I woke up feeling snug and relaxed. I yawned loudly, stretching out my arms and legs, slowly forcing my eyes open and my blurred vision began to clear as they adapted to the amount of light in the room. I forced myself up and stretched my arms as high as they would go, my thoughts on today's plans of buying school
uniform for the new term. I swung my legs round across the soft sheets before placing them on the stone cold floor. The coldness of the floor jerked me awake as my eyes widened in horror as a terrible thought hit me like a brick wall. My body froze completely but my mind was more then active. My bedroom doesn't have a stone floor. Or a luxurious four poster bed with green silver trimmed sheets. Or candle lighting. Or antique furniture. Or is the size of a large bungalow.
Where in gods name am I?
Suddenly the bedroom door flung open and in walked a Victorian style dressed woman with flowing brunette hair and pale unblemished skin. "Ah Rain! Your up, thats good to see, now hurry up and dress for breakfast, your chauffeur will be here at 11.30am to take you to the Flint's house," she said flicking her wooden chop stick, that she had retained from her dress side pocket, at the curtains, flinging them open. I watched in ore, she was very beautiful, and her clothes looked beyond the category of expensive, and the electric curtains mustn't have been cheap either. But she seemed a little extravagantly done up for a fancy dress party, and it was way too early in the morning for one of those. Maybe she can't see properly, as
she said Rain but it looks bright and sunny outside to me.
"Don't just sit there girl, your father and I will be expecting you at breakfast in half an hour," she said snapping me out of my thoughts as she left the room closing the door behind her. I sat there, lost for words. Surely this was a dream, or a nightmare in fact. I'd travelled back in time to the England Victorian Ages that I learnt about in History class, my slumber being my time machine and I was yet to wake up. I took my forefinger and thumb to the top of my other hand pinching harshly on my skin. I yelped in pain, rubbing the top of my hand where the pain lingered. But emotions and feelings didn't exist in dreams right?
Suddenly a faint 'crack' pulled me from my thoughts once more. I small creature, I hadn't notice come in through the door, with large facial features and a tiny skeletal frame dressed in rags rushed over. "Need any help dressing today Miss Rain?" came it's squeaky feminine sounding voice. I jumped back onto the bed pulling my knees to my chest. "What the hell are you?" I spat in horror. The creature looked round as if checking over it's shoulders to see if the coast was clear. "Oh no, Grindy has angered little Miss, little Miss must be hung-over from her night at the Malfoy's," she started pacing rapidly, her hands shaking with fear. She stopped suddenly and turned to me, "Grindy will get Miss Rain her headache potion, then Miss. Rain can dress for breakfast," she said brightly. She was about to 'crack' away when I objected quickly. "No! No potion thank you, just help me find something to wear," I said with a sigh. Grindy's eyes lit and she smiled excitedly. "Oh thank you Miss. Rain, little Miss never normally requires Grindy's help picking clothes," she said rushing towards one of the huge wardrobes, pulling open one of the creaking mahogany doors and diving inside.
"Yeah well little Miss isn't herself today, literally," I said barely believing it myself. This had to be a dream, a nightmare even, it's not possible that this is real, talking non-human creatures, opening curtains with a wooden chop stick, formal day wear? None of this made sense!!!
"Grindy thinks Miss. Rain should wear her green vest top with her favourite jeans, Mr. Draco likes it when Miss. Rain wears the house colour," she giggled excitedly running over with a pair
of skinny jeans, a low cut velvet vest top with black lace on the chest and bottom rim with a few dotted crystals on the lace adding extravagance. A word never used to describe my own choice of clothes. I must say it was a gorgeous top, and the jeans were nice but I'd be surprised if I could fit in them.
"House colour? And whose Mr. Draco?" I asked confused, not being a very good actress when it came to pretending to be this aristocrat Miss. Rain. "Slytherin House miss, the school house that all your ancestors have been sorted into, the best house of Hogwarts, as for Mr. Draco, he's your long term boyfriend who your father is pleased to see your in love with, he always wanted you to marry into a decent pureblood family," she said more to herself then me as she never once gave me eye contact. I stood more baffled now then I was before I asked the question. Pureblood? must be something to do with the rich and powerful, maybe us poor people arn't 'pure' enough to marry into their familys because we lack the impressive income.
