July 18, 1985
"Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song, and make it better
Remember, to let her into your heart
Then you can start, to make it better
Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to, go out and get her
The minute, you let her under your skin
Then you begin, to make it better"
Amelia Richards sang to her five-year-old daughter as they lied down on the child's bed.
"Night, mummy." Little Emily whispered as she closed her heavy eyes.
"Goodnight, love." Amelia whispered, kissing her child's head before standing up and leaving the room.
A few hours later there was a loud noise coming from her daughter's room and Amelia got up to find out what was going on.
"Mummy!" Emily yelled.
Fear filled Amelia's eyes as she grabbed her wand and ran to Emily's room. When she ran in she saw her child being held by Bellatrix Lestrange. Around the room there was Rodolphus and Rababstan.
"Hello Amelia, how've you been?" Bellatrix smiled.
"Let her go." Amelia said harshly.
"No, I don't think so." Rodolphus replied, walking up to Amelia.
"She's a child!" She yelled.
"Mummy, what's happening?" Little Emily asked.
"We're following our leader's orders. See, you're mummy here was supposed be killed years ago. Then you came along." Bellatrix said, twirling her wand in Emily's hair.
"Fine, you can kill me. Just leave her alone!" Amelia yelled lowering her wand.
"Well, that just makes it easy."
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
"Mummy!"
Emily watched as a green light came out of Bellatrix's wand and hit her mum. Amelia screamed before falling to the ground, her hand stretched toward her daughter. Bellatrix laughed and let go of the little girl and she ran to her mum.
"Wake up, mummy, wake up!" She yelled.
Emily screamed and ducked as the window behind her broke and a giant man with dark long hair and a long beard stepped into the room. Then the door opened and stepped in a tall man with white long hair and beard.
"Depulso." He said, pointing the wand at the three Death Eaters.
They all disappeared once the light hit them. Hagrid and Dumbledore walked over to the girl, who was gripping onto her mother's hand singing 'Hey Jude' softly.
"She's not gonna wake up, is she?" Emily asked, looking up at Hagrid.
"No, she's not." Hagrid answered. "Come on, we 'eed you to go somewhere safe."
"Where am I supposed to go?" Emily asked, gripping Hagrid's hand.
"Your mum's sister's home. That's the safest place you can be. Hagrid, please hurry and take her there." Dumbledore said to Emily before turning to Hagrid.
"Yes, sir." Hagrid replied, taking the girl outside and onto his motorcycle.
"What's yer name?" Hagrid asked.
"I'm Emily." She answered.
"Well, Emily, I'm Hargrid." He replied.
Hagrid smiled when he heard the Emily behind him scream in delight as the flew into the air. In a few hours they landed on Privet Drive. Hagrid picked up the sleeping girl before walking over to 5. Privet Drive, next door to the house where he dropped off Harry Potter when he was a baby. He put the little girl on the doorstep and put a envelope in her hands.
Mr. and Mrs. Wenner
5. Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
July 23, 1991
"Emily Ariella Richards! Wake up this instant!" Aunt Phoebe yelled, banging on the door to my room.
"I'm up Aunt Phoebe." I replied, opening up the door to see an angry face looking back at me
Phoebe slapped her cheek before continuing, "Do not use that tone with me, you ungrateful child. Today we are going to the zoo with Dudley's parents and cousin. You will behave, and if you don't I will make sure you can't move for a week without feeling pain." She said before walking down the stairs.
I hated my Aunt's house. They're abusive and only care about their son, Mark. They made my room in the attic, which barely had any room to stand up to your full height. The only thing I enjoyed about living here was my neighbor, Harry. I met him her second night in the house when I had to go to his home for dinner.
A few times a week we would sneak out and go to the park down the street. Even though I don't talk a lot we understood each other. Harry's aunt and uncle neglect him and my aunt and uncle abuse me. Apparently Harry was brought to the house when he was a baby after his parents passed away and we have the same birthday, July 31st. We had a lot in common, I guess that's why we became friends.
"Hi Harry." I said when they met up at the zoo.
"Good morning, Emily." Harry smiled.
"I want to see the reptiles first!" Dudley yelled at his parents.
"Emily, do you have something to say to Dudley?" Uncle William asked, squeezing my shoulder hard.
