ZERO | NOT YOUR ORDINARY GIRL

     FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, SELINE WINCHESTER WAS AS ORDINARY AND NORMAL AS THEY CAME — HONEST! She always (mostly) listened to her parents and (sometimes) handed her homework in on time. And okay, sometimes she back-chatted and would 'forget' to do her chores. But like, these are ordinary eleven-year-old girl behaviours.

Yet, sometimes—only sometimes, to be quite clear—strange things happened to her. Things that she couldn't quite understand (and doesn't really want to understand, either). And when these things happened, she always felt that same sinking feeling in her stomach—the one that told her whatever she was doing was wrong and that she must stop ("but how?!" she'd scream at her subconscious.) And every time she got that feeling, she'd aggressively repress it because she is normal! She wasn't bloody doing anything, her mind was just playing tricks on her. . . didn't her doctor tell her to get checked for anxiety? Yeah, it's just that. After all, she didn't end up getting checked, did she? Her father had just scoffed at the doctor and denied the existence of mental illnesses ("It's just a scam to get me to open my wallet," he'd told Seline on the drive home.) Seline didn't argue, she was eight at the time and had no idea what the hell anxiety or mental illness was—it's hardly important, anyways! Seline normal and every 'weird' thing that's happened to her was just a coincidence. She had no control over it.

Like, for example, one evening Seline was just sitting in the living room watching Beverly Hills 90210. Her parents were 'talking' a bit too loud in the room next door for her liking and it made listening to Luke Perry's dreamy voice quite difficult. (Couldn't they argue about her fathers rapidly increasing work hours in another part of the house? One that wouldn't disturb Seline's TV viewing. If there's one thing the girl hates, it's people disturbing her TV viewing.)

She needed to turn the volume up but unfortunately, that would be mean she'd have to get up and grab the remote off the coffee table, which she didn't want to do. Seline had sunken so far into the couch and was wrapped up perfectly in the blankets—if she got up, she knew she'd never get this comfortable again. As she stewed over that momentarily, the television remote decided to come flying at her. She yelped in pain (and shock) as it smacked her square in the forehead, leaving an angry red mark. To say this had given her quite the shock would've been a massive understatement—she was low key traumatised from it. However, that's besides the point. The point is that she didn't do that. . . right? Seline probably wasn't paying enough attention to notice Denika throw the remote at her. . . yeah, that makes sense. (Except Denika was at a sleepover that night.)

There was this other time when her sister was blown into the river after she kept annoying Seline. Look, technically it wasn't Seline's fault that Denika almost drowned—it was the winds, she swears! Like, how could a nine-year-old manage to do something like that? (And hey, Seline had been dragged in by some other wind not too many seconds after. As if she'd do that to herself!) They're just clumsy, that's the most logical—and only—explanation for it.

Seline had tried to ignore it when things like this happened, there had to be a rational explanation after all. Magic wasn't real—it was all just very coincidental. (That's what she liked to believe anyways.)

So, our tale begins in May of 1991. It was a windy Friday afternoon and Seline had just gotten home from her last day of school for the week—boy was she ready for the weekend! Exhausted, the newly turned eleven-year-old (as of three days) girl threw herself onto the couch beside her younger sister, Denika. The younger girl sent a small smile Seline's way before turning her attention back to The Smurfs. Seline rolled her eyes at her sisters choice of TV program. Denika was almost ten now, couldn't she watch something more mature?

Denika and Seline or Seline and Denika as Seline preferred to be referred to as (but it just didn't sound as good, you know?), looked almost identical. With their pale, trademark English skin, dark—almost black eyes and brown hair. There had been plenty of times when people had mistaken them for twins and Seline ought to have been offended (or maybe Denika should've felt honoured?)

But that's where the similarities between the pair ended, Seline liked to think. While Denika was a self-righteous social butterfly who thought morals were super important, Seline was an ambitious perfectionist who just wanted to get through life as easily as possible. Denika had no trouble making plenty of friends but Seline, on the other hand, didn't trust people easily and therefore didn't have many friends. She had many admirers and followers, yes but not many true friends—if any. She'd gone through her primary school years as a sort of ringleader. She knew that the other kids didn't actually like her much, they just followed her because everyone else did. Somehow, she's already sure she'll be at the top of the food chain in high school too.

The only person that she can think of who's actually treated her like a real friend is Dudley Dursley. Dudley's family lived down the street, him and Seline had been friends for as long as she could remember. Dudley didn't follow her blindly like a lot of their peers did—if anything the co-ruled their school. Before everyone knew Dudley was going to his posh high school, everyone had expected her and Dudley to be a power couple and rule their high school next year. Seline didn't see Dudley romantically at all, he was her best friend—the brother she didn't have, if you will. And as far as she was aware, Dudley felt the same way.

Seline turned to look at the TV, watching as the obnoxious Smurfs ran around their village singing stupid songs. "Can we watch something else?" the older brunette huffed eventually, narrowing her eyes at her sister. "This shows for babies."

A look of hurt appeared on Denika's face as she held the remote close to herself. "But I was here first," she whined and Seline's eyes narrowed even further.

"Fine. Whatever, I don't even care," Seline huffed, climbing off the couch and slinging her backpack over her narrow shoulders. Giving her mother a nod as she passed, Seline made her way upstairs to her room. She was making sure to stomp really loudly so Denika couldn't hear the TV properly.

But halfway up the stairs, Seline heard a loud knock on the front door.

"Can someone get that?" her father shouted from his study. Seline figured he was working on some 'big business deal'. Seline had no idea what her father meant when he'd say that and he didn't talk to her enough to explain it (and to be honest, she didn't really care enough to want to know.)

"Seline!" her mother called out at the same time, her shrill voice echoed through the house. The young girl sighed before turning on her heel. Slowly, she pulled the door open and was met with quite the surprise.

An elder woman with a pointy hat and green robes stood on their porch patiently. Seline looked behind herself momentarily, checking the calendar to see if it was Halloween. But alas, it was only May. "Hello?" she said questioningly as she stared at the woman. Seline couldn't give her directions to whatever Comic Convention was on if that's what the woman wants.

"Hello dear, my name is Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm assuming that you're Seline Veronica Winchester?" she explained, her Scottish accent thick. Seline's jaw drop—did she just hear her properly? Her mind whirred as she tried to process what this Minvera woman was on about. Before she could ask, Minvera handed her a letter that had a big fancy red seal on it. "Here. This might explain things better."

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRYHeadmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Winchester,

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

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.

Yours sincerely, 

Minerva McGonagallDeputy Headmistress.

After rereading the contents of the letter about three times, Seline looked up to meet McGonagall's stare. "Why don't I come inside and explain more?"

Seline nodded her head quickly, still very much confused. She stepped aside for this Minerva to enter. "I think that would be a good idea," she mumbled, pulling the front door shut. She already knew this was going to amount to something interesting. If only she'd known to what extent. . .

🌸 KARLA RAMBLES 🌸

i haven't written for seline in so so so long omg i missed her!!! i am on a m i s s i o n to finish all my old books by the end of this year (i swear to you!)

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