First Real Friend

As Neptunia led the others to the zoo, she kept glancing at the watch. They had loads of time till the zoo actually closed, but if they wanted to split up then she would have to enforce the buddy rule.

She smiled at the ticketkeeper and paid the amount and walked inside. She was immediately surrounded by faces as they all begged with puppy eyes where they wanted to go.

"Right, Rowan you are with Harold and Bree. MJ, you'll be taking Jake, Zee and Juliet. The terror three you'll stick together and come with-"

The triplets shook their heads and claimed that they would stick together and not bicker over every little thing and begged her to let them go. Neptunia looked at their puppy dog eyes, pretending to resist them before she slumped over exaggeratedly. "Okay. Come back here after an hour and half. Have fun."

Everyone ran off and out of the corner of her eye she could see a thin boy with black hair and green eyes staring at her. She turned towards him, smiled and waved before walking off to the reptile exhibit. As she walked around, watching the snakes with a sombre expression. She stopped at a boa constrictor and murmured to herself. "What wouldn't you do to be free?"

To her astonishment, the snake rose up and tilted its head and nodded. "Hi, I'm Neptunia. Sorry to disturb you."

She saw the snake shake its head and lay back down while closing its eyes but not before it winked. She stared at it and smiled slightly. Suddenly she saw a man and his son rap on the pane, man! Was the child a spoiled pig. The walked off and the boy she had seen earlier stood next to her staring at the boa constrictor with an odd feeling of understanding.

"Must be annoying, people rapping at you like that."

The snake rose up and rolled its eyes as if to say he got that all the time.

Neptunia spoke up, "Where did you come from?"

The snake jabbed its tail at the sign on the wall nearby, it read that the boa was from Brazil.

The boy spoke next, "Was it nice there?"

Neptunia smiled, "I would love to go there."

The snake shook its head and jabbed again. "Oh" The boy looked at the sign, it read that he was bred here in the zoo. "Sorry about that." Harry said and Neptunia continued on, "Have you never been to Brazil?"

As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump.

"DUDLEY! MR DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

'Dudley' or the fat boy to Neptunia came over, waddling as fast as he could."Out of the way, you," he said, punching the emerald-eyed boy in the ribs. Neptunia growled as her hair turned red and caught by surprise, said boy fell hard on the concrete floor. Neptunia turned her attention to him and provided him with a hand so he could get up.

What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, another boy and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.

Neptunia and the boy next to her gasped, the glass had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out on to the floor - people throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.

As the snake slid swiftly past them and Neptunia could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigosss."

Blinking Neptunia replied, "Your welcome?"

The boy turned to her, "Did you do that?" Neptunia shook her head and checked her watch, she had ten minutes. "My name is Harry. Harry Potter, who are you?"

Neptunia held out a hand, smiling brightly, "My name is Neptunia Black. Nice to meet you, are you, my friend, now?"

Harry slowly nodded before turning to the man as they slowly recovered. "I have to go or they'll be mad."

Neptunia frowned, hair turning red and orange again, "They don't hit you...do they?" Harry shook his head, Neptunia relaxed, her hair turning normal, nodding as it did so. Harry hesitated as if he wanted to ask a question but then walked away so as to not get caught.

Neptunia turned and walked away, meeting up with the others at the gate. They form their usual line and walk on. While they were exiting, Neptunia saw Harry and waved. He smiled and waved back, causing Neptunia to smile wider and walk on a funny feeling in her heart. Oh, she had gotten her first friend. He liked her hair. He didn't think it was weird. They bonded over a snake. Neptunia giggled as they rounded a corner.

When they reached the orphanage, Neptunia let the others walk in before stepping in at exact 5:58. Neptunia turned to the others, "Go study. Before she comes and checks on us."

Neptunia stands still at the gate as she turns to lock it. She gazes at it, smiling. She had a friend, she had made a friend and she deserved it. The lizard was wrong. The lizard was wrong. the lizard was-

"You are late."

here. The lizard was here. Neptunia's smile slid off her face as she turned to suck in a sharp breath. "Sorry, ma'am. I wasn't late, I was merely locking the door."

The woman walked forward to grab the collar of her hoodie and shook her, "Did you just question me? Talkback to me?"

Neptunia gulped, "No ma'am." A resounding slap was heard in the room as Neptunia fell to the floor clutching her face. The woman stepped forward in her heels pressing down on her stomach. "What did you say?"

