Kiara Pride-Lander
And the Mirror of Wishes
By K.J.A.
Hey guys. K.J.A here again with another fanfic. This one I already started as all of you already know, but I promise you, this is the replaced and updated version of this chapter. The story may very well start out as flimsy, but it well get better as time goes on. There are many similarities between this and Harry's story, but I assure you that I have tried to make a few differences along the way. This is mainly a Harry Potter/Lion King crossover, but there are also other different things mentioned from other books and movies that you will notice along the way. So, I hope that you all enjoy this story, and on that note, let's begin. Enjoy.
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Chapter 1
The Origins of the Girl who lived – That's me!
Hello, I'm Kiara Pride-Lander. This is about my troubles and strife's with the darkest witch of all time, Lady Zira. My story will be told over seven books, and will feature my friends who have stuck with me from the start and it will also feature others who have been involved in my life who have been my allies and friends, or my enemies. So sit back, relax, and find out how I defeated the darkest witch of all time. I also did interviews for this book with the Animal Spirits* of my loved ones and close friends, so that's how I know what happened here, just so you know. But first, I need to describe to you what the Pride-Lands looked like, back before Zira tore my family apart and now when the world is peaceful once more.
Once upon a time, I was born in the most beautiful lands ever. You're probably all thinking right about now that this is going to be another fairy tale, aren't you? Yes? Well my dear readers, I think you'll find that you are all completely… WRONG! So keep reading to find out what the Pride-Lands were really like.
Before I tell you about the magic that these Lands possess, I must first of all tell you that our family have been taught - father to son, mother to daughter, etc. - that we should respect all living creatures, even if they try to attack us; but they only do that in defense for themselves, and of course, their young too, when necessary. We have men who protect us from the vast majority of creatures that live here, for which we are grateful for, for every obvious reason that you can think of.
The Pride-Lands are beautiful; lush green grass, a fresh, flowing river and a perfect blue sky, which – on a good day – never had a cloud in sight. However, these are dangerous lands, for they have wild, untamed animals that could potentially eat you! But never fear, for my people keep them far from us who live and make a living out here. These lands have a certain magical quality about them; for you see, they are enchanted! When dead leaves fall from the trees, they join together and make beautiful, petite leafy messenger birds, which fly from tree to tree, to send an important message to the current King and Queen of the Pride-Lands. The recently deceased King or Queen watches from above and has all control over the weather. In the spring and summer, fresh wild flowers would grow, their different warm and cold colours melting together beautifully to make a perfect collage. And when the wind blows through the trees, the flowers and trees sway lazily in the breeze. And, because the Pride Lands are in Africa, it is practically sunny all year round. The perfect paradise to live in, I'm sure we can all agree. And when the petals dropped from the flowers, they would merge into people and deliver messages to the King and Queen of the Pride-Lands, too. But it wasn't always a paradise, as you will find out.
Enough about the Pride-Lands, because I am sure that many of you want to know about my story? Well, wait no more, because it starts with my parents, who lived in the most respected and most beautiful place in these lands, Pride Castle, which over-looked the rest of the Pride-Lands. It was a gold building with red tiles on the roof tops. This is to represent the rising and falling of the sun, as every Pride-Lander has been told for centuries.
In life, my parents were called Simba and Nala Pride-Lander. They loved me with all their hearts. My father, Simba, had my face. He had a lovely wide smile which always mad him look twenty years younger, had light brows and brown coloured hair and light amber eyes (I on the other hand, had dark amber eyes which I had inherited from my grandfather Mufasa). I inherited my father's mouth (but mine is thinner), his fringe and his golden tinge from his skin. He was a strong man who looked after his beloved wife and lands, and he couldn't be any happier with how things could be.
My mother, Nala on the other hand, was admired for her fair beauty, which I have inherited from her. I have her same rich peach colour that she had from her face and her rosy cheeks, too. She also had waist-length golden hair which always seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. She also had orange-shaped eyes, whish were aqua-marine blue. You will have noticed that I used "in life" when I started to talk about my parents, and that is because they died for me during the big battle at – well, I'll talk about that more in the final book. Anyhow, back to the story. I had to talk to them and many others whilst I was at school so that I could get my facts right.
