A/N: In case anyone gets confused, the flashbacks are in italics and the present time is in regular print. I just don't want to get a lot of angry people.

Happy reading!

Henny, that lucky Penny!

Flashbacks Are a Bitch

"Dad! That isn't even fair!" I shouted at his laughing form. I hissed in pain as I gingerly stood on my feet.

"Henria, life isn't fair. And neither is fighting." he replied as he controlled his laughing. I shot him a heated glare and he just shrugged his shoulders.

"Sweet girl, why did you not just use the spell I instructed you to use?" a soft voice came from behind me. I winced in shame.

"I forgot to." I lied. Well, I tried to lie. I was horrible at lying.

"Ah, well, here let me show you again." I knew that playful tone. I dropped to my knees despite the throbbing ache I felt in my back.

A jet of blue light breezed over my head and I saw my father block it with a shield charm. I really wished I could duel like the two of them. They were both so graceful in their wand and their foot work. I was dead clumsy with both, but they were patient with me. I remember Uncle Albus explaining that my mother was clumsy with her wand and her feet. I took comfort in the thought that I was not the only one in my family who took a while to get used to such things.

"I believe the purpose of this exercise was to learn shield charms not evasive maneuvers." my father raised an eyebrow at me. I gave him a small, sheepish smile and shrugged my shoulders.

"My wand hand is not as quick as my brain?" I was met with exasperated sighs from both men.

"In due time, Jaerymiah. In due time." my uncle said softly.

I made a guttural noise as I felt my foot fly in an arc into the punching bag. A sharp thud met my ears and I felt accomplished. Twenty more of these round house kicks and I would be done for the day. I would also be too sore to walk for the rest of the day, but that is what I needed to do to know how to defend myself without a wand. Pain is just my muscles learning new skills. That is what my father keeps telling me. I just think he is trying to kill me for not taking out the trash when he told me to yesterday.

But that is neither here or there.

I completed my kicks and began to work on the other foot. While the ache was painful, I felt better about how strong I had become in the past months since my father had me start working on my physical fighting. He said it was important because no one else will expect it. Uncle Albus had been in the room and he coughed lightly when father said it. I felt nervous like I should not be in there. The two older men did not always see eye to eye when it came to my training.

Father believed I should not be focusing on the harder spells and should be learning to perfect the beginner spells. Uncle Albus argued that I would get the beginner spells down pat while also learning the harder spells. I left the room during that exchange because I was tired of being the center of their conversations. It is nice that I am the center of their worlds, but honestly, can a girl get a break?

I sensed him before I heard him. A presence descended upon my body and I had enough time to twist away and dodge the sudden being. I spun around and aimed a punch for their midsection. A hand clamped down on my wrist and twisted it around painfully. I ground my teeth to push through the pain and followed my wrist. A nicely aimed elbow had my mysterious opponent doubling over in pain.

"Fuck!" a familiar voice groaned. I instantly felt terrible about acting so quickly.

"Oh! Mark! I'm so sorry!" I exclaimed. I felt useless while watching him hugging his stomach.

"It's fine, Hen. I shouldn't of came up behind you. Especially since your dad has been having you train so hard. No time for your friends?" he stated teasingly.

"No. But daddy said you could train with me. Kadie too." I wiped away sweat from my brow to prevent it from going into my eyes.

"Well, why do you think we are here?" a high voice came from the doorway into the gym. I broke out into a wide grin.

"Rosie! Excellent! Come see what I learned! And then you can learn it too!" I was excited. Training by yourself is immensely boring. Training with Mark and Kadie would be exciting.

"ARGH!" I roared as I threw my wand to the ground.

That had been the fifth or sixth stinging hex that had hit its intended target; my face. I had about enough of it and my father knew. So that is why he threw, yet another, stinging hex at me. And I did not even think about it. I sliced my arm up and shouted 'Protego!' and did not feel the burn of the goddamn hex. Instead, the red beam of light bounced off limply from my shield. I heard clapping and I looked up to my uncle. He had a very bright twinkle in his eyes.

"That's our girl! Excellent work, Henria Aislinn!" Uncle Albus praised. I felt my chest swell with pride. But he called me the wrong name again.

"Celeste." I corrected automatically. The twinkle dimmed a little and he looked at me sadly. I almost felt like I have done something wrong. But I had not. Henria Celeste was my name, right?

"Wandless magic, good job baby." my father came to my side. He started examining my face. I tried to wiggle out of his hold, but he held the sides of my head firmly.

"I'm fine. And thank you daddy." I sighed. He seemed satisfied that I was not, in fact, injured. A soft kiss on my nose and he released my head. I smiled at him.

"You've grown so much. You are so strong." he murmured. I flushed under his praise. He does not relinquish it often, but when he does, I always feel awkward.

"Thank you. I have kept up with your training regime." I replied softly. A small smirk played on his lips.

"Silly girl." he murmured against my forehead before he gave me a soft kiss.

"Silly daddy. What are we learning next?" I said eagerly. I wanted to learn more now that I was getting a hang of the wandless magic. A soft chuckle ghosted across my skin and into my hair. I looked up at him and he had laughing dark chocolate brown eyes.

