I walked to the boat and ran my fingers over the sea smoothed wood and sighed. The Howling Serpent was the ship that brought me back from the island so many years ago.
"We have a live one!" Someone yelled
The trees flew past me as I ran but was soon picked up. I screamed bit, kicked, and hit; desperate to get away from the hands. A sharp pain in my neck sent me spiraling into the blackness. When I awoke the world tipped and turned in front of me and I was locked in some kind of wooden area, laying on something softer then my leaf bed.
'A bed.' my human mind supplied and a snarl left my lips as I began to look for a way out.
For a time I tried to smash my way out but the wood only splinted beneath me, never giving out and crumbling. Then I took my claws to it but that only caused my hands to bleed and leave streaks of blood everywhere. When my hands became to much of a mess I sat there and wait till they healed then start all over again.
Shaking my head I got rid of the flash back and a heavy sigh left my lips as I looked out to the horizon as the boat set sail. My home waited on that horizon. The sun rose on my left side as we glided over the water. After four hours we made it to shore and I stepped onto the island, my home. The heavy smell of flowers wafted over me as I stood on the docks. A deep sadness settled over me like a heavy mantle, shaking my head I tried to dislodge the depression that always came when I stepped onto the island. In silence I traveled the tiny deer path up the steep cliffs and to the gardens that had become my home. Moving along the stone paths I followed the flowers that I had planted when I was 13 with the help of my adoptive family. In the very center was a memorial rock with everyone who died engraved on it. Standing before the rock I read it as I had every time I had been there.
In loving memory of those who died for what they believed in.
Familia et caritas maiores quam omnes sunt
(Family and love are greater than everything)
Crouching I ran my fingers over the rock that held the strongest memories of my parents and siblings. There were more then 42,000 names on the huge hunk of rock. Turning away from it I headed towards where the village had once stood. Desolate homes stood sentinel over the broken paths that had once had feet traveling over it day in and day out. Walking the paths I headed towards the bluffs where the manor still stood like a broken ghost. Ripped curtains fluttered in the soft spring breeze, more tattered then when I had last been here. Stepping over the broken fragments of the front door I stood in the entryway of what had once been my home. Brown stains on the floor showed me where those I had known and loved had lain dying or dead.
Tears gathered in my eyes as I walked through the broken halls of my home. Every year I was able to walk a little further into the wreckage but this year had hit me hard. My adoptive family was trying to get me to move to the main land, to start a new beginning where no one would know who or what I was. My fingers brushed against the faded walls as I walked towards the library. In my head a five year old ghost of myself ran laughing and screaming down the hall as my father chased after, grinning as he scooped me up only to toss me in the air and catch me, causing me to shriek and giggle.
A hard lump formed in my throat and I stopped then turned around after marking the wall, my own way of showing that I was getting adjusting to the trauma and grief that was deep set in my heart. I stopped in the entry way and sat down next to the stop where my mother's body had lain and like so many years before I began to talk about everything and nothing at all. Everything from the last year bubbled up and flowed from my lips into the empty air. Finally I stopped talking but there was one last matter I wished to talk about before leaving.
"The others say I should make for the main land." I whispered looking blankly out the empty space that use to be our door. "They say it will help me get better but I know it is merely because they don't want a demon in their home. I don't want to go but I know I have to or I will never be able to fulfill my promise."
The wind brushed against my cheek and I sighed as I took in its warmth. A heavy sigh left my lips as I sat there just thinking, seemingly frozen in time. The sun was setting by the time I finally moved. Bringing my fingers to my lips I kissed them then placed them to the floor. Standing up I brushed off my skirt and slowly began making my way through the streets again. By the time I made it to the docks it was night time. Taking The captain's hand I thanked him quietly as he helped me step off the gangplank. Like the years before I stood at the bow of the ship and looked towards what had slowly become my home, filled with resolve. It would seem it was my time to move on and complete my promise. It was time to move to the main land.
