I Want Tomorrow, The Epona Series

Prologue

Her stomach gave an evil lurch. She stood, swaying due to her dizziness. The world around her began to spin. The boy she had been playing with was already unconscious on the floor, the evil man standing over him. Taking one last breath she fell and her world turned black.

* * * * * *

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Epona jumped and ran as silently as she could to her room. She leapt onto her bed and pulled the covers over her head, hiding the world around her. The voices where now mere mumbles, but there was the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. Her breath paused in her lungs, but her door opened anyway.

There was silence, apart from Eponas' heavy breathing as it came back to her. Then suddenly, her covers were pulled away.

In front of her was the boy from downstairs. His eyes were an odd colour, she had never seen anyone with steel grey eyes before. Mixed in with his pale face and white blond hair he was intimidating. But unlike the boys in the village, he made her feel, somewhat different. Different to the point her heart beat heavy in her chest.

'What are you doing in here? This is my room!'

'Your mother said you were out, but your not are you.'

'You won't say anything will you?'

The boy smirked at her, 'Well that all depends. What's your name?'

'Epona.'

'That's a funny name.'

'What's yours?'

'Big secret, I can't tell you.'

He laughed, which comforted her. He was being nice to her and not spiteful, which is what she though he would. His eyes really were full of childhood and she was calmed.

'Well Epona I won't say a thing if...'

She raised an eyebrow 'If...?'

* * * * * *

Shock didn't like strangers on her back, but Epona managed to convince her to have the lad on. Of course it meant Epona would have to go along as well, but he didn't seem to have a problem with it, as long as he got a ride. His arms cling tightly round her waist and all differences between them were lost.

Excitement was an understatement. Epona had never seen anyone so happy, especially when so high in the air. This was the first time in her life that she had been able to openly talk about her world to someone her age. The only people before that had been her mother and Fudge, the man who wore the funny clothes.

'Are you up here a lot?' he asked.

'Yes. I like it up here, the view is so pretty, don't you think?'

'It's nothing knew really, the view I mean. But I've never been on the back of a Pegasus before.'

'Why?'

He sighed and took a while to answer. She looked over her shoulder to face him. His eyes were lowered and looked upset; his face lost some of the excitement it had started out with.

'Father doesn't like them. Where's yours?'

'Father?'

He nodded.

Epona looked at him like he had just asked the most stupid question she had ever heard, 'I've never had one. Mother said its better that way for me.'

'How come?'

This was Eponas' time to go quiet simply as she could not answer. She had not questioned her mother over it, wasn't really an issue. And if this boy's father was anything to go by, she rather not have one anyway. She did not answer him, it was not that important. She took in the enjoyment of having someone there with her, even if was still somewhat a stranger. He wasn't that bad after all, nice in fact and she trusted him, even Shock seemed to be adapting. As a plus, he didn't ask about her father again, almost realising she didn't want to answer.

'Excuse me?'

'Yes,' he replied, giggling at her politeness.

'Why are you and your father here? Why didn't you tell on me?'

'Actually I don't really know why we are here. Something important I think, he rarely leaves the house to travel to someone else's. I didn't want to tell on you. My dad can be quite nasty if he thinks someone has lied.'

'What did my mother mean when she said you put us here?'

'Would you stop asking questions I cannot answer? So here's one for you, why are you so well spoken? I was brought up to be, it's in my blood. But you live out here in the country away from anywhere else, why do you need to talk so well?'

'I didn't realise I was. I know the kids in the village don't realise what I'm saying most of the time. I guess I picked it up from my mother.'

Once again the boy fell silent, as if he was thinking the answer over. Epona signalled Shock to head back, she did not want to be in trouble. It had been a fun experience though, and she wanted to meet with him again, it was about time she had someone to talk to who would understand her as well as sympathise, surely he knew as much as her how difficult it was to learn magic.

One of his arms slid away from her waist. He fumbled in his pocket for a moment then when his arm reappeared, his hand held the most beautiful ring Epona had ever seen.

'Take it, a return gift.'

'I can't, it doesn't belong with me. It's to big as well.'

'It's magic, shrinks to fit your finger. Please take it, I haven't had this much fun for a long time.'

'Will your parents mind?'

'My mother gave it to me to give to it to whom I want. I choose you.'