"Disarming spell, actually." he replied, "You need to know how to do that for times when you can't get to your wand. It will come in handy." I felt excited about this idea. I would love to know how to disarm without my wand. I knew just what my father was talking about.

"Okay. That sounds fun." I responded with a grin. Gods be good, I was only sixteen and I was learning wandless magic!

"You have to concentrate, Henria. Remember, we aren't looking for perfection, just a sense of how to do it." he supplied. I nodded my head and set my feet in a defensive stance. I did not even bother to go grab my wand from where I had thrown it. The stupid thing was frustrating me anyway.

I flicked my wrist and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" and nothing happened. I took a calming breathe as my father nodded his head. I buckled down on my frustration and set my mind to the task, "Expelliarmus!" I tried again.

"Ack!" my father exclaimed as his wand pulled on his arm. I sent him a smug smirk.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" I roared with a flick of my wrist and his wand went sailing through the air into my palm. I started jumping up and down in victory and then I saw a movement.

A stream of red was being sent my way. I panicked and arched my arm, "Protego!" I yelled. But something went wrong.

I opened my eyes and saw I was a good fifteen feet from where I had started. My father was rushing to my side and I could not hear what he was saying. A ringing was playing in my ears and I saw Uncle Albus smile knowingly. I felt like I had done something wrong, but that was a feeling I got most days.

A soft hand was cradling my chin. I still could not hear what my father was saying to me. I sent him a curious look and he looked worried. I observed him look to my uncle and Uncle Albus just shrugged in response. I was still confused as to what was happening. And until the ringing stopped, I was not going to get my answer. Something was slipped from my hand. I remembered I still had my father's wand.

I swallowed nervously. I used my father's wand instead of my own and it had backfired on me. I do not know what had happened, but it sent my father into a spiral of worry. I focused on his lips and he was telling me that it was time to call it day. I nodded my head faintly and felt him lift me from my sitting position. Was he mad at me?

I guess I will not know until my hearing came back. My Uncle Albus just nodded his head approvingly. I was so confused.

"Henria Aislinn, do you know what happened last week?" my uncle was sitting beside me on the couch as I sipped some tea I had prepared for the two of us. It was one of my rare breaks from training. School was to start in two weeks and my father was giving me time to recuperate.

"No Uncle Albus. All I remember is that I had been flung backwards. I couldn't hear anything. There was a ringing in my ear like someone had set off a bomb right next to me." I replied politely.

"Yes, well, you used your father's wand. It is most curious, and delightful, that it backfired on you. I am surprised that you didn't suffer anything more grievous than a loss of hearing." his tone depicted wonderment. I stared at him curiously.

"Why do you think that is?" I asked. I knew this game. He was not wondering what the hell happened. He was waiting for me to ask the question to satiate my curiosity. I knew this game well.

"Well, he has a dragon heartstring core, right?" I nodded in the affirm to his question, "My dear niece had a theory about wand cores. Do you want to hear it?" the twinkle was almost blinding behind his half-moon spectacles.

"Sure. Couldn't hurt to learn something new, right?" I shrugged my shoulders as I sipped the tea.

"She thought that it didn't matter if you used a wand with the same core type. She believed that you could only use a wand with the same wood type. It would make sense since the wood of your wand is normally determined by your birthday. Ivy is your wood. I do believe that your father carries a Holly wood wand, correct?" he took a small sip of tea. I nodded my head, "Yes that would explain the mishap. What do you think you should have done when I sent over the stunning curse?" I narrowed my eyes. I hate this game. This game made me feel incompetent.

"Throw up a shield charm wandlessly." I ground out through a clenched jaw.

"Good. As long as you realize your mistake, Henria Aislinn." he chided me softly before he sipped his tea again. My left eye twitched. Why does he keep calling me the wrong name?

"Celeste." I corrected quietly before I took a deep pull of my tea to keep from saying anything offensive.

"If you say so, my dear." he looked sad as he said that.

My eyes fluttered open and I felt weak. Nothing was making sense. I could still taste the jasmine tea I had been drinking with Uncle Albus that day. The flavor played across my tongue as I tried to swallow. My mouth was dry and my throat was sore again. I looked around at my surroundings and saw nothing but white walls. I blinked against the bright color and I tried to sit up.

Blinding pain crawled across my back and I grimaced. I continued my task and ignored the urgent need to lie back. After situating myself upright, I saw that the curtains were pulled around my hospital bed. Why was I in the Hospital Wing?

And then the events of however many days ago it was came rushing to my mind. I had a note that I still had not read. I was holding Denali. And then he was flying away.

Denali fell out of the sky.

I felt my chest heave as my heart broke into two pieces. I did listen to my body then and fell back against the mattress. The tears began as I felt my legs curl to my chest and I rolled to my side. I let out a soft wail of mourning. I sobbed in loss. I fell apart in loneliness.

Denali fell out of the sky.

Now I was truly alone in this stupid, fucking castle. Not even my uncle's portrait could help me. It was me against the world.

Denali fell out of the sky...