"Happy birthday, Dudley." I smiled tightly.
"Whatever. Let's go." Dudley said to Mark before they raced toward the reptile house.
"Make it move." Dudley ordered as we watched a python laying on rocks.
Vernon knocked on the glass, "Move."
Then Dudley knocked on it harder, "Move!"
"He's asleep." Harry said.
"He's boring." Mark said before they walked off.
"Sorry about him. He doesn't understand what it's like, lying there day after day. Watching people press their ugly faces on you." Harry said and the snake lifted his head up, staring at him before blinking.
"Can you hear me?" Harry asked, astonished.
Harry and I watched as the head lifted itself higher before nodding.
"It's just, I've never talked to a snake before." Harry said.
"Do you talk to people often?" I asked.
I smiled as the snake shook his head.
"You're from Burman aren't you? Is it nice there? Do you miss your family?" Harry questioned.
The snake was looking at something next to his environment. He was looking at a sign that said 'Bred in Captivity'.
"I see. That's me as well. I never knew my parents, either. Emily never knew her father and her mum died a few years ago." Harry said.
"Mummy! Daddy! Come here!" Dudley yelled as he pushed Harry away and he bumped into me and we both fell to the floor.
I looked over at Harry, who was glaring at Dudley, and then the glass disappeared and Dudley fell into the water. Harry and I smiled at each other before watching the snake slither out of it's cage.
"Thankssss." The snake said, stopping in front of the us.
"Anytime." Harry replied.
The snake slithered past them and people screamed. I looked at Dudley when he started banging on the glass.
"Mum! Mummy!" He yelled and Phoebe and Petunia screamed.
Harry and I were laughing quietly until their uncle's looked at us accusingly.
"What happened!" Uncle William yelled after we walked into the house.
I shrugged before being slapped in the face.
"If you are to answer me, answer me with words." William said. "Now, let's try again."
"I don't know." I answered quietly.
William shoved me against the wall before speaking, " You're grounded and you can't see that Potter boy for the rest of the month, now go to your room."
I quickly ran up the two sets of stairs before slamming the door closed. Tears were running down my face as I rubbed my bruised cheek and walked over to my bed and sat down. I turned on a recording of my mum singing 'Hey Jude' by The Beatles before laying down and closing my eyes.
The next morning I got up, got dressed and walked downstairs before Aunt Phoebe came up and hit me again. I went to the door and picked up the mail that went through the mail slot.
Bill.
Bill.
Letter for Phoebe.
Bill.
Letter for Emily Richards.
I stared at it before glancing back, making sure no one was looking before I folded up the letter and put it in my front pocket before walking into the dining room.
"Here you go." I said quietly, handing the mail to William.
"Thank you. Now eat your food then go upstairs." Uncle William replied, taking the mail.
After eating, I washed my plate before running upstairs, hardly containing my excitement for my letter. When I closed my door I grabbed the letter.
Miss Emily Richards
The Attic
5, Privet Drive.
Little Whinging
Surrey
I ran my fingers over the beautiful handwriting before turning it around. I was about to open it when the door opened.
"You need to clean-" Phoebe started before noticing the letter, "What's that."
"A letter for me." I replied.
Phoebe slapped me before grabbing the letter, "No lying."
"I wasn't lying." I said loudly.
A scared expression overcame Aunt Phoebe's face, "You need to clean the dishes." Phoebe said before she turned and left the room with my letter.
Over the days I watched owls carrying the letter that was meant for me from my window. Each time a letter came, Uncle William or Aunt Phoebe came and ripped them up.
More kept coming and coming, and smiled as my Aunt and Uncle got frustrated before closing up the mail slot. But they still came. Through the window, under the door, wherever they could. Uncle William started putting them in the food disposal in the sink.
I got lonely quickly, I haven't seen Harry for a few days. I desperately wanted to tell them about the letters and the owls. It wasn't fair. If the letters are meant for me, why do they keep taking them away? It wasn't long before owls covered up Harry's and my yards. When it was Sunday afternoon, I heard yelling from next door. I looked out the window in the living room and saw Harry, Dudley, Petunia and Vernon running to the car with bags of luggage. Tomorrow was our birthday. Certainly they aren't going somewhere for that occasion.
