One change has significant grande impacts. Fem!Harry.
Disclaimer : don't own Harry Potter.
Chapter One : Nothing is What it Seems.
"Harriet!"
"Hmmmm."
"Harriet, up you get!" screeched the woman again.
The sound of footsteps approaching her room made her open an eye : Aunt Petunia was looking rather stressed, bending to stare down at her with that fanatic look she had grew accustomed to. Of course, she already was dressed and ready, which did not surprise Harry a bit.
What did surprise her, however, was.. "Aunt Petunia," she began incredulously, "it's six in the morning! Let me sleep."
She heard a long, tired sigh. "You wouldn't want to be late now, would you?"
"Whatever for?"
Ah, here it comes. That disgusting yet jealous tone her aunt rarely spoke with. "They," she stopped a moment, scowling for dramatic purposes only, "are coming. Or at least, one of them is. Why, when Lily was your age..."
The rest was mumbled with yet another fake nauseous expression. Harry rolled her eyes, and buried her face in her pillows.
"Harriet!" exclaimed the Aunt Petunia, taking offense at the girl's reaction. Harry's only response was to groan.
"I seriously doubt they're going to come over knocking at 6 am!"
"There is nothing left of doubt in that world of yours," she said, stiffening as if only the mention of it brought a particularly bad smell. "And they are very unusual people, dear niece."
Dear, thought Harry, knowingly. She wants something of me.
"Even so-"
A faint but firm knock knock was heard in Four, Privet Drive. Harry's head snapped fast enough to notice Petunia's smug smile.
"Told you so," she said with satisfaction.
"You cannot be serious," said Harry, disbelieving. "This is some kind of joke."
A minute later, she padded out of her room in her pyjamas and an annoyed, frowning face. "Hello," she greeted the abnormally large belly she was facing. She snapped out of her stupor after hearing an uncomfortable cough. "Wait, what the-"
She raised her head. "-woah!"
"AHA!" cried the huge man warmly. "Hiya!" He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.
He's a giant, Harry told herself, shifting in excitement. The sun didn't rise yet - and upon surveying the streets, she whispered a quiet, "thank goodness, nobody's paying attention, or is even awake to fucking care," then beamed at the wizard.
"Hi," she said pleasantly. "Please, do enter."
She also remarked the man's obvious confusion.
Sitting on the awfully brown sofa, which sag under his weight, the giant was talking animatedly. "Las' time I saw ya, ya was only a baby," he said. "Yeh look a great deal like yer mom, but yer've got yer dad's hair. Nah, wait a second-"
"Aunt Petunia says I look nothing like mother," said Harry, a faint smile on her face.
"Right, right she is," he said, "but yer have Lily's eyes. Brightest eyes I have ever seen."
"Is that so, Mr- er-"
He chuckled. "Oh, I haven't introduced meself yet have I? Knew I'd 'get something. Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts."
"I- pleased to meet you-" she grimaced. The man had been demanding odd questions - many, many odd questions - and taking into account that she was the one who was new to the Wizarding World, that was rather odd. He even went as far as to suggest a potential abuse -which, to be fair, was well found- and even her being a target of bullying.
"Do you consider this muggle house your home?" he asked, wincing.
It was how Harry got to the conclusion that all this queries - which brought up something Harry had long since been trying to forget - was not Hagrid's doing, but someone's else spying. And from how Hagrid perceived a certain Dumbledoor, or something like that, and couldn't help himself but speak of him, Harry was willing to bet that it was he who was behind this interrogation.
But for what purpose?
"And Hogwarts?" she hurriedly added.
"A beautiful place," Hagrid answered. "Big, ancient palace, houses-"
"Houses-? As in Gryffindork-"
"Gryffindor," he corrected swiftly. "Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and," he gave a dark chuckle, "Slytherin."
Harry raised a delicate eyebrow. "From that I guess you don't like it much?"
"Nah, do not," he muttered darkly. "Bunch of slimy, backstabbing snakes, the lot of them. If ya know what's good for ya, ye'd stay away from them."
Personal experience? thought Harry, who promised herself to investigate. Hagrid did not meet her eyes, and that was answer enough.
