because several Gryffindors are showoffs, always trying to claim the limelight. While they are more accepting of muggle-borns they also tend to be blunt and oblivious to people's feelings and situations around them. Gryffindor values the traits of bravery, nerve, athletic, courage, chivalry, and daring.
I was considered a hatstall because the poor dear could not figure out where to send me. Apparently, he said I was one of the rare few who could fit and settle into any house. I guess mom's joke about me being well-rounded came true finally. In the end, he allowed me to choose my house and how could I dare part from my twin? Lily and I are together and sometimes we scoot our beds together and stay up late to chat past midnight.
I hope you are well, Nia
With all my love,
Lilac R. Evans
"I think we have a promising batch of students this year, Albus." chirped Slughorn as he popped a sugar-coated pineapple greedily into his mouth. "September went by so fast and it's hard to believe early Samhain is almost upon us."
"Oh?" Albus hummed up softly bright blue eyes twinkling with merriment as he looked down from his throne-like chair. "Who are your favorite students then?" he teased gently.
"For me, it's little Alice Fawley, Lilac Evans, and Ethel Avery." gushed the young and flushing Pomona Sprout who was in her tenth year as a Hogwarts teacher alongside her best friend Minerva.
"Two Gryffindors and a Hufflepuff if I recall, yes?" mused Albus.
"Yes, Ethel will do my house-proud and plants practically sing around Alice and Lily. Those three girls are the only ones whose Lion Dandelions are growing perfectly.
"How is Ethel handling her house placement?" Slughorn asked with some concern. "Some of Avery's classmates were not too fond of her being a Hufflepuff and I worry they'll try something."
"Ethel is settling in as much as any first-year world," Pomona informed kindly. "Doric dotes on his little sister, so we won't have to worry about sibling rivalry."
"Doric Avery is one of my few rare and truly honorable Slytherins," Slughorn informed Albus softly. "He helps protect the other students and I believe he'll make a good perfect when the time comes."
"Take it he's one of your favorites, Old Sluggy." mused Albus of one of his true if rare friends.
"Severus Snape, Lily Evans, and Lilac Evans show much promise too." Slughorn cheered as he took a huge gulp of his pumpkin juice. "Severus has a keen eye and talent for potions much like his mother. If he keeps showing the promise his mother Eileen did, I'll snatch him up for an apprenticeship. Both Lily and Lilac are charming, witty, and vivacious girls themselves."
"James Potter and his little band of merry wizards are going to drive me gray by the time they graduate." scowled Minerva even though her cat-like eyes had a twinkle of fondness to them. "Especially those two cheeky brats James Potter and Sirius Black."
"Speaking of our students," mused Albus as he watched a young Lilac with a round face full of aggravation pull Lily into the hall trying to ignore the longing looks one heir to the Blacks was sending her.
"Come on Rosie Posie, go out with me?" Sirius cockily spoke as he tossed his long curled locks behind his shoulder.
Lilac turned with a fierce glare on her face long hair whipping behind her and into her sister's face. "LEAVE ME ALONE, BLACK!" she roared with a surprisingly good set of lungs. "I'M TOO YOUNG TO THINK OF SUCH RUBBISH!" she spat before marching over and seeking asylum from the Ravenclaw upper years.
James gave a careless shrug before taking a seat at the table and reaching for an apple. "Better luck next time mate."
"One box of lemon drops they get together." bet Albus with a happy chuckle.
"Albus?" mused Minerva.
Lilac enjoyed her free periods on the weekends the most since it allowed her to take walks by herself through the castle and allowed her to reflect. "Momma!"
"Wow even these filthy beasts breed even uglier ones." sneered a voice causing Lilac to pause in her walk when she heard the sneering sentence followed by a whimper.
"Momma!"
"Shut the thing up, Crouch." sneered a high pitch voice with a tinge of a screech to it. "I want to see if this spell from my father's library actually turns the blood into mud."
Hearing enough of the conversation Lilac quickly removed her wand from behind her ear and bolted around the corner to find two upper year Slytherins and one Ravenclaw. Held in a tight grip appeared to be a baby house elf who was crying for their mother. They had light baby pink skin and eyes to match. "Let the house elf go!" Lilac scowled as she pointed her wand at the older wizards and one witch.
"Oh, and who is this?" sneered the older short and stocky witch in Slytherin robes whose eyes flickered in jealousy when she realized how pretty the younger girl was even if she was short and chubby at the moment.
"One of the new mudbloods." the Ravenclaw junior informed coldly with a frown on his face while he stared with unconcerned apathy. "The younger Ravens are frustrated because she ranks number one in all the classes I believe."
"Stupid uppity mudbloods!" spat one of the ugliest boys Lilac had the graces to meet. "Use the spell on her Alecto." he gleefully spoke.
"Wonderful idea Amycus, brother."
Before Alecto could let lose the curse Lilac had shot out her spells in rapid succession causing heavy and thick metal chains to wrap around the three of them. "YA LITTLE BITCH! Roared Amycus as he struggled to get loose from the chains only to cause wounds to appear.
"Do stop squirming before you injure yourself any further." sneered the Ravenclaw.
"Shut it, Bartemius." screeched Alecto as she tried to flee from her chains and got several deep scratches on her throat. "I demand you let us go, Mudblood!" she snapped in frustration.
"Oh?" Lilac coldly muttered as she rose an elegant eyebrow. "And why should I?"
"Because I'm your superior!" She spat blood and spit frothing from her mouth.
Lilac allowed her green eyes to roam over her body trapped in metal chains before she allowed an amused smirk to grace her lips. "Clearly you are." she dryly mumbled.
Bartemius rolled his eyes at the two idiots that had someone how dragged him into this mess. "I'm impressed a first-year student let alone a mud- muggle-born knows such a gray spell." complimented Barty as his hungry Grey eyes took in the clearly powerful witch. "Though I don't recall knowing this spell."
