Chapter 1 Change, letter, and freedom

"Wake up you mangy girl!" I heard my Uncle yell and bang on the door to my teeny tiny little cupboard under the stairs.

"Im coming Uncle." i said tiredly.

"Well hurry up! Its time to make breakfast!" he yelled and gave the door one last bang. I sighed and put on a big blue shirt that my Aunt had given me and some old sweat pants that were far too big and used to be my cousin Dudley's. It was his birthday.I left the small cupboard room and went to make the breakfast.

"Good morning Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon. Good morning and happy birthday Dudley." i said as sweetly as possible as i began taking the things out for breakfast.

"About time you woke up!" Uncle Vernon sneered as i began making eggs and bacon.

"I'm sorry Uncle. Wont happen again." i said quietly.

"Daddy, how many presents have i gotten this year?" he asked in between bites of a bagel.

"36, counted them me self." he said proud of his being able to count i suppose.

"36? Blast ya! That's 3 more than last year! You said i would get 5 more! Where are my 2 other presents?" Dudley yelled purple in the face. His mum began to frantically try and make him happy again.

"Now listen Duddykins, how about we buy you 3 more presents? How does that sound?" Aunt Petunia asked nervously. He agreed with a rude sneer and i served them breakfast. I was allowed a piece of toast and was sent to do the days chores.

"We are going to the zoo with Dudley and his little friend. Do all of the chores and nothing else." Uncle Vernon said plainly before slamming the door. I was finishing the last of the chores, which was the laundry, and decided to take a shower.

The moment my foot touched the hot water in the tub, i felt a strange comforting tingle go up my leg. Warm and safe. But the moment i sat down in the tub, immersing my legs completely, the tingle intensified and spread throughout my whole body. Then something magical happened. My legs began to glow blue, dimly at first then intensified. That's when it really happened. When the glow dimmed, i saw what had replaced my legs. A long and powerful tail. A mermaid tail. A kaleidoscope of emerald blues and greens immersed themselves upon the tail. If it wasn't as beautiful, i probably would have been freaking out.

I layed in the water a while longer until my fingers were prunes. I struggled out of the tub and fell to the floor. I sighed and began drying myself. Eventually the glow returned, as did my legs. I sighed and went to get dressed before the Dursley's arrived home.

The next few days were ...complicated. I found that every time i touched water, i would pop a tail. Thankfully my secret was still safe. One morning as i was making breakfast, the mail arrived.

"Dudley go get the mail." Uncle Vernon said behind a newspaper.

"No! Make Bleu get it." he said stubbornly. I don't event think he'd be able to stand up considering how heavy he has gotten.

"Go get it Bleu." i left the kitchen and went to the slot on the front door. There was a bill and a letter from Uncle Vernon's sister. I looked at the other envelope.

Miss B. Potter

The Cupboard under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

The letter was addressed to me. The envelope was made of thick and heavy parchment, the writing handwritten and delicate. And the address was written in maroon ink. Turning the envelope over, my hand trembling, there was a red wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H'.

I stuffed the letter under my baggy sweater and went back to the kitchen. I handed my uncle the letters and finished breakfast. I managed to go the whole day without reading the letter. At the end of the day i went to my 'room' and waited until Uncle Vernon came and locked the door. I then waited until i could hear his loud snoring before i opened the letter, and read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chr. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have received a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

First years are not allowed brooms of any kind.

I was dumbstruck. Me? A wizard? It all makes sense now. The tail. All the crazy things that happen to and around me. I sighed and took action. I changed out of my ratty pajamas and dressed into the closest thing i had to decent clothes. I put on a black tank top and jean shorts that frayed at the bottom and were still a bit too big.

Then i put on my good pair of blue flip flops. I grabbed what money i had from under the floor board and the letter and grabbed a hair pin. Thankfully i had mastered picking the lock ages ago when my aunt and uncle hadn't fed me so i picked the lock and snuck some food. This time was different. I was leaving. For good.

Once i had finally managed to unlock the lock i quietly opened the old door. I breathed slowly and walked smoothly towards the kitchen. I opened the fridge when i got there and grabbed a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream -that miraculously hadn't been opened- and a spoon. Then i left through the back door while taking a bite of ice cream. I flavour exploded in my mouth.

I spent the remainder of the night about a mile and a half away -the nearest park- until the sun began to come up. Then i headed to town to find a place called Diagon Alley. And i was free.