I Am Not Nothing

Chapter One

I rolled out of bed as the sun was peaking through the crack between my black curtains. Mumbling curses under my breath, I walked over to the window, covering my eyes, preparing for when I tore open the curtains to light up my room.

It was a nice autumn day, that I was fearing to see. I slowly opened my eyes, and I instantly regretted it as I was quickly blinded by the bright sun.

I walked over to my closet, looking through my array of black and green shirts and skirts. I chose a knee-length black skirt and a dark green tank top. I quickly got changed as I began to smell breakfast being made. I threw on some black socks and walked over to my vanity. I brushed my hair and watched as it quickly turned into a puff of frizzy mess.

"Zimsy!" I called.

In my mirror, I saw a house-elf appear at my door and walk over to me. She worked on my hair until it was in normal ringlets again. She put my hair into a high ponytail, securing it with my favourite dark green elastic, with a snake decor on it.

"Anything else, Miss Snape?" Zimsy asked me.

"That will be all," I told her.

She nodded, then snapped her fingers and disapparated. I grabbed the silver snake bracelet from my vanity and secured it onto my wrist. I never went anywhere without the bracelet. It was a family heirloom and if I didn't have it, I would panic. I fixed the necklace around my neck. My father gave it to me for my tenth birthday. The charm was an eagle. My father said this was the "Ravenclaw symbol". At this time, I had no idea what a "Ravenclaw" was. I walked out of my room, closing the dark oak door behind me and I made my way toward the stairs. I walked down, counting the steps as I went. The number never changed, it was always nine steps, but I always had to count them. If I missed a step, I would go back up to the top and count again. When I made it to the bottom of the stairs, I walked into the living room.

"Good morning, Father. What is in the Daily Prophet today?" I asked him, sitting in the large armchair beside him.

I took the mug of tea next to me, already placed by the house-elves. I took a sip, then placed it back on the table between my father and me.

"Nothing interesting to you." My father told me, looking over the paper to look at me.

I sighed, disappointed. I was just waiting for the day that the paper would say that my Auntie Trix was released from Azkaban.

"Bellatrix won't be released until the Dark Lord has risen again." My father told me.

I nodded, looking at my feet. He tapped on the table to grab my attention again.

"Until that day comes, I would suggest you forget about her. It does you no good to expect her to be out any time soon." He said, no expression written on his face.

I quickly got upset about him telling me to forget about her. How could I forget about her? She was one of my favourite people! But I held my tongue, knowing that I would be punished for such behaviour. Instead, I nodded.

"Alright, Father," I said to him, showing just as little emotion as he did.

"Now, Lily, you should eat something. We're going to the Malfoy's soon." My father said, looking back at his paper.

With that, I got up and walked to the dining room. I sat on my side of the table.

"Haltak!" I called to the elf in the kitchen.

The small elf came walking into the dining room with a plate levitating behind him.

"Breakfast is served, Miss Snape." The elf said, letting the plate land silently before me.