When I was a child, I always knew something was wrong. I was always able to see this weird green glow in the snow and everything was just really bright, especially in the spring. I never really like car rides either. Thought I had motion sickness after researching it in a local library. I found out it wasn’t motion sickness when the counselor called me into her office. I didn’t remember her from freshman orientation and all the staff was present at the time. She had this unsettling air around her as I sat at her desk.
“Fauna, was it?” She stared at me, waiting for a response.
“Y-yes, ma’am.” I blurted out. She was making me very nervous.
“Do you know why you are here, Fauna?” I shook my head. “A student came to Mrs. Snider earlier today and told her you were saying some interesting things. Do you mind sharing with me what those things are? Your teacher sounded very worried.” What? What did I say that would scare one of my friends?
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” I responded and her face soured a bit.
“Mind telling me how you can ‘see green glow under the snow’.” Oh, that.
“Well, I was always able to see it, ever since I can remember. I asked my mother and father if they could see it and they told me I had a vivid imagination.”
“Anything else that they have told you that is your imagination?”
“Well…I do have motion sickness.”
“How so?” What do you mean ‘how so?’ It’s motion sickness for gods sake.
“When I’m going at fast speeds everything gets brighter and I get a headache from it.”
“Brighter comparted to what?” Why does she need to know?
“You know what Miss…” I looked at her plaque that sat on her desk. “Sharpkeep, I do not need to stay here and have you question me for something a student said.” I stood up, pushed my chair in and opened her office door.
“It’s not motion sickness.” I stopped dead in my tracks, hand still on the door knob.
“What?” I questioned and looked back at her. This time she was wearing a slight smile. It sent chills down my spine.
“Close the door and I will tell you more. This is not anyone else’s business.” I did as I was told but choose to stand instead of sit back down.
“How is it not motion sickness? I did extensive research into this.”
“You don’t think it’s motion sickness either, do you?” I broke out into a cold sweat. Of course I didn’t, the research didn’t match nearly well enough to my symptoms.
“O-of course I do!” Crap, my voice broke, the jig is up.
“You have a very special talent, Fauna.” That threw me for a loop. Talent? This thing can be learned? What would want to learn how to do this!?
“Talent?” I questioned.
“Yes, but before I tell you anything else, I need to make sure of something.” She opened her desk drawer and took out a thin stick. She made some gestures and a bright light flashed in my line of sight. I rubbed my eyes.
“Did you take a picture of me with that stick?”
“No, I did not. I made sure that if you were to tell a human about anything magical it would make no sense coming out of your mouth.” I quickly covered my mouth. “Don’t be scared, it doesn’t affect your voice. I made sure of that when crafting the spell.” I slowly removed my hands from my mouth.
“Humans? Are you not human?” I was a bit dizzy and stumbled. I thought I was going to hit the floor but I landed sitting in the chair.
“I thought you would sit beforehand, I’m sorry for that.” How did I…?
“Now, don’t try to tell anyone about this. Where you can hone your skills is a place called Hogwarts. It’s a school for gifted children and trains them to be witches and wizards.”
“I’m a witch?”
“Yes, so am I. Well, you can be. I can also teach you how to make the life force you see dimmer so you can ride in cars at fast speeds again.” I-I…
“I can see life forces?” I shot up from being slouched.
“Yes, it’s not motion sickness. You can see the life forces of plants.”
“Uhm, okay, well…thanks.” I got up. I needed to walk somewhere, somewhere very far away from this crazy lady.
“I see you are still shaken. You can leave. Just remember to come back if you want help with your powers and- Fauna?” I had my hand on the door knob.
“Yes?” I said looking at the knob. I couldn’t handle any more of this.
“You cannot speak of this to anyone, okay?”
“Y-yes.” I responded already having the knob turned halfway.
“Okay, goodbye.” I exited her office in a rush, still attempting to not slam her door.
Well of course I tried to tell someone! Who believes a person they haven’t seen before that they have magical life force powers. Not me. After school ended I was walking home with my friend, Tara.
“Tara?” I spoke up, my heart pounding in my chest.
“Yeah?”
“I was called to the counselor’s office today.” She looked at me, continuing to walk.
“Really? What for?” She sounded worried. I thought about what I was going to say for a moment and Miss Sharpkeep’s voice rang though my head.
“…it would make no sense coming out of your mouth.” I shook the words away. Now is the time to see.
“I can see the life force of plants and Miss Sharpkeep put a spell on me to that this all makes no sense and she said I should go to Hogwarts and that it’s not motion sickness I’m feeling and that she’s a witch!” Tara’s face looked confused.
“Did you just say that you wanted to see a duck ride in a car that is filled with water because it’s not invented yet?”
“Oh no…”
“Fauna, you should probably keep those thoughts to yourself. People will start thinking your crazy.
“Oh...! Look, my house…!” I said, deflated.
“Just lay in bed for a bit, Fauna. Take a nap.”
“Y-yeah, will do.” I said walking to my house, not bothering to turn my head so that she could hear me.
I then got home, the usual questions from my parents of how was school, it’s almost mid-terms and I have to study, and if I have a headache. I answered halfhearted no’s and headed to my room. The rest of the night, I contemplated going back to Miss Sharpkeep’s office, now that I had confirmed everything she said was true.
The next day I did and kept going until I got my letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. By then, I had mastered my powers and gotten the life force glow down to a haze.