She barely gets any adoption offers at all, especially not from people who'd be certainly better than staying in the orphanage. Especially not for older children. 

But one chilly morning, there's an unfamiliar face on the orphanage's doorstep. She's dressed smartly - not richly, not quite conservatively, but she wouldn't be out of place in a schoolroom or interviewing as a governess. There's certainly something respectable about her, though there's an uncertain look in her eyes, in the stressed pull of her mouth. 

One of the helpers answers the door. "Hello, ma'am. Are you... here to see Mrs Cole?"

"Yes - I want to inquire about adoption."

"Oh!" She brightens visibly, then belatedly tries to hide that under a facade of professionalism. Don't want to scare the nice lady off. "Come in, please." She steps back to invite the woman in and shows the way to the office, where Mrs Cole, a visibly middle-aged woman is doggedly working down her stack of paperwork. "Someone here to see about adoption, Mrs Cole."

She looks up, takes in the visitor's appearance, and sets her pen down. "Thank you, Nora. Please, sit," she invites.

She does so. "Good evening," she says. "My name is Fay Reynolds."

"Gladys Cole. A pleasure, Miss Reynolds. What brings you to us particularly, if I might inquire?"

"I'm looking for a particular child."

Can't foist one of the troublemakers off then, alas.

"Of course. You have a name?"

"For the parents, and I have an approximate birth date - Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle, and their child would've been born in late twenty six or early twenty seven."

"T- Riddle. Yes, we have a Riddle. Never got the mother's name but she came to us with her newborn on New Year's Eve, nineteen twenty-six. Died just a few hours later, the poor thing."

She looks a bit distantly sad about that. "She was able to give you a name, at least..."

Mrs Cole's smile is slightly strained. "Yes, she did."

"Is the child - well?"

"Oh yes, quite healthy. Never sick even a day."

Hum.

"...What is the process for adoption?"

"Oh, it's quite simple, just a few forms-" that she only has to do a bit of excavating to produce- "and then I can introduce you." Because that way it will be much harder for Miss Reynolds to change her mind about Riddle. Mrs Cole offers a pen.

She takes it, and begins thoroughly reading the forms before filling them out - but doesn't ask to see Riddle first. 

Good. Good. She relaxes slightly.

"You knew the parents, I assume?"

"...Yes. A long time ago."

"I see. I am sorry for your loss." Mrs Cole sounds sincere here, for whatever that's worth.

She just nods.

"How soon do you think you would be planning on taking young Riddle?"

"I have the room now, so - how soon is possible?"

Oh this is working well. She smiles. "Today, if you like."

"...I would."

"Wonderful." Then when Miss Reynolds is finished, Mrs Cole will bring her to the Riddle child's room.

She follows quietly. 

It's one of the very few single rooms, and Mrs Cole knocks perfunctorily on the door before opening it. "Riddle? I'd like you to meet someone. This is Miss Reynolds. She'll be adopting you today."

Suspicious glare over the top of a book from where she's reclined on the bed.

She returns the suspicious glare with a fleeting expression of surprise.  

"Say hello, Riddle," Mrs Cole encourages her.

Mrr. Vague-grunt-that-maybe-could-be-a-word.

"...Hello."

"Riddle..."

"'lo."

"Why don't you get up and start packing? I'm sure Miss Reynolds would be happy to help-"

She sits bolt upright, a fierce expression on her face. "Do not touch my things!"

(This sentiment, Fay may note, is accompanied by a sensation like unto a dozen tiny fists beating on her Occlumency shields.)

Her shields are much stronger than that. She simply raises her hands, and says, "I won't touch them." Then to the matron: "Madam, thank you for your time, but I believe I am able to take things from here."

Very gentle nudge to accept that, and to not think any further on the odd girl she's foisted off onto what's likely a distant relative. (It almost certainly won't be visible to anyone coming behind Fay to check.)

"Of course. A pleasure again to make your acquaintance, Miss Reynolds." And she departs.

...Squint.

She lowers her hands and gives the girl a small smile. "You're an exceptional child," she says, tone light. 

"Who are you really?" she demands.

"Fay Reynolds. A wizard - like you could be." She holds out her hand - and a small red ball of light starts gathering over her palm. 

"Magic," she breathes. "It's real."

"It is, Miss Riddle."

She'll forgive 'Miss Riddle' for magic. "Teach me."

"If you'll come with me, I will."

"All right." She doesn't like the orphanage anyway. She gets up to start gathering up her things (a stack of books, some shiny rocks, a small knife, two changes of clothes).

She waits patiently - her expression flitting from something complicated and withdrawn to a neutral face if the girl glances her way. 

(Which she does, once or twice. Magic or no, best to keep an eye out.)

It doesn't take her long to finish packing. "Ready."

"Then let's get going." She heads out at a sedate pace; a tiny nudge at those they pass ensures no one marks their going, and that the memory of the strange girl will rapidly fade from those present. 

