DISCLAIMER: Sadly, I don't own anything… nothing to do with Harry Potter! If I did … Sirius would never have died!
I was five years old when I realized I didn't belong in my family. It happened on a Friday. It must have been, because I remembered that I had been restless and preoccupied that day, the way I was only on Fridays, the day when I went to my ballet classes. To pass time until the moment that I would leave, when I would start my journey to the ballet studio, crossing the knee-high grass in the front garden, reaching up and waving to it like an old friend.
I had climbed a chair and taken down my mother's Ballet doll, the one my grandmother had bought for me but my mother wanted to sell it for money. That doll was the sole relic that I had of my Grandmother who had died when I was two and I treasured every bit of it, the graceful curve of the arms, and the hand-painted make-up of the face.
It was this beautiful doll that slipped from my fingers, the one that fell to the wooden floorboards and shattered.
When mother saw the doll, her face flushed red and her upper lip shivered, and her eyes settled on me in a flat, unblinking way. My mother looked so mad I thought she was going to hit me again, but not that time, Instead, she grabbed my wrists and pulled me close, and through gritted teeth said, "You are a clumsy little demon, you are nothing but a burden, you clumsy little demon,"
At the time, I didn't understand. I didn't know what this word- burden- meant. Nor was I old enough to appreciate the injustice.
Later when I was older, I did understand. It was the way my Mother uttered the word- not so much saying it as spitting it at me- I understood what my mother meant that burden was an unwanted thing; that I was a person who would never have a claim over things such as love, family and a home.
"Lily!! Get your ass down here!" My mum's hoarse voice yelled out at me. I put down my pen and my face lifted up into a vulgar expression wondering if she was ever going to let me finish high school and not fail. I ran downstairs and skidded swiftly into the lounge, my auburn hair flying around me.
I looked down at my mother slouched on a chair, her strawberry blonde hair stuck to her gaunt face that was void of the vibrant beauty it used to have. Her skin was a chalky white and dark bags hung behind her dull green eyes that showed barely any life.
"What is it Mum? I'm trying to study, you know, exams… school?" I grumbled with a dark look, fiddling with the hem of my sleeve to distract myself from her piercing glare.
"You've had half an hour to study, I need you to take your sister to brownies" Was the response I got. I grimaced sourly. There was only one thing wrong with it.
"Mum you know I can't! I have ballet in half an hour and it takes at least 20 minutes to get Gemma to and from ballet, There's no way I'll have enough time to be ready for class and have done my school work!" I reasoned somewhat pathetically as I knew that reason had given up on this family years ago.
"We all have to contribute to this family!" Mum spat at me in disgust. My dad stirred from his position on the couch, his mop of red hair flat against his balding head and dark beady irises under heavy eye lids.
"Lillian Rose, Do what your mother asks" he slurred and shifted his position before falling asleep again.
I opened my mouth to protest but a narrowed icy glare from my mother clamped my mouth shut and I sighed in defeat.
I looked up at her with betrayed eyes, "Yes Mum" I said flatly, almost sneering at her and turned towards the stairs. I hoped that Madame wouldn't be too angry at me for being late, again. "We all have to contribute to this family?" I repeated my mums biting words bitterly to myself and bit my tongue to restrain myself from asking her just what her contribution was to the family.
I ran up the stairs taking care to stomp my feet loudly to relieve my anger and turned to Gemma's room.
I curled my fingers around the handle. I tugged the door open and my eyes fell upon a pretty young girl. She had long soft blonde hair twisted into two plaits that framed her heart shaped rosy face; she looked up at me with wide innocent golden green eyes that were deep and memorizing.
I smiled warmly down at her, if there was one person in the family that could make me smile it was Gemma.
"Hey Princess, ready to go?" I asked with a kind smirk, leaning against the door frame.
Gemma smiled sweetly and jumped from her bed to skip to my side, her blonde plaits dancing around her face. She coiled her small hand around mine and we rushed down the corridor.
We descended the stairs quietly, and then we were out the door as fast as we could with a hasty "Bye Mum!" yelled over my shoulder.
We hopped in the car and drove to Gemma's Brownies as fast as possible, and as I dropped her off I made sure that she knew to wait for me to pick her up. I made sure she knew not to get into the car with Petunia and her ass of a boyfriend, Vernon.
I glanced over to the small assembly of girls wearing the same uniform with proud beaming smiles on their faces. I chuckled to my self as I heard some of the girls call out Gemma's name with excited waving arms.
Gemma peered over at them shyly with a small sweet smile. Gemma locked her skinny arms around my waist for a brief moment and then with one last smile ran off with her friends. Gemma had always been a popular kid. I nodded goodbye and jumped back in the vehicle.
