Ash and dust

Estrella Drage

Obliviator for MACUSA | HNZ 1st Graduating Class
 
Messages
9,177
OOC First Name
Amanda
Blood Status
Half Blood
Relationship Status
Widow
Age
45
February 2011

Hestia Mulberry looked up from her desk, sighing as she took in her newest charge. A six-year-old witch, draped in a gray wool coat, purple mittens, and thick black boots. The moment she had stepped into Hestia’s office, she pulled a book from the shelf, propped it in her lap, and ignored the rest of the world around her.

Hestia found Estrella Drage to be somewhat of a puzzle. She was raised by a Muggle mother, but knew very clearly that she was a witch. The girl had escaped unscathed from a Tube accident that killed seven Muggles, including her mother. Despite being horribly distraught, she named her father, her home address, and an impressive number of magical facts.

The father, Tristan Drage, was a troublesome character. He’d graduated from Hogwarts, worked briefly for the Ministry, and then dropped off the public record. There was an unsavory account in his file left by a retired Auror, but nothing incriminating. Hestia’s biggest worry was that Tristan was nowhere to be found. Based on what Estrella shared, Tristan was not a full-time father. She spoke of him proudly, in the way that young children do.

Tristan’s family was even more complicated. The Drages lived outside of Alta, Norway, and they seemed as cold and uninviting as their Arctic Home. They had no interest in the girl. In fact, they expressed surprise about her existence. Neither the grandfather, the aunt, nor the uncle thought it their responsibility to take the girl in. They promised to pass along the news to Tristan, but at this point, it had been two months, with no contact. Really, all of it made Hestia’s blood boil. The witch couldn’t imagine abandoning her own kin.

Placing the girl with non-magical family outside of the country was not Hestia’s first choice. But it was all she had left. Estrella could not live out her childhood in an orphanage, as she was no orphan, and still had family who cared about her. A Muggle uncle, his wife, and their young son. Breaking the International Statute of Secrecy was a serious matter, but warranted in cases like these. What to do if the father turned up still puzzled Hestia, but she refused to wait on this any longer.

Hestia cleared her throat. “Your uncle will arrive to collect you later this afternoon.”

Estrella glanced up from her book and nodded before returning to the pages. The girl had retreated into her head more and more as time went on. Hestia thought it would do well for her to live in a stable environment. Thankfully, she was used to Muggles, and seemed to understand the importance of discretion.

With her relocation to the States, she would enroll at Ilvermorny, naturally. There was a wizarding community near her uncle’s county for support. Somewhat cruelly, Hestia thought it would be preferable if the father stayed away. It would certainly make the rest of Estrella’s life less complicated.

Hestia lifted her coffee to her mouth. After taking a sip, “How many times have you read that book, Estrella?”

“Three.”

“Well, then. I’ll see that you have a few new books before your trip home.”
Hestia’s instinct was to offer a trip to Diagon Alley, but she then thought better of it. It would be wrong to give the girl another taste of the Wizarding World before all but cutting her off from it.
 
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May 2011
Tristan had scared the living hell out of the two Muggles living in Lorelei’s apartment. He had apparated straight into the living room, where the two were snogging on the couch in front of a cheesy horror flick. The wizard had been just as shocked as they were. The decorations, the furniture, the people- everything was wrong, even though he knew he had the correct address. Tristan vanished as quickly as he had appeared. Where in the world was his daughter? How dare Lorelei move without telling him.

When he found out the truth, however, from a Ministry official, he was distraught. He sat across from Hestia Mulberry, the blood draining from his face. He had been careful to wear long sleeves, covering the unmistakable scar on his left forearm.

The look Hestia gave him was judgmental and harsh. She softened a little as tears welled up in his eyes, but her empathy was limited.

“That was five months ago,” Hestia said, breaking the silence. “We placed your daughter in February and have otherwise been unable to reach you.” She leaned in. “Where were you?”

“My job is confidential,” Tristan said, “I have been on business out of the country.” He took a deep breath. “Did you contact my family? They all live in Alta, Norway...”

The wizard was wary of the answer, since he’d shared Estrella’s existence with no one but Joshua Hanson, his best friend. Not even Sammael, his cousin and adoptive brother, knew about her, even though he was the reason Tristan had wooed Lorelei in the first place.

Hestia straightened. She said stiffly, “Yes. They refused to take your daughter in.”

Tristan darkened. Internally, he cursed his father. He hated the man. Instead of bringing this to light, he asked, “Where is she now?”

The witch hesitated. Tristan knew immediately she didn’t want to tell him. “Where is she?” he repeated.

Hestia sighed. “We placed her in the custody of Lorelei’s brother. Carlisle Bennett. She is living with his family in the States.”

Tristan’s eyes widened. “You sent her across the ocean? With Muggles?” He couldn’t contain his horror.

Hestia looked down the bridge of her nose at him. “She has been living with a Muggle, her mother, for her entire life. And what were we supposed to do? Wait for you to appear out of thin air?”

