5.1 An apprentice witch

They had lunch in silence. Flora’s uncle went out just after it. Narcissa proposed a walk in the garden. Flora then went upstairs to store her purchases and change clothes, because it was really too hot.
She came up to the guest room quickly and let the carrier bag on the bed. She chose a green flowered dress, a light fabric and quickly she pull on it as she was almost out the door of the room to go downstairs and meet her aunt when she saw the box on the bed in which was her wand. She hesitated for a moment with her hand on the doorknob and then returned. She sat on the bed, opened the box carefully, her breathing quickened and she felt her heart beating faster and faster while unwrapped the turquoise silk which covered her wand . She spent her fingertips along the full extent of the object, feeling every inch, every vein almost imperceptible on the polished wood. She took the wand at the ends, with her both hands and sniffed it. The smell was good, wood mixed with something she cannot recognize, a new smell, "scent of magic," concluded Flora. Finally picked up her wand, then reached over and moved the wrist, admiring the object. She got up and went to Draco's old trunk, took the book of spells and opened on any page and tested the incantation:
“Wadiwasi!”
A small piece of crumpled paper was suddenly released into the air toward the bedroom door, at the same time Narcissa came to call Flora to come down and it was hit her belly.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Mrs. Narcissa. It was not my intention."
Flora said really distressed. Her aunt raised her eyebrow in response and said with a grin on her face:
“Let's see what your wand can do. I noticed in Ollivander that you fooled me when you said that you’d never had any training ...”
Flora felt the heat blushing cheeks and admitted, a little embarrassed, pointing to the book with her head:
"I was trying..."
Then she got up and left the room in the company of her aunt to the entrance of the house.
Flora tried to explain herself:
“Well, actually I spent the night reading old books I found in Draco's room. I just tested some spells in the shop. They only worked with my wand.”

“Did you perform non-verbal spells you had just learnt over there?” Her aunt laughed. “You’ve really taken after your father. I’ve never seen anyone learn so fast. Although your father was mean, he was brilliant. You’ve certainly inherited that from him.”

Flora did not answer, just continued to walk beside her aunt. They descended the steps of the house entrance and went towards the hedges. Behind the edges, besides a small lake with swans, there was a mini-maze made of well trimmed bushes. The slightly dry grass, in Flora's perception, produced music at the touch of rhythmic steps of the two witches. Then she began to patter on the wand. In doing so, she looked at her long fingers and said:

"These fingers of a pianist I inherited from my mother, I suppose ..."

"Oh, no. Bellatrix's hands were as thin as yours, but her fingers were shorter. Your hands look much like those of your father ..."

Flora tried to ignore the reference to her father, as she wanted to forget her origin; at least while she was having such a good time. She tried to change the subject once they entered the maze of walls whose height did not exceed a yard, so the two women continued to see each other as they took different paths:

“Don’t people usually imagine out their spells? Do they need to speak them aloud?”

“Yes, they do that when they’re learning; and some go through life without being able to do anything whatsoever when their mouths are shut. It’s really impressive what you're already getting to do.”
Narcissa said, nodding. Flora was a little embarrassed.

“Aunt, Can I call you like that, can’t It?” Narcissa nodded again. “Could you teach me some "adult” spells? I only found things apparently useless in that book.”

Her aunt suggested she could teach Flora basic defence, and told her about the unforgivable curses, disarming and stunning spells. Flora smiled, amused, as she mentally asked herself, why she would need to know about defence and attack; then she asked her if she could also learn how to tidy up and clean the house, do the dishes, sew and cook through magic …

“You see; I don’t intend to fight other battles but those of everyday life, such as cleaning the house.”

Her aunt smiled and said she could teach Flora all of that, although she thought her niece could have a servant to do these things:

“Or even hire an elf. Despite they’re now free; they haven’t lost their taste for housework.”

Her niece replied that she preferred doing these household chores alone to make sure they were well done. She believed her aunt would look her down if she knew about her niece’s rather modest life.

So they spent the afternoon, having fun, and trying to forget a bit who they were and what was expect from them. Narcissa taught her various spells and hexes, as they walked and hid behind the bushes, playing like children. Flora’s aunt didn’t forget to teach her the protective spells, defence and attack. “To know how to disarm someone has never hurt,” she explained.

Night came and they did not even realize it, since they were very excited: Flora in learning and testing herself, and her aunt in teaching so bright a student. They got surprised when the night lights were turned on.

