"Angel!" Petunia Dursley screeched, "Where are you, girl? Get down here! Breakfast! Now!"
Harry looked to his sister, who shook her head 'no' in response to his silent question. She continued packing their bags. Non-perishable food items, stolen from downstairs last night. Bottled drinking water. Clothes, for both Harry and herself. Blankets. Pillows. One of Harry's toys – for now, just the one would have to do. Already, the bags were quite the heavy weight.
"She's going to come up," Harry said.
Angel nodded, still silent.
Today was the day they left for good.
It had taken her five years. Harry was six years old now. So much of his life wasted, so much unhappiness on him.
But Angel didn't understand the human world quite yet. In many ways, she was the child she appeared to be. It had taken her five years to learn movement. To learn language. Love, too, she had learned.
She loved Harry, and understood how she had felt for Lily. Poor Lily.
That was another thing Angel had learned in those five years in this human house. Pity. Poor Lily had to die.
Angel would make it up to her. Harry, from this moment onward, would have a happy, joyous life.
The door burst open, Aunt Petunia sweeping into the room. Harry cringed, but Angel finished buckling the straps to Harry's bag. A little heavy, maybe, but not too much for him. He needed to help her to help himself. Angel never had any intention of doing everything for him. There's no person who would be happy in that kind of life. Safety was priority one, happiness priority two. To achieve both? Stellar.
"What are you doing?" The woman shrieked.
It was her usual tone of voice.
"We are leaving, Aunt Petunia, as I promised you we would when you yelled at me on November 21st, almost a year ago." Angel said.
"Don't worry about us," Harry said, clutching the teddy bear – pity they would not bring it.
"We'll be fine," Harry continued, "Angel will take care of me."
"Don't worry?" Petunia responded, sounding incredulous, "You think you can just leave?"
"Police will question you on our disappearance. I suggest you report it in this evening. It is acceptable to say you imagined we would return. Commonly, as I understand it, children threaten to run from home, only to return later. We, of course," Angel fixed Petunia will a glare, a glare holding all the sentinel's pent up anger, "Will not be returning.'
"Oh, really?" Petunia asked, taking on a sarcastic tone, leaning back, folding her arms over her chest, "And where will you go? What will you eat?"
"We have food in our bags to last a little over a week, if we ration properly. I will not tell you where we going – I would not like you to find us, nor question how I know the place."
Angel slipped the straps of Harry's pack over his shoulders, then donned her own pack, while Petunia stood flabbergasted.
"You'll ruin Dudley's birthday!" She screeched.
"I trust Dudley capable of doing that in his own way," Angel said, "As his birthday is not for almost a week, you should have time to adjust to our absence."
Harry nodded. He seemed a little sheepish. He always was that way when Angel was, well, herself, around other people.
"Aunt Petunia," Angel said, standing directly in front of the woman, staring up at her, "I cannot say I've enjoyed my time here with you. You have made my first years on this earth unpleasant. It is a time I shall never get back. I think you are cruel, heartless. You have no sense in your soul of justice, fairness, or promise. I shall not miss you. Never-the-less, I find it proper to thank you as I say goodbye for good. Thank you for the food you provided. Thank you for the room, the bed. Farewell, my aunt. If things are as I plan them, we shall never meet again."
With that all said, Angel pushed past her aunt and quickly walked towards the stairs, Harry following close behind.
"G-goodbye, Aunt Petunia," He said as he passed her.
The scrawny, horrible woman stood silent and still in shock, a reaction that gave Angel a measure of satisfaction. It didn't last, of course. As they exited through the front door, walking past an unobservant Vernon and Dudley, Petunia screamed at them one last time.
"I hope you starve!"
–
They walked for a good long time to a main city street, then sat to wait at a bus stop. After ensuring that Harry was adequately hydrated, Angel let out a sigh to release her tension. Being human could be difficult sometimes. She liked elements of it. Walking was not one of those elements.
"Where are we going, Angel?" Harry asked, swinging his feet back and forth from the bench.
Angel smiled at him, showing affection and that he need not be nervous.
"We are going to our mother's last home. I remember it from when I was born. You do not, I believe. Your young memories are lost, as are most people's."
Angel leaned back, reminiscing.
"It is a very pleasant place," She said, "A home, called often a cottage, in the town of Godric's Hollow. It is the place James and Lily were murdered."
Harry made a strange sound, but Angel found it unimportant and ignored it.
"The home is not a true cottage, I would say. It is two stories with three bedrooms – similar in size to the Dursley residence, but much nicer. It is older, and finer too. Buildings are not painting in beige there, in Godric's Hollow, for the purposes of blending in. No, things there are made exactly as the builder should wish to make them. I have a fondness for magical society. Even should you turn out non-magical, Harry, I would you raised there. Naturally, still studying in maths, language, etc. You will like it, Harry, I am certain, so worry not."
Harry smiled at her. He loved his sister very, very much.
"I won't worry," He said.
Eventually, the bus arrived. They rode it to the bus terminal down town, where Angel found another bus to take them across quite a bit of the country, to a town very near Godric's Hollow. It was sure to be a very long ride, so once they were finally aboard, Angel arranged their blankets and pillows to sleep.
Harry pulled out that teddy bear. Angel said nothing, but smiled. Mischievous little one.
He tucked the toy under one arm and laid his other hand on Angel's upper arm. She was his security. She understood that. And Harry, perhaps he was hers. She would always defend the boy – simultaneously Lily's little child and Angel's little brother.
Miles away, a particular device began beeping on a particular old wizard's desk. After thinking over the possibilities of a sleepover, or similar, the device was noted, and ignored. Should it continue, then Albus Dumbledore would need to take action.
AN: This story is being written for a challenge by The Phoenix Wraith. The challenge details and rules are below.
Name (of challenge): Harry's Guardian
Name of challenger (as in your name): The Phoenix Wraith (Or just Phoenix for short.)
Due date (if applicable): N/A
Pairings/characters: Author's discretion; preferably unique.
Summary: Before her end at Voldemort's curse, Lily Potter signed a Magical Contract with a Sentinel, ancient spirits of the aether that are also known as Guardian Angels. How will Harry's life change with a Magical Spirit looking out for him?
Other details: There are three ways I believe this to be done;
Number One: The Sentinel takes the role of Harry's guardian, whether instead or after Dursleys is to the Authors Discretion. As Harry grows, the Sentinel teaches him various topics, ranging from studies, to fighting styles, to magic. Being bound to Harry, the Sentinel also follows him to Hogwarts over the years and serves to protect him.
Number Two: The Sentinel takes the role of a twin sibling, always caring for Harry no matter what. The Sentinel, as a being of Magic, is registered on the Hogwarts charter and will aid Harry through the years.
Number Three: The Sentinel takes the role of Harry's familiar, aiding him from the background. You don't have to replace Hedwig (Hell, you could even make Hedwig the familiar).
The difference in these scenarios, is that the Guardian and Familiar Sentinel can either reveal their nature to Harry or keep it from him, whereas the Sibling Sentinel does whatever they can to keep it hidden as long as possible.
In terms of pairings and/or bashings, Author's Discretion - though I do request for some variety for pairing, even OC's if you want; just make sure to not Mary/Gary Sue 'em.
The Sentinel can be either gender, and any animal/creature if going the Familiar scenario, and if going the Guardian scenario any pairings are, again, to the Author's Discretion.
Random Options for extra Challenges: Quote a line from any song by Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Three Days Grace or Linkin Park while keeping it within the current scene.