On the Friday 30th July 1993, I was born. Two weeks later, Simba and Nala decided to throw a celebration party for my birth, which many great witches and wizards attended. One of these great witches and wizards was my old headmistress, Professor Susan Louise Jane Winifred Crighton – who was a mother herself, and she was like a mother to me, and three of my best friends. At this time she had recently had two daughters – who I will mention later on in this story – and she adopted a boy, too – who I will also mention later on in this story. These four people are very important characters, so keep up. Crighton's husband, Matthew Dawson, was babysitting the three, so he couldn't be there when he wished dearly that he could have been, seeing as it was a great party, with music and dancing and a buffet. The moment was as perfect as a golden vision painted into a dream. And then, that moment was gone, vanished into the darkness that tries to consume us all, for a dark shadow was slowly crossing over the world and especially the Pridelands.
This is where Zira comes in. You see, on Monday 3oth May 1994, I was with my bumbling babysitters – Timon and Pumbaa – who were arguing over nothing as usual. I was very intelligent and escaped my babysitters. I crawled to a space under a tree and sat under the shade of it – for it was a very hot day – when I heard something near me. I couldn't speak yet so I started to look around me. Then a woman showed up – Zira – pointed her wand at me, said something and then…vanished without a trace. I screamed and became unconscious. One of my grandmothers, Sarabi – wife to my dead grandfather, Mufasa, who was King before my father – found me. For those of you who are wondering, she was looking after me, which was why she was staying with my parents.
"You fools!" she yelled at Timon and Pumbaa, "you can't let a child like this out of your sight, not even for a second! What were you two playing at?"
"Well, er –"
"We were just – "
"Oh, never mind!" Sarabi said, waving an impatient hand at them. "The important thing is is that we get her to Simba and Nala and that they know so that we can do something about this. Quickly," she said, handing me to Timon, "take Kiara, go to Pride Castle and tell them what happened. In the meantime though, I will be back in my cottage in Wales with Sarafina, because my son wants me there to keep an eye on things for him over there. Now go! Go!" she yelled at them and with that, Timon and Pumbaa took me back to my parents and my grandmother Sarabi went back to Wales to see what would happen.
My grandmother Sarabi was tall and thin. She was a kind and gentle woman, but could be a hard woman when she needed to be. She had shoulder length, light brown hair which was straight, her skin was a dark peach colour and her eyes were the same colour brown that my father had inherited from her.
My grandmother Sarafina looks just like my mother did; the long golden shimmering hair, the orange-shaped, turquoise-blue eyes, the pale peach skin and her tall, thin willowy grace that my mother always had when she lived. Even though I mentioned before that she was admired for her beauty, I forgot to mention that she was a bit like me, her mischievous attitude, her love of life and all creatures, to be able to see deeply into people for who they really are, not just judging on their outward appearance and her cheeky tongue, love of adventure and always wanting to be part of the action and wanting something exciting to happen – well, most of the time anyway. But I have my father's curious side and I also have his wisdom in me that has helped me through. Also my parents' bravery, strength, and courage lives on in me, which has helped me stand up, face the world and has made me prepared for anything.
Of course my parents were furious; not just because my babysitters had abandoned me, sort of, but also that Zira had attacked me. They were horrified that she had done such a thing to a baby, and they needed some professional help and advice on the matter of my safety. So they sent a quick message to Crighton, and she was there within five minutes of getting the message, and arrive via the Floo network.
According to my parents, she was with the trio that I was talking about before. "Simba, Nala, sorry I took so long, for I was arguing with my husband, because I've got another child on the way, and we had to keep the children at home with one of the servants, because my husband had to go back into work, and – what is it?" for she had suddenly seen my parents gloomy expressions. "Come now you two, it can't be that bad what happened to your daughter, can it? I mean really, what's the worst that could have –?" Crighton gasped at this point for she had seen what Zira had done to me.
"I now see why you two called me. Well, you both did the right thing."
"What can we do, Susan? You have to help us," Nala said urgently.
"I will do what I can, I assure you. Simba, did you happen to place some sort of protection in your daughter either the day or after she was born?" Crighton asked him.
"Yes, I did. But how does that help with anything that is going on here exactly?"
"It helps Simba, because by putting that protection in your daughter, you have saved her life and you have stopped Zira's reign of terror and panic for the time being, which helps us all."
"Yes it does Susan, you're right. But how can you help our daughter?" Nala asked, tears streaming don her face. Simba put one hand around his wife and held her to his chest.
"What would you like me to do?" Crighton asked in a business-like fashion.
"Well, anything. Susan, we want you to do anything in your power to save our daughter. Her safety is our first priority and she means everything to us. Please, for all our sakes?" Simba asked eagerly, whilst Nala simply nodded into his chest.
