DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything, this applies to the whole story. I'm just a fanfiction writer.
AN: Hi! After years of being an HP Fanfiction reader, I decided to finally start writing. Please review and leave any feedback. I don't have readily access to the HP books (although I have them all!) So, while I want to stick to canon, it won't be totally in line. Some spell names might accidentally be different, but I'll do my best! Thanks! For shifts in points of view, I will put "XXX" points of view will likely stop as the story progresses, focusing on just HP's, but haven't decided. This is a FEMHARRY story.
XXX
"Not Hannah, please not Hannah" …
"Stand aside you foolish girl!"
"Not Hannah…please"
"AVADA KADAVARA!"
A flash blinding green light and the coldest of laughs that could make anyone's skin crawl filled the still night air on October 31st, 1981.
That night destroyed many people's lives and changed many as well.
But that was four years ago now and the nightmares- the screams, the flashing green light and the laughter had no significance to five-year-old Hannah Lily Potter.
She didn't know why she kept having these dreams, but each night she awoke tears silently streaming down her face. She knew she could never let her Aunt and Uncle hear her as she sobbed into her pillow.
Hannah got gingerly off the small mattress that had been shoved where she slept in the cupboard under the stairs, the sun was beginning to rise and she knew she had to make breakfast for her Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and cousin Dudley.
She tip toed down the stairs, careful to not step on the ones that creaked as she made her way into the kitchen.
She picked up the little stepping stool to give herself some extra height once she got down there and started making the relatives' breakfasts'. She made fried eggs (she couldn't quite manage bacon), toasted with jam and oatmeal.
Her cousin Dudley was the first to waddle into the kitchen, followed closely behind by her aunt and uncle.
As they sat at their place settings that she had arranged with their hot breakfast already served, they chatted animatedly amongst themselves.
Specifically, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon doted on their son Dudley, while Hanna sat quietly at her place setting. Ignored just like every other morning. Despite Hannah being the one to set the table and serve breakfast (and any meal for that matter) she had to wait until everyone else was done at which point Aunt Petunia would serve her the leftover scraps before she was forced to clean up and wash the dishes while Dudley got to play with is toys.
She didn't have any toys.
But, she did have one thing… a stuffed toy stag.
Her Aunt Petunia told her that she had been left on their doorstep with it clutched in her hand after her freak parents died in the car crash. That's all she knew about her past life before the Dursley's. Her clothes were Dudley's old hand me downs and she was extremely small and skinny for her age. Even if she was only five, she lacked what the other kids had in height and spirit.
She was a shy, but curious child. She had untidy black hair that fell in waves to her shoulder and very expressive green eyes.
She often wondered what her life would have been like if she had lived with her parents, from the sounds of it, they were good for nothing people. She shuddered at the thought. But were Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon really good people she thought bitterly as she was finally allowed a half piece of toast by her Aunt.
"Pay attention girl!" her Aunt snapped.
She jumped.
"Yes, Aunt Petunia?" She asked.
"I said to clean up the meal and clean the garden!"
Hannah nodded wordlessly and began to stand from her spot at the table.
"What'd you say?" Aunt Petunia demanded, unsatisfied with her non-verbal reply.
"Sorry, Aunt Petunia" Hannah said quietly, "I meant yes, I will clean up and then go weed the garden".
"Good, now Dudders, go run along and play."
Dudley nodded and waddled out of the kitchen.
XXX
"Albus, please" the stern-faced woman pleaded, her hands on her hips as she stood in front of the headmaster's desk. They were on summer vacation and Fall term was due to start in two weeks' time at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall were currently having a quite regularly occurring argument about a certain child- Hannah Potter ad her living arrangements.
"It's been four years" Minerva pressed before Albus could respond.
"I need to go see her".
"Minerva…"
"No, this is not up for discussion anymore" she snapped growing tired.
"She is a child, Albus! I will not tolerate this any longer, I am going to check on her!"
"Do not interfere" he called out to her retreating back.
XXX
When Hannah finally made it out to weed the garden, the Summer air had already turned hot. Within the first half hour she had already begun to work up a sweat. She stopped weeding to take a break, checking that her relatives weren't watching her from the windows. She sat crossed legged on the grass and ran her fingers through the earth's surface. She could feel something, or someone watching her, but couldn't figure it out.
After a couple of minutes, she resumed her work. She was starting to get tired and thirsty when she saw a tabby cat with what looked like spectacle markings around its eyes coming towards her.