When she still did not take it, he forced it on her finger. It shrank instantly and held her small finger tight, almost painfully. The diamond sparkled in the sunlight and she had to admit, it was hard to dislike.

The moment they landed Epona was wrenched by her arm from the Pegasus. She yelped in pain as the hand holding her wrist felt as if it was trying to crush her.

'What do we have here?' the man sneered.

Epona looked up at him and whimpered. His face was more evil than she could ever have imagined someone to be. He to was pale, but Epona did not feel her heart beat with the same sensation. This time she felt nothing but fear.

While his one hand held her, the other struck the boy she had been with hard across the face. He fell to the ground but did not cry, just stayed there as though submissive.

'Such a pretty little creature, only six as well. What were you trying to do, seduce my son?'

Epona shook her head. She had no idea what seduce meant but she had done nothing. She tried to call for her mother but only a choke escaped her throat.

'I can see you will be just like your mother. She was worthless to, a complete waste of space...' He paused for a moment as he saw her hand, the ring, 'My how exquisite. Is it yours?'

She was still too scared to speak. She knew the ring was not right for her, but it was too tight on her finger. He threw her next to her friend, his son. She looked directly into his eyes. While hers showed terror, he remained strong. Their faces in the grass and her auburn hair sprawled out, the scene looked at is this would be their last in life.

'Stand, both of you, now!'

The man lifted up his wand but before he opened his mouth to call the incantation, a severe pain slammed through his head causing him to cry out. It stopped after that just as abruptly as it started. He turned to where it came from.

Eponas' eyes were pure white and her face without expression. There was an invisible gust off wind as she took a long breath in and returned to normal. She looked around as if she was lost.

Silence filled the area and all eyes were on her, all eyes full of fear. What had just happened to her, why were they looking at her like that?

The man laughed in his throat. 'Dear me, we really must sort this situation out.'

The boy looked one last time at Epona and she looked back. They accepted what was coming.

* * * * * *

The tears burned her cheeks. Epona looked at the body of her mother, a soul very nearly gone forever. Her heart ached to look at her mother. She had once been so beautiful, so full of life and the most kindly person she had ever met. What was once a red main that billowed from her mothers head was now lifeless and grey. Her face had shrunken into her bones making her look completely emaciated. It was a hard image to look at, worse than Epona had ever seen.

That was not saying much though. As long as Epona could remember she had been hidden from the rest of the world, or the world had been hidden from her. She accepted she was different, that she had magic and the others in the village did not. Yet was that an excuse to seclude her from society? She had never gone to school but was taught by her mother all she needed to know. Her mother had said she was special.

This day had long been coming. Today was her mothers' death, a grief yes, but a relief from a great pain as well. Epona had been promised by the nurse that the last few moments would be quiet and peaceful. However, her mother had also said Epona would find out a large secret that had been hidden from her.

'Epona my dear, do you remember what happened ten years ago?'

She walked over to her mothers' bedside. 'I was only six mother, clearly I could not remember that far back.'

'Well you never know Epona. Go over to that trunk and take out the photo that's on top.'

Epona did so and looked back for further instructions.

'Now look at it. What do you see?'

Epona studied the image. On it was a small girl playing in a pile of fallen leaves. She smiled at the camera. Her hair was honey blond and her eyes were a pale, almost lilac, shade of blue.

'This is you Epona and how you looked ten years ago.'

'That is impossible. My hair can change colour, but my eyes are brown. And I don't think you would have found me rolling about in leaves.' She looked in the mirror 'No, I must have the wrong picture.'

'You do not. An event took place all those years ago. We had to change your image for your safety. From that point onwards, you were to be kept from sight. You met a boy your age when his father came to...talk with me. You were not meant to meet but fate drew you together.'

'Fate, really mother...'

'I believe in it even if I have taught you not to. When the boys' father found out he was furious. I cannot say why but it made him angry enough to cast a memory spell on you both. Neither of you recollect that moment of you lives for your safety alone. It was after that I changed your face, so that man could not come back and hurt you more'

Epona kept her gaze on the reflection in the mirror.

'Do you mean to say, I don't really look like this?'

'I am afraid to say yes. That is not your image, and since I have told you everything else, it is time for you to return to your rightful reflection.'

'How come you can do all this now? Why is it this can be revealed to me?'

'You were not safe before...'

'From who, what is his name?'

