Pathetic Beginnings

It pretty much began when I was five years old. That's when my life began, I don't remember very much before it. Just images in my mind of being delivered to an orphanage ... or rather foster home for young children... really young children, I didn't know my real parents whereas some of the older children did. I was apparently a problem child within the orphanage, I was the type of baby that learnt to walk and talk at an earlier age than most... try 6 months. I still don't understand why that made me an issue for the carers. I was just different... special they called me. My life still didn't start until after my first five years of being alive. I was adopted into a family of three, a mum, dad and a daughter double my age at the time. They had been trying to get another child since their first was able to go to nursery but the mum was unable to have any more children, so they adopted. I overheard the carers whispering behind closed doors about how they never thought I'd get interest because I was so odd. I wasn't odd. I was normal... or so I thought. My life began at five because that was when things actually got weird. They were only little things, small enough so only I could notice but they were there... cups falling by themselves when I was angry, disappearing from one end of the house then reappearing at the other end... I once was so excited about a birthday, my seventh to be specific, that I made my toys dance.

Within the orphanage I had no friends, they were scared of me, of course I had no true perception of the world then and didn't even know what I looked like, all I know is that I had bright green eyes that pierced through the dark like a traffic light, but I didn't really mind not having friends, I preferred being on my own then, but I still didn't understand it, I couldn't see how odd I was, but it was lucky that the family that took me in didn't notice, at first at the very least.

Other than the strange occurrences, my life growing up was regular and my adoptive parents were kind and patient and my sister was like a sister. There was just one problem...

They didn't matter to me.

By the time I was seven, Megan (my adopted sister) was twelve and in her second year of high school. After primary school she used to always wait for me and we'd walk home together, but this one time she didn't. She didn't tell me she wasn't going to wait for me after school. She just didn't show up so I walked home alone, and when Jennifer and Steven (my adopted parents) found out, they were furious, and got me ice-cream and jelly as if I was being rewarded, the fact is though – I didn't mind... or rather a better word would be care. I didn't care that Meg had left me that day – and when Jen and Steve told her off she said the same, 'I didn't care,' we glanced to each other in a mutual agreement that we didn't care for each other as sisters. She was not my real sister, and this was not my real family and nor would they ever seem like they were. As I grew up, I realised what the carers in the orphanage meant by strange, I couldn't connect with people, or rather subconsciously refused to do so.

When I reached the age of ten, the unnatural happened more frequently as I got more frustrated and the cups now smashed on the floor at dinner time.

'Kaeryn!'

My name was thrown around more often than before as well as the words, 'hormonal,' and 'phase.'

1. They automatically blamed me now, even if the glass was at the other end of the table and 2. My name is Kaeryn apparently my real mother and father decided this and decided that this name and my middle names could not be changed regardless of who I ended up adopted by.

Kaeryn Pandora Avada Baker.

The adoptive surname was out of place with my out of place name.

They had never shouted at me for a large amount of time before, I used to contain myself when they had annoyed me when I was younger, but recently they became insufferable to me.

'We should have never taken you in! The carers told us you were a strange one! We assumed it was because you were smart but you're just weird – how does anyone even do that?!'

'You're a total freak! All my friends tell me how they see you wondering around alone, staring as if waiting for something! You're a freak!'

I guess I had become insufferable to them as well. I looked up to them, 'I'm who I am, you never taught me how to control anger or to talk to you if something was bothering me...how can I be the only problem here?' I asked.

Jennifer's face turned the colour of tomato ketchup. 'How...how dare you suggest that the problem here is our parenting...it's not our fault if we adopted a freak.'

Meg coughed, 'Mum, actually it is, you chose to adopt her.'

I could tell she didn't like admitting I was right, but she smiled slightly at me, before looking down, then too her parents, 'you can't be blamed for not knowing how different she would be though...'

Jennifer stood up, about to say something then ran out crying. Steven sighed and also stood up, 'we'll have to return you...no, that's bad phrasing, take you to the adoption and fostering centre again, we can't live like this for much longer, I'm sorry Kaeryn, I know it's not easy, but we have to think of ourselves,' he then followed his wife.

I looked down, feeling emptier than I had before, now regardless of whether I cared or not in the end I had no family. Meg put her hand on my shoulder, 'we never got to know each other, but you are a bit weird, maybe you'll find a family that's normal to you.' I looked up to her, and got off my seat.

'Thank you, Megan, that's probably the nicest thing you've said to me,' I went to the hallway and grabbed my coat of the rack, before opening the door and leaving.

