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Dear Diary,

My name is Sam, that's short for Samara. I'm still thinking of a name for you. You were a gift from my papa. I start Hogwarts next week and he thought it would good for me to have somewhere to put my thoughts and feelings.

I love my papa a lot! He is my best friend. Most people don't like him though. They think he's mean. He doesn't like crowds or idle conversation (that’s what my mum says). But, if they knew him like I do they'd love him!

I guess I should tell you a bit about me. I'm eleven-years-old and about to start at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have long curly black hair and blue eyes, just like my muma. I have a little brother named Alyx. He is four-years-old. He can't say Samara, so he calls me Sm'ra...isn't that funny? My muma is very pretty; she has long curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. I don't think her looks have changed since I saw her last. That sounds odd doesn't it? I don’t mean to confuse you. I'll explain why I haven't seen her in a while. I have been blind since I was nine-years-old.

When I was nine, I was playing outside, next to my parents store in Hogsmeade. This man who my papa had betrayed before I was born wanted to get my papa back for hurting him. So, he tried to kill me.

He yelled a spell at me, but my papa yelled one at the same time and the two spells hit each other. Bright lights shot everywhere! One of the lights hit my eyes. That's all I remember. I passed out after that.

When I woke up I was in my papa's arms, he was trying to wake me up, he was crying. I was scared because I couldn't see him! I could feel his arms around me and hear his voice in my ear. I could feel his breath on my face and his tears as they fell from his eyes and onto me. But I couldn't see him.

We left Hogsmeade after that. We moved to a house my papa had out in the countryside. A woman came and lived with us. Her name was Ms. Moriah. She taught me how to do things now that I'm blind. Like how to walk around without being able see where I'm going, how to read with my fingers, and how to write.

You are probably wondering how I'm writing in you right now. Ms. Moriah taught me a spell, I imagine what I want to write and I put my wand on the paper and it magically puts it on the page for me! Because of my 'disability,' as everyone calls it, I got my wand early, so I could learn the basic handling techniques. So, in other words, I can learn to use it without the risk of accidentally blowing anyone up. I can use it outside school while I'm underage for certain spells that help me live everyday.

I can do everything a normal girl can, though my papa thinks I may break any second.
I think he blames himself for what happened to me. He is extra careful with me, so I won't get hurt again. He gets really mad at people who don't treat me like I'm porcelain.

He is getting annoying! I love him very much, but he acts like I can't do anything! I want to show him that I am capable of doing things on my own. I'm not stupid, I know what I can and can not do. I can't see! I can walk fine!

Sorry...I get mad about it. I want so badly to show him and everyone else that I can do anything I put my mind to. I'm not going to give up! When I go to Hogwarts I'm going to get the best grades I can! I'm going to excel in my studies and not get in trouble! I'm going to be one the best students to ever go to that school! Nothing is going to stop me! Not blindness or over protective fathers! Yeah!

Speaking of Hogwarts, I can't wait to start! Two of my best friends are starting in my year. Their names are Lily and Molly; we are going to have so much fun! My best friend Julia won't start till next year, though. But, it's okay. I'm going to write her everyday to tell her about what school is like.

I hope I make new friends at school. I don't make new friends easily anymore. Most kids get freaked out by my blindness. They don't know how to act around me or what to say. Some kids even pick on me because of it. My papa gets really mad when they do that. One little boy purposely tripped me and Papa got very mad. The little boy ran away, crying. People came to my house and were yelling at papa, then he told them what the little boy had done and they left him with a warning. If he ever loses his temper again he could go to prison. It was scary. But, my muma makes sure he behaves himself.

It is really funny, my muma seems like she is really sweet, but she can be meaner than papa when she wants to. When she gets really mad she talks in Spanish...well, she yells in Spanish. My papa doesn't know much Spanish and she talks so fast that papa just looks at her with an eyebrow raised. At least that is how I remember it.

I remember everything I can; I have forgotten somethings, and that makes me sad. I remember what my little brother looked like when I first saw him and what he looked the morning before my attack. I remember what my parents look like and how my muma would smile at my papa from across the room. I remember the look in my papa's eyes when he would admire muma from far away. I remember how my muma would blush when I would catch her and papa kissing...EW! I remember the little boy that saved my life.

That day when I was playing next to my parents shop and the bad man came up behind me, a little boy yelled for help. I looked up from my doll and saw him; he had gray/green eyes and black hair. When I turned away from him the spells hit my eyes. I never saw another thing. I never found out who he was. Papa tried to find out who he was to thank him, but no one remembered him... I want to meet him again.

Oh, I have to go. Muma is yelling for me. It is dinner time. I will write more later.

~Samara A. Snape~