January 7th, 1992

I pulled away from the liquid stone, running over it with the edge of my wand to sharpen it and set it in the shape of an abstract swoop. To either side of the green swoop were fairie lights hanging from the wall —the small creatures flitting about the thumbnail sized bottles and causing the light to flicker. The walls were a flat green and the bedding was a rich topaz.

Atop the swoop, I began gently pressing in seeds into the liquid stone.

“Are you ready, darling?” Mother called from the center of the room, her wand at the ready.

“Almost,” I replied, placing the last seed into the wall and then climbing down from the bed.

Next to my mother, I held out my wand as well.

“Ready.”

“Very well, together then—“

Our voices began, and the synchronicity was unparalleled.

“Through thick and thin,

Through mud and muck,

Through walls of stone,

And skulls of bone,

Grow, my dear,

Bloom without fear.”

With the first verse of the working finished, I felt the warm green light hovering at the tips of our wands —and I could see the seeds germinating and sprouting roots.

We continued.

“Through bush and thorn,

Through storm and strife,

Without soil,

Without toil,

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Grow, my dear,

Bloom without fear.”

As our magic empowered the words, or the words empowered our magic, the flowers sprouted and grew. Before us were intertwining stalks of sunflowers creating a wonderful effect above the bed.

“Oh, Medea, dear, you’ve done perfectly.” Mother praised me, lowered her wand and squeezing my shoulder.

The room was earthy and lively and wonderful. Pride welled within me.

“What will the new name for the suite be?” I asked.

“Hmm,” my mother cooed. “Don’t you think the honors should go to the architect?”

“Do you mean me?” My excitement was barely hidden beneath my pureblood veneer.

“Who else?” Another squeeze of my shoulder.

I surveyed the room, with its deep greens and rich yellows. With its dainty lights and lively sunflowers. With the middling enchanting I could do and my mother’s own exquisite garden work.

“I think we should call it The Sun Maiden.” I breathed, staring at the fresh sunflowers larger than my head.

My mother simply nodded, tapping a wall with the tip of her wand.

“So mote it be.”

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The final night at the manor was filled with silent ‘I love you’s and time spent together.

Mother and I transfigured the last of the decorations for The Sun Maiden suite, which looked decent and I was proud of but I was sure it wasn’t truly up to mother’s standards. She’d likely add some more complicated enchantments from specialists before summer came and we celebrated Litha.

Draco and I sifted through the loads of presents we’d received from the families who celebrated Yule with us. We decided to only take a few items back to school, as it simply wasn’t feasible to bring everything.

I settled on some of the more traditional gifts, like freshly made leather and dried flowers, whereas Draco brought much of his new art supplies.

Father and I did a mock duel with aguamenti and protego as the only spells we could use. They were advanced for my Hogwarts year but not for me. Draco was busy with Mother at the time, doing something sneaky but I put it out of my mind.

And then it was Dobby and I’d turn to chat, wherein I found yet more candy to give him and compliments to shower him.

After that it was night, and it was time to rest.

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“All right, off you go,” Father shooed us from the platform and toward the other snakes.

“Yes, dears, remember what you’re to do!” Mother called after us.

Draco and I nodded light and rejoined the snake pit.

“Medea, Draco,” Daphne said with a smile.

Theo took my bag, Blaise wrapped his arm around my shoulders, Pansy kissed my and Draco’s cheeks. Vince and Greg both knocked into Draco’s shoulders. Millie ruffled his hair.

We were back together, the lot of us.

“Um, hello,” came a small voice from behind us.

I turned, and there was Longbottom.

Talking to the snakes out in the open and all.

“Neville,” I said with a light nod and barely there smile.

“Can I sit with you on the train?” Neville asked shyly and I glanced at my snakes.

None looked too disgruntled.

“Yeah, come on, then,” Draco sighed.

The we were loading up in the largest compartment we could find —which honestly should not have fit us all, but we were still just children. We made the tight quarters work.

And then we were back on our way to Hogwarts for Spring term.