Harry Potter, the order of the Phoenix, and the DarkChilde
Author's note: In my story (a collection of micro shorts) called Some Things Illyana's teammates learned about her (part 8b) I outlined a Harry Potter story involving Illyana. A few Potter/Illyana stories exist in the world of fanfic, but most are very poorly written (there was one I rather liked where she was an instructor on defense against the dark arts but I can't find that story anymore). I only have one long Illyana 1.0 story (Magik Meltdown) and I figured this would make a nice Illyana 1.0 story with minimal bad things happening to her (but likely a great deal of the reverse happening to others). And yes I consider 1.0 and 2.0 to be the same person).
I figure this takes place after the story Magik Meltdown, but before Limbo descends into civil war with S'ym. An assumption here is that the reader (that's you) have read or are familiar with the Harry Potter books; but I will try to add various explanations as I go.
I do try to write in character so let's see how well I can do a retelling of a Harry Potter story. I do so hope that J. K. Rowling is not too distressed as to what Illyana will likely do to the Potterverse (don't think there will be a sequel, which I suppose is a bit of ominous foretelling).
Part 1a: Breakfast at Hogwarts
The Hogwarts day, like most school days, begins with breakfast in the Great Hall. Students generally sit at their own House table and can eat and socialize, or possible attempt to finish some bit of homework. The Headmaster, and Professors, sit at the High Table placed at the far end of the hall. Owls bring in the students' post, generally consisting of The Daily Prophet (wizarding newspaper), letters from parents or friends, or packages from home, after the food is served. A bell signals the end of breakfast and start of the first class of the morning.
It was the beginning of the third day of the new term, and the first day after Harry Potter's first day of detention (he had three more days of detention to serve). The students were seated, but no food had yet been served as morning announcements are first given, announcements that appeared to be slightly delayed as Professor Dumbledore had yet to make his appearance. Speculation amongst the student body as to why this might be ran heavily to the highly dramatic events of the previous night over and within the Forbidden Forest. Harry and Ron had been queried several times but they were in the dark as much as the other students. Hermione has persistently quizzed the two of them, but had finally believed their protestations of innocence and ignorance.
The explosions, fires, and the lightning strikes had made very dramatic viewing from the various dormitory windows. Several students claimed to have see Dementors flying about and one claimed that a Dementor had actually been on fire before crashing, but he was disbelieved. There were whispered comments about the Death Eaters as a giant glowing Death Eater Dark Mark (a green glowing skull with a snake as a tongue) had also been seen in the sky as well. A Death Mark that had then melted in what appeared to be a scream of silent agony.
Professor Dolores Umbridge, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor (and overt spy for the Ministry of Magic), looked distressed about the student chatter but held her tongue for the moment.
With her were a few of the other professors such as Professor Grubbly-Plank, care of magical creatures. Professor Minerva McDonagall, deputy head mistress, head of house Gryffindor and transfiguration professor. Professor Severus Snape, professor of potions and head of house Slytherin. Professor Sybill Trelawney, professor of divination. Professor Filius Flitwick, professor of charms and head of house Ravenclaw. And Professor Pomona Sprout, herbology and head of house Hufflepuff.
The voluminous whispers suddenly went silent as Professor Dumbledore finally made his appearance. He was dressed in his usual purple robes. He walked to the podium, adjusted his glasses, and gave a short announcement. Surprisingly he had the sorting hat under one arm.
"Students are reminded that the Forbidden Forest is named such for a reason. No students are to enter the forest without direct permission from a Professor and of course proper accompaniment. I am sure there is much chatter as to last night's theatrics. The school demurs to the Ministry of Magic as to the cause. I'm most certain that you will have a chance to read about it today's Daily Prophet once the owls make their delivery. As I am also most certain that you will form your own opinion upon the matter."
The latter statement caused Professor Umbridge to frown in irritation, as if she had just consumed a most sour lemon. Professor Dumbledore continued.