Harry saw me in the window and waved. I smiled sadly before waving back.
That night I stayed up, singing softly to 'Hey Jude', staring at the window, waiting for my clock to hit midnight. I stole a cupcake and a candle from downstairs after Phoebe made them for Mark.
"Happy birthday Harry and Emily." I whispered before blowing out the lit candle.
After eating my cupcake slowly, savouring the flavor, I lied down and closed my eyes, falling to sleep to my mum's voice. A few hours later, I sat up when there was a crash at the door. I opened the door and ran partway down the stairs, seeing a scared Mark and William and Petunia also looked frightened.
"I'll call the police! This is breaking and entering." William said in a shaky voice.
"Hagrid!" I yelled, running down the rest of the steps and hugging him.
"Emily! My 'ave ya grown!" Hagrid hugged back.
"You know this man?" Phoebe asked.
"Why are you here?" I asked, holding Hagrid's hand, staring up at him with my light blue eyes.
"Did ya not get the 'etter, either?" Hagrid asked.
I shook my head before speaking, "They kept taking them away."
"Yer a witch, Emily. I'm here to take you to 'Ogwarts." Hagrid continued.
"Hogwarts? That's what it said on the back of the letter." I responded.
"Yes, 'Ogwarts. We better get going then." Hagrid said, stepping out of the door.
"This is kidnapping!" Phoebe yelled.
"It's not kidnapping if she wants to come." Hagrid replied turning around.
"I want to go. Let's go!" I exclaimed, pulling on Hagrid's hand.
"Alright, don't you want to grab your things?" Hagrid asked.
I nodded before running back up the stairs. I packed my clothes and a picture of my mum, the recording, and the hand-made card I made for Harry before running back downstairs and meeting up with Hagrid. When we got outside I smiled.
"Harry!" I yelled, dropping my stuff before running over and hugging him.
"You're going to Hogwarts, too?" Harry asked.
I nodded before picking my stuff up.
"Here you go, Emily." Hagrid said, handing me the letter.
I smiled before they got on Hagrid's bike. Harry and I put our stuff in the cart. Harry sat down and I sat in between his legs.
"Happy birthday." I said, handing Harry his card.
"Happy birthday, Emily." Harry smiled.
The next morning we were walking down a street in London as Harry read off the supply list and I held on to Hagrid's hand.
"All students must be equipped with one wand, one cauldron, one telescope, one set of brass scales, and bring if they desire and owl, cat, or toad." Harry read off the list. "Can we find all this in London?"
"If you know where to go." Hagrid replied.
Hagrid lead us to a black door an opened it. A man offered him a drink, but Hagrid turned down, telling him that he was on a Hogwarts business.
"Bless my soul. It's Harry Potter." The man said.
Everyone stopped talking and turned to look at Harry.
"Welcome back, Mr. Potter. Welcome back." A man in a black hat said, shaking Harry's hand.
People greeted Harry until they got up to a man with a funny purple thing around his head.
"Harry P-P-Potter. C-C-Can't tell you how p-pleased I am to m-m-meet you." The man said.
"Hello, Professer. I didn't see ya there." Hagrid said. "Harry, Emily, this is Proffesser Quirrell. He'll be your Defense of the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts."
"Nice to meet you." Harry said, holding out his hand.
"Very f-f-fascinating subject." Quirrell said, avoiding Harry's hand. "N-not that y-you n-need it, P-P-Potter."
"So, we better get going now, lot's to buy." Hagrid said.
"Goodbye." Harry said before we continued walking.
"See, Harry, yer famous." Hagrid said, opening a door.
"But why am I famous?" Harry asked. "All those people back there, how do they know who I am?"
"I'm not sure that I'm the 'ight person to tell you that." Hagrid replied, taking out stove blower and taping bricks on the wall.
Then bricks moved round until they formed a doorway. And on the other side, there were shops and people.
"Harry, Emily, welcome to Diagon Ally." Hagrid said.
I walked between the two, holding onto their hands. Harry knew how scared and shy I was. Being beaten and abused by your family didn't help either. He didn't mind when I held his hand or tightly gripped his sleeve.
Hagrid pointed out the shops and what they have. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Harry watching me smile when I saw the owls that were in a cage outside a pet shop. I always like animals. Then Harry turned and watched some kids talk about the broom that was on display.
