Neonia Vex

Backstory

Neonia Orion Vex was born on the outskirts of Eldergrove, a quaint village nestled between whispering woods and rugged mountains. Raised by her kind older brother, Otto, a once-revered herbalist known for his remedies and potions, Neonia grew up surrounded by the scents of dried herbs and the gentle lullabies of nature. Though Otto often spoke in hushed tones about their family’s lineage, rumors swirling that they descended from powerful witches, young Neonia dismissed them as mere stories meant to amuse during long winter nights. Her childhood was filled with dusty books chronicling ancient lore and evenings spent crafting little trinkets from twigs and stones; these small acts provided solace in an otherwise mundane life.

As adolescence crept into her world like shadows at dusk, disaster struck when Otto fell gravely ill after tending to a forbidden grove deep within the forest—a place where villagers whispered dark tales of vanished travelers. Otto never returned from the depths of the trecherous forest. After losing Otto, the only person other than Pumpkin, her kitten companion, at only 10 years old, Neonia became determined not just to survive but to thrive against all odds. She took refuge in the forest where she’d spent countless afternoons, a place now teeming with memories both cherished and painful, and made it her home. Over time, whispers began circulating among those who lived nearby about "the girl who speaks with trees." Villagers came seeking guidance on ailments or sustainable practices for their crops while others offered coin or food in return for her wisdom.

She was 12 on the fateful evening when an owl perched atop a sturdy tree branch covered in special herbs she had been collecting. A letter dropped from the owls beak, and landed right in front of her torn up boots. Hesitantly, she opened it, to reveal an invitation to Hogwarts: The School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. Neonia had been studying herbs and potions, following in her brothers firsteps, but she never expected the unimaginable rumors to be true. Neonia was a witch.

A few days passed and it seemed as though her uncertainty and worries brought forth an unexpected visitor: Madeline, a travellling astrologer, followed the stars in search for Neonia, who she had admired for her belief in magic. Madeline hoped that Neonia had recieved the enigmatic letter too and could have someone to accompany her besides the critters that pranced around her. Similar to Neonia, Madeline did not have much family. Since her mother passed, she had been raised by all sorts of magical creatures, and the stars that loomed over her each night. Drawn together by their wisdom of magic and fate, their paths intertwined like creeping vines ‘neath moonlit shadows. Madeline took Neonias last name, and became Madeline Vex that way upon enrollment the whole school will know they belong to eachother, which sparked a feeling unbenownst to Neonia. As Neonia found herself standing on the precipice of adventure once more: an opportunity not just to master more elements of magic but perhaps to even mend her fractured spirit along the way. Neonia has never enjoyed company, but embarking on this journey alongside Madeline, towards something greater than shared grief, she felt hope flicker anew amidst past scars still fading out of reach into tomorrow's embrace.