Yoooo guys, gals, and nonbinary pals!
I'm back with the first chapter of the 5th part! 5th part already! Can't believe this AU went so far honestly.
Thank you all so much for your support 3333
X
x
x
X
x
x
ccc
c
c
Rohini sighed and pinched her lips, tipping her index on her arm, obviously irritated. In front of her, Harry was smiling smugly, his similar green eyes shining with amusement as he crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.
"So?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, and Rohini throw the measuring tape at her brother before dropping on her bed with a grunt.
"You're the tallest one." She said moodily.
Harry laughed.
"Obviously; you're pretty much Dobby's size. Come on, how tall?"
"172cm." Rohini finally admitted before moaning like a child. "That's no fair! Why are you turning into a giraffe, and I'm not even at 160?"
"I have good genetics." Harry teased her and Rohini threw her pillow to his face, making him chuckle.
"You might be the tallest one, but I still have the coolest glasses." Rohini reminded him before tugging on the collar of her shirt. "It's so bloody hot today…"
The weather lady had announced this morning that they were going through the hottest day of the summer so far. As the day slowly came to an end, it might hopefully get chiller soon. Rohini stood up to open the window of the twins' bedroom and leaned against it, looking at the street.
Cars that were usually gleaming stood dusty in their drives and lawns that were once emerald green lay parched and yellowing, for the use of hosepipes had been banned due to drought. Deprived of their usual car-washing and lawn-mowing pursuits, the inhabitants of Privet Drive had retreated into the shade of their cool houses, windows thrown wide in the hope of tempting in a nonexistent breeze.
"This is boring." Rohini complained for the hundredth time. "There's not a single thing to do! We should, I don't know, be training right now!"
"For what." Harry said, though he knew the answer already.
"For the upcoming war, obviously." Rohini said shortly, starting to pace.
"Stop doing that, it's irritating." Harry complained.
"You're irritating." Rohini said and Harry made a vaguely offensive gesture at her and Rohini pretended to be offended; truth was, her relationship with Harry had started to change since the start of the summer. They were even closer than before, but they also bickered and teased each other more often.
"Stop being so rude and do something about your hair!" Rohini said, standing straight and looking down at Harry in a poorly done imitation of Aunt Petunia.
Then, she puffed her cheeks and frowned, trying to look like Uncle Vernon and pointing an accusing finger at Harry.
"We went through all those troubles, keeping you with us, and you dare to relax and do nothing?"
Rohini kept the game going for a minute before growing bored.
"Let's go outside." She said, picking up Thranduil and perching her cat on her shoulders, which didn't seem to bother the Siamese cat at all. "If I stay one more second in this room, I'll lose my soul."
"You're a dramatic crybaby, Rohi'." Harry pointed out and Rohini childishly pulled her tongue out at him before following him into the staircase.
"That's why you love me." She said, nudging him. "I'm your favourite dramatic little sister."
"If you think so." Harry said, though a smile was playing on his lips.
As they put on their shoes, they heard Uncle Vernon's voice from the living room.
"Dudders out for tea?"
"At the Polkisses',' said Aunt Petunia fondly. 'He's got so many little friends, he's so popular..."
"How dumb can she be to believe that?" Rohini whispered as Harry snorted.
The Dursleys really were astonishingly stupid about their son, Dudley. They had swallowed all his dim-witted lies about having tea with a different member of his gang every night of the summer holidays.
The twins knew perfectly well that Dudley had not been to tea anywhere; he and his gang spent every evening vandalising the play park, smoking on street corners and throwing stones at passing cars and children. Rohini had interfered twice, each time gaining a few bruises but winning the fight.
As they got outside, Harry stopped Rohini to listen to the news report that was hearable by the opened window.
"-Record numbers of stranded holidaymakers fill airports as the Spanish baggage-handlers' strike reaches its second week-"
"No death today either." Rohini said lightly, though she let go of the breath she had been holding. Harry let out a long, slow breath too and stared up at the brilliant blue sky.
"Let's go." Rohini said, pulling him after her.
