Harry Potter and the Legend of the Animagi
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Harry Potter! This is just an idea I had, and will update as I get the urge to write. Be nice and Please don't flame me!
Prologue 1
Lily Evans Potter looked at the ruins of the McKinnon family home. Her best friend, Allison Trent McKinnon, had been celebrating with her in-laws, ex-husband, and baby daughter when Voldemort and the Death Eaters had attacked. Thomas and Marlene McKinnon were both Aurors and members of the Order of the Phoenix, so they were prime targets. Everyone else was just collateral damage. She began crying as she covered her friend's face with a cloth.
James walked up to his wife, "I'm surprised that she was with them, since she and Brad finalized their divorce last month."
"Marlene insisted that she come. Rachel is still her granddaughter, and ever since Allie's parents died, she knew Allie had no other family."
"Have they found Rachel's body yet?"
"No, not yet. They found the body of the other grand baby, Nicole, but no sign of Rachel. I can't believe it, Rachel is the same age as Harry and she's already gone. I saw her and Allie just last week and Rachel and Harry were laughing and smiling at each other. I don't want to believe they're gone." Lily wiped the tears from her face, and sighed. "There will be time for tears later. Right now we need to keep going."
A sudden wailing broke through the night. "What is that?"
"It sounds like a baby!"
James had an idea. "Hey, Padfoot! We could use your nose."
Sirius Black nodded and transformed into the big black dog that had given him his nickname. He began nosing through the rubble, trying to find the source of the cry. About a minute later, he began barking over by another body.
Lily ran over and moved the body of teenage Abigail McKinnon and a blanket. Underneath she found a wailing four-month-old Rachel. "You're alive! How did you survive, little one?"
Sirius transformed back into his human self. "I can smell a sleeping potion. My guess is that someone dosed Rachel to make it look like she had been killed, and then hid her. No clue as to who did it, but at least there is one survivor. What is going to be done with her?"
Professor Dumbledore walked up to them, "There is one other member of the McKinnon family alive, Lisa. She is working as an attache for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Embassy in America. I think she would be a good person to send Rachel to."
James stared at him in horror, "Lisa, one of the strictest prefects ever in the history of Hogwarts? You seriously think she would be a good option. Lily and I can take the baby in. Harry is the same age and we already have an on-call babysitter with Uncle Sirius here."
"Hey!"
Dumbledore shook his head, "I wouldn't ask that of the two of you. Lisa is Rachel's aunt, and Voldemort doesn't operate in America. It's the safest place for her to be with him on the loose. You can take care of her until I talk to Lisa and see what she says. If she feels she can't care for the girl, you and Lily can keep her."
"Okay, that's good enough for me. Is it okay with you, Lily?"
"Of course. Allie was my best friend and if this is the last thing I can do for her, then I will without complaint." Lily cuddled the little girl and began calming her down.
Sirius patted Rachel on her little blonde head, "You look just like your mother. It's a good thing you do, that way you'll know what she looks like."
Prologue 2
Harry slumped to the ground of the Atrium of the Ministry of Magic after he saw Lord Voldemort Disapparate after Dumbledore appeared. Dumbledore was talking with Minister Fudge and other Ministry officials. Harry didn't care, he was just exhausted.
Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna soon joined him. Harry was at first relieved that they were all okay, but then he realized that one was missing.
"Ron, where's Ginny?"
Ron gulped, looking pale and terrible, "Downstairs. She was attacked in the Death Room by Bellatrix Lestrange, and fell off the stairs. She... she... she..." He couldn't finish his sentence.
"Ginny landed on her neck," Hermione quietly said. "Her neck was snapped. She didn't have a chance."
"Ginny's dead?" Harry gasped. "Ron, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let her come..."
"She wanted to come, just like the rest of us," Hermione reminded him. "We all knew this could happen. Ron's parents are with her body now."
First Sirius, now Ginny, I am such an idiot. Because I was stupid and fell for Voldemort's trick, two people are dead. These thoughts raced around in his head until Harry fainted. The thoughts ceased as he finally gave into blessed unconsciousness.
