Title: On The Other Side
Rating: T-M (as some scenes may be mature)
Summary: A deep history of secrecy surrounds the life of a young girl, Lynn, as she finds her place in the future of the wizarding world. Her role, like all, may be small but her gift impacts the most important of events in the course of Good vs. Evil.
Lynn Laurent was far from extraordinary to anyone who knew her. She was quite plain to any eyes that fell on her. She had brown hair, a pair of brown eyes to match, and pale skin. She wasn't short, nor was she tall, but average height. She was very young, barely turning eleven a month before this very day.
The Laurent family had only consisted of Lynn and her two parents. They had lived in a small home together in Ottery St. Catchpole amongst several wizarding families. The one story brick home was as normal as any family home; a front garden full of giant roses and a large flowering tree from the family's trip to Japan from 5 years ago. The inside of the home was larger than it looked on the outside. There were three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a decent sized kitchen, a sitting room, and a small side room which always remained locked under her father's orders. Lynn would only be in there once in her lifetime.
Now, that once seemingly normal home with its decent and normal occupants, stood empty except for two people. The once beautiful trimmed garden out front, was overgrown and the tall Japanese flowering tree stood bare, withered down to its marred bark and bare limbs. Lynn stood near the front gate overlooking the small gathering outside in the neighborhood, everyone wearing black and speaking in hushed tones.
"…the poor girl hasn't anyone in the whole world," a whisper carried from the small gathering and Lynn shuddered. That same thought resonated deep inside her mind often. "At least she has Hogwarts to go to in the fall. It should help raise her spirits. It's always an exciting time the first time around."
"Lynn, dear girl, come here." Betts Diggory approached Lynn with her hands folded in her lap. "Your Godmother Arro should be here soon, but until then, I want you to stay with me. Does that sound alright?" She gave a weak smile, and placed her hand gently on Lynn's shoulder.
Lynn nodded and was guided into the small home. Lynn passed her parents room, diverting her eyes from the photographs on the wall that pictured the once happy and full family. She went to her room, pulled a few items from her drawers, and glanced down the hall. Mrs. Diggory and Mr. Diggory were looking at the sitting room shaking their heads furiously at one another.
"…Betts, love, please. Understand. The girl is better off living with Arro Podge, not here. Not after-" but he was quickly cut off as Lynn reentered the front room. "Lynn, come. Cedric would love to see you. He has so much to tell you about Hogwarts." The subject had been dropped, and whatever argument seemed to be started ended there.
Arro Podge was a kind woman, although she hadn't much time for children, even her own goddaughter. She had large blue eyes, red hair that was turning lighter from all her time in the sun. Arro Podge was a scout for the Thundelarra Thunders in Australia. She had a strict manner, but was quite playful when Lynn showed a slight interest in her Godmothers work.
"Lynn, it's your fifth year, and yet you still have no interest in playing Quidditch? That Diggory boy plays all the time, yet you haven't even given it a thought!"Arro desperately wanted Lynn to play, follow in her footsteps, but she never really pushed the subject too far past Lynn's shake of the head.
"If I did something just because Cedric did, it would be a great travesty to being my own woman," Lynn joked as she scratched of a few items off her school list. "I need to get…dress robes?" Arro lifted her head from her Daily Prophet and laughed.
"Sounds like Hogwart's has something in store for you lot." She stood and walked the door that always remained locked. Lynn stood quickly and stood in her spot without moving her eyes from Arro. "I'm only going to grab something your mother would have wanted you to have, especially for an occasion calling for dress robes."Arrow disappeared for a few moments, in which Lynn stood still awaiting the reemergence of Arrow. Arro rounded the corner of the door frame holding a leather box. Turning slowly she beant towards the lock and turned the key and locked the door once more.
"What is it?"Lynn recognized the box though. It had belonged to her mother indeed, and in fact, she knew what lay inside it. Arro smiled and opened the box.
"These were your Mums." Arro pulled a ivory colored cloak from the box that had thin gold lines throughout the fabric. It was a beautiful winter dress robe. "This one is beautiful as well."Arro pulled a deep scarlet robe from the bottom of the box. "This was the robe your mother was wearing the night she found out…"But Arro's voice carried into a near whisper as Lynn placed her hand over the ivory fabric. "That is… was… your mothers wedding robes."
