Author's Note: I realise I said I wouldn't start another story while in my first story isn't even finished but I just HAD to get this posted before I lost the inspiration or forgot about it!
This is a Harry Potter fanfic based on both the book and movie Ella Enchanted. Being that the plots of the book and movie are different from each other, this story will have aspects from both plots! And, of course, I will be adding things in of my own!
I will be introducing characters at the start the chapters they first appear in as well as the Ella Enchanted role equivalent. Like this:
HP character = EE character
Now here is the character list for this chapter:
Harry Potter = Ella
Lily Potter = Eleanor (Ella's mom)
James Potter = Ella's dad (I forgot his name)
Hermione = Mandy
Dumbledore = Lucinda (the godmother)
Chapter One: A Terrible Gift
Fairy tales tell,
As their labels imply,
Stories of magic,
Of creatures that fly.
With giants and dragons
And ogres and elves,
And inanimate objects
That speak for themselves.
There's romance and danger
And plotting of schemes.
There's good guys and bad guys
And some guys in between.
A fairy tale also reveals some sort of truth,
The perils of choices we face in our youth.
But our story today is different in theme,
For our hero had no choice,
Or so it would seem.
Lily Potter had just given birth to the most beautiful baby boy. He was small and delicate, with pale soft skin and the same messy raven locks as his father. He had a small upturned nose, pouted lips, and rosy cheeks. With his eyes closed he looked more like James. But once they opened one could see just how much he resembled his mother. He had the same large emerald green eyes that sparkled just like the stars above. As he grew, he would become more like his mother than anything.
As Lily stared lovingly at her baby, he began to sniffle. And then softly cry. She quickly strode over to his bassinette.
"Now, now. Oh, dear Harry," she cooed as she gently picked him up. "It's nothing a little burping won't cure."
Once burped, Harry was again the quiet yet happy baby he was before.
Meanwhile, Hermione, the family housekeeper and fairy set about cleaning the room and getting things ready for the new child. Hermione was an attractive woman with curly brown hair and kind brown eyes. She looked to be about 17 but one could never tell with fairies. They aged slower than humans.
Suddenly, a resounding thump was heard from somewhere in the house. "Hello!" was heard from somewhere in the air.
"Oh no!" cursed Hermione. "That's Dumbledore! Oh, he gives the worst gifts in the kingdom!"
"We have to hide Harry! Quick!" Lily cried, rushing into the closet with her baby in her arms.
Soon, a very old man appeared out of nowhere. His arms were raised and sparkles filled the air. He wore bright purple robes with golden stars on them, half-moon spectacles, and had a very long white beard.
"Dumbledore here! Wizard par excellence!" Dumbledore was quite big on theatrics. "Now where is the baby?" He looked expectantly at the two women, eyes twinkling.
"Out walking," Lily said just as Hermione said "At his grandmother's."
"At his grandmother's," Lily amended just as Hermione said "Out for a walk."
"He's walking, at his grandmother's," Lily finally decided, trying to cover up their blunder.
"Either way, as you see, he's not here." Just as the words left Hermione's mouth the closet door fell open revealing a crying baby Harry. "Oh, look! He's back."
Dumbledore gently picked up the sniffling baby. "All right. What shall we give this beautiful child today?" He paused. "What's his name again?"
"Harry."
"Ah, Harry. Not a very well behaved little stinker, is he? Well, then. Harry, I give you the gift of obedience. Now, go to sleep." The baby fell asleep. "Now, wake up." The baby woke up. "Isn't it wonderful?" Dumbledore proclaimed.
"No, it's terrible!" Hermione cried.
"It's a terrible gift to have to do what you're told," Lily protested. "Take it back!"
"I'm sorry," Dumbledore bristled, "I have a no-return policy. And if you're going to be ungrateful, I can always turn him into a squirrel instead."
"A squirrel?"
"No, obedience will be just fine," Lily hastened, terrified of the thought of her baby being a squirrel.
"Besides, you should be thanking me," Dumbledore announced. "I've just given you the perfect child!"
In spite of the spell,
Harry grew up strong of mind.
