|Sighs exhaled into a whitening sky are colorless and transparent|
|My life will one day be colorful; Like a colorless rain eventually painting a rainbow|

"Drawing was the talent that struck me the most about my mum. I want to frame every-last-one of my mum's drawings. Her drawings deserves to be framed and hung up for everyone to see. Especially the drawing that she gave my dad. He kept that drawing for years until he was murdered and I'll frame that one and put it on her grave. Why? Because that was the drawing she gave the man who would give her what she deserved: happiness......." ~Antares "Taylor" Sirius Black

Year: 1969, London, Britain
Setting: The Longbottom Palace

• • • • • • • • • •

Susan traced over her mum's necklace, a sad smile forming its way on to her lips. All this time, she spent her days craving her parents - never knowing they left possessions for her and Frank. She wished she could buy them flowers to put on their grave, but her those people never give her galleons. A month passing by since she's gotten her parents possession, she now finds herself staring at them when she's done drawing.

Speaking of drawing, she was running out of pages in her drawing notebook. The reality made her panic. Drawing was what kept her "sane." She created what she wanted and blocked out the abusive world she lived in. Drawing kept her from crying; it kept her concentrated on what the future held for Frank. That was the only thing she could actually thank Evelyn for. If it wasn't for her forcing Susan to find some talent than she would have never found her passion for drawing.

Drawing meant a lot to Susan. It was her only hobby next to playing with Frank. Then again, anybody could start drawing anytime in their life so Evelyn didn't do anything.

Susan decided that Frank also needed some type of happiness or hobby in his life that would help his mind get off the situation they were in. It could also help him stop stressing about "being enough" for their father.

So, one day, while those people was away at a ball party, Susan spent hours trying to find what interested him the most. Observing her brother, she noticed the curious sparkle in his eyes whenever he looked outdoors. They spent the rest of time outside wandering around. Frank, at times, put his arm out in front of her protectively when he sensed danger. She did the same.

In the end, both siblings got what kept them happy other than each other: Susan had her drawings; Frank had his plants. As long as it stayed like this they could make it. Now here Susan was, sitting down in the center of her bed staring down at the glowing blue necklace she was holding in her right hand.

She wiped her tears away, thinking about how her mother's heart once was inside of it just like hers. It's something a powerful woman in her family held and for her to hold it... it felt so wrong. She was the embarrassment getting their most treasured possession? That was a spit in their face.

But her mum said she loved her and wanted her to have it. Susan had to deal with that, "Anne...." Frank's small voice called for his older sister and her head shot up. He held his teddy bear in one arm and in his other hand was a little creature Susan had never seen before. "Frank, what's that?" She asked him as she sat her mother's necklace down. Frank smiled and came closer to where she was, sitting his teddy bear down on the floor.

Frank sat next to her, chuckling at the squirmish look his sister was giving off, "It's a caterpillar, Anne," He answered as Susan grew chills from the creature. Yeah, he was a lot braver than she was, "And why does it look this? Why is it in your hand?" As she emphasized the question, Frank chuckled before smiling more. He plans on using their alone time to introduce her to nature. His sister was scared of it; slapping away bugs that day outside, or running away when she saw a spider. Frank wanted her to enjoy it; not fear it.

Those people have been going out a lot lately - sometimes coming back more angrier than ever, which they took out on Susan at times, or.. each other. The pair argued these days; rarely seeing eye-to-eye. The siblings secretly wondered if the parties were effecting their marriage.

"Well, get ready for your lesson with Mister Longbottom," He told her and Susan sat criss-cross applesauce before giving him her full attention. Frank still couldn't believe he was actually about to teach her something after years of learning everything he knew from her. Frank held out the caterpillar, "Okay, first off, like all insects, caterpillars have six legs emerging from their thorax. The problem is they also have stumpy prolegs that emerge from their abdomen. Technically these are not true legs, even though they have the same function," He explained as Susan listened to what he was telling her very carefully. "Within the chrysalis the old body parts of the caterpillar are undergoing a remarkable transformation, called 'metamorphosis,' to become the beautiful parts that make up the butterfly that will emerge," He continued to explain and Susan did a nod showing that she understood all that he was saying. So that's what a butterfly looks like before its transformation? Ew.

Frank continued to teach her about the caterpillar until he was finally done and Susan clapped gave a fake clap. She did enjoy his passion, and she loved witnessing it, but there was no way in hell she was touching that bug. She hated bugs.

Frank did a bow as she did a small laugh until the sound of the mansion door slamming was heard. The two siblings jumped at the same time, "Anne, they're back," Frank spoke the three words out of fear, his face turning pale. The mansion door slamming showed the sign that they were angry and when they were angry... they took it out on Susan.

Frank couldn't have them constantly putting their hands on his sister. His father told him to always protect his sister and that is a task Frank has not been able to conquer, "Go hide, Frank. Now!" Susan told him quickly. Those people wanted to keep them far away from each other as possible. They isolated the disgusting Half-Blood from her brother. Disobeying their rules never ended well. Susan will die one day because of them and that'd make Frank snap.

Frank looked at Susan as if she was bonkers, "Anne, I am not about to leave you alone! Bloody hell! They're going to murder you one day! I-I can't just leave you alone! Let me stay! Let me protect you!" Frank began shouting. Susan covered his mouth, putting their mother's necklace in his hand and pushed her younger brother in the closet, filtering out his protesting. She slammed her closet door and tied a long handkerchief around the two knobs so he wouldn't be able to come out, "I'm doing this because I love you. I love you." Susan whispered, pressing her hand against the closet door. After kicking her drawing notebook under the closet door, she ran back to her sitting spot.

