Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter . I make no money from this story.
Keep in mind this is 100% an alternate universe fic, so normal canon will not be relevant here.
I hope you like it!
Summary: An alternate universe telling of what the HP world would have been like if Neville Longbottom was the boy who lived, not Harry. And how Hermione, Draco and Ron all tie into his destiny. HG/DM/RW/NL
Warnings: child abuse, implied sexual abuse.
Also looking for a beta to proofread.
Chapter One
October 30th 1981
Longbottom Residence
Shadowed figures circled the tiny cottage on Pineport lane, growing from the darkness of the enveloping woods—which brought the happy family inside false comfort. The shadows' white masks floated in the darkness, many looking to the duo standing at the door, cowls hiding their faces from view.
The one on the left raised the other's hand to their lips, placing a small kiss on their knuckles. They flicked their wand, blasting the door of the cottage into smithereens. A sharp cackle echoed through the room.
With wands raised the couple stood in front of their year-old son's crib, shielding him from the gaze of the cloaked pair.
The man moved in front of his wife. "You will not harm our son!"
Within seconds, spells and curses flew around the room. Wails from the child melded with the chaos creating a symphony of pain.
A woman cried. "Crucio!" Her wand fired the angry-red curse toward the husband, hitting him square in the chest. He fell to the floor, his body convulsing, bones cracking under the strain of the tense muscle.
"Frank!" The wife reached out for him, but kept her eyes trained on the pair.
They moved in opposite directions to cover a wider range. Each taking small steps toward her as if to play with their food. Her gaze darted between them, her hand quivered. Never one for dueling, Alice Longbottom searched her mind for any spell that would help her save her son.
"It's okay, Neville, Mummy will keep you safe." She reached back with her free hand to stroke his tiny one.
An unforgiveable stood at the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't bring it to fall from her lips. A green rush of light came toward her before she too fell to the floor. Her good nature being her downfall.
The chubby baby screamed ever louder until his voice grew horse. The duo slithered toward him. "I and my son will be the only Dark Lords to rule over this world." A raspy voice hissed to the child, the tip of their wand digging into the plump cheek of the boy, pressing his head down onto the mattress.
An elegant hand stroked the man's arm. "Do it, my love. Kill the child, and then the wizarding world will be ours to control."
"Avada kedavra!"
Once again, green light shot from the wand. It glowed around the child's cheek for only a moment, before rebounding and hitting the wizard who dared cast it against the helpless babe.
The woman screamed in terror as she reached out to catch her falling husband. His lifeless body pulled her to the floor. Several cloaked figures rushed into the cottage, wands drawn.
She hissed at Neville before wrapping her arms around the Dark Lord. "We must help him. Meet me at the manor!" She apparated from the scene, their inner-circle not far behind their Mistress.
Neville continued to cry through the night.
Dumbledore's Office
The same night
Sybil Trelawney swayed on her feet in front of the Headmaster and the Dark Arts professor Severus Snape.
The black robed man stood from his chair and eyed her with hesitation. "Is she sleep walking?"
Dumbledore held his finger to his mouth, shushing the man.
"The Dark Lord attempts to snuff out his fire, but the new heir shall not fall. For upon the end of his seventeenth year his power will grow thrice fold, gaining the power of the Mudblood hidden within the snakes. Together they shall bring balances to the powers that be and peace will reign again."
Sybil collapsed before jolting awake. She held her head. "Oh dear, what happened? How did I get here?"
Albus glanced at Severus before standing to help the poor woman. "Never fret, Sybil. You were sleep walking, again. Please return to your room."
She laughed nervously. "I'm sorry, Headmaster. This seems to happen a lot as of late."
"Don't worry over it, Sybil. Use my floo, and get some rest." Albus pushed her along toward his fireplace. She left with haste.
"Do you think that prophecy is connected to the one you showed me from last year, about the powers of dark finding a new leader?"
Dumbledore took his seat again. "I do not know, Severus. We'll find out in due time, I suppose."
August 23rd 1991
Granger Residence
Full storm clouds rolled in over the only house not boarded up on the rundown cul-de-sac. In the attic window sat a girl. Her voluminous curls creating a bushy halo around her sallow face. Her dark-brown eyes gazed out at the rain swept street. Thunder cracked over head and she jumped as glass shattered two floors below her. With slow interest, her focus turned toward the sheet covering the doorway to her room.
"Get out and take her with you!" Her mother's wails carried throughout the house.
"I don't want her. You're the one that didn't want an abortion!"
The girl prodded at the bandage over her right cheek and hissed as it sent a shock of pain into her jawbone.
"Fuck you!" The front door slammed into the wall as her father barreled out of the house and into the beat-up Volkswagen, he sped off with a roar of the engine.
