✓ | RECKLESS AND BRAVE | Draco Malfoy

1 | AURORA

AURORA
(n.) dawn

BEFORE
OCTOBER 1979

NOBODY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED TO TESSA THAT NIGHT. That same night her mother died. A blinding golden light had bursted in the room of the two-week-old girl and enveloped her in warmth, the same kind of feeling a mother could provide for her child. The child had squealed and wailed in pain as horrible pain began to scar the flesh on the inside of her left wrist. For ten miserable seconds, she was engulfed in the magnificent incandescence as a jagged slice the shape of a horizontal lightning bolt cut her skin.

     The last thing she remembered from that young age was a pair of jade green eyes and a soft, melodic voice whispering, "Don't you fret, Tessie. You're safe from him now."

NOW
JULY 1991

     Teressa Valentine refused to share her last piece of toast with her uncle Kasimir. Her hazel eyes glinted with mischief as her lips curled up into a smirk. "You can't take my food from me."

     Kasi scrunched his nose at her, reaching for his wand and flicking it. The buttered toast soared across the dining table as the dark-haired man caught it with ease. Laughing triumphantly, he munched down on the bread as Tessa glowered at him.

     "That's cheating! You can't use magic, it's unfair!" She crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him childishly.

     "What's unfair is you eating three toasts and leaving me one," Kasi retorted before getting on his feet and stacking the dishes on the sink as it magically started to be washed. He reached over to grab his jacket and shrug it on, ruffling Tessa's blue-black hair. "Come on now. Best be early to grab your school supplies."

     Tessa visibly brightened as she remembered what she was to do today. She had received her Hogwarts acceptance letter a few days ago and today, she and her uncle were going to Diagon Alley to buy her school supplies. She gave a quick nod before rushing upstairs to her room to grab her letter that contained all the requirements she would need to buy.

     Tessa has lived with her uncle for as long as she could remember. Her mother had died when she was still an infant, and she never knew her father. She'd beg Uncle Kasi to tell her at least his name, but he'd never give in. She knew some stories about her mother, Catherine Valentine, but never more than short ones because Kasi's eyes would become watery and he'd excuse himself. There was a time where she'd think back really hard on her past and she'd take the chance on trying to recall her mother's face from when she was still an infant. It was impossible, she couldn't conjure any image of her. Did she look like her? Did she have her eyes? Her hair? Did she use to sneak toothpaste into Kasi's shampoo bottle like Tessa does? All these unanswered and unasked questions bothered her greatly and left her with deep longing.

     Tessa and Kasimir spent at least half an hour in Diagon Alley, nearly done with buying the things needed when they decided to stop by for some ice cream. She was in an exuberant mood, delightfully enjoying her cold treat — vanilla with rainbow sprinkles. She was about to ask her uncle if she could go look at the Nimbus Two Thousand, considering the fact on how she loved Quidditch with all her heart, when he started waving at someone from a distance.

     "Hagrid!" Kasi grinned, nudging Tessa to do the same as he quickly told her, "That's Hagrid. Say hi."

     Tessa glanced up to see two people approaching them. The first one that immediately caught her eye was a large man with extremely bushy hair and beady eyes like a beetle's. He had on a warm smile as he waved an enormous hand back at Kasi. The second one made Tessa tilt her head to the side momentarily as she thought of how familiar he looked. Perhaps they've met somewhere, but Tessa knew she's never spoken or seen him before in her life. It was a small, skinny boy who was around her age with glasses perched on his nose. He was holding an ice cream in one hand, chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts, as he offered her and Kasi a timid smile.