Every day this summer had been the same: the tension, the expectation, the temporary relief, and then mounting tension again. It was turning them slowly crazy; surely, Voldemort was planning to attack, now that he was back to his full strength?
They were now in front of the house when a loud, echoing crack broke the sleepy silence like a gunshot; a cat streaked out from under a parked car and flew out of sight; a shriek, a bellowed oath and the sound of breaking china came from the Dursleys' living room and Rohini felt the hair on her nape rise as she grabbed the wand she was now always carrying with her, her eyes warily looking around her, grabbing Harry's wrist and pushing him behind her.
Eyes streaming, Rohini swayed, trying to focus on the street to spot the source of the noise when a large purple hand closed tightly on her wrist, making her yell.
"Put it away!" Uncle Vernon snarled, clenching both twins for Harry had also gotten his wand ready.
"Get off me!" Harry yelled and Rohini grabbed her Uncle with her free hand, trying to twist his wrist.
For a few seconds they struggled, until Rohini felt a furious heated wave passing through her, Uncle Vernon yelped and released them both, shaking his hand as if he had touched something too hot. Indeed, his fat purple fingers looked reddish now.
"Come, Harry." Rohini said, pulling her wand back into her pocket without looking away from her Uncle. Though she did her best to look calm, she was burning inside; quite literally. Her whole body felt too warm, as if fire wanted to burst out of her veins. Rohini shook her head; she needed to control her anger and her growing power, before it turned her into ashes.
Harry wasn't aware of her new source of agitation, but Rohini had kept in touch with Professor Lupin and Sirius, seeking their opinion on this new matter. Both had come to the conclusion that Rohini's extensive training to become an Animagus, her intense emotions, and all she had gone through this past year must have startled her magic, forcing it to adapt to an abnormal state of mind for a teenager.
To compensate, Rohini had started going on daily jogs every morning; if she had never been a morning person, she hadn't been able to sleep more than a few hours since Cedric's death. And without magic and potions to help, she was just helpless against insomnia.
"Lovely evening!" shouted Uncle Vernon, waving at Mrs. Number Seven opposite, who was glaring from behind her net curtains. "Did you hear that car backfire just now? Gave Petunia and me quite a turn!"
"Yeah, let's go." Harry whispered, and the twins started to walk away faster, Thranduil having jump off Rohini's shoulders at the cracking noise and now trotting next to them. They walked in silence for a while, Rohini glancing occasionally at her still warm hands, when Harry spoke.
"That cracking noise… sounded like apparating or disapparating, don't you think?"
"Huh?" Rohini said, having not paid much attention. Harry repeated himself.
"It's exactly the sound Dobby made when he vanished, no?"
"Oh, now that you point it out…" Rohini said, frowning before glancing around warily. "Do you think it's him? Voldemort? Or one of his followers? Maybe we should go back inside-"
"Rohini, calm down." Harry said firmly and Rohini realised she had started breathing faster. "I said it was a possibility. Maybe it was just a car."
"Yeah, of course." Rohini chuckled nervously, passing a hand in her sweaty curls and grimacing; she will need to go back to the hairdresser soon. Still, she couldn't help but take a look above their shoulders every two minutes, her hand always ready to grab her wand.
They walked in silence, hardly aware of the route they were taking, Harry leading the way. Rohini was now trying to rationalise. Perhaps it hadn't been a magical sound after all; yes, it might have been a car, or some dumb jocks being troublesome. Beside, nobody knew where Harry and she lived except her friends… or had Voldemort managed to find the information via his spies?
"Any news from Padma?" Harry asked as they took a break within a tree's shadow.
"The usual; her mum is trying her best to rally people to our cause, but most of her colleagues refuses to go against Fudge; if the Minister said Voldemort isn't back, then he isn't." Rohini sighed. "I told her to stop defending me 'cause I don't want her to lose her job, but her mother told her she wouldn't listen to the Minister's lies."
"Told you more than both Hermione and Ron told me." Harry said bitterly.
"Still angry at them?" Rohini asked tentatively.
Owls carrying letters from Harry's best friends Ron and Hermione were rare, and the letters short and vague: 'We can't say much about you-know-what, obviously...' 'We've been told not to say anything important in case our letters go astray...' 'There's a fair amount going on, we'll tell you everything when we see you...'