Hogwarts House? Slytherin? I'm not going to hurt my brain on trying to work out what the hell they mean, I'll just play along and hope I wake up... soon.
"If I may be so bold to say and speak out of line, but maybe you should re-new that picture of Mr. Draco on your bedside table, it's not recently taken," she said cowering. She had continued to show signs of fear towards me since I woke up, and she was dressed in rags so clearly she wasn't a respected creature in this house hold, it's a little out of my nature to be cruel to someone without being provoked, but in order to get through this quickly and easily I had to get into character.
"Your right Grindy that was completely out of line, hold your tongue before I get father to punish you," I said looking down at her glossed over eyes, her knees shook as she handed over my clothes to me in silence.
"Grindy apologises to Miss Rain, her comment was stupid, stupid stupid Grindy," she said hitting herself in the head with her hand. I cocked my brow watching her weirdly before heading over to the bed to check out this picture. My jaw dropped. He was ...Gorgeous!! Completely out of my league, this had to be a dream, or a dream come true! No wait.. what am i saying? I've never had a boyfriend before, I'll make a fool out of myself in front of this guy, I mean come one, he's perfect, he wouldn't look twice at a girl like me.. maybe Rain was perfect, but Storm most definitely isn't girlfriend material.
He stood there with an arrogant smirk on his face, lifting his hand occasionally to scrape his fingers through his hair to attempt to brush back the rebellious strands of hair that hung to the side on his forehead, he winked at me every time he did so, as if he thought his actions was causing a stir of flutters in my stomach, which I discovered he was, but I was too stunned at the fact that the picture moved to notice.
"Rain and Draco are very mean to each other, but seem to be compatible, very confusing in the average definition of love if you ask me," came Grindy's voice not too far away. "No one did ask you Grindy, and we're mean to each other in a non offensive way of course," I said, biting my lip at how different I was beginning to sound and feel, words being said without thinking, fluttering sensations in my stomach over a guy I would normally want to throw rocks at.
I took a deep breath, I am Storm Black, I'm from East London, I am 16 years old, I attend Sacred Hearts High School and I am not Miss. Rain.
"Miss Rain, you must hurry for breakfast or Master Edwards will not be happy," she said, I eyed her, "Who?" I said dumbly. Her eyes went wide making me feel unnerved, "Your questions confuse me! Miss Rain has lost her memory! and has forgotten the name of her father!" she said starting to panic. I jumped up in a panic myself, "No Grindy I'm fine honestly, err just it's too early in the morning for my brain to function properly, and stop shouting," I said, she stopped and stared at me for a few moments of silence before nodding. "Yes Miss Rain, I'm glad your shouting at me, thing's are better now, you've never let me stay in your room this long," she said. I sighed, be the character Storm I thought, "Don't push your luck then, leave now before I call for father," I spat, she cowered again, and with another loud crack she was gone in a second. I stared in wonder, teleportation? since when was that physically possible?
I was beginning to hate this place the more used to it I got. The part I played was of a cold hearted rich girl with an ambition to be a gold digger. Great. Mother looks like a Victorian snob with a gremlin for a slave, or what ever it is, and Master Edwards, my father, sounds a little too strict for my liking. Also great. I was picking things up fast, desperately attempting to put the pieces of this story together. As I did it became more realistic as well as being fantasy. This was obviously not a dream, but I had to escape it some how and get back to my own world.
I headed into the bathroom, I tried not to be surprised at its size as the rest of the house will knock my dead if I get surprised by the bathroom too much. A large marble bathtub about the size of an average double bed, built into the floor on a platform with mini steps leading up to it. The toilet was pretty average, just more expensive looking, a double sized shower, pearly white towels hung on racks next to the his and hers wash basins that stood afoot the huge mirror that covered the wall completely. I stepped forward towards the shower, pulling the door open to figure out how it works when the water instantly switched on nearly soaking me, I closed the door watching the steam cover the glass shower door and rise to the ceiling. I headed over to the wash basins and placed my things between the two of them before looking up at my tired
reflection. My eyes went wide.
I reached my hands up to my hair, it was... my dull one length brunette hair was now a deep black with a few random thin strips of deep purple going through it's layers. My skin was perfect and blemish free, my figure was toned and slim. I turned on me heel and gasped, my ass was perk! This definitely couldn't be real, only my face looked like my own, just with major improvements and emerald green eyes, maybe God is blessing me with a new life after seeing how much my old one sucked, but surely he'd be nice enough to warn me first?
