Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction using the characters of Harry Potter that are trademarked by J.K. Rowling
A/N:
I have changed the year that this story takes place. Daniella Potter's birthday is July 31, 2004, with everything adjusted to fit that. It won't have a big impact on this fic since the Wizarding World is stuck in the past anyways, but it will come into affect in later parts (planned sequels).
This is a Fem!Harry Potter story. It will encompass all her years at Hogwarts. Yes, I know it's been done before (a lot) but here we go again. Don't like it. Don't read it.
Prologue
It was a cold and dark November night when the street lights went out on Privett Drive. An elderly man in colourful robes moved slowly along the sidewalk. The frigid temperatures were wreaking havoc on his joints, so he moved in a stilted manor. As he moved down he street each lamp extinguished as her walked by and plummeted the quiet neighbourhood further into darkness.
The man slowed to a stop outside one particular house. It wasn't an unusual home, not special in anyway shape or form, in fact it looked exactly the same as many of it's neighbours. No, it wasn't the house this man was interested in, it was its occupants, the Dursley's.
The Dursley family was considered a normal family to everyone who knew them. They were a happily married couple, the husband had a successful career, and they had one child, a boy. He was a large boy that was the apple of his parents' eye, he could do no wrong.
The elderly man stood outside in the frigid cold. The grass had a layer of frost coating its blades that indicated that winter would be here soon. He stood in silent contemplation and absently stroked his beard and continued to survey the ordinary home before him. The house was silent, it's occupants long since asleep, not knowing that everything was about to change.
A sudden crash broke the silence and caused the man to flinch at the sudden noise but turned his head to look over to where the crash had originated from and hip lips pulled into a knowing smirk and his blue eyes twinkled merrily.
"I'm surprised to see you here, Professor McGonagall" the man said when he was face to face with a perfectly groomed tabby cat that sat on a stone half wall nearby.
The cat shot him an unamused glare and proceeded to jump from the wall and effortlessly transformed into an older, grey-haired, woman clad in dark blue robes and square glasses that mimicked the colouring around the cat's eyes. Her face was set in a stern glare and she kept up that façade for just a moment longer before her face softened almost imperceptibly and she looked over at her old friend, "Are the rumors true, Albus?" she asked. Her voice held both the hope that they were and the hope that they were not.
"I'm afraid so, Professor. The good, and the bad"
Professor McGonagall lowered her gaze and looked down at her feet. She fought back tears over the thought of her best, and favourite, students dead, "And the girl?" she asked already fearing the worst.
"She will be brought here"
"Here?!" McGonagall was shocked. Her fear was confirmed. She had been hoping that Albus would prove her wrong. Hoped that he would place the girl with a respectable magical family and not with these Muggles. Muggles who strived to be normal but based on her surveillance were the worst Muggles imaginable. They were Muggles who catered to their toddlers every whim and excused him poor behaviour and temperament as other people's problem. Muggles who smile to your face as they stabbed you in the back.
"They are the only family she has left"
McGonagall scoffed. Some family. She was sure that if they searched hard enough they would be able to fine a magical relation for the girl.
"Do you think it will be safe" she countered. Just the though of a rogue death-eater finding out the location of the baby and coming to seek revenge was enough to sent shivers down her spine and turn her stomach.
"There will be protections in place, Minerva. Do not fret. She will be better off growing up away from the magical world. Her name will be known to everyone. That is not the childhood I would wish for her"
"She will be famous" McGonagall whispered as the realization of the bard life that the young babe would have ahead of her.
"Where is the girl now, Albus?"
"She had to be examined to ensure she was healthy and unharmed form the attack, but Hagrid will bring her" Albus said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chained watch. With a quick click the covered snapped open and Albus peered down at the watch face, "He is on his way now. Shouldn't be much longer"
McGonagall winced as she though of the Giant man being anything but conspicuous and wondered if Albus should have chosen someone stealthier to ensure the safety of the girl, "Do you think it wise to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"
"Come now, Minerva. I would trust Hagrid with my life, I trust that he will complete this task with the utmost respect and subtlety that is requires."
Albus' words were immediately contradicted as the sound of a loud motor roared in the sky. The two sole occupants of the street looked up into the starless night sky and saw a small light that moved back and forth in the sky. The light grew larger and the roar grew louder as the image of a flying motorcycle ridden aby a behemoth of a man with a long unkempt beard came into focus.
The motorcycle bounced as it landed on the street and skid across the asphalt before it came to a stop a foot away from the pair. Hagrid dismounted the old, rusted bike and pulled off his goggles. He took a step forward to come to a complete stop in front of Albus and Minerva. He stood a good three feet taller than his companions and they had to look up to lock eyes with the man, "Professor Dumbledore, Sir. Professor McGonagall" he said with a nod to both people.
Albus cleared his throat and pointedly ignored the 'I told you so' look that McGonagall shot his way, "No problems, I trust, Hagrid?"
"No, sir. Little princess fell asleep just over Bristol. I tried not to wake her, Here you go" Hagrid handed over the small bundle that was wrapped up in a soft purple blanket.
Albus took the child in his arms, tenderly, and gazed down at the tiny innocent face only marred by a red jagged scar on her forehead. It still looked raw and painful but Albus trusted that she had been given the appropriate potions to stave off the worst of the pain, at least until the healing process started.
"it's time" Albus said sadly. He moved towards the front stoop of Number Four Privett Drive with McGonagall and Hagrid behind him. He could hear Hagrid's sniffles and muffles cough that indicated that the large man was crying.
"It's not really, truly a goodbye Hagrid. We will see her again" Albus promised and Hagrid nodded his acceptance. He knew the words Albus uttered were true, but he was still lost and overcome with grief over the entire situation and he hate the thought of losing this child to the Muggle world.
Albus slowly crouched down and gently placed the baby girl on the front step. He reached into this robe pocked and produced a small aged envelope that he made sure was securely attached to the blanket. He rubbed his finger soothingly over the jagged cut and frowned when the babe flinched away from the contact in her sleep.
Albus stood up and winced at the creaks and crack of his joints and stepped back to stand with McGonagall and Hargrid.
"Good luck…Daniella Potter" Albus whispered before he walked off and didn't once look back.
Hagrid gave a last look at the little girl before he nodded at Professor McGonagall and he too left Privett Drive on the motorcycle without a look back.
Minerva McGonagall was the last one left. She stood still in the cold night. She couldn't bring herself to leave the child alone. She honestly couldn't believe that Albus just trusted that no harm would come to the girl when he left her there until morning.
McGonagall pulled out her wand and cast a silent warming charm and smiled softly when the girl shifted and snuggled down further into the warm blanket. Minerva then seamlessly shifted down into a tabby cat and curled up by the child's head and settled down for a long night. She would keep vigil over the girl until the house's occupancy awoke. She would not let any further harm come to the girl this night.
Word Count: 1409