Hi all Kimiko Sempai here I decided to try my hand at a Harry Potter world story. I will tell you I do not own Harry or any of the canon characters; they are owned by their respective owners and this is purely fanfiction. Either way I hope you all enjoy it, and review whether you liked it or not. I'll continue writing depending on my feedback.
The Balance of Good and Evil: Chapter 1
It was a normal day in London many people were shuffling about Charing Cross Road without a care. Talking on cell phones and not noticing the odd pub they passed along the way; if someone were to actually take the time to look they would notice that the Leaky Cauldron was out of place. An almost otherworldly, old English look in the middle of a modern city, but then again it was meant for the muggles to just pass by and not even notice it; not that they would. Muggles enjoyed their old monotonous lives, and to even think of anything such as the existence of magic was preposterous. Magic was a man in a cape pulling a rabbit out of a hat, or a coin out of someones ear; it was something for childrens fancy, it wasn't real.
Inside the dark pub sat a man at the bar sipping his drink and trying to stay inconspicuous. Dressed in dark robes, like many others in the pub; a woman with long graying black hair enters the pub, and sits down next to him.
"You called for me?", she says in a low tone of voice trying not to be heard by the others in room.
"Yes, I did and I appreciate your haste. The time has come for balance to be restored to the world. Because there is no good without evil, and likewise no evil without good; its a vicious circle you see. Evil is never truly vanquished, and there is always someone to pick up it's mantle once it is gone", he says in a cold, but sing song tone of voice. He places payment for his drink down on the bar and stands up for the stool. Putting up the hood on his own robe and exiting the Leaky Cauldron with the woman tailing behind him.
Hannah Longbottom watched the pair leave the pub, with some suspicion but brushed it of. "Hannah dear, have you seen my Remembrall", said a mans voice from the other room. Hannah sighed and pulled herself from the window above the Leaky Cauldron and walked into the bedroom; where her husband was busily trying to pack a traveling trunk.
"Oh, Neville it never fails you always forget something", she said playfully as she opened the drawer, of the table beside the bed. "Hear dear", she hands him the small clear orb. As soon as he takes it in his hands, the gray smoke inside turns a bright red color.
"For the life of me I can't remember what I forgot, when I go this thing; but I figured I might remember one day", said Neville with a smile. He leaned down and kissed his wife on the cheek, "Are you sure you don't want me to stay home this year, at least until you have the baby?", he asked with a look of concern for his wife. It had taken them so long to have a child; and now he didn't want to be away from Hannah for fear that something might happen.
Hannah reached up and brushed her hand on Neville's cheek, "I'll be fine and if something happens I can go and stay with your Gran dear, don't worry", she stood on the tips of her toes and kissed Neville on the cheek. He wrapped his arms around hugging her so that he pulled her off the floor her legs dangling in the air.
"I love you Hannah", said Neville, and with a flick of his wand, the traveling trunk closed, with everything packed nicely.
"Have a wonderful year dear", said Hannah smiling, "And I'll send you and owl if something happens with the baby", she said stepping back from him to give him room.
"You better post me more than that", said Neville smiling, and with another flick he apparated out of the room. Hannah smiled and rubbed her swollen stomach, totally forgetting the shady figures she had seen before.
Ginny Potter shuffles around the kitchen of her home in Ottery St. Catchpole, humming to herself as she prepared breakfast. She sighed as she poured herself a cup of tea; she had a bunch of work to catch up on, her latest article for the the Daily Prophet on the up and coming Quiditch season.
"Mistress Potter do you wish me to wake the children?", said deep froggy voice from behind her. Ginny smiled, "No Kreacher I'll fetch them in a moment but thank you", Kreacher bowed low and left to do something in the house, for that Ginny was sure. Despite the fact that Harry had released him from his duties to serve him the old house elf stayed with the family and served them. Ginny knew it was because it was the only thing Kreacher really knew how to do. Over the years the once unsavory creature, had softened and had become a member of the family of sorts. Kreacher would do anything for the children if they asked, and Ginny felt that he had a soft spot for the Potter children; much as he had, for the Black children so long ago.
But the children really didn't know why all of that was, and knew very little of, their fathers fame. Harry liked it that way and said that he would discuss things with them when they were "old enough" to understand. But Ginny was beginning to think the children would never be old enough, in Harry's eyes, and there would come a time when they must be told why their father was so famous. Especially now that Lilly was going to be starting her first year at Hogwarts. They had been expecting the owl any day now, and little Lilly was excited beyond belief; Ginny so a lot of herself in her daughter, she had been the same way when she finally was able to go to Hogwarts. After finishing her tea she set the cup in the sink and made her way upstairs to her children's rooms.