I drove quickly, turning the wheel and spinning the car to the right lane. A small hurdle of tightly packed houses surrounded the dance studio for the Bradnum Debra Ballet School. I grimaced, struggling to drive whilst trying to get changed in the car.
I shoved my stuff into the back seat and swung the car door open. I jumped out clumsily and banged the door shut. Slanting needles of rain showered down on me as I scrabbled around my purse for find a hair band to fasten my hair into a neat ponytail.
I sprinted inside and skidded to a halt outside the classroom to compose myself. My cheeks were rosy from the cold and my hair dripping wet. I quietly opened the door and tried to take my place on the bar without it being noticed that I was ten minutes late. No Such Luck.
"Miss Lillian Evans, You are late!" hissed the strict voice of my mentor, Madame Michelle. I cringed, afraid to look up at her piercing glare, knowing that my answer would never suffice.
"I had to drop Gemma at brownies and-"I started to explain but was cut off by Madame.
"I have no time for your excuses today; we are going over the steps for the annual performance. Get In Line" Madame Michelle snapped with a slight French accent laced between her syllables.
My face flushed and I heard stifled laughter coming from the less kindhearted dancers. I glared at them hotly which shut them up in seconds, after breaking several noses they learnt not to mess with me.
I quickly spotted a Japanese girl and made my way over to her. She had long black hair and a thick fringe that gently brushed across her dark brown eyes. She was fairly petit with tanned skin and a quirky grin. She of course was my best friend Lucy; we had been dancing together since we were five.
She nodded causally in my direction with a crooked smile and she tried to catch me up. "Madame's just angry because Giuliette is quitting because her parents refused to pay." She whispered only loud enough for me to hear.
I gasped, shocked, as, whilst Guiliette was not the best dancer, she could keep a beat, and her parents were rich.
"No way!" I said rather loudly but clamped my mouth shut when I saw Madame Michelle's eyes on me.
"Shush!" Lucy hissed at me, moving into third position gracefully with a rather gawky scowl on her face, "You wanna get us both in trouble?"
I ignore her and obediently followed the easy warm up steps that Madame Michelle was performing for us to copy. I was silently wondering what it was that would suddenly cause Guiliette's parents to refuse to pay for the fees. Sure it was a lot of money but nothing they couldn't handle. Lucky for me I had gotten a scholarship on my first try, I passed with flying colours.
After the lesson, Lucy waited for me by the door, casually dressed in ripped jeans and a tight sweatshirt. I walked out of the changing room fairly tired to see her bright happy face sporting a mischievous crooked grin.
I glanced wearily at her and stepped to her side walking down the bright corridor.
"What's Up?" I was almost afraid to ask, worried at the expression on her face.
"No-Thingg!" Lucy sing-songed, almost skipped down the hallway. "Madame just wants to see us two, right now!"
"What?!" I exclaimed, aghast. I knew it was nothing to do with me being late, as that would not require Lucy to be there as well, but I wondered at what could possibly require us both.
"Maybe it's for something good! Maybe we won a prize!!" Said Lucy, always the positive thinker.
I grimaced as we reached the end of the corridor, which also meant we had reached Madame Michelle's Office. "Or maybe we're both getting kicked out!" I hissed, trying to stop our progress through the door.
"Girls! Come in and sit down" Madame said sharply, cutting off whatever Lucy's answer could have been.
We both took a seat on the uncomfortable wooden chairs that were placed in front of Madame's desk. I fidgeted, playing with my hands until Lucy nudged me and I glanced up to see Madame looking at me sternly, which halted my fingers.
"I have called you two in because two weeks ago I was visited by a couple from The Royal Ballet Academy. They have offered me two full scholarships to whichever two girls show the most potential and commitment. I have observed the class, and decided that you two are the girls of whom I would be proud to send. " Madame explained, her expression only being able to be described as proud.
Lucy and I glanced at each other, each as surprised as the other, and then we grinned.
A/N: I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter.
I have hopes for this story, and I know what the plot that I'm heading for it is
It may take a few chapters, but hopefully you can see what it's going to be like.
I'd just like to thank my FANTASTIC beta/kinda co-author, JG or Japaneze gurl,
I send it to her, she sends it back and I read over it again.
I love her and couldn't live without her, so this is a shout out to you babe!
Thanks for reading … please leave a review…
It only takes you 3 minutes but it gives me a whole day of happiness!
Oh, and the Royal Ballet Academy is a real place, and I don't have any rights to it or anything, and im not getting anything out of this except happiness.