As they step out onto the streets of London - and crowds parting around them unthinkingly - she asks, "Do you dislike your name?"

"Why does it matter."

She's quiet for a long moment, then: "Because your preferences matter. And... This is as good a chance as any to change it."

Mrr.

"I don't like talking about it."

"You don't need to give me a reason. And - if you don't want to pick a name, I can pick one."

"And we can always change it later."

This could be a good test, right?

"You pick one."

"How about..."

"Hecate."

"Hecate..."

She nods.

"That's good."

"I'm glad you like it."

Mm. Little bit suspicious of that. She's having a harder time than usual knowing what Fay is thinking.

"Where are we going?" she asks after a while.

"I have a small flat we'll be living in for now."

"Your own house?"

"A few rooms I'm renting."

"Can't you- magic more than that?"

"It's a bit difficult to do stably."

"Oh." She ponders the notion of magic being difficult.

"What makes it hard?"

"I have protective wards up - and space expansion challenges their stability, is the main one. It also makes it harder for me to hide the residence being magical."

"What do you have to hide from?"

"A good number of people - my day job makes me a lot of enemies, many of them fairly ruthless."

"Oh."

" - I'll keep you safe."

"I think it'd be better than staying at Wool's, anyway."

"...It should."

Hard to be worse really, she thinks.

She lets the conversation lapse after that, continuing to lead Hecate through the city - entirely mundanely, so far. 

This is starting to get further than she's been before, even if there's no more magic in evidence. She begins scanning around the surroundings, staying alert for- anything, really.

The humans around them seem to be totally ignoring them, though there's some interesting architecture - and interesting people - they pass. 

- And a very large, exceptionally fluffy cat that seems to be following them. 

Wow, that's a big cat. Pretty, too.

Biggest, prettiest cat! Nearly in petting reach too. 

Nnnnnot going to stop and pet the kitty in public.

Kitty will keep following her! 

Well, if the kitty gets close and her stride happens to falter and her hand happens to reach out... That's not really something anyone could comment on.

Kitty has a comment! Which is purrrrrrrrr.

That's an okay sort of comment.

Good good, then kitty will do it more! 

Kitty: pretty good.

Kitty very good. 

(Hecate is officially Distracted by the kitty now.)

Fay won't begrudge her that, nor try to get her attention back. 

Then she might not even notice when they arrive at their destination.

She'll get her attention at that point - Fay lives in the attic of a three-story townhouse, which was probably once grand before the street fell into some disrepair. 

Looks pretty good to her, still.

And what really matters is what's inside. 

Are they going to go see?

(Sadly the kitty is not inside.)

Oh the kitty is definitely following them. Kitty lives here too.

They're going inside, yes. (She shows no objection to kitty accompanying them, and in fact sends kitty a fond smile.)

Oh! That's good. She will have more opportunity to make an in-depth study of fluffiness.

"The place isn't very big I'm afraid..." she says. "But you'll have your own room, at least."

"That's good. It took me a while to get my own room at Wool's."

Hum. "I can also teach you to use wards to lock it more securely - that lesson would take a long while, though, and might trade against learning other things..."

"What other sorts of things are there to learn?"

"Quite a lot. What sorts of things do you want to learn how to do?"

"Flying. Teleporting. Better mind-reading. How to stop mind-reading I guess, if other people can do that. Magic for making food. But learning how to lock things securely is important too."

"Making food directly is unfortunately at best unreliable with magic - most argue impossible, at least to have go well. All of the rest... possible, though all of them are difficult - except flying, if you're alright with a method that requires using tools."

"What kind of tools?"

"An enchanted broomstick is the most common in this part of the world."

"Wouldn't that be uncomfortable to sit on?"

"Fixing that is one of the enchantments."

"That might not be too bad, then."

"We'll see how you feel once you're on a broom."

"Is that what you want me to start with?"

"It is - and of the desires you listed, broom flight is going to be the first you'll be able to master, I believe. The others matter, and we'll begin on them - but it'll be good to have an early success."

"I'm good at everything."

"I'm sure you'll show me in due time."

"You'll see."

"I look forward to it."

Can Hecate put her things down now?

Of course - and Fay can leave her to get settled into her room? 

Yeah. With the door shut. (Though kitty can come in if they want.)

Kitty wants! 

Fay respects her space, and leaves her be. 

Hecate dumps her bundle on the bed for now and starts petting the kitty. Today has been mostly good? Just kind of a lot, actually. Not what she was expecting. And Fay seems okay, much better than the orphanage, so far. But she can't be sure yet even though she wants to be (and wanting to be is weird). Not a magic thing, she thinks, she would notice someone trying to do to her what she usually does to other people probably. She just-

Wants this to be real.

Mrrrrr.

Soft fluffy kitty, what wisdom does your fur have if she gets her face real close to it?

