[HP] The Tweed River flows

Hayden is the first and only child of Ravenclaw's generation - my uncles are kind enough to remind me of this now and then, but more often than not they just ignore me.So every year for Hayden's birthday, he deserves to receive countless beautifully wrapped presents, and I have nothing.Although, my birthday is on the same day as his.

Instead of shutting myself up in my bedroom without saying a word, I happily hid in the corner of the stairs watching my cousin unwrap his birthday present in the living room.I have a hot secret in my heart that backs me up, and this year will be different, I tell myself.

It all started with that promise my mother made me last year—or at least I think it was a promise.

This time last year, I was eight years old.Every year at this time, I see my cousin unwrapping presents in the living room, and I feel both envious and puzzled: Why do people give him so many presents at the same time every year?I told my mother about my confusion.

"Because today is his birthday." Mother replied, without looking up, her eyes moved directly to the next line of text.

"What's a birthday?"

"It was the day he was born, and he came into this world five years ago today."

"Then when is my birthday?" I blurted out this sentence in an instant, and I don't know where I got the courage from.

"Why are you asking this question all of a sudden?" asked the mother, a little surprised, and finally looked up from the parchment.

"I...I just wanted to know," I said awkwardly, but she saw my frustration, no doubt.

She put down the quill in her hand, thought for a moment, and said, "Same as your cousin, July 7th."

I let out a slightly disappointed "ohhh" that my birthday has passed, and it was yesterday.But in fact, there is nothing to be disappointed, because no one will give me a birthday.

"I'm sorry, I've been so busy recently that I actually forgot your birthday," she said apologetically, and at the same time touched my head lovingly, "Next time, I'll help you celebrate your ninth birthday. The day my little Helena came into the world."

My heart was full of joy, and I kept this date firmly in my heart, looking forward to the next July 7 day by day.Because on that day, my busy mother may spend a day with me, and may receive her own gift like my cousin!

I hid at the corner of the stairs until I watched him unwrap all the presents and return with a full load.Still no sign of any mother coming back early.I went back to the room sullenly, feeling a sense of loss in my heart, she couldn't forget it, she promised me!I lay in bed, and I don't know how long it took.Reluctantly, I went out of the room to check again, and then I saw a lonely gift on the coffee table in the living room.

In disbelief, I ran down the stairs, picked up the gift box, and saw a card attached to it - "To Dear HR".That's definitely my mother's handwriting, she's always special when she writes R's.She remembered my birthday, and even though it was the only one, it was enough to make me ecstatically happy.You can't understand how happy I was when I got my first birthday present, the first gift in my life!I happily ran back to my room. I don't like to show off my gifts in the living room like my cousin. At this moment, I don't want to share it with anyone. This is a surprise that only belongs to me.

Inside the box is a fluffy teddy bear, which can make various actions according to your commands.Even though I had no idea of ​​the complex magic behind these simple actions, I realized how much my mother had put into this gift.Rolling, crawling, bowing - I was having so much fun with my bear on my stomach that I didn't hear the cries from downstairs at all.

At this time the door opened suddenly, and the teddy bear fell on my chest.

"Aha, it looks like it's really here," said Uncle Rex, standing in front of the door, like a thief who's just caught his booty.

"What, what?"

"This!" Hayden rushed into my room with tears on his face, grabbed the wrapping paper on the bedside table and threw it in front of me, shouting, "This is a gift from Aunt Rowena! Why did you steal it?" my present!"

Before I could figure out what was going on, my cousin came up to me and grabbed my teddy bear to snatch it away.And how could I allow this to happen?I jerked back and Hayden fell to the floor.Although he is a boy, he is much younger than me and not as strong as me.

Hayden burst into tears and called out "Dad."

When Uncle Rex saw his son fall to the ground, his face suddenly changed.He pulled Hayden up, picked up the wrapping paper, and turned to me angrily.

"Maybe your mother is too busy and neglects to discipline you! Today I will educate you, a powerless child, for your father!"

I was terrified and held my bear tightly and refused to let go.Then he was pushed and shoved out of his room and into his grandfather's study.

