This is more of a teaser Chapter than anything else, just to see what is thought of it so that changes can be made...or how many comments it receives. Enjoy
sSs
The water was rough. The ocean mourned as she mourned. Her grief was great, there was so much death in her life. The water grew colder the farther south she got, she barely noticed; the only thing she cared about at this moment was reaching Scotland and Hogwarts before her week was over.
It had been her mother first. She had barely been old enough to cry, but at the time she was too young to care; she didn't remember her now. Next her half-brother, older, stronger, smarter, better but he couldn't fight off the sharks.
She didn't know her father, he was her mystery, her un-known. She knew from her godfather that he was a good man, a good wizard.
Anna-Molly smiled for the first time in hours. She may have lost everyone who loved her, she might have been stuck with her mother's brother, whose daughter tortured her, whose wife hated her. But they were afraid of her, because she had a wizard father.
She clutched the wand in her outstretched hand and pushed she had to go faster, not even the fastest shark could catch her now.
It was only when she thought of these things, that her grief lessened and she could feel the exhilaration of swimming. It had nearly been a month since she had been a streak in the ocean.
Bitterness replaced grief. Her mother, brother, uncle, cousin, aunt…she might have a wand, and powers they could never have but they had something she loved but could only get every-so-often.
They had their tails at all times. Anna-Molly had to wait until her legs started to itch, when she craved the relief from having two legs, when her body begged for water so that she felt she might die if she didn't get it.
Anna-Molly shook her head. No use thinking about that right now, she had only a week (because that was how long her tail lasted) to reach Scotland from her home in the Artic.
She shivered involuntarily, her second home with her mothers family may be in one of the coldest places on the planet but it had been spelled by wizards long ago to stay tropic weather all year long. The water was always somewhat warmed by the hot sun, the air always hot.
It was so they could move as many pods as they could out of Muggle inhabited areas.
Loneliness stung at Anna-Molly then. Wizards and mer-people alike were not solitary people. She missed her pod, swimming along with her, cracking jokes and trying to get her to do magic. Anna-Molly smiled, she might have only been sixteen but she (unlike other wizards her age) could do magic out of school. 'Self Defense' only.
The laughter propelled her foreword even faster. Her godfather had gotten that accomplished for her, he was tight with the Ministry of Magic, at least he was.
It made her heart ache all over again. She should have accepted his invitation to Hogwarts before he died. She had felt him die, but still she had no way to get there, it was only when they received an owl that Anna-Molly knew for sure.
That was when the change had come. Her body knew that she had to get to Hogwarts, where he worked and lived most of the year. She hadn't gotten to see his smiling face, his silver hair, twinkling eyes, one last time…
Tears filled her second set of eye-lids, the ones that kept water out. Angry at herself for crying and impairing her vision, Anna-Molly quickly rose to the surface.
As her head broke the surface and she gulped the cold sea air a wave hit her and sent her tumbling back underwater. She came up again and tried to ride the waves, at least until she stopped crying.
But it was too rough out; she could barely keep her head up long enough for her second lids to open and expel her tears.
With a yell another wave hit her, and she began to chill. The air was freezing her down to her tail fin; it didn't help that her body couldn't move fast enough under the surface to stop herself from being exposed.
Screaming she barely had time to protect her wand before she slammed into a group of rocks. Anna-Molly was battered between the twenty or so rocks, so quickly that she barely felt them. When her head finally cracked against one, she felt her vision slipping away. Her blood ran warmly against her head before being filled with water and than bashed against the rocks again.
She barely had the strength to swim under water, hoping that the salt-water would heal her fast enough so that she could continue. She only had three days left. Anna-Molly's eyes closed as she felt herself being swept into an underwater cavern and then felt herself rise to the top of a body of water.
Her last thought before her wand finally slipped from her fingers was her godfathers name… 'Albus…'
sSs
"Harry! Wake up Harry Mum and Dad are taking us somewhere special for your birthday." Ron yelled at him through his door.
Harry smiled and brushed away his sleepiness. "Just a second let me get dressed." It was his birthday, his seventeenth.
Harry shrugged off his sleep shorts and grabbed a pair of silky boxers. He grinned at the hearts that flashed on them, an early birthday present from Ginny. Tight jeans slipped on over those. He ran down the stairs struggling to put on a shirt.
"Harry…ah!" Fred screamed and closed his eyes catching sight of Harry's chest. "Oh it burns, it BURNS!"
"Ha-ha" Harry said pulling the shirt on. It was a deep red and had a golden lion on it. He had gotten it from Tonks as a birthday present, 'The latest in Muggle wear' she told him.
"Oh Harry, you look wonderful, and so grown up!" Molly said as she placed about three plates of bacon and four plates of toast on the table.
Harry sat down with the Weasley's and enjoyed breakfast. As he ate his third piece of toast he glanced around the kitchen. The Weasley hoard and Hermione surrounded him. Only last night he had sat in that same spot surrounded by the Order, as he had every Wednesday; spaghetti night.
"Thanks, Molly." Harry said smiling. She grinned back and then got all choked up.
"Oh Harry we're so glad that you feel a part of the family." George snickered next to Harry.
"She's been so choked up since Dad told her it was your birthday soon." Harry nodded and ate another piece of bacon.
"Morning Wealsey's!" Arthur said as he came through the door. He was wearing Muggle clothes, good ones. Arthur noticed Harry staring and than laughed.
"Well Tonks has been working on our Muggle outing clothes, and she thought that this would look good one me." Arthur looked distractedly at his tan shirt with a plant design on them, it went well over the blue jeans she had put him in, and he looked very normal with the librarian glasses on.
"Well yes, Tonks would know about those things wouldn't she." Molly said picking up plates and stacking them in the sink where they began to wash and dry themselves.
"Oh, Molly dear, go get dressed, all you too." Arthur said to his children who all looked a little sleepy still.
"We're heading out to Diagon Alley to pick up a few things and then off to a great Muggle attraction Remus told me about…" The children groaned as they trudged up the stairs.
Molly and Arthur smiled at each other, Arthur smiled and pulled Molly close to him. They embraced for a long time before Arthur gave her a small peck on the lips.
"This will be the best day out." Arthur said before he shooed Molly upstairs to dress in her Muggle outfit.
"Well Harry, I trust you informed your Aunt and Uncle about the situation." Harry nodded.
"Yes, they should be getting the letter soon. I'd like to thank you in advance for the great day out." Arthur smiled and ruffled Harry's unruly black hair.
"No worries Harry, oh that reminds me!" Arthur said before pulling out a silver package. He handed it to Harry, who looked at the tag.
To Harry
You're a man now and that means you have many new responsibilities and more freedom now, but I hope that you will always remain a little boy at heart. Never stop believing in the impossible and never give in. Be strong Harry, be the best man you can be.
Albus
Harry stared at the card strangely. Then tears filled his eyes, he blinked them away quickly.
"Where did you…?" Arthur smiled and hugged Harry.