It was frustrating, to say the least. Harry was so angry one day with them he had thrown away, unopened, the two boxes of Honeydukes chocolates they'd sent him for his birthday. He'd regretted it later, after the wilted salad Aunt Petunia had provided for dinner that night. Luckily for him, Rohini had picked them up right after he had thrown them behind his back.
"You know, I'm frustrated too." Rohini said as they started walking again. She picked up a pebble, and threw it as far as she could. "I wish I could be useful. But what good can we do, right now? The Minister hates our guts, wants to make me pass for a liar, and brings you down with me. So for now, it's probably better if we keep a low profile, or something. I'm sure that's why we aren't getting involved more. Wouldn't want the Minister to think we're plotting against him or something, right?"
"Yeah." Harry said. "How do you always sound smarter?"
"I have good genetics." Rohini said and Harry puffed as an ugly snort left her. "Would be dumb to be a Ravenclaw that can't use her brain, dontcha think? I don't wanna be a Lockhart."
"Understandable." Harry nodded.
"Besides, I am angry at the situation." Rohini pointed out. "I'm just…trying to keep it under control, I guess."
"I see." Harry said, and they stopped talking, each thinking about the situation.
They vaulted over the locked park gate and set off across the parched grass. The park was as empty as the surrounding streets. When they reached the swings, Rohini sank on to the only one that Dudley and his friends had not yet managed to break, coiled one arm around the chain then started pushing on her legs.
"Harry, push me!" She asked like a petulant child. Reluctant at first, Harry finally stood behind her and started pushing her, making her laugh. "Higher! Come on, I thought you were stronger than that!"
"You little-" Harry laughed, pushing her with all his strength now. "Satisfied?"
No; Rohini was getting higher, but it wasn't enough, didn't feel enough. Her eyes fixed on the sky, she forced a bit more on her legs, swinging higher and higher and-
The fall took her by surprise; Rohini wasn't sure if she had jumped or slipped off the swing; one moment she was laughing, wishing to reach the clouds and fly away from all their problems, and the next second she was yelling in pain, laying in the dust and her whole body throbbing.
"Rohi!" Harry run to her side, helping her to sit up. "Are you ok? What happened?"
"I dunno…" Rohini grunted. "I think I slipped, or something…"
"I saw you let go of the chains." Harry said slowly. "Are you sure you're o-"
"I'm fine!" Rohini snapped. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap at you." She apologised quickly. "It's this godamn summer, getting on my nerves."
"I know the feeling, trust me." Harry sighed.
"Still have nightmares?" Rohini asked with a worried frown.
Harry had been having unsettling dreams about long dark corridors recently, all finishing in dead ends and locked doors. The old scar on his forehead also started to prickle uncomfortably, warning that Voldemort was getting stronger again. But just like Rohini, he was powerless without magic against those agitated nights.
They just sat here for a while, looking at the sky as a sultry, velvety night fell around them, the air full of the smell of warm, dry grass, and the only sound that of the low grumble of traffic on the road beyond the park railings. How could everything look so normal, but only make them feel more anxious as time went by? The sound of voices interrupted Rohini's musings and she looked up.
The streetlamps from the surrounding roads were casting a misty glow strong enough to silhouette a group of people making their way across the park. One of them was singing a loud, crude song. The others were laughing. A soft ticking noise came from several expensive racing bikes that they were wheeling along. Rohini cursed as Harry grunted. They both knew who those people were.
The figure in front was unmistakeably his cousin, Dudley Dursley, wending his way home, accompanied by his faithful gang.
Dudley was as vast as ever, but a year's hard dieting and the discovery of a new talent had wrought quite a change in his physique. As Uncle Vernon delightedly told anyone who would listen, Dudley had recently become the Junior Heavyweight Inter-school Boxing Champion of the Southeast.
Neighbourhood children all around were terrified of him, and would often wait for Rohini to be outside to play; they knew that for some reason, the brutal boy never tried anything against the short girl.