Who knows where I was headed, for I sure didn't. It was still reasonably bright out despite being mid-evening as it was still summer. July to be exact – so I was safe to be walking around at this time at my age, although it could be thought that anyone who tried something would end up worse off if they confronted me, I giggled at the thought. I reached the edge of the town where the road forked off into two lanes, one was a moulded town lane the other a country lane. Three guesses as to which one I chose to walk.

The lane was thin, and the bushes stretched across, you could barely tell it was a lane or pathway due to all the overgrown shrubbery.

I walked as far as I could, fittingly reaching large iron gates with stone pillars on either side of the gate. The gate had the words, 'Malfoy Manor,' hidden within the iron. I wasn't entirely sure on how I had arrived there; regardless I attempted to push the gates open. They didn't budge, so I started pushing and pulling on them, rattling them. Getting more and more frustrated as the gates refused to open, I kicked them and growled, but not giving up.

'Who are you?'

I turned to the voice, looking at a tall platinum blonde man, his hair reached his waist and he wore strange clothes, they looked more like gowns, much like ones I had seen before.

'I won't ask again, little child.' He lingered on the word child, raising his eyebrows and tapping his walking stick impatiently on the ground.

I looked up to him, 'Kaeryn.'

He frowned, 'full name?'

'Kaeryn Pandora Avada...Baker.' I scowled at the man, he was strange.

His eyes widened, 'well then,' he smiled, it didn't suit his face, 'my...we've been waiting for you.' He offered out a hand which I reluctantly took and we suddenly appeared in a hall way. 'Narcissa, my dear, come to the door, I have someone you should meet.'

A similarly tall woman with white blonde hair turned into the hallway, her clothes made more sense as she wore a dark green dress. 'Lucius, you had better explain why there is a small girl in my hallway.'

The male smiled at the female, 'her name,' he turned to me, 'say it,' he nodded, urging me on.

'Kaeryn Pandora Avada.'

The female gasped, covering her mouth, 'oh Lucius...' She clapped her hands together and knelt to my level, 'child, tell me, what is your earliest memory?'

'The orphanage, learning to walk and talk earlier than the other babies,' I replied, 'who are you? And why are you so excited?'

Lucius knelt to my level too now, 'has anything strange ever happened to you? When you were angry or excited...things you couldn't explain.'

I felt my eyes widen, 'cups fall over, water pipes burst, cutlery dances...'

'Lucius! Do you know what this means? We've found her, we've found the dark lord's-'

'Hush, my dear...' he looked at me, 'where do you live?'

'My adopted family live in the nearest village to here, I doubt they'd notice me missing now...'

Lucius and Narcissa looked to each other, 'Lucius, you go talk to her family... and I'll show her around... explaining things to her.'

Lucius nodded and left the hallway.

'Right, where do I start?'

It wasn't that hard to believe what she was telling me, wizards, witches, house-elves, wands, spells...she explained everything about her world and it all clicked with me. When she was done she stopped outside a door, asking if I had anything to ask her, and of course I did.

'What is it about me that made you and your husband take me into your home?'

Narcissa smiled, 'We know who your parents are.'

I stopped and stared, 'who?'

She stopped smiling and looked to the ground, 'we can't tell you, your father told us that we mustn't let you know until he has met you himself...'

'Then how do I know you're not lying?!' I snapped, crossing my arms.

She sighed, 'it's up to you, you can believe us and live here or you can go back to the muggle house.'

I sucked my cheeks then gave in, 'I don't suppose I have any choice.'

'You don't, Lucius has already gone to...talk to your guardians and the orphanage. There won't be any trouble; however did you have any items of meaning at the house?'

I thought, 'no.' I had been given many things over my years as Jen and Steve's adopted daughter but I had not gained any attachment to anything.

She nodded and knocked on the door, 'Draco darling, come out for a moment?'

There was grumbling from the other side of the door then a boy my age, pale, and his hair was the same as his parents – for I assumed that was what they were. We stared at each other for a while before he turned to Narcissa. 'Mother, who is she?'

'This is Kaeryn – she will now be living with us,' she responded.

He looked to me again, 'Why?'

'She fits in better with us than the muggles she was with before, I must go see how Lucius is getting on so could you two become acquainted?'

I shrugged, 'sure.'

She left and the boy and I remained staring, 'Kaeryn is a stupid name.'

I raised my eyebrows, 'I didn't choose it, did I? Anyway, what's yours?'

'Draco, Draco Malfoy.'

I hid my laughter badly, 'what are you, a dragon?'