"She stole Hayden's things, and she refused to admit her mistake when she was caught on the spot, and even pushed her brother to the ground," Uncle Rex announced my 'crime' viciously.

"I didn't! It was my birthday present from my mom!" I stepped back, still clinging to the teddy bear.

"Nonsense, you took it off the table! Aunt Rowena bought it for me! I just took it out of the room and I haven't even had time to unpack it - turn, turn and can't find it , You took it!" The cousin sobbed again with tears all over his face.

"Your birthday? Today? Why have I never heard of it—" Third Uncle Harris interjected sarcastically.

"It's my birthday! My birthday is the same as my cousin's!" My voice was already crying, "Look, my name is still on the wrapping paper!"

"Your name? You're a liar!" Uncle Rex said angrily, picking up the 'evidence' and pointing to the card on it, "Did you mean 'HR'? That's Hayden Ravenclaw , not you!"

"My mom really gave it to me..." I whimpered, looking around for help, and they all just looked at me gleefully, like a self-inflicted criminal being punished.

"There was a school meeting today, she didn't even come back for dinner, how could she give you a gift? Hayden's gift was sent by her with my owl, how could she give it to you?" Uncle Rex said coldly explain.

"Helena, put it down." The grandfather who had been silent all this time suddenly spoke, as if he had already made a decision.I looked at his face and felt more scared than ever.

"No, that's mine, my mother bought it for me—" I yelled in horror, and then "slap—" a slap in the face slapped me, and tears came out of the pain, my only The gift fell to the ground.

"Children can't lie," said the grandfather, his face was full of anger, and his right hand was still shaking slightly when he hit me. "If you want a gift, you can tell the adults, but you can't steal from others!"

Tears of grievance and shame poured down, and I cried bitterly, helpless and desperate, "I didn't lie, I really didn't lie..." Why did no one believe me, why did everyone not hesitate Believe him?

Grandpa raised his hand again, and that's when my youngest uncle stopped him, "Dad, don't—"

I took advantage of this time to turn around and run out, crying and ran out of the study, locked myself in the bedroom, lay on the bed and cried aloud, and then rested for a while, and then cried again.This was repeated over and over again until I was exhausted and could no longer shed tears.I lay on my back in bed, the room was getting dark, and I was getting very hungry, but I didn't want to go out the door at all.I don't want to meet any of them.

Why don't they believe me?Why did they all believe him so easily?Where is mother?Why didn't she come out and prove my innocence?Why does everyone assume I won't have a birthday present?Why does everyone hate me so much?

I closed my eyes and didn't want to think about it anymore, but tears leaked from my eyelids again.I was sleepy and hungry, and fell asleep crying and crying.

In the middle of the night, my mother finally finished her school work and returned home.

"Dad, why haven't you rested yet?" Rowena looked at her grandfather sitting in the living room in surprise.

"I'm waiting for you, and I want to tell you something," said the grandfather with a livid face, "I know that you have to take care of the school and educate the children by yourself, but there are some basic principles that must be taught. For her."

"What happened?" Rowena frowned, "What happened to Helena?"

"Today she took Hayden's things, but after being recognized, she still refused to admit it, and lied that it was a birthday present from you. Such a young child stole, lied, and refused to admit her mistake—"

"Wait, she said, it's my birthday present for her?" Rowena was at a loss at first, and after the blankness passed, Rowena showed a look of panic for a moment.

"Yes, it's really ridiculous!" said the grandfather, shaking his head.

"She didn't lie. It was a misunderstanding," Rowena folded her hands anxiously, "I told her that today is indeed her birthday, but I forgot."

"What?" The grandfather raised his head and looked at his daughter in surprise.

"Yes, I had promised her a gift, but I totally forgot," she shook her head ruefully. "I'd better explain it to her."

The grandfather watched his daughter go upstairs and looked down at his slightly trembling right hand.What did he do?

next day living room

"Helena," said the grandfather, his voice a little stiff and unnatural, still trying to maintain his dignity, "I apologize for what I did yesterday. I wronged you. I should not have hit you."

I stared at him coldly, clenched my fists tightly, without saying a word.