More glass shattered downstairs. She wrapped her arms around her knees, forehead pressed against them; not daring to make a sound and remind her mother she stayed inside today to keep out of the rain.
A bang rattled her window she startled and look to find a water-logged owl pecking the glass, a letter in its mouth. She glanced over her shoulder. Did her mother notice?"
Her worried eyes turned on the bird. What was wrong with it? She shooed at it, in hopes it would stop, but it pecked harder. In an act of desperation not to alert her mother, she rolled out the window, letting the poor creature into her small room. It landed on her carpet, creating a puddle where it stood. It dropped the letter on the floor and hopped over to the small rocking chair in the corner to clean its wings.
She watched it with wide-eyed fascination before edging off the window seat and snatching up the letter.
A ball of spit bobbed in her throat. It was addressed to her and specified the attic room. How did they know? Turning it over, the scarlet wax-seal begged for her to break it before she pulled out the folded parchment.
Dear Hermione Granger,
It brings me immense pleasure to write you and let you know you've been chosen to attend school at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I am sure you're confused, for my records show you're a Muggleborn witch, with non-magical people as parents. A professor from my school will come by on the 26th of August at ten in the morning, to bring you and your family here, so you may learn more about this opportunity. If you agree to attend Hogwarts, we'll welcome you here with open arms.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and wizardry.
She read the letter several times. Was it true? Was she a witch? If it was a joke. Her brown eyes gazed at the owl now sleeping perched on her chair, it was an elaborate one.
Someone would be there in three days to tell her parents what she was. Her heart hammered against her breast bone. They couldn't meet her parents. Her father would try to attack them before he did anything else. She would lie, tell the professor they had to work. With a determined smile, she tip-toed over to her bed and climbed under her yellow-stained sheet. Maybe someone was looking out for her.
Several hours later her floorboards creaked and her eyes shot open. He was back. Her bed dipped down as he sat at the end. The pungent scent of whisky burned her nose as his rough hand touched her leg, and she shut her eyes tight, wishing her dreams would take her away again.
August 23rd 1991
The Burrow
"Mum! He got a letter from Hogwarts!"
The ginger-haired boy perked up from his hiding spot under the stairs where he could read without his brothers torturing him for their amusement.
"What! I thought he was a Squib? He's never shown magical talent."
He eased his way out of the tight spot and put back the board in the wall before he tip-toed toward the kitchen's swinging entrance. With a gentle push he cracked the door so his blue-eyes could peer at his fat mother and her third eldest.
"What are we going to do? He can't go to Hogwarts. He'll make the rest of us look bad." Percy whined as his mother snatched the letter from his hands and ripped it open with a plump finger.
"I know, but he must go. Imagine what people would say if they learned I didn't send one of my children to Hogwarts because he was a moron. Boy! Get down here!"
He tensed before waiting several seconds and then pushing his way into the massive kitchen where his mother was preparing a roast he wouldn't get to eat. They never left him any meat, only vegetable scraps.
His mother threw the letter at him. "You got your letter. It's up to you to get your own supplies. I'm not spending a single Knut on you. Do you understand me?"
He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, mother."
Percy smacked him at the back of the head. "Don't use that tone with mum!"
A large barn owl fluttered through the window, a giant parcel attached to its legs. His mother clapped her hangs upon seeing it. "Ginny dear! Your commissioned dress is here!"
He slunk away before he could get smacked again. Finally, he could be away from this hell hole where all his family hated him for not being a girl like Ginny.
Same day
Malfoy Manor
"Draco, stop biting your nails, it's not becoming." Lucius glared at his son from where he worked on paperwork for the Governors of Hogwarts.
The blond boy lowered his hand and returned his attention back to the book in his hand. The clock over the mantel ticked by, each second growing closer to his hell. He glanced at it, any moment she would call for him.
A pop pierced the silence of the room, a House elf shook at the boy's feet. "Young master, the Mistress wishes to see you now in the forest."
The boy's gaze travelled to his father whose quill had stilled, black ink dripping onto the parchment. Would he stop her tonight? Make him not go?
Lucius never moved as his stare remained on the sentence.
Draco stood and made his way to the door. "I hate you." Before he left the shaking man alone.
A/N: To be completely transparent. This is a rewrite of a story I did years ago under the penname ForgetfulLove. I've decided to use a new penname due to my writing style being nothing like it used to be. If you read any of that work, be warned the grammar and writing is terrible. I'd delete them, but I don't remember my passwords for the account, nor do I have access to the email addresses I used back then.
This story will be a lengthy one, following all seven years. I have the first five chapters done so far and will be updating once a week on Sunday, after the second chapter. This is a slow burn and it will be a while before the characters are old enough to have sex. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter.
With love,
GlassCrocodile.