Learning of Worlds-Private

[HopesWings]

Starting Fresh

In the silence of the night, the soft crunch of the underbrush beneath her feet sounded thunderous. It was late, very late, and she should have been home long ago. It was desperation that pushed the child forward. Her aunt may refuse to admit it, but she knew they were starving. The food had stopped growing, and Auntie could not find enough to get them both by. It would only be a matter of time now before....Before what she was not sure, but she knew it would be bad. The girl was knocked out of her thoughts as a gust of icy wind hit her. She cried out in surprise, and she had to blink back her tears from the stinging caused by the wind. She was barefoot, and the thin dress she wore offered no real protection against the elements. The child was not meant to leave the meadow by the house. Her aunt had always been very clear on the matter; never enter the trees. However, the girl had done it time and time again. If her aunt knew about it, she had never responded. But, this was the first time she had ever gone so far from home. She worried if she would even be able to find her way back.

It was the faint sound of voices that drew the girl to a pause. They sounded young, different from what she had ever heard before. She bit her lip as a wave of nervousness hit her. Had she not ventured out seeking help? But what if these people would not help her? What if they thought she was some freak or monster or something? What if they tried to take her away from Auntie? And what would Auntie do when she found out she had disobeyed her? As she piled fears upon herself, she whimpered. The tears escaped her dark eyes, and they cleared away the filth as they slid down her pale cheeks. For a long time, she did not move. She did not stir. She had it in her mind to wait it out. She was going to let these people, whoever they were, go by, and then she would run back to the house. She thought it was a clever plan.

However, it was not meant to be. The girl blinked as a harsh light entered her line of sight. She suddenly crouched down low to the ground. She did not know what made her do it. She just did it. She remained where she was, shivering from the cold and damp, as the light approached her. Her whimpers grew louder, but she was too terrified to even try to flee. The thought never entered her mind. Nothing entered her mind but her terror. Even as the light finally reached her and revealed itself, she still could not bring herself to move. She could not bring herself to utter a word or plea. She could only bring herself to gaze at the outlined figure in fright. Was this the night she died?

In the darkness of the Forbidden Forest, it would be hard to make out the features of the girl. However, not even the shadows could hide all things. The girl was first off young, perhaps even younger than the youngest Hogwarts student. Her skin was pale, and her hair was dark, possibly black. The length was impossible to tell; it was nothing but mats filled with leaves and twigs. Her dark eyes were wide with fright as they gaze upwards. Her feet, visible beneath the near rags she wore as a short dress, were bare and covered in grime from the forest. She looked lost, alone, and nearly feral. But most of all, she looked terrified.