Part 1 of Slytherin Pure Bloods - Shadowed Past

Chapter 1

The One They Call The Freak

It was Summer Break, and a girl was sleeping in her bed. Her small bedroom was always clean and neat. Under the window was a red cushion seat that was level with the windowsill. Her bed was a foot away from the window seat. To the left of her bedroom door was a writing desk with a lamp and chair, while on the other side of the door, facing the desk was a wardrobe, with a chest of draws with a large mirror, beside it. Beside the draws was a bookshelf that was parallel with the bottom half of the bed. Across the room from the bed was the door. On the right side of the bed was her bedside table, which had a lamp sitting on it.

Yawning and opening her eyes she sat bolt upright. Staring out of her bedroom window (the top window to the farthest right). Sighing, she slid out of bed, and got changed out of her favourite PJ's (black with Mickey Mouse, Minnie and Pluto) into her favourite clothes, (blue denim jeans and a black tank top).

Grace had always had long fine blonde hair that was usually tied back casually with a ribbon, though she did wear other things, like a headband. Slim and pretty, she had a love for animals, especially Dragons, which caused people to consider her as strange, and she just loved Mickey Mouse. Her passion for animals was so deep that she wouldn't tolerate any animal cruelty. She never found any fun inside, except reading, and liked to be well informed. Everyone always thought she was an odd creature, even though she was very beautiful. But the most peculiar thing about her was her mysterious powers. People believed that she had powers, because (what they considered) the strange and un-natural happened around her.

Grace turned the doorknob, she suddenly realised that if she left her room, she was going to get beat up. Fighting back her fear, she took a deep breath and opened the door. Walking out, she closed the door behind her, only to be startled by Bruno as he meowed at her. Jenny's small brown Havana kitten, Bruno, was always doing that to her, when Jenny wasn't at boarding school. The previous year Jenny had gotten Bruno and had shown Grace. She had then left for a boarding school, and wouldn't even tell Grace where it was or what it was called. All she'd said was that she had to catch a train at King's Cross, and then said her good bye.

'Go away Bruno.' She whispered insistently to the small purring kitten, as he smooched her leg, causing her to almost trip as she tried to walk. Cats were of course allowed to stay inside, since Mrs Neely only liked cats, but would allow other animals to stay out the back. They were always running around the corridors meowing at you and getting under your feet when you were trying to get to the bathroom or to class.

Trying not to kick the cat, Grace gently pushed Bruno aside so that she could continue to the entertainment room, since she didn't feel like reading right now. She went into the entertainment room, which was empty of people, and flicked on the television. For an hour nothing was on, but at 7am she found a cartoon she liked. Ok, so it wasn't Mickey Mouse, or even Yugioh, but it was a cartoon nether the less.

Normally, Grace, would be reading some sort of book, but she'd read every book, in and out of sight, at least 200 times. She'd read books about history, music, art, cooking, even fictional books like, Black Beauty. Since the books had become boring, she had turned to television, hoping to learn more. She had special shows at certain times, like time team, which was about archaeological digs, along with the cartoon, horrible history's, which told things about the past, but with a humorous side.

Sure, she watched lots of TV these days, but that didn't mean she sat around all day, even in the holidays.

Grace lived in a two-storey orphanage, with an attic and white picket fence. Out of the front was a wide sort of porch, which had flowerpots with bright red roses. It had a big front yard with a big cherry blossom tree on the left. The Orphanage was a very large building, due to the fact that it used to be a boarding school.

The TV was now showing The Power Puff Girls, which was one of her favourites, but she got up and left the room. She felt like a morning walk. She went downstairs and through the back door.

The back fence of the orphanage had a gate that they would always ride their bikes out through, it lead into a back laneway. The backyard had a shed that kept their bikes out of the rain. There was also a special sort of shed out the back for any animals they may have saved or bought. The rain would of course not wet them, because of the roof over the shed.

So far, Grace's time at the orphanage wasn't the best. All the other orphans picked on her for her abnormality. Though the one orphan that she hated more than any other, was an older boy named Zachary McCormack. Unfortunately for Grace, Zachary had older twin brothers. Dave and Harvey were what she considered as pinheads, because there was nothing between the ears. Zachary on the other hand, was the type of boy who thought he was smarter than Einstein (he was trying to be). There was a real reason behind why Grace had hated Zachary more than anyone else. But of course no one believed her, especially when it really did happen.

