I'm usually not an AU kind of person. I'm more of a person who likes to stick to the main story line of a book or series, but this idea just won't leave me alone. This has a complete different plot line than Harry Potter and is set in the timeframe where the Bob-Whites are about to finish their senior year in high school.
Summery: Alice Potter is sick of the war. Her brother, Harry, disappeared a few months ago and no one knows where he is. The wizarding world is practically in ruins, and all Alice wants is some peace and quiet, a place to get away from the screams, torture, and blood. So why not go to the place farthest from Voldemort and the Death Eaters as possible? Why not visit her distant aunt in Sleepy-Side, New York whose daughter is the famous local sleuth called Trixie Belden?
So this has been a thought of mine for a while and I'd be surprised if anyone does end up reading it. But if you do, please review. I want to know what my readers think.
Don't be disappointed if this story isn't finished right away. I'm taking my time with this one, and it might take me a few months, or possibly years, to actually complete it. So relax, enjoy, and be VERY patient. So here's my little AU story.
Chapter 1
The battle raged on. I refused to let the tears fall as one of my friends dropped to the ground like a sack. All I had to see was the spiky, pink hair to know it was Tonks. It shattered my heart to see Remus's face as he saw his wife fall lifelessly at his feet. She used her body as a shield, taking that jet of green light for the one who stole her heart. He just stood there frozen, refusing to believe she was gone. And a quick moment later a second jet of green light hit him square in the chest. Choking back a scream I sent all the dark curses I knew at every moving thing in sight.
All I knew was blind rage and despair in the pit of my stomach. I let my magic out of control. The last people who actually cared about me: the people who actually gave a damn about whether I survived this Godforsaken war or not, were gone.
I thought back as a cold shiver rushed through me. That's the reason I was moving as far away from that nightmarish place as possible. I mailed my aunt a few weeks ago, right after we came back from that ambush. After seeing the two people who were like parents to me die right in front of me, I just broke. I needed peace and rest, but most of all, I just wanted to forget. So I wrote to my aunt asking if I could stay with her for a time.
I packed my things as soon as possible, and once I had an answer from my aunt I left. I decided to travel by plane. I was giving up on magic. I didn't want anything to remind me of England.
I knew everyone was going to be upset with me, so I didn't even bother to say goodbye. All I left was a note telling them that I was done. I didn't want a part of that pointless war anymore. Harry deserted us weeks ago and there was no way we were winning without him, so why should I even try?
My spirit was shattered. I wanted to take the strongest Dreamless Sleep potion and doze until the end of forever. I couldn't wait until we landed in New York. That was when I could officially leave my past behind me and look into a bright future.
When we landed, I hopped up and practically ran off the damned plane. Never again. What the bloody hell was I thinking? With both of my feet on sturdy ground I gave a sigh of relief.
Looking around the airport, I noticed it was fairly small. It could barely fit a hundred people.
"Alice! Over here, dear!" I heard a voice shout.
I turned. A blonde-haired woman in her mid-forties stood not fifty feet away from me, with a brilliant smile plastered on her face. Happiness filled my chest like a balloon. I just had to smile. The muscles in my face cramped a bit. I couldn't remember the last time I smiled that big. "Aunt Helen!"
I dropped my bags and ran into the safe embrace of her arms.
"Alice! It's been ages since we've seen you! Look at how much you've grown!" she said. I could practically hear her beaming smile in those words. Behind me a familiar voice rang out.
"Fine, I'll just wait by the car. Apparently, I'm not wanted here."
I turned around and was looking into the still handsome face of my uncle. He still had his full head of shiny black hair and that thin mustache that stretched across his lip. His only signs of aging were the crinkles around his dark eyes.
"Uncle Peter!" Then, suddenly, my heart froze. Peter… Unwanted images filled my vision.
A rat-like man was laughing maniacally. A red-haired girl lay sprawled in front of him. Blood pooling the floor. His hand shining like silver in the moonlight…
My throat began to close up. Angrily, I brushed those thoughts aside. That life no longer exists for me. This was my Uncle Peter; the most lovable guy I knew. He loved a good joke, and would die to keep his family happy and alive. Unlike that filthy rat…
I shook my head to get rid of any unpleasant memories.
After that moment's hesitation, I rushed forward and wrapped my arms around his middle.
He either didn't notice the hesitation, or he thankfully chose to ignore it. He said, "You've grown up a bit, kiddo! Where'd that little shrimp go off to? I don't think those old sleepover clothes are going to fit you anymore!"
I chuckled. "I hit a growth spurt. So don't worry, Uncle Peter. I've brought some custom-made clothes that fit my height," I joked.
Ironically, I was still a bit on the short side. That's one of the reasons why I loved the guy. He knew how to joke about a person, yet make it sound like a genuine compliment.
He gave a laugh, putting a comforting hand around my shoulders. "Well, at least I know I don't have to pay for new clothes!"
I gave a crooked smile. In actuality, I did need some new clothes. Practically everything I had I left back in England. I didn't think it was appropriate to bring blood-soaked clothes over to a family that had never even seen a gory movie. But I wasn't going to ruin a perfectly good welcome with serious discussions just yet.
"Well, come on let's go! I want to see the rest of the family, too! You guys can't hog me forever," I said walking back to grab my things.
Chuckling quietly, Uncle Peter came and took my things from me and led us out of the airport.
As we walked, Aunt Helen was beside me telling me everything that's happened since I last came to visit them. "It's been so long since we've seen you! As a matter of fact, you haven't even met Bobby yet!"
Completely clueless, I asked, "Who's Bobby?"
Aunt Helen smiled secretively. "Well, let's just say we gained a new member of the family since you've been away."