"Helena?" my mother reminded me in a low voice.I still held my head high and said nothing.

"I'm sorry." The grandfather said in a deep voice. The old man who had never admitted his mistakes in his life reluctantly let go of his majesty, bowing his head to show weakness, making him look much older than usual.

I stared at him without feeling any pity, and with no intention of forgiving him.My grandfather decided so easily that I was lying and slapped me in front of the whole family on my birthday.I threw the teddy bear my mother gave me as compensation, turned around and ran out of the hall.

Behind him is an old man panicked by guilt, repeatedly asking his daughter uneasily, "Is she... is she okay, Rowena, go and see her, quick, quick and quick!"

I lay in the grass in the dense forest, closed my eyes and listened to the rustling of leaves.I still couldn't convince myself to forgive him, he just believed my cousin so easily, and then slapped me mercilessly.And my mother, who never spoke up for me, never took my affairs to heart.She remembered my cousin's birthday and forgot mine.Maybe in their eyes, I was so insignificant.A little girl who has no father and depends on others, loves to lie, steal things, has a bad character, is unreasonable, and has no education... How good would it be if I had a father?That way I could live in my own home, and even if it wasn't as elegant as Ravenclaw House, it would be my own home.I can call my father's name when I fall to the ground instead of being jostled downstairs.Tears unknowingly spilled out of the eyes again.

"Who are you? Why are you lying here alone?" A curious voice entered my ears.I opened my eyes and saw a fat boy holding a handful of golden wildflowers in his hand.

I sat up and wiped away the tears in panic, but the red and swollen eye sockets still gave away the fact that I had just cried.

"Go away!" I snapped, I never like being disturbed when I'm in a bad mood, "This is my place!"

"You're so strange," the boy said with curled lips, and jumped to sit down opposite me. "Why is this your place? I come here almost every day. When did it become yours?"

"Anyway, it's mine!" I said stubbornly, a bit vexatious.

"Okay okay," he said in surrender, "you're crying, why?"

"It has nothing to do with you," I said coldly, turning my head away, tears streaming down my face.

He shrugged, looking helpless, "Whose family do you belong to? Why have I never seen you?"

who I am?For a moment I panicked.I'd never met anyone outside, and my mother had told me not to go downriver, let alone talk to anyone in the village.Muggles have always feared and hated magic, and it would be unwise to reveal one's identity.

"Do you live in the downstream village?" I asked warily

"Yeah, don't you, too? But I know everyone in the village, and there's no other village around... unless..."

"Unless what?" I tensed up.

"Unless it's that 'weird Ravenclaw.'"

I frowned. 'Weird Ravenclaw'?Is that what Muggles call us?

"Are you really from their family? Oh no, sorry, don't get me wrong, this is not my nickname, they all call it that, why do you never come to the village..."

His flustered appearance made me burst into laughter, and the unhappiness was temporarily forgotten.I'm actually not offended by the nickname, Ravenclaw is a bit 'weird' in a way.I can't help but laugh at the thought of my respected grandfather and mother being called 'weird Ravenclaw' by Muggles.

"You're not angry anymore?" He looked a little confused, but he was also relieved, scratching his flaxen curly hair.

"Yes," I let out a long sigh of relief, and lay back in the grass again, looking at the dense branches and leaves above my head.

"Do you come here often?"

"Not often," I hesitated, then continued, "They don't like to let me run outside."

"Why? Because you're a girl? Are they worried about you?"

I bit my lip, "I'm afraid not."

He looked puzzled, but did not press further. "Then why are you here alone today? And still crying?"

I sighed softly, not realizing that this was not the look a nine-year-old should have.

"I was in a bad mood, so I ran out. I don't want to see...the people at home."

"Why?" He looked even more confused, frowning and asked, "Aren't they your relatives?"

I felt as if I had been stung by something, and after a long silence, I said, "But they don't like me. They wronged me."

"Impossible," he shook his head and said seriously, "There must be some misunderstanding. For example, although my parents always pay more attention to taking care of my younger brother, I believe they love me too. No one would dislike themselves They may just not have that much time, dear ones."

no one?