Grace went walking around town, though she wasn't supposed to without an adult, but she always did anyway. There were many shops and stores. She always noticed the politeness of people as she walked past. Heading down to the park, she sat on a park bench, deep in thought.

Her dreams, they haunted her. She had them every night, and every time she sat up sweating and feverish. She had this strange inkling that they were getting clearer, and more vivid. She shuddered, involuntarily. Shaking off the bad feelings, she headed back to the orphanage.

The orphanage was built of bricks, and someone had painted the bricks blue. Grace remembered the story of the graffiti artists, who had been responsible, for the mess on the walls and how they had painted the bricks. Going upstairs, back to her room, Grace, laying down flat on the floor, near the end of the bed, (where her pillow was). She reached under to get her moneybag, which she always had hidden there, so that no one could steal it. She soon had the small green bag in her hand, which was actually a marble bag; since she'd "lost" the marbles; she now used it to keep her money safe.

As she got up from the floor, she noticed a letter sitting on her small table by the window.

Looking at the letter it was addressed to a Sarah Prince. Grace found it strange, hadn't she had a dream once about a girl by this name? Going downstairs, she asked Miss Melrose whether the mailman was still here, but all she said (yawning) was that it was too early for him to have come yet. Confused, she went back up stairs and looked over the envelope. Then thinking nothing of it, Grace left it on her bedside table and continued with her day.

She grabbed her bag, which hung on the back of the door, as she heard everyone else stirring. Waiting for the stampede to subside, Grace quickly hid her money in her school bag. When the noise had subsided, Grace left her room and went downstairs, heading for the cafeteria. The corridors were empty; everyone was already inside having breakfast. The orphanage was in sections. Mrs Neely's office was on the first floor near the entrance. Just like a boarding school it had boys and girls toilets and boys and girls bedrooms. There were of course the classrooms, which there were only a few teachers. All the classrooms were downstairs, along with the cafeteria. The bedrooms were upstairs; the boys were on the left, with the girls on the right.

Opening the door to the cafeteria, Grace walked past the many tables and chairs to get to her friend Jenny, who was sitting by herself, (saving her a seat) and was eating pancakes, their favourite breakfast. Jenny seemed quite happy today and was almost smiling more brightly then Grace had ever seen her. It was strange not to see Bruno at her side, but she didn't always have him with her. Jenny had a green and silver stripped headband in her long black hair, which was in its usual way. Grace had never seen her put her hair up in any fashion it was always down. Jenny looked up from her breakfast, and seeing her approach, smiled more widely. Her bright green eyes rested on Grace's sapphire blue one's.

'Pan cakes,' Grace whispered licking her lips, as she sat down next to Jenny, who was smiling, as she handed Grace her breakfast. Everyone was dressed with their bags on their backs and would most likely have their money with them. Grace noticed that many of the younger ones, were very fidgety. They were all rushing about as they hurriedly ate their breakfast. This morning it was pancakes, with honey and butter. Grace wasn't eating it like everyone else (they were quite literally shoving it down their throats in droves); she was eating it with good manners, along with Jenny, though with a little speed. When everyone was finished they all ran to the hall.

'Calm down everyone, I know your excited. Now do you all have your spending money?' said Miss Melrose in a rush, without drawing breathe. She knew what they were like when they were allowed to go down the street, where they would shop for hours and play around at the park. They all ran outside, like it was Summer Break, which it still was.

Grace never ran out, no matter how excited she was. Everyone went with someone else, but Grace tended to go alone, though she did wander around with her best and only friend. When she reached the road, her friend came over, 'sorry I'm late, Grace, but you know I don't eat like everyone else.'

'Neither do I Jenny.' Her friend Jenny was holding the small brown bundle she was usually seen with in her arms.

'You're bringing Bruno?' Now understanding why she had lost Jenny to the crowd.

'Course,' she smiled, 'why, did you think I'd leave him behind?'

Grace smiled, 'no, you always take him with you.' The small brown bundle lifted its head and let out a soft 'meow'.

'Come on let's go,' said Grace as Jenny gave the little kitten a scratch behind the ear, his favourite spot, to which he started purring loudly.