Welcome to the long summary and opening notes.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I also don't own the books Holdstock wrote. I'm covering that base because some of these ideas are inspired by his Hollowing. Rating may change over the course of the reading. I suggest a mature audience.
Let me begin by saying that my muse has hurled bricks at me in the past, for breaking promises.
None of that here. It's a long idea, something I fell in love with a long time ago. Fantasy and the world of magic capture us like that. Sometimes literally. I won't promise you anything, with this. I have too flighty a muse. I love this idea though. It's lingered for years, long before Harry Potter, the movies, the fame and fashion.
That aside, the story; AU, vastly so. Pre-Hogwarts – briefly, and planning to go... well where it goes. Time won't mean much, and so I imagine those of you who fancy yourselves Cauldron Inspectors may be disappointed. Oh that made me smile.
If you're familiar with other 'Lost in the wood' type stories, you may find this pleasant. I've read one that caught me, and this won't be influenced by it unless I miss my plan entirely. There are a lot of ways those can go. I've yet to see a good "My Side of the Mountain" taken to Harry Potter, but I have seen a good "Jungle Book". This will be neither, but if you read Holdstock, it may look familiar if you squint.
My stories are not fast. They are not frantic. I like to think they engage, but I'm not a writer – I simply write. I hope you like it. I will be introducing some odd elements here that may not see light often. Primal ideals, myths, psychology. Tricksters. High ideals, that in the end mean nothing at all. Mislaid assumptions.
To finish what is at best a ramble of a summary, there will evolve a romance, of sorts. Harry and Hermione, whom I shall focus on. I do not care to go into any other details regarding that. For those of you looking for your exclamation marks, wait!see.