Someone To Watch Over Me

Chapter One – Don’t Tell Me What I Can’t Do

Trembling hands reached for a faucet. The pale hands turned it before shifting to the cold water that flowed beneath. Blood dripped down into the sink and dispensed down the drain. The once clear water now crimson was now transforming a symbol into the violence that had initially caused the fluid to form. Those hands began to fervently wash one another only to result in the towel becoming as crimson as the water. The futile attempt to mask the violence had failed. A sigh was heard as the hand reached up towards the mirror, revealing their owner. Silvery-grey eyes stared back at one another as a pale girl gazed at her reflection. Her eyes were swollen from both the tears that were dripping down her cheeks and the pain that had been inflicted on them. Black marks were visible underneath as she traced her trembling hand along them. A shudder ran down her spine from the unpleasant touch. Her light brown hair, while normally straight, was now frizzled, tangled, and in such a horrible mess that it would take hours to return to normal. She scoffed at that for there was nothing normal about this girl.

Reaching behind the mirror she gripped the edge with her still trembling fingers. With a forceful push and a grunt escaping her mouth did the mirror open and reveal various bottles of medicine and a first-aid kit. She reached for the kit first as she knew it would provide the immediate assistance she required. She opened it and instantly reached for the bandages. Gripping them in her mouth, she carefully wrapped them around her wounds on her hands and the cut on her stomach. The girl again shuddered at the touch of the bandage on her wound. That would prevent the bleeding for now. She did not bother with her eyes for she knew that time would heal them. She tossed the kit aside on the floor as she slammed the mirror against the cabinet. The bottles falling and spilling their contents didn’t seem to bother her as she headed out of the darkened bathroom.

A small light flickered on after she pounded the switch, revealing a small and cozy room. She believed those were the only positive aspects of what she was forced to call her home. A small bed was nestled at the back of the tiny room next to a nightstand with a trunk was placed at its edge. The room was coated in a shade of grey as her feet caused the wood beneath her to creak. The only things that covered the grey were a small banner in the colors of red and gold, a calendar, and the large cabinet where the majority of her belongings were kept. There was a small cage on the floor that was covered with a warm blanket. Inside the cage lived the girl’s pet rabbit, her only true companion for her times spent at home. The black and brown creature proved to be a source of comfort better than anything else here ever could. A small table and chair were situated at the opposite end of the room and a light that was left on. She decided to walk over to the light due to her curiosity as to why she had neglected to leave it on. Beneath the lamp were a piece of paper and a quill. She promptly grabbed the paper and read.

Today is the day. I can no longer tolerate what is happening here. I promise that the escape will happen tonight on August the First, 1995. Deanna will not have the satisfaction of holding me prisoner here in this hellhole any longer. I will soon return to everything I love.

There was no name signed on the paper. She knew who wrote the letter as she glanced at the calendar on the wall. Dates had been crossed out and August the First was outlined in a large red circle. That was today’s date. She knew that her escape would be made tonight. A smirk crossed over her bruised lips as the girl had already planned it for the majority of the day for there was nothing else for her to do. Everything she needed was packed in her school trunk as she reached into her pocket. She pulled out her wand, a peculiar device that often frightened her parents. That was one of the things that made her different for she was not like them. It was only five years ago did she a letter fly through the mail slot on the front door. The letter had revealed that in fact she was a witch and therefore able to perform magic. It frightened her parents to know that their children were all the same. They possessed no magical abilities. She was pleased with that fact as it gave her a source of power. In her earlier years her parents used violence to control her. Being controlled was something that she would not tolerate. It was her belief that everyone was free to control their own actions, thoughts, and love. The smirk transformed into a smile at the thought of love. That was one of the reasons that motivated her to brave her parents once more and escape to her freedom.

She bent down to open her trunk, revealing all her school and home clothes, schoolbooks, broomstick, violin, and her photo album. She decided to open up the album and beamed down at the pictures she treasured so much. The pictures were moving as the people inside them were either waving at her or smiling. There were a few taken with her alongside a redheaded girl who she recognized as her best friend at her school. Flipping through the pictures did she glance at her other friends and stopped once she reached one of a pretty, blond girl. She smiled as the girl waved, placing a finger on top of her hand. Glancing down was another picture of the girl, only this time with herself. While it would shock others, she was not bothered by the image of the two girls sharing a passionate kiss. There was something scribbled down beneath the picture. Farrah my love, my thoughts will always be with you. Tears soon swelled up in her eyes. These were not tears of pain, but rather tears of happiness. Farrah was the love of her life and she longed to be with her again. Her heart was aching to see the image of the girl, causing her to snap the album shut and shove it back into her trunk. She double-checked to assure herself that everything she needed was in there after which she closed and locked the trunk. Her pale finger traced along the emblem of the letter H engraved on to the trunk that she knew to be the symbol of her school.

Grabbing the hinge of the trunk she headed towards he rabbit’s cage, tucking it under her shoulder. Her wand remained firmly in her hand as she turned towards the door. There was no need for a final look of the room. There was nothing remaining that was of any value to her. She reached for the knob with her bandaged hand and turned it slowly to have it open with a small creak. There were only a few lights that still flickered on as she slowly headed to the stairs. She gave a quick glance at the sound of laughter upon noticing her brother laugh stupidly at the television. With experience she remembered that it was for the best not to make any noise or to pay any attention to her brother as he mindlessly stared into the screen. It always proved to keep him occupied for her to sneak by without being unnoticed. She turned her attention back to the stairs. Now she found herself on top with a large trunk to carry down. Knowing her brother was presently distracted she made the way down. The trunk made a small bang against the carpeted stairs that thankfully was generally silenced. She decided to play it safe and glance back into her brother’s room, only to discover he had not moved at all. She continued her way down and stopped after every third step to check on her brother. Each time he was still lost in his fantasy world. The front door was so close now she knew that her escape was imminent. That was until the sound of oncoming footsteps against the tile was approaching.

