Ravenclaw Homework 1: Biography

Our Head Girl and Prefect have decided that all of us fellow 'Claws should write biographies of our lives in order to get to know each other better. I can assure you, my life isn't all that interesting, but here we go:

I was born in a London flat on December 22nd, only a week or so before Christmas. My mother insisted on having a midwife, while my father insisted that a Healer be present for the birth--needless to say, I came early on a day when the roads were blockaded by snow, and was born before the doctor could get to us. My mother, Susie, is a Muggle waitress while my father is the wizard in our family. He didn't tell my mother about his magical background until their engagement, and Mum says it took a while for her to believe him, no matter how many teacups he transfigured before her eyes. My father didn't stay around very long at all--he left us when I was four years old, wanting to return to the wizarding world and be with someone who could "understand him better". At least, that's what Mum says. I don't believe that Dad could have been so cruel, could have left us like that--but it's what happened.

Since there is only magical blood on my father's side, my family didn't know if I was magical or not. My little sister came two years after I did, and until this day she still hasn't shown any signs of magical powers. She's quite jealous, but I keep on telling her to cheer up. My powers didn't show up until only about a year ago, when I accidentally changed the fur color of my nextdoor neighbor's dog from black to pink. My mother took me out of the public school then for the next few days, not knowing what to do. I think she wanted to forget about magic forever, but now that I showed my abilities, she was reminded of my father again. So I went back to school until summer, acting like nothing was wrong in front of my friends, doing the same old Muggle homework that I knew was pointless. I knew--as well as my mother and sister--that the letter would come, that I would have to go to Hogwarts--which we couldn't afford--but until then, we'd forget about it.

Last summer dragged on like that, and then the letter finally came. Mum was forced to do something she swore she vowed never to do again--she took some powder called "Floo Powder", put it in the lit fireplace, and walked into the flames, soaring up to who-knows-where! My sister and I were petrified, until she came back and explained the Dad had showed her this, the proper way that wizards travel. She had gone to my dad's mother and father (not knowing where he is at the moment) and asked for the money, saying it was his fault I was "this way" anyway. They said it would all be arranged, and it was.

A few days before school started, I found an barn owl perched on my windowsill, along with all my school books and supplies and a letter from Gringotts bank explaining of a payment to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry made in my name. My father had gotten everything I needed, including Hogwarts, A History. I read the whole book by the time September 1st rolled around. My sister and mother were sad to see me leave, and waved goodbye to me as I rushed to Platform 9 3/4. However, my owl (Freya) allows me to send letters back to them whenever I want. Sometimes Mum even sends me things, such as leftover pie from the diner where she works, but it's always squished and stale by the time it gets here. Still, it's the thought that counts!

So here I am. Ravenclaw Daisy Finnigan, at your service!