Summary:
A collection of omakes for "The odds were never in my favour" by Antony444. While non-canon, written with approval and help of Antony444 themselves.
Beta read by the wonderful MasterQwertster and Antony444, be sure to check out their own amazing stories! Especially the latter, since this is their story it is based on :-P
None of us own Harry Potter, which should be obvious since the protagonist for that is a boy and not a girl ;-)
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Harry Potter: The odds were never in my favour:
The Odds of Omakes
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1995
The door to the secret meeting was slammed open with a Bang!
"Professor!"
"Yes, Mr. Weasley?" Albus Dumbledore asked with a grandfatherly twinkle. After all, he could easily predict what would happen next.
"Ronald!" barked Molly Weasley on cue. "This is a private meeting!" And an important one, as they were all discussing Voldemort's latest attacks on those poor Muggles, and how wizardkind should do their duty in protecting them.
Indeed, many of Dumbledore's most important members of the Order of the Phoenix were present for Severus' debriefing on Voldemort's actions. Well, partial debriefing. Albus had already privately conferred with his double-agent, particularly on what everyone else should know.
"It's Percy," Ronald went on, undaunted. "We figured out why he's been such a dark-loving git by going off with Potter!" Frantically he waved a parchment with meticulous handwriting upon it. "He's been spying on her, and learnt her secret! And guess what!? She is really a he!"
Murmurs of surprise went up and down the table, after which Alastor Moody –having finished doing a few quick checks of the parchment with his wand— growled, "Well, spit it out boy!"
Just then Neville Longbottom and Leo Black caught up with their friend. "It appears, sir," Longbottom answered, "that we've all been deceived. What we've been dealing with is not Alexandra Potter, but instead a very old and very Dark wizard."
Despite himself, Albus was intrigued. That one of the Weasley's, old allies of the Light, had actually been risking his life for the Greater Good, as opposed to being a black sheep, was tempting to believe. Moreover, Percy Weasley had always been a strict stickler for the rules, to the point Albus had known he could never directly recruit the boy for the Order. Of course, this very trait only made his allegiance to a younger girl so wrapped in darkness all the more confusing. Which means of course that the idea that she isn't actually responsible for her own rise is seductive, he lightly warned himself. Especially given how rapid the ascension of James Potter's daughter has been, learning so much and gaining so many allies so readily—!
"Spit. It. Out!" repeated Moody.
"Mordred. The very man who killed King Arthur of Camelot."
Silence fell at Longbottom's words. He elaborated. "According to Percy Weasley's notes, it appears that Mordered created what Percy described as a Super-Horcrux, a—"
"He what!?" snapped Lord Sirius Black. Clearly he had still learnt a thing or two about the Dark Arts from his family. "That's an abomination! And what do you mean a super one!?"
Personally, Albus was thankful that the man had drawn attention to himself, as it hid his own sharp breath of shock. What do those foolish 'Exiles' know of them!? What have those children done!?
Clearing his throat, it was evident that Longbottom was trying to hide his own confusion. "Apparently Potter has taken an interest in them, yet refers to them as inferior to her versions. Based upon a few other comments, it seems Percy," there were too many Weasley's in the room to distinguish him otherwise, "concluded she, or he, specifically believed that they had created some superior version compared to what any other wizard or witch has managed. Especially in terms of how much more versatile the, the quote-unquote 'vessel, is. One detail that was particularly emphasized was that Mordred's can hide both its true nature and very existence, even from Hogwarts' wards."
"So you mean to say that Heiress Potter has been possessed this whole time?" Albus heavily said. Clearly he had misjudged the poor girl. Possibly. "How?"
Alas, Longbottom could only shake his head. "We don't know. It's possible James Potter managed to leave it to her, or by some other means it came to her. Once she put it on, she was lost." He took a deep, dramatic breath. "Unfortunately, it appears there are others. Mordred has been assembling either his followers of old, or creating new ones to replace them."
"Grave news indeed," Albus declared. "Yet now perhaps, if young Mr. Weasley's findings are accurate, we now know what must be done. Do you have anything concrete?"
"Some, Headmaster," Leo Black said for the first time. He held up a sheet of paper with a strange, flowing scrip that Dumbledore could not place despite all his vast knowledge. "It seems Percy found a book about it, copied down the main points, and attempted to translate it." He grimaced. "This language might look pretty, but according to these notes, it is rather nasty." He pointed at one part that had been circled several times. "Apparently you say this part like this: Ash nazg durbatulûk, ash nazg gimbatul, ash nazg thrakatulûk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul."
In spite of his own formidable self-discipline, Albus felt the slightest shiver at the guttural speech.
Lord Black was clearly only biting back his impatience at this amateurish display of drama because it was his own son who was speaking up now (probably intentional of the boy), except Molly Weasley had no such restraint. "What does it mean though!? What did my darling Percy find!?"
Longbottom pulled a particular paper out of Ronald Weasley's hands, and even from here it had clearly been given far more attention. In the center was evidently the main text, while around it little notations written with a meticulous hand filled the margins, along with lines connecting them to specific words.
"Some of this is a little biased," Longbottom confidently said, "or uses terms that Percy believed were code words, or were personal names used by Mordred and as such were erased from historical records afterwards. Understandable, if regrettable as the wizards of old failed to finish the job."
It took more restraint than Dumbledore was proud of to give the boy a mere nod to prompt him to continue, as opposed to damaging his appearance as an authority figure by snapping at him to stop dragging it out. Where had the lad gotten such arrogance as to keep an audience such as this waiting!?