As the light of the morning sun poured in through James's window he grumbled slightly and threw the blanket of his head. He was not looking forward to the day; they were expecting his sister's owl to Hogwarts and that meant hours of following his mother, and siblings around Diagon Alley getting his sister ready for school. He had thought about sneaking over to his uncle George's store while the other mucked about; but that would come with a tongue lashing of the century from his mother, so he chose to stay with them. Deciding that sleep was eluding him, he uncovered his head, sluggishly got up from bead and made his way to the loo.
As Ginny was coming up the stairs she noticed her eldest son walk into the restroom and close the door behind him. I was hard for her to believe that he was about to start his fourth year at Hogwarts, it seemed like yesterday she was helping him onto his first broom. She sighed and went into Albus's room, he was still quietly dreaming, he was going to be a second year this year. When Ginny looked at her son Albus it was like a look into the past, he looked so much like his father. "Albus, breakfast is ready love", she say in a motherly manner as she gently nudges his shoulder with her hand. Albus moaned in his sleep slightly and then sat up in bed rubbing his eyes.
"Right mum I'm up", he said while stretching, there was a loud thudding of small feet, padding down the hall; that ended right in Albus's doorway.
"Mummy has the post came yet!", said Lilly excitedly, Ginny shook her head "No, not yet I'm afraid; don't worry the owl will be here", said Ginny chuckling slightly.
James came in and stood next to his baby sister and grinned almost sinisterly, "Hey, maybe, it wont come and your a lousy squib", he said teasingly. "Mummy!, James said I'm gonna be a squib", said Lilly in a whiny tone of voice.
"James don't start in on her today alright; just cause your older doesn't mean you get to pick on them all the time alright, just lay off", said Ginny with a sigh.
"Right, right mum I got it", said James disappointed cause he thoroughly enjoyed teasing his younger siblings.
"Alright you three its breakfast time, I want to see you all dressed and downstairs at the table soon", with that she ruffled Albus's hair and made her way back downstairs. Lilly turned and ran to the loo, closing the door loudly behind her. Albus sat in his bed for a moment and then pulled some clothes out of the wardrobe. By then Lilly was out and back in her own rooms so Albus went in. He quickly washed his face trying to wake himself up a bit more, after dressing he made his way downstairs and was first to sit down at the kitchen table. It was then there was a flash of magic and Harry Potter stood in the living room. "Morning dad", said Albus looking in from the kitchen, Ginny came in and took Harry's coat and hung it up, kissing him on the cheek. "Morning Al", said Harry with a smile.
"Daddy!", squealed Lilly as she practically jumped at him from the staircase, she threw her arms around her neck. "Mourning Lill's", he said as she squeezed him tight.
"Hey dad", said James as he lazily, walked past the pair and sat down at the table, helping himself to breakfast.
"It's been awhile since you've had to work a night for the Auror's office", said Ginny, questioning with her eyes.
"Well", said Harry as he carried Lilly into the kitchen and sat her at the table; "There's been a pick up in activity lately and we're all running like mad to find out whats the cause and where it's all coming from", he said as he sat down and picked up a sausage from the table.
Ginny nodded and handed him a plate, there was then a tapping on the kitchen window, a little brown owl stood just outside. She opened up the kitchen window and the little owl hopped in. The envelope hung around his neck, "Well your new aren't you", Ginny said with a smile as she took the letter, and rewarded the little owl with a sausage it stood there and happily ate its treat. Ginny walked over and handed the envelope with the Hogwarts seal to Lilly.
"Yay!", squealed Lilly she said while opening the letter
Miss Lilly Potter
Ottery St. Catchpole
Devon England
Dear Miss Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1st. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Filius Flitwick
Filius Flitwick
Deputy Headmaster
Everyone clapped and cheered for Lilly as she sat there beaming.
Now in a house not to far from 4 Privit Drive, another family very different from the Potters is sitting down to breakfast as well. Despite being different the did have on thing in common they were related. The Dursleys where a tremendously normal family living on a tremendously normal street. Wisteria Walk's only odd inhabitant was the crazy cat lady, Mrs. Figg who lived down the road. Dudley didn't want to live next to his parents but he didn't want to live to far away either. Dudley sat at the table looking over the morning paper and drinking, a cup of Earl Grey tea, he was due to be at work at Smeltings, within an hour and half and was enjoying peace, quiet and his morning tea.
"Dad!, tell Hyacinth to stay out of my room!", the silence was broken and Dudley growled. A young boy who looked very much like his father came stomping down the stairs, "Dad!, didn't you hear me!", said the boy with his hands on his hips and an annoyed scowl on his face. "Yes Jr. I heard in fact I think the whole bloody neighborhood, heard you. Cin!, come here!", said Dudley starting to get red in the face. A slender young girl with long brown hair came down the stairs. "Daddy I wasn't in his room I was just passing by it", she said looking at Dudley with bright green eyes.
