All belongs to JKR!
Hidden Child
Chapter 1: Letters and Books
Dear Father and Mother, February 5th, 2014
I know that you have been gone for many years, so please humor me as I write this. Today the orphanage went to a place called Little Hangleton. I don't know if you are familiar with it, but the visit was very strange. The town was small, but it had a huge, empty mansion on the outskirts. And on the edge of a field surrounding the mansion, there was a shack with a path leading from it into the forest. As I passed it, it seemed to be calling me. I don't know why, but I walked up to it and saw a snake nailed to the front door. I spoke, but everyone said that a hissing noise came out of my mouth, not what I thought I had said, which was 'Is anyone in there?' Ignoring that strange incident, we continued walking. As we passed the church, we heard singing, and Miss Nerum dragged us in to participate in the service. It was very boring, but people kept staring at me. I amused myself my looking at the organ and pretending that, during silent prayer, it would start playing by its self and say the names of the people who stared and told them that it's impolite to stare. As crazy as a thought it is, it actually happened. Unbelievable, it is. Everyone said that it must have been the work of the devil. Thank God they didn't know it was me. My dearest parents, please help me. Do you know anything about these strange happenings? I know you can't respond, but know that I love you.
Your Dearest Son,
Salazar Lestrange
Salazar looked at the letter he had written and sighed quietly. His parents were dead, and they would never receive this letter. At age 10, the young boy had lived his whole life without parents. He wasn't completely alone, though. His powerful brown eyes made it impossible not to love him and his scrawny figure made all mothers want to feed him. The only problem was that he didn't want all the attention. Strange things seemed to happen around him. When he was five, he accidentally released the class snakes into the wild, and before they left, they rubbed against him like cats. Salazar had even flown when he was eight to escape getting a shot. And only yesterday he had made an organ speak. He sighed again and started writing in his journal.
February 6th, 2014
Tomorrow is my birthday. I feel like it marks something important, but I'm not sure. I am turning eleven, and we will have a big party tomorrow to celebrate. Miss Nerum says that tomorrow I can do whatever I want and make my own decisions. For now though, I'll just stick with writing in this diary.
Salazar Lestrange
He stared at his hands after writing the diary entry and felt a sudden bout of sadness. Slipping the book under his pillow, Salazar squeezed down into his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He counted the cracks, noting a disappointment in his life for each crack. Loss of parents, horrible adults, no friends, in short, everything that could go wrong. The only thing he loved, or even was happy about, was his cat, Snake. Snake was a thin, lithe black cat who slunk around Salazar's room, looking for places to sleep. Sleep, was a wondrous thing, Salazar thought, soon fading into his dreams.
Minerva McGonagall was sitting in her office, addressing Hogwarts letters when she came upon the strangest name. She let out a little gasp of surprise and swiveled her chair to face a portrait.
"Albus, did you see that name?" she asked the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, a great man who was the Headmaster of Hogwarts before her. He had a long white beard and long white hair. His face was wrinkled slightly which made him look like the kindest old man. However, his square, wire-rimmed glasses portrayed him as some sort of scholar. The man in the portrait apparently had seen the name, for he appeared to be in deep thought.
"Minerva," when he spoke she looked up and raised her eyebrows. "It appears that we will have an interesting student here next year." At these words, Minerva turned back to her letters, still concentrating on the topic of the new student.
"But, Albus, this boy," she started, only to be interrupted by the portrait. He frowned slightly before beginning to speak.
"I understand that he is the son of two very bad people, Minerva, but he must be accepted into this school."
She frowned slightly at these words, thinking that it was the wrong thing to do, but she listened anyway. Adjusting her bun, she turned back to the letters. The Headmistress' hair was up in a tight bun, which kept falling out. Sighing, she fixed it once again, pulled her glasses down to reading level, and kept on writing.
