Alrighty, well this is my first ever fan fiction story, so I'm sorry if it's not very good. This chapter probably won't seem like it has anything to do with Harry Potter just yet, but I tend to draw out my stories, so it will soon enough. Be patient with me please, and enjoy!
I love fantasy books. I've loved them ever since…well; as far back as I can remember. I also remember with perfect clarity, the first fantasy book that I had ever read.
I had to have been about five years old. I had brown hair, but it was knotty a lot of the time because it was so long; I usually put it in a ponytail to keep it out of my face. I was around the same height as the other kids my age. We all wore similar clothes, girls wore skirts and guys wore pants. I hated wearing a skirt so much. It was terrible. How could anyone sit comfortably wearing one of those and STILL keep your dignity? The only thing that was different about me was that I had bright green eyes. Most of the kids had brown eyes, and the rest had blue. I didn't think it was that noticeable, but it must have been.
Anyway, so the kids really didn't talk to me much, so I read. The orphanage would bring us all to the local library once a week, and it was the highlight of my week. I don't believe there was one week that I would miss that trip, or not have finished the book I picked the trip after I received it. I was a fast reader, as people would tell me when they looked at how far I progressed day after day. What they didn't know, though, was I always stayed up late at night; after all the others went to bed, and read. Reason being, I didn't like what my dreams were about without the books. If I was really tired before I went to bed, my mind wouldn't have enough energy to make up a dream; and if I read before I slept, my dreams would most probably be about the book. It was my own personal way of keeping away nightmares. Granted, sometimes it didn't work, but it was a good system.
Most of the kids didn't like to read, especially the younger ones. If they were forced to pick out a book, they were usually picture books or really easy reads. The older kids usually picked out chapter books, but they were still considerably easy reads. I, however, picked the largest possible book I could find. It didn't really matter what it was, it just needed to be BIG.
My first trip to the library was a glorious day. I remember that I was feeling sad that day. I didn't know why, but when I got up in the morning, I had started crying silently so none of the kids around could tell. Now that I think back on it, it was most likely because I felt very alone at the time. When I looked out the window to wipe my tears, I saw that the world outside contrasted my mood absolutely. It was springtime, and the sun shown on all the little green leaves on the trees. The flowers in the yard were also in full bloom, which gave it a beautiful new appearance. The view made me happier, and I wiped my tears away with a slight smile.
When we all went down for breakfast, Mrs. Galena told us that we'd be taking a trip to the library. Everyone around me groaned with dissatisfaction. I had no idea what the hell a library was at the time so I gathered up my courage and shyly asked the girl across from me. She sneered in my face, saying that my question was stupid. I started to tear, but then the boy next to me told me that my question wasn't stupid, and that he asked the same thing on his first trip. I smiled weakly, and he started to tell me all about the library. He said, "The library is a place where there were huge shelves filled to the brim with books. There are big books, small books, colorful books, boring looking books, picture books, wordy books, old books, and new books. We go there every-so-often and we're all supposed to pick out a book to read. I really don't like reading all that much, but it's something to do, right?"
"Right," I said with a smile. I liked the idea of the library. "What is your name?"
"Robert, yours?" he responded.
"Kali," I said shyly as I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
"Well that's a nice name. Do you know what it means? Well, of course you don't seeing as you've never been to the library. It's customary for everyone to look up what their name means in the name dictionary in the library. Mine means, 'to steal boundaries.'"
"What's that mean?" I asked.
"I have no idea," he said with a laugh.
Robert let me talk with him for the rest of breakfast, and then we arranged to meet up again before going to library so he could show me where the name dictionary was. I couldn't wait. I never really wondered what my name meant, but now that I knew I could find out, I was terribly excited. Maybe this would explain something about my parents!