01 The Orphanage
Shadows were fading. The sapphire blue sky was tinkled with small dots of light. The dawn sky was clean and fresh. The mist that had always veiled London seemed to have disappeared without a trace. An old man with an unhooded cloak arrived at an orphanage at suburb part of London. He turned around and his wise eyes gazed at nothing, until a cat crept out from an ally. The cat looked back at him and in an instant, she transformed into a middle-aged lady. She fixed her tilted pointy-hat and took a step forward.
"Good morning, Minerva." The old man greeted Professor Mcgonagall rather cheerfully, yet she was stern and frowned.
"Is this really the right time, Albus?" She doubted. "
"Oh I'm afraid that we cannot wait any longer, Minerva. The child is thirteen. It would be most disastrous if we still keep her away from Hogwarts." Professor Albus Dumbledore still looked relaxed, yet his tone became serious. Professor Mcgonagall sighed but nodded. She glanced around and made sure there was no one else, then flashed herself away.
A girl with gold, bouncy hair watched all of this through her window in the orphanage. She could not believe what she just saw. Luckily, she did not have time to think further as she was distracted by the squeaky noise of the door when May Chase opened it.
"Niki, the Dean is expecting you." May told the blonde girl. She rubbed her eyes, and placed her eyes on the now empty street again. She decided to forget about what she saw and followed her friend to the Dean's office.
Nikayla Riddle. An orphan.
With beautiful wavy blonde hair and sparkling bloody red eyes, she had all attractive features. She also had perfect figure. Medium height, slim, with just fit curves, she should be most admired. Yet she wasn't very popular in the orphanage. Her weird behaviour, like cracking a window when she got angry, having the bullies somewhat cursed….frightened other children. She knew she was different.
For over ten years she had lived in the Wool's orphanage. Just as her surname, her background was a riddle. The only thing she knew about her family was her name and a snake-shaped necklace that had accompanied her since birth, according to the dean, Lance Midford. He seemed to know a lot about her. He seemed to understand how glasses broke on its own. Yet he had not said a word.
May led her to the Dean's office. Halting at the door, she looked quite anxious. "There was a strange old man looking for Mr. Midford. Do you know what is going on?"
Nikayla shrugged and said, "Perhaps he is a psychologist. Trying to mentor me after I broke the stained glass at the church?"
"Oh no, Niki. The dean believes that you are not responsible for that." May was very worried despite what she was saying to comfort her friend. Nikayla patted her hand quietly and entered the office.
"Good day, Mr. and Mrs. Midford." Nikayla was always in her best behaviour when a guest was present. She could not embarrass the dean and his wife. "And Good day to you too, sir."
"Good morning, Nikayla." The old man replied casually as if he already knew her. His wise blue eyes looked at Nikayla through his crescent-shaped glasses. Nikayla felt uncomfortable. Being stared at the old man made her feel that her secrets were all exposed.
"Mr. Midford, I apologize for breaking your glass again, but a psychologist would not be necessary." She took a glimpse of the old man.
"I am not a psychologist, Nikayla." The old man chuckled. "I remember your father presented the exact same kind of distrust when I invited him to my school."
"My father?" Nikayla said immediately. "You knew my father?"
"Oh yes. Tom Marvolo Riddle. He grew up in this orphanage too." He nodded, but did not explain too much, expecting her to keep asking.
"Is he still alive?" Nikayla looked into his clever, cunning eyes.
"Alive. Of course he is alive." He replied.
"So he abandoned me?" Nikayla was a bit angry and looked away. Her red eyes flashed.
"No, the problem is a lot more complicated." The old man said, and gestured at the sofa. "I need some time to explain. You may want to have a seat."
Nikayla did not really want to sit so close to him, but still she followed his instruction.
"Your parents are wizards. So are you."
Silence.
"Are you suggesting that we're actually a magician family while my mom is the hot magician's assistant?" Nikayla laughed.
The old man was still calm, "Have you ever wondered why glass breaks by itself when you are angry? Why those who bullied you did not turn out well the next day?"
Nikayla did not reply. She couldn't.
"I am Professor Albus Dumbledore of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am here to take you to school just like other talented children. They usually attend my school at the age of 11, but you are in a special situation which I am going to explain later. But I am certain that you are able to catch up with your studies within a summer." Dumbledore took out his wand. With a little wave, the cup was transformed into a parrot. Nikayla was astonished.
"How did you—"
"Magic." Dumbledore smiled and patted his wand with his finger.
Nikayla bit her lips nervously, "Then what kind of situation am I in?"
"Let me put it in the simplest way. Your mother is dead. Your father is not exactly a nice person. We believe that getting you out of his influence would be the best for you. So we brought you to the muggle world—the world you are in now, without magic—when you were one." He explained.
"And you believe that putting me in an orphanage would be the best choice for me?"
"Well there were a lot of wizards and witches offering to adopt you, but you must grow up in the muggle world so that you are out of your father's reach." Dumbledore said promptly. "Now that you father is slightly less powerful, we believe that it is time for you to receive the education you were meant to have. In fact, I was hoping that you could leave right now."
"Now? What about May? I'm not leaving her."
"Miss Chase, what do you think?" Dumbledore smiled again. Nikayla was surprised to see May entering the room. She must have been overhearing their conversation at the door.
"I will be fine, Niki. You don't have to worry about me." May's eyes were filled with tears. "Those people in that school are same as you are. You won't be treated as a freak anymore. You could even meet your family. You have to go."
"May—" Nikayla hugged her best friend and wouldn't let go.
"You could come back in your summer holiday." Dumbledore added.
"Niki, my dear." The dean, Lance Midford, pressed his hands on her shoulder. "You belong to the magic world."
Nikayla finally let go of May. She wiped away her tears and nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Lance, Aunt Laura and May. I will come back."