"Would you agree to risk or do anything to save Kiara?" Crighton asked, still business-like.
"Yes," Simba and Nala said at the same time.
"Nala?" Crighton asked, looking down at my mother.
"Yes?" she replied warily.
"I know that you won't like this idea much, but what if I sent Kiara to your sister, Mavuto? I know as well as you do that she will be difficult and that you won't agree to it, but you and Simba agreed that you would both risk or do anything to save your daughter's life. And besides that, there is still the matter that there are many of Zira's followers out there who are just as dangerous as Zira was herself. If she was with your sister and her family, however, I could place a protection around that house where not even Zira could find your daughter, until she is seventeen. I mean, I would be just as willing as anyone else in our world to take her in, but if she was with a Muggle, well, let's just say that she would be in safer hands."
Through this speech, Simba and Nala were pondering this and then Nala said, "But Susan, they would never treat her right. I know my sister, and I know for a fact that she would never even attempt to accept Kiara. And it has been years since I have seen Mavuto, and I don't know –"
"But look at the facts, Nala," Crighton said. "If she was with your sister, don't you think that we would all sleep better at night knowing that your daughter was in a safer environment and that she will join us when she is ready? Think about it, both of you now, the safety that she would be in."
They thought about it and looked at each other, and nodded. Then Simba turned to Crighton and said, "But there must be someone else Susan. Anyone."
"Well…" Crighton said slowly, turning around and looking out of the window, "I suppose that she could go and live with your mothers. That way, she will be happy and well treated. What do you say?"
My parents looked at each other again, and without making a single sound or movement, they agreed. So, my mother turned to Crighton, and said, "Very well, Susan. What do we do next?"
Crighton turned to face them once more and pulled something official out of her bag. It was a contract. "We all need to sign this. This contract clearly states that we do not tell anyone about this. This excludes Kiara, but don't fret, for I will tell Kiara herself when she is ready to know the truth."
Simba and Nala nodded, and then signed their names. Then Crighton took the quill and signed her name on it, too. She then put the contract back in her bag and spoke to my parents again.
"I will have Mina come for her later on today. I am sorry for this and I know that it's too soon, but the sooner that she is better protected, the better. Do you understand?"
They both nodded, and Crighton bowed her head.
"Good. Once again, I am truly sorry. I have to go and speak to Mina now. I shall see you soon. I am sorry."
"Susan?" Simba said,
Crighton looked at him questioningly, and after a few deep breaths, Simba said to her, "Tell Zazu to ask some of the servants to take the old motorbike that I have in the basement to Mina. She needs it much more than I do now, anyway. And tell Mina that she can keep it, too."
Susan told him that she would do what he asked and left. Once the door was closed, Simba and Nala looked at each other.
"Simba?" Nala whispered. Her face was pale and the rosiness was wiped from her cheeks she looked horrified at my father and tears sparkled once again in her eyes.
"I know," he sighed, hugging my mother and crying himself. They both looked at me whilst I was sleeping in the cot that they had put me in whilst Crighton was talking. I had a flame-shaped scar on my head from where Zira's curse had backfired, and I still have it now. The grief that my parent's had that day was shared around the castle that they lived in and was represented in the sky: the clouds had covered up the sky. They were dark and stormy.
As promised, Mina came to collect me that very night. Though the time was not stated during the conversation that Crighton and my parents had, it was six o'clock that night when Mina came to collect me.
"Hello Simba, Nala," said Mina, who is a half-giantess. She is my friend even now. "Crighton told me what happened. So, is she ready? Have all her things bin packed?"
"Yes. She's ready to go," Simba said in a choked voice. He and my mother had been crying all day, worried about the time when they would have to say goodbye to me.
Mina frowned at Simba. "I'm sorry that it had ter come to this, but this is what Crighton ordered. Well, let me see her then."
Simba picked me up and placed me carefully in Mina's arms.
"Aw, she looks just like you Nala, except that she has your face, Simba," Mina said to my father. "She looks so beautiful, even as a baby. And that's where –" Mina touched the mark that Zira had cast. "Poor dear. So young to be struck and taken away from her family."
"Mina, do you think that me and Nala could say goodbye to our daughter, please?"
"Oh, of course. Forgive me." Mina placed me back in Simba's arms, and he passed me to Nala.
"Take care of yourself, my darling. I will never forget you. And I love you," my mother whispered. Then she kissed the top of my head, held me tightly to her chest and gave me to my father.
