Summary: Traversing the astral plane is a gift so underappreciated in the Wizarding World. What if Heulwen continues to develop this ability and got a new little brother as a result?
Warning: AU Seventh Year! Deathly Hallow Compliant! Fem!Harry. Character Death! Manga Compliant. OOCness. You have been warned! One-Shot.
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Ghost Hunt not mine. They belong to their respective owner.
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It all started not long after their escape from the Ministry of Magic. In the beginning, the three of them were all too worried about Ron's splinching and their safety from Death Eaters and Snatchers. But when it was in the dead of the night and the time for either Ron's or Hermione's turn to stay awake as a guard, she could sometimes hear both of their voices murmur just outside her hearing distance. She could tell that the two of them weren't satisfied with their progress—or rather lack thereof—with the Horcrux Hunting. She knew they were disappointed in her lack of knowledge, whether about how to destroy the blasted locket or even a clue about where the other horcruxes might be hiding. She knew they expect more from the Girl-Who-Lived Hogwarts best spell caster in a century and Albus Dumbledore's legacy. She knew they have begun to doubt their decision to follow her on her journey to hunt the horcruxes. She knew it, but it still hurts.
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The first time she met him, it was in a dream.
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"Eeeh? What a depressing place! How do you do?"
He was such a charming young lad, just turning fifteen this September. With his blue black hair not unlike those of clear night skies, and twinkling blue eyes like the deepest blue of sapphire gems, he's such a handsome, mischievous, exasperating but sweet boy. First commenting—somewhat rudely—about the sad state of her side of astral plane, and then doing an abrupt one eighty and enquiring about her health. In those dark and depressing days, when she felt she's alone in the horcrux hunting—what with Ron and Hermione always had each other as their moral support—he's like a breath of fresh air; blowing all those depression aside and unearthing the simple but delightful joy of what being alive and free means.
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"My Mum, could conjure foods from thin air!"
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'What is it? With Ronald Bilius Weasley and food. You would think he's been starved his entire life' Heulwen thought to herself while sinking to the spiritual plane where her companion had promise to meet her again.
"Well, truth is all healthy teenage boys in our society have nothing in their head except for food and fun" the aforementioned companion answers her thought/muttering.
"Eugene, how many times have I told you not to divine my thought?" the raven haired witch scolded him exasperatedly.
"Weeeelll, it's not my fault you are so rubbish at keeping your thoughts to yourself, moreover when you are exploring the spiritual plane" He said, all the while blowing a raspberry at her.
She then harrumphed to herself, "I cannot be faulted for an inadequate occlumency lesson from a gifted occlumens but moronic teacher." She said while presenting Gene with her back. Then she added under her breath, "That bastard bat.".
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"We thought you know what you do!"
"And what exactly were hoping for? Perhaps that we'll stay at a five stars hotels? Finding a horcrux twice a week, enough time for you to come home for Christmas with Mummy? So sorry to burst your bubble, Ronniekin. But I have laid all the fact on your feet when I told you what to expect in this hunt. And if my memory serves me right; YOU! are the one who insist on coming with me."
...
"He's gone! H-he's disapparated!"
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After leaving Hermione to cry by herself inside her room in the tent, she parks herself on an armchair just inside the flap of their tent, raging at Ro—Weasley! moronic tendencies but silently grieving inside her hearts about how callous Ron had been about her feeling. Didn't he understand that as long as they are still alive and sane, they could still meet again in the future? It's not like her parents who had died and will never come back. And at least he had known and remembers his parents and knew that he was loved by them. What wouldn't she give to remember a memory of her parents that didn't include the night of the attack where she knew they were happy?
And that was how Heulwen Iolanthe Potter found herself grieving her deceased parents alone in the midst of autumn shower.
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"It's so easy for you to say that! Both of your parents are safe!"
"My parents are dead!"
"Well, maybe my parents were also dying right at this moment!"
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It was a testament to how often Gene has visited Heulwen spiritual plane that he didn't even stare in amazement at the thick cloud of depression that hung around her hunched form. The fifteen years old had only need to glimpse at the tears-streaked hiding face of his friend and he didn't say anything to her. He only sits behind her, back to back and waited until she calmed down. No 'are you okay?' or insincere words were needed.
"You know, if it was a boy problem I definitely could act as your male relative and threatened the boy who broke your heart with a promise of unimaginable pain, right?" He asked not so casually, while leaning his head to her bowed one.
And just as always, a dash of Eugene humor is all she needs to toss all her red-headed-moronic-related-depression away.
"It was Ron again. I can't believe he would be so heartless to remind me of how my parents are safe because they're dead and he's angry because we didn't want to check—and probably getting us captured—on his family's supposed danger. He's always like that. Only thinking about his suffering and pain and not realizing there were many more much unfortunate people than him out there." She said, tone wistful and hugging her knees tighter.
"...Do you know? Noll and I were also orphans. It's not until we were five that the Davis come across us and adopt us both. And then they brought us to their home in London..."
And that was how their encounters usually goes, with him teasing and poking at her, while her good naturedly teased back and occasionally sharing both their worries and fears with each other. And from there on, she dare to say that Eugene is one of her much treasured person and what she imagine how having a family would be like.
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"Hermione? I think—I want to go to Godric's Hollow"
"Heulwen, I think it's Christmas Eve!"