"I have a new cousin?" I grinned. At least there's still some good miracles left in the world…
She replied with an even bigger smile. "Yes. He's only seven, but he can get into all sorts of mischief. Not as much as you and Trixie did, but he can still be a handful at times. Speaking of mischievousness, the children have been in enough of it already! I swear the amounts of mysteries these children get into, turns my hair grey!"
"Mysteries?" I asked, confused.
Uncle Peter answered over his shoulder. "Brian, Mart, and Trixie formed this new club called the Bob-Whites. They're known for solving mysteries around Sleepyside. Wherever they go they end up catching a robber or killer, someway or another."
Killers? My cousins chase killers? Are they stupid? My stomach dropped, and my face turned pale.
Something flickered across Aunt Helen's face, but I couldn't place what it was. She spoke hurriedly. "Don't fret, Alice. They are perfectly fine. Thank the Lord, no one's gotten seriously hurt. I've asked them repeatedly to stop putting themselves in dangerous situations, but you know how they listen to their parents. If I ask them to do it for you, I'm sure they'd listen in a heartbeat.
"You can have so much fun in Sleepyside. There's so much to do. Our neighbors give the children horseback riding lessons, there are the woods that the children love walking through, why, you could even go shopping with me sometime! Believe me, dear. You'll have some much needed rest here."
I colored up a bit as she spoke. Aunt Helen had the kind of voice that just soothed your anxiety. That's one of the reasons I loved her. She could make you calm and safe within a few seconds.
I smiled, throwing her a grateful look.
When we got to the car in the parking garage, Uncle Peter put my bags in the trunk as me and Aunt Helen climbed in.
When the engine started, I spoke. "I can't believe you guys had the same junky car all these years!"
"Hey! This darling's a classic! 1980s Mercedes. This old girl's had a good twenty years on her, and she's got another twenty coming at her!" Uncle Peter said patting the dashboard.
Raising my eyebrows I glanced at Aunt Helen in the mirror.
She turned around and spoke quietly, but loud enough for Uncle Peter to hear. "He's obsessed with the car. It's his pride and joy. I've been wanting to get a more reliable vehicle, but every time I mention it he goes into this huge rant. Now I usually keep my mouth closed."
"I heard that," Uncle Peter said, glaring at us through the driver's mirror.
We laughed.
The rest of the ride there, they filled me in on what I missed with the family.
Brian, the oldest, had grown up and looks like a splitting image of his father. He was planning on going to college in the fall for a medical degree. I vaguely remember when he decided to be a doctor. I scraped my knee when Trixie and I were playing in the fields. No one was around to help, so Brian wrapped it up for me. He said he liked how he felt after he made me feel better and that he wanted to be able to do that for the rest of his life.
Mart apparently had grown in his vocabulary. I remember he used to get annoyed when me and Trixie made fun of him. Now, as Uncle Peter told me, he annoys the hell out of everyone else.
That made me laugh.
Trixie is just the same old Trixie. The loud, lazy, mischievous girl I always knew and loved. I couldn't wait to see her.
"She wants to be a detective when she grows up. You'd never get bored with a job like that, I'd say," Uncle Peter said.
"If she grows up to be a detective, I'll have a heart attack by the time I reach fifty." Apparently, Aunt Helen hated Trixie's sneaking around and causing trouble. She hated hearing her children's stories about the dangerous situations they constantly found themselves in. I made a mental note to never tell her about anything that happened to me in England.
Bobby was only seven, but as Aunt Helen said before. He gained Trixie's mischievous streak. He acted like most seven year olds though; complained often, selfish, whined, but his heart was in the right place.
The Bob-Whites were a group made up of seven kids, including Mart, Brian, and Trixie. Aunt Helen and Uncle Peter said they were great kids, and that they practically thought of them as their own. Each had their own reason for joining the group, and none of them looked back since.
"Once you meet them, you'll know what we mean. They're all great kids," Uncle Peter said.
"I believe you. I can't wait to meet everybody."
Uncle Peter smiled in the mirror. "You'll see them soon enough. We're almost there."
Five minutes later we pulled up to Crabapple Farm. It was dusk, but I could still see the place clearly through the shadows. The place looked exactly the same. The tiny house reminded me of the Burrow. Not at all fancy, but warm and homey. Excited, I stepped out as soon as the car stopped and breathed in the country-side air. It smelled of fresh-cut grass and the faint, yet sweet smell of apples. I remembered climbing in the trees surrounding the house with Trixie, chucking crabapples at Mart and Brian whenever they walked by. I smiled a bit at the memory.
"Alice, are you coming?" Aunt Helen called.
Blinking, I looked around. Aunt Helen and Uncle Peter were already heading into the house with my bag in hand. I quickly slammed the car door shut and ran up the driveway.
"I wonder where everyone is. Usually, they make such a ruckus a person can barely hear themselves think," Aunt Helen said.
Uncle Peter opened the door for us. "They're probably down at the Wheeler's," he reassured her. Turning to me he explained, "The Wheeler's two kids are members of the Bob-Whites. They live in the old mansion on the hill. I remember spending half of my life chasing you and Trixie away from that place."
"Well, in my defense, Trixie was the one who wanted to break in using a rock to the window," I defended.
"Yeah, I figured that out after you two came back one time with some glass in the gash on Trixie's knee," Uncle Peter said, raising an eyebrow.
Even though it was a bit childish, I stuck my tongue out anyway as I walked through the door. I turned into a dark house. I've gotten used to dark and scary places. But suddenly, a shiver, like cold ice, ran down my spine. The hair on my neck stood on end. An uneasy feeling burned in the pit of my stomach.
Someone was watching us.