Tristan set his jaw. “I would like the address, please.” It wasn’t a question.

Grudgingly, Hestia gave the information Tristan needed. She shared that Estrella’s temporary magical guardian was a witch living in her new community, an Auror for MACUSA. Tristan was determined to make sure that arrangement was temporary.
 
May 2011
Estrella’s world was topsy-turvy after her mother’s death, her time in the orphanage, and the big move across the ocean. But after three months with her uncle, she was starting to settle in. She loved her Aunt Maggie and Uncle Carl- they were so sweet and kind to her. And she adored her cousin Luke, even though he teased her sometimes.

Like her mom and dad had taught her, she knew not to talk about the magical world with Muggles (they called them No-Majs here.) Uncle Carl was the only Muggle who knew she was a witch and reminded her to keep this secret. Her other guardian, Winona, a strict, but nice lady, had stressed this to her as well. Estrella was exhausted with all of the adults repeating this to her- Merlin’s beard, she knew it already!

Estrella chased Luke through the yard, weaving through the dangling branches of the Weeping Willow. She stopped in her tracks as she passed out of the tree’s shade when she saw the man walking up their front driveway. He was bigger than most men, with ink-black hair and pale skin. He wore Muggle jeans and a black t-shirt. Estrella abandoned the game of tag, leaving her confused cousin in the dust as she raced to her father.

Estrella laughed, and then cried, as he swept her up into his arms. She knew her mother was dead and never questioned that reality, but it wasn’t easy. Estrella had missed her father terribly. “You came back for me!” she shouted, hugging him tightly. She never wanted to let him go.
 
May 2011
Guilt washed over Tristan as he hugged Estrella tightly, kissing the top of her forehead. “Of course I did, Stray,” he said with warmth, although his insides were iced over. He knew fathers weren’t supposed to abandon their children. That afternoon, he fully intended to take her back. Even though the life he lived wasn’t fit for a young witch, he would figure it out.

He wanted to apologize for everything she’d suffered through, but shame held him back. Besides, why should he burden an already overwhelmed six-year-old? Kids should be playful and worry-free. He noticed she’d grown several inches, like a weed, in the half-year they’d been apart.

The boy she’d been chasing after, her Muggle cousin, Tristan presumed, ran off into the house. The wizard carried his daughter, listening to her as she rattled on about her life.

“Did you know they’re called No-Majs here, Dad? Not Muggles. Because they have no magic.”

“I didn’t, sweetie.” Tristan looked up to see a man he’d never met and only recognized from still Muggle photographs. Lorelei’s brother. Carl wasn’t a large man, but he was no beanpole, either. His skin was darkened by days spent in the sun. A farmer, Tristan remembered. Most of Lorelei’s family were farmers. And she an astrophysicist. No, he wouldn’t leave his daughter with Muggle farmers, he thought with contempt.

Tristan set Estrella back onto her feet. She tore off in excitement, grabbing at Carl’s hand and pulling him towards Tristan. “Look who’s here!”

Carl smiled back at Tristan, but it didn’t reach his eyes. The wizard found himself invited inside for dinner in a house that wasn’t meant for a man of his dimensions. Estrella’s cousin, called Luke, he soon found out, couldn’t stop staring at him.

Over an untouched plate of meatloaf and potatoes, Luke asked, “Have you ever killed anyone? You look scary.”

Tristan snorted. “That’s top secret.” Luke and Estrella laughed as Carl and Maggie scolded them.

Afterward, Luke and Estrella had gone back outside to play before the sun set. Tristan found himself alone on the front porch with Carl in an awkward silence.

Cautiously, Carl asked, “Do you plan to take her away?” Tristan could tell the man was nervous.

Tristan nodded. “She’s my daughter,” he said, with finality.

Carl’s shoulders sank. “I know I couldn’t stop you if I tried.” He swallowed hard, then sat upright. “But do you really think it’s in her best interest?”

Tristan was about to respond when he noticed a movement in the skies. A middle aged-witch, on a broom. She descended to the front walk, taking off her goggles. The woman had to be twenty-years Tristan’s elder. She was small in stature, but radiated strength. She wore a stressed brown leather jacket, tight jeans, and knee-high boots. Her jet-black hair was tied into a bun, not unlike his old Transfiguration teacher. Except he’d never felt like Professor McGonagall wanted to turn him to dust.

That was how he came to meet Winona Desmarais, an Auror and Estrella’s magical guardian. Winona was also the reason Tristan left without Estrella that day. They should pursue the proper legal channels, Winona insisted. Tristan found himself battling for his daughter, though that wasn’t so easy across oceans. “Work” needed him, after all.
 
June 2016 (Before HNZ Y1)
Estrella was supposed to attend Ilvermorny. Like Winona, she would stand in front of the house carvings, and one of them would choose her. If more than one house wanted her, then she would have to pick! She’d read all about the four houses and thought she was best suited for Horned Serpent, but would really be happy with any of them. She was just plain excited to go, even though she would miss her family.