"One additional note, a new student will be joining us this term. She is from America and is a type of exchange student. Her… instruction is not the traditional magic boarding school but instead the old Master and apprentice model of instruction. It has been thought that foreign exposure would do her good and as such she has been placed here to associate with the other students for a length of time. She will be in the classes attended by the five year students. It is of note that her animal is not the traditional cat, toad, rat or owl, but it has been examined and deemed acceptable and safe. Additionally, she is skilled the rare art of magic without the use of a wand, though she does posses one. Her… knowledge of magical society has been, to date, very restricted for reasons that will become self apparent, so I ask her fellow students to be helpful as to her questions and understanding as to her lack of knowledge. As always the Sorting Hat shall place her in her house."
This announcement created a bit of a buzz of murmured conversation, both as to the lack of details involving the Forbidden Forrest, and the surprising influx of a new student. Conversation that involved the other professors as well as they were apparently likewise surprised. A buzz that vanished as Professor Dumbledore finished and the tall doors to the main hall opened.
"The school welcomes Illyana Nikolievna Rasputin. And yes, of the linage Grigori Rasputin before you all endlessly inquire if the is related to that Rasputin. She is his granddaughter, and the last of his line."
Part 1b: Dark Wizards and other things
A single student entered the room and began the long walk to the front where Professor Dumbledore and the hat awaited.
The new student was female, blonde, had a very attractive face, and wearing the normal Hogwarts school garb of plain black robes with hints of a nice figure under the robe and her school uniform. There was a name tag upon the robes left breast showing her name, the crest of the school, but as of yet no house symbol. Her expression was one of calm distant regard and a sense of coldness. The room was not silent but instead filled with soft whispers as to this new student, her appearance, her notorious family heritage, guesses as to what house she would end up in; but mostly about the small purple dragon that was on her shoulder, roughly the size of a large cat.
This Illyana stared straight ahead, but the dragon was busy eyeing everything with great curiosity as it twisted its head and neck about. Little tentacles of smoke drifted from the dragon's nostrils and some students distinctly heard what sounded like a smoky "Humph…" from the creature as it surveyed the room.
"That doesn't look like any dragon that Charlie has ever described." Muttered Rob Weasley to Harry and Hermione. Charlie was the second oldest Weasley brother and was working with dragons in Romania. "Last year Charlie gave me Jane's Dragon Species of the world and I don't think there's ever been a purple dragon. Blue yes, but never purple."
"Must be a cross breed hatchling." Whispered Hermione Granger with confidence (incidentally she was wrong). But then reflected that… "But that's not possible... Dragon Breading for Pleasure and Profit distinctly states that you are to feed a baby dragon a bucket of brandy mixed with chicken blood every half hour. You'd drowned the cute little thing if you did that."
They were whispering, but the dragon's eye's locked upon Hermione as the blonde walked past and the three distinctly heard a smoky "Mmmm… Yumm" from the dragon.
A comment that elicited a soft "Hush Lockheed, I'm sure you'll weasel some treats later." Her accent was American with a trace of a Russian.
"He understood you Hermione." Whispered Harry Potter. "Hagrid will go bonkers when he sees it."
"Impossible." Whispered back Ron. "Dragons are just animals. And young dragons only start to give off smoke at six months of age. That beastly must be some kind of midget dragon."
"Regardless of the dragon, that's supposedly a descendent of Rasputin. And that's also supposed to be impossible." WhisperedHermione. "All of his remaining family line were killed shortly after his death. The ones with magic and the ones that were just muggles. All were killed, even the babies."
"Not all I guess." States Harry.
"Why where they killed again?" Whispers Ron. Which just gave Hermione the chance to demonstrate her superior knowledge.
"As stated by Professor Binns in our class History of Magic class, it's in the supplemental reading of our third year class that taught about the Witch Hunts, which were a very nasty time in Russia as Grigori Resputin managed to charm almost a third of the entire nation before he and his were killed. He's also in the appendix in most defense against the dark arts books."
