Primrose

Chapter Two - Elephants, penguins and an owl called Cuck

           

Primrose sat on her bed, staring at the letter that her owl, Cuck, had dropped into her lap a week before. This was the infamous letter that her dad had been telling her about for as long as she could remember; her acceptance to Hogwarts. It felt as though it had come upon her so suddenly, despite the fact that she knew that this would happen, and she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

She understood that she was a witch and that Hogwarts was a school that would teach her how to use magic; that, of course, was exciting. After watching her father use magic every day, she couldn't wait to be able to do it too but attending Hogwarts would mean that she wouldn't be able to see her muggle friends anymore. It had taken her so long to feel accepted within the small group and now she'd be attending Hogwarts and they won't be. Attending a school like Hogwarts should be the easiest thing in the world but now she wasn't so sure.

'We await your owl no later than July 31st'

Well, that was an easy day to remember, it was the day of her eleventh birthday which just so happened to be tomorrow.

"Oh boy" she sighed to herself before falling back against her pillows and stared at the magically illuminated stars that were scattered across her ceiling, twinkling at her even in the day light.

"Prim?" There was a light knock on her door. Primrose had just enough time to stuff the letter beneath her pillows before her dad entered the room. "Your friend is at the door." Her father, Severus Snape, is the potions master at Hogwarts and had been now for almost twelve years; she knew that he'd be disappointed if she didn't accept the offer and that last thing she wanted to do was disappoint him.

"Which friend?" She asked, sitting up a little, leaning on her elbows.

"You have more than one?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow and smirking at her.

Prim rolled her eyes and sat up properly. "That's one more than you have" she replied, returning the smirk as she slid out of bed and threw on her jacket.

"Ooh, ouch" Severus replies "you cut me deep with your witticism, Primrose."

"I learned from the best, dad" she couldn't keep the grin off her face any longer and laughed when the grin was returned. Her father was in a playful mood this morning, she liked him best when he was like this. "So, which friend? I need to know so I can decide whether or not I want to avoid them."

"Eve" he finally tells her.

Primrose shrieked in excitement and bolted from her room, leaving her dad standing there, all but forgotten. She hadn't seen Eve in ages! Her parents pulled her out of school early because her grandmother took ill and they had to travel to Italy to take care of her. "Eve!" She yells, thundering down the stairs "when did you get back?!"

The girl at the bottom of the stairs grinned and opened her arms as Prim flew into them. "Literally just now" she laughs "I begged dad to drop me off here so I could see you!"

"How was Italy? How's your grandma?"

"Grandma died" she frowns "that's why we were out there for so long; that part wasn't so great but we managed to enjoy the last week or so, once everything had settled a bit. I'm just glad it was quick and that she didn't suffer, you know?"

Despite the fact that she didn't know, Prim nods. Her mother died when she was a baby; she has pictures of her but she doesn't remember her. Her dad made sure to speak about her mother often, telling her how they met and how he loved her. It made Prim a little sad that she was unable to know her but she's often told that she looks just like her and grows more like her every day. "It's better than suffering for years." She confirms. "I'm sorry she died. Are you ok?"