"Salazar! Letter for you!" Miss Nerum called out at breakfast the next morning. "And by the way, Happy Birthday!" Salazar looked up from his food just in time to see a letter written in green ink land next to his plate. He picked it up, ripped it open, and almost fell off his seat as he read the letter. It said:
Dear Mr. Lestrange,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Ponoma Sprout,
Deputy Headmistress
As Salazar finished reading the letter, his eyes opened wide and the orphanage heard a knock at the door.
"So you see, Salazar, you are a wizard," the man named Professor Neville Longbottom finished. He was tall with a chubby face, black hair, and for some strange reason, he was wearing long, black robes. The pair was sitting in a place called Leaky Cauldron, the professor had wanted to go someplace private to tell Salazar this fact. Professor Longbottom had thought it best that they went to the Leaky Cauldron, so they could buy Salazar's school things after. "Is everything alright?"
"Oh, yes, Professor," Salazar replied to his concern. "Everything's perfect! I mean, I'll finally fit in! Everyone always thought what I did was unusual, but I guess it's what all kids do in the wizarding world. Oh, Professor, this is just great! I can't wait to go to Hogwarts!" The man smiled at the child's enthusiasm, Minerva hadn't told him that it would be this easy.
"Alright then, Salazar, let's go get your school things." Neville stood up and pushed his chair back. Walking over to the owner, he thanked him for the food and hospitality. Then he pushed open the back door and walked over to a seemingly solid wall.
Salazar stared at it in bewilderment, thinking that they possibly couldn't be going through that wall. He stated his thoughts, only to receive a knowing smile from the professor. The professor explained, while tapping some of the bricks on the wall. Salazar's eyes widened as the bricks moved to create an archway.
"Wow," he breathed, stepping into the sunshine of Diagon Alley. "That was – this is amazing!" Salazar grabbed Professor Longbottom's hand and eagerly ran forward, to the first shop he saw.
"Whoa there, Salazar. Slow down!" Neville exclaimed, wondering how the child ever got so hyper. "First we have to visit Gringotts, the bank." He led the way towards a large building, gleaming in the sunlight. As they neared it, Salazar could see guards standing in front with metal sticks in their hands. Entering the building, Salazar gasped in awe. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and the place was bustling with activity. Neville smiled at the child, motioned for Salazar to follow him, and walked towards the main desk. "Hello, Griphook. I need to take some money out of the Lestrange vault for young Salazar here."
The goblin leaned over his desk, earning a gasp of surprise from Salazar. "I need a key," he rasped. At this statement, Neville rummaged in his pockets before remembering what he was supposed to say.
"I'm sorry, Griphook, but we don't have a key. Anyway, wouldn't Salazar be able to get into the vault because it is rightfully his?"
"Yes, Professor, but we don't want to take any chances. However, it is possible that we perform a simple goblin spell to make sure it is truly his vault."
"Very well, then do it."
Salazar stepped into the sunshine outside of Madam Malkin's. "Alright, Professor, I only have to get my wand now!" He had already visited the Apothecary, the bookstore, the cauldron shop, and the pet store. Now, it was time for the best part.
The shop was completely packed with thin boxes. It practically was a library, except with the boxes instead of books. Salazar assumed that they contained wands. The shop had a desk in the front, with papers cluttered on it and a lamp shining dimly. As he was looking around, a old man slid into the room.
"Ah, yes, young Mr. Lestrange," the man rasped. Salazar froze, thinking that he had done something wrong. "It's alright, young man. My name is Mr. Ollivander. I was just in the back room, working with my nephew, otherwise known as my assistant, Rawin Wokjile."
Salazar nodded in understanding, asking, "Do I get my wand now?"
The old man chuckled. "Of course," he smiled, thinking that he'd have Rawin handle this child. "Rawin! We've got a costumer, and you need to help him!" A younger man came out of the back, wiping his hands on an apron.
"Hello," he said, studying the young man before him. After a minute, he went over to one of the shelves, picked up as box, and handed it to the boy. "Just wave the wand. If it isn't for you, then you'll know."
Salazar picked up the box and waved the wand. As soon as he touched it, he felt a warmth flooding through his body. "Wow!" he breathed.
R+R