- Part One -
Mother's embrace

Date: 23 December 2019
Location: Choi Manor's garden
Time: Mid-afternoon
Speech color for Natasha: Green
Speech color for her Mother: Blue

Somewhere in Great Britain, carefully hidden from the prying eyes of the non-magical folk, stood a mansion; the Choi Manor. It was the definition of luxury in and of itself. Two storeys of minimal decor and simplistic features combined with elements from Asian architectural styles was what gave birth to Natasha’s home. She often mused; it was the perfect mixt of both modern and vintage, western and eastern, the best from either side of her family.

But not just the manor was a sight to see; the architecture itself was surrounded by a breathtaking view. At the border of the courtyard, tall pine trees were serving as an unbreachable wall; the family liked their privacy. With various potted plants at both sides, a paved path led to a small pond not too far from the entrance. Natasha’s mother, Henrietta, would often stand there, enjoying Mother Nature’s welcoming embrace. And despite the cold weather during this time of the year, the woman was standing there yet again, but this time Natasha accompanied her. Warm coats were draped over their small shoulders; the young girl looked like the clothing was about to swallow her right then and there.

Truth be told, Natasha didn’t know why she had to accompany her mother that day. It was odd; she had always thought about that spot as the older woman’s sanctuary, a safe heaven she could go to whenever something was on her mind. And she didn’t want to intrude.

Moment passed by, and her mother’s silence sparked her curiosity. Natasha didn’t want to offend the adult, or possibly anger her for interrupting her train of thoughts, but she couldn’t stop the questions that bubbled up inside her. She stole a glance at Henrietta from the corner of her eyes. This time, just this time, she would be brave and step out of her line.

“Mother. Can I ask you something?” The older witch hummed noncommittally, her eyes fixed on the fishes that swam in the pond under the thin layer of ice. Natasha took this as a sign to continue. “Why am I here?”

Seconds passed, and Henrietta stood there frozen like an ancient marble statue. For a moment the girl thought that she even stopped breathing.

Natasha gulped.

“Forgive me for asking. But I’m rather curious. You never let me near your pond, and today is my birthday. There has to be something going on.”

A small smile graced the woman’s lips.

“You are a cunning one, indeed… Your Hogwarts letter hasn’t arrived yet, and Junseo is rather restless. I didn’t want his anxiety to rub off on you.”

The girl lowered her eyes to the snowy ground. It was always like that. Never once has she heard her parents refer to each other as “your mother” or “your father”. Natasha sometimes felt like they were merely strangers, sharing a house and the responsibility of taking care of her.

“But, as you said before, the letter usually arrives around one’s birthday. This means, it could be either before or after, there’s no specific date.”

“And I did not lie.” Natasha could hear the slightest hint of irritation in the woman’s voice. “But you see, Junseo has planned a feast in your honor. Tomorrow, the Chois will arrive, along with any relevant relatives we have. It’s not just for your birthday, but rather for you officially becoming one of us. A witch of great heritage and endless potential.”

There was a short pause. The girl's eyes lingered in her mother’s face, but when she looked back at her with eyes cold as ice, Natasha turned her head abruptly in the other direction.

Why was she telling her this now? Of course, the girl was the one who questioned her mother’s actions, but Henrietta’s answer was much more detailed than normally. Natasha would never admit it, but in that moment, she was scared. Endless ‘what ifs’ crossed her mind. What if her letter won’t arrive in time? Would the guests look down on her? Would she disappoint both clans? The young witch felt her anxiety levels rising by the second.

A warm hand landed on her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts, and soon enough she found herself in her mother’s embrace. Natasha looked up with confusion clearly written on her face. Physical contact was a rare occurrence in their household; she could hardly remember the last time Henrietta hugged her. Still, the young witch pulled herself closer, enjoying every second of it.

“Do not fret, child. Your letter will arrive just in time. There’s no doubt about it. You will receive the letter, attend the feast tomorrow, and be an exceptional student at Hogwarts. You will not disappoint us.”

All too soon, her mother let go of Natasha’s small form; a shiver ran down her spine from the cold air that sneaked under her coat. The last sentence was not an encouragement. The girl felt like it was more like an order.

Even though Henrietta Choi was still standing by her side, Natasha has never been so lonely before.

- Part Two -
Father's pride

Date: 23 December 2019
Location: Choi Manor
Time: Mid-afternoon
Speech color for Natasha: Green
Speech color for her Father: Dark Green

While outside the crisp winter air dominated, the interior of the mansion was warm and welcoming. Maybe the temperature was too hot for some, but Natasha welcomed it like one would a long lost friend. Not that she had many.

What was friendship anyway? She could never give an answer to this question.

