Through metal bars, past the window, the world looked gray with its rainy storm clouds blurring the world outside. The image of human like figures could be seen walking in front of the barred window, all hurrying away to their homes or work. Inside the playroom, with ivy green wallpaper, an eleven year old girl with long black hair sat before a small table with a plastic tea cup and pot, decorated with pale yellow flowers. Her hair cascaded down her face, obscuring her eyes as she sat morosely before the play set in front of her. As the rain pitter-pattered outside the room, she slowly lifted her head up and looked over at the room's doorway. A girl that looked similar to her, but a few years older, stood in the doorway staring at her. The older girl looked away with an equally morose face and walked out into the hallway beyond.

"Thank you for taking her off our hands... I hope that you're prepared for taking care of a child. I'm not sure how you could live without any house-elves." An exasperated woman's voice echoed through the room, leading to the little girl to let her head drift back down.

An older woman's voice began to ring through out the room next, in a far more cheerful tone then the woman speaking before. "No need to worry Mrs. Kaberline. Things aren't as archaic here as you might suspect. The muggle world has quite a few interesting things here. Like the telly, or those new things they've been making called Video Games. I actually rather enjoy those things. Though, I'll be sure to only let Maria play things appropriate for her age of course"

"Of course Ms. Gabbart." the other woman's voice came out rather sympathetic sounding, like she was patting the older woman's head. "It's very commendable how you've made do in this magicless world. I'm sure that Maria will be very well behaved. She's such a brave girl... dealing with her..."

There was a soft mutter, which Maria couldn't hear. She choked down a sob from escaping her throat, and her hands began to clench the sides of the table which began to shake. As she stared at the table surface, she saw the shadows of people walk by without pause. While watching the shadows pass by, Maria began to raise her head off the table. Though the shadows continued on and on passing the table, she saw one shadow that remained stagnant; it looked like a cat sitting attentively. Slowly turning her head to the barred window she saw nothing there except the vague human shapes passing by it. Uninterested by this Maria looked back to the table, which now only had the shadows passing over it again.

Maria kept looking down at the table, till the sound of someone clearing their throat reached her ears. Looking up to the doorway she saw Ms. Gabbart, with her oval glasses and frizzy white hair, solemnly looking at her. "Your... family will be heading off soon. Would you want to hurry off and wish them good bye?"

Maria looked down to her lap, and clenched her hands tightly. Getting up she walked, downcast, towards the door. Ms. Gabbart smiled reassuringly and walked Maria down towards a room. As the two made their way down to the living room, there was a sudden burst of green light. Maria looked up with a look of shock, her mouth dropping. She ran from Ms. Gabbart, who's own face looked horrified. Maria stopped at the entrance of the room and watched the coattails of her mother disappear into the chimney in a burst of green fire.

Ms. Gabbart hobbled over to the living room and looked over at the chimney with a look of disappointment, though the shock on her face had faded away already. Looking down to Maria she watched as the little girl's hands clenched onto the door frame so tightly she began to leave a groove in it thanks to her nails. Resting a hand on Maria's shoulder she sighed and shook her head. "It'll be all right... I know it hurts now. But things will get better. Your mum did say she would visit from time to time." Ms. Gabbart then watched Maria walk away to the playroom and shut the door. Nodding her head she walked down the hall to her own room. "Take all the time you need..."

The room grew darker and darker as Maria lay by the little table in the playroom. Her face covered by her hair as she slept quietly upon the floor. There was a blanket placed upon her, an old looking one with little blue roses stitched at the edges of it. The sound of rain continued on as it had earlier that day, drowning out the sound of soft footsteps that slinked over to the table. A strange white creature with red markings jumped on top of the table, and then crept over to the side Maria was on, without upsetting the toy cup or pot. Sitting down like the shadow from earlier it looked down at her with its tail twitching about.

Lightning suddenly crashed near by and caused Maria to wake with a shout. Holding her chest, her heart pounded as she looked over at the window then looking back to the table where the little creature once was. The door to the play room swung open with Ms. Gabbart looking in panicked. "Are you all right?" Ms. Gabbart walked over to Maria and sat down beside her.

