Nina
concerning Lunacy
Nina Lewisham sat in her bedroom dealing with a burning hunger. All her life she had been sheltered and now that she was bordering adolescence she felt a strong urge to leave behind the life she had know for the past eleven years.
Nina angrily stood up and paced her room. Her room was not much. It was a small room with old-fashioned amber glass on the windows, and honey colored hardwood floors. The walls were a soft cream color with hand drawn Ivy snaking around the room.
Nina paused to look at her reflection in her mirror, she wasn't a stunning beauty, but she had a wholesome sweet look. She had brown eyes and dark blonde hair. Nina sighed. It didn't matter anyway; boys didn't really give her a whole lot of attention. She continued to pace and miserably curse herself.
When she passed an open window she saw an owl pass by. Nina was not surprised to see an owl in brood daylight because like her brown eyes witchcraft was in her blood. Nina continued to pace and only stopped when she heard a lot of overjoyed shouting in the kitchen. Nina looked at the door momentarily and lay down on her bed.
Nina's twin brother John had been waiting for a letter from The Liberty Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry despite the fact he had never completed a single magical act in eleven years. Nina had been waiting too, but sometimes she felt like John had more of a chance of attending school then Nina did. "I guess he's not a squib after all." Nina mumbled with halfhearted joy.
Nina closed her eyes and tried to hold back frustrated tears. When she heard the door burst open she expected to see John standing framed in the doorway looking pleased with himself, but when Nina opened her eyes she saw her mother holding a thick envelope.
"It's for you Nina." Mrs. Lewisham said happily. "Open it."
Nina slid her now trembling finger under the wax seal and opened the letter. Nina's breath caught in her chest when she read the words on the page. "Dear Miss Lewisham," she read with a horse whisper, "… we are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at the Liberty Academy. We expect to see you September first. Enclosed you will find your train ticket, book and supply list, and any other information that is relevant to you personally."
Nina looked up and saw tears brimming in her mother's eyes. "Oh baby I'm so proud of you." She said pulling Nina into a crushing hug.
"What about John?" Nina asked.
"Oh he's a squib honey. He'll stay here and study with the elves."
Nina felt happier then she had in months. The village of forge where her family lived was an all-magical community. There was a high population of elves in Forge because the main elf settlement was in the valley of the mountain that Forge had been built on. Nina sighed a sigh of relief. She would go to school and learn how to do her magic properly and John would stay behind and learn folk magic with the elves.
For a few minutes Nina forgot her problems. For the first time since her eighth birthday Nina forgot that she was a werewolf.
* * *
Nina stayed awake almost all night letting the gravity of school sink in. She had wanted to go to Liberty her whole life and now that she was going she felt anxious about it. There was no denying one thing. She was a werewolf.
When Nina examined the contents of the envelope more closely she saw that she had to meet with the head mistress after she was sorted into her house. Nina's parents had told her all about the sorting ceremony. She would be asked to wear a hat blessed with elven magic.
The elves in all of their wisdom decided that a glimpse into a person's heart and mind would take more then inexperienced wizards could produce. So the took an example from the European schools and decided a sorting hat was the best way to inquire a students mind, heart, and motives.
There were of course four houses. Wing Fox, Hisokani, Pegasus, and Phoenix. Nina hoped that she would be in Phoenix house. It was supposed to be for the open minded and brave. Wing Fox was for the most talented, but sometimes more snooty students, Hisokani was for high caliber students who usually stopped at nothing to get what they wanted. Finally Pegasus was for any student who was willing to try.
Nina was sure that she would never make it through school if she had to see the head mistress on her first day. Nina sighed deeply. She'd have to think about it in the morning. She was just too exhausted to think anymore that night.
In the morning Mrs. Lewisham woke Nina up at dawn.
'We're going into Philadelphia. Wake up."
"Why are we going so early?"
Mrs. Lewisham smiled, "Nina we have a lot to do today. We have to buy robes, books, and potions ingredients."
Nina sighed and got up. The full moon wasn't for another two weeks she was safe for now. School was another story. In a month and a half she would board a train that would take her away, unfortunately it would be close to the full moon.
Nina knew that she would be under certain amounts of scrutiny. Not only would she be a know nothing first year, but some one might figure out what she was in the first few hours.
Nina shrugged her robes on in the weak early morning light that was filtered by the yellowed glass in the windows. She opened the door and crept out into the hall. Nina felt a strange excitement run through her, she was really going to school. The letter seemed like a dream, but now that she was going to buy her supplies it was all validated. By the time Nina reached the kitchen she was smiling.
Her father was there drinking his coffee reading the daily Advance. Nina got a glimpse of the moving black and white photos and for the first time she felt like a real part of the wizarding world.
"Hi dad!" Nina said exuberantly.
"Morning Nina." Mr. Lewisham said looking up from his paper.
"So what's in the paper?"
"Well it seems that the head master at Hogwarts in England has been immortalized on chocolate frog cards."
Nina giggled. "That's news worthy?"
Mr. Lewisham smiled kindly. "Nina stories like this are the sign of a healthy government."
