||Rain's Storm||The Sorcerer's Stone||Year 1||

Before

The forest all around the run-down house for miles was dark, and full of muddy paths that led to unwanted destinations. There were four main paths in the Dark Woods; one which led to the Dark Woods Orphanage, another with led to its school, one leading to the village, and another to freedom outside of the woods. Just beyond the path leading to the run-down orphanage, a fight was taking place among the trees in the late evening lightening. 

"Think you're so tough now don't you little rainy rain?" Fang, a large boy with dirty brown hair, jeered as he pulled the girl's arm harder behind her back. The girl, tiny, thin, and black haired, gritted her teeth, refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing her cry. He suddenly threw her to the ground, causing her to land in the mud on her hands and knees. Fang and his three buddies began to circle her.

"I don't think she's learned her lesson yet, do you Puck?" Fang grinned, glancing at the skinny boy across from him.

"I don't think she has either," the boy, Puck, answered with a smirk. He stopped in front of the girl, and raised his fist to strike.

The girl darted between the gap between Puck and the boy beside him. Not daring to glance back, she began to bolt down the muddy lane. She could hear the boys shouting before giving chance. She dared not to look back.

Rounding the corner, she slipped in the muddy puddle of water and hurled head-first into the mud hole. Coughing, she raised herself out of the water with her arms. She panted as she looked from side to side. There was no sign of Fang and the others. Perhaps she could sneak into the ragged house she could home before they found her. It's rotting, white gray steps were not ten feet in front of her.

Getting up slowly, she had barely stood up half way before something tackled her from behind. Yelping, she tried to turn on her back to see who it was but he pinned her to the ground, barely giving her the space to breath without ingesting water. The girl closed her eyes in dread as the boy chuckled, knowing who it was from the mere sound of it.

"Did you really believe you could get away from us little rain? We weren't done playing yet," Snake, a cruel older boy with a nasty temper, sneered in her ear, pushing her down further. She growled in response, causing him to laugh again.

"What are we going to do with her Snake?" Fang asked breathlessly as he skidded to a stop behind him with the others. Snake was quiet in thought, then smiled wildly.

"Why don't we use her for target practice boys? After all, we have all been working really hard on that one spell," Snake suggested, standing up. He pulled Rain up by the arm, gripping onto her tightly. 

"Please Snake, just let me go," the girl whimpered, not daring to look at any of them. They all laughed, the sound like ice coursing through the girl's veins.

"I'm not letting you go anywhere Rain. You humiliated Dug in front of everyone, and I cannot simply allow that to pass unpunished. People would think I'm growing soft." Snake grasped both of her shoulders, spinning her around to face the other three. They were all glaring down at her, cold hatred shimmering in the smallest boy's eyes. He, Dug, still towered over her.

"I didn't mean for that to happen. I don't even know how it did," Rain whispered, unable to look away. All of the boys snorted, not believing her for one second. Snake wrapped an arm around her quivering shoulders. It was a freezing, wet day.

"We might could believe you, but stuff just happens around you a lot. Stuff that simply cannot be explained. It's more than just a mere coincidence Rain," he whispered into her ear. Standing back straight, he flicked her hair over her shoulder. "I promise this won't hurt too badly. We don't wanna kill you. Only teach you not to mess with us." He tightened his hold around the her shoulders as he marshaled her back into the trees.

*

Rain limped back towards the house, clutching her tattered jacket around herself. The downpour had started again, soaking her more thoroughly than she had been already, but she couldn't feel the cold through the remaining pain. Snake and the others had tortured her for hours before leaving her behind; the sun had long since fallen behind the trees of the Dark Woods.

Gingerly picking her way up the creaking steps, she pushed the door open, grimacing as it squeaked loudly. To her great surprise, the fire was still blazing high in the fireplace. It was well past the time Mama Poppy normally went to bed. Unable to contain herself, she crept over to the kitchen door, and gently pushed it open.

Sitting at the tiny table was two figures. One Rain knew well, but the other was a complete mystery to her. She studied them as they turned in their seats to look at her.

One of them, the smaller of the two, was Mama Poppy. She was a young, small woman with mouse blond hair, small blue eyes, and a small mouth and nose. She was the caretaker of Dark Woods Orphanage, and she had been the only person who had ever been even slightly like family to Rain. Her thin mouth was frowning as it always did.

The other person, an old man, was a stranger to her. His silvery white hair was long, and some of it had been pulled into a kind of pony tail under where his chin should be. His face was covered in wrinkles, making him appear ancient. His large blue eyes were kind and warm, something she was not use to. His robes were silver blue, and shone like a star next to the dirty and dark clothing of the people who called the orphanage home.

"Rain, where on earth have you been? It's nearly one in the morning!" Mama Poppy exclaimed, standing up. She guided the girl to a chair beside the fireplace and forced her to sit down. "On top of it you are soaking to the bone and covered in mud! What could you have possible gotten into?" She continued to mutter under her breath as she moved around the kitchen, brewing Rain something warm to drink. Rain did not answer, her focus on the stranger.

"Sit down Poppy. I can get the girl something to drink," the stranger mused. He removed his wand from somewhere, and with a flick of his hand a warm mug appeared on the table. He picked it up gently, and handed it to Rain. She took it with a grateful smile. Mama Poppy sank back into her chair.

"Hello Rain. I'm Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts," the stranger introduced himself. "I was just discussing with Madam Poppy here about you attending my school this year."

Rain frowned. "But I thought children from the Dark Woods couldn't attend Hogwarts because," she hasted, casting Poppy a glance(she was still frowning), before looking back at the man, "because our parents were Death Eaters."

Dumbledore smiled, something hidden in his eyes. "Our parents do not decide who we are. Madam Poppy and I agree that the time has come for things to change. Your parents do not determine who you are Rain."

Rain continued to frown at him, wondering what his true meaning could be. "Go to your room Rain. It's late, and we will have a long day tomorrow. Be quiet, the others are asleep," Poppy grumbled suddenly. Rain glanced at her, then stood.

"Thank you for the tea Mr. Dumbledore. Goodnight Mama Poppy," Rain muttered, setting the cup down on the table. She climbed the stairs to her room, wandering. Who had her parents been to allow her, unlike all of the others, to attend Hogwarts?