Many thanks to my reviewers! I am glad you like it so far!
Chapter 3
Of tea, the future and a bit of the past
Rhiannon had thought about going into the Forbidden Forest, there was a unicorn there she especially liked – not that anyone knew about this of course, her parents would kill her! But she decided against it, knowing that her mother would wriggle it out of her between her first and second sip of tea. She had returned to her dormitory, picked up her book and two envelopes of music and had gone to the gardens, where she had settled herself on a bench and had read until lunch. The sun had shone brightly and she was glad that her skin wasn't as fair as her mother's. She checked the colour on the skin of her arms with the colour on her legs – she didn't like showing her legs, she felt they were awful, so they were covered by her robes – and was very pleased that she was tanning nicely. At lunch she felt better and engaged in a conversation with some Fifth Years and enjoyed her meal. She had also asked around who enjoyed things with ginger and everybody said they didn't like ginger at all.
That afternoon Rhiannon thought about her mother while walking towards her chambers. When she was little, her mother sang her lullabies and kissed her goodnight, so tenderly. Her father told stories of heroic men and women who fought dragons and trolls and came back as heroes from their travels. She recalled what a wonderful skater her father was and coming in from the cold of winter, being cuddled back to warmth by her mother. Swimming in the lake in the summer holidays and picking flowers with her mother in the spring. Her father taught her spells to find chestnuts under the fallen leaves and she had the fondest memories of playing boardgames in her father's study.
She never played with children her own age, there were none at Hogwarts until she started to attend herself… Hogwarts was her playground, or at least the fifth floor East wing was and she was happy in the knowledge that her parents loved her. That there were no other children could have been remedied by her paretns. She had asked for brothers and sisters often. When she was eight, her mother had sat her down and told her that having a brother or sister was dangerous. Hiding her was difficult enough and how would they hide a crying baby? Also, who would take care of it? Rhiannon had been taken care of by her mother, but now her mother was teaching. Rhiannon had suggested to appoint a house-elf, but Mum had smiled and patted her head.
"No, darling, I don't think that would be a wise idea." she had said, still smiling and pulled Rhiannon on her lap.
"I am so very happy with you." she whispered and had kissed her.
Rhiannon could still remember the smell of her mother, the slight hint of ginger, almost hidden by a lavender perfume. 'My Mum is sensible' she thought, as she turned the corner, making sure no-one was following her.
She knocked on her mother's door and entered as it swung open. Her mother was sitting on the sofa and welcomed her by opening her arms widely. Rhiannon closed the door behind her and fell in her mother's warm embrace.
"My little one… how are you." her mother asked when she finally let go. Rhiannon sat down and poured herself some tea.
"I don't know what to do with myself." Rhiannon answered bluntly.
"Are you that lonely here?" The worried tone of her mother's voice made Rhiannon answer quickly.
"No! No, no, not at all! I just don't know what I want to do with my life! Not teaching, law or Ministry. It is just difficult to know what you want." She shrugged and bit in a chocolate biscuit.
"You will know soon enough – I am not worried about that at all." Her mother nodded at her and smiled widely.
"You are far too much like your father to not know what you want in life."
"I know one thing: I want to be near here, home."
Her mother's hand caressed her cheek. "You are eighteen, dear. You must make yourself a life of your own."
Rhiannon nodded. "I know, but I have been so happy here."
"I am glad – because that is all your father and I want: to see you happy." Rhiannon poured herself a cup of tea.
"Mum? Did you know right away you wanted to teach?"
Her mother shook her head. "No. I wanted to be an Auror. I met your father here, when I was in my last year, he started teaching Transfiguration and I was in his classes, trying to achieve an Outstanding, because that's what you need to become an Auror. Outstanding in practically every subject that is dangerous. No Ancient Runes for me..."
Rhiannon sat up a bit straighter. "Did you fall in love with Pops then?" she asked, eager to know.
"No. In fact, I was involved with a Ravenclaw boy – very handsome, very clever. Never saw him after exams…" her mother's voice sounded a bit softer than normal. "Your father did encourage me to become an Auror and with his help I became one. We fought together in the war against Grindelwald and his followers."
"Did you fall in love then?" Rhiannon heard herself sounding much like a four year old. But her mother smiled the softest smile she had ever seen.
"Yes. I did…" and picked up a ginger snap from the plate on the table.