Hello guys, just added something here.

WARNING! GRAMMATICAL ERRORS AHEAD!


CHAPTER ONE

Odd One, Stand Out

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Strange Girl


Few years had passed since the murder of Lily and James Potter and the defeat of Voldemort. The young girl has turned 8 years old and Harry has turned 6 years old.

Uphill near the lake, is the orphanage young Maleia resides in. It was a grayish Victorian building two stories tall with a fountain in front of the lobby, in the center. It is utterly a huge orphanage and own the nearby lands close it. Each of the children have a small room of their own. They also have their weekly schedule and strict rules to follow.

The young girl stood in front of the door, staring at the girls laughing together. She wore a blue Sunday's best dress patterned with white polka dots, white high socks and black doll shoes. Her wavy dark hair stopped below her back, half tied into micro braid. She also have a hard time reading English. It was like the letters were dancing or playing around as it spin and jump on each other. At a young age, she was diagnosed with ADHD and Dyslexia.

Gripping at her skirt, she watched the other children in the playground. You could hear joyous laughs, cries of pain and tantrums and loud voices calling to the others. Maleia took a deep breath, encouraging herself before approaching the girls.

"Can I join you?" Maleia asked the girls, hoping they will agree. But to her disappointment, the girls merely gave her a nasty look.

"Go away, you freak. We don't want to play with you." The elder girl said as she pushed Maleia making her stumble a bit nonetheless managed to regain balance herself. The group of kids left the little girl all alone, her head cast down. She turned back, going back inside the orphanage. Maleia stood in front of the window watching kids outside playing. She could hear their laughter and notice the happiness present in their faces as they play together. Overwhelming emotions came over her. Tears began to well up as she recall one of the older kids words. When she arrived in this orphanage, she had a few friends but they soon became adopted into their new families. There was a time a boy was picking on her, she screamed and his nose grew longer. Since then she has been ostracized by the others. The others would glance at her with fear, some with a sneer.

Miss Kate walked down the hallway to see the young girl all alone. It was playtime yet the little girl was not outside with the others. She followed her gaze to the children outside playing. If one is close enough to notice, her hazel eyes held sadness and envy. The woman frowned as she slowly approached her.

"What's wrong, dear? You don't want to join them outside?" She softly asked. The little girl turned to her and shook her head.

"They didn't want to play with a freak like me..." She softly said her head down. Miss Kate could hear the sadness in her tone.

"Oh Maleia. Don't listen to what they say, you are a very bright girl." The woman softly said to her as she hug her.

"I can't read properly like the others because of my dyslexia and causes trouble due to my ADHD." The kind woman stayed silent and listen to the girl. She pat her back as she tell her problems.

"What's worse they think I'm a witch because when Vincent picked on me, his nose suddenly grew longer." Miss Kate hid a grin with a cough. She could remember that event. She was quite surprised to see the poor boy's nose. The time will come when this little girl will know about it. She felt bad hiding it from her, but it is also for her own good.

"Now, how about you read books in the library?" She suggested with a gentle smile.


Many portraits were hang in the walls of the hallway, as she head to the library. The portraits painted in it are mostly the wicked woman the children feared. This was Madam Drusilla. She is a huge woman wearing a derby hat underneath it, her hair is tied into a bun, her body adorned with shining jewelries to the point she could no longer walk and just lay down, her face full of makeup, intense eye shadow and pink lipstick. She wore dark green long sleeve dress that flows down. She is a harsh, haughty, psychopathic, extremely cruel woman, and tyrant who terrorizes children. She always wore a sickly sweet smile and tone. She looked like an evil witch to her or some bossy rich spoiled woman.

Much to everyone's delight, she is always on an overseas trip and gone for few months. She could recall her first encounter with the huge woman on her first meeting with her. All of the children were all standing in line facing each other on the side of the hall. Madam Drusilla pace in the aisle every step she took, echoed throughout the hall and children same with the adults, who are in the other side of the hall watching the kids, always felt nervous. She had no idea who the woman was at first and what was worst, Miss Kate was gone for a vacation with her family in Scotland that day.

The girl entered to be greeted by the kind librarian. She has been the one who helps her through her struggles in reading and writing English.

"Good morning, Miss Veronica." She gave her a broad smile. The woman returned her smile.

"Good morning, Maleia." She ran towards the counter where she sat.

"Are there books I would read today?" She asked, peeking over the counter. Her height was not enough and the girl struggled in peeking above. She decided to hop with the support of the counter. The woman giggled.

"How about you read this book? It is about Greek Mythology." It was an old heavy thick book. You could tell from the texture of the cover and the color of the pages.

"Greek... What?" She tilted her head. The woman explained to her about it and the girl stare at the book in her hands with interest.


Timeskip (Age 10)

The girl sat at the edge of the lake, just a few meters away from the orphanage. She would always go here whenever she felt lonely or bored. This is her favorite place to think and read. She has been fascinated about Greek Mythology as soon as she read one given to her by Miss Veronica in the library. And what's more stranger is that she could read Ancient Greek. Once Miss Kate saw her being able to read it, she was shocked to the least.

A small creature emerged from the waters, nearing her and the girl's lips curled up. She walked towards the shore.

"Hurley!" She cheerfully said she picked up the crustacean. She met the crab back when she was five years old after she finished her chores. Madam Dursilla decided to punish her for her misbehavior by doing chores. They had sessions in Etiquette about being a proper lady, what not and kinda fail at it. But after a few years she kinda hang on it but she kept on being punished. She had always been given the job to clean the stable and groom the horses. To her surprise and amusement, she could understand the horses and makes her job more easier. There are times they will complain about the hostlers being rude, she would just listen to them and talk to them whenever no one's around. They also call her princess at first but soon by her first name or nickname for she convinced them.

