Professor Tara Reed

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Professor Tara Reed is one of the Divination professors at Hogwarts, Specializing in more 'traditional' methods muggles know 'Witches' by: Cards, Crystals, and Certain Herbs. Tara is bubbly and kind but can pull out her American snark when needed. She is a Bat Animagus and a Seer.

## Tara's Tragic Tale

Tara's mother was an Ilvermorny Prof who got kidnapped and kept under the puppet spell for a week by a dark wizard who did unspeakable things to her before being dumped and left for dead on the side of the road. She survived and went into hiding, moving to a small town outside New Orleans where she raised Tara as a single mother while being the local 'good witch' with her Herbs, Oils, and Crystals store. There she taught Tara her spell basics from her Illvermorny experience, and helped her hone her Seer abilities.

Just before Tara's 16th Birthday, she had a vision to sleep over at a friends house and got permission to do so, but as she walked home afterwards, she found her home ablaze, the faintest cries of her mother inside, and a cloaked wizard standing in front of the fire with a wicked grin. He turned on her, and she quickly dodged some spells thrown at her, and shifted into her Animagus, flying away as quick as her lil bat wings could take her...

Tara flew through the night, but exhaustion began to overtake her. In her tired and terrified state, she nested on the sturdiest pole she could find... which ended up being a Naval Ships Radar in the New Orleans port. A sailor scooped her up while she slept in bat form during the day and brought her down to the Quarters where they put her in a cage shared their water and fruit. Tara was out of it most of her time on the ship, her heart too heavy from the loss of her mom and her home. She only remembers flashes of waking to eat meagerly, and listening to the encouraging coos of the sailors, willing for her to get better.

When she finally came to proper, she blinked at the blue haired vet tech caring for her. She was beautiful, and had a smile that lit up the room. Tara quickly learned her name was Melody, and she was related to one of the sailors who brought Tara to her for care when they docked in England. Melody quickly brought her back to prime health, and Tara spent many days tucked in the muggle's front pocket, or cuddling in her curls, to the point Melody brought her home. Tara was happy...but there was one problem, she was spending too much time as a bat. She unlocked her cage once to transform back and stretch proper, but it set off Melody's security system, and she ducked back inside her cage. But Tara knew she couldn't keep up this simple life for long, lest she get stuck as a bat for eternity... She was going to have to tell her...somehow.

So, one night, when everything was chill and calm, Melody watching one of her shows, Tara stole her pen out her pocket and flit over to the notepad on the table. Melody laughed and got up to go after her, but paused as she saw that her bat was *actually* writing. In the scratchiest handwriting was a small note 'Plz dOnt FreAK'. Melody's brow furrowed and Tara took a deep breath before landing on the ground and shifting back.

Melody promptly screamed and cursed, and terrified Tara begged for her to let her explain. Her heart leapt into her throat as a neighbor knocked, concerned, and there was a tense silence, tears in Tara's eyes before Melody called out that she was fine, it was only a spider. Melody set the kettle going and leant Tara some fresh clothes before allowing her to explain. Tara told the tale of how she was a witch, hiding from a dark wizard, and stressed the importance of not telling anyone while volunteering to help keep the house in order in payment of being allowed to stay. Melody was silent for a long while, and Tara grew fearful before she finally agreed. At least, to a temporary deal. She was debating on getting a roommate anyway.