So here is a fanfiction I started writing a while ago on Wattpad (before I found fanifction. net) and is the first ever fanfic I've written, but obviously not the first I have posted. ;) I hope you enjoy! Chapters 1-13 are written currently, and I will be uploading every Friday afternoon/evening weekly until I run out of chapters to post, then updates will correspond with my writing schedule... Enjoy!
Disclaimer: JK Rowling owns all those Harry Potter characters and places... not me :)
Chapter 1: Bellatrix Lestrange
"CRUCIO!"
Leah was screaming; her body was on fire. The place had been like a living hell since she had first arrived. Her mind felt seperate from her body that was writhing and screaming on the cold, wooden floor. All she wanted to do was die and have the pain stop.
She'd had plenty of bad experiences and memories, but nothing compared to the pain that was her life at that moment. It felt like she was being melted from the inside out. The voice yelled "Crucio" again, and some of the pain stopped, but it didn't go away entirely. Leah was left on the hard floor, panting and curled up as though to protect herself from blows.
"Get up!" the voice snarled.
Leah looked into the face of Bellatrix Lestrange, into the dark and pitiless eyes, her own betraying the fear she felt. Leah's eyes glimmered with tears she was trying to hold back as Bellatrix laughed a cruel and sadistic laugh.
"Oh, is poor, bitty baby Potter crying?" she taunted. "Is she scared of ickle Bellatrix?"
"I told you, it's Jacobs, Leah Jacobs." Leah mumbled as she gritted her teeth against the residual pain the curse had left in her arms and legs.
"You go on believing that." Bellatrix sneered at her. "I'll be back later. Perhaps then you'll decide to join the winningteam."
Bellatrix strode out of the room, slamming the door behind her and leaving Leah on the floor. Leah dragged herself over to the bed that was in the guest room. She lay down and fell asleep instantly, her nightmares nearly as frightful as her reality.
_***Four Days Earlier***_
"Leah! Come down here! There's someone here to see you!"
Leah groaned, putting down her book. It had just been getting exciting. She glanced at her reflection in the grimy mirror set on her wall. Her long, shining red hair fell around her shoulders in beautiful waves. Her green, almond-shaped eyes stared brilliantly at her from her reflection.
Deeming herself presentable, Leah slid down the banister to the main floor of the orphanage, landing neatly on her feet. She then headed down the musty-smelling hallway to Ms. Smith's office.
It probably isn't anything special.she thought. I bet it's just another person complaining that their electricity needs to be fixed. She sighed. Since she, at fifteen years old, was the oldest "child" in the orphanage, Ms. Smith had let her take on a part-time job fixing the electric wires of various families.
Ms. Smith had said that she was "too smart for her own good" anyway, and Leah agreed that it was nice to do something a little challenging.
Leah entered the familiar office of the woman she loathed, expecting to see one of her regulars; maybe Mr. Hugley or Mrs. Jones, but instead there was a tall woman with long, dark, curly hair and heavily lidded eyes. She was wearing a long, midnight blue cloak over black robes.
Leah dismissed her appearance as one of those crazy people you saw around London every once in a while. Though it was extremely odd to be wearing such heavy clothes on a warm day in early August. Leah sat herself down in the thin, hard, empty chair sitting in front of Ms. Smith's desk, looking curiously at the stranger.
Ms. Smith smiled a pretend smile and said "Leah, this is Miss Bellatrix... Lestrange?" she said, a question in her voice. The lady nodded curtly.
"She has been looking for a child such as yourself to adopt." Leah's first reaction was that she was too old to be called a "child", she had been fifteen for nearly a week now! Then Ms. Smith's words penetrated her thoughts and her eyes widened. Someone adopt her? She'd been at the orphanage her whole life. She hadn't been adopted yet.
Not that there was no reason, mostly because she was so "old" and because she was a bookworm, but also because of the strange things that had been happening around her starting about the time she had turned eight.
When she got angry, she might shock someone or break something.
When a younger girl, Amy, had gotten her kite stuck up a tree, it had untangled itself of its own accord.
When she had come across a little boy being bullied down a dark alley, a blinding light had shone out of nowhere, allowing the two of them to escape.
She had even realized she could talk to some animals, though mostly just snakes.
There had been many different occurences similar to those. Somehow, her potential 'parents' had always found out about the weird happenings around that Leah Jacobs.
"That is correct." Bellatrix stated, her voice icy. "I have been searching for someone with your unique... abilities and talents for some time now."
Leah shivered at the coldness of her tone, with no hint, not even a trace, of kindness or happiness. But something was there... triumph? pride? Leah usually prided herself on how good she was at reading others' emotions, but this Bellatrix woman was hard to figure out. It was as though she could put a brick wall around her thoughts and feelings. One thing she knew for sure was that she did not want to be adopted by someone as unfriendly as this lady. Unfortunately, Ms. Smith absolutely hated her, so she would probably be forced to go with this Lestrange woman no matter what
"Yes, and I'm sure Leah would love to go with you. Wouldn't you dear." Mrs. Smith said. Her tone was honey-sweet, but a slight edge to her voice on the last phrase affirmed Leah's suspicions. She was going to be forced to go with this Lestrange woman. Leah nodded her head in resignation.
"When would you like to take her home?" Ms. Smith asked, turning to Bellatrix. "Today?" she sounded hopeful. Leah scowled at her.
"Not quite yet." Bellatrix seemed to be repressing a cold smile. "I must... prepare my house for her coming." Her tone was silky smooth and gave Leah goose bumps. "I shall, however, come for her tomorrow."
"Very well then." Ms. Smith stated brusquely, yet satisfied. "Leah, back to your room while we sort things out here." As Leah closed the office door she heard Ms. Smith begin talking excitedly to Bellatrix Lestrange. No wonder they got along so well. she thought. Both of them seemed horribly strict.
Granted, Ms. Smith wasn't all that bad, but after she had been drinking she would get violent when someone disobeyed. The younger children didn't know any better, so Leah took the punches and slaps for them. Even though she despised the orphanage, she felt sad that after tomorrow she would no longer be able to. Leah wasn't particularly close to any of the other children, but she knew all of them and they knew her. She had to admit she was going to miss them.
Leah pulled open the familiar door leading to her room. Had she been younger she would have shared it with a few other girls, but all the girls her age had long since been adopted. The next oldest girl, Penelope, was only eleven and she'd been at the orphanage for a few months.
Leah sighed as she took in the room that had been hers for nine years, ever since she had switched orphanages. It wasn't much - a bed, a small dresser, a bare closet and two filthy windows, but it was as much a home as anything she had experienced. She had lived at one orphanage until she was six (which she barely remembered), then had transferred to the "City House for Girls", where she'd been ever since. All she had been told by various orphanage staff was that she had been dropped off at one year old, that her birthday was July 31 and that both of her parents had been killed. That was all anyone knew.
Leah piled together her meager possessions - some basic toiletries, two t-shirts, three pairs of jeans, a jacket, two full journals and another that was half-filled and a small, silver, heart-shaped locket that Ms. Fawley, the previous headmistress of the orphanage, had given to her. It was stuck shut, but it was special to her all the same.
It was quite depressing to pack up all her things. They fit in a small knapsack she could sling over her shoulder. Leah hid her small bag of extra money in the very bottom of her bag, just in case, and made her way over to the window overlooking the orphanage grounds.
The sun hung low in the sky, its light casting shadows over the orphanage playground. The younger children ran around, enjoying the warmth of the evening. She would be leaving tomorrow, never to return. Good riddance. She thought I'll be glad to be shot of this place.
And yet, something in her mourned already for what she would be leaving behind.