Witches, Wizards and Magic?

(A Harry Potter Fanfiction)

By

Fantasy Writer

Somehow I always knew that I was different from my family.

I just didn't know how much, until the day I turned eleven. Oh! Forgive me, we haven't been introduced?

My name is Rosalie (Red) Young. And apparently I'm a Witch…

Yeah you heard me right, a Witch. Sure I've had my suspicions. I mean how many times does the place have to shake like a freight train with picture frames cracking and falling off the wall every time I got angry/scared. Then there's the fact that animals of all kinds seem to find and follow me everywhere I go like I'm Snow White or something.

So it wasn't a big surprise at first that on my birthday, August 9th.

A short-haired gray tabby cat came through my window (despite the incipit heat) and pounced on my bed just when I awoke with a letter in its mouth. As I sat up and stretched it came closer and dropped the sealed envelope in my lap before backing up and sitting respectfully on the edge, waiting?

Curiously I looked down and read:

To: Rosalie (Red) Severus Young

Miss Molly's Bed and Breakfast INN

Room: 5B

Allagash, Maine

USA

Flipping it over on the back I saw what appeared to be a coat of arms symbol of the olden days back in Europe.

But why would someone over there be writing to me?

All of my family are American, have been since the nineteenth century when they immigrated from Italy. And none of their cliental was from there as far as they knew.

So where did this come from?

Upon closer examination underneath the strange animal symbols I was able to decipher one word amongst the blotted ink: "Hogwarts" …

Suddenly I couldn't wait any longer, and I ripped open the envelope to find:

"Dear Miss Young

We are pleased to inform you that you've been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…"

"Mom!" I shouted as I jumped out of bed and yank open the door, running down the hall with the mysterious cat at my heels.

"What is it Darling?"

She asked coming round to the front desk. Ever since Dad died when I was nine, Mom and I lived in an empty apartment at her work. Which made since sense it was now just the two of us to support.

In response to her question I wordlessly handed her the letter. Watching her eyes grow wide as she read muttering

"It's time already? So… soon?"

"Mom?" I questioned.

With a huge sigh Mom looked at me and said "Red come sit down beside me baby. There's something we need to talk about…

This is something we should have brought up a while ago but then your father got so sick…"

Taking my hand and leading me over to the lounging sofa.

"What is it Mom? What's this all about?"

My mother just wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace, rocking back and forth for a minute before saying "Red…Rosalie I hope you know how much your Dad loved you and I love you still.

That doesn't change.

But believe it or not there was an actual time when we (Your Dad and I) thought having a family wasn't possible.

We couldn't have children of our own so we began considering adoption.

Then one night about early July there was a knock on the door from Mrs. Victoria Evans and her young teenage daughter, Lily Evans. They had traveled a long way from Great Britain to meet us in hopes that we would consider taking and raising Lily's unborn child…"

I could only stare directly at the fireplace as I took this all in and let it register as "Mom" continued:

"Naturally we were astonished: How could they have known? We had just barely started the process of signing up with an agency.

(Who had already stated the wait list would be over two years long.)

Still, we were not about to reject this seemingly fortunate miracle that practically fallen into our laps. So we took a chance and it turned out to be the best decision of our lives" said Mom, kissing my forehead lightly.

"During that month we got to really know the Evans.

Lily was very mature for her age of 15.
She was very kind and caring and according to her mother, a brilliant student at her school despite her pregnancy.

She also had an older sister, Petunia who had recently gotten married.

Sadly, there was some hard or bad feelings between them so neither Lily nor her parents thought it would be good for Petunia and her husband to take the baby.

Lilly made it very clear to us:

"That she wanted you to have the best chance at life possible, it just couldn't be with her."

The only thing she requested during her time with us was an open that we'd still have contact with her. From sending Birthday/Christmas cards to pictures and letters. And more importantly records of medical family history.

(In case you got really sick. We'd know what it was and what was causing the problem.)

Oh Boy, were we grateful to learn that when she broke the news of an important detail of your parentage:

Both of your biological parents had magic!

At first we thought she was joking but to prove herself, Lily pulled out her wand and our tea set served itself right in front of us!
Of course we later learned that she'd received a warning for doing magic outside of her school.

The term they used was "Muggle" meaning ordinary people who can't do spells.

Having seen what, we did and getting over the shock. We asked how come they chose us and not some other wizarding couple.

Lily just smiled and said that she knew we were good people and had faith from the time she spent watching us. (Thanks to her powers)

and her mother Victoria, also helped ease us into it.

As she was a muggle herself along with her husband and eldest child. So there was a chance that you wouldn't have magic either, but if so Lilly could talk us through on what to do."

"Did she ever bring up my father?"

I couldn't help asking. Curious to know about the man or boy (as was proving to be the case.) who helped create me.

"When the subject of your birth father came up during one of our discussions. Lilly stated that she'd had a major falling out with him a few months prior over the path his life was taking, thus he didn't know about you.

Which is very unfortunate for him, cause he missed out big time…" Said Mom, tapping my nose affectionately trying to comfort me.

"Please continue, I need to know more"

"Very well…

Finally, after almost four weeks of waiting, learning and preparing. Your father and I received a phone call one late afternoon just after 4:30 that Lily was on her way to the hospital in Boston.

You were born at 2:43 in the morning.