Dudley's mother had said that she had gotten her eyes from her side of the family. This worried Dudley a little when Hyacinth was a baby because, his mother's side of the family was different; and he didn't want his daughter to be different. But as the years went by odd things would happen around his little Cin. He never really spoke to his wife about it, and God forbid he say something about it to his young daughter, he didn't want to encourage her. "Come here Cin", Dudley said in a gentle voice, Jr. got a haughty look on his face and went back upstairs, happy that he had got his little sister in trouble.
Hyacinth sighed and walked to her father, Dudley pulled out a chair and she sat down. "Cin you know I love you very much right", he said, Hyacinth nodded her head. He looked her right in the eyes and smiled, he had tried to be different with his children then his parents had been him, and Harry. Harry Potter was still an enigma to Dudley but over the years they had come to an understanding. There were short visits and cards over Christmas Holidays, but other than that they were a part of two different worlds. "You know how cranky Jr. is in the morning, it's for the best if you just come straight downstairs in the morning alright. Just so you to don't get into a squabble, is that fair enough", he said with a smile, Hyacinth nodded.
"Ready for breakfast?", said a voice from the doorway to the kitchen, Amelia Dursley was a quiet and reserved woman who loved her children very much. But there were some traits that young Dudley Jr had picked up from his father that she was not too happy about. And then again their grandmother Petunia didn't help either. Despite his own upbringing Dudley, was a well rounded parent, and tried his best to treat his children fairly. She walked over to the kitchen window and opened it, to let in the surprisingly cool morning air, and started cooking.
Hyacinth sat at the table and watched her mother mill about the kitchen. She had never been mistreated well by her parents at least but she had always felt odd and out of place in her family. For the most part she was a normal child to everyone not like those, freaky Potter children that came around for Christmas and left as soon as the punch and cookies was gone. At least that how her brother put it when they would come around; Hyacinth rather enjoyed the Potter childrens company and they were always kind to her. Even though they never stayed too long, she had grown to think of them as family. She had even come to call Harry Potter uncle Harry. What her family didn't know that over past couple of years that odd things had been happening around the house. A tea cup lifted off the table, flew across the room and smashed against a wall while Petunia and Vernon Dursley were visiting their grandchildren. And just a few weeks ago Hyacinth had managed to burn up a tea towel, she had just been admiring the design on the new towel; and it burst into flames, she had lied and said she got it too close to the flame on the stove.
Amelia got breakfast on the table and was just sitting down when a ball of feathers, came flying in through the window and landed right into the kippers. Amelia was speechless as her eyes met that of a large barn owl in the middle of the food she had just prepared. Dudley Dursley's eyes went wide at the sight, but took the letter from the bird anyway. He knew what he was looking at and he hadn't seen anything like it in years, but something was wrong cause his daughters name was on the envelope. He quickly grabbed a piece of paper from the notepad next to the phone and scratched out a frantic message with a pen. "How do you send this bloody thing", he said looking the owl over before it had a chance to hop back out the window.
"What are you talking about Dudley; you mean you know what going on", said Amelia questioning. Dudley soon rolled the message up and attached it to the owl, "You take that to Harry Potter urgently you hear me, you bloody bird", said Dudley getting into the owls face.
"Harry Potter, what does an owl have to do with your cousin", said Amelia; Dudley swallowed hard as the owl flew out the window, he prayed he had done that right.
Ginny was dressing for their trip to Diagon Alley, that afternoon she glanced over at Harry who had passed out on their bed with his shoes still on. She knew he was exhausted and had bribed the children with Honeydukes if they kept quiet. They had spent a few hours celebrating Lilly's later that morning and Harry had stayed up long after he should have. She was brushing her hair when there was a tapping at her bedroom window, she looked over to see yet another owl. "What this we already got the post?", she asked aloud as she opened the window. She noticed a crumpled piece of paper haphazardly, attached to the owls leg. She took the note and read it, despite the horrible handwriting she could make out that it was for Harry. Afraid that it was an urgent message from the Auror office she gently woke Harry.
Harry read the letter, and got a confused look on his face, "It's from Dudley", he said to Ginny. "Your cousin?", asked Ginny; "How could he send you an owl he's a muggle", said Ginny.
"It doesn't really say, but it say he needs to see me urgently; and least that what I can make out from Dudley's horrible writing", said Harry rubbing the back of his head.
"So are you going?", asked Ginny, "Why shouldn't I, it has to be something important or he wouldn't have bothered", said Harry. Ginny nodded, as Harry made his way back downstairs, putting his coat back. "Are you going back to work already daddy, I thought you were going to Diagon Alley to get my books and stuff for school", asked Lilly.
Harry sighed, "No I'm afraid it's not work this time, it has to do with your cousins the Dursleys. But I promise as soon as I'm done there I'll meet up with you all there", said Harry.
Lilly nodded and hugged her father and the he apparated out of the room.
