7, April, 2010
Two Queens and Dice
Writer: Hand Steroids
Number of Words: 1,637
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the Firekeeper Saga. (Although it would be amazing if I did.)
A/N:The Firekeeper Saga is an amazing series that everyone who enjoys magic, politics and romance along with intelligent animals should read. You can view the books at janelindskold. com where you should look for the first in the series; Through Wolf's Eyes. If you have any questions about some of the Hawk Haven settings please feel free to send a message, and I will do my best to clarify it to you and make my stories better using what you have pointed out.
Summary:Although Harry Potter was taken to the Dursleys, he did not stay there. In fact, the Dursleys never even saw the boy. When Harry, now Damien, is raised by a society that treats magic with fearful disdain returns to England, how will the wizarding world take to this new adult Harry?
Chapter 1.
"Most gods throw dice, but Fate plays chess, and you don't find out til too late that he's been playing with two queens all along."
-Terry Pratchett
"A letter, Albus!" Minerva exclaimed, "You think this can be explained in a letter?"
Albus's eyes twinkled softly behind half-moon glasses. "It will all be explained." He tucked the letter of thick parchment into the blankets. "It is the only way." He placed the bundle on the doorstep.
"Good luck, Harry Potter."
McGonagall sniffed, appearing distinctively ruffled. Dumbledore turned towards her. "Good Evening Minerva, enjoy the festivities."
McGonagall scowled and transformed into a rather put-off tabby cat with distinct marking around her eyes. She paced off into the shadows, as Dumbledore left, believing that McGonagall was heading towards some of the festivities.
Nearly an hour later, McGonagall, who had kept a rather cold vigil over the young boy on the door step, stepped out of the shadows, robes billowing silently behind her. She picked up the boy, tucking him into the crook of her arm and scowled at the house that Harry Potter had been left at.
"I am sorry Albus, but this is not the only way." With that as her final words, she and Harry Potter left Private Drive.
Hawk Haven had never seen the likes of Professor McGonagall. But the woman who appeared in the streets of the country's capital city, Eagle's Nest, was not the same as the one who had just disappeared with Harry Potter from Private Drive. Instead of the emerald green robes she had been wearing, was a simple dress in brown and green, appropriate for a woman of sixty. Her glasses were changed into a more traditional style, her black hair pulled back into a tight bun.
But in Eagle's Nest, she was not Minerva McGonagall. She was a widow of middle standard, from a family of successful gem cutters. Here her name was Lori Cutter of the Lynx Society.
McGonagall prowled the streets of Eagle's Nest, making her way to the service of Colby Carter. His service was conveniently located in a popular part of the city, but off towards the outer limits of town where his mounts could graze as they waited for commission or sale. Overall it was a successful company, slightly new with ownership having been transferred over to Colby Carter after his father joined the ancestors.
McGonagall hadn't been to Hawk Haven in years, but she still managed to navigate the busy streets, buying some items to blend into the crowd of busy pedestrians and horse-drawn carts. Burdened as she was with the young child and purchased items, she paid for a boy who was pulling an empty cart to take her swiftly to Carter's Services.
By the time she arrived at the rather nice abode of Carter's Services, she had procured an alibi for young Harry. No Longer would he be Harry Potter, defeater of the Dark Lord Voldemort. Instead he was Damien, young orphan whose parents died recently from illness.
McGonagall paid the boy an extra Kestrel token for the smooth ride. She walked up to the office, where Vernita Carter was scribing some paperwork. When the small bell tinkled as the door opened, she glanced up slightly before looking back down to her paper. Shaking her head she looked up again.
"How may I help you ma'am?" Vernita tipped her pen back into the ink tray, and continued to swirl a few words onto the parchment.
"Well Vernita, I thought you would have recognized the old woman who minded you as a child." McGonagall smiled as Vernita looked up.
"Well I never!" She protested. "Lori? I thought you had joined the ancestors."
"I had, I had my dear child. But not in the way you would expect. I wish I could stay longer Vernita, but I truly must ask a favor of you."
Vernita gazed into the eyes of McGonagall before nodding slowly. "I was just 'bout to close down. Please feel welcome to the sitting room while I lock the office up."
McGonagall smiled slightly. "Thank you."