Rohini pinched her lips. If Dudley's friends saw them sitting here, they would be sure to make a beeline for them and what would Dudley do then? He wouldn't want to lose face in front of the gang, but he'd be terrified of provoking both cousins…
"Wouldn't it be fun?" Harry asked in a low voice, "watch Dudley's dilemma, deciding if his reputation is worth fighting us…"
"Don't look so happy about it." Rohini scolded him, though she was starting to wish for it, too. No, it wasn't right; she needed to focus on not bringing any unwanted attention on Harry and she, yes, stay in the shadows…
The gang didn't turn around, they didn't see them, they were almost at the railings. Rohini saw Harry's jaw tensing up, the way his fingers flinched, and she gave him a warning glance, shaking her head.
The voices of Dudley's gang died away; they were out of sight, heading along Magnolia Road.
"There you go, Sirius number 2." Harry mumbled, referencing to Sirius' demand to do nothing rash.
"Don't be so petty." Rohini scolded him. "Now, up, up, up; it's too dark to stay outside, and I'm getting hungry."
"Didn't know you were afraid of the dark." Harry said and Rohini pinched him between the ribs, making him yelp indignantly.
"You know that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon seem to feel that whenever Dudley turned up was the right time to be home, and any time after that's much too late."
Uncle Vernon had threatened to lock the twins in the shed if they came home after Dudley the previous day, and Rohini had no doubt he'd try.
Magnolia Road, like Privet Drive, was full of large, square houses with perfectly manicured lawns, all owned by large, square owners who drove very clean cars similar to Uncle Vernon's.
The twins preferred Little Whinging by night, when the curtained windows made patches of jewel-bright colour in the darkness and they ran no danger of hearing disapproving mutters about their 'delinquent' appearance when they passed the householders.
Harry walked quickly and Rohini had to jog behind him, so that halfway along Magnolia Road Dudley's gang came into view again; they were saying their farewells at the entrance to Magnolia Crescent. Harry stepped into the shadow of a large lilac tree and waited.
"What are you doing?" Rohini whispered, but Harry shushed her. "Harry…"
"Shhh!"
"...squealed like a pig, didn't he?" Malcolm was saying, to guffaws from the others.
"Nice right hook, Big D," said Piers.
"Big D? Like, you know, big di-"
"Shhh!" Harry shushed her again as Rohini giggled.
"Same time tomorrow?" said Dudley.
"Round at my place, my parents will be out," said Gordon.
"See you then," said Dudley.
"Bye, Dud!"
"See ya, Big D!"
Harry waited for the rest of the gang to move on before setting off again and Rohini followed, wondering if she should stop her brother before he did something reckless. Funny, since it was usually her that Harry had to hold back.
"Hey, Big D!" Harry shouted.
Dudley turned.
"Oh," he grunted. "It's you."
"Yup. Surprised?" Rohini asked, catching up with the two of them. "Aren't you happy to see your favourite cousins?"
"I see you every day." Dudley said dully. "And I hate your guts."
"How long have you been "Big D" then?" said Harry as Rohini bite her lips to hold her laugh.
"Shut it," snarled Dudley, turning away.
"Didn't you like being our Ickle Diddykins? It will break your mummy's heart." Rohini said lightly.
"I said, SHUT IT!" said Dudley, whose ham-like hands had curled into fists.
"You don't tell her to shut up. What about "Popkin" and "Dinky Diddydums", can we use them then?"
"So, who've you been beating up tonight?" Rohini asked, all trace of humour vanishing from her voice. 'Another ten-year-old? I know you did Mark Evans two nights ago."
"He was asking for it." snarled Dudley.
"He is half my size." Rohini snarled back.
"He cheeked me."
'Yeah? Did he say you look like a pig that's been taught to walk on its hind legs? 'Cause that's not cheek, Dud, that's true." Harry said.
A muscle was twitching in Dudley's jaw. Rohini was ready to add something, but held it back. It was enough to shut her cousin up; insisting would make her no better than Malfoy and his dumb bigot of friends.
They took a short cut between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. It was empty and much darker than the streets it linked because there were no streetlamps. Their footsteps were muffled between garage walls on one side and a high fence on the other.
