Perfectly Content

Chapter One

Ren sat on the window seat of her bedroom that overlooked Diagon Ally. She raised the arm that was dangling out of the open window and took a final drag from her cigarette before stubbing it out on the tacky mug her sister, Vanessa, gave her last Christmas.

It had been her ashtray for the last four months. To be quite honest, Ren thought a bit of ash and some cigarette buds were an improvement to the hot pink mug with black platform heels, and the text 'Take a walk on the wild side' etched on the side.

She was depressing herself with thoughts about Sweden again. Whenever she got five minutes to herself her thoughts would always turn to her old home. She missed it. After her father had been transferred to the Swedish Ministry when she was eight years old, she had spent the last nine years of her life living in an old farm house in the Swedish country side.

She didn't really miss her old school. You had to be tough at Durmstrang. If you weren't tough going in, you were tough coming out.

She didn't miss the people either. All the girls were ditzy airheads who managed to get under Ren's skin within a five minute conversation, and all the boys were cocky, aggressive and seemed to take pride in the number of girls they could get into bed.

It was safe to say, Ren didn't acquaint herself with them if she could help it.

What Renee Danielle Gallagher missed about Sweden, was Sweden itself. She had lived in a beautiful, red brick farmhouse with her family. They had been surrounded by nature. Ren had been able to sit under the huge, twisted willow tree at the end of their garden and draw the wildlife that surrounded her, or play her guitar to her heart's content.

But now that they lived in a large three story building, wedged between Gambol and Japes and Potage's Cauldron Shop, she could only play in the seclusion of her room, and even then her mother, Violet, would often complain about the noise.

However Ren could no longer sit brooding because a shrill voice coming from downstairs suddenly disturbed her from her thoughts.

"Ren?" The voice called. Ren gave an audible sigh. "You've been getting a hair bobble for the last forty five minutes now!"

When Ren didn't respond, it called again. "Ren, come downstairs right now before I come and get you myself!" It yelled.

"Shit," Ren murmured. She stood and stretched. As she did so, she caught sight herself in her bedroom mirror. She smiled slightly. Though Ren was by no means vain, she did like the way she looked.

She had long, brown hair which cascaded over her shoulders and down her back in loose curls. She was very tall, like her father, but she wasn't gawky and lanky. Quite the opposite in fact. She was slender and willowy like her mother.

She had a heart shaped face, a slightly button nose, and full, concave lips. But her eyes were her favourite feature. She had her father's eyes. Eyes the colour of dark chocolate with flecks of hazelnut.

After grabbing her wand and casting a quick Scourgify charm on her clothes to mask the smell of smoke, she opened the attic door and descended the small staircase that lead to her families living quarters. She travelled down the long hallways and down the stairs that lead the large, gleaming kitchen of The Dozing Dragon.

Upon entering the kitchen, Ren found her mother, Violet Gallagher, leaning against the large food prep island that stood in the centre of the kitchen.

Ren was an almost identical copy of her mother, with a few minor differences. These included the hair (though they both had long, curly hair, Ren's was darker), the eyes (Violets were a lovely, clear blue) and the fact that Ren stood at least a head taller then her Violet.