Those people still didn't know about her stealing drawing notebooks. Susan laid on the floor, beginning to fake like she was sleeping. The witch heard the sound of clicking heels storming down to her bedroom. She blinked away the tears and gave soothing rubs on the arm she was laying her head on. Boy, she was in for a long afternoon.

'Do not sound weak. Frank is hearing. Do not cry. Do not cry. You will not cry.' Susan scolded herself as Evelyn rushed into the bedroom, dusting her hands off angrily before closing her bedroom door.

"Where is he?" She asked Susan out of rage. Susan stood up, clasping her hands behind her back and backing up, "I-I-I don't know what you mean. Whom is this he you speak of?" Susan responded and took a big gulp. Evelyn yanked her by the collar of her jumper and back-handed her. "Don't act funny! Orion pissed me off and I'm in no mood for you!" Evelyn's eyes flickered with fire. On the inside, Susan wanted to cry. Not only from the pain of the slap; but from the pain of living in these conditions. It was her fault. If she was never born - if she never existed, this wouldn't be happening.

Evelyn yanked her up by her hair, "Where is Frank, you rat?" Her voice was low and deadly. It could kill any snake that tried slithering her way and it made Susan take another big gulp to hide her trembling voice. "He's sleeping!" She lied and gritted her teeth when the grip tightened around her hair.

"Then let's go see, shall we?" Evelyn asked with a smile and dragged her out her bedroom. She could only picture her mum and dad running to her rescue and grabbing her away from Evelyn. She pictured her parents comforting her and her father pointing his wand at her for putting her hands on his daughter. Susan could picture that happening all she wanted to but she knew it would never come true. Dead people cannot save you from reality.

Susan sniffed thinking about how she thought she would always have her mum to come rescue her. Remembering how her younger self believed her mum would forever be with her made her... her dad.... her parents... why her? Why did her life have to be this way? Why did it have to be them? Not a single day where she had a break; not a single day where she liked herself. Living in self-misery and depending on her brother to give her happiness; acting like she was okay so he wouldn't worry and panic... she was tired. So, so tired.

Four years straight she's been getting abused. Entering hospitals, blacking out, sleeping outside, hit with pans, starved. But she knew there was no one out there to help her. She only had one person that forced her to get up when she got knocked down: herself.

Susan had no idea what her father did for a living but it ruined their life. When Susan draws, it's not what she feels, it's what Susan doesn't feel. Drawing is her way of relaxing. When Susan's drawing, she no longer feels down on herself. All she's focused on is that piece of paper that she wants to turn into something positive; something her life would never have. Drawing is one of the few times she can be happy with herself. By drawing, she can take nothing and make it into something. She's drawing away her pain she keeps bottled up. It's an escape from reality for her. And when she starts drawing, she doesn't stop until she's done with what she started.

Evelyn tossed her on the cold tile, resembling Frank's bedroom floor. Adjusting her blurry vision, Susan's heart dropped, "Well, well, well! Someone was lying. We both know I do not like liars, don't we, Susanne?" She spat out as Susan winced when she said her full name. Susan absolutely despised her full name and would rather be called 'Susan'. Evelyn is the main reason why she hates her name. She made fun of it when she was beating her. She made fun of Amelia for naming her and told her that no Wizard in his right mind would go for a girl with a name that rips off Roseanne. She insulted it many times to the point of where Susan started hating her name and feeling like what Evelyn said was true.

Susan felt a pit of anger grow inside of her as she thought about her aunt beating her for trying to talk to her brother. Her freaking brother. 'What type of crap is that?' Susan thought, her nails digging far into the skin of her palms.

"Why do you hate me?! I've done nothing to you! I've been somebody else for the past four years of being here! You've changed me and for what?! I used to be so happy! I used to dream! I used to love thinking about exploring life! Why did you take that away from me?! Why, you miserable bitch?! Why?!" She stood up, her brown eyes darkening and not an ounce of fear showing. Those angry eyes were her shield and sword, they're the gathering of clouds for a rainfall you'll never witness. Maybe one day they'd tell the girl to create the torrent, the release that feels like a downfall.

Evelyn's face switched from terrifed to controlling, "Did you just scream at me? Listen, rat, after all I've done for you, I deserve to be treated with respect! You don't EVER raise your voice at me! Now you better go find your brother and I suggest you soak up every last moment you have with him because once Alfie finds out... you're dead," She said as Susan continued shaking.

Evelyn smirked. This was the final reaction she wanted from her. "Raising your voice at me. You have lost your mind," Evelyn commented as she left the room, satisfied with the state she put the younger girl in. She instructed for Lanky to bring her some Fire Whiskey and headed towards the West Wing of the mansion.

Susan felt so much rage in her towards that woman. She wanted to scream and shout. She wanted to murder her, bring her back to life, murder her again, bring her back to life, murder her again and keep the cycle going. She wanted her to feel all the pain she put Susan through. She wanted to utterly beat the hell out of their uncle. But instead, Susan mind drifted off to Frank and she stopped shaking. She thought about her little brother being locked in her closet, probably thinking that something happened to her, his anxiety freaking him out. Susan dashed out his bedroom and down the hall to hers.

Lanky watched her and sighed in relief knowing she was okay. She tended to worry about the poor girl a lot. Susan ran into her room and quickly untied the handkerchief before opening the doors.

She was met with a gigantic hug and both of them falling. She felt a throbbing pain in her head and stinging on the side of her face, but she brushed it off while she held her brother closely in her arms.

"What did she do to you?! Anne, tell me so I can do the same to her!" Frank screamed but Susan continued to hug him, not wanting to let him go. She didn't answer his question but continued to hug him for dear life.

She just wanted to hug him. She didn't want to do anything else. Frank hugged back and comforted his older sister. They said nothing but was still somehow communicating with their actions.

It was like what Susan always told Frank: they only had each other, they only needed each other.........

|Thank You For Reading|