"Think you're a big man carrying that thing, don't you?" Dudley said to Harry after a few seconds, Rohini and Thranduil walking in front of them.
"What thing?"
"He means our wands." Rohini said without looking at the boys; she picked up Thranduil and buried her nose in his short fur; the night felt much chiller, suddenly.
"Not as stupid as you look, are you, Dud? But I s'pose, if you were, you wouldn't be able to walk and talk at the same time..."
"Harry." Rohini warned him. Looking behind, she stopped when she saw that her brother had pulled out his wand. "Harry, stop that."
"You're not allowed," Dudley said at once. "I know you're not. You'd get expelled from that freak school you go to."
"How d'you know they haven't changed the rules, Big D?" Harry said casually, waving his wrist.
"Harry." Rohini called again, sounding tense. Now wasn't time to act recklessly; if Harry accidentally used magic, the Minister will never let it pass…
"You haven't got the guts to take me on without that thing, have you?" Dudley snarled.
"Whereas you just need four mates behind you before you can beat up a ten year old. You know that boxing title you keep banging on about? How old was your opponent? Seven? Eight?"
"Boys, stop it." Rohini snarled, stepping closer as another shiver ran up her spin. How was it suddenly so cold already? "I'm strong enough to take on both of you and pull you by the ears if I need to."
"Not this brave at night, are you?" sneered Dudley. Rohini frowned.
"Look around you, Duddy. What do you think this is? Night. That's what we call it when it goes all dark like this. Do I look scared to you?"
"I mean when you're in bed!" Dudley snarled.
He had stopped walking. Harry stopped too, staring at his cousin, then at Rohini. He suddenly looked vaguely nervous, and Rohini wondered what he was hiding from her.
"'What am I supposed to be frightened of, my pillows? The bogey man?" Rohini asked, bemused.
Dudley gave a harsh bark of laughter, then adopted a high-pitched whimpering voice.
"'Don't kill Cedric! Don't kill Cedric!' Who's Cedric-your boyfriend?"
Oh.
"Not your business, Big D." Rohini snarled, starting to walk again.
"'Dad! Help me, Dad! He's going to kill me, Dad!' Boo hoo!"
"Shut up," said Harry quietly. "Shut up, Dudley, I'm warning you!"
Rohini had stopped again, her fists clenched as she resisted the urge to grab her wand. She couldn't, shouldn't-
"'Come and help me, Dad! Mum, come and help me! He's killed Cedric! Dad, help me! He's going to-' Don't you point that thing at me!"
Rohini saw Dudley backed into the alley wall. Harry was pointing the wand directly at his heart; fourteen years' hatred of Dudley were showing on his face on this instant. And for the first time in fourteen years, Rohini was scared of her brother.
"Don't ever talk about that again," Harry snarled. "D'you understand me?"
"Point that thing somewhere else!"
"I said, do you understand me?"
"Point it somewhere else!"
"DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?"
"HARRY!" Rohini shouted, grabbing her brother's arm and pulling him away from their cousin. "Harry James freaking Potter, stop this RIGHT NOW."
"He-"
"No." Rohini snapped. "Stop. It. Now."
"Oh, you're one to tal-" Harry suddenly stopped, looking up and Rohini did the same.
Something had happened to the night.
The star-strewn indigo sky was suddenly pitch black and lightless-the stars, the moon, the misty streetlamps at either end of the alley had vanished. The distant rumble of cars and the whisper of trees had gone. The balmy evening was suddenly piercingly, bitingly cold. They were surrounded by total, impenetrable, silent darkness, as though some giant hand had dropped a thick, icy mantle over the entire alleyway, blinding them.
"What have you done?" Rohini whispered at Harry. "What spell have you used?!"
"It's not me!" Harry said. "I don't have the power to turn off the stars!"
'W-what are you d-doing? St-stop it!" Dudley yelped.
"Shut up, both of you!" Rohini ordered, grabbing her brother with one hand and searching for her cousin with the other. When she found him, she grabbed him tightly enough for him to squeal and try to run away.
"It's me, dumbass." She scolded. "Don't move."