"But Hagrid, how are we to pay for all this? We don't have any money." Harry pointed out.
"Well, there's your money." Hagrid pointed at the Gringotts Bank. "Gringotts, the wizard bank. There's no safer place except for 'Ogwarts."
"Uh, Hagrid, what exactly are these things?" Harry asked, looking around at the small, wrinkly people with big noses.
"They're goblins. They're not the most friendly beasts. Best stay close." Hagrid said and I gripped his hand tighter.
Hagrid cleared his throat when we got to a desk with a goblin behind it, "Harry Potter and Emily Richards wishes to make a withdraw."
"And does Mr. Potter and Miss Richards have their keys?" The goblin asked, leaning over the desk to look at us.
"Oh, wait a minute." Hagrid said before digging into his pocket and pulling out two keys and putting them on the table, "And there's something else." Hagrid took out a piece of paper, "Professor Dumbledore gave me this. It's about you-know-what in vault you-know-which."
"Very well." The goblin replied.
We got on a cart and a different goblin brought us to a vault.
"Vault 687." He said before getting out. "Lamp, please." Hagrid handed him the lamp and walked over to the door.
Hagrid got out and helped us get out.
"Key please." The goblin said.
The goblin grabbed the key and unlocked the door before opening it. When the door was fully open, Harry and I mouth's dropped open.
"Didn't think yer mum and dad would leave you with nothing, did ya?" Hagrid questioned.
After grabbing money the moved onto my vault.
"Vault 698."
My vault had almost the same amount of money.
"Vault 713." The goblin said.
"What's in there, Hagrid?" Harry asked.
"Can't tell ya, Harry. 'Ogwarts business. Very secret." Hagrid answered.
"Stand back." The goblin told Harry and I.
Unlike the other two vaults, the goblin trailed a finger down the door before opening it. In the vault was something wrapped in paper and tied with a string. Hagrid walked in a put it in his pocket.
"Best not to mention this to anyone." He said to Harry and I and we nodded.
They we left the bank and walked to the different shops to get supplies.
"We still need a wand." Harry said, looking at the list.
"A wand? Well you want Olivanders, no place better. You two run along and wait. I have one more thing I have to do, won't be long." Hagrid said before leaving.
It was empty when we walked in. We put our stuff in top of a shelf by the door and walked to a desk.
"Hello? Hello?" Harry called out and a man on a ladder wheeled over and I grabbed onto Harry's sleeve that was near his hand.
"I wondered when I'd be seeing you , Mr. Potter." Olivander smiled.
He got off his ladder before looking at some thin boxes.
"It seems only yesterday your mother and father were in here, buying their first wands." He said before taking out a box an opening, lifting a wand and handing it to Harry.
"Well, give it a wave." He urged.
Harry pointed it at some boxes and they flew out and Harry put the wand onto the desk.
"Apparently not." Olivander said before grabbing another one.
"Perhaps this."
Harry pointed it at a vase and it shattered.
"No, no, definitely not. No matter."
"I wonder." Olivander said to himself when he pulled out another box.
When Harry held this one, a light breeze blew his hair back and a light shined down on him for a moment before it stopped.
"Curious. Very curious." He said.
"Sorry, but what's curious?" Harry asked.
"I remember every wand ever sold, Mr. Potter. It so happens that the phoenix, who's tail feather resides in your wand, gave another feather. Just one other. It is curious that you should be destined for this wand, when it's brother gave you that scar." He said, using the wand to push away the hair that covered his lightning bolt scar.
"And who owned that wand?" Harry asked.
"We do not speak his name. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter. It's not always clear why. But I think it is clear that we could expect great things from you. After all, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things. Terrible, yes. But great." He said before handing Harry back his wand.
"Time for yours, Miss Richards." Olivander said, grabbing a box.
After many, many, many wands, we found the right one for me.
"Oh, dear." Olivander said.
"What?" I questioned.
"That wand also had a past with He-Who-must-Not-be-Named. It was his first wand, before using the one with the phoenix feather." He answered.
"Does that mean something?" Harry asked.
"Like I said. The wand chooses the wizard, and sometimes it's not clear why." Olivander replied before there was a knock on the window.