"However," Longbottom finally said, "this appears to be his most important source. An account of what happened that Percy found and memorized, before writing it down to try and decipher it." Clearing his throat, he began.
"'It all began with the forging of the Great Rings.
"'Three were given to the Veela; wise and fairest of all beings.'
"'Seven, to Goblins, great warriors and craftsmen of the mountain halls.'
"'And nine, nine rings were gifted to the race of Men, who above all else desire power.'"
Slowly Albus nodded as connections were made, and ideas began to spin. Longbottom took the time to elaborate upon what the Golden Trio and Percy had also theorized, addressing the others as if he were a statesman. "I bid you to remember that not only did Potter, no, Mordred, quickly forge strong relationships with those Veela from the Triwizard tournament, but the implications are rife with the fact that his former allies are firmly entrenched within France, Britain's traditional enemy. Similarly so with the Goblins.
"More importantly however, is that with the Exiled Army, all the first of Potter's followers wear rings to distinguish themselves. Four rings on them. So far." Taking another breath, he continued.
"'For within these rings was bound the strength and the will to govern over each race. But they were all of them deceived, for another ring was made.
"'In the land of Mordor, in the fires of Mount Doom, the Dark Lord Mordred forged in secret, a master ring, to control all others. And into this Ring he poured all his cruelty, his malice, and his will to dominate all life. One Ring to rule them all.'"
Coughing, Longbottom added, "Percy starts to capitalize 'ring' by this point. Ahem.
"'One by one, the free peoples of Britain fell to the power of the Ring. But there were some who resisted. King Arthur led a great alliance, and marched against the armies of Mordred, and on the very fields of Camlann, they fought for the freedom of Britain, and the very world itself.
"'Victory was near, but the power of the ring could not be undone. With Fragarach, Mordred cut down King Aruthur. It was in this moment, when all hope had faded, that Merlin, the greatest of all sorcerers, took up his majesty's sword, and cut through both Mordred's ring finger and heart.
"'However, as wizards and knights saw to completing their victory, they failed in their one chance to destroy this evil forever. For as they fought the remnants of Mordred's Dark host, and mourned their fallen king, they overlooked how the hearts of men are easily corrupted. A lowly squire found the Ring, and the Ring of Power has a will of its own. It betrayed the squire to his death to disappear, and some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. Until at last it seems the world no longer knows the truth.'"
Now it was a contemplative silence that fell across the Order of the Phoenix.
To Albus' sharp eyes, all of them, save Severus (doubtless because of his anti-Gryffindor bias), seemed ready to believe this tale. In truth, so did he. It all seemed to tie together in his mind. "So somehow Alexandra Potter came upon the Ring, and it ensnared its newest wielder, and consumed her. Until only Mordred was left.
"Then Mordred found his sword of old, while crafting together a new army of followers by finding the other old Rings of Power. Or perhaps they too are Horcruxes." He deliberately kept from elaborating on what those were, hoping the others would overlook that. "That may also explain the brilliance those students displayed, particularly Granger, if they are really adults." The others all looked queasy at that. Understandable.
Although Ronald Weasley appeared smug at the idea the Muggleborn's genius was actually false.
Then Lord Black barked out a doglike laugh. "Well, looks like Mordred's plan has hit a serious snag. Unless he likes being in the body of a teenage girl!"
Count on Lord Black to put people at ease, as indeed most of them snickered at that, and even Albus allowed himself to indulge in some humour. Unfortunately the lack of reaction by the New Marauders cut that off, as the trio were uncharacteristically serious in the face of such a joke.
"Percy addressed that too," Longbottom said, doing all he could to appear the serious statesman. "The only other concrete detail he was able to unearth was that becoming a woman was part of a ritual Mordred has planned. Apparently it will allow him to claim a title of power." Once more his voice shifted to project greater drama.
"The Witch-King of Angmar, at which point no man will be able to slay him."
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Later
Alexandra Potter stared at Snape in disbelief as he finished his report to her. Wh-what!? That's insane! Now not only will Dumbledore be thinking I'm currently carrying Mordred's soul, he'll be looking at the Goblins and Veela too! And how could he even believe that nonsense!?
...Except, it'll also be easy to disprove...
Indeed, Percy Weasley himself was standing right within earshot of Snape. Yet while he looked uncomfortable, he hardly seemed guilty.
And then her fight for self-control gave in, and her body shuddered and wracked against the forces besieging it.
Alexandra Potter succumbed...
...to utter hilarity as she laughed her head off. So immense was her amusement she fell right off her seat, tears in her eyes as she contemplated the sure enormity and absurdity of how Perfect Dumbledore, the so-called 'muggle lover,' had been duped.
Through her howls of laughter, she dimly heard Snape dryly remark, "Shall I take it that Mr. Weasley has yet to become a spy capable of fooling you, nor has Longbottom proven capable of simple research?"
That merely set off the Exiled Queen harder.
Glancing up, she saw a beaming Hermione wave forward a large cake with lit candles, and then led all of the Exiled Army and their allies, including several Goblins and Veela, in singing "~Happy Birthday to you~! ~Happy Birthday to you~! ~Happy Birthday Alexandraaaaa~! ~Happy Birthday to yooooooou~!"
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Author Notes:
Here we go, the first of my collection of omakes, and a brand new one at that :-)
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Please Review, and I will get back to you!
