Chapter Text
A month had gone by without any reply from the so called 'Hogwarts' Nancy had managed to sneak the Letter out without anyone else noticing. Of course I didn't tell anyone else about this Letter, a secret stops being a secret the moment more than two people know it.
I tried my best to act as if nothing had changed, but there was no need neither the Ladies or the Mistresses noticed anything they seem to ignore me for the most part. Except Lady Olive she has turned me into her real life doll, thankfully Lady Olive is too simple to realize anything wrong with me.
Today at least I had some good news. Lady Hattie was going into an even better school somewhere in Scotland. That means that this year I will only have to obey Lady Olive. I will take living doll over personal maid on any day of the week. Lady Hattie is a sadist, this girl is a freaking sociopath. She is delighted watching me suffer.
Every day I prayed that the magic school would answer. Today my prayers were heard.
I was cleaning Mistress Olga's room when Eathan our Butler came in.
"You have a visitor Mistress." He said with his usual cold emotionless voice.
"What? I am not expecting anyone today, tell them to leave right this instance they are ruining my day off." The toad replied.
"Mam it is Minerva McGonagall."
I recognized that name instantly the she was the one who send me the letter.
"Her..." Mistress seemed annoyed "what does she want?" Wait mistress knew McGonagall?
Does this mean that Mistress is also a witch? One of them? This is bad, she could even be the one who cursed me in the first place. Could my attempts to escape were actually nails in my coffin?
"Fine tell her I will be ready in 5 minutes let's hear what this cat bitch has to tell me that was so important to just send me a damned Owl? Why do we have these birds in the first place if we don't use them?"
Wait don't jump to conclusions, if she was with McGonagall then she wouldn't have that reaction to hearing her visiting.
"Very well Mistress I will inform her at once." Besides if she is the one who cursed me then why would...
"Hey girl!" Oh no she remembered I exist.
"Yes Mistress?"
"I have a very important meeting so go to your room and stay there, I don't want you to interrupt anything!" And there goes my chance of meeting McGonagall, well if nothing else I at least annoyed the heck out of that Toad. So the letter was worth it.
I nodded as my feet began to move me to my room. My room. Thankfully it hadn't changed over the years. It was still that tiny room I grow up in. A small bedroom in the 3rd floor it had a small window where light would pierce through. The walls have never been repainted and the bright pink colour is slowly falling off. My small bed it isn't the best bed in the world but it is cozy enough to lie in and fall asleep in the mattress. A have a small closet with very few clothes since they don't buy me a lot of clothes anymore. Even though it is bad this room is quite isolated in the massive manour thus I can have my peace there. The only reason I kept this room was because when Mistress Olga ordered me to stay in the servant quarters I pretended that I was happy to leave this "stupid room". That reverse psychology was actually enough to trick the toad into letting me stay at my room.
I sat on my bed and took one of the books I keep hidden under it. I start to get lost in it. A different world... A world where I am not forced to do anything... I can read and forget about anything else...
I am reading Cinderella again. I don't why. I guess I feel like a Cinderella. I am a mere servant to my step family after all. Although Cinderella has it a lot easier than me. Cinderella isn't cursed. She has a fairy godmother mother. And even marries a prince. Well I am too young for that. And Cinderella was a servant for years...
Am I destined for years of servitude as well? Am I to stay here obeying them until a 'prince' decides to save me?
Even if a ball happens Cinderella was able to defy her step mom. I on the other hand I am not. I would be forced to stay home. I hate this curse.
What could someone gain by cursing a child with this? It isn't like they are taking advantage of it after all Mistress Olga didn't know my curse until Lady Hattie revealed it to her.
And at the end was Cinderella even Happy? Sure she married a prince. But the book stops there, we don't know what happens afterwards. Did the prince treat her any better than her family. The prince choose her simply because she was pretty. Did he even cared for her?
Well life as a doll is better than a servant I guess.
But is it better enough to be considered a Happily Ever After?
My thoughts get interrupted by a knock on my door.
I wait a few seconds then I realized that no one was ordering me to open or to come out.
Then who could it be? Nancy? But she always declares herself. Anyway it would be rude to keep my guest waiting so I open the door.
It was a woman I had never seen before. She was tall and old but didn't look frail. She had black robes as the night sky and a pointy hat.
And she realized I was staring at her. But she didn't scold me, instead she found it amusing.
"Greetings Young Lady, excuse me but, are you Ella Frell?" She had a strong voice for her age. But it also felt like it was full with kindness. Like a strict grandmother who wants the best for her grandchildren.
I nodded.
"Nice to meet you young Ella, I am Minerva McGonagall." Of course she was her, her outfit was the one you would expect of a witch who was a teacher at a magic school.
"Nice to meet you." I reply with a shy voice
"By your request I informed your guardian about our School Grounds. She is willing to let you join our school if you wish."
What? That toad is willing to let me go? Really.
"Of course I would like nothing else." I say with an exciting voice. Too exciting. Dammit I couldn't contain my excitement. What if she turns me down? What if...
Instead miss Minerva just smiled at my enthusiasm.
"Very well all the school supplies are listed with your letter."
"Thank you for this opportunity!" I jumped and hugged her.
The old witch was taken aback from this gesture. She would normally scold a child for acting like this but the feeling she was getting from this house was just wrong. Something was clearly wrong here, Olga wanted to hide a lot of it.
"Very well, young witch we are expecting you in September. I hope your enthusiasm matches your grades."
I only nod with a bright smile on my face
She pats me and departs after saying her farewells and my thanking her.
I got in, Hogwarts exists! I am a witch! Time to learn more about my Curse! I will break it. And maybe while being at it I will find witch who cursed me and give her a piece of her own medicine.
I can't stop grinning. My hope is here, I laugh in excitement. I have never been this happy, I didn't know that one person could be this happy.
My prologue ends and my journey begins!
Well Cinderella's fairytale began when she was already an adult. Mine is just beginning, and I think that with that curse, I need that head start.