Except, things didn’t go as planned. Carl and Winona took her on a picnic for the day, in a nice, wooded park with waterfalls a few towns over. They explained that she would be moving with her father to New Zealand, and attending a school in its opening year. Like Estrella, neither of them wanted this. The courts had ruled in Tristan’s favor. Her uncle and guardian fought to keep her in the United States, but they lost. All of Estrella’s dreams about Ilvermorny were crushed in one afternoon.

Estrella was absolutely distraught when her father came to take her away, once and for all. She was scared that she’d never see her family again. And although Carl, Maggie, and Winona were careful never to talk badly about Tristan, Estrella had come to her own conclusions. Tristan showed up a few times per year, took her on day trips, and disappeared across the Atlantic. As far as Estrella was concerned, her uncle, aunt, and guardian were better parents than her Dad had ever been.

The eleven-year-old witch was constantly in tears during the long and grueling international journey. She spoke less than ten words to her father the entire way to Alta, Norway, where they would be spending part of the summer. Even in late spring, the place was chilly. Drage Herrogard, her father’s birthplace, was a remote, sprawling, and stark property. For the first time, she met her father's family and didn’t like any of them.

Her grandfather, Valcan, was serious, cold, and strict, and she was to call him Bestefar. Her grandmother, she learned, was long-dead. Her aunt and uncle, when they were around, were quiet and distant. All of the adults, her father included, spoke Norwegian most of the time, so her feeling of alienation was even worse. The only person she liked was Persephone, one of the house-elves, who spoke broken English and tried to make the girl as comfortable as possible.

Estrella’s spirits were lifted a little by the house-elf, even though there was no one her age to talk with. Persephone even convinced Valcan to charm some of his books so that they would be translated to English when Estrella read them. There were all sorts of unique and interesting books in Valcan’s collection. She spent most of those six weeks in the library, absorbing as much information as she could. Just when she was starting to feel situated, Tristan whisked her off to New Zealand.

It was supposed to be her new home, but it didn’t feel much like one. The only thing she looked forward to was the school. But it would never be Ilvermorny.
 
June 2017
“I would strongly consider transferring your daughter to another magical school.” Valcan had heard nothing good about Hogwarts New Zealand’s administration, enrollment, or safety. He couldn’t believe that Estrella’s close friend and housemate had been murdered before the end of their first year. Durmstrang had its accidents, but nothing so embarrassing. Unless Tristan wanted his half-breed daughter to be dead or stupid, he would do as Valcan suggested. Even sending her back to that American school she so worshiped would be a better choice. But Tristan was stubborn, emotional, and misguided.

The girl clearly wasn’t pleased to spend another summer at the Herrogard. Her father would go off on business, leaving her in the care of Valcan and Persephone. When she hadn’t stationed herself inside of the library, she was tucked in a faraway corner with a book. Valcan had to admit he was impressed- he’d never met a child who spent so much time between pages. A trait she shared with him. His last girlfriend had joked that he liked books more than people, which was true.

While he was publicly ashamed to have a half-blood granddaughter, he came to tolerate the girl. At times, they discussed the books she’d read, or he would answer her questions about their ancestors. She was mostly polite and reserved. Any emotional outbursts she had were reserved for her father. Valcan nearly felt regret for denying her when she lost her mother. It was a pity she’d been raised by Muggles for so long. But the past was over and done with, and at the time, she’d been a dirty secret.

When Estrella left to attend her second year at that sham of an institution, Valcan almost missed her.
 
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June 2018
If Estrella felt abandoned by Tristan before, it was only made worse by his prolonged absences during the break. She felt nothing but resentment. To top it off, she found out she now had a brother. Erik Malkolm Drage, born in April. She had met the baby briefly and didn’t know what to think. Rationally, she knew Erik was innocent in all this. Her dad kept Erik elsewhere with someone she supposed was Erik’s mother. A woman Estrella had never met. It was obvious that her dad wanted Erik more than her. Perhaps it was because he was pure-blood.

While she thought about going back to Carl and Winona, her desire to return to the States and transfer to Ilvermorny weakened every day. Hogwarts New Zealand was also her home now. Plus, there were her friends and Kale to consider. Although it would have been completely fair to do so, she didn’t mention her dad’’s neglect in her letters back to her uncle. She also didn’t note that she’d learned Tristan Drage was a career criminal.

Estrella didn’t fight when her dad signed over his parental rights to Valcan. At least her grandfather was consistent. And most of the time, he let her be.

She was surprised to learn that Sophia Stark, her classmate, was also her cousin. When Sophia visited for a few weeks, the two girls spoke to each other, and explored the Herrogard some, but it wasn’t like they were best friends. Between Valcan, Sophia, and Estrella, the place was full of angry silence.
 

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