"Harry. Emily. Happy birthday." Hagrid said, holding up two cages with owls in them.
Harry and I smiled at each other before paying for our wands
One was a white owl with yellow, and that one went to Harry and he named her Hedwig. The other was jet black with green eyes, and I named her Lilith.
"Yer alright, Harry? You seem a little quiet." Hagrid said as they ate dinner.
"He killed my parents, didn't he? The one who gave me this?" Harry asked, touching his scar. "You know, Hagrid, I know you do."
"First, and understand this Harry 'cause this is very important, not all wizards are good. Some of them go bad. A few years ago there was one wizard went as bad as you can. And his name was V-. His name was V-" Hagrid started.
"Maybe if you wrote it down." Harry suggested.
"No, I can't spell it. Alright." He replied before whispering, "Voldemort."
"Voldemort." Harry said.
"Shhh. It was dark times, Harry, very dark times. Voldemort started gathering followers. Brought them over to the dakrside. Anyone who would stand up to him, ended up dead. Your parents fought against him, but nobody lived once he decided to kill 'em. Nobody, not one. 'xcept you." Hagrid continued.
"Me? Voldemort tried to kill me?" Harry asked and I grabbed his hand.
"Yes. That ain't no ordinary cut on your head, Harry. A mark like that only comes from being touched by a curse. And an evil curse, at that." Hagrid replied.
"What happened to You-Know-Who?" I asked.
"Well, some say he died. I recon he's out there still. Too tired to carry on. But one thing's absolutely certain. Something about you stumped him that night. That's why you're famous, Harry, that's why everybody know's your name. You're the Boy Who Lived." Hagrid answered.
The next morning we packed our stuff and went to the train station.
"Blimey, is that the time?!" Hagrid explained, looking at his pocket watch. "Sorry, you two, I'm gonna have to leave you. Dumbledore would be wanting-" He patted his pocket where he put the thing from the vault. "Your train leaves in ten minutes. Here's your tickets." He said, handing us train tickets, "Stick to it, that's very important. Stick to your ticket."
We looked at the ticket before Harry spoke, "But Hagrid, there must be a mistake. This is platform nine and three quarters. There's no such thing. Is there?"
He looked up but Hagrid was gone.
We pushed our trolleys toward platform nine and ten.
"Excuse me? Can you tell me where platform nine and three quarter is?" Harry asked a man in a train uniform.
"Nine and three quarters? Think your damn funny, do ya?" He said before walking away.
We looked at a woman who was talking about muggles walk past us with a bunch of red-headed children following her.
"Muggles?" Harry questioned before we followed them.
"Alright, Percy, you first." The woman said.
Harry and I watched as the boy ran with his trolley through a wall. My eyes widened at the spot.
"Fred, you next." She said to twins.
"He's not Fred, I am!" One exclaimed.
"Honestly, woman, you call yourself our mother." The other one said.
"I'm sorry, George." She said before motioning to the wall behind her.
"I'm only joking, I am Fred." He said before running through the wall and the other twin was behind him.
"Excuse me?" Harry said, tugging on my sleeve to follow him, "C-Could you tell us how to-"
"How to get onto the platform? Yes, there's nothing to worry, dearies. It's Ron's first time to Hogwarts as well." She said motioning to Ron, "Now, all you've got to do is walk straight at the wall, between platforms nine and ten. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous."
"Good luck." The girl next to her said.
Harry gave me a scared look before running towards the wall. I watched him disappear.
"Your turn, sweetie." The woman smiled at me.
I took a deep breath and ran towards the wall. I expected to hit it, but when I didn't feel the impact I opened my eyes and saw a train that said 'Hogwarts Express.' Harry smiled at me, "Let's go."
After dropping our stuff off we got onto the train. Harry and I sat next to each other in an empty compartment.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked after awhile.
I nodded, "It's a lot to take in. I mean, magic is real. And we're apart of this world where regular people think it's something you read in a book. And what's scary is that evil exists, too."
Harry nodded, agreeing with me.
"Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full." One of those red-headed kids asked, Ron, I think.
"Not at all." Harry replied.
Ron smiled before sitting across from Harry, "I'm Ron Wealsey."
"That's Emily, and I'm Harry Potter." Harry introduced.
