He wasn't like the other children; he'd known that from the start.
At one stage, he even dared to believe it made him special in a way. That his lack of so-called normalcy set him apart from his peers, gave him some kind of an advantage over them.
The idea that he was worth anything was forced out of him before he was 5.
NerdThat's what the older children called him he taught himself how to read.
LonerWas what the social worker had labelled him when he chose to spend his him in the dark corners of the building, reading whatever he could get his hands on.
TroublemakerThey determined when they would find him, battered and bruised, as a result of altercations with older children.
FreakWas the verdict when he abnormal happenings occurred in his presence.
He knew he caused them, he knew it within himself he could make things happen just by thinking them. But once again, as another couple unable to conceive a child entered the near-derelict building, searching through the pile of Wards of the State to determine who their adopted child would be, he just wanted to be Normal.
He hated having a stigma attached to his file, he saw the worried looks pass over the prospective parents faces, he heard the hushed warnings of the overseers, cautions against that child, the troublemaker. The freak of Nature.
Nobody wanted to adopt a child with his array of problems. A sickly sallow child, who appeared malnourished and photosensitive, was not the prime candidate for adoption.
Your parents left you here, even they couldn't stand you. They dumped you on our doorstep. Why would anyone else waste their time? When there are children so much better than you?
He didn't believe the mantra that was drummed into him, not to being with anyway. But now, as he watched more children leave, to live with a family, maybe even go to school, he found himself believing it.
Even now, as he sat in the dark recesses of the old state building, reading a tattered copy of Brave New World that he had found in the common room, he believed it. He hated himself for his abnormalities, for being a freak. If he were ordinary, if his was normal, if he was worth something, a family would come and they would take him out of this hell, they would send him to school, they would make him happy.
But he would never be normal, or ordinary. He was a freak and he was worth absolutely nothing.
He heard the old decrepit floorboards creak, signalling someone's imminent entrance to the room. He pushed himself up against the wall; trying to make himself as small and inconspicuous as possible, maybe even disappear.
A small crest of light appears under the door, as it's slowly pushed open to reveal a tall, well built man with scruffy brown hair, "What are you doing in here, Thomas?"
"Reading", he answered, opening his eyes and a little disappointed he hadn't disappeared.
"In a wardrobe?"
Thomas sent his eyes downcast, refusing to meet Stuart's, "And locked too, I see. Rather talented to lock the door from the outside, Thomas"
Thomas simply shrugged, mumbling a few words under his breathe.
"Fine, if you don't want to tell me then. You need to follow me to the office, someone we need you to meet"
Stuart waited for Thomas to get himself out of the wardrobe, and then turned his heel, heading towards the Orphanage office. Thomas lowered his head, his long black hair covering his face, but it was not enough to keep the laughs and snickers directed at him as his passed other children, all whispering to each other about the freak.
He entered the office, one of the few decent rooms in the entire building. It was nothing special, a simple wooden table and chair, a few ornaments here and there, photos on the walls and paper seemingly everywhere, but it was comfortable.
Stuart took a seat to the side of the room, while Thomas remained standing. At the desk sat a middle aged couple, rough looking, however only the woman looked cold. The man, perhaps a few years younger than his companion seemed strict but fair, almost welcoming.
"Ms Dale, Mr O'Riordan, this is the boy I told you about, Thomas." The old director, Mr Peterson motioned towards the small boy.
"Thought you said he was eight" Ms Dale snapped.
"Indeed, he is" Mr Peterson
"He's tiny. Looks no older than five"
"Ms Dale, I did try to explain, Thomas is a… an unusual case…"
"I run a Foster Home, Mr Peterson, not a paediatric ward. I do not have the time nor the resources to help one hopeless case such as this"
Thomas lowered his head, he was use to being the centre of arguments, but it never lessened the blows when people debated over him like an objected, when neither party wanted something as tainted as he.
"We will, however, make an exception this case", a new voice entered the conversation, starling Thomas. He looked up in the direction of the voice to see the quiet Mr O'Riordan staring directly at him.
"Mr O'Rior…" Ms Dale began to reprimand, but was cut off by a strong Irish brogue.
"… I have read Thomas' reports and evaluation. There seems no real problem, other that he likes his privacy and his books" Mr O'Riordan smiled at Thomas, "And that is hardly a fault, Thomas. Quite the contrary, actually. Would you like to come with us? Perhaps, go to school?"
Thomas could not contain his joy. Family? School?! It was a dream come true.
"I… can… Yes! Yes, I would like that a lot"
"Excellent, it's settled then. We have a Foster home in Little Whinging, in Surrey. There is a Primary school not far from where we live, I'm sure you would be able to attend there"
Thomas was sure he was dreaming. Things – good things – like this, they never happen to people like him. The adults continued the conversation, organising the necessary arraignments to have the boy relocated, paper work completed and all formalities dealt with.
Thomas couldn't believe he, He was getting a Family.
Chapter 3: Thomas a.k.a. Severus, moves into Little Winging and meets Harry.
Also, should let you kids know, Chapter One wasn't serious because I was a little tipsy (on Absinth, no less) and so it wasn't written as planned. So far, I'm just setting the scene – filling in a few facts and such. Is pretty much an AU for the books eventually, but I actually have a fair idea of where I'm taking this, so there is hope I just may finish it!
Please review too ;)