Rohini stood still, turning her sightless eyes left and right, feeling the boys' pulse getting faster under her fingers, their skins getting sweaty. She felt Thranduil jump on top of her shoulders, growling; something bad was coming.
The cold was so intense she was shivering all over; goose bumps had erupted up her arms and the hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. She regretted wearing shorts on this instant.
"I'll t-tell Dad!" Dudley whimpered.
"Shhh. Harry, can you hear anything?" Rohini asked slowly.
"Yes… Yes, it's… but they can't be here…"
"C-cut it out! Stop doing it! I'll h-hit you, I swear I will!"
"Dudley, shut up!" Rohini snarled, squeezing her fingers around her cousin's wrist. "Harry, what is it? Death Eaters?"
"Dementors." Harry said, just as Rohini felt their presences.
"Shit. Shit!" She cursed, backing up against the wall, pulling the boys with her. But as she let go of Dudley to grab her wand, her cousin sprinted out of reach, screaming. "DUDLEY, NOT THIS WAY YOU FREAKING MORON!" She shouted angrily, running blindly after him.
"Expecto patronum!"
Rohini glanced above her shoulder, and felt her inside froze as she recognised the hooded figure of a Dementor as a silvery wisp of vapour shot from the tip of the wand and the creature slowed, but the spell hadn't worked properly.
"Harry, concentrate!" Rohini shouted before a skeletal hand grabbed her by the neck and pushed her hard against the concrete wall, making her gasp for her; here was the other one. Rohini's head started to spin, voices echoing through her mind, the last living moment of her parents. She could smell the Dementor's putrid, death-cold breath filling her own lungs, drowning her.
'No… no, I can't die, not like this…' Rohini thought helplessly, realising she had dropped her wand under the strength of the impact. 'Think, Rohi, think… use your own strength… anger… use your anger…'
Clenching her teeth, Rohini thought about the children she had to protect from Dudley, and Harry she needed to keep out of trouble in fear of the consequences, she thought of Cedric and his unnecessary death, she thought of Malfoy taunting her about the twins' imminent death, she thought of Voldemort laughing at her-
It was brief, but for the split of a second, Rohini felt her whole body burning with anger, the blood boiling inside her veins; she grabbed the Dementor's wrists and concentrate on the heat emanating from her, almost pleasant.
'Yes, use it… use your rage…'
The smell of burning, rotting flesh made her gag, the Dementor still holding her but now shrieking, not trying to kiss her anymore.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Rohini saw in the corner of her eyes an enormous silver stag erupted from the tip of Harry's wand; it's antlers caught the Dementor in the place where the heart should have been; it was thrown backwards, weightless as darkness, and as the stag charged, the Dementor swooped away, bat-like and defeated.
"THIS WAY!" Harry shouted at the stag. Wheeling around, he sprinted down the alleyway, holding the lit wand aloft. "ROHINI! DUDLEY!"
Rohini gasped as the hold on her neck was released and she collapsed on the ground, massing her throat and coughing.
'GET IT!' Harry bellowed, and with a rushing, roaring sound, the silver stag he had conjured came galloping past the twins.
Disoriented, Rohini raise her head and saw that a third Dementor's eyeless face was barely an inch from Dudley's when the silver antlers caught it; the thing was thrown up into the air and, like its fellow, it soared away and was absorbed into the darkness; the stag cantered to the end of the alleyway and dissolved into silver mist.
Moon, stars and streetlamps burst back into life. A warm breeze swept the alleyway. Trees rustled in neighbouring gardens and the mundane rumble of cars in Magnolia Crescent filled the air again.
"Rohi? You alright?" Harry asked her, helping her to stand up before jolting away. "Woah, you're burning!"
"Nah, you're just really cold." Rohini mumbled, whipping the sweat of her forehead and rubbing her hands on her shorts. Harry was right; she was uncomfortably hot again, almost painfully; if there had been a pond filled with ice cubes somewhere, she would have thrown herself in.
Dudley lay curled up on the ground, whimpering and shaking.
"See if he's all good." Rohini told Harry, when a sudden movement made her flinch. More foes?
But it is only Mrs. Figg, their batty old neighbour, who came panting into sight.