We docked again and I walked home, though my feet dragged and I had a heavy heart. My thoughts swirled and twisted around each other, making perfect scenes yet at the same time making none at the same time. My adoptive family greeted me with smiles and I forced one before declining dinner and heading to my room. Tiredly I dropped onto my bed, still fully clothed. I lay there, my face stuffed into my blanket, and only turned my head when I was having a hard time breathing. After a few moments of lying there a knock came from the door. From its sound I could tell it was Milana.
"Come in." I said softly but loud enough that she could hear.
The door slowly opened and in came my adoptive mother. She didn't say anything instead she just sat on the edge of the bed and gently began to take my shoes off for me and stood up to put them in my wardrobe. After they were put away she sat on the bed again and just waited, knowing I would talk if I wanted to.
"I've decided to go to the main land." I whispered.
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"That is good. It will get you out of this dreary place." She said gently and her fingers pulled the pins and ties from my hair then she began to tenderly run her fingers through it.
My eyes closed in peace, this was so very relaxing but it would soon end, everything was going to. I would be going to a place that was entirely unknown to me and that thought caused my stomach to twist in anxiety.
"What are you thinking about?" Milana asked calmly
"Nothing and everything." I said softly and I heard her chuckle.
"You were always good at saying everything and saying nothing all at the same time. You get that from your mother." She said delicately and I smiled slightly.
"Alright, I am thinking about moving to the main land."
"And?"
"It is making me anxious."
"Oh little one," She said and I looked at her "It will only make you anxious until you do it then you will see it is not so bad. "
I looked away and thought about it for a moment then nodded my head. "I guess so."
"I know so." I laughed faintly and she smiled brightly. "Come on you should come down and get something to eat, even if it is only toast."
I looked at her then nodded and slowly pushed myself up and off the bed. "Let me change then I will be down."
She nodded and kissed my forehead then left the room. I quickly shimmied out of my dressed and changed into pjs. On silent feet I walked down stairs and into the kitchen. Moving to the table I sat down and was greeted by smiling faces. Derek handed me a roll and I thanked him softly before taking a few bites of it. Everyone tried to include me in the conversation and I pushed aside my aching heart. Putting a smile on my face I entered the conversation with enthusiasm that I slowly began to feel the smile on my face steadily felt less and less fake. By bedtime I was feeling better and my heart wasn't quite so heavy. Pulling my hair into a ponytail, I walked over to my bed and reached in between my mattress and box spring, I pulled out my diary. Sitting on my bed I began to write out my day on the parchment paper.
Finished I looked around my room before sealing my diary again and slipping it back into it's place. Laying back in my bed I looked at my canopy and sighed softly. Finally my eyes closed and I drifted off into a nightmare filled sleep.
*A week later*
It has been a week since I decided to move to the main land and today was the day I was going to take a boat to get there. It turns out Milana has a friend on the main land who owns a wizarding apartment building in Muggle London and is willing to let me rent one of them. Milana had worked something out so that my first two moths were paid for and that the woman would help where she could. I wasn't taking more then a few precious things and my clothes so it would be a relatively easy move. My adoptive family all stood on the dock ready to see me off and I hugged each one with a smile. Stepping onto the boat I continued a mantra in my head that I wouldn't cry. Standing at the bow I waved and called 'I love you's and 'I'll be back to visit's.
The boat left the dock and we set out for the main land. Still leaning on the side of the ship I sighed as sea spray gently flicked my face. After standing there for nearly an hour I sat down and meditated. The smell of the sea calmed me and it seemed like only a few minutes later we were docking ship. Taking my suitcase I waved good bye to everyone and walked off the ship and to the taxi that was waiting for me. As I walked I didn't notice the looks I was drawing from the men. The taxi driver took my bags and put them in the back after opening the door for me. It would seem he knew where we going as he didn't ask me where to. sitting in the back I watched the scenery go by in a rush, trying not to feel closed in. Finally we entered London and he stopped outside of a rather nice apartment building that was in the nicer part of London. He opened the door and I thanked him softly then tipped him, rather generously as he took my bags out of the back. Taking my bag I headed towards the front door of the apartment build and stepped inside. A woman in the beginnings of her fifties sat behind a desk in the lobby. she looked up when I entered and smiled brightly.