After a few moments of admiring the improvements I finally showered and dressed. Then with a little effort put on make up and styled my hair a little, actions I would never normally do thanks to my rebellious attitude and dislike for the pretty popular guys who spend their lives doing hair and make up without realising the real priorities in life such as global warming and poverty in 3rd world countries. What irritated me the most was the fact I now liked my appearance with the hair and make up.
I defiantly used Rain's toothbrush to brush my teeth with before racing downstairs to breakfast. Which took a lot longer then I thought it would, who in the right mind would need a house bigger then a hotel for 3 people and a gremlin? I thought as I finally figured out where the dining room was.
"Rain dear there you are, hurry now and east your breakfast before your chauffeur arrives," said my fake mother. I nodded and said down opposite her, glancing at the head of the table where Master Edwards, my fake father, sat hidden behind his newspaper which also ironically had moving photos on it. I shook my head in disbelief before tucking into my hearty English breakfast finding some form of home comfort in it. Despite my lateness the food was still piping hot much to my delight. "So darling, what took you soo long to get to breakfast, your normally ready straight away with all those nifty spells those in advanced teachers at school taught you," she said sipping from her silver goblet. I placed the large gleaming knife and fork on the silver platter. "I was deciding what to wear," I said quietly, feeling nervous in their presence, pretending to be their daughter. "Oh how sweet, Edward did you hear that? A year on in their relationship and she still puts the effort into her appearance for him," she said proudly, I blushed madly but went along with it.
I sipped my drink trying to zone out and escape the awkwardness I was feeling but I wasn't having much luck, and Master Edwards sharply putting his paper down made me jump slightly.
"Tell me Rain, how were the Malfoy's at dinner yesterday? you didn't really have chance to tell me last night before you ran off to bed," he said. Oh shit.
"Err they're were nice, very polite and hospitable," I said off the top of my head. Master Edward's scoffed before sipping his tea.
"Well of course they were, you wouldn't expect less from an upper-class pureblood family as powerful as the Malfoy's, tell me girl, did Lucius mention anything about the raids?" he asked.Bigger 'oh shit'.
"Come now James, Lucius wouldn't discuss the raids on his home with Rain," said Rain's mother sharply like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I just nodded and continued sipping my drink to avoid speaking while inwardly thanking her for saving me from answering that question.
"Yes of course, it's non of our business, but I do worry, the pathetic workers of the Ministry have been all over his case recently, we'll be next Kara, I tell you now it will be them banging on the doors stripping the house with counter spells and illegal enchantments looking for dark magic, they won't find it here I tell you, they should have enough intelligence to know by now that us Death Eaters are too wise to hide our weapons against them in our homes," he said slowly getting angrier as he continued on. This seemed to unnerve Rain's mother, and me also as I had no idea what he was talking about.
"James please not in front of Rain, besides they know we're careful that's why they've never bothered us before and never will," she said snapping at him to end the subject. Master James Edwards smirked at me, I stored the names of him and his wife in my mind as it would be useful. "She's got it all to luck forward to, the excitement of marriage to a Death Eater, the thrill of knowing the master will return to finish what he started, and those loyal to him will bask in his glory and as a faithful wide she will reap the benefits," he said. I tried to look normal, but I couldn't decide if I wanted to throw up or run away.
"Little Miss! Your car has arrived," said Grindy appearing from no where, I raised from my seat. "Grindy why are you still here? Leave ugly thing I'm trying to eat," he said using his newspaper to shoo her away, only just missing her with it. She quickly ran away and I headed for the door. "Excuse me Rain aren't you forgetting something?" came Rain's father's voice. I stopped dead trying to figure something out while slowly turning around, I looked over to him, he was smirking and patting his cheek. I inwardly grimaced as I headed over and pecked his cheek, rushing back out the room before either of them had chance to call me back. Thing's were not going well despite my talents at fooling everyone.
I found Grindy in the main hall waiting for me holding another dark brown chop stick and a long dark green almost black velvet clock with a thick silver snake on it's buckle with a black diamond encrusted eye. I put on the cloak and took the chop stick from Grindy discovering it not to be a chop stick, but a decorative wooden toy wand. I smirked at it wondering what the point would be in taking this with me to see Rain's boyfriend. "Keep it in your cloak Miss Rain in case you pass muggles on the way," said Grindy, I looked on the inside of the cloak, sure enough there was a specially designed pocket just for the wand, I was half dressed in a Halloween costume, all I needed now was the hat and the broom stick.