According to Hogwarts folklore, Professor Cuthbert Binns has failed to notice that he was dead, he simply got up from his chair in the staff-room one morning and left his body behind. As Professor Binns was very old at the time of his death, he was also very set in his ways and students find him difficult to relate to. Binns' lessons consist of him reciting (or "droning", as many would put it) lectures to his students. He doesn't seem to mind (or notice) that the class rarely pays attention or even sleeps through his class, with the exception of Hermione Granger, who alone seemed able to resist the soporific power of Binns' voice. Both Ron and Harry find History of Magic terribly boring, and only manage to pass the class by borrowing Hermione's notes.
With that a hush fell over the room as she came to stand before Professor Dumbledore, she then turned and faced the room. That's when everybody noticed just how dark blue her eyes were. Professor Dumbledore held up the sorting hat over her head. The hat then spoke as it was wont to do each year at the sorting of the new year's students. But this time it had but little to say, instead of its usual long recital as the tear in the rim spoke the following words.
One again I am brought forth
Although the time is odd,
For not a gaggle of first years do I see.
But instead a single student to be
Stands before the choosing that is me.
I have no long song to sing,
Or limerick to recite.
Just the judging to perform,
With my special form of insight.
To her house I will dispatch,
The childe that is before me.
But heed my words that I spoke before
United all of Hogwarts should be.
So as to prevent the looming calamity.
With that the hat was placed upon Illyana's head and the hat scrunched up its face in concentration after first looking very surprised. For some the choosing was fast, others slow. This choosing dragged on for long seconds before the hat spoke one word.
"Slytherin!"
Part 1c: The houses of Hogwarts
What are the houses of Hogwarts you ask? If so then shame on you for not reading the Harry Potter books, but here is brief explanation. The houses are basic student associations that room together and form sports teams to compete with the other houses. Rather like competing high schools. Houses have mascots and even ghosts. Each dormitory gets at least two common rooms; one for boys and one for girls (an enchantment prevents boys from entering the girls' area, although there is no spell to prevent the reverse from occurring). Each student sleeps in a large four-poster bed with bed covers and heavy curtains in the House colors, and thick white pillows. There is a bedside table for each bed, and each dormitory has a jug of water and goblets on a tray.
House Gryffindor values courage, bravery, nerve, and chivalry. Gryffindor's mascot is the lion, and its colors are scarlet and gold. The house ghost is Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, more commonly known as Nearly Headless Nick. Gryffindor corresponds roughly to the element of fire. The Gryffindor common room is in one of the castle's highest towers, and its entrance is on the seventh floor in the east wing of the castle and is guarded by a painting of The Fat Lady, who is garbed in a pink dress. She permits entry only after being given the correct password. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are of Gryffindor, as are most of the heroic students in the Harry Potter books.
House Hufflepuff values hard work, patience, justice, and loyalty. The house mascot is the badger, and canary yellow and black are its colors. The house ghost is The Fat Friar. Hufflepuff corresponds roughly to the element of earth. The entrance to the Hufflepuff dormitories and common room entrance is concealed in a pile of large barrels in an alcove in the corridor that holds the kitchen. To enter, one must tap the barrel two from the bottom in the middle of the second row in the rhythm of "Helga Hufflepuff". Unlike any other house, the Hufflepuff common room has a repelling device that douses the illegal entrant in vinegar if the wrong lid is tapped or the rhythm is wrong. The Hufflepuff common room is filled with yellow hangings and fat armchairs and it has little underground tunnels leading to the dormitories, all of which have perfectly round doors, like barrel tops.
House Ravenclaw values intelligence, creativity, learning, and wit. The house mascot is an eagle and the house colors are blue and bronze. The house ghost is The Grey Lady. Ravenclaw corresponds roughly to the element of air. The dormitories are in Ravenclaw Tower, on the west side of Hogwarts. The common room, is round and filled with blue hangings and armchairs, has a domed ceiling painted with stars and features a replica statue of the house founder Rowena wearing her diadem. They have a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. A logical riddle must be solved to gain entry to the Ravenclaw common room, whereas the Gryffindor and Slytherin common rooms only require a password
House Slytherin values ambition, cunning, leadership, and resourcefulness; the Sorting Hat said in Harry Potter when he sorted, that Slytherins will do anything to get their way. The house mascot of Slytherin is the serpent, and the house colors are green and silver. The house ghost of Slytherin house is The Bloody Baron. Slytherin corresponds roughly to the element of water. The Slytherin dormitories and common room are reached through a bare stone wall in the dungeons. The Slytherin common room is a long, low, dungeon-style room, under the Hogwarts Lake, furnished with green lamps and carved armchairs with a bit of a greenish glow.
