"...N-No!...Please! I beg you! Stay away...Stay awaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!"

That voice. The same voice that had haunted the young girl for 7 years of her life. One's birthday is normally an exciting day but when you wake up tired and haunted by the voice of your nightmare you find yourself wanting the day to be over and done with. That was the day summed up for Renee Riddle. A fair girl with mid-length brown hair with a shocking bright red streak hanging loosely on the right side of her head, she had purple eyes and full lips automatically making her look different from your average girl and more often than not, Renee had wished many times upon the brightest of stars that she fitted in and didn't look so out of place.

Knock Knock Knock

"Ren? You ready yet? Mum's got a large breakfast on the table for you..." Ron's voice came drifting from the other side of the door.

"Yeah Ron, I'm coming."

Rubbing her face with her hands, Renee swung her legs out of her scarlet purple covered bed and sighed. Turning eleven would be an exciting time for a young witch's life but Renee felt more dread than excitement. Perhaps she was hungry? Then she had remembered Molly Weasley had prepared a large breakfast especially for the young girls big day instantly shifting Renee to get ready at a quickened pace.
Renee and her little brother, Zac, had lived with the Weasley's for seven years after their mother was murdered for a reason that was unknown to Renee. The Ministry had made it perfectly clear that Renee's mother had specifically requested that her children was to be put under the care of Molly and Arthur Weasley due to the long lasting friendship Molly had with Renee's mother.
Despite the sadness that loomed over the Burrow for several months, Molly and the Weasley's were more than welcoming to Renee and Zac - something that the young girl would remain thankful for the rest of her life. Like the Weasley's, Renee and Zac were both purebloods and didn't believe in the blood status that some witches and wizards believed in. Zac was the polar opposite of Renee, his hair was a dirty blonde like his mother and his eyes was the colour of the ocean. Zac often styled his hair in a punkish fashion and he always made sure his fringe dropped just above his eye as he claimed it made him look normal. A word Renee had grown to despise.

After tying her hair into a loose ponytail, Renee was ready and slowly she crept out of her bedroom. The burrow on the third floor was normally quiet at this time and the usual sounds of cutlery, plates and the odd chatter were heard in the distance but this time, it was drop dead silent.
'Ron did say, Molly had breakfast sorted...right?' Renee thought trying to remember the events that happened not even twenty minutes ago. 'Yeah...he did.'
"Mrs Weasley? Ron? Hello?" Renee called steadily making her way down the creaky steps and the further she went down, the smell of a hot breakfast sitting on the table had hit her nostrils almost making the girl drool with hunger.
When Renee hit the bottom step and entered the living room, she was not surprised to see that the area was empty. Renee didn't spend too long in the living room and spun on her heel to make her way into the Kitchroom. (A word that Fred, George and her had made up due to the Kitchen and Dining Room being fused together.)

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

All of the Weasley's popped out from different parts of the Kitchroom and Fred and George popped out behind Renee almost making her choke on her on saliva.
"Happy birthday dear, presents are by your chair and we didn't eat a sausage..." Molly smiled aiming the last part of the sentence at Ron.
"Th-Thank you Mrs Weas..." A stern look from Molly made Renee rethink her sentence. "Molly...I appreciate all of this." Renee murmured smiling lightly at her guardian.
"It's not everyday a sister turns eleven, especially for people like us." Fred and George jeered in unison and handed Renee a poorly wrapped sugar quill.
"Hey! I'll turn eleven next year!" Ginny piped untangling herself from the tight bear hug she gave the older girl.
"And me!" Zac joined the conversation appearing from behind Molly.
"You're not a girl Zac! You're like our brother not sister." Fred snorted letting out a light laugh causing Zac's cheeks to flush a scarlet red.
"Besides...you got what I got!" Ron said waving an ivory coloured piece of parchment. Renee knew exactly what this was, it was all that Weasley's talked about every year and when Ron received his five months earlier, excitement hit the roof and now Renee had joined the hype. "We might be in the same house!" Ron could barely contain his excitement.
"I expect you to be on best behaviors when you come to Hogwarts. Just because we're family, doesn't mean I will let you break the rules." Percy muttered through tight lips as he brought a fresh brewed cup of tea to his lips.
"Stop teasing them Percy. Come on now, food is getting cold." Molly told them in her usual motherly tone that the Weasley's and the Riddle's had grown so warm to.
"You are going right Renee?" Ron asked looking at her with large hopeful eyes.
"O-Of course I'm going." She responded adding a small nod.
"Excellent! We will send our owl in response." Molly smiled poking Erroll with her wand after tying Renee's acceptance to his foot and off the owl went.