His gift made him obedient,
But his heart made him kind.
When Harry was five he was deemed old enough to go to school. As long as he stayed out of notice he figured he would be safe from someone's orders. The first day of school went smoothly enough, until the children were taken outside to play. As Harry sat on the grass observing the birds and other children, one in particular stood out to him.
She was a girl around his age with sunny blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. She didn't look like the rest of the children. Maybe it was how her hair reached to her waist even in a braid or how she seemed dazed even as she was being taunted by a group of boys.
"Why don't you go back where you came from?" one of the boys taunted. The rest of the boys in the group voiced their agreements.
"Yeah, Luna. What a stupid name!" The boys shoved her hard enough to make her land in the sand.
Something made Harry feel like he needed to do something. He didn't know why. He hardly knew this girl but he knew what it was like to be different from others. She looked like a nice person and hadn't done anything wrong that he could see.
He stood up and made his way over to the girl.
"No one wants you here!" the first boy announced.
"I do," Harry interrupted.
The boys just looked at him like they couldn't believe this silent boy had the nerve to actually stand up to them. Finally the first boy spoke.
"Bite me."
Harry knew that this was meant to be a taunt and not an order but his body wouldn't listen to his mind. He moved despite how hard he tried.
Harry bit the boy on his arm.
From then on those boys never bothered Luna or Harry again. Luna turned out to be a great friend for Harry. They understood each other and tended to stick together rather than mingle with the other children. The other kids cared more about themselves and normalcy than following their own minds. Normal was one thing that neither Harry nor Luna was.
When Harry was six he had finally realized just what it was that was making him obey any command. He had spoken with his mother and Hermione about it and they decided he was ready to know the truth. They told him about Dumbledore and the 'gift' he had bestowed upon him and how he had refused to undo it.
"I always knew there was something wrong with me. Can't you take the spell back, Hermione?" Harry asked hopefully.
"I can only use my magic for small spells, honey. Besides, only the wizard who gave you the gift can take it back and we've begged him," she explained as she sat next to him. "Not only that, but he said he'd turn your mother into a squirrel and take away my youth if we ever asked him again."
"It's not fair."
"I know, darling, I know," Lily soothed as she sat on Harry's other side rubbing his back. She felt like a terrible mother, being unable to protect her son or ease his grief, but there was nothing she could do to erase the spell and that fact almost killed her. She hoped with all her heart that there would be another way of undoing the spell.
So Harry now knew,
Why he'd always obeyed.
But he never stopped fighting
To have things his way.
As he struggled
To find a way out of his gift,
He had no way of knowing
Something worse was adrift.
Harry sat in silence.
His mother was dead. She had come down with a bad illness that ended up killing her.
She had spoken to him moments before her death. As he sat next to her bedside he had pleaded for her to get better even though he knew there was no point. She had merely smiled a sad, tired, smile and told him that no one other than her and Hermione knew of his curse. Not even his father, James Potter. She then gave him one command and that was to never tell anyone of his curse for people would find ways to use it against him or use him for their own greed.
He remembered what she said. 'No matter what anyone tells you to do, look to yourself. What's inside you is stronger than any spell.' She had given him her locket that she always wore as a reminder of her love.
He could hear his father's quiet sobs from inside his mother's room after her body had been taken away. Harry was always closer to his mother than his father yet never felt unloved by him. James Potter was a man dedicated to his job and providing for the family. He loved his wife and child dearly. James always knew how to make Harry laugh and this was one day where Harry wished he could ease his father's pain. He would try to be the best son he could and take care of his remaining family in his mother's place.
He stared at the metal locket in his hands. It felt weird to hold it when he was used to seeing it on his mother's neck all his life. He couldn't remember a time where she wasn't wearing it. He would treasure this locket as it was one of the only things left from his mother.
AN: Sooooo, what do you think? Is this a good enough first chapter? Is the whole idea of the plot a good idea? I'm trying to figure out whether I want Draco or Cedric to be in Char's role… I am liking both but I want to know which one YOU think is a better choice!
Tell me your opinions, people. Don't be shy!
Yuki-chan314