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     ADELINA ROMANO'S FINGERS DRUMMED against the frayed spine of the book she was holding. She was no longer reading it; she had stopped about the fifth time that she had read the same sentence and still failed to retain any of it. 

     She did this every year: about a month before school was to start, Lina would read through all of her textbooks to try and get ahead before the year began.

     The keyword being try. 

     Every time, she would make it through about a third of a page before she would realize that she had failed to retain any of what she had just read. Her hands would curl at the edge of the page in frustration as hot tears pricked at her eyes — that's how it had always been. She felt stupid.

     When her mum was alive, Lina never felt stupid. Whenever she would grow frustrated at the jumble of words on the page, her mum would smooth her blonde hair down, tell her to take a deep breath, and read it to her. The words that her mother spoke in her smooth, rich voice stuck in Lina's brain. Those were among the only times she understood right away.

     "You are so smart, tesoro mio," she would say, and Lina's eyes would light up at the nickname. "Just because you take a little bit longer to understand things doesn't mean otherwise."

     But that was back when things were simple. Back when her mum was alive, back when her dad wasn't a psychopath, back when she was good at school, back when Lina felt as if she belonged. 

     Now, with her hand between the worn-down pages of her Potions book, a tear slipped out of Lina's eye, leaving a wet spot on the paper. Although she never made good marks, she desperately wished to go back to Hogwarts. At least then she would be with her friends. Oh, how she missed her friends. 

     Deciding to focus on things that made her happy, she pulled out a stack of paper from one of her white drawers, followed by a pen — a muggle invention she preferred to quills — and began to write to her best friend.

Tommy,

Before I begin, I want to apologize in advance for Cosmo — he's been cranky lately, so if he bit you whilst delivering this letter, I'm sorry!

Anyways, I can't believe that we still have a month left before we return to school. Unlike you, I'm counting down the days til we return. My dad is getting to be unbearable. I have so much to tell you (mostly about him) on the train ride that I just can't put into a letter. 

I've been trying to read ahead in Potions and Transfiguration so that you won't have to help me out as much, but I've found it nearly impossible to stay focused lately. Like, even worse than usual. Hopefully, it's just the stress and it will get better once I'm at Hogwarts with you and Jules, but I'm not sure. Either way, I really appreciate all of your help. Maybe if you help me out with exams this year, I'll consider taking you back...

(Only joking, of course. It pained me just to write that.)

I hope France is treating you well. Tell your grand-mère that I miss her dearly!

Love, Lina

     After watching her spotted owl, Cosmo, fly off with the letter, Lina dramatically slammed her already-pounding head on her desk, causing her Potions book to slide off. 

    She winced as it thumped loudly against her tan, carpeted floor. "Adelina!" She heard the irritated voice of her father call her from downstairs. Lina's heart began to beat faster as a million different scenarios buzzed through her mind. 

     She gulped nervously and tiptoed to the door, slowly turning the brass handle. Her feet stopped at the top of the stairs, not daring to go down any further. "Yes, father?" she asked in her most polite voice. 

     "Why don't you come down here, dear?" Giovanni Romano asked in a voice much too kind to be genuine. 

     Adelina's feet felt like lead as she walked down the long flight of stairs leading into the main hall of their manor. Her socks slid against the dark wood floors as she walked slowly into the dining room where her father was seated. 

     She just didn't expect him to be seated with someone else at the table. And she definitely didn't expect the guest to look like that.

     He had long, greasy hair that was slicked back, framing his horrifying face. He looked like something straight out of a film — and not in a good way. His teeth were yellowing and looked to be razor sharp, mouth surrounded by a thinning beard. The man's posture was rigid; he clutched his glass of firewhiskey so firmly that the flesh of his hairy knuckles was white. His inhumane facial features set Lina even more on edge. Her foot began to tap against the ground incessantly.

     "What have I told you about respecting the fact that I have guests over, Adelina?"  Her father asked with kind eyes that contrasted his harsh tone greatly. 

     Adelina's left hand fell to her right as she began to pick the skin around her nails. It was already picked raw as it always was during holidays when she had to spend time alone with her father. 

     "To... do it?" she blurted out before her brain had a chance to filter her words. Immediately, her small hand clapped over her mouth as she regretted it. Giovanni shot his daughter a warning glare that made her stomach turn. "I didn't even know you had a guest over. I'm sorry."

     "Enough," he slammed his fist on the table harshly, successfully halting her rant, "after you apologize to our guest, you are to hand over your wand and remain in your room until I see fit."

     Adelina opened her mouth, ready to argue that the whole reason this argument happened in the first place was solely because she couldn't leave her room, but quickly shut it as she realized she was already in a deep enough hole. She sighed heavily and turned to the creepy man at the other end of the table. 

     "I'm sorry for my behavior." Lina muttered, her timid voice barely audible. She knew her father was glaring holes into the side of her head at her words, but she didn't dare turn around. 

     When her father interrupted her for the second time that night, she was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't to scold her once more. "This," he said, gesturing at the guest, "is the man who will allow you to follow in my footsteps, Adelina."

     Lina's stomach dropped as she immediately knew what he was talking about. 

     "Once you're of-age, of course. Until then, your father and I will be teaching you everything you need to know." The man she still didn't know the name of spoke up for the first time, flashing a repulsive smile once he finished. 

     "Mum said that I didn't have to," she gulped weakly. "She said that it was too dangerous. That you would be the last of them in our family."

     "Your mother isn't here, Adelina." He said sternly. As if she needed a reminder. Her mother's absence haunted her everyday and often plagued her nights as well. "It's my decision to make now. I know what is best for you."

     Adelina nodded as tears built up in her eyes. It was all she could do, really—her throat burned and she knew if she attempted to speak it would just come out as a pathetic croak. 

     "It was nice meeting you, darling," the guest spoke as he rose from his chair. Lina shivered in disgust at the nickname. "And it was nice speaking to you again, Giovanni. But if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to. I expect you do too." His vision trailed from the two to out the window, where the moon—full and clear—had just surfaced. 

     "Always a pleasure, Greyback," Giovanni Romano extended his hand and shook the other man's. After he had left and the front door closed behind him, he turned to his daughter. "Go to your room. If you're quiet, I'll send a house elf up with dinner tomorrow. You know what happens otherwise."

     Adelina nodded obediently, turning on her heel and walking up the stairs. "Wand!" Her dad demanded when he noticed that it was still in her pocket. Dramatically, she pulled it out of her pocket, walked over to the counter, and slammed it onto the granite. 

-

     That night, Lina was sprawled on her fluffy white comforter, clutching a pillow over her ears as she attempted to drown out her father's screams coming from the forest behind their house. 

     Oh, how she couldn't wait to go back to Hogwarts.