It was as if a ray of sunshine was shining through the dark clouds, and the stone stuck in my heart seemed to loosen a little.I took a deep breath and began to tell my story in staccato staccato.I don't know why I'm telling him this, he's just a stranger whose name he doesn't know, even a Muggle.But I did, and I stole a sneak peek at his expression out of the corner of my eye as I spoke.He frowned, but listened carefully.At that moment, I was suddenly moved. My mother had never listened to me so carefully—she would never finish reading letters and books.And this man in front of me patiently listened to me tell a long and irrelevant story.

"You see, when you think about it, it was all a misunderstanding," he said happily after hearing my story. "Relax, everything will be fine."

I didn't answer, still immersed in my own world.But at the moment, it's not so suffocating.

"Why didn't you speak?"

"Huh? Hmm... I just lost my mind, sorry," I immediately apologized, bringing my wandering thoughts back to reality.

"Never mind," he shrugged nonchalantly, becoming interested in a beetle on the ground.

"Do you come here often? It seems to be far away from the village." I suddenly felt that talking to a stranger is also a pleasant thing, at least he doesn't know and doesn't mind that I am an illegitimate daughter who brings shame to my family .

"Yeah, because here are my mother's favorite flowers. Tomorrow is her birthday, and I want to surprise her," he shook the bouquet of golden wildflowers in his hand.The flowers are not big, the round ones are only the size of buttons, but the petals are thin and dense, and golden, like a small golden sun.

"Birthday?" I murmured, and the unpleasant memories rolled up, and I said absentmindedly: "Your mother is so happy." Then he stretched out his arm in front of my eyes and shook it, and I came back to my senses.

"For you," he said with a smile, and put a few out of the handful of golden yellow flowers into my hand, "Happy birthday to you too!"

"But it's for your mother!"

"It's okay, I still have a lot! It's late, I should go home, this place is still a little far from my home. Goodbye."

"Thanks, thank you! Goodbye!" I stammered, watching him wave to me before disappearing into the grass.

I was lying in the grass again, thinking about my own affairs.The sky dimmed, and tiny stars twinkled in the sky.I realized I had to go home.

Seeing that the lights in the house were off, I tiptoed open the door, quickly walked through the empty living room, went straight to my room, opened the door, and saw my mother lying on the table in my room and fell asleep.

"Mom?" I exclaimed in a low voice.

She woke up immediately, sat up straight, and saw me, "Thank goodness you're back! Where did you go? We were so worried!"

"I..." I was at a loss for words.

"It's okay," she seemed finally relieved, "It's good that you come back. I know I owe you a lot, I promised to spend your birthday with you, but I broke my promise. I've been dizzy recently. I'm sorry, Helian Na, I shouldn't have let you suffer like that on your birthday," the mother said, shaking her head with guilt written all over her face.

"It's okay, Mom," I blurted out, saddened by her guilt.

"Your grandfather didn't mean to, he was pissed off too. You know, he's a very proud man, but he's also sorry," she looked earnestly into my eyes, but I looked away.

"Okay," she said softly, lowering her eyes, her voice full of regret, "I know you can't forgive him that easily." Then she raised her eyes again and pointed her chin at the table, "Try this, I may not be a good cook, but I did it myself and I know you didn't have dinner."

I looked down and noticed something on the table—a silver plate containing creamy yellow custard biscuits.I took a piece and tasted it.Mother looked at me anxiously.

"Great, Mom," I tried to smile, but still felt my nose hurt.

She gave a relaxed smile, then sighed, with a sad look on her face, and said, "I'm sorry, Helena, maybe I wasn't a good mother. I know it's a bit late, but I still want to say to you, birthday hapiness."

"It's never too late," I said, standing on tiptoe and hugging her neck, tears welling up in my eyes again.

Since then, my mother has finally remembered my birthday.I also gradually received some birthday presents, at first only from my mother, then from my grandmother and my little uncle Alger, and then more.My grandfather's gifts every year are very exquisite, but I just open them for a glance and put them away on the highest shelf, never using them.Although not as much as Hayden's, at least my birthday was a little less lonely.