The Baba Yaga Guild

Chapter One: Meet Terry Petrovya

Any and all mistakes are mine and Google Translate's. Inspiration for this came from reading the amazing Araceil's "Fairy Tail".

September 1st 2009

"Baba Yaga eats bullies, you know."

There were certain rules in the world that Harry Potter lived in. There was no post on Sundays, no one at school would ever like "that weird Potter orphan", and the Dursleys would always hate magic. The world of Privet Drive and Little Winging followed these rules – well, until today.

"You wanna be next, new girl?" Duddley sneered.

Harry peaked around his massive cousin, and caught sight of wild chocolate curls and a stubbornly-set mouth on a tiny body.

"I'd be afraid of Baba Yaga if I was you," The tiny girl told him, whole body practically vibrating with fury.

"An' who's that, anyway?" Dudley demanded.

The girl drew herself up to her full, unimpressive, height. "She's a witch in Russia," She said proudly. "who has iron teeth and a giant nose, and loves to eat loveless villains, and bullies, and rotten children." Dudley's piggy face had bleached white. "She'll come and cook you up too, you know."

With that said, Dudley had dragged his cronies away, leaving Harry behind with the new girl, for once without any new bruises to show for the encounter.

"Um, thanks, I guess." Harry mumbled.

She flashed him a brittle grin. "Pozhaluysta. I'm Wisteria Petrovya – call me Terry."

"Harry Potter." Harry answered, shaking her outstretched hand, and ignoring the weird look she was suddenly giving him. "Why'd you do that?"

Terry shrugged. "Life's too short to not stand up to bullies, don't you think?"

Harry shrugged back. "Uh, you're new this year, aren't you?"

Terry's lips thinned. "Yeah. We just moved here from London, so that we could be closer to my gran."

"Oh. Is, uh, she sick?"

"No."

"Um, well, that's good?" Harry honestly wasn't sure what to make of this strange new girl. Nobody had ever spoken with him for this long before, either, so he was a little bit lost.

"Not really. We moved so that she can look after me whilst Papochka is at work."

Harry bit his lip. "Do your parents both work a lot?"

Terry sneered. "Papochka is a busy doctor. My Mum is dead, so I have to stay with Gran when he's busy."

"… I'm sorry. I don't have a mum, either. Or a dad."

Terry cocked her head to one side, considering. "We're the same, then. Hey, d'you know anything about Manga?"

"Um, no? Sorry."

"Well, I can always introduce you!" Terry said cheerfully. "Wanna be friends?"

Shocked green eyes stared into cornflower blue.

"M-me?!" Harry asked. "You want to be friends with me? But Dudley and everyone will pick on you then."

Terry's smile was horribly sharp. "Let him try. Anyway, what's your answer?"

Harry grinned back brightly. "Sure!"

Terry smirked, and pulled a small book out of her satchel. "This is Fairy Tail!" Terry said cheerfully. "It's my favourite at the moment."

"What's it about?" Harry asked politely.

Terry gave him a sly grin. "Magic! And adventure!"

Harry bit his lips. "My family doesn't like magic much."

Terry shrugged. "Then we don't tell them. Here. You read from back to front, right to left. This is Volume One. I've got up to Volume Six, but I read the translations online, as well."

Harry was only a few pages in when the bell to announce the end of lunch.

"Can I sit with you?" Terry asked as they made their way back to the classroom. "I get the feeling that Annie doesn't like me much."

"Ok," Harry said brightly. "But only if I can walk home with you after."

Terry smirked. "Mm, easy dealings. Where's your place?"

"Number Four, Privet Drive."

Terry gave a bark of laughter. "I'm at Number Ten! Harry, I sense the beginning of a beautiful friendship!"

The walk home from school that day was perhaps the best Harry had ever experienced. Terry had a quick, dry humour, and she had a weird point of view as well. The fact that they were both small and skinny, with wild hair, made it easy for the two to become fast friends, and (in the way of small children) by the time they had arrived at Number Ten, Harry felt as though Terry Petrovya had always been a part of his life.

"Papochka won't be home yet," Terry told him, unlocking the back door and picking up a small black-and-grey kitten before it could escape. "He doesn't get off work until five, so it's just us and Temnaya."

"Your cat's name is Temnaya?" Harry asked.

"Temnaya Polnoch'," Terry told him proudly, scratching the fluffy thing behind an ear. "Gran gave her to me after Mum died."

Harry blushed at that. "Sorry. I didn't mean – "

"It's nothing," Terry said brusquely. "You didn't know. Anyway, would you like anything?"

"Oh, um, just water, thanks. I should probably go back and let my aunt and uncle know where I am, I'm supposed to do chores today."

Terry eyed him, before putting Temnaya on her shoulder. "Well, I'll come with. I don't want to be alone, either, so I'll help you. I'll just let Gran know." She raced over to the house phone, and within a minute, had let her grandmother know about the change of plans – with strict instructions to return to Number Five Magnolia Crescent, should she be turned away.

"Lead on, Harry!" Terry said cheerfully, once she'd changed out of her uniform into jeans and a daggy jumper. "Temnaya, plecho." Once the girl was crouched in front of her, the small kitten launched herself straight onto her mistress' head. "No, not glava, silly cat, plecho!" Terry scolded, putting the kitten back on the ground; this time, she jumped onto Terry's shoulder. "Good kitty!"

Harry was surprised at how well behaved the kitten was, but instead of saying anything, lead the two back to Number Four.

"Aunt Petunia?" Harry called, once they were inside. "Is it ok if Terry stays over for a little bit? She said she'd help with my chores."

Aunt Petunia was a tall, skinny woman with blonde hair and quite a lot of neck, and both Wisteria Petrovya and Temnaya Polnoch' instantly disliked her. Similarly, Petunia Dursley took one look at the raggedly-dressed girl and her fluffball kitten, and instantly baulked.

"Who are you?"

"Wisteria Vasilisa Petrovya," The tiny girl said, head held proudly. "Doctor Kazimir Petrovy's daughter. He's at work, and I wanted to spend time with Harry."

Aunt Petunia's mouth twitched into an almost sneer. "You're Arabella Figg's granddaughter?"

Terry nodded, brushing a wild curl behind one ear, blue eyes fierce. "I'm new to town, and I want to spend time with my friend." She said coolly.

Petunia hesitated, but finally felt as though she owed it to Mrs Figg for watching her freak nephew all these years – besides, the chores would get done sooner, this way.

"Very well,"

A wry smirk curled across Terry's face, and she quickly took off after Harry, and out into the backyard.

"What are you smiling about?" Harry whispered as they dove into the garden shed to retrieve the lawn mower.

"Because I won," Terry smirked. "And she doesn't even know it yet."

Harry shook his head, confused, but decided to leave that for later. "Will Temnaya be ok with the lawnmower?"

"This one doesn't have an engine, she'll be fine," Terry said with an eyeroll. "It's positively archaic!"

Harry felt that archaic was not the sort of word most nine-year-olds should know how to use, but since Terry was such a strange child as it was, he didn't say anything. "If you're sure. What do you want to do?"

"What else is there to do?"

"Can you weed the garden?"

Terry flashed him a smirk and a wink, and said, "Leave it to me!" Truly, that September first was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.