The red haired girl's eyelids fluttered as she dreamed. Mind lost amidst the bittersweet cadences of sleep, she was, for all intents and purposes, dead to the world.
. . . .
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number 4 Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly magical, thank you very much . . . They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything mundane or muggle related, because they just didn't hold with such liberal sympathizing. What? You thought they were a part of the muggle liberation front? All because their niece was . . . Don't be absurd.
. . .
". . . Can't stay here, Vernon. . . . A menace . . . What will the government think?"
"I know, Pet, I know . . . Just have to get rid of her . . . Government orphanage . . . Chance to learn a trade . . . If she'd just been a muggle . . . Parents like that . . . Terrorists . . . Too risky, I say, far too risky. . ."
. . . .
"This . . . Children, will be your home until you come of age. Your gracious and all powerful government has chosen to show you kindness, despite your . . . Handicap."
"Where's mummy?!"
"Quiet! Quiet . . . Your mother chose to place you here . . . Where you would be among others of your kind, an environment where you would have a hope of succeeding. "
"That's a lie! The government took us away!"
"Succeeding? At what? Slave labor . . ."
*A slap* *Soft crying *
"There now. You see what happens when you misbehave? You MUST NOT MISBEHAVE. Understand? "
. . . .
"Girl! Potter! Come back here! "
"Go, Potter! Run!"
*sounds of a scuffle * *a sharp crack* *panting*
*Silence*
. . . . .
"What's this now? What do we have here?"
*A panicked scuffling backwards amidst crates in an abandoned warehouse *
"It's alright, girl. I'm no threat to ya."
*A pained sigh as the old man sits on a crate, looking weary and broken*
"Name's Luke, I'm eh . . .something o' the doctor for folks around here."
*Fearful silence *
"You eh, didn't think you were the only one on this wharf, didya?"
*Curiosity*
"Let me guess, you're one o' them government orphans? Couldn't do magic so either your folks or the bureaucrats dumped ya in a state home? What, did they tell ya you'd learn a trade? Be a contributing member o' society? Hmph! Ya mighta, if they'd been doing their job . . . Mighta ended up any number o' places though . . . Not something a little child needs to hear about . . . Monsters"
*Here he spits, looking ill at whatever thought has occupied his mind* *the little red haired girl continues to watch him, curious, yet wary*
*Clapping his hands together and rubbing them for warmth*
"So, kid, ya got a name?" *Casual, attempting to appear non threatening, though his heart aches to see the thin, scared child*
"61728."
"What?"
"61728."
*The girl looks uncertain and confused, holding out her arm*
*Hesitantly, the man reaches out, gently taking her arm and pushing back the tattered sleeve to reveal the spoken designation tattooed on her pale flesh*
*Something inside him breaks at that moment, an animal howling in rage, a need to kill.*
"Hmm, that's new."
*Gently pulling the sleeve back *
"Well, did your parents give ya a name?"
*The girl shrugs, muttering * "Potter, last name was Potter."
"Well, that's halfway there."
*Here he pauses, studying her intently for a few moments before he snaps his fingers*
* The girl jumps back, looking startled, but her new friend takes no notice*
"That's it! I've got it!"
*Confusion*
*A gentle smile *
"And ya look just like her. Lily. Your name can be Lily Potter. She was a great woman, a freedom fighter, and an inspiration to us all."
. . . .
"Hurry up, Lily!"
"Just give me a second . . . I've almost got the charges rigged . . ."
"Who goes there?"
*A curse*
"We're out of time!"
*The girl dives forward, knocking her friend to the ground as a bolt of red light flies towards him. Snarling, she grabs his collar and yanks him after her, the two slipping out past the doors into the maze of alleys lining the old wharf. A few seconds later, a loud *boom* echoes down the streets, a shockwave knocking the pair to their knees.*
*Screaming . . . she can see the people screaming, but she's been temporarily deafened by the blast. She looks around in a daze, disoriented. Behind her, the old warehouse, meeting place of the wizard patrols has been engulfed in flames. A sharp, disembodied force hits her from behind and she feels her limbs go stiff as her face smashes into the grimy pavement. Only able to move her eyes, she looks up just in time to see her "friend" the young recruit Ben, retreat in horror, fleeing into the alleyway. Leaving her behind.*
*Her hearing begins to return. She picks up the smart, sharp *thud* of boots striding towards her. A muttered word, and the invisible force holding her in a vice grip disappears as quickly as it came. She doesn't get a chance to sit up, however, as the pair of boots kicks her viciously in the ribs.*
*A gasp of pain*
"You! Girl! What is your name? Where are your accomplices? Who ordered that pathetic excuse for an attack?"