"Dinner will be served at 7.30pm as always Miss Rain, Master Edwards expects you there," said Grindy before with yet another loud crack she disappeared once more. I rolled my eyes before heading out the large open front doors, the kind you would see on the front of a castle, maybe there would be a drawer bridge at the end of the drive, after everything else I've seen in this world anything's possible.
To my disappointment there wasn't a drawer bridge, just a long drive to yet another expensive house. "Miss Black we have arrived at your destination, the Flint Manor," said the driver, the first thing he had said to me since I got in the car. Before all I had got was a nod as a greeting before he closed the door for me. "Miss Black?" I thought my name was Rain Edwards, that's why Grindy called Rains father Master Edwards? Or maybe she's adopted like me and has kept her real surname, but why would her real surname be the same as mine? this is too weird now.
"There a problem Miss. Black?" asked the driver looking at me through the centre mirror, I broke from my chain of panicked thoughts, "No there's no problem," I said getting out the car and staring up at the house which was similar to Rain's house. Like from the film the Adam's Family. "Right lets get this over with," I said quietly to myself before heading up the many steps towards the large front doors. I took a deep breath and knocked 4 times.
Bang....bang....beep....beep....
I slammed my fist down hard on the source of the noise. "Eurgh shut up! Grindy!!!!" I screamed, knowing it was be her fault what ever it was that interrupted my slumber and brought me into consciousness with a killer hangover. "Come on now Storm, stop dreaming, we need to get to town early to get your uniform," said a woman's kind voice, I rolled over putting my back to her. "Be gone silly woman, my sleep is most needed," I said snuggling back up under the covers. "Storm Black don't you dare speak to me like that now remove your ass from that bed before I get your dad in here!" she snapped. I groaned in annoyance while feeling the roughness of the covers and the lumpy mattress. The bed was cold except where I had been laying, surely the
permanent heating charm hadn't worn off, it's suppose to be permanent.
I sat up rubbing my eyes and yawning loudly, "Now what do you want for breakfast?" came the woman's voice, I yawned again, "a full English breakfast of course with freshly squeezed orange juice, hash browns cooked to a light golden brown, fried eggs cooked on both sides, no grease, and softly cooked skinless tomatoes," I said drooling at the thought. The best cure for a hang over.
"What do you think this is, the Ritz? Dad's making bacon sarnies, take it or leave it before they're cold, we'll be leaving in an hour so get showered and de-smell so we can get going," she said, a click nearby sounding like the closing of a door which was unusually not followed by an echo. I opened my eyes, squinting for a few seconds while they adjusted to the light and began to focus. "How dare that stranger speak to me like that who does she..."
A ridiculously loud scream left my lungs as I jumped back on the bed, my back slamming into a wall. "Oh Merlin! I've been kidnapped!" I spat horrified by the tiny room, the floor covered in dark scummy designed clothes and cheap cardboard looking furniture. Footsteps came rushing towards the door which soon flung back open and I stare in horror at the scrawny under dressed woman who clearly took no pride in her looks at all. "Storm darling what's wrong?" she asked concerned. "She probably saw a spider," came an arrogant male voice from behind her but his face I didn't see. "be quiet Karl, Storm darling speak to
me," she said stepping towards me but my sudden flinch of fear made her stop dead. "Storm?" I asked confused, as if everything else wasn't confusing enough. "Your awfully pale dear, maybe we should take you to a doctor or something, we can get your uniform another day, here let me check your temperature?" she said reaching her hand towards my forehead. I froze with fear but my moth quickly opened, "Don't touch the face," I spat with disgust. She frowned and looked upset.
"I'll tell your father your not well, now get some rest," she said leaving the room. Silence fell and all i could hear was the sound of my own heart beat pumping within my chest.
I looked round for my wand, but it was stupid to assume it would be left nearby. I got up to explore my new scummy prison cell. The room was small, cramp and overly messy. I felt sick to the stomach, "They've obviously kidnapped me for a ransom, they definitely need the money for a new house, a maid and a new decorator," I said quietly to myself as I stepped over clothes and other objects on the floor in heaps. I walked past the full length mirror catching my reflection in it. My jaw dropped as I stared in horror getting closer to the mirror. "My hair! it's long and plain brown! My skin has spots and no make up! And my eyes are blue!" I spat in digust. This could not be happening, this was deep deep evil magic, more evil and illegal then
the stuff I learnt from the spell books in Lucius Malfoy's private library.