After her talk with her mother beside the pond, the young witch decided that it was time to head inside. Despite being born in December, winter was not exactly her favourite season. It was too cold, too slippery, not to mention that everything looked dead. The birds didn't chirp, the fishes did not swim as enthusiastically as they normally would, and their snakes would stick inside the house rather than exploring the large Choi property. Natasha had nothing against them, but their home always became a little too crowded around this time of the year.

The moment the girl set foot inside, she started coughing. The sudden change in temperature hit her unexpectedly. As her coughing subsided, she took off her cloak, and noticed a snake’s tail disappearing upstairs. A Black Mamba. It had to be her father’s pet snake.

Argus was a peculiar serpent. Although he often sought the company of humans, the girl has never heard a single sound leave the snake’s mouth. He patrolled the house’s corridors in silence, sometimes Natasha compared him to a ghost, but even those dead souls would make more noise.

For a couple of days now, the witch began to notice a pattern in Argus’ behaviour. Whenever Natasha entered a room, the snake would leave. The girl felt somewhat offended by this.

Sighing, the girl straightened her back, and with her head held high, she entered the spacious living room. Junseo Choi was sitting on the sofa, legs elegantly crossed, holding a thick book in his hands, with several others levitating around him. He was immersed in studying; he did this whenever something was bothering him.

“Father,” greeted Natasha as she approached the man. “I talked with my mother. She told me about the feast.”

Suddenly all the books snapped shut and fell to the ground. Junseo slowly turned towards his daughter, eyes narrowing. The girl tried her best not to flinch.

“I’m terribly sorry for worrying you.” For some reason, the young witch felt the need to apologize, even though she did nothing wrong. With the wavering confidence her mother gave her just now, she continued. “The acceptance letter… it will arrive.”

“But when?” her father’s voice was barely audible, but it still managed to send shivers down her spine. “If it does not arrive by tomorrow, then we will be looked down upon by our relatives. You will be looked down upon. Scandalous, even if it’s not your fault per se.”

Despite the warmth of the room, Natasha felt like a bucket of cold water was splashed in her face.

“But do not worry. You are our family’s pride. We could postpone the feast to protect your reputation. Two days, maybe even three. I can’t allow my father to be disappointed by my daughter.”

Every word strung, but at the same time Natasha was relieved. It was moments like these when she felt like her parents were truly by her side, and not just idle bystanders during her struggles. But these moments were rare and far between; having both her mother and father show their support in their own odd way was the best birthday gift she could ever ask for.

“Thank you, father. But mother is certain that it’ll arrive in time.”

Junseo Choi stood up and took a step towards his daughter. Natasha let him hold one of her hands.

“Your mother was ‘certain’ about a lot of things, but few proved to be true. Although she is a great witch, she cannot see the future. It’s best if we postpone the event, and wait patiently.”

“As you wish.”

“Strategic thinking is always the key. You will not disappoint us.”

Natasha felt her father squeezing her hand before letting go. He walked back to the sofa, resuming his previous activity. The conversation was over, and for the second time that day, the witch heard the same sentence, with the same hidden message behind it.

- Part Three -
Daughter's relief

Date: 23 December 2019
Location: Choi Manor, Natasha's bedroom
Time: Night

Normally, sleep came easily to Natasha; not that night, though. Hours passed since she climbed into her bed, the soft sheets serving as a warm cocoon and shield from the harsh world outside, but she was still laying there awake. She was tossing and turning for what felt like an eternity, but sleep still wouldn’t claim her mind. At one point, she gave up on trying, and just stared at her white ceiling, face expressionless as she replayed the day’s events in her head. Her parents were counting on her, but she couldn’t possibly control the owl that was to bring her Hogwarts acceptance letter. Pressure was put on her shoulder, even though she couldn’t do anything about the situation at hand. And she hated that.

As worry was eating the young girl’s mind and heart, she missed to notice a large bird approaching her window. The hasty taps on the glass almost gave her a heart attack. Her head snapped in the sound’s direction, light brown locks of hair flying as she did so. A large owl was staring back at her, a letter in its beak. The girl crawled out from under the sheet as fast as she could, almost losing her balance in the process.

Natasha threw the windows open. She wanted to snatch the letter from the owl and yell for her parents to come immediately, but on a second thought, she didn’t. Instead, she took the parchment gingerly in her hands, and closed the window with a small smile. After making sure that the letter was indeed from Hogwarts, she ran to her mother’s room, then to her father’s. They slept in entirely different parts of the manor, but in that moment she didn’t care. She even forgot that her mother and father didn’t love each other.

The only thing that mattered was that she wasn't a disappointment. She got her letter.