1. Godric's Hollow
Straight ahead, smoke drifted into the sky.
Just a bonfire. Early for 5th November, but still just a bonfire. Surely.
Siria squeezed the accelerator of her bike and roared through the air. She pulled out her wand ready, even though it was just a bonfire. In the Potters' back garden. No. From their house.
Merlin, their house. Siria's stomach dropped with the bike. It crashed to the ground and she jumped off it, running forward a few feet then halting to take in the scene fully.
A hole had been punched through the side of the little cottage. Papers fluttered out and the sofa she had sprawled across so many times was ripped in half. The roof teetered and creaked and as she watched, a beam splintered. It smashed down into the house.
"Jane! Liam!"
Her heart thudded so uncontrollably it felt like it might leap out of her throat at any moment. It was just an accident. One of Jane's spells gone wrong. They would both be inside fixing it all up now. She ran for the door and jumped the first two steps.
Jane.
She tripped, cracking her elbow on a step, and landed next to a pair of feet. Red and gold. Jane's Gryffindor slippers. A present from Remy.
"Jane."
Siria flung her arm up to grab a cold hand.
"Jane!"
She crawled up the stairs, not releasing Jane's hand. Black curls spiralled out from her face and her glasses lay crooked, halfway down her nose. Her mouth was open and lifeless eyes stared up at the ceiling in terror.
"No…" She pressed her other hand to Jane's cheek then yanked it back, as if burned by the coldness. Waves of nausea rolled a storm in her stomach, threatening to rise up her throat. "No. Come on, Jane. Prongs. It's not funny – I know you probably think it is you idiot, but it's not."
Jane didn't move and a wild sob escaped from between Siria's lips.
A cry echoed through the house from upstairs. "Liam? Harriet?"
She pressed her forehead against a step, closing her eyes and counting to try and steady her breathing that wanted to run away without her. She dragged herself up, leaning back against the wall for support. Her head knocked a frame and she turned to gaze in at Jane and Liam on their wedding day. The tiny moving figures hugged each other, staring down at Jane's—
Siria squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn't even think the word.
She leaned down once more to push Jane's glasses into place and ruffle her hair. No complaints. No threat of a hexing.
The cry came again. She had to move. For Jane. Jane wouldn't want her staring down. Jane would be yelling at her, Padfoot what are you doing? Go find them!
"Harriet? Liam? Where are you? It's Siria!"
She took the rest of the stairs three at a time and slammed into the wall at the top, going too fast to slow down in time. She embraced the impact and ricocheted off it. Using the momentum to swing herself around, she followed the cry that got louder and louder into a wail. The nursery door hung from its hinges and the opposite wall had been blown away, leaving the room open to the chill wind. Liam lay on his front on the yellow carpet, as still as Jane. In the cot behind him sat Harriet. Tears streamed from her eyes but her cries halted in surprise at the sight of Siria. She lifted her arms.
"Mama. Mama!"
Siria cringed as she stepped over Liam and through the remnants of toys that had been blown apart all around the cot, pulling Harriet up into her arms. Tiny black curls, the perfect match to Jane's, bobbed as Harriet pressed her head against Siria's shoulder.
"Mama?"
"Sorry, Harri," Siria whispered. Her voice sounded wrong. Too high. But the whole world felt wrong right now, so that fit.
She knelt next to Liam, making sure to keep Harriet facing the other way, and forced her fingers to his neck to check for a pulse. He was cold too.
How? You-Know-Who had been after Harriet – they'd known it for months. So how had she survived alone in her cot, everything around her destroyed, while her parents—
Someone shouted downstairs.
Where was You-Know-Who now? Was she back to finish the job?
She could run down and confront the dark witch – avenge Jane and Liam.
Her thoughts jolted at the concept. Even with Liam at her feet, she still couldn't take it in. She knew it was true – but she couldn't process. Her brain shoved the thought away every time it crept up.
