Chapter 01: Dumbledore's Mistake
Rose Potter was sleeping soundly on the doorstep of Number 4 Privet Drive when Albus Dumbledore knelt down to tuck a letter in-between the folds of her blanket. He gave the girl one final glance before he stood back up again - and uttered his last goodbye.
As he walked away to join Rubeus and Minerva a moment later, Albus had no doubt that tomorrow morning Rose would be found by her aunt and uncle. That they would take the girl in and raise her, and that ten years from now she would be ready to join their world. Albus would show her the way and eventuall she would become the hero of Prophecy.
It was a bleak outlook for any child, to be raised a soldier, but it was what had to be done. Albus hoped that one day Rose would understand that.
As he turned around to leave, he didn't stop to think that maybe - just maybe - leaving Rose on that doorstep all by herself might have been an unwise decision. In hindsight, though, he should probably have rung the doorbell.
...
Truthfully, Bel wasn't the kind of person who'd ordinarily spare much thought for abandoned babies. He was no bleeding heart. Many even said he didn't have a heart. But the fact was this: Bel was a selfish prince, so it all began because of this.
He was turning twenty-five this year, and his grandfather had very recently sent a messenger his way to inform the Prince that he had twelve months to find a suitable consort and actually propose to her, or else the old geezer would be taking matters into his own hands. Which was to say, an arranged marriage would be coming his way with all the unstoppable force of an elephant stampede - in the King's own words:
I would very much like to see my royal bloodline continued before I die, Grandson.
The messenger had not survived that particular encounter, but Bel had taken a few days off from his work at the Varia to visit the Kingdom and have words with his grandfather. He had also taken up a random mission as an excuse not to have to stick around for too long and it was because of this mission that Bel found himself in England during the early morning hours of November 2nd, wandering through a muggle neighbourhood in Surrey. It was in this moment of great need, and only about ten minutes past the time when Albus Dumbledore had left the area, that Bel found the baby.
It was a girl, fast asleep inside a bundle of blankets. Somebody had left her on the doorstep of an otherwise unremarkable-looking house, abandoned. Bel looked around... no sign of whoever had left her. The whole neighbourhood was asleep.
His current plan of action had been to sire an illegitimate child and send his grandfather balloons and one of those shitty congratulatory wish cards, complete with the obnoxious music. But this was better. Far better. Saved him the waiting.
A grin tugging at his lips, Bel picked Rose up and walked away.
...
And if Albus Dumbledore were to ask, then Prince Belphegor would say this: if he hadn't wanted the baby to be picked up by some passing stranger, then he shouldn't have left her outside where anyone could find her.
That was just common sense, really.
...
(For Vernon and Petunia Dursley, the next morning began with a visitor. It was a young man who introduced himself as Prince Asriel of the Red Kingdom.
Never had they ever heard of the Red Kingdom before, and never would they hear of it again after; in fact, they would forget all about its name as soon as the adoption papers had all been signed. As for Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, they were more than happy not to be burdened by the duty of raising their niece. They accepted the large sum of money offered to them, packed up all of their belongings, and bought a large house in a wealthy neighbourhood far, far away from Privet Drive).
A/N: Never apologise for giving the people (yourself) what they (you) want. I really wanted to read a story about Belphegor raising fem!harry but it turns out that story doesn't exist so I guess I'll be writing it now.
Anyway, yeah. Please leave a review and let me know your thoughts!