After food had been devoured and Ron complaining he couldn't fit anymore sausages in, Renee turned her attention to her small stack of presents that were glistening underneath her chair.
"Do you mind if I-?" Renee began and both Arthur and Molly nodded their heads.
The first present was a small silver necklace with a blue butterfly dangling off the end and the present was so beautiful that Renee did not expect such beauty to be bestowed upon her on her eleventh birthday.
"In memory of your mother.." Molly gently started "She had a fascination with butterflies...she said they were beautiful and free yet can be dangerous if messed with. Think of it as a good luck charm when you start Hogwarts.." And with that, Molly smiled at the young girl who was now fighting hard to keep tears at bay.
"Thank you, Molly."
Due to the family's finance's the rest of the presents were odd's bits and pieces from Diagon Alley including a bottle of colour changing ink, several quills and a small pouch of galleons and sickles.

After exchanging hugs and thank you's, Renee picked up her items and started to make her way to bedroom. She was thankful for the items she had received from the Weasley's despite not being one herself and began to feel more and more at home. After she had dumped her quills and whatnot on top of her dresser, Renee stood in front of her dresser and brushed her fingers over the blue butterfly before slowly pulling it out of the box.
"I'll make you proud mum..." She whispered before shifting her hair to the side to clasp the necklace around her neck and then her attention to the letter that was resting in between her colouring changing ink and the sugar quill.
Renee ran her fingers over the envelope and saw the neat writing on the front.

Miss R. Riddle
The Burrow
Ottery St. Catchpole
Devon

Renee had never seen such formality and began to wonder if Hogwarts were for posh kids with wealthy upbringings that thought was pushed out when Ron asked her if she wanted a spare sausage.
'Definitely not.'

Biting her lip, Renee opened the envelope and pulled the parchment out from the pristine covering. After unfolding the letter, more fancy handwriting in dark green ink welcomed her violet gaze.

Dear Renee Riddle,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1st.
We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours Sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress

The next page was almost a shopping list amount of items that Renee needed for the first year and looking at this nearly made her jaw drop. She needed more information about these items. Surely an eleven year old didn't need all this?
"Molly?" Renee called emerging from her bedchambers and shutting the door behind her.

"Mum...look. We got an owl from Dumbledore." Percy pointed picking Erroll up and fiddling with parchment that was wrapped around his ankle.
"Well what does it say, dear?" Molly asked flicking her wand swiftly causing the washing up equipment to spring into life and start cleaning the mountain pile of dishes.
"It's about Renee's first requirements for school. Dumbledore requests that Renee uses the inheritance left behind from her mother to purchase items." Percy read as he pulled a small golden key hidden within the creases and then he cleared his throat. "I think you should hold this mum." He murmured as he pressed the golden key in her palm.

"Molly?" Renee asked coming into the Kitchroom as her gaze darted between the two before her. "What's that?
"This? Just a request from Professor Dumbledore. You'll become acquainted with him when you get to Hogwarts." Molly replied tucking the key in her cardigan pocket. "What's wrong dear?"
"O-oh it's nothing. Just questions about the items for the year..." Renee trailed off suddenly realizing how stupid she sounded.
"Every item on that list is needed. It might be a bit too much but trust me, you'll need it." Percy answered before his mother could even open her mouth.
"We will be going to Diagon Alley in the coming weeks Renee...so don't you worry."