The Green Flame Torch

Lilah put her journal back under her bed and stretched her arms and legs and went for the door. Without anything else to do in the house she decided to begin an expedition to get lost that afternoon and found herself down a dark corridor on the third floor. She knew the floor well; she called it "The Gallery". It was called so because on every wall and in every room hung a tapestry. Some she guessed were older than the mansion itself. Her favorite one, ever since she was a little girl, was the one of the little sleeping green dragon and the child witch napping against a starry night sky. Lilah loved it mostly because of the child witch with her emerald green robe and brown hair weaved in braids and decorated with crescent moons. Lilah walked up to the tapestry and cupped her hand over her mouth and leaned toward the dragon.

"Mallus, are you asleep?" she whispered.

The dragon just let out a huff and green smoke emitted from his nostrils. Lilah slouched and placed her hand under the dragons left claw and began to tickle it. The baby dragon began to stir and repressed giggles surfaced out. He opened up his fiery red eyes.

"Stop tickling! Mallus taking nap!" the baby dragon screamed out with flames coming from his mouth.

"Sorry Mallus. I just wanted to say hullo." Lilah snapped back.

The little witch slowly blinked her eyes opened and looked up at Lilah.

"Miss Lily back! Me and Mally miss you." She said sadly as she lowered her head.

"I missed you too, Flora. Mally is in a bad mood, eh?" Lilah whispered to Flora.

"Yes he bad boy!" screeched little Flora as she reached for her wand, "Flora make him poof!"

"No Flora!" screamed Lilah while shaking the tapestry, "Leave Mallus alone!"

Lilah shook so forcefully that the tapestry fell off the wall and gathered in a pile on top of her. Then there was sudden loud bang as Lilah tried to get the tapestry off.

"Flo! Not again!" screamed Lilah as she straightened the tapestry.

When she finally had, she saw Flora standing proudly next to a very distressed Mallus. His head, and claws were the only things visible, the rest of his body seemed to be stuck in the sky.

"Flora!" yelled Lilah maternally.

Flora quickly skipped away into a nearby tapestry gleefully.

"Flo, get back here! Get him out of the sky!" Lilah called after the escaping Flora.

Mallus hung in the sky not at all shocked by Flora's lack of remorse.

"She come back when she tired." He told Lilah with a weak smile.

"No, she has done this too many times. I'll get her back." Lilah said as she picked up the tapestry.

She went into a nearby room and lay the tapestry on the bed.

"I'll be back soon!" she yelled as she ran down the hall.

"Okay, Mally just stay here!"

As Lilah ran down the hall she checked every tapestry hanging for the fugitive. As she was examining a fairly large one of a dark castle, with three witches singing, an owl came fluttering in from a nearby window. In his claws was a large envelope with green lettering on it. Lilah didn't pay much attention to the letter. She rarely ever received mail, and assumed it was for her mother.

"Hullo, there. Who is it from today?" said Lilah as she examined it, "Probably junk mail."

The owl squawked rudely in response. Lilah reached into her pocket and pulled out the only change she had, two Knuts. She gave the owl the money and he left, but not without rudely hoping off of her head. Lilah sat down on the floor as she read the envelope. It was addressed to, Miss Lilah V. Snape, Abundantia, Fourth Floor, Next to the Funny Tapestry, Token. It was from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and it wasn't the first time she had received a letter from them or any wizarding school in fact.

The year Lilah was turning eleven, she received a letter from Dumstrag Wizarding School in the Russias. This caused her mother to have an intense crying and coughing fit. At the time Lilah was living in Cannes, France and was confused on how a school so far would want her. Then two weeks later she received a letter from Beauxbaton. It wasn't until late August, when she was visiting Grandmama Bianca, that she received her first letter from Hogwarts.

Whenever Lilah received a letter Imogen would lie and write to the school and say that Lilah wasn't interested. And, when Grandmama Bianca asked about school Imogen would again lie and say they hadn't received any acceptance letters. So, when the first letter from Hogwarts arrived at Abundantia Imogen nearly fainted. The small owl lay it on Grandmama's lap while they were having midday tea. Imogen stared at it in shock unable to speak.

"I was beginning to worry. I thought it was too late to be accepted." Said Grandmama Bianca as she opened up the letter.

"Mama, I don't understand." Imogen finally squeaked out.

"Don't worry dear. Since you told me that dear Lilah hasn't been accepted to any school I took it upon myself to write to Dumbledore. I explained that she was snubbed by those schools." She lowered a voice a little," for reasons that are out of her control."

Lilah looked at grandmama curiously. Lilah thought that maybe she meant because of her father. Lilah had no memory of her father and only knew that he was dead. She stayed quite and didn't dare ask. The slight mentioning of the word father made Imogen 's face go pale as a ghost. But, her mind was racing between thoughts of her father and thoughts of school. Her heart palpitated so fast as she glanced nervously between her shocked mother and gleeful grandmama. Lilah jumped to her feet inspite of herself and ran to Grandmama Bianca.

"Oh, grandmama. You are the greatest!"

She hugged her grandmama tightly and turned to her mother, trying to smooth over the situation.

" Of all schools mummy! I can go to the one you went to!"

"Lily." Imogen whispered.

Lilah was overcome with joy and began to dance around the room.

"I can learn all the spells and be a real witch!" she yelled to the heavens.

"And you wouldn't have any problems in potions I'm sure of it." Giggled grandmama and Lily joined her.

"Variana!" Imogen yelled.

Lilah stopped giggling. And grandmama looked scandalized at Imogen.

"If you don't mind, I want to talk to grandmama, alone." said Imogen coldly.

Lilah knew by Imogen's tone, that she wasn't going to Hogwarts.

"Yes mummy." mumbled Lilah as she headed towards the door.

She left the drawing room and leaned her ear against the door. Within seconds she heard the argument to end all arguments. Most of it was just a loud murmur to Lilah. But she could make out a few phrases: "How could you!", "Behind my back!", and "Don't get yourself sick." Lilah slouched down on the floor. There were rare times when she felt hatred towards her mother and this was one of those times.

Lilah stared at the second letter in her hands and knew that last years episode could easily be repeated. No matter how much she wanted to go to school, she knew showing it to her mother would only prove to be done in vain. Although nothing could hurt in opening it. She looked around to make sure no one was around and ran into the nearest room. Making sure it was empty she then sat on the bed and opened it. Inside was an acceptance letter and a list of items for first year students. Lilah never actually got to read her other acceptance letters. So, she grabbed the letter first, it read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Dear Miss Snape,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We have extended the date of your owl arrival date to no later than August 20.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Lilah heard a giggle from behind her. She turned and saw Flora swinging on a branch in a tapestry of a forest, with unicorns. Lilah confronted the little witch and made her return to her tapestry and help Mallus. Then, Lilah headed to her room. She tried to hide the letter but after hundreds appeared under her bed she was found out, and the summer was anything but quiet.