Risen – The tale of Lia Monroe
J. K. Rowlings, I am not… you're reading Fan Fiction. If you are not new to the genre, there will likely be things you've seen before as well as, hopefully, some rather new stuff. This isn't about putting Harry Potter in an original work of fiction, but seeing how the story will unfold given a few interesting twists (at least in my opinion). If you don't like it, so what… I'm not forcing you to read this thing.
Albus had a fool-proof plan for Harry's life… that is until Vernon did his best to kill it. Follow Lia Monroe (Harriett Potter) as she struggles to figure out what it means to be human, to be a witch, to form friendships, and to survive the mad house that is Hogwarts.
Slow-Metamorph, Fem Harry with Ochlophobia triggering Algophobia and Elective Mutism – HP/NT/NL/DG Betrothal
-RISEN-
A place of beginnings
Death shook her head, face shadowed in the ebony folds of her cowl, as she watched the fools celebrate the fall of the dark child. Sure, the dark fool was her grandson, but he was scared of her and twisted her sister's gift in such foolish ways, using his minions to sow chaos and fear. She really couldn't care less, as it would help her minions collect a few more souls tonight from the drunken revelers while the broken one's minions rage and search for their fallen 'Master'. You would think the fools her sister Hecate had blessed with magic, wanted to die; Dropping everything to party on the word of one old man with no proof, completely disregarding their own rules regarding those with her sister's gift and those without it.
Turning her attention to the child before her, the youngest of her grandchildren, Death sighed, rubbing the dull ache throbbing in her forehead. Her cousins, Destiny and Fate, must really hate her granddaughter to have placed such a burden on her. The old man who told everyone the dark child was gone had used Hecate's gift to him to try limiting that gift in her chosen, as if a mortal could usurp the will of the gods; he just drew even more attention to the babe.
The old man and his minions, the stern cat and the great simple beast, had left the babe here on the back steps of her mother's sister's house hours ago, ignoring the thick icicles hanging above her and the inch think layer of unseasonal snow everywhere; No basket, no warming charms, no wards of any kind to protect her from stray animals or other miscreants… nothing but a letter. Ankou Fiona had already been by here to collect the babe, but cousins Fate and Destiny had prevented her from carrying out her duties; which is why Death herself was now here, in person, staring at a dead baby on the doorstep, but couldn't collect her soul; though she did collect the remnants of darkness clinging to the child.
Oh, no… the old man couldn't have even had the decency to leave her on the FRONT steps so the milkman or postman could have found and rescued her. Death shook her head again. Perhaps it was time to create a new Hallow… something only one of her own blood could use. She'd already given her right pinky, her left eye, and part of her own shroud… what would she use for the next one? Maybe her blood itself?
She'd have to think about it… it's not like this babe, the last of her blood, was going to pass beyond anytime soon.
-RISEN-
The next night, Tuesday the third of November 1981, Petunia Dursley opened the back door of her house to take the trash out and screeched in fear. She had a son that was not quite a year and a half old, so knew that that color was all wrong for the babe on her back step, but didn't think to check if the child was alive or not, simply bringing the babe into the house so the neighbors wouldn't see and her husband could call Child Protective Services.
Vernon would have done just that if it hadn't been for the letter; and they knew it was the letter that compelled them to keep the babe, even though it spoke of a boy when the babe was clearly a girl. As for the babe being her sister's child, bah, no way; that Dumbledore fellow must have bewitched her, or done some other freaky thing, to make her eyes look like Lily's, but even then they wouldn't stay the same hue for very long. Well… those freaks must be watching them somehow; and Vernon's right, we may not be able to get rid of the girl yet, but that doesn't mean we would keep her either, treat her bad enough and they would have to take her… no IT away.
We'll keep this Thing for the Freaks until they come to take it away, and they will rue this day forever.
-RISEN-
Darkness is all it knew.
It scarcely remembered what 'light' was; oh but it remembered the pain in the light… when it was called 'Freak.'
Now it had no name; but that was okay, it needed none in the darkness.
It shifted to a more comfortable position as the last one began to cause it minor pain. There wasn't much room in the darkness, but there was enough; at least for now.
The darkness did seem to be getting smaller though, and it didn't know what would happen if the darkness ever became to small for it.
It wasn't worried however, that was a concern for later.
It was comfortable once more and embraced the darkness, deciding not to think about anything at all.
-RISEN-
The overly large man with a very bushy mustache sat at his kitchen table, looking very walrus-like, alternating between staring at the frightening letter in his hand and the walled off section beneath the stairs where he'd hidden it.
Those Freaks had dropped it off in the dead of night with a letter saying it was his wife's nephew; but it wasn't human, it couldn't be. He'd done all he could to beat the freakishness out of it, remembering when he hit it so hard he broke its' neck… but it got back up.
He'd taken a cricket bat to it, railway spikes, acid, fire, everything he could think of… it just wouldn't die. So he'd walled it into that little cupboard under the stairs.
That was years ago, he doubted Duddums even remembers it had once been in the house.
But now… another letter… an Invitation…
It couldn't be alive still… could it?
They couldn't stay here. The Freaks would come looking for it. Well they could bloody well have it, he'd never wanted it anyway.
Quickly gathering his wife and sons, and enough provisions for an extended stay at his sister's place in Wales, the Dursley family fled before someone came looking for it, and why it hadn't responded to the letter.
-RISEN-
Hagrid was confused.
He'd followed Dumbledore's instructions and followed the magical compass here.
But where is the little tyke? The house is empty.
Maybe the Headmaster had given him the wrong compass. He'd just have to pick up the package at Gringott's then check in at the school again.
He was sure it was nothing.
-RISEN-
Albus sighed as he thought about Hagrid's report about Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surry; absent mindedly flipping the magical compass in his hand.
It was such a simple job. Follow the compass, pick up the child, go to Gringott's, pick up Nicholas' package, don't let the Potter Account Manager get anywhere near the child. Then ditch him outside the Leaky Caldron, so Molly could help him on the First.
At least he retrieved the Stone; now where's the boy? He had to be there, the compass couldn't be wrong, it was tracking his blood.
His father had bound his magic to prevent accidental outbursts, his mother had bound his form to keep the muggle neighbors from seeing anything they shouldn't, and Albus himself had tweaked both before adding more to those bindings; so he couldn't have used magic to hide, he had to be there.
He called his Deputy in and tasked her to investigate. It would cause problems later he was sure, but nothing too onerous; he could always Obliviate her and use more Compulsion Charms and Loyalty Potions; it would be fine.
-RISEN-
Albus' request was odd, go to 4 Privet Drive and retrieve Harry Potter, sure, but bring him to the castle directly rather than taking him to Diagon Alley as all the Muggleborn and Raised were? That wasn't right… unless the headmaster was thinking of taking the boy shopping himself; Yes… that must be it.
She had a vague sense of Déjà Vu, but would swear she'd never been here before. After searching the attic, the basement, and all the rooms in between, even the shed out back, Minerva was confused, where was the boy? Albus was adamant he was here.
She must be missing something.
Deciding to try one last thing before going back, she cast Homenum Revelio and really didn't like the results.
This was not good.
-RISEN-
It ignored the noises from beyond the darkness.
The ones from before had left it here, safe in the darkness, so anything from beyond didn't matter.
There was a loud pop, and it was startled as it was no longer alone in the darkness.
Something grabbed it.
With another loud pop, it was no longer in the darkness.
And it was scared.
-RISEN-
-AN- I decided to seek out a bit of feed back on this... that means 'constructive criticism' is welcome. I'm not a huge fame of s'mores so keep your trolly flames to yourself.