"Never forget who you truly are, Kiara, for you are the most important thing in the world to us. We both love you and we are doing this for your own safety, even if we don't like what we're doing. We will never forget you and me and your mother hope that we will be reunited soon. Darling, take care of yourself. My protection will be in you forever, and me and your mother will always be part of you. Goodbye, Kiara." He then sang me a lullaby, which went thus:
"Hush now, my baby,
Be still, love, don't cry,
Sleep as my last words are so mean.
Sleep and remember my last lullaby,
So I'll be with you,
When you dream."
He then kissed me on my head and handed me to Mina.
"Take her now, Mina. You may use the large broom that has been made for your own benefit," Simba said to Mina. He then hugged Nala and they both cried into each other's arms.
"All right, then," Mina said to them. She then pulled out a number of blankets and wrapped them around me, and then she took me to the broom with a compartment in it for me to fit into. Then she took off and we were flying.
"Oh Simba, what if we never see her again?" Nala croaked.
"I know Nala. But we have to keep hoping that we will see her again. I mean who knows what the future will hold…" they both looked out the window as lightning crashed across the sky
And now, later that night, in a little cottage in Wales, where my grandmothers were living. This location is top secret, so no one can ever find it.
Sarabi had told Sarafina what had happened, for she had been sitting nearby and reading the day's paper. They were both extremely worried; but relief came in the shape of Crighton when she arrived and told them that she and my parents had made and agreement that I would be living with them. She gave them a letter which described things that I should be told when I would be old enough to know about. They nodded their heads in understanding, and before Crighton left, she told them that she would be back at midnight that night for, as you all know, Mina would be bringing me to them. She then left; they read the letter and they went out and bought the necessary things for me when I was a baby. And then, after the hustle and bustle of the day's activities, they ate, and then sat in silence, with nothing but the radio on for comfort, well into the night, waiting for that knock at the door to come.
Five minutes before midnight approached, Crighton had appeared on the opposite pavement out of nowhere, wearing robes of midnight blue. She had waist-length dark brown-silver hair emerald-green eyes and was tall and thin, with a pointed hat and cloak, both black with high-heeled black boots. She had a heart-shaped face and fewer lines around her face and hands despite how old she was.
She took a few steps forward and pulled out what looked like a blue memory stick, but when she flicked out the end of it and pointed it toward the sky, she clicked it, and all the lights from the surrounding streetlamps below were sucked into it. She put it back in her bag which she always carried with her on important missions and re-pocketed it. The only source of light now shone from a single porch lamp on a hill.
Crighton heard a "meow" from somewhere near her feet. When she looked down, she saw a tabby cat sitting there. She chuckled and said, "I should have known you would be here, Professor Darbus."
Where a cat had been seconds before, a woman now stood. She had a firm look on her face, blonde hair tied back in a bun, square spectacles and jade green robes. "Good evening, Professor Crighton," said Darbus.
They started to walk. "Are the rumours true, Susan?" asked Darbus. She wouldn't believe what anyone else said until she heard it from Crighton herself.
"I'm afraid so, Professor. The good and the bad," said Crighton.
"And the girl?"
"Mina is bringing her," Crighton replied.
"Do you think it wise to trust Mina with something as important as this?"
"My dear Professor, I would trust Mina with my life," smiled Crighton.
"And what about your children, Susan? Where are they?" asked Darbus.
"My husband is looking after them again. You know, he said that he could see something in our eldest child – something special. I can't see it yet, but I suppose that time will tell." And he couldn't have been more right, but we'll get to that later.
"Indeed. Are there any plans for more children?"
"As a matter-of-fact, I've got another two on the way. We plan to have them in July, so that I don't have to miss anything."
"I will cover for you, Susan, and – Do you hear something?" Darbus asked, as a loud roaring sound was descending all around them.
Crighton was the first to look at the sky, and smiled at the figure of Mina, flying in on my father's enchanted motorbike. Darbus looked at where Crighton was staring at, and watched as the giantess landed gently, before getting off the thing. Mina then went to grab the blankets that carried me in them. As soon as she turned to face the two women, she said. "Professor Crighton, Professor Darbus."
"Ah, Mina. No problems were there, I trust?" sighed Crighton in relief.
"No, ma'am. She has been asleep ever since we left. Try not to wake her. There you go." Mina then placed me in Crighton's arms.
Darbus and Crighton had a look at me then. Clearly visible in the light coming from the porch lights was the flame-shaped scar. Darbus gasped and Crighton looked at her.
