DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter
The day had started like any other, with no indication that a life-changing event would be occurring.
Like any other day, 9 year old Harry Potter woke up to the shrill voice of his Aunt Petunia screeching for him to wake up and prepare breakfast for his "family". He left the cupboard under the stairs he called his room, making his way to the kitchen to make breakfast for the two whale-like humans sitting at the small dinner table, eying him disdainfully with their beady eyes.
The knock that sounded from the door was completely unexpected, as Harry had inferred from the look that Aunt Petunia sent Uncle Vernon. Dudley, who was too busy stuffing his face with pancakes, did not hear the knock, only looking up as he heard his mother scream from the door.
•~•~•~•
After the Dark Lord Voldemort had won the Wizarding War, all muggleborn and muggle-raised children were brought into the wizarding world at the age of nine to first be trained in the fundamentals of magic and wizarding cultures and traditions that were known to all purebloods and halfbloods raised in Wizarding Britain. One of the many tests that Death Eater recruits, more commonly known as Grims, had to pass in their road to becoming a fully-fledged Death Eater was to locate and bring the child into the Wizarding World unharmed. Their task also consisted of obliviating difficult parents and guardians without raising suspicion.
Children taken from the muggle world would then be tested for loyalty at the end of their two years of education at the multiple training facilities around Britain. Those found loyal can then proceed to obtain an education at Hogwarts or at other institutions based on magical abilities and intelligence. Of course, to keep the pureblood population happy, pureblood children were given priority when entering Hogwarts.
However, it was a vastly different fate for those found disloyal or overly sceptical. They are sentenced to a life of servitude; hirelings for those that have no decent amount of magic or looks, courtesans for girls that do not meet the criteria for a bearer but are still good-looking and for boys that are good-looking. Finally, bearers are girls that have strong magical talent and are fertile enough to produce children. This was part of a campaign to boost the magical population of Wizarding Britain with magically strong children and a much lower chance of having squibs.
These people are denied access to further education, a wand and rights, for they have forfeited them with their treacherous thoughts and believes.
It was quite nerve-wrecking for Joseph Hoplin to retrieve a child to be brought into a world unknown to him, not to mention having to make a good impression on the child; he wouldn't want to have brought a potential adversary or traitor into his home. Not that the Death Eater forces inclusive of the Dark Lord himself would be unable to subdue a young child, he thought hastily.
He glanced at the scrap of parchment in his hand and glanced up at the sign.
No. 4 Privet Drive, Harry James Potter
This should be right. He had put enormous effort into locating a magical child as part of his task in becoming a marked Death Eater. It was his dream after one Bartemius Crouch came to collect him from his negligent family in the muggle world. He excelled in the primary school he was assigned to attend and made it to Hogwarts, the school reserved for the high ability children. Even pureblood children had to clear an examination in their second year to continue their education there. That did not make him any more popular there though; he was often bullied and jeered at for his status as a muggleborn. And thus he went on to join the Reaper Academy, and he would be lying if he said he did not feel a twisted sense of satisfaction when some of the so-called all-powerful, mighty purebloods did not get accepted.
He knocked on the door of No. 4 Privet Drive and hoped and prayed that he didn't locate the wrong house. What an embarrassment that would be. He would hope to make his mentor, Barty, proud, after all Barty had done for him. His head snapped back up upon hearing it creak open softly, before a woman which remarkably resembled a horse screamed. Only his training as a future Death Eater stopped him from taking a step back and showing the disgust he felt so prominently.
"I'm here for one Harry Potter. Is he in?" Joseph started out.
"No! We do not want any more of you freaks in our house!" he stared at the despicable woman and frowned deeply.
"By order of the Dark Lord, you are to hand any and every magical child over to us, or I would have no choice but to use force."
"What's going on here, eh? Don't you know some folks want to watch the telly in peace?" What is it with this family resembling animals, first a horse and now a whale? The man's face turned an ugly shade of puce before bellowing
"Get out my house! We do not want any more of your kind here!" the man scrunched his fist together in an effort to look threatening, but after you've met some of the inner circle Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, no muggle will ever match up. He whipped out his wand which made the man freeze and the woman shrieked. He forced his way into the house with the muggles trailing helplessly behind him. He grabbed the fat whale boy that whimpered pathetically for mummy, one hand still clutching his food, before he turned over and commanded in a cold voice.
"Hand him over, please."
"Not my Dudley! Take the other boy!" The boy, whom he assumed to be Harry Potter, went from laughing quietly at the whale boy's predicament to a horrified expression before slowly backing away until he hit the table behind him. Joseph dropped the boy and beckoned Harry over with a slight smile on his face. Harry refused to budge until the whale man held him by the back of his neck and pushed him over to Joseph. He whispered in Harry's ear, "I'm not going to hurt you, Harry Potter." Harry looked at him with such hope shining in his bright emerald green eyes that it broke Joseph's heart. He steadily raised his arm, wand in hand, before saying clearly, "Obliviate." He slipped out of the house with Harry in tow. He brought young Harry to the nearby park and sat him down on a bench.
"Sorry about that, Mr Potter, please do not be afraid."
"What was that you did to them? How'd you do it?" he asked with wonder.
"Well, you see, I'm a wizard, Mr Potter, and so are you." Harry stared at him in shock after the announcement, his mouth shifting as if he wanted to speak, until finally, he stuttered out, "A… a wizard? I…I can't be a wizard… I'm just Harry… just Harry." he said the last few words as if trying to convince himself.
