Red hair. That's the only thing you remember of her. She probably had green eyes, too, because your father's are blue, but you are not sure. Just red hair. And maybe faint smell of lemon.
You don't know her name. You could have asked your father, but you didn't. And you don't know why she left you. You have never asked that either.
Maybe she is dead.
The first thing you remember clearly is the orphanage. And then the day you saw a man and a woman talking to mistress Parly. Later you are told they have adopted you. They ask you to call them Mum and Dad. You agree because you don't want to go back to the orphanage.
They think you do not understand but they still explain you that they want to have a second daughter – somebody their little Tuny could play with. Mum couldn't have any more children after Tuny, so they came to the orphanage and found you.
They like your green eyes and red hair. Like a little witch, Mum says. You just smile and nod yes.
Mum and Dad live in a nice house not far from London. You like it a lot when you step out of the car.
Then you meet your new sister. She is very nice to you while Mum and Dad are watching.
But later, when she shows you your room, she makes sure you know you are a stranger to the family.
An intruder.
You never call her Tuny again.
You go to school and do rather well. Better than your sister.
Mum and Dad are proud for you, but it makes your sister only more jealous.
One day she hits you.
It's nothing serious, it doesn't even hurt.
But it still does.
You never call her sister again.
You run off and hide. That's when that man finds you.
At first you are a little afraid because you have been told to stay away from strangers. But he never hurts you – and you are not scared anymore.
When he asks why are you crying, you tell him. He listens and seems to understand. Maybe he does.
He tells you he'd like to see you again, if you wish to. You agree.
He says his name is Tom.
You and Tom meet quite often. You tell him stories about yourself and your life. He tells you stories about a wonderful world where magic exists and where there are real witches and wizards and many marvellous magical creatures.
You'd like to see a unicorn.
Sometimes you wonder what would it feel like to be a witch.
When you are eleven you get a letter. It is brought by an owl and the envelope is strange. The letter is addressed to you.
Your parents think it's some kind of joke. But you remember Tom telling you about Hogwarts – the school for witchcraft and wizardry.
When you meet Tom again you show him the letter.
He reads it, then gives it back to you and sits quietly for a long time. Finally he starts to talk, still not looking at you.
He tells you that he is a wizard. And he had a wife and they loved each other very much. He and his wife had a little daughter they loved very much, too.
But then the dark times came and it was no longer safe. To protect his daughter he hid her away in the muggle world. Nobody found his daughter, she was safe from his enemies. In the end, she was adopted into a muggle family. And when it was time for her to start schooling, it was thought that she was a muggle-born witch. So she got her Hogwarts letter.
He looks at you now.
But, he says, he couldn't be away from his daughter, so he went to see her never telling her who he was.
And you understand.
You smile at him and say:
"Hello, Father."
He embraces you tightly and whispers:
"Hello, Little one."
You feel finally home in his arms.
Your name is Lilith Riddle.
