Nothing like a Magical Life
By: Ayoko Kotsunai
Prologue
It was a dark and beautiful night in London, though not for one girl. Denise lived in a run-down orphanage on the outskirts of town. She stood at five feet and her hair was a jet-black color, though her eyes were strange. At a glance, they could be mistaken for a hazel color, but they were actually silver. Her eyes were special besides their color, since she could see in the dark, but that was a secret best kept untold. It was just before dawn on a Saturday, and she lay awake on her bed staring off into space. She brought her hand to her face and traced the crescent shaped scar on her cheek, her fingers as cold as ice. It has always been there, ever since she was young. She merely assumed all this time it was a birthmark or something.
Her life has never been easy on her. The other orphans shunned her, and played horrible tricks on her. The worst of the lot was Melissa, who was the 'Leader of the Pack'. The girl was a few inches taller than Denise, and had dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, and more freckles than stars in the sky. She may have been two years younger than Denise, who was a sixteen-year-old, but she sure knew how to stir up trouble.
Melissa was nothing compared to Ms. Dunberge, the land-lady. She was a short and stout woman in her late forties who was obsessed with anime and music. She'd beat the children for small reasons, but she just loved to torment Denise most. Since Ms. Dunberge was American originally, Denise grew with a small accent, the orphans would laugh at that behind Dunberge's back. Ms. Dunberge found it funny that Denise didn't know her last name, and she constantly made fun of her silver eyes. "Hey silver-eyes," she'd mock, "don't'cha just love it here? You're ingrate father was a filthy hobo that gave you up, since he never even loved you. He said something about that whore of a mother of yours died when giving you life. Isn't that funny?" Each time she'd laugh in Denise's face. Each time it hurt even more.
Angry tears welled up in Denise's eyes as she stared at the ceiling. She didn't let them fall since she knew that even the quietest of crying would rouse the other girls. 'If I let the other girls wake, they'll give me hell…' a small voice in her head murmured. She knew she could take them, but Denise new from experience that the girls would just tell Ms. Dunberge some sort of lie.
Everything was silent as she listened to the breathing of her roommates. Occasionally there was a grunt, or a loud snore. There was a rustle of cloth to her left as someone rolled in their sleep. She began to think of what might go on during that day. Morning, she'd clean basically every square inch of the house. Afternoon, there was work to be done so she could earn a bit of money. End of the day, since she didn't have any karate class that day, she'd spend time with her best friend Matt, or go to the local library if he wasn't home. Matt, she knew, was the only friend she had in this horrid life. She could tell him everything, and he seemed to take away all of her problems. Usually it was by playing a song for her on his guitar. He taught her how to play, but she could never be as good as he was. Though she did think she had a better singing voice. She was saddened by a certain thought though, and that was she only saw him in the summer.
Suddenly, there was a rap on the door downstairs. Her thoughts left instantly as she listened intently. Footsteps followed after a moment, a familiar squeak on the floorboard, and then Denise could hear the aggravated muttering from Ms. Dunberge. She listened as she heard voices, but she couldn't make out the words. She strained with all her might and heard a few words. "…Here… Adoption…" came the stranger's voice. Denise's hope fell. Someone was here to adopt, and Denise was, obviously, never chosen. But she thought too soon, for next came Ms. Dunberge's shrill of a voice, "Denise! Grab your things and fix yourself up! I know you're listening!"
She couldn't believe it, someone wanted to adopt her. She grabbed the few things she had and dressed into some ruddy and torn jeans with an extremely faded T-Shirt. Lastly, she folded a picture of her and Matt and shoved it in her pocket. She rushed down the stairs and stopped before the stranger. It was a woman with light blonde hair, tall and slim. She could've been considered nice-looking if it weren't for such a look as if there was a nasty smell under her nose.
"Hello Denise, I am Narcissa Malfoy." Her lips twisted into a faint smile. Denise smiled sweetly, "It's very nice to meet you Mrs. Malfoy." Narcissa spoke suddenly, "Ah, she has manners too? What a pleasant surprise, but your outfit, it will not do. We'll head to a clothing store soon. Is this all you have?" Mrs. Malfoy glanced at the mini-backpack Denise held. Denise's eyes flickered to her stuff for a moment, "Yes, this is all I have."
"Leave it." Narcissa ordered, "We'll get you brand new things. We're a pretty wealthy family." Denise's eyes brightened, but she's learned not to smile from all the years she lived here. "Oh, and you shall now address me as mother and my husband as father. I have a son also, and you will meet him when he comes back from his…boarding school."
Nearby Ms. Dunberge, annoyed she was losing her main person to torture, spoke up. "Are you sure you want Denise? There are much better little girls to be adopted. This brat just makes a mess of things."
Narcissa looked sharply at the woman, "Yes, I am quite sure. If I wanted another little girl, I would've asked. Now, let's fill out the papers shall we?" Denise could tell that Ms. Dunberge was slightly frightened as they headed into her office. Denise rushed up the stairs to put her stuff away, a small bounce in her step.
The moment she entered the darkness of the room, she noticed all the girls were sitting up, watching her. Well, watching in her general direction since they couldn't see in the dark like Denise could. Only partial light was added to the room from the rising sun. Melissa spoke first, "What's going on down there misfit?" Misfit was her nickname among the orphan girls, but Denise was happy this was the last time she'd be called by it.
"I'm being adopted." Denise said coolly. She tossed her stuff onto her former bed. "And it's by a rich lady. She said she's gonna buy me brand new clothing and everything."
"What!" shouted the girls in unison. "There's no way she'd want you misfit. You're lying." Melissa finished.
"See who's lying when I never come back." Denise said as she rushed out the door before thrown objects could hit her, and multiple thumps sounded behind her. Downstairs, she waited happily by the door to the office, double-checking she still had her picture in her pocket. Soon Narcissa stepped out, "Come, you are now Denise Malfoy. Let's go get us some breakfast, then we have all day to shop for new clothes."
Denise couldn't help but smile a tiny bit. "Yes…Mother." They went inside Mrs. Malfoy's Ferrari and began driving off. Denise watched the orphanage fade into the distance into the rising sun.