Maria nodded her head, though she was shaking a bit. "Yeah... the lightning just startled me is all." Running a hand through her hair she looked back over to the window where she saw a strange white creature out in the rain. It's tail twitched about as it looked in at her with its red eyes. Blinking confusedly, Maria looked to Ms. Gabbart. "What kind of animal is that out ther..." When Maria turned back to the window the creature had disappeared. "It's gone..."

Ms. Gabbart looked over to the window and cocked her head. Getting up slowly, she headed over to the window and peered past its bars out into the torrential rain outside. "What did it look like?"

"It was white... and it looked a bit like a cat." Maria then motioned to her ears than made a stretching motion. "It had cat ears, and I think floppy rabbit ears coming out of the cat ears. It also had red eyes... and some red markings on its fur."

Glowering out the window, Ms. Gabbart turned back to Maria and smiled warmly at her. "I've not heard of any such creatures in the muggle world, or even the wizarding one. No worries though dear. If it is from this place it should just be a regular animal. Now, why don't you run along to your room?" Nodding her head, Maria began to rub her eyes. Grabbing her blanket, she dragged it with her to her new room. Once Maria disappeared, Ms. Gabbart began to frown and looked back out into the rain.

After finding nothing out the window she then headed to the front door of the house. Opening the door, Ms. Gabbart looked to the street across from her, which had tightly packed houses, just like her side of the street. While staring out into the rain she saw something sitting across from her. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes. Putting back on her glasses all she could see was an evanescence of a feline like figure.

Frowning she grabbed her umbrella, from the nearby rack, and headed out into the storm. With nothing but her slippers, nightgown, and raincoat, Ms. Gabbart walked over to the faded image and looked down at it. It stretched its back out like a cat, then began walking down the street as if nothing odd was going on. "What manner of creature are you?" Ms. Gabbart asked it as it continued stretching. It looked back at Ms. Gabbart with its illusive head, and then fell onto its back like a cat would. Ms. Gabbart couldn't help but smirk at the strange ghostly image as it rolled about as if for attention.

Once she entered back into the house, Ms. Gabbart headed back to her room, a feeling of content in her soul. As she headed down to her room, after hanging up her wet slippers in her bathroom, she fell into bed. Oblivious to the white creature that walked past her room. It slowly turned its head about as it surveyed the house. With its small paw it opened the play room to discover no one in it anymore. At the window was another creature like itself who quickly bounded away. With an unchanging expression, the strange creature continued to search around the house.

Pushing open a room with a smiling flower on its front, the creature peered in and saw Maria wrapped in her covers surrounded by stuffed animals of varying species and coloration. On padded feet, it crept over to the girl's bed and leapt in. Situating itself amongst her stuffed animals it sat waiting for an unknown reason. Maria gently breathing without any understanding of the intruder in her room. There was a quieter rumble from the sky, and all became silent in the house.

As the hours passed the creature remained silent, until it crawled out from the stuffed animals and knelt near Maria's ear. ″What is your wish?″ the words whispered throughout Maria's new room, the sounds hitting her gently. She began to fidget about in bed until she finally awoke upon hearing a deafening thunder clap. Looking out her bedroom window she saw that there was a heavy downpour going on outside. Crawling closer to the window she looked out it longingly, the cat rabbit following her movements quietly. Breathing on the glass she fogged it up and began to draw a picture of the strange cat who had rabbit ears coming out of its regular ears. The thunder clapped again and a flash of light shot through the room. Sighing Maria began to lay back down, but let out a yelp upon seeing the cat rabbit in her room.

