Amaya-Kaiya
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- Posted: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 06:05:37 +0000
Daphne Amora Windcharm
Life was very relaxing at her aunt's house. Without magic, everything seemed to slow down, and although it did bother her a little, Daphne didn't mind the break. After she put her suitcase in her bedroom, she wandered the familiar corridors of the little semi-detached townhouse. Her aunt's paintings hung on the walls. Daphne smiled, noting the title of each one. "Candles" depicted small orbs of yellow that dotted the dark canvas at varying heights; "First Flight" showed a fantastically-coloured castle out of a fairytale book, surrounded by a forest; but Daphne's favourite was called "The Train" and was primarily a painting of a forest. The only sign of a train, was a smudge of red that ran through the page.
Her aunt's work was Ministry-approved, for the record. They allowed her to continue her paintings on two conditions: 1) that they be relatively abstract, and 2) that she only display them in her home. Her aunt's services had earned her some accord with Minister Kingsley, and her situation had earned her compassion. There was one painting Daphne had snuck a look at once when she was younger. It was hidden away in a cupboard, carefully wrapped in cloth. It was titled "Void," and showed a swirling mass of dark colours and splotches. At the time, Daphne had not been aware of her aunt's condition, and so hadn't fully understood why that particular painting frightened her so much, or why it was hidden away.
She had asked her mother once, and only once. Aunt Rosa had been an Auror. She was a clever witch and adored adventure. In the Ministry's ranks, she may not have been the best, but she certainly loved her job. Unfortunately, Voldemort's power was growing, and one day, Aunt Rosa had gone up against Death Eaters - and underestimated them. Daphne's mother said that no one was able to figure out what exactly happened, but St. Mungo's guessed that it was some form of memory charm that slowly cut her aunt off from her magic. Because this was only a guess, they hadn't been able to find a way to reverse it. And so, Aunt Rosa slowly became a Squib. Apparently Daphne was alive at the time, but still an infant. Her aunt began painting, and eventually decided to leave her familiar world behind for something new. She settled here in New York, got a Muggle job, met a Muggle man, and was now happily leading a Muggle life.
Daphne stopped in front of the door that led to Aunt Rosa's studio. She admired her aunt for what she had accomplished. Really, she couldn't imagine what it would be like to have everything taken from her, to be ripped away from that which formed her identity. And to come out of it with something new and just as good. Aunt Rosa was her mother's sister, so it made sense that her mother would support her, and try to make her feel connected to her family. How? By teaching Daphne about the Muggle world. Her aunt was remarkable, and it was this admiration that made her Daphne's favourite relative, and her very good friend.
"Daphne," Aunt Rosa came up the stairs, and Daphne turned to greet her.
"Sorry, Auntie. I was just looking at your paintings. Paint anything new?"
Rosa smiled. "I have something better to show you. Come with me." She led Daphne into another room - her own bedroom, and pulled out a small but bulky plastic bag from a drawer. "I was going to wait till Christmas Eve, but I just can't help it. Take a look."
Daphne took the bag, and opened it. Inside were two bulky DVD cases that were labelled Pride and Prejudice, but the cover featured actors Daphne hadn't seen before. She flipped over the first one to read the description on the back. It was a television series.
"Your mother mentioned that you had a bit of a rough time at school this term. So I thought that we could watch it tonight. After all, when real boys turn out to be jerks, there are fictional men like Darcy and Bingley to cheer us up."
Daphne looked up. She had told her mother about Gabe, and apparently her mother had passed on the message. Daphne smiled and nodded. "I'd like that very much. Thanks." She gave her aunt a hug. It was very nice to be among people who thought about her and took her feelings into consideration again.