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"It's nearly Christmas time."
"Mmmh...and?" She arched an immaculately shaped raven brow to her young friend.
"Will you not give me a present?" The boy whined piteously, his blue orbs begging like a cute puppy. And Heulwen, as always, folded like a wet tissue paper.
"I'm sorry if there was something wrong with your memories, but in case you forgot—I'm in the run from the corrupt government! It's not like I could enter a shop and purchase your gift!" She said, throwing her arms in the air exasperatedly.
"Maa, I don't mind if you got me a present fashionably late then, but you must give me something to sate me for now!" He declared while pointing his index finger at her face.
"Don't point, it's rude. And what will satisfy you for now Mr. Davis?" She asked sarcastically while in the deepest of her heart she felt elated that Eugene has so much faith in her ability to end the Second Blood War.
"Hmm...it can't be a thing. It's inconvenient..." He muttered to himself, "I know! From now on I will call you Aneki. It's a Japanese word for elder sister." He grinned unashamedly.
Her heart felt like it stopped beating. It was her dearest wish to have a family to call her own, and now this boy freely offering to create a familial bond with her.
"Oh? And why should I acknowledge you as a little brother?" She tried to act nonchalant.
"Because I'm a charming young lad and you are such a generous and benevolent young lady?" He asked with his puppy eyes on full blast.
"Flattery will get you nowhere in this world" She tried to reply condescendingly.
"But it got you every time." He gloated smugly. And she, of course, caved to his wishes.
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It was after Eugene declared their familial bond that she felt like—finally—she's not alone in this world. And with her bleak future in the horizon, she decided for once in her lifetime to do what she wants not what was expected of her and snuck to Gringotts in a cold night in January. She decided that if she must give her life to save the Wizarding World, then she'll leave all that she has to the one that she considered as her little brother in the world.
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"Avada Kedavra!"
"Expelliarmus!"
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It was the morning after the Battle of Hogwarts, and Heulwen finally felt like all the weight of the world has slipped off of her shoulders. She finally could say to herself a much deserved, "Well done".
When she arrived at the spiritual plane, it was to find Eugene, fifteen years old genius perfect medium, pacing agitatedly across the astral plane.
"...What's got your knickers in a twist?"
The black haired boy turns abruptly to face her with a startled look but quickly charge at her to hug the stuffing out of her. "Aneki! I feel our connection fraying just before the dawn break. What happened to you?"
"Gene—I can't—breath—"
"Whoops, sorry there. But are you alright Aneki?" He asked loosening his embrace but not letting go, as if afraid that once he let go she'll disappear again.
"Yes...In the end, The Dark Lord Moldy Short is no more. You can tell your family that it was safe in Britain once again, Gene." She smiled beautifully. It's like all the years of fighting Voldemort has fallen off of her expression and now she's just a young woman in the prime of her life.
"So, now that Britain is safe from Moldy Short and his lackeys can we meet in the real world? You still hadn't given me my late Christmas present!" He demanded to his declared elder sister.
All that answered his question was a peal of laughter.
"Oh Gene, what would I do with you? You know, just because the big bad boss has been dealt with, many of the so-called lackeys are still roaming free right? It will take at least until early June that I can meet with you in the real world."
"Why do you have to be so famous?" The blue eyed teen groused from inside their hug.
"Well, I don't know. You tell me." She replied sarcastically, arching an eyebrow at the mop of midnight blue hairthat was all she could she of her companion's head. "Tell you what, let's us meet at Charring Cross Road a month from now on. I will be your guide to the Wizarding World for a day" and she added inside her mind 'and then I can make your appointment as my heir official'
"Can I bring Noll along?" The younger of the two asked eagerly, eyes shining full of anticipation. "I've been wanting for the two of you to meet each other. Unfortunately, Noll have no ability to traverse the astral plane."
"Go ahead. But remind him not to bring any electronic device if you don't want to have a small scale of explosion on your hands." She reminded him sternly.
"Hmmmhh. With Moldy Short gone and the Death Munchers dealt with, I think the upcoming school year will be a good year." He grinned unrepentantly. "I can't wait to introduce you to my family!"
'Neither can I, Gene.' The Woman-Who-Won thought to herself.
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It was in the middle of the afternoon, in highway countryside somewhere. The sound of a screeching car turning in a high speed approaching from behind.
Impact.
PAIN
The car with Japanese license number came barrelling down the road once more.
It's hurt.
Noll...
ANEKI!
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"EUGENE!"
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The End
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AN: in case it wasn't clear, the italics and bold fonts are for he things done as in canon. While the italics are for their conversation in astral plane. The last line is for Heulwen who was experiencing Eugene's death at the time it happens. She got no psychometric (the ability to view the memories of the owner of a thing) people. She just got vision at the time of Eugene's death (like when canon!Harry could see from Nagini's eyes as she struck Arthur Weasley in the Department of Mystery in year 5). Therefore, Heulwen theoretically knows what happened before Naru did. Will I continue this? I don't know, but probably not.
Trivia: The name Heulwen means Sun blessed (moreover with the lightning bolt/the rune sowilo scar stamped on her forehead) or Fair originated from Welsh. And Iolanthe means Violet Flower.
Thank You for reading! Please review!