So this is a random story I decided to write. I don't expect it to be more than a few chapters long, but it still might be some fun to write :) I love Harry Potter (I'm kind of a geek for it) and I've always wanted to write a fanfiction for it, I just never did. So please rate and review (no flames if it can be helped). WARNING since I get blasted for this occasionally: this story is VERY OC-centric. If that's not your thing, turn back now. Also, in a bit of a change for me, it is set from one character's point of view (mostly...if there are any POV changes I'll let you know). If you don't care if it's OC-centric, read on my friends, read on...
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter (unfortunately). My characters are my own
Prologue
James and Lily were dead. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had killed them. Sirius couldn't have been responsible. He loved James and Lily. Then again, that devil had a way of making things happen. Maybe he had used one of the Unspeakable Curses on Sirius, like he did on the Longbottoms? No, nothing could have pried their location from Sirius' lips, Lana knew that. He was too loyal to James; he'd rather die, just like any of them would have-and some did. But Sirius was in Azkaban now, Lana couldn't just waltz in and ask him. But what if he had done it? Could he really have betrayed James and Lily like that? And what was to happen to their little son, Harry? Was he really to be raised by Lily's Muggle sister? Lana had to speak to Dumbledore. He was controlling what happened to Harry. Maybe he would tell her...
...
"I'm sorry, my dear, but I cannot tell you much." Professor Albus Dumbledore said, looking sadly at the distraught woman in front of him. Her dark, curly hair was a mess, and her sea-green eyes were wide. She looked like she hadn' t slept since she found out about her friends' deaths. Then again, she probably hadn't. She had requested an audience with him in his office a few days ago, and they'd set an appointment for two days later.
"What can you tell me?" she asked, her voice desperate.
Dumbledore chose his words carefully. Lana Maurder had always been a bit...unstable, and he was worried that too much information would set her off. He had heard she had a daughter now, born only a few months ago. For her sake, and for Lana's two older sons, Dumbledore had to keep information from Lana, even though she had been a good friend of the Potters since befriending Lily in their first year at Hogwarts.
"You already know that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named killed them." he said slowly, gauging her reactions. "Harry is going to live with Lily's sister, Petunia, and her husband."
"You're sending him to live with Muggles?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. We must make sure that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named cannot find Harry. It may not be the best situation, but Harry is safest there, for now. Rest assured, though, that he will attend Hogwarts. I will make sure of that."
Lana was silent for a minute, then two. "Alright." she finally said. "He is being taken care of?" Dumbledore nodded again. "And he will attend Hogwarts?" Another nod. "Will you tell him what happened?"
"In due time, he will learn the truth."
Lana ran her hands through her hair. Dumbledore put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "This is hard for all of us, my dear. Remus is rather shaken up, though I'm sure you know that. I think that Severus could use a friend right now."
"Severus?" Lana asked, her eyes momentarily clearing.
"He cared for Lily, you of all people should know that. I suggest you talk to him. No one should be alone with their grief, and Severus will bear many burdens because of this."
Lana slowly nodded. "I'll send him an owl when I get a chance, see if maybe he wants to meet up. Severus is a good man, no matter what anyone else thinks, and he did love Lily..."
"There's a girl." Dumbledore said, steering her gently towards the door. "Now why don't you go home? You have your children to take care of, though I'm sure you don't need me to remind you."
Lana nodded. She began to leave. As she reached the doorway, she suddenly turned and said, "You had better keep him safe." Dumbledore didn't have time to ask who she meant before she left.
That was the last time Albus Dumbledore would see Lana Maurder.
Kat P.O.V.
People bustled around the train station, rushing to make it on time. They were mostly all Muggles. Not that any wizarding family headed for platform 9 3/4 would make themselves known, though. The Maurders had perfected blending in.
Eleven-year-old Kat was about to start school at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she'd never been more excited in her life. Her two older brothers had told her of their adventures at school ever since they'd both first begun. Tyler, the eldest, was starting his fourth year. Nathaniel, the middle brother, was going into his third. Kat couldn't wait to go to the same school as her brothers and learn the things they had learned.
"Come on, kids, come on." Kat's mum called as she lead the way. She was kind of funny in that she never forced her children to walk alongside her; either they kept up or got lost, and if they were lost she would always find them immediately (Kat suspected she used magic to do that).
"You nervous for the Sorting, Kat?" Tyler asked, smiling down at his little sister. His chocolate brown hair was freshly cut and out of his dark blue eyes, also showing a small scar on his left eyebrow from where he'd once cut it on a table corner. He didn't yet have on his robes, packed safely away in his trunk, but he wore jeans and a brown long sleeved shirt.
"A little." Kat admitted shyly.
Nathaniel, overhearing, laughed. "Don't be." he said, brushing a stray lock of Kat's curly hair out of her eyes. "You're bound to be in either Gryffindor, like Dad, or Ravenclaw, like Mum, Tyler, and I." Nathaniel had the same eye and hair color as Tyler and Kat. Somehow none of the children really looked like their dad, but all took traits from their mum. Nate liked to keep his hair a bit longer than Tyler's.
"I kind of want to be in Ravenclaw so I can be with you guys."