I continued to tweek and nip at my face and hair before finally admitting to this new reality, "I'm ugly."
"Nice to see your admitting it," came the familiar smug voice from earlier, I frowned and looked to my right seeing him stood in the doorway leaning on the frame with his arms folded across his chest. "The spot pads mum bought you weeks ago will help your face, the straightners will sort your hair out, and if your feeling really serious you could actually get a hair cut," he said, his smirk staying firmly in place. I stood my ground, my Slytherin attitude quickly returning to me after a morning of confusion.
"And you are?" I asked cockily, he scoffed and shook his head. "Your brother you idiot, God when mum said you weren't feeling yourself she wasn't joking, now the world can see what a mental case you are," he sniggered. I felt my cheeks burn with loathe for this ruggedly good looking muggle like man who had helped with my kidnap. Footsteps were once more heard.
"Derek leave your sister alone she's not well, there there Storm you just ignore him," said this false mother pushing Derek out from the doorway so she could enter the room.
"I want him out of my site, I demand to know what your intentions are with me!" I spat having enough of this nonsense, desperate to know when I could go home. She looked at me hurt and upset. "Storm please don't raise your voice, I know your unwell darling but there's no need to get upset, come on back to bed with you, your fathers calling the doctor now, he'll be here in the morning," she said helping me back into bed before leaving the room, tears swelling in her eyes.
I rarely felt guilty about anything, but I did regret raising my voice at her. She seemed so sweet and nice, and Derek wasn't that bed. Maybe I hadn't been kidnapped, but there was dark ancient magic at work here, I had to find out what had caused my appearance to alter and for me to appear in this strange new world. I had to get out of this muggle version of myself and back to my real home.
I lay in bed straining my brain to work out what was going on. Thanks to the Malfoy's secret library of dark arts books and illegal spells and enchantments I had extensive knowledge in the ancient magic and everything illegal, but even with my unnaturally high intellect I couldn't work this mess out. My new false mother kept returning and refilling my glass with warm milk and trying to feed me sugar loaded cookies that wouldn't help my toned thighs at all. I refused to speak deciding it best to keep my mouth shut, this only upset the woman more, but I had finished caring. I wanted the comfort of my own bed, my own family, own world, and best of all... my Draco.
I struggled to remember events of the night before, trying to retrace my steps in my mind in hope of remembering something important that might help me get home. I remember leaving the Malfoy mansion, and speaking with my father before heading up to my room. Everything after that was a blur, my father will be outraged with remorse when he discovers I'm missing. He's probably got the entire Ministry searching for me by now. I wish they'd get a move on though.
After a couple of naps I was unable to sleep any longer in this terribly uncomfortable bed. I investigated the room further out of curiosity and boredom. Taking my so called brothers advice I took the tub of spot pads, reading the small instructions on the back before taking one of the thin soaked pads and stroking it across my skin. i screamed as a burning sensation exploded on my skin. Derek ran in laughing smugly, "Don't be such a baby Storm, beauty is pain remember," he said. I frowned and put down the pads. "Not in my world," I said under my breath.
"Oh and those straightening things you speak of, well they don't work," I spat sitting down on the end of the bed, I had spent the last ten minutes clamping them on my hair to discover they had no affect.
"That's because you haven't switched them on dumbass, now be careful 'coz they get very hot, but they'll soon sort that bush out on your head," he said switching them on and leaving them on the side.
"It's a shame there isn't such a simple appliance in existence that could sort your face out," I said without much thought. He scoffed and cocked his brow looking rather impressed, "Since when did you get a cocky attitude? I'm beginning to miss the dull, boring, none insulting, easily offended Storm Black," he said sitting next to me on the bed. Something switched in my head, he said my second name, only the first name was wrong, that's weird. "Yeah well get used to it because I'm not changing back any time soon," I said feeling remorse of being stuck inside this 'Storm' until I figured out how to get home. A theory that was beginning to sound more and more unlikely and impossible as the nightmare of being stuck here forever became
more like a reality.
RESULTS!!!
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