Neptunia whimpered out a sorry before grasping at the leg, trying to get it off. Mrs Crawley stepped off only to kick her in the stomach. Neptunia tried to hold back the bile that rose up in her throat and succeded as she clutched her stomach. Mrs Crawley sniffed snootily as though she had smelt something bad. "You need a lesson. Take it off." Mrs Crawley walked to her liquor cabinet and pulled out her favourite whip but while doing so a wine bottle fell to the floor. She screamed with frustration and readied her whip.

Neptunia whimpered and silently choked out a sob. Neptunia took off her hoodie. On the outside, she was whimpering and stuttering out apologies but on the inside, she was screaming and crying out in pain and anger. This spiteful and hating woman had nothing else to do so she tortured children.

What had she done to deserve this? She wanted her Uncle Sev. She wanted to run and run and make sure that Mrs Crawley wouldn't catch her but doing so would endanger the others so Neptunia just knelt there taking it. The wine bottle's glass cutting into her knees as she watched the wine form a puddle.

She could feel a trickle of blood go down her back. A particular harsh blow made her fall forward. Neptunia closed her eyes, oh how she wanted it all to end.

The blows stopped, "Oh, you got a letter for your eleventh birthday. When is it again? I don't care. I'm leaving for a few days. I won't be back till the 12th of next month." The woman stepped back as a cruel smirk appeared on her face, she dropped the letter right above the puddle of wine..blood? Neptunia didn't know but her hand shot out to grab it as it fell.

The women scowled and walked out with her suitcase. Neptunia sighed. She groaned and shifted. She got to work. The wine moving and floating down the sink as the air opened the tap and Neptunia used the water to clean her back, knees, hands and floor. Air also brought the bandages over so she could wrap herself up. She used the band-aid to cover her knees as she used her hand to take out the band-aid on her cheek. Like always, it scabbed over.

Soon enough, the room was spotless. Neptunia opened the letter and found a necklace along with a paper. She gasped, "Oh, Oh."

Neptunia grabbed the letter and started reading it. Neptunia mumbled as she read it. "Mother died giving birth. Father is 'traitor'. To whom? Harry's parents. who were best friends, more like family which made it all more painful? We'll see if he's an actual traitor...oh. Oh god...Voldemort. No...ugh. Voldemort? More like baguette. Idiot. Godfather is somewhere. Uncle is a teacher at Hogwarts? Hogwarts is a school for gifted witches and wizards. The necklace was given to me by the elemental community? He doesn't what that is either so okay. What are these now? Instructions on money; galleons, sickles, knuts...what...okay. Diagon Alley. The leaky cauldron? Someone will pick me up? When?! What if the lizard is here. Oh, on 31st July, not too long then. Harry's birthday?! What...what...okay. I'm fine"

Neptunia took a deep breath. Her world was changing rapidly and she didn't know how to react to it. Was this a joke? No, it's far too detailed, not to mention there are some truths in it. She took a deep breath in and glanced at the clock. She had to go for her waitressing job. Neptunia climbed the stairs and opened the door to the boy's room where everyone sat together and chatted.

Neptunia smiled, "The lizard is gone till the 12th of August." Cheers rang throughout the room. "Now, since your summer vacations have started and your schools won't open till the 1st of September. Your bedtime is eleven, not nine. I want you all in bed when I come back to the orphanage okay?" She was met with various nods and she smiled back at them as she walked out and grabbed her bag.

When Neptunia had finished her dinner rush job, she walked to the library, hoping it was open. And to her luck, it was. She stepped in, to see Mrs Abigail arranging some folders on her desk. Mrs Abigail looked up to see a hesitant, unsure and afraid little girl which looked nothing like her little bright and vibrant reader.

"Um..Mrs Abigail?"

"Yes?"

"Mrs Crowley is gone till the twelfth of August and I need your help creating a case against her."

Mrs Abigail furrowed her eyebrows, what on earth was this child talking about? Was the woman actually that bad? Actually, nevermind that! That horrid women left them alone and Neptunia had to work for money! SHE WAS GOING AWAY AND THAT IS FINAL.

"Mrs Abigail?"

"That lizard is going away for a long-time sweetheart. Don't you worry child."

Neptunia gasped and cried in happiness as her hair turned into a flurry of emotions and changed into a rainbow of colours. She dropped her bag and ran at the librarian and hugged her.

"Let's get started shall we?"

"Yes, Mrs Abby!"