Though the green and silver house did sound impressive - from what Petunia told her, Lily's desire to be sorted in Slytherin emanated from some obsessive neighbour of theirs. She had forced Petunia to admit that her mother had mentioned that a magical hat (it actually decided which traits a student possessed were qualified to which house, I know, what the heck is wrong with these people?) had opposed the request quite vehemently.
"The one -" Harry started softly, "that values cunning and ambition?"
"How'd yeh know that?" He demanded, slitting his eye up at Harry.
"She told me," Harry responded, shrugging.
"She did, didn't she? Anything else you might know?"
"Just enough to conclude that the Wizarding World is truly well behind," she replied evenly.
"Lord Voldemort," Harry repeated dazzlingly. "Lord.. Voldemort," she breathed the name gently, mockingly.
Flight from death. Was her darling victim, her darling nemesis, afraid of dying..? That would come handy in time.
"Harriet.." said Hagrid fearfully. "Ya can't. Don't say the name. Ya have not right-"
I have the only right.
Instead, she smiled, but the smile did not reach her eyes,"of course not," she said, "of course.. not."
I always knew I was special, were the words she dared not utter.
"-and there is Diagon Alley, where we'll be fetching your supplies-"
"We- pardon me," Harry interrupted, "you mean you're going with me?"
There was a long pause, then.
"Am I going with you?" Hagrid blinked. "'Course I am."
She frowned.
"I can go by myself, Mr Hagrid," she told him, eyes glinting. "I'm used to doing things by myself."
Hagrid looked doubtful. It's not as if I am asking your permission, honestly. "But Dumbledore-" Ah, so that's his name..
"-does not have any whatsoever control over my person, Mr Hagrid. You should do well to remember that."
Hagrid took a step backwards, taken aback by the ferocity in her words. He still looked unsure, but took no offense. Did he truly not -
"But it's a tradition, yeh know?" he added rather hopefully, "to accompany-"
Harry waved his concerns cheerfully, although she did narrow her eyes, why, why, why is Dumbledore so insistent that you follow, that you observe me so.. does he fear me? does he? "Now..How do one get to Diagon Alley, sir," she questioned, a genuine smile tugging at her lips.
"Well, first, do not call me sir-"
"Professor Dumbledore!" Hagrid's loud voice called out. He sure looked shocked, and for whatever reasons, Albus Dumbledore could only guess, and hope for the best.
"Tell me," said the Headmaster, not unkindly, his blue eyes twinkling. "What is the matter, dear friend?"
"The girl-" Hagrid began, then closed his mouth. If Dumbledore was honest with himself, he already did know that the rescuer of the Wizarding World would be... weird? But Hagrid's reaction could only predict the worst.
"The girl," he said again, "she looked very opposed to the idea of anyone coming with her."
Dumbledore stopped smiling.
"Did she, now?"
"Oh, yes," said Hagrid, "poor dear, quite used to be alone. She reminds me of -" he smiled a bit, his expression a bit unfocused as he gazed out the window, "of Tom."
"Tom? Tom Riddle-?"
"Yes. So ya remember him," he said happily. "She, like him, gave me a pass-over, as if it was some sort of a test-"
Dumbledore's eyes dimmed.
"It was quite unsettling, to be truthful, but I well," he shrugged in his robes, "I shook it off. I'm sure she'll be as brilliant as Tom had been, maybe even more!"
A beat could be heard in the long silence.
"Of that I am unfortunately sure."
Harriet walked quickly until she came across a big building with vast bronze doors. It looked out of place in the long, red and black alley, guarded by two sharp toothed goblins.
It was magnificent.
"Gringotts," she smiled. The larger goblin grinned, showing lots of tiny, pointed teeth.
"We have been waiting for you," he said, "Harriet Potter."
"Draconus Malfoy," the handsome, blond haired boy introduced himself. "From the Most Noble House of Malfoi."
"Draconus?" Harry repeated, smiling amusedly when he blushed.
"Call me Draco," he said, "are you.. er, alone?"
"Hmm," she hummed, tilting her head to consider him, "tell me, do I look accompanied?"
He reddened again. "No, no, it's not that-" he started furiously, "I am merely suggesting.." He eyed her clothing, then said, lowering his voice to a whisper, "where are your parents?"
"Dead," she answered shortly.