Part 1d: Breaking fast and conversations
A choosing met by cheers from the students of house Slytherin, and a few sighs of relief from the others.
With the choosing the badge upon her left breast morphed and now had the serpent seal of Slytherin, likewise her school uniform now has the silver and green trim of the Slytherin house colors.A morphing that drew a few gasps of surprise as nobody else's school uniform had reacted at their sorting. Professor Dumbledore took the hat from her head, but the hat could be distinctly seen to mutter something that was only heard by Dumbledore and Illyana.
Illyana then walked over to the cheering Slytherin table and found an empty seat, not next to Draco Malfoy, who would later be rebuked by his father for not freeing up a seat next to him for her to sit at; instead she ended up sitting next to Pansy Parkinson (a rather aggressive and bullying female student). With that breakfast appeared and filled the tables; resulting in the hungry students dig into the feast of eggs, sausages, pancakes, waffles, fruit, toast, milk, juices, and other goodies. There some minor commotion as the purple dragon leapt down from her shoulder, seized a small ham with his mouth and flew up to an chandler to gnaw upon his prize.
"Bet she's a spy." Was Ron's pronouncement after observing the dragon fly off into the rafters. "Sent by you know who."
"Rather a poor house choice if she is." Replied Harry after a bit of thought. "Somehow having the Death Eaters spying upon Slytherin seems redundant."
"Maybe she ended up in the wrong house?" Replied Ron.
"Maybe… she's not who she appears to be." Said Hermione, she had been thinking quite hard upon what had just occurred. "She, assuming she is a she, might be using a Polyjuice potion to assume the shape that she is wearing."
"So she could be anyone." Concludes Ron with a slight look of horror. He had been thinking that she was very attractive and the thought that she might not be a she was horrifying.
"Doesn't explain the dragon." Observes Harry. "And somehow I think Dumbledore would have examined her after Marty Crouch used Polyjuice to impersonate Mad-eye Moody for all of last year."
That was when the owls flew in and started dropping various packages, letter and newspapers. The Daily Prophet was quickly unrolled by those who received it, revealing the screaming headlines.
War in the Forbidden Forest?
Ministry and Death Eaters Battle?
Forbidden Forrest Off Limits!
The Ministry denounce idea of a war in the Forbidden Forest. "Simply preposterous!" Declared the Minister. "A ring of magical creature smugglers were apprehended in a long running operation. In desperation some of the culprits cast various allusions and pyrotechnics in an attempt to avoid apprehension. Even casting a fake Dark Mark so as to confuse the public and deter pursuit. The ring leaders are still at large, but once they are apprehended I assure you the full details will be made known." The Ministry and Minister categorically denied that the Death Eaters were involved in any official capacity, but reiterated that the Forbidden Forrest was off limits as suspects may still be lurking within…
A quick perusal of the contents shows that the headlines were mostly conjuncture as little actual facts were shown. Luna Lovegood, of Ravenclaw, came over and announced her father's paper, The Quibbler, had the real truth of the matter (which of course resulted in eye rolling from folk out of her field of view). The Quibbler has single headline in big bold print.
DEMONS INVADE!
Luna began to read the article out loud.
Excessive trafficking in the demons from other worlds has resulted in what many have predicted for years. Demons have now invaded our world! And the Forbidden Forrest, located next to the steamed school of magic Hogwarts, is right at the center of the incursion. And why you ask? Is this caused by you know who, he who must not be named? We are assured by the Ministry Of Magic that he who must not be named has not returned, but are they telling the truth? They are not! Not only have the Death Eaters been summoning demonic forces to bleep magical power from, so to has the Ministry! Fighting fire with fire might be the excuse, but the greed of summoning has brought forth the master of the demons and now the Forbidden Forest has fallen under dark demonic sway. A war wages but miles from Hagwarts!