″Hello, its a pleasure to meet you Maria.″ The creature's tail swished, making a soft thump each time it hit the bed. ″You seem rather distraught. Not sure why. You seem to be a very interesting girl.″ The cat rabbit walked up to her and placed a paw upon her lap. ″You are like this old woman here, harboring a strange power in you. A power just waiting to be tapped into.″

″You... you mean I have magic?″ Maria clasped her hands together and began to cry a bit. ″Oh thank goodness, I thought... I thought for sure I was a squib. But wait... what about Ms. Gabbart... has she been pretending to be a squib?″

The cat rabbit shook its head solemnly. ″Oh my, I think you misunderstand me. You certainly have a power inside of you, but I wouldn't go so far as call it magic. You and this Ms. Gabbart have a power to perceive things that regular humans can not. I've seen it before, and I have yet to figure out why that is.″ The cat rabbit jumped off the bed and looked back at Maria. ″But it is interesting that you want magic.″

Maria crossed her arms and looked downcast away from the cat rabbit. ″Its not fair... I must be the first Squib in my family...″

″What do you mean by the term squib?″ The cat rabbit's ears perked up and turned to Maria. ″I've heard this phrase too. I assume you don't mean a miniature explosive device of course.″

″A... wha?″ Maria looked dumbfound at the strange creature and rubbed her head. ″N...no. It's a person born to wizards who doesn't have magical powers themselves.″

″Wizard?″ The cat rabbit's tail froze for a moment then returned seamlessly to its swishing about. ″That is rather interesting. Wizards, at least in the way you humans often think of them do not exist. Or so I've been led to believe.″ The cat rabbit jumped back onto the bed and stared right at Maria. ″Tell me... was that why your family has abandoned you?″

Maria's face contorted and she gripped a nearby pillow. ″They... its just because I don't have magic they don't want me to feel left out so-″

″They have you left out from the entire wizard thing?″ The cat rabbit shut his eyes and nodded his head. ″I can tell that you really want to be part of this world of wizarding, whatever that entails.″ He flashed his eyes at Maria and cocked his head. ″Perhaps I could help you obtain your heart's desire?″

″What? How could you do that?″ Maria hugged the pillow against her chest and glared at the cat rabbit. ″I don't even know what you are. Are you Ms. Gabbart's pet or something?″

The cat rabbit sighed and shook his head. ″Of course not. I'm Kubey.″ His tail then wrapped around his body. ″I can offer you a chance to have your wish granted, but in return you have to become a magical girl. As a magical girl it is your duty to defeat creatures known as witches.″

Upon hearing him say this Maria let out a gasp and hit Kyubey with her pillow. ″Why would I want to hurt other witches.″

Kyubey flopped onto the ground and quickly sat back up, shaking his head. ″I'm sorry. We seem to have conflicting terminologies. You see, from my perspective there are creatures born from curses which reside in the hearts of humans. These curses taint things and become beings that strive to sew discord in everyday human life. A witch is often the cause of suicides and murders with no motivation.″ Cocking his head he lifted his paws up as if to shrug.″Clearly what I know of as a witch is different from what you understand.″

Maria slowly nodded her head and sat back. ″I know witches are like me, and everyone else. There just people.″

″Ah... that makes sense since you come from a culture of... wizards you say? Most fascinating.″ Kyubey turned his back on Maria and continued to sweep his tail about. ″I'd like to know more about this culture. Perhaps its similar to the neo-pagan movement that has been occurring.″ Turning back to Maria he nodded his head. ″So what do you think? Would you want to make a contract with me?″

″I don't think so...″ Maria piled her stuffed animals around her and shielded herself from Kyubey. ″I'm not good at fighting... I've never really done it before. And it sounds kind of dangerous.″

″Oh it is.″ Kyubey began scratching his ears and sighed. ″Can't say I'm surprised. When the dangers of the work are revealed there is bound to be some push back against it. But you should know, doing this won't only aid you, but others as well.″ Kyubey walked over to a dresser and jumped on top of it, keeping from knocking off any of the knickknacks that were on it. ″ I can grant any wish you want. Anything. You have but to ask me for it.″

″Anything...″ Maria sleepily looked down at her lion plush and hugged it. ″That is tempting...″

″Don't feel you need to answer now. Think about it. I'll stay in touch.″ Kyubey jumped off the dresser and walked out of the room. Before completely leaving he turned back to her and cocked his head. ″I wish you the best of luck with whatever your endeavors are.″ Then he vanished.