I remember the first time I held you in my arms and your tiny pink hand curled tightly around your Dad's finger… It was like our greatest dream had become a reality. It didn't matter if you were a witch. You were ours! And you always will be…

Lilly and her mother returned to Britain shortly after leaving the hospital. Her school was going to start up again very soon.

None the less, we kept contact.

Especially during the first several months when your budding magic made itself known.

From your mobile hanging above your crib spinning on its own to your favorite pacifier or toy flying across the room into your hand or mouth."

"Sounds like I was a hurricane."

"No baby, just…very surprising at times and it mellowed somewhat as you grew up."

I sighed then a question came to mind. "Are we still involved with Lily? Is that why I got this school acceptance letter from England, I'm guessing? Is she a teacher there?"

As I studied mom's face it looked like she was about to cry and she got that lump in her throat she always got when she's upset. This was bad…

It took a minute for mom to calm herself before she answered me.

"No honey, Lily died when you were six." It was my turn for my eyes to widen in shock.

"What? How?"

"She and her husband (who wasn't your father) was murdered in their home on Halloween by an evil wizard. Leaving your baby brother an orphan.

Mom gave me a watery smile. "Lily continued to keep contact, mostly through letters all the way up until her death.

What we later came to learn was that Lily had sacrificed her life to save your brother, Harry. Creating a very powerful form of magical protection that extended to you as well, her first born.

It… restarted your timeline, turning you back into a toddler. But this time we knew more or less what to expect raising you."

There was silence for a moment then I asked,

"If Lily had died then how did you find out what happened to her or me if I changed right in front of you?"

"We didn't get answers until the night after when this elderly man with a long white beard and hair to match appeared on our doorstep dressed in wizarding robes.

He wore half-moon glasses and held his wand out saying

"Good evening, sorry for the intrusion. I am Professor Albus Dumbledore and I am looking for a blood relative of a Mrs. Lily Potter. My… sources led me here."

At first we didn't know what to tell him the name didn't sound familiar then I remembered that "Potter" was Lily's married name.

So we asked him in, introducing ourselves.

"Do you mean a Miss Lily Evans? Because she married a man called "James Potter"? wanting to make sure we had the right woman.

The old man, Dumbledore smiled sadly "Yes, that's her. Are you her cousins?"

"No, um…she's the birth mother of our daughter, Rosalie."

That seemed to shock the poor man. "That's…that's impossible. If she'd have been pregnant she would've… May I see the child?"

It was at that precise moment that guests started pouring in through the door at the inn. So while your dad helped Paul, our manager on the phone. I showed Dumbledore the nursery and the crib where you were sleeping.

All he could do was gaze thoughtfully at your form before stating you were nearly an exact replica of Lily.

"When I told him your full name you could almost see a look of realization and a twinkle of mischief in his eye.

(At the time of your christening we thought it would be nice to continue the birth family's tradition of naming children after flowers, once your dark red hair came in it seemed almost natural to call you "Red". Then since Lily would mutter the supposed name "Severus" often. We thought it suited that very mysterious magical part of your nature.)

Once back out in the living room and your dad was off the phone.

Dumbledore asked a series of questions, like: "How long have we had you?" So we showed him a copy of the adoption papers.

When he read the date on there he seemed to piece it together, concluding what must have happened before telling us the news of the Potter's fate."

"So… What you're saying is that this… Professor Dumbledore sent me the letter? Why?"

Mom was busy between heaving enough sighs to blow up an inner tube and gritting her teeth in apparent anger as the memory resurfaced.

"After he finished, Dumbledore started to press that under the circumstances we would give up our rights to you. So you'd be raised with your brother at Petunia's house in England

(As she was the last known living biological family member.) Where you'd both be (safe?) due to the "blood wards" that surround the property.

Naturally, your father and I refused to abandon you to her care if Lily words were anything to go by.

But the more we refused, the more he kept insisting saying it was the best place for you to be right now with the "Dark Lord" gone. Finally, after several minutes of back and forth your Dad and I put our foot down: You were not going anywhere!

Especially to live with her,

Lily chose us over her own sister for a reason and according to the letters Lily had sent:

Their relationship hadn't changed much over the years. If anything, it got worse. Petunia hadn't even known her younger sister had been pregnant the first time, she still doesn't.

In fact, only four people knew at all besides the doctors: The school Nurse, her Mother and Us.

Like I said earlier, Lily was a brilliant little witch and she used her powers to conceal it making herself appear normal.

So the chances of this supposedly vanquished "Dark Lord" knowing of your existence where next to none...

Furthermore, could Dumbledore live with the fact that he'd torn a child away from its loving parents.

Because that's exactly who we were: Your parents, something Lily had made very clear every time she held you while in her hospital bed.

It was us who you called "Mom" and "Dad".

Not Lily and definitely not James.

But if he absolutely insisted on lessons to help you control your magic when you were old enough. Then you would go to this "Hogwarts" School where your brother would attend so you could learn.

Make no mistake though, this will always be your home and this is where you'll be returning every Summer?"

"Every Summer?" I asked,

"Hogwarts is a boarding school and Dumbledore said that a teacher would travel with you back and forth by way of magic.

So we don't have to worry about the cost of airlines."

I looked up at my Mom. "Is this a Joke?"

"Your mother is certainly not joking Miss Young…" a new voice rang out causing us to jump in surprise. Where the mysterious cat from this morning had been,

Now a stern sixty-year-old witch stood!