"Is that where –?" Darbus began.
"Yes, she'll have that forever. Besides, scars come in useful. I've got one myself just above my left knee." Crighton then walked with me to my grandmothers' cottage and was just about to knock on the door, when Darbus jumped lightly in front of her. .
"Not here Susan, surely? Is this really the best place for her?"
"It's the only place that's safe for her," said Crighton. "Besides, I know that Sirabi and sarafina will take good care of her here, and when she is ready, she will attend Dragon Mort Magical Academy, like her parents before her."
"This girl will be famous. There won't be a person in our world who doesn't know her name, just like Harry Potter."
"Exactly. And she – just like Harry – will be far off better growing away from all that, until she's ready."
Then, she stepped out of Darbus' way, and walked to the door of the cottage. She knocked in a business-like fashion and my grandmother Sarabi opened the door.
"Ah Susan, you're here with her."
"Do you have everything ready that she will need?"
"Don't worry, me and Sarafina have everything prepared for her. And don't worry, we will tell her what she needs to know when she is ready to know." Then Crighton handed me over to my grandmother Sarabi.
"Good. I will, of course, be checking in every now and then with both of you to see how she is doing," said Crighton.
"Until you call again, then," said Sarabi, and the two witches laughed. Then, they said their goodbyes, and the door closed with me safely in my father's mother's arms.
The three women gazed sadly at the closed door for a moment, then Crighton turned to the other two and said, "Well, we've done all that has needed to be done here. We might as well go and join in with the festivities."
"Yeah, I'll be seein' yeh after the baby's born, Professor Crighton, ma'am." Mina then blew her nose loudly, bad goodnight to Crighton and Darbus and took off into the night. When she had disappeared from view, Crighton and Darbus looked at each other.
"I shall expect to see you at Dragon Mort in three months, Professor," Crighton said. Darbus gave a curt nod, dried her eyes and transformed into the tabby cat. Once she had rounded the corner, Crighton took out the Put-Outer, clicked it, and the valley below was alight once more. She then walked to the opposite pavement, turned back and stared at me, just visible from where she stood. "Good luck, Kiara Pridelander. I am terribly sorry that I have left you here, but it is for your own good, and when the time is right, you will rejoin our world for good. But in the meantime, you are safe," she murmured, and then, with the light breeze that followed, she was gone.
I slept lightly in the cot where my grandmothers put me as a light breeze rustled outside. I had no idea what I would expect, but the years I spent with my grandmothers were wonderful. Some of the memories – not all, but indeed some, for you will find out why in chapter two – are the most precious and I will never push them aside. I didn't know this at the time, but five years later, after the war with Lord Voldemort had finished for good, rumours finally started to spread about my story, and witches and wizards all over the world were streaming into the Pride Lands from far and wide to see where my story began. And it was then, and only then that those very witches and wizards from all over the world were coming together in private, singing my praise and raising their glasses, toasting, "To Kiara Pridelander, The Girl Who Lived!"
In the Pride lands, however, it was an entirely different story.
My grandfather, Mufassa, was always watching over the lands and he had placed an enchantment over the Pride lands ever since I was taken away, and he would only take the enchantment off the Pride lands when I came back and Zira was defeated. Until then, the storm clouds stayed there, permanently.
My parents wanted to avenge me, so they tried to see who had snitched to Zira about where I was. It did not go well for them and they ended up somewhere horrible, and that only the facts that they knew that they were innocent and that they knew that I was alive kept them sane, but that did not stop them grieving over me, for they said that they grieved over me every day when they were in prison.
And they also said that their lives were destroyed that day. And that shining star that used to shine over the Pride lands was now gone and lost forever. And me, Kiara Nala Pridelander, their darling, innocent, sweet, only daughter – they never saw me again, until I was thirteen years old. It was a long and rather unpleasant time for both me and my parents. And now you all know how my story began.
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OK, so that was chapter 1 done. The story will get better as it progresses, like I've said. Please R&R and I will write again very soon. Peace.
*Animal Spirits: If a witch/wizard dies and doesn't wish to be a ghost, they can come back as Animal Spirits, which is basically the animalistic interpretation of a person's soul. It starts off in life where they get this special pendant, which they receive when either their patronus is revealed to them, or something bad happens to them and they wish to be more active outside their frozen body. Pretty cool stuff, right? Anyway, there will be more on the A.S. stuff later. Right now, though, on with the story.