"I created it." Lilac drawled proudly before walking to the shaken baby elf and scooped them into her arms. "The spell should wear off in a couple of hours, maybe," she informed coolly walking off in the direction of the kitchens.
Barty's eyes watched as the figure of the girl child turned the corner out of his sight leaving him to marvel in the taste of her magic and power.
In one world Bartemius Crouch became a Death Eater and faithfully served his master, but in another where Lilac Evans birth had intervened and caused chaos, he had not become one.
"Are you okay, lapochka? (sweetie pie)" Lilac kindly inquired of the baby elf as she carried her or him to the kitchen's portrait of the fruit bowl.
"Mama?" the baby sniffled out as it pulled on its floppy ear and stared with earnest at Lilac.
"I'll get you to your mama," Lilac answered softly as she tickled the pear ignoring the sudden warmth that encased her body. Stepping into the kitchen Lilac came into the fold of various spices and pots banging joyously together underneath the happy chatter of the house elves. "Excuse me, I'm looking for this one's mama?" she inquired loudly causing a sudden halt in the merrymaking as over a hundred pair of eyes stared with awe at her.
"Iz be Petal's mama, Leaf." an older looking version of the baby elf stepped forward nervously as she wrung the front of her blue apron tightly in her hands. "Petal accidentally snuck out her rooms when she was supposed to nap with other baby elves." Leaf spoke as she stared with wide eyes as her baby was cradled gently in a witches arm like an equal.
"Mama!" Petal boasted happily as it wiggled in Lilac's arms and raised their arms to Leaf.
"See I told you I would find your mama." Lilac chirped as she placed Petal on the floor watching happily as they toddled over to Leaf and snuggle right into her arm. "I saved Petal from a group of older students who were trying to cause her harm," she informed as she accepted a plate of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and a pot of tea. "They won't be bothering her any longer."
"Leafy be thanking the young mistress." Leaf spoke with gratefulness thick in her high-pitched voice. "Mosty wizards be ignoring Leafy's baby."
Lilac felt herself blush as she took in the adoring looks she was given. "It was nothing," she denied softly. "I did what any person should do. Leaf you don't need to call me mistress I'm not your master."
Leaf started to pull on her ears nervously, "Mistress when you saved Petal honestly it caused her to make a natural elf bond to you and the rest of us of her elf line. You are our Mistress now." Leaf informed happily with pride as she cuddled her daughter.
"I want now?" Lilac sputtered out.
October brought a cold gust of winds and frost to the magical school. The days were bright and warmth while night settled into a bitterly cold place. Lilac awoke to no warmth where her sister would sleep and her eyes grew wide with concern. The floor was cold to the touch of her feet even when she wore thick woolen socks as she cautiously walked down the steps and made her way into the den where her twin sister was sitting on the couch staring at the fire with tears in her eyes. "Lily?" she whispered in concern as she quickly walked over and plopped herself on the couch. "Are you okay?" she inquired as she touched Lily's hand and flinched back due to how cold it was. "Merlin, Lily you're freezing!" she yelped quickly taking her blue wool blanket and covering the both of them. "Lily, I cannot help you if you do not tell me what is wrong." Lilac hummed kindly as she began to pet Lily's hair.
"I miss home, Lilac," Lily whispered with a sniffle. "I miss Tuney and our parents. I miss Severus being able to come over and play without consequences, I miss mama's cooking, pa's stories, and bedtime singing the most." Lily sobbed as she clutched Lilac tighter and leaned even firmer into her embrace. "I'm trying so hard to prove that I belong here and it's hard."
"Silly, you do not need to prove yourself to anyone," Lilac informed as she brushed a hand through Lily's hair. "Ignore what those stuffy inbred imbeciles say to you, Lily. They're just jealous that you are smart and powerful while their weak and cannot understand certain human functions. As for the bedtime singing, I'm willing to do it, just ask." Lilac kindly informed before she placed the sonorous charm on her throat in hopes she could ease the other homesick children.
'Come little children I'll take thee away.'
A soft voice singed faintly making all those still awake to pause in what they were doing to listen.
'Into a land of enchantment.'
Slughorn paused for a moment and reflected back to his youth when he felt as if the world was his for the taking.
'Come little children, the time's come to play.'
'Here in my garden of shadows.'
Minerva remembers the smiling face of her husband when he found out she was pregnant, then he was gone and her daughter somewhere hiding not knowing the truth of who she was.
'Follow sweet children, I'll show thee the way.'
Pomona snuggled three Hufflepuffs into her bosom as they cried for home.
'Through all the pain and shadows.'
James Potter remembers the sickly body of his baby sister who breathed her last at two with him cuddling her in his arms. He loves his sister and the pain of her death still bothers him years later.
'Weep not poor children, for life is this way.'
The Ravenclaws bury their head in books to hold back the pain of what reality was to them.
'Murdering beauty and passions.'
Bellatrix and Andromeda carefully in the privacy of their room bandaged and fed healing potions to their younger sister.
'Hush now dear children, it must be this way.'
'To weary of life and deceptions.'
Severus cautiously watches the other boys in the room as they all clamor for the bathroom. He wants to befriend them, but he's nothing but a filthy half-breed.
'Rest now my children, For soon we'll away.'
'Into the calm and quiet.'
Far away from the safety of the castle and in a small village, an unknown muggle family with a magical child is viciously attacked and murdered by death eaters.
'Come little children, I'll take thee away.'
'Into a land of enchantment.'
Albus hides up in his office gripping tightly a picture of Grindelwald and wonders where everything had gone wrong.
'Come little children, the time's come to play.'
'Here in my garden of shadows.'