"It won't be so bad if you're not." Tyler said. "You'll make loads of new friends."
Kat only nodded as she and her brothers ran to catch up to their mum. She had stopped a minute to wait for them. Her hair, as dark as her children's, though only Kat had received the curls, was pulled back into a low pony tail. There was a sparkle in her sea-green eyes that Kat loved to see. Since Dad was working, Mum had to bring the kids to the train station alone. Kat had been worried that today would be one of her bad days, but thankfully she was alright.
"Come on, you don't want to miss the train, do you?" Mum asked with a playful smile. Kat's new cat purred. She was black with grey eyes. Dad was superstitious and thought the cat was bad luck, but Mum had laughed and bought her anyways. Kat had named her Circe.
The family had reached the magic entryway to platform 9 3/4. Tyler gave Kat a smirk, grabbed his trolley, and ran through the barrier. Muggles of course noticed nothing when he disappeared. Next went Nate. When he was gone, Mum put a hand on Kat's shoulder. "Ready?" she asked. Kat nodded. "Want to go together?" Kat nodded again.
Mum stood behind Kat with her hands next to those of her daughter. "On three." she said. "One...two...three!" Mother and daughter took off running full speed at the wall. Normally running at a brick wall resulted in an injury of some sort, but the wall gave way as they crossed the barrier. They stood on the platform to board the Hogwarts Express.
People milled about, saying goodbye to their friends and loved ones, putting their luggage on the train. Nate was talking to two identical redheaded boys. He caught sight of his sister and beckoned her over.
"Guys, this is my little sister, Kat. She's starting her first year." he said, smiling wide. Kat smiled shyly at her brother's friends. "Kat, this is Fred and George Weasley, the funniest guys I know."
"Hey there." the ginger boy on the right said. "I'm Fred."
"And I'm George." His twin said.
Nate laughed. "They're trying to pull your leg, Kat. That's George and that's Fred."
A boy that looked like Nate's friends walked up then. "Hi," he said, "I'm Ron."
"And this is our lovely little brother." the twin on the right-George, Nate had said his name was-said.
Kat smiled. "I'm Kat."
"Are you a first-year too?" Ron asked. Kat nodded. Ron smiled. "Cool!"
A whistle blew somewhere. "We'd best go say goodbye to Mum before we leave." Nate said. "See you guys later."
Nate and Kat ran back to their mum, who was talking to the witch next to her. She caught sight of her children running towards her. "Come to say goodbye at last, huh?" She smiled and hugged them. "Your brother is already on the train. I'll write to you both. Be on your best behavior, don't slack off on your work, and I'll see you at break."
Nate hugged his mother once more, said goodbye, and ran to meet his friends on the train. Kat looked away from her mother so she wouldn't see the worried look on her daughter's face, but of course Mum noticed. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"What if I'm not in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?" Kat asked. To her surprise, Mum laughed.
"Kat, dear, is that what you're worried about? It doesn't matter to me or your father what house you're in. We just want you to have a good time and to do the best you possibly can. Now go on, you don't want to miss the train." Mum hugged Kat tight and gave her a kiss goodbye on the forehead.
Kat ran onto the train just in time. She found an empty compartment and opened the window as the train began to move. Her voice joined the chorus of goodbyes as she waved to her mother. Finally, when she couldn't see her anymore, she closed the window and sat down. It wasn't long before the door slid open, revealing a girl with frizzy brown hair. "Hello," she said, "I'm Hermoine Granger. Is anyone sitting in here with you?"
"No," Kat said, "but you're welcome to."
Hermoine smiled and entered the compartment, closing the door as she did. She sat across from Kat.
"I'm Kat Maurder." Kat carefully watched Hermoine's reaction to her last name. Some people thought her mum was crazy in the wizarding world; she didn't know if Hermoine would tease her.
"Nice to meet you." Hermoine said, smiling and sticking out her hand. Kat shook it, relieved.
"Who are your parents?" Kat asked.
"Oh, um...they're Muggles." Hermoine said softly.
Kat grinned, much to Hermoine's obvious surprise. "Really? My dad's parents are Muggles. So is my gran on my mum's side."
The two girls began talking, first about their families, then the houses they wanted to be in, then about anything they could think to say. It turned out they had a lot in common. When the train reached its stop, Hermoine said, "Want to ride the boat to the school with me?"
Thus Kat's first friend at Hogwarts was made.
...
All the first year's were directed to the Great Hall, where they would be sorted. Their names were called one by one, and with each new student the Sorting Hat would call out what House they belonged to. With each addition the current House members would cheer and welcome their new member. Hermoine was placed in Gryffindor.
As her name drew closer to being called, Kat began to fear what the other students would think of her. Would they call her crazy, like people whispered her mum was? Would they shun her? There was only one way to find out...
"Katrina Maurder." the lady reading names, Professor McGonagall, called out. A few heads turned to watch her walk up to the front of the hall. The small blonde boy who had just been called, Draco Malfoy, snickered as she sat down. She looked around until she found her brothers, both giving her thumbs up from their seats at Ravenclaw table.