Their fur contains the wisdom of SOFTNESS and COZINESS and snuggling up contentedly in a nice patch of sun and curling up next to a human while they pet you. 

...Maybe she is overthinking this. Hecate is going to find some hiding spots for her things and then maybe take a nap with kitty.

Excellent idea! 

Cozynaptime.

Hecate will emerge from her room in about an hour and a half, in a better mood.

Fay is busy reading in the main room (the entire apartment is only three rooms plus a bathroom, two small bedrooms and one medium-sized room apparently used as living room, dining room, kitchen, and library all at the same time). She looks up when Hecate enters and gives her a small smile.

"Hello," she says. "What are you reading?"

"It's on the theoretical frameworks, history, and fundamentals of runic work - I'm mostly re-familiarizing myself with the material, though some of the theory is a new angle, and some of the history is new as well."

"What is runic work for?"

"Many things - wards and enchantments most centrally."

"Oh. Cool."

"It is!"

Hecate has some questions about runes if Fay has time.

She has plenty of time - and plenty of answers. 

Hecate has lots of curiosity about magic!

A good match, then. 

Seems like it.

It's good when things work out like this. 

Very.

They usually don't, in Hecate's experience.

...Then maybe they can start changing that. 

So far, they are.

Good. 

Yeah. It is.

Kitty chooses this moment to wake up and walk out of Hecate's room, giving a demanding 'meow.'

Fay smiles down at them. "Hello to you too, Scarlet."

"Scarlet is their name?"

"Scarlet Be Thy Coat, in full."

"That's very, um, poetic."

"They wouldn't accept any of the other names I proposed."

Giggle.

Smug mrrr.

Clever kitty. Pet pet.

Purrrrrrrr. Yes good, they'll just jump up in her lap now...

Lapkitty! Hecate is winning at life.

(Fay can't exactly disagree.)

So getting back to runes...

There's an awful lot to learn, but Fay can go over the theory now, and some basic applications, and prepare a primer on basic runes for Hecate to read later...

So exciting.

There's a lot more to come. 

Hecate's ready.

Then they better get started in earnest...

Yeah!

(Hecate's stomach rumbles.)

Dinner time? 

....If that's okay.

It is. They can have dinner whenever Hecate's hungry. 

Then... she's hungry.

What are they having?

How about an introduction to wizarding cuisine? 

Does it involve a lot of boiled potatoes?

Not traditionally. 

Then sure.

So she makes a plain but nice dinner - and plain for her probably means extremely fancy for Hecate. There's warmly spiced pumpkin juice, and grilled slices of a savory-sweet squash, and a thick hearty bread, and a chunky vegetable stew...

Weird. But very tasty.

She's glad Hecate approves of her cooking skills. 

Does Fay only eat vegetables?

...More or less, yes. 

Hecate thought you had to eat meat to be healthy, though. Is it a wizard thing?

Hum. "So... The thing food has that's good for you is 'nutrients.' One of those nutrients is protein, which you need for building muscles. One is iron, which you need so your body can make blood. Meat has a lot of protein and iron. So, if your food is otherwise potatoes, it's the cheapest way to get those nutrients."

"But there's other ways to get protein and iron in your diet, so people don't strictly need meat."

"Oh, that makes sense."

"One of the things I'll be teaching you is - more mundane knowledge like that. And how to take care of yourself."

"I know how to take care of myself."

"There's some knowledge that will help, still."

"I guess..."

She turns to finishing dinner with a contemplative silence - though welcoming, if Hecate wants to say something. 

Hecate will eventually have more questions about what sorts of other mundane knowledge Fay was thinking of. Though not as in-depth as this afternoon's discussion. Whether this is because she's getting tired for the day or because mundane things are just inherently less interesting is not yet determined at this time.

She can give a very light overview, at least. 

And soon Hecate is yawning too much to pretend anymore.

Time for bed? 

Mrrrrrrrr....

(Yes, it is.)

Fay would like to go to sleep, at least. She has a big day tomorrow. 

Okay... Bed it is.

"Goodnight, Hecate."

"Good night, Miss Reynolds."

And to bed with them both. 

For how sleepy she is, she stays awake a long time after getting into bed. Somehow she can't stop turning the day over in her head, rotating and rotating and rotating the events until unnoticed she slides into dreams.

The next morning, she wakes late and ungracefully. Any talking can wait until after breakfast.

Eventually, though, she will collect enough of herself to ask if there are plans for the day.

"I'd like to get you a bit more settled in, to the apartment and neighborhood - so you know where things are around here."

"Though... Sometime in the next few days, I'd like to introduce you to my broader family."

"Like... parents?"

"My father and nephew."

"Are they wizards too?"

She shakes her head. "No, they're muggles - non-magical people, that is."

Probably it would be rude to say 'then why do you care', huh.

"Do they know about magic?"

"Yes. I told them about it."