"I think these are perfect. I think this is the one though."Lynn grabbed the ivory cloak into her arms and laid it flat to her body. Unlike her mother, she was fairly smaller in stature. Her feet were completely covered by the bundling hems of the cloak on the floor.
"We may need to do a slight alteration."Arro smirked as she took the robes. "We will be in Diagon Alley tomorrow. We shall go to Madam Malkin's." Arro smiled and folded the robes and placed them in with the scarlet robes. "These are now yours. Always have been, but officially, they are in your hands." Lynn took the box, carefully holding the box to her chest as she walked to the back of the house where her bedroom still was.
Diagon Alley was bustling with many people. Arro had insisted that Lynn get her items together for school as early as possible since they would be busy traveling along with the Quidditch World Cup since Arro was on the Ministry Committee for setting up the event. Arro was excited to see the final match, and Lynn was excited as well since it meant spending a few weeks away from home.
"Lynn! Lynn!" A kind voice carried over the hustle and bustle of the crowd and Lynn turned to see one of her few good friends. "I didn't expect to see you here this early in the summer." Cedric was a kind boy, with light brown hair and gray eyes. Taller than her by a whole foot, Lynn wasn't surprised her found her so easily.
"Yes, Arro and I are getting things settled before the Quidditch Cup!"Lynn was excited to see her friend of so many years. "Are you going this time around?" Cedric smiled and shook his head. "I haven't seen you since school ended. How have you been?"Lynn asked as they moved to the side of the street.
"I've been good. I meant to come over and visit you and Arro, but Dad's been a bit preoccupied. Not sure what he's up to really, but he's quite excited for my last year of Hogwart's and I guess, he sees this as our last summer," Cedric chuckled and moved his hand to the back of his neck.
"I can see him acting like that. Listen, I understand you being busy with your dad, but at least promise me you will come and find me when you get to the grounds at the World Cup. It'll be nice to see another person I know other than Arro. I'll be camping at the moor for weeks before things get going. A lot of measures the Ministry have to take in order to get the whole place together." Lynn smiled and gave Cedric a hug as they parted ways after Cedric heartedly agreed to find her when he arrived.
Lynn found Arro talking to a tall man in dark robes. He nodded his head and walked away promptly before Lynn could arrive to hear them. Arrow turned, a scowl dissolving on her face as she saw Lynn. Arro raised her eyesbrows and huffed, "Bloody men…thinks I know nothing about Quidditch because I've got female parts." Lynn smiled and followed her Godmother as they walked into Madam Malkin's.
A cold sweat, thrashing of sheets, a thick ash the color of quill ink drowned Lynn as she tossed and turned in her bed. The same nightmare she had had for nearly five years haunted her again this night. Lynn tried her hardest to force her eyes open, her mind awake, and able to take a breath, but her body wouldn't give in. Instead of her mind being controlled by her own will, it took to showing the same images that gave Lynn a fright.
Muffled cries was all she could hear and a sliver of light in front of her casted colors that astounded and frightened her. Red, Purple, Blue, Yellow, and green. Green flash and another green flash and she could feel the vibration of each under her feet as each light of vibrant green found her eyes in the small darkness that enveloped her. She felt small, and unable to understand what was going on and helpless. Then there was always that voice.
"He will be pleased to know that they will never…"
But always the same ending.
Lynn's eyes stared at the ceiling as her mind reeled in her surroundings. Her legs were tangled in her linen sheets as she felt her chest bump bump bump from her quickened heartbeat. Her breaths were short and quick, and she felt the tingle in her arms and legs from thrashing about only moments before. She waited a few moments, and finally sat up in bed. This dream seemed more vivid each time it occurred. Maybe because she studied and pondered it more afterwards, or maybe because it seemed to be more real to her than ever before, Lynn could not shake the feeling in her stomach that told her that something horrible was to come.
A/N: Thank you so much for giving this chapter a read. I know it seems like a very vague approach to a Harry Potter Fan Fiction, but I've written MANY in the past (been writing for nearly 8 years), but this is my first fiction in over 3 years that I've decided to publish. It will closely follow the Harry Potter World and Timeline and it will surprisingly include some characters that were never really studied. Please, leave a review for my own sanity and let me know you are interested. This is a storyline I've been pondering for the last 2 years and it will be definitely worth your while. Haha. Thank you- Victoria