The professor placed the hat on Kat's head. It startled her by talking to her. "Hmm..." it said. "Where to go, where to go...you could be great in Ravenclaw, you have a strong mind. But there is a valiant spot in you that you have yet to discover...where to go, where to go..."
Finally, out loud for the rest of the Hall to hear, the Sorting Hat announced, "Gryffindor!"
The Gryffindor table cheered as Kat went to join them, sitting next to Hermoine. Over at the Ravenclaw table, her brothers cheered as well. Their approval made Kat's disappointment a little less harsh.
"Harry Potter!" Professor McGonagall called. The room became dead silent. Then everyone began whispering.
A boy next to Hermoine, Seamus Finnigan, said, "Is it really him? The Boy Who Lived?"
"You bet it is." another first-year, Neville Longbottom, whispered.
The hat was quiet for a long time on Harry's head. Finally it cried, "Gryffindor!"
Everyone around Kat cheered and applauded as Harry joined the table. Kat didn't pay much attention to the rest of the sorting, except for Ron, the boy she met at the train station. He was sorted into Gryffindor as well. After dinner, the students all began to go to their rooms when Kat was stopped by two boys shouting her name. She turned to look back and immediately started cracking up. Her brothers were jumping up and down, congratulating her on being in their dad's house. She was swept into the crowd and lost sight of them, but felt better about being separated from her brothers.
The common room was breathtaking. Rugs covered the floors. Plushy armchairs filled every possible space. The room was painted in a deep red, and paintings covered the walls. Kat looked around in awe. Hands gripped Kat's shoulders and spun her around.
"Congrats on getting into Gryffindor!" Fred Weasley said, a huge gin on his face.
"Yeah, congrats! Your brothers are really proud of you." George said.
Kat smiled and blushed. "Thanks."
The two boys flashed her brilliant smiles before walking away. She was immediately pulled into a hug by Hermione. "We're in the same dorm!" her new friend exclaimed.
Kat laughed. "Good!"
"Alright, first-years, get to bed," an older student said. "After all, the first day of classes is always the worst."
Kat and Hermione ran up to their dormitory. When they arrived, they found there were a few girls sharing the room as well. They introduced themselves in turn. There was Lavender Brown, a girl with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes; Parvati Patil, a pretty Indian girl with long dark hair and big dark eyes; and Romilda Vane, a brown-eyed girl with curly brown hair, though her hair was far more tame than Kat's.
Parvati and Lavender seemed to have become quick friends, and Romilda had no interest in talking to anyone, so Hermione and Kat had more time to talk. Eventually they decided to go to sleep, since classes were to start bright and early the next day.
...
The next few weeks passed in a blur for Kat. Between classes and studying with Hermione, as well as making friends with Ron and Harry and spending time with her brothers, Kat hardly had time to take a breath. No one had commented on her mother; this was a wonderful surprise to Kat. Until one day in potions, a snake brought it down on her.
Professor Snape was giving a lesson on the Babbling Beverage. He asked a question about how it was made and Kat raised her hand. Immediately there was a snicker from the back of the room.
"Something funny, Mr. Malfoy?" Professor Snape asked.
"Just the fact that you called on Crazy Kat to answer." Draco Malfoy replied with a smirk. Confused looks appeared on most of her classmates' faces, but Malfoy's friends snickered. Kat's stomach dropped.
Ron spoke up. "What are you going on about, Malfoy?"
"Didn't you all know? Kat's mum is crazy. My father told me insanity runs in the family."
The classroom erupted into whispers. "Come off it, Malfoy. Kat's mum isn't crazy, you're just a jerk." Ron said.
Draco opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by Professor Snape.
"Silence." Every noise in the room stopped. "Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Weasley, I'll see you in detention this afternoon."
"Detention?!" Malfoy exclaimed. "Why am I getting detention? For pointing out that Kat's mum is a loon?"
"Ten points from Slytherin."
"Ten points?!"
Snape's eyes were slits. "If you do not wish to lose more points for your house, Mr. Malfoy, I suggest you stop talking."
No one spoke for the rest of the class. As soon as Potions ended, Kat ran back towards her common room. Someone called out her name from behind her, but she didn't stop. Finally she pulled off into an empty hallway and fell to the ground, burying her face in her hands.
I won't cry, she thought, I won't cry.
Her mantra failed. She crumbled into sobs. Suddenly she heard footsteps nearby. She silenced herself, but the footsteps grew closer and closer. Then they stopped in front of her.
"Are you alright?" a breezy voice said. Kat looked up. Kneeling next to her was a blonde girl with clear blue eyes. "My name's Luna."
"I'm Kat." Kat sniffed.
Luna sat down next to her. "For what it's worth, I don't think you're crazy. Everyone says that my dad's crazy and that I am too, but it doesn't bother me. They don't know me."
Kat smiled a little. "You don't seem crazy."
Luna giggled. "You either. You look like you could use a friend."
Kat shrugged. Luna smiled. "I'll be your friend, if you like."
Kat's smile widened. "I'd like that."
Thus Kat and Luna became friends.
Well there's the first chapter! I'll bring more of the Sorcerer's Stone plot into it in the next chapter. Please rate and review (especially new ideas, I love those)!
