Disregarded

In The Shadows

Rain poured down on the streets. It tapped on the window, waking a young girl. The blonde haired mess walked to the window and opened it, allowing the droplets of water to soak into her skin. In her mind she willed the water to gather and drench a man coming out a shop across the road. As soon as his foot hit the street, a gloriously large raindrop splashed upon him. He cursed as he pulled out an umbrella from his briefcase. A slight smile played on this young girl's lips. She knew it was her doing. She heard footsteps echoing outside her retched room. She frowned and closed the creaking window. Quickly, she combed her wet hair down. Without a even a simple knock on the door, in came the orphanage's director.

"Clarity Hughes. We have a new child. He is around your age. I would like you to come down to the dining room along with the rest of the children. Understood?" Mrs. Cole asked curtly. Clarity gave a stiff nod. Her long blonde hair shaking along in the movement.

"Very good." Swiftly, she turned and exited the small orphan's room. Clarity's little hands reached for bed covers. A new hole had appeared. The orphan girl knew that the mouse had been lurking in her bedroom and chewing on her sheets. Her small thin hands felt the ripped blanket. The seams stitched itself back together. She nodded at the newly mended blanket and made her bed. Her footsteps surrounded her as she made her way down the stairs to the dining room. The voices of the other children were growing louder as she neared them. When she arrived, a group of girls glared at her. The boys flicked at her hair or made faces at her. But, this young orphaned girl showed no emotion. She walked right past them all. Slipping in a dark corner behind everyone else, Clarity noted the excitement in the air. All the other children were excited to meet this new arrival. Clarity on the other hand, knew that this young boy would be like the rest. That was her reasoning for having no interest in him.

"Children, quiet. We need to set the table and add another chair. Eric, go get the chair. Amy, tidy up the room he will be staying in." Directed Mrs. Cole. The two orphans left in a scurry to accomplish their duties. The rest of the children resigned to the kitchen. Clarity was left to was last nights dishes. The other children dried the wet dishes and set the table. After a half hour or so, Clarity's hands had wrinkled like raisins from being soaked in the water for so long. She was going through the last bit of silverware. She grabbed a piece of silverware, ready to be finished, and rubbed off the food on it. A sharp pain went through her hand. She examined and had noticed that her hand had started to bleed from the sharp knife she had carelessly washed. A small sigh left her lips. Setting the knife down and wiping her hands dry, she traveled to the dining room once again. As she in settled her dark corner, unnoticed, she examined her cut. She could use her "power" to heal it but, it provided something to do instead of listen to the common gossip among the other orphans. The blood smeared onto her other hand. Her gentle thumb pressed down on the slit open skin. Mrs. Cole's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Children, I would like to introduce to you our new orphan." She gestured for a young boy to come into the light of the dining room. Clarity's cut vanished from her mind as she took in the image of this boy. He had pale skin and dark short hair that slightly curls around his forehead. His green eyes were tinted blue. They skidded across the faces of the children surrounding him. The only face he did not see was Clarity. Because she preferred not to be seen. That was why she stayed in the shadows.

"This is Tom Marvolo Riddle."