Thanks to their little adventure, Ophelia and Paul got back to Birmingham two days after the rest which automatically meant the other orphans would ask questions. They didn’t. They were eager to ask but director Blair was ready to punish whoever dared speak a word about that unfortunate event. That was the code name: unfortunate event. If children wanted to speak about it, they’d call it that or the fairy event. The girls were sure that fairies kidnapped Paul and Ophelia and they let them go when more people entered the forest. The boys wanted to believe it was the Tree Monster, character made up by Paul.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡil8gTmKMTh
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGe5Lfp1YP
It was very strange for the next months. Paul could vaguely remember things from the forest but Ophelia’s memories about that incident were completely erased. She tried to make something in order to remember but it was in vain. All the peculiar stuff around her intensified to the point she almost caught fire in her own bed. By the time director Blair came in, the children were confused and the fire around Ophelia vanished. Moments like that followed in the next year until something amazing happened.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjayAzrFrgu
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjE4tF14Uy
“Pheli, come! There’s a family here! They want to adopt you!” Rosaline whispered, urging for her roommate to follow her.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsiJugEl8X
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVma4MoFiUL
There was a family, a man and a woman, looking very posh. The door to director Blair’s was closed but there was a certain crack in the wall, a small hollow made by Marcus and the other boys. Ophelia peeked inside and listened.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfjxWhkoeY
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxfPwAKL0u
“Are you sure you want to adopt her? She’s a bit peculiar.” The director whispered to a man who was twice her height.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTwTgSzVkL5
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUe6QbQzxR
The man nodded, “We’ve seen her at every visit and my wife fell in love with her.”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfFc8Mp4AMl
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEFXwl4uI8
“Are you sure? Once you adopt her, she will get attached to you and your wife. She’s not a toy, Mr. Molley.”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbG2D5n8YVv
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtaWZd6ro8
“I am very much aware of that, Mrs. Blair. I want to raise this child as if she’s my own flesh and blood.” Mr. Molley answered coldly, a bit offended.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHzM5uGxfL
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8k5VEXwy11
“Very well then. You have to know that Ophelia’s mother died during a robbery and her father has been missing for a while. From what I know, he doesn’t want anything to do with her.”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSOl4gb1bx
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw6tUZkw6Sv
That might have been correct but Ophelia frowned. She’s never met her father but she wanted to; she wanted to ask him where he has been all this time.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCw9TLL1MMK
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NqGuzwBCQ
Mrs. Blair continued to give more details about the custody process but Ophelia retreated into her room. Rosaline and Evelyn followed her and sat down on her bed.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpD2coMV6kc
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwI99qjmcj
“You should be happy. You’ll have a family.” Rosaline started, playing with her cherry blonde hair.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dr1MfKR6X
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLotM3fRIGH
“It feels like I’m being tossed to some strangers.” Ophelia mumbled, leaning her chin on her knees. “Besides, I do have a father.”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Z6EepelFc
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60xh3a8H2U
“He doesn’t want you. You’ve been here for three years and he didn’t visit once.” Evelyn mumbled sorrowfully, “My mother is the same. She gave me away just to run off with a French man.”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgl1hx5KRT
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUKhGU4itv
“But I don’t want to leave.” Ophelia mumbled, feeling lonelier than ever before.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHmuAl0SHXu
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcG0WcUEYv
But it wasn’t her choice. Richard and Gloria Molley adopted the 9 years old Ophelia and after a few months, she moved in with them. Unlike what she imagined, life was happier. There were a lot of things Ophelia didn’t know and Gloria Molley was delighted to teach her daughter everything. But peculiar things were still happening to her; she just kept them hidden from her new parents.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3A9tTkOFh
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfYusqrEQ6
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaSdqJVXZd
During a birthday party in the neighborhood, a magician came over to perform. A bunch of ten years old children were enjoying themselves with parents watching over them from their little table.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjs8nn3jhtL
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgt7eQXdfoG
“See this topper? I can make funny things appear from it!” The magician told the children. “Abracadabra, mini moo!” He chanted, swaying his hand over the topper. He walked in front of a boy and pushed the topper closer to him.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvhPomEYd3
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm17hoaOC0f
The boy pulled a colorful scarf from it. Next, the magician asked for another one who pulled a rabbit. Ophelia was a bit offended, knowing those were easy tricks. She grabbed a jelly bean and watched from the side.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rft5DFbbY
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDENrZxIbE
“Now, let’s make someone disappear! Here, this magical cloak will send you to another world, full of chocolate and magic.” He said, grinning wildly at the children. “What about you?” He asked Ophelia. “Come, come! Don’t need to be shy!”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJFFX8i9UK
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGSZljimka
She couldn’t believe she had to go in front of everyone. Ophelia glanced at her mother but Gloria only urged her to go and have fun. Well, she wasn’t the one covered, it seemed. The birthday girl came up as well and asked to be sent to this wonderful place for children.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvsSqzKcjZ
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcU36yp1Qg
“Then, let’s change this a bit!” His smile cracked a bit but he agreed anyway, “You, what’s your name?” He asked Ophelia.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLzXlzXFBY
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3lQVWurk1
“Ophelia.” She answered with no enthusiasm at all.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8hzyuKiua
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2Nn0secGr
“Take this cloak, Ophelia, and cover your friend with it. Say the magic words Abracadabra and we'll see what happens.” He said, sweating already.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjdBGHD1di
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt2trKhoE8I
Ophelia covered the girl and said the magic words but something was different. She felt her hands tingle and quickly pulled the cloak off. The girl was gone.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXP8DpvA7ok
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKepVO0IHrC
“Bravo! Now, let’s get our birthday girl back!” He said.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDmXE1Z4RO
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGeYevOUm9
They couldn’t. No matter how much they tried and how much they checked, the girl was gone. While parents got up and ran to their children, accusing the magician, Ophelia felt guilty. That tingling in her hands made the girl disappear. It was her fault.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xQ1IE2dz6
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKZt1s9IG9
“Mom, I swear. I did it! I made her disappear and now, I don’t know how to get her back!” Ophelia continued like that for the whole way home but Gloria didn’t even consider it.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjUBFcIFcW
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnhlwuwr5J
“You’re a child. You did nothing wrong but went along with that so called magician. He probably kidnapped the poor girl. Did they announce the police, Richard?”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLGRCqjf4A
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvdlzvuh7o
Richard Molley was a detective so he knew first if there was something wrong in Birmingham.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJS3lgDLwG
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGP1rbMiVqf
“I called Martin and he’s got that magician at the station already. If he doesn’t recognize tonight, I’ll make him say everything tomorrow morning.” Richard said in an authoritarian tone.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumpm698lfH
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDolI3icSu6
Ophelia tried to say something but Gloria’s glare made her run into her room and hide under the covers. While standing there, in silence, she opened her palms and moved them side to side. Nothing happened. She closed them in tight fists and opened them again, this time something amazing forming in her palms. Her eyes widened and decided to keep that a secret.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYhqyBrqay
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJr9KZW25TL
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0GzjEK3vCO
Next day, Richard went to work without having breakfast. Gloria had a meeting and Ophelia was supposed to stay over at a friend, Elena. For the whole morning, Ophelia kept her hands on her lap or behind her back, afraid that her mother would find her secret. Nothing happened, even at Elena’s place.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HndSzrPxk
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnXK8tDsPYH
The two girls were in the park behind Elena’s house when she noticed a man standing a few feet from them.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAjC4bNHf5
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2cpEPRfyB
“We should speak to strangers.” Elena whispered.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDscdMMaSkT
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8vi2r9HUv
“Something about him seems familiar, though.” Ophelia said tilting her head to the side.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1GXq2AN9Z
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoY0aUpYhv8
She got up and got lured to the mysterious man.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kOnwGXLgV
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46hkAMF5KL
“Do I know you?” Asked a ten years old Ophelia.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJcwPVkRmO
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDUxW1gmit
He beckoned her closer and smiled suavely.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54tcUTGYVA
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6XbCeRkYTV
“You don’t remember me, do you Ophelia?” He asked softly.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvBppFQgku
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIY1lY8S6Dy
The girl shook her head, confused. “Should I?”1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xhEHf0tJ3
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDy4S02mI99
Those empty eyes of Tom Riddle Jr softened only a tiny bit at the sight of his daughter. Ophelia was definitely different from what he imagined her to be: she was witty, stubborn and held a desire to control everyone and everything around her. She was much more like him than she was like Lillian and it pleased him. He could see it in her eyes, the desire to affirm herself.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4kc4CATAQ
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ52Eav3YrkW
Tom's smile shifted into a smirk and he said something that earned Ophelia’s curiosity.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcJrmvAb4Z
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0QKazF7W0
“You can do great things, can’t you? Things that your friends or parents can’t do.” He whispered, her green eyes widening.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZExWLZIpOm
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6qOW1whQR2
"I don't know what you mean, mister."1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfmWHUthYiV
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqibnylusJ
But Tom grasped his wand and made flowers appear around her. She squeaked in delight and looked up at him with those green eyes of hers.1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFHkONuQJu
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1WgIgpE1H
"I can teach you how to do it too but you have to keep it a secret. When time comes, your guardians will understand."1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7kSZbDHzwB
1054Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTAo39DABM9
A year later, Ophelia finally understood what that man meant. On the morning of her eleventh’s birthday, Ophelia Molley got her Hogwarts letter.