"Hello." She said to the cat as it approached her.
Maybe she was imagining things, but she could have sworn she saw a look of sadness cross through its eyes at it came closer towards her in response to her greeting.
"Are you alright?" She asked the cat.
The cat cocked it's head its head and placed a tentative paw on her knee.
"It's okay, you can come on my lap" she encouraged softly.
The cat made its way onto her lap and curled up as she began to pat it gently.
"I just have to be careful my relatives don't see" Hannah explained. "I'm supposed to be weeding the garden, but it's been two and a half hours and I'm so hot and thirsty. I can't go in for a drink because they won't let me. I have to wait until I'm called back in, or else…" Hannah trailed off.
The cat stood up abruptly after hearing those words, but Hannah placed a reassuring hand on its back
"It's okay" she reassured "I'm used to it. My relatives never have liked me, that's why they make me do all the chores. They love Dudley, he's my cousin, but not me. They call me a freak and a burden…" Once again, she trailed off, hand rubbing under the cat's chin. The cat tried to comfort her by purring and tubbing up against her, but Hannah just sighed.
"I'm going to name you Minnie" Hannah whispered at last.
"After Minnie Mouse. A character on a show my cousin Dudley watches" she clarified as the cat seemingly arched an eye brow at her.
"I'm not allowed to watch any shows, or have any ice cream. or…" she stopped as she heard her Aunt screeching her name from the front door of the house.
"Bye Minnie, I hope you like your name. I just had to name you, even if I never see you again." Hannah whispered. The cat, Minnie, head butted her hand gently in farewell. Hannah noticed the continued sadness in the cat's eyes as she got to her feet and ran back inside.
"Leave that filthy cat alone!"
"Yes, Aunt Petunia!" she called back, giving the cat a final sad smile.
XXX
Once Hannah had disappeared, Minerva transformer herself out of her cat form and apperated back to Hogwarts.
She was furious.
Although her encounter with Hannah was brief, she was not pleased with what she had learned.
She marched with purpose to the headmaster's office and did not wait for a response as she threw open the door.
"ALBUS DUMBLEDORE!" She yelled "I TOLD YOU TO NEVER LEAVE HER WITH THOSE HORRIBLE MUGGLES I- "
"That is quite enough, Minerva' Albus said gently.
Minerva huffed and stared at the headmaster.
"What has happened?" He prompted.
"Oh Albus," Minerva began, calming down and collapsing into a chair "she is the spitting image of James, but has Lily's eyes. She took to me right away in cat form- "
"I take it you listened to my instructions and did not intervene?"
Minerva reluctantly nodded before continuing
"Even though she is only five and it can be hard to judge proper growth at that age, she is very small and most certainly she's too thin. She is fairly intellectual for one so young…. Albus I found her weeding her relatives garden, she confided that she is not given water. The poor girl was sweating and looked absolutely famished."
"Alas, Minerva" Albus said wearily, "There is nothing I can do for her. She must stay there for the blood wards, her mother's sacrifice in love is what keeps her safe and out of harm until she turns 17. There is nothing we can do for now, other than to keep a closer eye on her'.
Minerva pursed her lips, unconvinced.
"Really Albus, I don't see how she is safe. She is not emotionally, nor physically safe there. When she comes to Hogwarts we will- "
"Explain everything to her. All in Due time Minerva" he said cutting across her.
"We will keep an eye on her' he reminded gently.
Minerva sighed, her heart broke, but she knew this conversation was over. At least for now. She was feeling slightly satisfied with herself however. It had taken four years of heated discussions, arguments and shouting between her and Albus, but she finally got to see little Hannah and after her troubling report back to Albus, it sounded like her visits in cat form would be allowed to continue.
As she left the headmaster's office she paused in the doorway and turned back around to face him.
"She named me Minnie, after some character in a muggle T.V. show her cousin watches."
"Quite curious" Albus responded.
As Minerva turned back around to close the door, she could have sworn she saw a lone tear fall down Albus' face. She knew she wasn't the only one yearning to get Hannah away from that house, she knew Albus had his reasons, but wasn't happy about the situation either himself.
She knew she'd have to keep fighting for her, even if from a distance.
She would try.
"I'm trying for you, Hannah." She whispered out loud to herself on the deserted astronomy tower that evening as she stood gazing at the stars. Basking in the silence of the final bit of Summer.
AN: There you have it! Chapter 1! The first bit of this is a bit rough as I try to pin point where I exactly want the story to go. Please give me constructive advice!