(July 24th 1991) Esme's POV

I'm in the garden looking at the nature around me. We have a beautiful rose garden. I notice a sickly looking rose bush and go over to it. I touch it gently and it begins to bloom back to life. I giggle, I love watching magic. Though maman (french word for Mum) always tells me not to do it in the open. She fears people will shun me if they knew or take me away. She fears losing me like we did papa.

"Esme, entre!" mother calls from the back door. (Translation: Esme, come inside). I groan and pick up the skirt of my pink dress and run towards her. She looks at my bare feet and I give her a sheepish smile. "Ca nettoyer, Dianna attend) she tells me. (Translation: go clean up, Dianna is waiting). Dianna is my maid/nana, she helped raise me after papa died several years ago.

I go to the bathroom and clean up. I put on a new blue dress and some slip on shoes. Dianna then blew dried my hair and brushed it. Humming a Russian lullaby. Apparently her grandmother used to sing it to her. "There, you are ready for lunch" she tells me in English with a smile. After putting a head band on my head.

"Thank you" I say in English.

"Très bien" she praises and I smile. (Translation: very good). She has been teaching me English since my tenth birthday. We may now live in England. But I never leave the estate. We moved here when papa died three years ago. Mum knows enough English to get us by. Dianna is the only member of staff she kept. As she is a close family friend.

I arrive in the dining room and sit beside my mother to see food has already served. "Quelque chose d'intéressant est venu dans le post aujourd'hui" she tells me. (Translation: something interesting came in the post today).

"Vraiment, quelle?" I ask her curious. (Translation: really, what?). She hands me a letter with a red wax seal on it and I frown in confusion. It's address to me, to my bedroom. I look up at her and she nods her head. Giving me silent permission to open it. I do so and see it's written in English. So I hand it to her as Diana joins us.

"Dear Miss Esme Bourette,

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 await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress" she reads out loud. "The next two pages have a list of your required equipment" she states in English. "Looks like we need to up your lessons in English" she adds.

"Really?" I ask her. "I can go?" I ask.

"Of course, you are special my dear and now you'll be able to go to a safe place to practice your magic. I will have to make sure you understand written English so that you can study without limitations" she explains.

"Thank you Maman" I say with a smile and she smiles back.

"It also says a representative from the school will be here tomorrow to help us go buy your things" she tells me. I nod my head. We finish lunch and I look at her. "Go play, I will speak to Dianna" she states. I nod my head and leave to go search for my cat Minette (French word for kitten). Don't judge me, I was five when I named her. She was an adorable Chartreux kitten with her orange cooper eyes and blue silver coat.

I find her in the library napping in a patch of sun on the window seat. "Minette" I say and she wakes looking at me. She comes over and jumps into my arms. I smile and take her to my room. I start to brush her thick blue silver coat as she purrs contently. She loves brushed time. I wonder what Hogwarts will be like. If the other kids will accept me as my parents aren't magical.

This is a chance to start a new life for me and my mother. At my old school in Austria everyone knew who I was. This is my chance for a normal childhood. I wonder if I can bring Minette?

I finish brushing Minette and start to play with her. Until Dianna appears telling me it's time to continue with my English lessons. I nod my head and follow her to the library. We spend three hours studying the English alphabet and me doing a spelling test on simple English words like 'letter' or 'phone'. We then spent a half hour on speaking English.

Dianna then went to prepare dinner. While I went to the dinning room to see mum reading my letter again. "How was your lesson?" she asks me.

"Good, she says I'll learn quicker if we do everything in English before September 1st" I tell her. She nods her head in agreement. "Maman, can I take Minette to Hogwarts?" I ask her hopeful.

"Yes, it says you are allowed to take an owl, cat or toad. So you may take Minette" she tells me. I nod my head smiling. At least I'll have one friend at Hogwarts, even if it is my cat.

Dianna appears with the food and joins us for dinner. Her and mum discussing my studies in English. While I distract myself thinking if there are any magical creatures like unicorns or dragons. Guess I'll find out when I get my text books. I wonder if I'll have a wand like the witch Wendy. I always enjoyed when papa would read me stories about her.

A/N

Picture above of the Esme and picture below of ash blonde. Picture in chapter of Minette.