"Ah you must be Levana." she said and I nodded "I am Olivia Marsh, most call me Mrs. Marsh."
"A pleasure to meet you." I said softly and bowed my head to her.
She smiled then led me inside and up the stairs, to the forth floor. On the floor in which we stopped there were only for other doors, two on easy side. Mrs. Marsh walked down the hall and stopped at the last door on the right. I stepped in after she unlocked the door and held it open for me. When one first walks into the flat they enter a hallway that opens up into a massive living room/dining room that was aspirated from the kitchen by a single half wall. The kitchen was huge with enough room to fit ten people in there without anyone stepping on anyone's toes and a large island in the middle.
Stepping into the living room I saw that the entire far wall was made of floor to ceiling windows. The upper part of the living room was large enough to put a table on then stepped down into the rest of the living room. Everything was plain white and I instantly itched to paint it. The floors were a nice natural oak color that would have looked better with a darker wall. On the right wall of the living room was a massive fire place that I was sure could be connected to the Floo network, though I wasn't going to have it connected. Off to my left was another hall that led to four more doors.
"This is one of our bigger flats. two bedrooms, a potions room, two bath, living/dining, and kitchen."
"I looks like it will be more then I can afford at the moment."
"Well you have two months to get a job and I'll help you look." Mrs. Marsh said with a smile. "Rent is due on the first of every month, but I will give you a three day leeway before I remind you. I will take it early if you have it at that moment as well. Any questions?"
"May I paint the walls?"
"I would have to approve of the color first but yes. Any more?"
"May I set up my own wards, if they don't interfere with yours of course?"
"Go right ahead deary though I don't think you will have to worry to much seeing as two aurors live right across from you. Someone would have to be crazy to try and attack this place."
"I still wish to put wards up. Better to be safe then sorry." I whisper gently, shy and wary around the seemingly perky woman. New people always made me wary and cautious to point of being almost being paranoid.
She nodded then smiled. "Alright well I will leave you to get settled in. I hope you like it here."
With that the woman was gone and I felt myself relax, if only a little. Taking a small breath I went and looked around the apartment. Riding the center most point off the living room was relatively easy, it was slightly off to the left of the center on the living room. Taking out a bag of chalk from my pocket I began to draw an alchemy circle and the beginning of my wards. Finished I looked at the large circle and made sure everything was perfect then I knelt before it. Pulling my magic to my hands, I placed my fingers on the very edge of the circle and watched as my magic flowed out and filled the circles and symbols like water. The chalk turn from pure white to a dark, stormy blue with veins of colbolt blue. Finally the circle was finished and I watched as it rose from the ground. Focusing my magic, I began to form the mix of circles, gliphs, and runes into an intricately weaved ball.
Slowly but surely everything moved into place until a ball of power hovered in front of me, everything shining with a grey light. Placing a hand on either side of the ball I pulled it to me and where I sat. Letting it hover in front of my chest I began to draw more gliphs and runes, linking them and layering them around the ball, adding traps here and there to try and dissuade anyone from trying to mess with the wards. My breathing became slightly labored and a thin layer of sweat covered my skin as I expended a large amount of magic making my wards. After a few more moments I had finished. Taking a deep breath I added the limit which was my apartment and a rune that would make it impossible to figure out where my wards began so that no one would be able to unravel it. Connected to that I added one last trap that would be set off the moment some tried to remove them, it would warn me of the person and set off the layer of traps I had protecting all of the wards.
Pushing my hands back into place I moved the ball of wards to the place I had started and allowed it to sink into the floor and anchor there. Everything glowed a stormy blue for a long moment before it faded, letting me know that the wards had settled. Slowly pushing myself up I stumbled a few steps to the wall before using it to make my way to my room where I had unshrunk a few blanked and a shikibuton. Stripping down to my undergarments I slipped under the covers and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.