Harry sat alone on the swings, quietly staring at the ground. Uncle had some important people over for dinner, so he had been sent out of the house. At least he hadn't been locked in the cupboard this time. But still, he didn't like being outside at night. It was too dark and scary.
He heard rustling in the bush behind him and turned slowly in horror, afraid of what could come out. All he saw was a pair of crimson eyes, staring at him from within the bush.
He stared into those red eyes, neither breaking eye contact. After a couple minutes, the other emerged from the bush, revealing a boy with snow-white hair and pale skin.
Harry looked at the boy curiously, having never seen someone who looked like that before.
"Hiya kid! What's your name?" the slightly older boy asked, sitting on the swing next to Harry.
"Harry. What's yours?"
"Gilbert. What're you doing out so late?"
"... Uncle has guests over for dinner, and he doesn't want me upsetting them with my freakishness."
"What do you mean by that?"
"... not supposed to tell."
"Why not?"
"I'll get in trouble."
Gilbert seemed to think about this for a minute before his face lit up.
"Were you the one who turned his teacher's hair blue?" he asked, his eyes shining.
Harry's face turned white. "I didn't do that! I don't know how it happened!"
Gilbert's grin grew. "Watch this."
He pulled a paper bird out of his pocket and held it in the palm of his hand. A moment later, the paper bird started flapping its wings, flying over to Harry.
"How'd you do that?" Harry asked, eyes wide.
"Here, you try," Gilbert said, avoiding the question as the bird fell into Harry's outstretched hand.
"How?"
"Just think about it flying over to me, and it will."
Harry focused hard on the idea of the paper bird flying, and was delighted when his efforts succeeded, the bird flying back into Gilbert's hand.
"Is that what your uncle says is freaky?" Gilbert asked, returning the paper bird to his pocket.
Hesitantly, Harry nodded. Gilbert frowned.
"But Mutti says that West is freaky 'cause he can't do that…"
"West?"
"My little bruder. He's about your size."
"Does he have red eyes too?"
Gilbert laughed. "Nope, that is my own personal freakiness. The other kids think I'm a demon child," he said, sounding a little sad. "Me and West, we're just burdens for poor Mutti."
Harry could sympathize with the older boy. "Uncle says I'm a worthless burden, too."
The two sat on the swings in silence for a couple minutes.
"Hey, I have an idea," Gilbert said suddenly, his loud voice breaking the silence.
Harry looked at him questioningly.
"Why don't we leave? We could take West and find somewhere else to go, and then we wouldn't be a burden on our families anymore," he suggested, cheering up a bit as he spoke.
Harry frowned. "But where would we go?"
"There's a place up north where people like us go to school, but not 'till they're eleven. We could hide there until we're old enough, then start being students!"
"Do you really think that would work?"
"'Course it will!"
"How will we find the school?"
"We'll know it when we find it," Gilbert said confidently.
Harry thought about this for a minute, but couldn't come up with any reason not to.
"Alright. When will we leave?"
AN: Harry is about 7 in this story, and Gilbert is 8. Ludwig will be 5.
Please let me know what you think!