"Shh," she murmured to Harriet, unzipping her leather jacket halfway down and slipping the toddler inside. Harriet stared up at her with big green eyes, tears still glistening on her cheeks and snot running down her chin. Siria wiped it away with one thumb, grimacing. "Just stay quiet for a bit, yeah kid? We gotta get out of here."
Footsteps thumped up the stairs and Siria leaped behind the cot, pointing her wand at the door. From the street below she could hear other voices and when she looked down she saw muggles gathering.
"Siria!"
Hagrid stood in the door, tears running down her face like a waterfall and pointing a pink umbrella straight at Siria. She caught sight of Liam and released another thunderous sob, then stepped into the room and lowered the umbrella.
"She's okay… she's okay, poor wee thing. Give 'er to me, Siria. Orders from Dumbledore."
Siria gripped Harriet tighter. "What orders?"
"Gotta take 'er to some muggles. Aunt and uncle. She'll be safe there."
Siria stared at Hagrid in disbelief. "Liam's brother? They hate magic! You can't send her there!"
"Sorry, Siria. That's me orders."
Siria shook her head and took another step back, zipping her coat back up and supporting Harriet with one arm. The wind buffeted against her. She couldn't lose Harriet. She was all that was left in the world of her best friend.
"Sorry, Hagrid. They made me godmother. That's my orders."
"Siria—"
She jumped and her motorbike roared into life, jumping up to catch her. She ignored the muggles' screams and flew up into the night, leaving a nightmare behind and with a tiny bundle of warmth pressed against her chest.
Siria hammered on the door. Her breathing came hard and fast, images of the Potters' house flashing like lightning through her mind. Harriet had fallen asleep and only her gentle, rhythmic snores kept Siria anchored to reality.
She lifted a hand to pound on the door again but it swung open. Remy appeared in a faded dressing gown and her eyes widened. It had been three months since they had last seen each other. Three long, distrustful months. Her stomach twisted with a thousand bittersweet memories.
"I didn't know where else to go."
Remy's eyes dropped to the bulge cradled under her jacket, her eyebrows furrowed. She smothered a yawn before speaking.
"What—?"
Shit. She didn't know.
"It's Jane and Liam."
Remy's face dropped, terror shining from her eyes. Harriet wiggled inside Siria's jacket.
"Please Remy, can I come in?"
She brushed back her hair to reveal the top of Harriet's head poking out. This time Remy's mouth fell open.
"Siria!"
She stepped aside and Siria hurried in, unzipping the jacket. She carefully pulled Harriet out then held the toddler out to Remy. Remy was good with little kids. She'd know what to do. Harriet wiggled, a soft moan escaping her lips
"Siria!" Remy hissed again, reaching out to take Harriet and rocking her slightly until she settled again.
She met Siria's eyes, the fearful question shining through. Siria averted her gaze, slumping down in a lumpy armchair and pressing one hand over her face. Jane stared back up from the stairs, her glasses crooked.
"They're gone." Her lips moved, but no sound came out. She peeked through her fingers at Remy and tried again. "They're gone. She got them."
Remy's face turned ashen, highlighting her scars more than ever. She stumbled backwards, the hand not holding onto Harriet fumbling out for the table behind her. It wobbled as she grabbed it, the picture frames shaking. Pictures of their school days. Pictures of her family. Pictures of Jane and Liam.
"Why did you come here?" Remy asked in a hushed tone, but Siria could tell she already knew the answer. For Siria to come to Remy for help now, after months of not trusting her, meant only one thing - someone else was the traitor. Someone else had betrayed the Potters.
Someone called Petra.
New story! As you have probably already worked out, all characters are genderswapped. Because why the hell not? (Plus a slightly new spin on a story I'm sure has been told before many times.) Very approximately I think there'll be slightly less than 20 chapters in this. I'm writing it for nanowrimo so hopefully should be quick updates. Please do let me know what you think as well as anything in particular you might like to see in a concept like this, I'll see if it strikes my imagination.