When I went home for Summer, after my third year, I was constantly on edge. After the murder of Cedric Diggory, and the resurrection of Voldemort, I was just waiting for something bad to happen.
When my social worker called me down stairs in the second week of the holidays, I had a hunch that something was wrong.
"Zoe, I have great news for you. You have been adopted" she told me.
Those were the words I would have done anything to hear a child, but right then, they sent a chill through my spine.
There was something unnerving about the way she spoke, and the strange look in her eyes. Like she wasn't quite sure what was going on.
It looked as if she had been stunned, or something similar. Which confirmed my fear, that whoever had 'adopted' me, had magic, and wasn't a good person.
When a muggle looked at my file, they saw a troubled teen, so the chances of me getting adopted, were zero.
"Who has adopted me?" I questioned.
"A husband and wife by name of Malfoy. They are in the next room, finishing off the paper work" she answered.
I knew the name Malfoy. Draco Malfoy was in the year above me at school, and he held a grudge against my friend Ginny, and her family.
The Malfoy's were a family of pure-bloods, all of which were in Slytherin. Similar to my own family.
Harry believed that Draco's father, Lucius, was a Death Eater, and I believed him.
So whatever reason he had for wanting to adopt me, it wasn't good.
Ever since Voldemort's rebirth, I expected him to build up his army again. And since a lot of his old Death Eaters, are dead, I thought that he would try and track me down.
Which meant that if I went with the Malfoy's, bad things were likely to happen to me.
My social worker headed towards the door, but before she had a chance to open it, I ran in the opposite direction, planning to get as far away from there, as possible.
I had my wand on me, as I had been keeping it with me at all times, in case of emergencies. So I summoned my suitcase from my room, which I kept packed in case I ever had to make a run for it.
I knew that everyone was in the dining room, eating dinner. So I felt safe knowing that no muggles would see the case moving on its own.
Once I had it, I made my way to the back door of the orphanage, praying that the Malfoy's hadn't brought any of their Death Eater pals to guard the exits.
Luckily I made it out O.K. But it was then when I realised I had no where to go.
I had a house that my parents had left me, but if I went there, the Malfoy's were bound to find me. If I wanted to stay hidden, I had to stay off the grid.
Which meant I couldn't ask Harry for help, even if I knew where he lived. Which I didn't.
I was too young to apparate. And if I used magic, the Ministry could trace me. So I wanted to avoid using my wand from then on, if I could help it.
Being an orphan, meant that I was used to surviving on very little. And having a house elf I could summon at any point, would also make living on the streets easier.
Saffy's magic was different, and wasn't being traced like mine was, so I planned to use her, to help me survive.
Although I had no clue what my plan was for the long run. I could only think in the short term.