HP: The Stellar Witch [OFC]

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A crackling sound came from behind the column. Lys glanced over and called out, "Mom!" She picked up her suitcase and hurried over, only to halt abruptly in front of her mother.

Lys was a little flustered. She had been standing there for a minute, yet her mother hadn't acknowledged her. "Mom, the station is empty now. Can we go home?"

Lys wanted to go home.

Senna Black's gaze was strange as she stared at her daughter, whom she found utterly detestable. She was somewhat surprised. "Useless. Did you get beaten up? On the Hogwarts Express?" She examined the footprint on Lys's back and the bruise on her brow. How pathetic.

Lys panicked. Her mother didn't take her home immediately.

After a year at school, Lys had come to understand the meaning behind words like "shame" and "useless." Her father wanted her to be in Slytherin, a house that valued glory and victory. And since her mother cared most about her father's approval, it meant that after losing her glory and victory...

Her mother was unhappy.

Her mother wouldn't abandon her.

"Mom, I'll win next time. I promise I'll win. Please don't be upset."

"Upset? Forget it. I have other things to do. Hold onto my arm." Senna didn't know what foolish thoughts were running through her daughter's mind, but she was running out of time. There were still potion ingredients and a cauldron full of brewing potion waiting for her at the shop.

When they Apparated to the outskirts of an abandoned manor, Lys was terrified. She clung to her mother's cloak and refused to let go.

Following her mother, she watched as Senna waved her wand and led her into a dusty, dilapidated bedroom. Lys vaguely recognized the place. When she was very young, her mother had taken her and her father to live in various temporary residences, and this was one of them.

"Storage box, come!" Senna unlocked the spell on the box, lifted the lid, and snatched the wand tucked into Lys's trousers before tossing it inside. She then resealed the spell and shoved the box into an inconspicuous corner. Grabbing Lys's hand, she led her out of the bedroom, waving her wand to smooth over any traces in the dust and footprints they had left behind. She repeated this process in the living room and courtyard.

Seeing that her mother had no intention of abandoning her, Lys finally felt a bit relieved. She even reminded her mother, "The grass in the yard has been trampled, and the dust on the doorframe was scraped off when we opened it."

Don't ask how Lys knew that. The dust was now on her head and face.

Raising an eyebrow, Senna restored these minor details as best as she could. After stepping outside the range of the house's protective enchantments, she Apparated them back home.

Carrying her suitcase, Lys finally felt at ease. Before they reached the house, Senna cast a Cleaning Charm on Lys and her shirt. While there were still faint traces, they were no longer obvious.

Afterward, Senna pressed the tip of her wand against Lys's brow and cast a Healing Charm. However, it was clear that healing magic wasn't her strong suit, as a faint bruise still remained on Lys's brow.

As usual, Senna waved her wand to check the house's protective enchantments and alarm records. Afterward, she ignored Lys and went to the door of her father's room. Moments later, she Apparated away again.

Lys looked at the modest ingredients in the kitchen. Taking advantage of Koko's absence, she got to work. With a head of cauliflower, three chicken legs, and a pile of potatoes, Lys prepared a dish the family had never had before.

Since her mother didn't return for dinner, the leftover chicken leg was used to make a salad for breakfast the next morning. Koko cried until snot bubbles appeared, believing that she had failed to care for her young mistress, who had to cook for herself.

But Lys didn't soften at all. She had no intention of relinquishing control of the kitchen back to Koko. After tasting the food from the Hogwarts kitchen, she couldn't stomach plain boiled potatoes and pan-fried chicken anymore. However, since her wand had been left behind in that old house by her mother, she still needed Koko to cast some convenient cooking spells, which made Koko feel slightly better.

"Young Mistress, the Master wishes to see you," Koko said, appearing beside Lys's bed to deliver the message.

Lys suddenly remembered a dream she had had before. In the dream, her father's door wouldn't open no matter how hard she tried. Shaking the image from her mind, she tidied her clothes and went upstairs to the second floor.

After knocking, Lys opened the door and stood at the entrance. "Father, you called for me. Is there something you need?"

"Koko, bring a chair for Lys. Sit down, let's have a chat, Lys." Noah instructed the house-elf to help him sit up. He looked at his daughter standing outside the room. She seemed to have grown taller since the last time he saw her.

"Did you enjoy school?"

"Yes, Father."

"Which house are you in?"

"Slytherin, Father."

"Good... Did you make any friends?"

"I did, Father."

As the father and daughter fell into silence, Noah grew anxious. He had specifically sat up and asked for a chair to have a proper conversation with his daughter. Why was the conversation so stilted? He quickly tried to think of another topic.

"I never dared to imagine that you'd be a witch. I never thought you'd have magic."

"How are your grades?"

"..."

"Not very good?"

Lys didn't know how to respond. She was worried. If her father truly valued the glory and victory associated with Slytherin, would he be angry if her grades were too poor?

"It's okay. Which subject are you struggling with?"

Swallowing nervously, she whispered, "Only Transfiguration is good." Her voice was so soft, as if afraid her father would hear.

Noah didn't know what to say. This child had never received a proper upbringing or education. Senna had even complained that Lys didn't know how to read before starting school.

But wasn't that normal? Senna was prejudiced against the child. And because of his own mistakes, Noah had avoided interacting with her too much. Over the past decade, he had barely seen her.

She had been so small when she was born, cradled in a house-elf's arms like a doll. Now, she had grown into such a big girl.

And the harm he had caused her on that fateful night.

"Does it still hurt?"

"No, Father."

Looking up at his daughter, he noticed she had Senna's red hair and his gray eyes. Her small face made her large, almond-shaped eyes appear even bigger. But she always avoided direct eye contact, giving her a timid look.

"I'm sorry, Lys, my little star. It's okay. If you have questions, you can ask your mother. She had excellent N.E.W.T. scores—well, except for Charms."

Lys was slightly surprised. Her mother wasn't good at Charms either.