“Wow! I love magic!”

Her aunt laughed:

“Well, actually they are light sensors and electric lights. Draco installed them to show Scorpius the respect he developed for the Muggles and their inventions. It’s very useful indeed. This was a spell that we often forgot to keep on casting as necessary because it became weaker or lasted very little. Dinner! We're late!”

As they walked into the house, Narcissa said, happy:

"I haven't enjoyed myself so since Draco was a kid! Scorpius prefers to play alone, a pity..."

Flora thanked her aunt saying:

"Thank you, aunt Narcissa, the afternoon was great... I don't have fun like this since I’m a kid and play magic with my imaginary friends ..."

Her aunt smiled in response and did not say anything as she knew that children wizards and witches can cast spells while playing.

The two went into the house to get ready for dinner. Flora chose some clothes she had bought that morning; an almost black green dress skin-tight to the waist, long sleeved, and with buttons in its front. She also wore an iridescent green cloak that had a great fit. It was made of a very thin fabric, and had blue sparkles. Wizarding clothes, she thought examining herself in the mirror and approved what she saw: at last she had found a look that matched her inner self. Witchcraft suited her. She smiled as she walked to the dining room, whe


5.2. Meeting Draco

Mr. Malfoy’s friends did not take long to arrive. They looked at Flora with the same reverence and interest of their host. Some walked around the table looking for their seats as if they had been assigned. Mr. Malfoy seemed to introduce her like she was a trophy indeed. Flora forgave her uncle, now that she understood his strange behaviour and knew about his past history.

Flora greeted everyone and heard one by one of their stories. After dinner, she got up, rested her hands on the table, and started talking. They all fell silent.

“Gentlemen, I understand the admiration you all had for my father, and how much you miss him. However, I am afraid I’m going to disappoint you, since I don’t intend to take his place.”

At the end of her speech, she barely had time to notice the smile fading on the face of her uncle when Draco got into the room and saw that scene: some long known Death Eaters around the table – who, as his father, managed to be let free; Flora at the centre of it, standing up as if she had just talked or was about to do it. Her very pale face reflected in the dark table, and she was wearing a green cloak. It seemed a déjà vu to him. She was Lord Voldemort himself, or his continuity. In an attempt to nip it in the bud, Draco pulled his wand. Flora saw his movement and disarmed him.

Some Death Eaters got paralyzed at such a demonstration, some others, pointed their wands at Draco, who had his blood frozen. Flora walked slowly towards her cousin, never taking her eyes off him, grabbed his wand from the floor, as if bowing to him, gave it back to him, and apologized. Then, she excused herself to everyone and left.

She went to her room intending to pack, while her aunt rushed after her, followed by Draco that without understanding anything, demanded explanations.

Flora sent a last message to her husband, asking him to be careful and hide the children until she was back.

At this moment her aunt got in the room and tried to stop her from packing. Flora said she was going back home, but wanted to talk to Draco before.

“I am here.”

Draco got in the room, still weary. Flora said in explanation:

“I have no intention of replacing my father. Your mother has told me briefly about the horrors he promoted, and she didn’t have to detail them for me to know I don’t approve of them. I was raised among Muggles and they are not any different from me. I'm just weirder. I just wanted to learn a little more about our people to teach my children. I want to live in peace.

“Sorry, Flora. Now it's too late. My father’s friends won’t let you go , not after your demonstration. You are very agile and they all know that what they saw was the result of one-day training. They have realized your potential, and are talking about it very excitedly. They believe it's only a matter of time and of right words before you accept what they believe to be your fate. My mother has explained me everything, and I saw I had got it all wrong. I beg your pardon again.”

“Don’t worry. What can I do now?”

“I see no other option but to hide you for a while in a friend’s house: or perhaps even better, in a former rival’ house if you went home. I guess that they’d follow you”

Draco was a quiet man with few friends or acquaintances. In their most, they were, somehow, related to the former Death Eaters. So, he would have to ask for others to help him. The holidays at Hogwarts came in handy, Draco thought. He decided to take her to Neville Longbottom’s home, the professor of Herbology from the school of magic. He believed that if he went to look for Ron Wesley there would be a great argument, because Ron had never forgiven him for his wrong deeds of the past. Harry Potter, he knew, as both of them worked in the ministry, was out of town and his wife, Ginny, would not receive him.