A war that is just another facet of Cornelius Fudge's nefarious plots to gain control of Gringotts. Old Goblin Crusher Fudge's plans to kill off the goblins and take control of the bank is well known to those in the know. "I fear for the Bank" Said one highly place goblin source who wishes to remain anomalous. "Once Fudge and his demon hordes subdue the Death Eaters, who's next on his list? I heard one of my nephews was baked in a pie!" An immediate investigation by an independent councils is needed in order to…
Further comments are interrupted as a shout of anger and betrayal erupted from the far side of the room as Pansy Parkinson shrieked at Illyana.
"You're a Mudblood!?"
Part 1e: Mudblood
Mudblood.
The N word of the magical world. A derogatory term for those who parents were non magical. Let us briefly examine the four types of magical students.
Muggle-born: Is the term applied to wizards and witches whom both parents were Muggles (non magical), roughly 25% in the Wizarding community. They are often believed to be descended from Squibs who married Muggles, and the dormant magical gene may resurface after a couple of generations. Harry Potter's mother, Lily Evans, was Muggle-born.
Half-Bloods: Have one non magical parent.
Pure-Bloods: Two magical parents. And the bigots have many a declaration as to how purity of their family tree.
Mixed species: Some wizards are the products of unions between humans and magical creatures of more-or-less human intelligence, such as Fleur Delacour and her sister Gabrielle (both quarter Veela), Professor Flitwick (a quarter goblin and yeah… rather ick), Madame Maxime and Hagrid (both half giant). Prejudiced wizards, such as Professor Umbridge, often use the insulting term half-breed to refer to mixed-species wizards and werewolves, or other beings such as house elves, merpeople and centaurs. The centaurs prefer to exist amongst themselves, with little interaction with humans.
To have shouted Mudblood in the dinning hall was the worst possible insult and all the ongoing conversations froze into silence. There was a moment of stunned shock and then Professor Snipe rose in a fury and proclaimed "five hundred points from Slytherin!" and then more calmly"Report for detention after classes Miss Parkinson."
A harsh public rebuke of both the statement and of Pansy Parkinson in particular. Many students later decided that Professor Snape had imposed the punishment in an attempt to prevent an even more severe rebuke from the other professors.
Pansy Parkinson looked stunned, and then a half eaten ham landed in her porridge splattering her with the gooey contents. She gave a mild shriek in shock and outrage as most of the other students laughed, with the noticeable absence of laugher from many of the Slytherin students.
Pansy glared at the new girl Illyana, only to be confronted by a furious glare back. And five words distinctly heard by everybody. Spoken with a harshness that was chilling.
WHAT
DID
YOU
CALL
ME?!
Now Pansy Parkinson is quite the bully, she even had a Slytherin girl gang. No student spoke like that to her, especially a fellow Slytherin. Pansy looked Illyana in the eyes as the students braced for a fight, only to see Pansy's eyes widen over something she saw.
Just then the small dragon landed back on Illyana's shoulder, which startled those close by who had not seen him dive-bomb from the rafters. Small flames were shooting from his nostrils and he looked upset.
The tension was then defused when by Pansy actually apologizing. "Apologies to my House, to the School, and to our new student for my inexcusable behavior."
She promptly sat down and looked very nervous about something.
"Now that's a proper slap down." States Ron with approval. "Never thought I'd complement a Slytherin."
Only Harry saw Professor Dumbledore breath a sigh of relief, as if he had been worried as to what might have been about to happened.
"Death Eaters spying upon Slytherin makes no sense." Mused Hermione in a whisper. "But what if somebody else wanted to observe what Slytherin might be up to? And what better disguise, or bait, then the descendent of a great dark lord?"
The meal resumed, only this time with much less conversation.