Hurley also call her princess at times which greatly confused her more. When she asked him about it, she swore he paled. He will switch the topic to another one whenever she asks that and the girl decided to no longer dwell in it unless the crab was ready to share it.

"Princess, are ya punished by the wicked woman again?" The crab asked as she lay him down on her lap.

"Nope. Also she has been gone for a month. How's your days in the water, Hurley?"

"Strollin' as always. There seems not much to do, 'cept hear the gossips of the fishes which tires me out seriously." He sigh making her giggle. She once went on a swim with the crab and she discovered she could breathe underwater! In the water, she felt free. She would spent her free time, swimming in the lake along with Hurley. Fishes would greet her along the way and strike conversations with her. Couple times she swore she saw a woman when she was underwater in the corner of her eyes but it soon disappears as soon as she turned.

"Are ya swimmin' today?" Hurley asked and the girl shook her head.

"Unfortunately not..." She said as she slowly stood up setting the crab on her shoulders. Hurley's claws dropped, crestfallen. Maleia pat his head with her finger, telling him she will next time. Suddenly, a loud whistle echoed throughout. Maleia's eyes widened at the sound.

"Oh no..."

"Is that?" Hurley shared a look with Maleia. She bit her lip in nervousness.

"She's back..." She muttered as she stand up and ran towards the orphanage.


"Stand in line!" A voice shouted at the scrambling children. The old woman ushered them in the hall. Maleia could hear the children whispering at each other as they stand in line. They lined in two rows perpendicular to each other, a few feet apart.

"Why is she here?"

"Isn't it too early for her to be back?"

"Something probably happened."

The french doors opened with force, revealing the devil itself. The room suddenly was basked with silence. Madam Drusilla stood there with all glory, as if she were the Queen. She took painfully slowly steps, the sound of her heels clacking throughout the hall. Once she reached the center, she stopped and turned to them.

"Good morning, children." The woman greeted with sickly sweet tone.

"Good morning, Madam Drusilla." The children greeted in chorus. She observed the children one by one until someone caught her eye.

"Potter!" She shouted. Maleia froze as the woman called her.

"Would you please get me something to drink." She smiled at the girl with a thin smile. The girl immediately went to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

"Now," The huge woman turned to the children. "How was your days without me?"

Maleia returned to the hall with the water in hand. All of a sudden, a lizard fell from above and landed on the glass. Maleia's eyes widen as she saw the lizard and her blood ran cold when Madam Drusilla took the glass from her.

Taking few steps back to her position in her line, the children saw the lizard in the glass and the woman didn't notice it. They began to giggle as the woman glared at them. She was suspicious at why they were laughing when she got something in her mouth. She look down to see a lizard on her mouth. She spit it out and shriek in disgust making the children laugh louder.

"SILENCE!" The room shook a bit from her loud voice and all of them shut their mouths. Madam Drusilla turned to the culprit.

"You dare to put this thing in my glass, Potter?" She held the lizard in front of the little girl.

"I didn't put that, I swear!" She argued.

"It fell out of nowhere." The woman grabbed the little girl by her arms with her large hands. Maleia struggled to remove the tight gril from her arm. They soon arrived in her office. She closed the door behind them.

"What a little liar." The woman tutted and the girl frowned.

"I am telling the truth." She convinced the woman but she didn't listen. Madam Drusilla circled her like a vulture, her heels clacking.

"You think you can fool me, ?" She taunted. "Children are such nasty little things. Too noisy, bratty and messy." She stopped behind her.

"No wonder you're parents abandoned you. You are a naughty troublesome little girl. Though it's a tragic they died in an accident." The woman grinned wickedly as she mocked the little girl behind her ear. The girl's blood boil in anger. The memories of that night coming back. The lifeless body of their father. Their mother begging to take her instead of her children. Her body lay dead on the ground as the dark figure grew close to them. Her blood boil at the woman's words saying they died on an accident. She turned and shouted at her.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" The woman didn't notice the girl's hair turned red in anger.

"How dare you raise your voice—!" Madam Drusilla wasn't able to finish her sentence when she felt her face drooping. She held her hands to her face and ran to her vanity mirror in the corner of her office. It looked as if her skin were melting like a wax candle. She shrieked as she now ran outside calling for help.

"Someone, help me! My beautiful face!" Maleia stood all alone in the office in consternation, her hair back in its original color.

She looked at her hands in slight fear. Hurley showed himself behind her hair and crawled down to her arm, calming her down.

"It's alright, Mal. Atleast you gave the wicked woman a lesson to never insult you fathe— I mean — your parents." Hurley said. Maleia frowned at his words. She noticed his slip up, but managed to cover it up.

"What's happening to me? Was that magic?" She asked the crab as she stare at her hands. Hurley sigh and set his claw on her small hand.

"I'm not an expert at that thing." He started. "Miss Kate is the one who has your answers."

"What do you mean by that?" She asked. The mention of the woman made her feel mixed emotions. Was Miss Kate hiding from her? From what just happened, there definitely is.


I really love ONE OK ROCK's song: Stand Out, Fit In. Despite the others saying their style of music changed in my opinion, they still sound the same for me. Yeah sure the style changed but the emotions and their deliver hasn't changed one bit. This song suddenly popped into my head when I thought of Maleia's early childhood in the orphanage where the kids think of her as weird and odd.

I swear, I have horrible naming sense... Hope you like this chapter! ٩( 'ω' )و