Nina nodded, "So that's all that's in the paper?"
Mr. Lewisham smiled again, "Well Nina, the elves are building a new market after the storm a few weeks ago… er… Oh the elf Princess is going to Liberty."
Nina felt her shoulders drop. "The Elven Princess?"
"You don't sound too excited."
"I don't know there's just something weird about that. Why doesn't she stay here with her people?" Nina sighed.
"Nina Lewisham!" Her father said angerly. "Don't let me ever hear you say anything so raciest ever again."
Nina blinked, "I'm sorry." She said.
"No your not!" John spat. "You think less of me don't you? Just because I'm not going to Liberty!"
"No John that's not it at all. I just… you think less of me half the time! It's not so much fun when you're on the other side of the table is it?"
"That is enough!" Mrs. Lewisham said grabbing Nina's hand before she could take another step toward her brother.
Nina's nose flared and she let out a low growling sound.
John took a step back. Logically everyone knew that Nina wasn't a threat in broad day light two weeks before the full moon, but John was easily threatened by Nina's temper.
Mrs. Lewisham took Nina to the fireplace and put some floo powder on the fire.
"Suttlers Lane." Nina said as the emerald green flames engulfed her. Nina felt her body being hurtled past fireplace after fireplace. She ventured to open her eyes for a split second and saw that she was coming up on Suttlers Lane. Nina closed her eyes and let herself land gently in the fireplace inside of the bar. She heard her mother land softly behind her.
There was country music being played from somewhere in the bar. Nina had of course grown up listening to wireless wizarding network radio, but now that she was really there inside of a bar full of wizards and witches she felt even more complete. She was involved in the wizarding world now. At home she had been in it, but now she was of it.
Nina felt the tip of her mother's wand poke her in the back. "We need to go out there to get your supplies Nina."
Nina nodded. She didn't want to leave, but she knew that it was inevitable. She walked across the stone floor towards the door that led into the alley. Nina slowly nudged the door open and felt her heart stop. Outside the bar was a street packed with witches and wizards. She had never seen so many all in one place. Even the town square in Forge was never this full.
Nina entered the throng and her mother fell into step next to her.
"Nina take this and go buy your robes, and wand. I'll take care of the books and potions ingredients after I go to the bank."
Nina eagerly took the moneybag her mother was holding out and went toward the robe shop. Nina was so high on the pleasure that was filling her she didn't see the dark haired girl that she quite literally ran into when she rounded the corner.
Nina hit the ground bottom first. She picked her moneybag up off the ground and saw the dark haired girl brushing the dust from the street off of her robe.
"Sorry." The girl said, "I wasn't paying attention. Then again I never do." The girl smiled. "My name's Isis."
"Nina blinked dully. The girl standing in front of her was about two inches shorter then her with very tanned skin. Nina's eyes shot down to her toes. "I'm sorry too. My name is Nina."
Isis smiled generously. "It's nice to meet you, all though my back side might be telling another tale to the pavement."
Nina couldn't help but giggle.
Isis tried and failed to look upset, "Yet another person to laugh at me." Isis let out a small giggle. "Are you from around here?"
Nina shock her head, "No. I'm from Forge."
"No way!" Isis exclaimed. "I'm from the elven city."
"You're an elf?"
"Heck yeah." Isis said.
"Awesome! How old are you?"
'Eleven. You?"
"Same. Are you going to Liberty or staying in Forge?" Nina blushed. She felt silly for asking, but she was curious.
"I'm going to Liberty." Isis said beaming again.
Just then a very robust woman walked up with a thin blonde haired boy following behind her looking aggravated.
"Isis Rose! I have been looking everywhere for you, where have you been?"
The boy made a face at Isis, and Isis had to purse her lips to keep from laughing.
Nina looked at him, the boy was cute. He had dark blonde hair and gray eyes. Nina could feel her face getting warm…
The robust woman cut off Nina's thoughts. "If you have something to say to me Isis then say it." She said angrily.
Isis looked ready to explode with laughter; the boy standing across from her was still making funny faces. "I'm sorry Cestra." Isis said. "I was just so eager to be here and I wanted to explore on my own…" Isis pursed her lips again. "Remus stop it!" she said to the boy who was making faces.
Cestra turned her now quivering face toward Remus.
Remus immediately looked utterly innocent. "Yes Cestra?"
Nina felt her face going warm again. Remus was British. Nina wasn't sure why it made a difference, but it did.
"Why did the queen send me out with two of you?" Cestra snapped. "You're bad enough on your own." She said pointing a large finger in Isis's face.
"Couse aunt Persephone doesn't like you anymore then we do." Remus said grabbing Isis hand and running for it.
Isis grabbed for Nina's hand and Nina took it gladly. She had never really had a friend before. The three of them ran down the street and into the wand shop before they stopped long enough to catch their breath.
Nina let out a small cough as she tried to catch her breath. She couldn't believe herself. She had just run down a street with two strangers. Maybe they'd be her friends… No, Nina had never had friends and never would. They wouldn't like her so much if they knew what she was. Who could possibly love someone that could kill them in their sleep?