Jasmine Cylene curled up in her old, beaten up chair, completely and utterly satisfied. She was on a small break from her job in Romania, where she had been working with dragons for the past two years. Tomorrow she had plans to see her parents, and some old friends, but for tonight, she comfortable reclining in her own little flat, a warm fire going in the little fireplace and a Muggle book to read. At twenty-five, Jazz was still short; she had lost hope of growing taller ages ago. Her facial features had grown more mature, and almost more delicate, but there was still a fierce gleam in her eyes, and a stubborn set of her chin. She still lived, and did pretty much everything else on her own, and was perfectly happy with that. And though she didn’t know it, her life was about to change forever.
Ding, Jazz’s doorbell chimed softly, startling her. She looked up from her book, cross that someone had come to interrupt her. Probably some idiot who had gotten lost and needed directions. Jazz debated just sitting there and waiting for the person to leave, but the bell rang again, showing the person’s persistence. With an angry huff, Jazz got up and trudged over to the door, a frown creasing her brow. She yanked open the door, snarling, “What do you”“ but she got no further, because it wasn’t an idiot, or a moron, or anything of the sort. It was a little girl, about five years old, looking as if her life had just crashed down around her. Her eyes were large and filled with tears, and her clothes were ragged and dirty, as if she hadn’t changed them in days. Her body was covered in scorch marks and bruises, and her hair was a knotted mess framing her narrow face. One of her hands was at her mouth, where she was vacantly sucking her thumb, and the other was clutching a piece of paper, so tight it was as if she were trying to strangle it. And Jazz, who had never before felt anything even close to a motherly instinct, suddenly felt a torrent of emotion sweep over her, mostly a tenderness and fierce love for this little child. She got down on her knees, so her head was just below the girl’s, and she gently brushed aside some stray wisps of tangled hair that had gotten in her face.
“Sweetheart, where are your parents?” Jazz asked quietly, though she somehow already knew the answer.
“Gone,” the girl replied sadly, and a tear tracked its way down her face. “All gone.” Jazz felt her heart ache, and instantly opened her arms and embraced the child. The girl returned the hug, burying her face in Jazz’s shoulder and sobbing, releasing the piece of paper in her hand. Jazz looked down and saw it was a photograph; a man and a woman, both laughing and each holding the hand of a little girl. This little girl.
“What’s your name hun?” Jazz asked soothingly, still holding on to the girl.
There was a pause, as if the girl didn’t know.
“Estella,” she finally mumbled. “But I hate it,” she added with childlike belligerence. Jazz chuckled slightly, then thought of something.
“How about we call you Star? That’s what Estella means,” Jazz suggested, feeling proud of herself. The girl’s eyes lit up, and she nodded happily. Jazz stood up and held out her hand to Star, and the girl took it, trust and hope shining in her eyes. Jazz led her into the warmth of her small house, and thought wryly, I think I’ve just become a mother.
~Six years later~
“Mom, are you sure you know where we’re going?” Star asked doubtfully, looking around curiously at the train station. “’Cause I don’t see a Platform 9 ¾. I think you’re lost again.” Jazz laughed at Star’s suspicious tone, and replied, “Me, lost? Never heard of such nonsense. I know exactly where we’re going.” Leading Star purposefully, they arrived at the barrier between platforms 9 and 10.
“Alright, here’s the magic part,” Jazz whispered secretively. “You run at that barrier, and you come out to Platform 9 ¾.” A hint of fear entered Star’s face, and Jazz’s own expression softened. “Come on, I’m going with you. You’ll be fine. Trust me.” Star looked up at her mother and smiled; there wasn’t anyone she trusted more. Taking a deep breath, Star closed her eyes, and began to run, keeping pace with Jazz. A brief flash of darkness…and they were on the platform. Star heaved a sigh of relief and looked around eagerly, taking in all the strange sights and sounds. There were loads of people, more than she had ever seen in the last 6 years she remembered. All the voices blended together into a dull roar that gave her a slight headache, but not enough to disperse her excitement. Nearby, a boy was arguing loudly with his father, and Star could clearly hear him complaining, “But Dad! I told Jacob I would bring Claw! I promised!” The boy was hugging a cage containing a disgruntled owl to his chest, resisting his father’s attempt to take the cage away. Star watched, fascinated, until she was distracted by her mother again, who this time was holding out a small box to her. Star looked at the box questionably, and Jazz quickly explained.
“It’s a present. I kept it a surprise. Open it.” Still slightly cautious, Star lifted the lid off the box and peeked inside, and a small burst of scarlet flame almost scorched her nose. She jumped back, and Jazz laughed sympathetically. “Oh dear, I guess she’s a bit grumpy. Doesn’t like the box much.” Taking the lid off herself, Jazz reached in and pulled out a miniature dragon. It was something she had discovered during her time in Romania: tiny dragons, perfectly formed copies of normal dragons, who lived in the caves with the big ones, standing guard over eggs in exchange for protection from bigger predators. Star gasped in amazement, holding out her hand for the beautiful dragon.
“She’s an Opaleye,” Jazz declared proudly, carefully transferring the dragon to Star’s outstretched hands. The little dragon cocked her head at Star, her sparkling, pupil-less eyes examining her new owner. Deciding Star was harmless, the dragon began to preen, running her snout over her iridescent, pearly scales and buffing up her silver claws. An Opaleye was the most striking of dragons, with the added bonus of being less aggressive than other sorts of dragons. A perfect pet.
“I’ll name her…Comet. Like a shooting star,” Star announced, keeping her hand still and letting the dragon take in her scent. “Thank you Mom! This is the best!” Star threw her arms around her mother’s neck, knowing this would be the last time she would see her for a long time. The train whistle blew, and Jazz stood tall, smiling softly.
“Well, that’s your cue. I’ll see you later, hun. Take care.” Star felt tears in her eyes, but she didn’t let them fall, not wanting her mother to think she was afraid. Jazz saw them glistening though, and she knelt down again, tenderly wiping away the tears
“It’s okay to be afraid sweetheart,” she said softly. “Don’t worry. The time will fly by, and you’ll wish it had gone by slower.” Star nodded, smiling gratefully, and headed over to the train, awkwardly carrying her luggage in one arm while keeping the other hand in her pocket, making sure Comet didn’t try to escape. Well, here goes, she thought determinedly, and stepped on the train right before it began to move.
The Path of a Star by shooting_star42
Chapter Notes: The story is set in the Next Generation era