Making herself comfortable, she cradled the boy in her arms, as Vernita came in with a tray of tea. "I hope you still prefer your tea black."
Vernita poured McGonagall a cup before pouring one for her. The child in McGonagall's arms did not escape her notice.
"Well, Goody Lori, I believe you have something rather important to tell if you return from the ancestors."
McGonagall nodded slightly, taking a sip of her tea. "As you know, I am not from Hawk Haven." When Vernita nodded, she continued. "I am in fact from a different, for lack of better words, country. The place I hail from is called England, an island of the mainland of the continent Europe. My people are far more technologically advanced than the most advanced of today's culture. But unlike the Colonies, that have dissuaded magic from common acceptance, many of my people indeed accept magic and use it in their daily lives.
"Unfortunately, where there is magic, there is power, and those that want it. There was a powerful man who began recruiting followers, and preformed the most heinous acts. And those who denied his leadership were murdered. For eleven long years his vileness continued, our government attempting but not succeeding to stop him. Until the other night, that is."
McGonagall paused to take a sip of her tea noting the widen eyes of Vernita at the mention of magic.
"You see, Vernita, magic is a dangerous thing in the hands of those who use it the wrong way. With a flick of a wand I could mend any broken object in your house, lift the heaviest object in your house without breaking a sweat. But on the other note, I could cause severe pain, even death with a similar flick of a wand. This is where Queen Zorana was mistaken when she ruled magic outlawed in the Gildcrest Colonies, most importantly Hawk Haven; her reigning land.
"But this man who rose to power for eleven years was destroyed in one night, by a single one-year old boy. The man (we do not speak his name), came to the Potters and killed them, using the foulest of magic. But when he tried to kill the Potters' young son, the curse backfired, leaving only a scar on the young boy's forehead. And this is why I am here.
"This boy cannot be allowed to stay in England. The Headmaster of the school I work at would have left him at the mercy of vile people, but most importantly, his last living relatives. So unknown to the Headmaster, I stole the boy away from the doorstep he was left on and brought him to you."
Vernita stared long at McGonagall, contemplating her words. After a long silence, she voiced the main question apparent to her. "And what, Goody Lori, does this have to do with me?"
"You see Vernita, I quite remember you informing me that when you had children, you wouldn't raise them to be ignorant of the ways of the world. You would raise them straight and proud, with every bone filled with honor. That Vernita, is what I want you to do. I hold here, the young boy who defeated the man who killed his parents. In my world, he would be raised spoiled from his fame; with his relatives he would be neglected. But with you, I know you can raise a young strapping boy who understands his duty and understands honor."
McGonagall placed the tea cup on the table, adjusting the boy in her arms.
"I understand your concerns. I can give you funds to pay for his upkeep and his tutoring. I can also give you reasoning for him being here. All I ask of you is to treat him as one of your own."
Vernita looked at the boy in McGonagall's arms. "Let me see him Lori."
McGonagall delicately gave the boy to Vernita who cradled him in her arms. "Ancestors, I hope this is the best way. Let me talk to Colby, but I am sure he wouldn't mind to taking the boy in."
McGonagall felt as if a heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders with those words. "Thank you Vernita, this means more than anything."
That night, after Colby Carter readily agreed to take in the boy, McGonagall, Vernita and Colby created Damien Carter.
He was to be the son of Vernita's cousin, who lived on the other side of the Barren River in New Kelvin. Because of this, he had not been given to a Society upon his birth. Therefore, Damien was to be given to the Wolf Society, as Darien Carter was already of the Horse Society. Although many families place their offspring into the same Society, the Carters wanted to show diversity in their family, as Societies oft meant much to some persons.
McGonagall gave the Carters a large sack full of tokens, mainly for Damien's needs to supplement the loss that they would suffer from taking another body into their home. The Carters were well off to take care of Damien.
They had decided that McGonagall would come back in about twenty Gildcrest years, which McGonagall calculated carefully to herself, would be about fifteen years in England. From there, she they would have Damien taken to England before deciding whether or not to stay in Hawk Haven.
But Damien was not to be alone. The Carters had a three month old child, Darien Carter. Both would be raised to take management, raised as brothers. McGonagall gave both Darien and Damien immunity potions to prevent illness.
McGonagall stayed with the Carters that night, but by next morning she had gone. She wouldn't be back for twenty two years.