Parseltongue Heiress

Chapter 1

I woke with a start, and glanced at the clock. It's bright red lights looked back at me mockingly. It was 2:57 am. I flopped back onto my pillows and groaned. Every night (for the past week or so) I had been having one nightmare. And every night without fail, it woke me up at 2:57 am. I sat up and decided to try exercising to tire myself out. I tried to remember the woman's face from my dream, but all I could come up with was how familiar she always seemed. After about thirty minutes of cardio, I knew the only thing that would help was a nice warm mug of chamomile tea.

I wrapped myself in my fluffy robe and quietly made my way downstairs to the kitchen. I stopped as I saw my aunt at the stove, making what looked like a pot of tea. "Took you long enough. You've been having these episodes for the past week, and I decided to try and help by making you tea with milk and honey. It always worked when you were a kid." She turned and handed me a steaming mug, the aroma alone enough to calm me. I smiled gratefully and sat down at the table, sipping my tea occasionally. She sat across from me, cradling her own mug. "So, are you going to tell me what your dreams are about? You know I could probably help." She took a sip, studying me over her spectacles.

I sighed and crinkled my nose, taking another gulp and trying to remember. "See, the thing is, I can't really remember it. And it's the same dream every time. But the only thing I can remember is a beautiful woman who looks familiar, and a baby. The woman dies and a man took the baby to another woman who looked like you when you were younger." My aunt paled, her lips pressing into a hard line as she set the mug down. She stood, turning and cleaning up the tea kettle in silence. I knew from her reaction that this dream was important, but she wasn't going to tell me until she deemed I was ready. As she scrubbed the kettle clean she spoke up in a terse voice. "We'll discuss this in the morning. Please try and go get some sleep. I have some calls to make." I blinked at her sudden change of mood. I hurriedly downed the rest of my tea, then set the mug in the sink before heading up to try and get more sleep.

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I shuffled out of bed to the sound of the birds chirping. I groggily made my way to the bathroom and got dressed. I wore a dark ACDC shirt, simple jeans, and my red Converse. Then I grabbed my mom's old locket, the one she apparently left with me before.... Well, I don't exactly know what happened. All I know is I'm under the care of my aunt, Minerva McGonagall. She told me that she'd tell me the details when I was old enough to understand.

My thoughts were interrupted by Aunt Minnie calling me downstairs. I pulled my long blonde hair into a French braid, and tied it off with a green ribbon. I pranced down the stairs, excited for breakfast, only to stop halfway down when I saw a strange man in our kitchen. I slowly made it the rest of the way down, apprehensive about the discussion to come.

In the kitchen, my aunt was whirling aroundmaking breakfast. The stranger was sitting at our table with a cup of tea. Hehad a long white beard, twinkling eyes hidden behind half-moon spectacles, and was wearing a weird robe thing that looked oddly familiar. And sitting on the table in front of him was a very old letter I had seen a thousand times, but never read. The letter from my mom.