"Well, Harry, I'm sure you've made things happen without explanation. Think about it." Joseph almost sighed with relief when Harry nodded after a few seconds of contemplation.
"Um, I did once turn my teacher's hair blue after she scolded me for no reason…"
"Then that should clear up any doubts you have. Now hold onto my hand, we will be going back to the Wizarding World," he smiled at Harry's eager nod, before making sure there were no muggles around to witness the apparition. Harry felt what could be described as the sensation of being sucked through a straw before his feet hit the ground in a new environment. He almost collapsed and felt exceptionally nauseous. He looked around after he had recovered and found himself in a rather grand entrance hall. They walked further into the place before they stopped in a room filled with five other children.
"Welcome to the British Primary School for Muggleborns and Muggle-raised! Why don't you mingle with the other children first, I have to go speak to someone." Harry waved to Joseph as he sprinted off in the direction of the stairwell. Harry watched the other children; they all seemed to already have friends and so Harry walked towards a bushy haired girl that seemed to not be socialising.
"Hi, I'm Harry Potter, what's your name?"
"Oh, I'm Hermione Granger. Were your parents' muggles?"
"I was raised by my aunt and uncle, I never knew my parents," Harry responded.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!"
"It's alright, I ever knew them, and so I can't say I miss them."
They stuck up easy conversation, and Harry learnt just how excited she was about being a witch, despite having to leave her parents forever. Hermione also introduced the rest of the children in the room to him. A Irish boy named Seamus Finnigan, a dark skinned boy named Dean Thomas, a sweet but rather dreamy girl who introduced herself as Lavender Brown, a brown haired boy called Justin Finch-Fletchley. They were all either muggleborns or raised by muggles.
Soon after, a stern looking lady, who had introduced herself as Mrs Hogan, came into the room and led them to their permanent dormitory.
"This will be your home for the next few years. I'm not only talking about the years you will spend here in the primary school, but this will also be your home when you return for the summer holiday from whichever school you are accepted into following your education here. I will hope that none of you will follow the alternate fate that befalls those disloyal." Hermione raised her hand hesitantly and spoke only when Mrs Hogan turned her attention to her raised hand.
"Mrs Hogan, ma'am? What exactly is it, which follows the disloyal?" Hermione asked, almost as if she didn't truly want to know what happens.
"Well, Ms Granger, a life of servitude. You have forfeited the right to an education and free use of your magic and wand if you strive to disrupt the peaceful lives of wizards and witch alike in our world."
All of them felt their eyes widen, but even Harry could see the benefits of doing so; if those that do not believe in the system do not have a wand nor how to use their magic, there would be no effective rebellion.
•~•~•~•
Over his next few years in Primary School, Harry learnt all he needed to in order to survive in a society filled with purebloods and halfbloods. He learnt that he himself actually had magical parents, a pureblood and a muggleborn, and was thus a halfblood. It was a pity they were on the wrong side of the war and was subsequently killed by the Dark Lord's forces.
Simply thinking about the man made a shiver run down Harry's spine; the man was deadly, beautiful and so very powerful. It was whispered that he had found a way to make himself immortal and ageless, that he needn't eat nor sleep. It was amazing, really, Harry read about how he had led his followers into creating a world that was freer, corruption amongst the powerful was far less rampant and magic was not restricted as it used to. And most importantly, they were far safer, with less and fewer muggles poking their noses into the business of wizards. Harry had deep reverence and fascination with the man.
However, what truly made Harry break out in cold sweat for today was the day of his TALONs. It stood for Test of Ability, Loyalty Or the Noteworthy and he hoped with a fervour that he would be able to get into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for it is the best Wizarding school that exists within Britain.
Harry wrung his hands as he sat outside the examination room and almost jumped when the examiner poked her head out of the room and said, "Mr Potter? We're ready for you now. Come on in."
"This is Veritaserum, Mr Potter, it makes whoever who drinks it unable to speak anything but the truth. This is part of the examination. Do you consent to drinking this?" Harry nodded his head, knowing he had nothing to hide. Except perhaps the fact he played the prank on Justin that made him get a rather large cut on his arm… They administered a couple drops of the potion.
"What is your full name?"
Harry felt an extremely strong compulsion to say the truth before he heard himself say, "Harry James Potter."
"When is your birthday?"
"July 31, 1981"
"Good, the serum is working. Now, Mr Potter, what do you hope to have a career in?"
"I'd like to become a Death Eater, but if I can't, I'll wish to work a position in the ministry."
"So your loyalties lie with the Dark Lord?"
"Yes."
"What do you think about the way the disloyal are punished?"
"I think they brought it on themselves. It is a good way to curb rebellions and such."
"Earlier you mentioned about hoping to become a Death Eater. Why is that?"
"The Death Eater that saved me from the muggles inspired me."
A few more questions were asked before the examiner nodded, spoke with her fellow examiner and administered the antidote, before saying, "Now before you go, you will have to swear an oath of loyalty to the Dark Lord. I will spell out the oath, just read it out, Mr Potter,"
"I, Harry James Potter, swear to my allegiance and loyalty to the Dark Lord Voldemort until the day my magic dies, so mote it be." A brilliant flash of light encompasses Harry before it faded.
"Now, this oath will not kill you or take your magic away if you break it knowingly, it will cause you pain akin to the Cruciatus Curse, which I do not believe you would want to experience. Now, do proceed to the next room, there you will undertake your magical abilities test."
AN: I hope you guys liked it J I'll be posting more! Also, please do read The Courtesan by Drops of Nightshade, do check it out and it also inspired some parts of the story! Feel free to review if you have questions.