Blood and Healing

A/N: This is part of the rpg Blood and Healing located at bah-rpg on lj. All post will be posted there first, then here a day later. The RPG is DH compliant and runs in real time.

Megan Jones- The Life of a Loyal Hufflepuff

Surprises. Life is full of them. Some of them are wonderful, like finding a five pound note in your winter jacket that you forgot you put there the previous year. Or getting an owl with a note from a friend just to say hello. However, other surprises are anything but good. They can turn your life upside down in a horrid way. They can shatter your dreams and your heart at the same moment and you're never the same again.

It was one of those surprises that changed my life completely. I had plans. So many plans once I finished school. There were a number of career options that interested me and I was narrowing them during our sixth year. A lot happened that year. In the fall, my parents welcomed their second daughter into the world, my younger sister, Colleen. That spring, Hogwarts was attacked.

Headmaster Dumbledore's death changed things. School was no longer safe. I had always thought it would be, to a point. Now, nowhere was safe.

It took convincing, but I returned to school for my seventh year, promising to be careful. When I returned at Christmas, things were even more horrible in the magical world. Dad was worried and insisted that Mum and Colleen go somewhere else right after Christmas. There were some arguments, but Mum promised. She and Colleen would go to visit one of Mum's old school friends who had moved to America. Chicago was the name of the city.

Two days before Christmas, I took Colleen with me when I ran to the store. I usually didn't, but both Mum and Dad seemed tired and I thought a break, even for half an hour would be good.
At the store, while humming a song to Colleen, I felt an odd sensation. Something felt wrong. I glanced around but nothing seemed out of place. I knew I had to get home though. I apparated as soon as I could, which took a few minutes. Colleen screamed at the sensation but I managed to calm her as I carried her quickly down the street toward our house, having chosen a place down the street, away from where others could see.

As I got closer, I saw a few people around the house. I started to run then, pulling out my wand. I slipped a few times on the snowy and icy ground, but didn't fall, being careful with Colleen.

Getting to the front lawn, I saw Aunt Hestia. She grabbed me to stop me from rushing in. I had to get inside though. I shoved Colleen into her arms then raced inside. Once there, I wish I hadn't. Both my parents were gone, eyes staring into nothingness. Everything seemed to swim in front of me as I sank to my knees and cried.

That changed my life forever, as well as Colleen's. We were both orphans. I also was given something I wasn't ready for. Custody of Colleen. At 17, I was just getting ready to be on my own. Not to be on my own with a one year old to take care of.

Everything changed. Aunt Hestia disappeared, meaning I had no one to help with Colleen. I had to drop out of school to care for her.

We had to sell the house and we moved into a flat in London. I took a few odd jobs while trying to care for Colleen. Then, in June, my DA coin was activated and I knew I had to go back. I fought alongside others after hiring a babysitter for Colleen, promising myself I would return. I met with my friends and lost some of them that night. I saw death happen in front of me and barely escaped with myself.

After that, I once again became a mum to Colleen. I love her, I truly do. Yet, sometime I feel upset. Why couldn't I have a life again? Why couldn't I have my dream job and meet a decent man? Instead, I had no N.E.W.Ts or any higher muggle education. If I was not caring for Colleen, I was working at a restaurant run by old schoolmates, though they certainly were not friends. First, it was Pansy Parkinson. Then, my boss became Daphne Greengrass. Another Slytherin who had made some of my time at Hogwarts horrible. If not for my friends, especially the Hufflepuffs, I don't know how I could have lasted this long. Susan has become like a sister to me. We see each other often and sometimes she comes by just to visit. It's as if we are still at school sometimes. On my birthday in the past, she has gotten a babysitter and we'd go out to celebrate with friends. The other houses may have smarts, bravery or cunning, but I wouldn't trade the loyalty among us for any of those things.

Things with Colleen got easier as she got older. I made sure she went to a muggle school. It meant I could work during the day and make sure I was home when she was done. We became very close and I found we both shared Mum's passion for music.

Now, Colleen is going to Hogwarts. It's odd not to have her in the house. It will help her though. She has been having nightmares often and odd feelings about situations and people. I can't explain it. I don't think it's divination exactly, but it is something. She also seems like an old soul. I never had troubles with her that some have had with their children. She rarely lost her temper and I don't recall her ever having a temper tantrum. She also sometimes looks at me with a look I can't explain, but it is as if she can see me and understand me, even better than I understand myself. She seems to know when to do certain things, like when I need time to myself or when I would like a hug. She's also been very supportive about me taking a few classes at a muggle university. I might not have NEWTs, but my mum was a muggle so I understand that world too. If I can't get a decent job in the magical world, I can do so in the muggle world.

Soon, I will be sending Colleen back to Hogwarts on the Hogwarts Express. Something my boyfriend seems to think is a good thing. We met over the summer and at first he seemed fine with the fact that I had a younger sister to care for. However, now that Colleen is back from school, it's clear he doesn't understand how important Colleen is to me and I have an odd feeling I will be made to choose between him and Colleen. I already know what my choice will be.

My name is Megan Jones. A common name for a not so common witch.