“Alana Mary Harper,” her mother screeched at the top of her longs. The darkness of the room prevented her from catching a view of the woman. She preferred it that way. Facing someone she loathed was not on her list of priorities. “Where on earth do you think you’re going?”

“Away,” she replied through clenched teeth.

“Away,” Deanna coldly laughed. “Away to that filthy whore of yours? I saw that scrapbook of yours. I know what is going on between you and that cheap slut of yours. You are rejecting your family’s values by even going so far to hold her hand. I do hope you realize the fallacy in your twisted relationship. You can’t love someone of your own gender! That was not the way we were created! It is a sin against nature!”

Never before did Alana feel such a powerful surge of anger. She was grinding her teeth together while gripping her wand so tightly she thought it would snap in two. A few of the bandages were beginning to break as her hand turned a mix of purple and white. “Don’t you ever tell me what I can’t do,” she yelled, the fury combined with her hatred evident in her tone. Yelling back at her mother was not enough. Alana ran towards her and jabbed her wand at Deanna’s neck.

“What do you think you’re doing with that thing,” she questioned. There was an obvious hint of fear. That same fear would be used as her means of escape and to turn the tables on the woman that had been tormenting her.

“Make and movements to stop me and I’ll swear I’ll hex your fucking head off right now,” se replied bitterly. She jabbed her wand against her mother’s neck again and felt her swallow against it. “What’s the matter mother? Afraid of what your own daughter can do to you? Just think of it as revenge for how you’ve treated me worse than a pile of shit.” She jabbed her wand again, feeling that same swallow.

“Out,” her mother hissed. “Get out now and never come back.”

Alana felt herself being shoved aside by her mother as she watched her open the door to the outside world. Her heart was beating faster than it ever did before as her breaths were becoming heavier. Her anger was intensifying as she felt a powerful urge to make due on her threat. “Is this how you deal with your problems mother? Toss them aside and hope they never return?” Taunting her mother gave the girl a sense of satisfaction. It allowed her to feel the relief that she craved from being cooped up in her bedroom the entire summer. She watched in silence as Deanna took a few steps closer to her before raising her hand with no warning, firmly slapping her cheek. The stinging sensation was nothing compared to the beating she received earlier today. She braved her mother and scoffed at the attempt.

“You are not my daughter,” she replied in a cold tone she had never used before.

Alana was surprised by this sudden course of action and flinched when her mother spat in her face. The salvia dripped down the same cheek that was slapped. She did not wipe it off. Before her mother had the chance to reply, Alana darted out the door with her belongings and wand, making sure to knock down one of her mother’s prized vases along the way. The sound of glass shouting and the shouting of the word dirty lesbian whore were the last sounds she heard from her home before the door slammed shut. Alana was now alone in the darkness, for the first time feeling truly alone.


The hours past as Alana felt a shiver and now realized that it would have been a wise idea to bring a jacket. There was no going back now for she was already wondering the streets of London. It occurred to her that she was clueless as to where exactly she was going. She was lost in the dead of night. She made her decision a month ago that she would go through with this. Backing out now and cowering back to the hellhole she escaped from was not an option. It wasn’t as if her mother would accept her back with open arms. The intention to not welcome back her daughter was made quite clear. Where was she supposed to go? That question had failed to come across her mind as Alana now pondered on what she was supposed to do. Due to being lost she had no idea how far away Diagon Alley was from here. That would be her safe haven if she only knew where she was. Alana neglected to pay attention as she headed onwards. Her eyelids were beginning to close. The drowsiness was beginning to take over after realizing how tired she was and how long she had been walking, dragging along her trunk. It was a tiresome exercise.

Alana’s eyes widened at the sight of a nearby bench as she practically ran towards it. This would suit her needs just fine. As she dropped her grip of the trunk and thee cage and rested her head against the hard wood. It may not be the most comfortable thing out there but it at least it provided her with the opportunity to rest. She allowed herself to succumb to the increasing fatigue she was feeling. She closed her eyes and prayed sleep would take her soon. Leaving home was not a difficult choice. Alana knew that she would not miss the terrors that existed on Alfred Street in the small town of Windmill Hill in Bristol. The abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother and the taunts of her brother would be a thing of the past. She assured herself that her friends or girlfriend would take her in. Now if only she knew where she was she would be able to figure out how to travel to where she needed to go. That was until a large bang echoed throughout the darkness of the night. Alana immediately jumped off her seat with her wand pointed in front of her. She assumed that a gunshot went off in the distance. However she was son drawn to the large, violently purple, triple-decker bus that was heading her way. She closed her eyes as she felt herself losing her balance. The fatigue was beginning to take its hold. Her eyes were closing and soon there was darkness.

“Alana,” came a worried voice. Her eyes remained close. “Alana!” The voice was more forceful the second time, louder in an effort to shake the girl to her senses.

Alana opened her eyes to find herself no longer on the streets, but on the familiar compartment of a train known as the Hogwarts Express. She groaned after realizing the sudden change of the environment and rubbed her eyes to fully adjust to her new setting. She was lying down on her side of the compartment and staring up at the ceiling. It was beginning to get dark out as she noticed the moon out in the distance over the nearby lake. She sifted her head to the opposite head to reveal the same blond girl that was in her photograph.

“Finally awake are we,” she asked, a smile forming on her lips. The smile was returned as Alana glanced up at her lover. “If you’re done dozing off I suggest you get changed. We’ll be arriving soon.”

The thoughts of returning to her one true home caused the smile on Alana’s lips to brighten. Returning to Hogwarts after that horrible nightmare was the best thing she ever could have wished for.