'I cannot say, but you were not safe. You will now be going to a place were you will be protected from all harm. Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'

'To live there, with people like me?'

'Yes. Albus Dumbledore is a wonderful man and is happy to take you in even for just the next two years. He has been shown by Fudge that you have learnt enough to start all the classes the rest of your year is in. You've taken and passed all the tests they have with only a few problems, but they can be looked at.'

'What if the others won't accept me?'

'Oh they will. Are you ready to be changed back now?'

'I cannot take this in. I fear no-one and yet I have been hiding all these years.'

'He is stronger than you may think.'

'I do not care. Show me myself for I shall no longer hide!'

Her mother pointed her wand at her 'Imagaray Revealus.'

Epona felt something like a cold wind blow through her and she shuddered. The second it was over, she looked in the mirror.

There was no real change in body shape, she still had that tiny bit of fat on her belly that wouldn't shift and her breasts where still the same size, but her face and hair where totally new, or in actual fact, old.

What was once a strong redddy brown colour had been replaced with a honey blond. Her dark eyes that depressed her were now that lilac sort of grey and her nose had become somewhat a little more prominent. Tears pricked the corner of her eyes, but she did not give in to them. She was not who she thought she was. And what was worse still was that she did not look like her mother at all.

'Is this the image of my father?'

'Yes, I'm afraid so. Does this dishearten you?'

'You have told me what a cruel man he was. That he cast you out of his great mansion when he found out about your pregnancy. You were a maid were you not? The pressures of his work drove him to rape you as well as his own wife. He cast you out to this, Ireland, my home where I was raised to be hidden again! Yes mother I am disheartened.'

'Do not be. Your regal appearance will earn you the respect you deserve.'

'You cannot earn respect by looks alone surely. Is that what the world is like out there?'

'Not at Hogwarts. You will be loved there and you can mix with the people you should have all these years.'

'It is a lot to expect me to believe.'

Her mother lay down on the bed and breathed deeply, 'You'll get used to it, but you'll have to go it alone.'

'No mom, you can't go, not now.'

'I'm sorry sweetheart, just know I loved you more than anything and all I said and did was in your interest. Goodbye darling.'

It was all over. Her mother stopped breathing. Epona had known that this was going to happen for a long time, but she was not prepared for it. The nurse came in and checked to see if her pulse really had died, but Epona knew already it had. She had been taught not to cry in front of others, but she wept. Thoughts of where she would stay when she was not at school and of possible relatives out there left her mind and she was cleared of thought. She rested her head on her mothers' bed and cried herself to sleep.

* * * * * *

Draco sat in his bedroom looking blankly at the wall. His parents were arguing again though he was not sure why. Their fights were as regular as the rain, and being England, that was a lot of rain. He had accustomed himself to these events and blanked them from his ears.

As he headed downstairs he could see how angry his father was getting. He to had been faced with that anger. Even the strongest heart could not avoid the slightest twinge of fear. He noticed his father begin to storm out and hid.

'He shall not see her and that is final!'

Draco re-emerged after he heard the door to his parents room slam shut. Someone was being kept from him. He guessed it was one of the girls out of many being chosen to be his wife. His father was a fussy man and likely saw this girl as completely insufficient.

It was a tiring process, one he disliked in the first place. Why did someone have to be chosen for him, he was not incompetent enough to not decide for himself. Most of the girls were from rich families whose parents were death eaters, and all were ugly creatures. None of them were worthy of him.

'Another beast after our fortune mother?' he asked entering the room his mother sat in.

'Draco, did you listen to our conversation?' she asked flustered.

'It's hard not to. Actually I heard father say something about me not seeing someone. I figured it was another bride for me who was inadequate.'

'Yes, it was. This girl was from a joke of a family and hideous she was to.'

Draco smiled. He was right as always, after all he could read his parents like a book. Nothing slipped past Draco Malfoy.

* * * * *

Epona awoke only hours later. She had been placed in her bedroom likely by the nurse. Her head hurt and her eyes stung. It was only after this she noticed someone was in the room with her. She remained motionless and listened.

'This is who we came for?'

'Yes, we are to look after her for now.'

'Us, why?'

'You have asked that before and I still will not tell you. Took her mother long enough to die didn't it?'

Epona whirled round to see who it was...

And now she was here. Stuck in this huge house, constricted to the one area. Left alone for hours she contented herself with her magic and thought of what lay ahead.