Stairway to the Inevitable Solo

Monday | July 20, 2020 | Late Morning

Breana closed her eyes as she let herself bask in the morning sun inside the Hogwarts train. The familiar warmth of said sunlight became bittersweet for the time being, as the little Ravenclaw said her goodbyes to her classmates and is finally heading home. To her muggle home. Last year, she barely knew what being a witch is, or what the word muggle meant. Now, she started to wonder if she can be sly and try to practice casting spells inside her home. Her mother is a witch, after all. Maybe her house can count as a wizard's house? Her mother can probably register it as one since Breana is an official Hogwarts student...

As she hopped off the train, the freckled child's face beamed as she saw a familiar face amongst the crowd. It was her mother, Eugenia, coming to greet her. With no time to waste, Breana ran towards her mother, giving her a loving and big hug. She rubbed her face against her mother's shoulder, taking in the familiar scent of vanilla extract and sourdough bread. Eugenia kissed her baby's sweet face, cupping Breana's face with her soft hands. "Oh me sweet little Breezy, I missed you! Now, let me get a good look at ye..." Her mother pulled away, looking at her daughter up and down. Breana's hair has gotten longer, and just a bit curlier. Her own mother's hair grew longer as well, but just barely touching her shoulders as the bright orange hair curled inward. Eugenia fixed her daughter's hair, adjusting the new clips on the side before helping her with her bags.

The trip back home to Cockermouth was long, considering that the commute took 5 hours, but it gave the young little witch enough time to sleep during the ride home. With her curly-haired head on her mother's lap, the ride home was brimming with the sentimentality of seeing her whole family again.

Breana lightly touched the dark-colored bars of her house's small gate, smiling as she remembered how she always runs a stick past them whenever she walked by from the family bookshop to their home. She wondered if there were any changes in the bookshop? Or maybe even in the family house as well? As they walked inside, it was no surprise to her that the house is still the ever quaint and comforting place as it always has been. That is, except for her mother's kitchen. There were new commodities that has joined the counter, aside from the usual spice rack. Glowing vials and a small cauldron that's almost similar to what Breana uses back in Hogwarts. Was her mother preparing some advanced studies for her this summer?

Then her eyes fall down to the pleasant little living room. Another familiar face greets the Ravenclaw: Her father, William. The man smiled as he stood up from the couch, quickly pulling his daughter into a hug. The familiar scent of old books and magazine plastic made the Ravenclaw smile as she hugged her father back. "Breezy baby, I missed you..." William pulled away, looking Breana with a smile. Unfortunately, his smile was far from familiar as it had a complicated look to it. He looked happy, of course, but under it masked something else... Is he truly happy that Breana is home?

Eugenia broke Breana's train of thought as she placed her hand on her daughter's shoulders. "Summer camp must've been fun, innit sweetie?" Breana looked up at her mother and gave a curt nod.

"Ah, yes! I gots to meet a lotta new people, had a lot of activities and stuff..." Breana started to count off the numerous ventures she had gone through in the summer camp. Eugenia's face grew in a wide grin, whilst William still has the ever perplexed smile. "Oh, I also promised a few friends that I would write for them over the summer... I-is it okay?" She asked, a tinge of worry on her face if it's even allowed or not.

Without missing a beat, her mother answered with such certainty, "Of course, dearie! In fact, I think I can have our family register for an owl. But, just make sure it won't hinder you studying that I gots prepared for ye over the rest of your summer, alright?" So the new potions equipment was in fact for her! Breana couldn't help but squeal in excitement, but at the corner of her eye, she saw her father's face drop... Is he alright?

"Erm, Breana, sweetie..." William interrupted. He rarely called her by her name. "Why don't you head upstairs and start unpacking, yeah?" He said, nodding over to Breana's luggage. The freckled child looked hesitant for a moment, but she complied, taking in her luggage and slowly started to carry them upstairs. However, curiosity is a powerful thing, especially when one's Hogwarts house has its core values centered around such a trait. Breana has never done this, snooping around and staying to listen in on her parents, but she wanted to make sure her father was okay. He wasn't his usual self. So Breana did keep her luggage upstairs, but sneakily took off her shoes, and kept her steps light as she crouched down on the darkest part of the stairway. The satisfaction of satiating her curiosity was unbearable.

"... You said that the potions were for yourself, Gene." William started. Gone was his soft and timid tone, and its replacement was more stern, more... gutwrenching. "You told me... promised me, that Breana would try to study for real-life subjects here."

"...Wizarding is real-life, Will--" Eugenia was about to retort but William scoffed.

"GENE." He shouted. William paused for a moment to recollect himself. "... I'm sorry for raising my voice, Eugenia, but... you damn well know what I meant. What if our daughter chose to live here? Shouldn't she know how to calculate for taxes? Pay rent? I mean, our child is studying dangerous fumes in her school, for Christ's sake! A bit of studying basic math wouldn't hurt her, can it?"

"And what if she doesn't, William?! Then what then?" Eugenia raised her voice, slamming her hand on the kitchen counter. "Our daughter would have wasted her summers, just frying her bloody brain out on math, and science when she could've just studied more about potions!"


"Is that why you went behind my back and signed the permissions slip for her to go to summer camp?!" The raised voice came back, and odds are William won't be lowering it down anymore. "You kept it from me, and you've been keeping things from me EVER SINCE Breana has left for that witch school!"

"WIZARDING SCHOOL, William! And its name is Hogwarts, by-the-by! Maybe you'd understand it more if you're more open to it!" Eugenia retorted. Both of their voices are equally just as loud as each other.

"I HAVE been understanding it! I have been open, I never shunned our daughter's abilities away! Hell, I was part of her first article, Eugenia! But YOU kept me away from her!" William faulted at Eugenia, pointing his finger towards his wife in an accusatory manner.

Eugenia scoffed, throwing her hands up. "Please, William, how have I been keeping her away from you?"

"Really now?! Let's start with the beginning, yeah?" Willian then started counting off situations, listing them off with his hand. "When we went to get school supplies, you never told me when you'd do it, and by the time you were finished with getting the books, I had to coax you into letting me join you two with picking Breana's pet!" As William continued to list things off, Eugenia's confidence visibly wavered, breaking eye contact from William for a split second. "And what of today? You knew I had no work today, I had a few employees that can handle the bookshop up for today, yet you still PERSISTED that you want to do it yourself. You're not Breana's only parent, you don't have a sole say in this! We're a FAMILY, Eugenia!"

For a long minute, there was silence. The clock in the house ticking loud enough to sound like the slow jutting of helicopter wings. Then, William broke it like fragile glass. His face already streaming with tears. "Eugenia... please... Breana's school is teaching her all of the magic she needs... I just... I want her to have equal opportunity with both halves of her life." His mouth may be saying the words, but his eyes are screaming more than just that. He didn't want to lose Breana so early, to have him almost phase-out of existence from her life.

Whether Eugenia is going to approach a compromise or not, no one can say. With an angered look, she stormed past William, hitting his shoulder. Unfortunately, she also was the first to catch sight of Breana, sitting down on the stairs. Tears has stained the little girl's face.

Breana heard everything.

For some reason, Eugenia's maternal instincts shut off like a light. She was too enraged, too focused on her own goal. It was ironic, ignoring the very child she's going to help. Still, just like her husband, Eugenia turned her head away from Breana, heading straight to her bedroom. Breana jumped as she heard the loud slam that came from her parents' door. The Ravenclaw most certainly regretted staying on the stairs.