*No answer * *Another sharp kick, this time to the face. She can feel a trickle of blood forming at her mouth*
"Answer me! I am not above using force to make you talk."
"Leave her alone."
*Luke's voice is calm and steady, though anyone who knows him will be able to detect the anger and killing intent simmering beneath the surface*
"On whose authority?" *A sneer* "That attack killed three of my people. "
"Oh? I thought you said it was "pathetic"?" *A hint of disdain*
*Irritation*
"It was pathetic. Any attempt to defy the Magical State, especially by mundanes, is pathetic. Nevertheless, we do not respond well to acts of terrorism. This girl will be made an example of."
*A pause*
"But why take a child, when the mastermind behind the attack stands before you?"
"Oh, and who would that be? You, old man?"
*The contempt in his voice is almost tangible*
*Lily watches with narrowed eyes as Luke nods, taking a step forward and pushing up his sleeve to reveal what looks like a tattoo of a wolf's head. Her eyes widen*
"No, don't . . ."
The soldier raises his wand, smiling cruely.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the infamous mundane werewolf. Yes, you are a nasty beast to find."
A bolt of green light flies from his wand, striking Luke and causing him to crumple to the ground.
*Lily stares in horror, before, in a rage, she flings herself at the wizard. With a careless flick of his wand, she goes flying to the side, slamming into the ground. He snorts, amused*
"I should have known a silly little girl like you could never pull off a feat like that."
*He gestures to the still burning building. Striding over, he picks her up by her collar, slamming her against a wall as her feet dangle helplessly in the air.*
"Know this though, girl, from now on, we'll be watching you. All of you."
*Letting go and allowing her to fall in the dust, he turns to address the crowd.*
"This is not over. Your pathetic little ringleader may be dead, but we still haven't gotten to the bottom of this assault. Rest assured that we will continue our investigation. Until someone takes it upon him or herself to tell the truth, this area is under lock down."
. . . .
*Screams*
*The sound of breaking glass*
*Explosions and cries of vengeance, of wrath poured out like water or the blood that lines the narrow streets *
*Soft weeping*
. . . .
"We're losing ground."
*Flat voice, tired*
*Desperate expressions surround her*
"Perhaps we should pull back, retreat further into the countryside. Join one of the other cells."
*Annoyance *
"And how do you propose to move our injured past the guards?"
"If we stay here, we're going to be lined up against a wall and shot. The injured who recover will be sent to the work camps."
*The first voice, a young woman with fire in her eyes and a grimace*
"What about . . . Him, he might be able to help us. His numbers are greater than our own."
*Protests*
"He's insane! He'll get us all killed!"
"His methods work."
*Grim determination*
"Besides, we're already on the Ministry's blacklist. Might as well organize and give them a real reasonto fight us. I'm talking about more than a couple of shipments disrupted or a few guards killed here and there. I'm talking about war. He can help us."
"And what do you think the devil will require for your bargain, Lily?"
*Eyes widen in disbelief*
"Luke?"
"Wake up, Lily. You aren't safe here. Wake up."
. . . .
The red haired girl's eyes fluttered open. Cautioualy, she began to sit up, feeling disoriented. A Strange odor that she had trouble placing, filled her nose.
"Should be in here, search the whole shop."
*Voices, the sound of wizards*
Cursing, she ducked behind the broken wooden counter in her makeshift shelter, crouching as she gathered her wits and scanned the door. It was no good, she could hear them coming in the back. Suddenly, she realized hat she had been smelling. Gasoline.
"Shit!" she hissed, managing to shove past the startled wizard and out the door as the shop exploded. She hit her head along something and the world went dark.