Prolouge #3
Rachel Allison McKinnon-Trent stared out of the window, wishing her life to go back to the way it used to be. Two weeks ago her aunt, the only family she had left, had been killed. When Lisa McKinnon died, Rachel's visa hadn't been renewed, and so she was going to get deported back to Britian.
"Hey, Redtailia?" she turned her head toward the speaker.
"Oh, hi, Candace. What's up?" Candace was one of the witches who Rachel went to school with. They were good friends, and Candace, along with Ruth, Amy, and Ashley, were the only things helping Rachel keep her sanity.
"We are all worried about you. What is going on?"
"I sent that letter two days after my aunt died. I had to inform the Order of the Phoenix that she was dead. I asked for help in moving back to Britain. Why hasn't there been any answer? Of course, it is not like they haven't been busy, but I am out of options. I need to move back and transfer to Hogwarts now, or I will be forcibly removed in about two weeks."
Candace stared at Rachel. Her friend was looking partly frustrated and partly ashamed, probably for acting like such a brat. "Rachel, just give them some more time. You know what we have been hearing. The Ministry itself was attacked a week before you sent that letter, and two witches were just barely murdered."
"One was Lisa's boss, Amelia Bones; the other was a friend of hers, Emmeline Vance, who was also a member of the Order. At least Fudge is out of office, so the Ministry will probably do something about Voldemort now." Candace nodded. One thing Lisa has always said that since he hadn't operated in America last time, the Americans weren't afraid to say his name. That was one thing that would set Rachel apart when she got back to Britain.
"Aren't you worried about Voldemort?"
Rachel shook her head, "No. If the worst he can do is kill me, I am not scared. There are things worse than death." Like slowly losing your mind after a death, and not knowing what will happen to you. That is my fear, the fear of the unknown. For now, my friends are here to help, but that will soon change, once I go back to my home country, which I can't even remember.
Candace flung back her long mahogany hair, and her turquoise eyes softened with compassion as she looked at her friend. She knew that Rachel's biggest fear would was no longer being able to rely on her friends. Candace also knew that Rachel would stick out, because of her American upbringing, and her friend hated that. The only time she liked to stick out was out on the Quidditch field; other than that, she just wanted to blend into the woodwork.
Suddenly Rachel jumped up, and ran toward the window, her wild dark ash blonde hair streaming out behind her. "Candace," she said, her ice blue eyes wild with fear, "Horus is coming back!" It normally took a lot to get an emotional reaction out of her, but that had changed with her aunt's death. Now Rachel acted like she was permanently PMSing, with mood swings all of the time, and her emotions were very close to the surface
"Good, he will have the reply of the Order. Why did you write to them instead to the Ministry? Your aunt worked for them, representing the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the American Embassy."
"She was also a member of the Order. Besides, all that the Ministry would have said, 'We regret the death of your aunt, but our hands are tied.' I knew the Order was most likely to do something." Her owl, Horus, landed on her shoulder and she pulled the letter off with trembling fingers. "I hope they are able to do something."
Candace sat down and observed as Rachel quickly unfolded the letter and read it. "They will send someone to pick me up at the airport as soon as I can get a flight to London. There are some distant relatives of my mum who are still alive and members of the Order. They decided to let me stay with them until the school years starts on September first. It says they have a child who is around my age and there will be some others staying with them, so it will be all right. I don't care if I have to sleep on the floor; I finally know what is going to happen with me."
"That is great news, Rachel!" Candace exclaimed, "I think my parents can help you get a flight, but I need you to do me one favor."
"What?" Rachel was slightly perplexed.
"That you don't leave until after the Fourth. You are going back to your homeland, but you can still celebrate Independence Day with us. Not to mention, I am not letting you out of our deal. Since we won the Quidditch state Championship, my older sister gets to cut and dye your hair. Think of it as a new look for a new country."
"Oh, I will. The fireworks and waterfights are definitely worth being teased about my nationality. Candace, remember, I choose what color to dye my hair!"