A Hero and a Protector

Summary-

Artemis and Harry Potter grew up in the dark dingy orphanage. Abandoned on the doorstep at a young age these two children are young and bitter. When they turn eleven strangers turn up at the doorstep offering things previously unimaginable to the two. Unknowingly they enter a world not only fraught with danger but unwanted relatives, possibly even the parents that left them on the doorstep so long ago.

Disclaimer- I do not own anything in the Harry Potter books, I do, however, own my own characters and ideas and places.

Dedication- I dedicate this story to my sister, who just went through a very hard and painful surgery with minimal complaining, and because I love her!

Enjoy!

Important!- Harry and Artemis were named by the orphanage because no message was left with them when they were dropped off, until they enter the wizarding world their last name will be Howe, Artemis and Harry Howe. NOT Potter!!!!



July 31, 1991 (Harry and Artemis are turning 11 today!)

Artemis laughed. The laugh by most would be considered kind and pleasant. However the girl she was talking to knew better. Scowling, the brown haired girl named Miranda muttered to herself and walked away. Should have known she'd be no help Miranda thought to herself.

Artemis watched as the girl walked away, still chuckling to herself. Of all the things to ask for, Miranda had wanted help on summer reading homework for god's sake. Quickly she spun around and walked through the deserted school building in search of her twin brother.

For as long as Artemis could remember she had lived in the orphanage with her twin brother, Harry. Every once in awhile a foster parent showed up, but all of them didn't stick around for long.

Artemis figured that at one time she had probably been a normal little kid, but too many things had happened over the years for her not to be the bitter, mean person she was now. Harry and herself were social outcasts, bitter and tough it was easy to see that the only person either could have a civil conversation with was the other twin.

They were very smart however, smart enough to skip a grade in school. That placed them in 6th grade at age ten. The teachers tended to avoid interacting with either child. Naturally this placed them even more at odds with the rest of the children at St. Philippe's School for Orphaned Children.

The school looked more like a prison than a school. It even had bars on the windows. Of course that was to be expected from a school in the slums of Paris, France.

Finally Artemis stopped at the door leading into the library. Pushing it open she saw her brother avidly reading some novel in the corner.

Sensing her arrival Harry looked up and a brief smile crossed his face as their identical, startling emerald green eyes locked together. Artemis swiftly made her way across the room and sat beside him.

"We have to go soon." Artemis informed him.

Harry sighed and nodded towards the book, "I'll come back tomorrow to finish it."

"Is it any good?"

"Very."

The Howe twins fell into companionable silence.

When Harry and Artemis had been dropped on the steps of St. Margaret's Orphanage there was nothing to indicate that either child had a name beforehand. The task of naming the two had fallen upon the orphanage matron who chose their first names as Harry and Artemis. She had trouble picking a last name, because according to her at least, "I'll always wonder how two such smart and beautiful children landed on my doorstep." Eventually she chose Howe.

The Matron of the orphanage had brought them up, she loved them, but just around their supposed fifth birthday the kind old matron dropped dead from a heart attack. That was the first time such pain touched their lives, not the last.

When the librarian shooed them out of the library Artemis and Harry started to walk along the sidewalks just to pass the time.

Suddenly Artemis swooped to pick up something from the pavement. Grinning brightly she waved the twenty Euros that were clutched in her hand. Harry joined her in jumping across the pavement excitedly.

Laughing uproariously the twins took off down the pavement, and running and giggling towards were they knew the old ice cream parlor was.

They both got a one scoop ice cream cone for a euro each.

They planned to save the rest of it, that's what they did in every situation such as this. They were both careful to not drip the bright, multi-colored ice cream on their orphanage uniforms.

Artemis devoured hers fast and quick, but Harry took his time. He savored the sweat taste of the ice cream dripping on his tongue. Taking their time they walked slowly, contenting themselves to spend their time considering their plans for rest of the money.

It was Artemis's plan to spend it quickly, but Harry wanted to save it for a time when they might need it in the future.

Eventually Artemis gave in.

It was a given that Harry would win the argument, after all compared to Artemis Harry was overwhelmingly forward thinking and rational. It helped that Harry kept a hold of his temper ten times better than she did.

That's not to say that Harry was calm, cool, and collected all of the time, 'cause he wasn't. He just didn't have a temper the size of North America like Artemis did.

Artemis hummed to herself as they walked, and when they came to the front of the orphanage she didn't scowl like usual, some would even say she was smiling.

Today felt like a good day to the Howe twins. And when Harry pushed open the door to the orphanage, it would later be agreed that today was one, for all intents and purposes, of the best days of their lives so far.


Madame Olympe Maxime waited patiently for the Howe twins to return to the orphanage. Of course it was unusual for her to be the one to inform a child, or children in this case, that they are accepted to her school. However the French Ministry of Magic had informed her that these two were very powerful indeed, and she had been curious.

Gazing around the room the matron of the orphanage had placed her in made Madame Maxime quite sad for the two children. It was dust covered and the walls were completely unadorned with paint peeling off. Originally there had only been two chairs in the dreary room, but when she had requested another chair a folding chair had been brought and Madame had settled down to wait.

Now she heard voice in the hall and immediately her back straitened. A wrinkle appeared on her forehead as she saw the two black haired, green eyed children. They were to thin, dreadfully so. Skin and bones was all they were.

The girl stared at her. Her green eyes stared unwavering, unblinkingly at her face. Artemis was her name Madame recalled.

Standing up Madame introduced herself, "My name is Madame Maxime, and I'm so very pleased to meet you."

Harry smiled at her and soon all the introductions had been made. Sitting down Madame watched the two and saw that Artemis fiddled with her hands restlessly and Harry kept glancing at his sister.

So far they had been polite and courteous, but Madame didn't want to fill the time with small talk so she got to the point.

"I've come to offer you two a place at my boarding school" she told them, "It is all year round and a very special school meant for people exactly like you."

"You mean a school for orphans? We already go to one of those." Artemis told her with a frown.

"No, no my dear girl, I mean, well there is no easy way to say this, but you two are magical." Madame waited for an outburst of surprise and disbelief, none came.

Harry spoke up this time, "Madame could you please show us what you mean." His words were carefully picked and showed no emotion.

Taking out her wand Madame flourished it at the boy and his ratty uniform repaired itself, the faded colors grew brighter, and his hair less messy. They both gasped in surprise. Wordlessly Madame did it to the girl as well.

"I will have to take you both shopping," she said at last. "There are things you will need. The school is called Académie de Magie Beauxbâtons (or Beauxbatons Academy of Magic) the school year starts August 31 and someone will come to collect you. Rest up today, I will be back tomorrow." So saying Madame Olympe sailed out the door and disappeared, leaving both twins speechless.

When they heard the front door shut Artemis relaxed and looked at her twin, "so it is time eh?"

"I guess so," Harry said. Absentmindedly Harry reached up to his forehead and felt the unusual lightning bolt shaped scar there, smiling.


Just thought I'd say that everything spoken is in French.