He scowled at me for a moment, 'I can't believe we're going to have to live together...'

I nodded slowly, 'you're going to have to deal with it, what's the issue? Do you have to share now?' I pushed out my bottom lip, mocking him slightly.

'You still know next to nothing about our world, and mother and father can't guide you through everything.' He smiled smugly...

I looked at him with suspicion, 'they're older, and lived through more so I'm more likely to trust their judgment...'

He shrugged, 'Yes, but it's been ages since they were a young wizard.'

'Like there is actually anything to it.' I snapped, 'now you're just being silly.'

He laughed, 'I had you for a minute though.'

I sighed, giving in, 'yeah, whatever.'

We stood there for a while, awkwardly shifting from each foot, every so often glancing to each other and scowling – from what I remember he looked very feminine for a boy – that might just be the way he looked in photographs but I remember thinking that the harsh personality didn't suit such a pure face.

Narcissa returned, smiling, 'I'll show you to your room... forgive me but your parents...well more specifically your father told us to have a room ready for when we would meet you, so you weren't uncomfortable when you arrived... my this does sound weird, but it'll all come to make sense soon we hope...'

I closed my mind to what she was saying; all it sounded like was excuses as to why I didn't know my family even though I knew really that that wasn't the case.

We reached what was to become my room – it was simple, as they didn't know what to expect I presume – however the furniture was dark much like everything else within the manor. There was a large ebony wardrobe and an ebony double bed – I presumed that was because they had no idea what age we would meet...

I sat on the bed and glanced around – it was nice, and appropriate for the stiff lipped family who owned the house and its rooms. I won't deny that I liked the atmosphere... I felt like I was somewhere I would fit in, something I hadn't felt before... and these people the...'Malfoys' as they called themselves seemed to know something about my heritage.

I got up and looked out of the window; Lucius was walking up the path into the manor. I turned and looked around the room once more – 'It's so odd...' I thought, 'all of it... the magic...the family... how sudden it is... there is no way this is all good...and it's so cliché – moody teen finds great family who know her and take her in...'

There was a knock that stopped me from my thoughts, 'Hi?'

'Kaeryn?' Lucius entered, 'ahh, I know you didn't want anything but I... managed to get something out of them – when they adopted you from the orphanage this was given with you...' Lucius handed me an envelope that seemed like it had something like a ring inside.

He watched carefully as I opened it, I was right – there was a ring, silver with diamond and a black jewel in the middle. I pulled out the letter and read.

My dear Kaeryn,

When you read this, you will know of our world and the wonders it be held for myself and your mother and all being well, will be in the hands of some loyal acquaintances of mine that go by the name of 'Malfoy.'

I can't say much in this letter as my time is limited and by no doubt we shall meet soon after your first year of Hogwarts, a place that I hope will become your home as much as it was mine.

As a young child, I experienced strange things; I could make things disappear, I could make people hurt – for a child who felt like they had no power over anything this was something so magically intense – I was found by an Albus Dumbledore (the now head of Hogwarts) in the orphanage where I had been brought up by the age of 11 and all my magic training began then which led me on to be one of the most powerful wizards of all time. For this – I hope I have made you proud to be the offspring of someone so powerful.

Your mother was one of the most important people in my life – it's a shame she died before being able to see you grow, as it's a shame we couldn't raise you as our own child. We hoped we would be able to but there were instances that meant we were unable to act like parents were supposed to be – I hope this hasn't affected you too badly as I know how not being parented by your proper parents can cause you to become bitter towards the world...my own mother gave me up dying at the steps of the orphanage.

Before your mother died she told me she wanted you to have her engagement ring as she felt it brought her my love and protection when wearing it – she hoped it would be the same for you.

I know I've hardly said anything in this letter, but know that we both love you dearly – I cannot wait to see how beautiful my little baby girl has become.

I will see you soon my child.

Your father.

(P.S. Your true surname is Riddle, adopt it if you wish)

I looked to the ring and slipped it on my finger, it was almost like a dream. How could anything so perfect happen so quickly?

I looked up to Lucius, 'he explains a...few things,' I offered it to him to read but he shook his head.

'What he wrote in there was for you only.'

I looked back to the letter, 'Kaeryn Pandora Avada Riddle...' I muttered, smiling, 'my own surname...'

Lucius quietly slipped out as I put the letter back in the envelope and put it under my pillow.

I sat on the bed and looked around, allowing my eyes to get used to the dark atmosphere of the room and manor.

I went to the door and took a breath before leaving to go find the pale, white haired boy.

My life had changed in only a few short hours.