"Oh, sorry,"he said, grinning sheepishly. "But they were our kind, were they?"
She smirked coolly. "Ah, my bad. Do forgive my manners," she said, inclining her head, "I am Harriet Potter. But you can call me Harry."
"Wh-hat?"
" I thought I'd be seeing you soon, Harriet Potter," said the man softly, his piercing grey eyes gauging her own. "Give me your hand."
She stayed silent. The whole process had been fascinating to watch..The way her hand lightened as if she was some sort of torch..The play of light and shadow... "Holly and phoenix feathers," he said at last, a surprised expression softening his sharp features. He studied it carefully, squinting and muttering, then continued, "A most unusual combination. Odd. Very odd and very..powerful." He traced her scar with a hand, and proceeded to explain all about the twin wands.
I sold the wand that did it, he said, then, if I'd known what it was going out into the world to do...But now, my dear, I feel I should admit that I am prepared.. should another threat arise...
He had threatened her. If she proved herself to be a menace, he would have her... what, dead? arrested?..Whatever it was, it had earned her respect.
"Odd, indeed. As is the case of our world," she gave him a smile, studying her wand...It felt lovely in my hands, she thought. "Perhaps you'll find some time to tell me more about this Voldemort fella..And what his real name is."
"Is?" he repeated, shaking his head. "His real name..?"
"Yes, sir. Is. I'm surprised no one asked you before-"
"You'll find, Mrs Potter, that there are no riddle more puzzinly than this one."
"I'll see you soon," Harry addressed her relatives. Not family, but relatives.
Uncle Vernon looked awkwardly to his left, and Dudley was not meeting her eyes. Only the Aunt Petunia smiled at her, and even so, it was quite forced and tense.
Fear, it seemed, was doing something incredible to the Dursleys; keeping them in track, forever transforming them from the self-serving fools they were into a more adequate version of humans. Now closer than ever was she was.. to finally understand the real reasons behind the pitiful actions...-
"Goodbye."
The station was huge and bossy, and the open aired platform she was standing on was too much nosy for her liking, so she decided to immediately enter the huge train. It was fourteen long cars headed up by a massive scarlet-metal steam engine-
She ignored a family of red haired people, even when the youngest girl said something along the lines of, "and tell me all about Harriet Potter!"
"I don't think we should follow the other first years," Harry told Draco.
"W-what?" he spluttered in confusion. He seemed to say that a lot, now, when Harry Potter was concerned. He hoped he wasn't as red as he felt.
Harry ignored him. After several minutes, she stopped walking.
"You said you tried lots of spells this summer," she recalled, glancing around. "As did the muggle-born witch. Hermione, was it?"
He trailed behind her, scowling massively and muttered, "Irrelevant." The idea that the mudblood and he did something similar..That it linked him to her made his skin recoil.
Harry huffed in disbelief. "Are you a Slytherin, or not?" she asked petulantly. "There is something -perhaps a controlling charm, or such, that activates when we ride the boats. I mean, why would they take grand measures for first years, if not? And this Hermione girl clearly didn't receive any warnings from the Ministry."
Draco stared at her for a long time. The Potter girl was nothing like Father believed her to be...But she was more like what Grandfather Abraxas promised she would be.. And she did look like those pictures of Charlus Potter he showed him, with her long raven and her mischievous, proud smirk -
"Oi! Earth to Malfoy-"
"You're right," said Draco after a moment. "The Trace...! Oh, I can't believe it. Wait till I tell father about it."
"Arrogant Potter spaw," Snape mumbled under his breath, his lips set in a thin line. "Of course a Potter would dare-"
"Potter, Harriet!" repeated Professor McGonagall forcefully, just as the doors of the Great Hall opened for the fourth time this night. Draco raised a single eyebrow at her, seated next to two large boys. What took you so long? his expression seemed to ask.
"Please do excuse my delay," said the girl as she sat down. "I - er, lost my way-"
"Go on," prompted the Professor McGonagall automatically.
Few minutes later, a new member was added in the Gryffindor faculties. Nobody, not even Dumbledore, who clapped along with the rest, and looked both pleased with himself and relieved, noticed the viciously satisfied face she made at Draco. Nobody but a rather nervous looking Professor.