I finally got another chappy up! Yays! Sorry about the wait. Thanks to my
reviewers! I feel like one of those big shots who get 250 reviews a
chapter. Um responces are at the end of the fic. (Oh and incase you didn't
realize, I redid the first chapter. I decided the first was kind of lame).
Now on with the show!
~8~
It had been two years - two blasted, agonizing years - since she had accepted their offer.
Sure things were bad then, they always had been. For years she had been forced to support her two younger siblings, and at six years old that was a hard task to carry out. Her father had committed suicide while she was only five and - barely a year later - so did her mother.
She had tried to keep the house but it was virtually impossible without a reliable source of income. The power and water were turned off rather quickly and when the police came around to see if they were going to ever pay their bills, the children escaped. She didn't want to be put into a foster home, she knew the three of them would be split into different families and she would never be able to stand it... Her younger brother and sister were the only things left from her once happy family life.
The three children lived on the streets instead, scrounging for food around Sally's Diner, wearing old forgotten clothes found in boxes that had been piled in alleyways. As they grew older they found small odd jobs around the city. Their favorite was arranging displays for George McFerguson, the kindly old owner of the local Read-Now Bookstore. He had no children but could not adopt the three as he was struggling to keep and run the bookstore on barely enough money to support himself, he had no money for feeding and clothing youngsters. He instead taught them how to read, write and do simple arithmetic (which may or may not have been correct as George had never been to school himself) between customers and after the bookstore closed for the night.
George died a month before she turned eight.
The next two years were hell. At a younger age people would take one look at her and employ her, she was so small, so delicate, 'much' to young to live on the streets. Now they thought she had only recently run away from some loving home and looked at her with contempt - she should know better to leave somewhere that she was cared for then come begging to them for jobs.
The three children were found living on the streets while she was ten. They were separated, dealt off to separate foster families, not to see each other for many years. They kept in contact by letter, telling the others every detail of their new lives. The twins cherished it, they had always wished to be part of a proper family and their foster parents were kind and gentle. She, on the other hand, loathed it.
Her family had been awful, beating her for speaking out of turn, for fighting and for running to her foster parents the first time Bobby - their only son - stole her sole possession: A locket taken from her mothers jewelry.
This was the day she first showed signs of magic. Bobby had stolen her necklace and hidden it in the hayloft while she slept. When she awoke next morning it was around her throat as usual. Bobby was furious and ripped the locket from its resting place. Holding it above his head, he taunted her of her dead parents saying her mother must have been extremely poor to wear something as cheaply made as this locket. She wiped the tears from her eyes, furiously ignoring her foster parents selfish laughter. She stood, silently crying, pouring all of her hatred for that awful family into the necklace perched in Bobby's hand.
The locket slowly heated in the boy's hand. It began to melt, though it should not have, as Bobby still hadn't noticed that it was slightly warm. She kept unleashing her unpleasant feelings into the locket and, suddenly, it became the heat it should be.
Bobby screamed and dropped the bewitched molten metal. It spread away from his hand as easily as if it were solid, sliding to the ground and seeping into the floor boards. Her foster parents stared. Bobby screamed loud enough to wake the neighbourhood. Saying that he needed to go to a hospital, though his hand was as well as if it had never been touched with the hot metal.
His parents slowly came back to the little senses they had and rushed him to the nearest emergency room, but not before giving her a sound beating and literally throwing her into her room.
Hurting their child like that! He could have been killed!
Once they were gone she snuck from her room to find the locket. It lay on the kitchen floor once again fully formed. She grasped it, depositing it into her jumper pocket... it was now pleasantly cool.
She had been accepted into Hogwarts that summer. Her foster family grudgingly paid (as they were told to) for her to go to her new school. They weren't told it was for witchcraft. She was sorted into Hufflepuff on arrival, which was strange as the other students said it was for the 'fiercely loyal'. She had never been fiercely loyal to anything in her life.
Her years at Hogwarts were also less than pleasant. She was known as 'the quiet one', the 'understanding' one. What they didn't know was that she understood because she had been through it all. But they didn't know, because she never told them. Yes, she was quiet, understanding, with no rule-breaking incorporated. An all around goody-two-shoes.
But she hated it.
She hated people coming to her with their pathetic little lives, their biggest problem being that Daddy wouldn't buy them those new shoes or that 'Sammy' didn't love them anymore. She hated following every rule, being thought of as a teacher's pet because she answered correctly in Charms. She endured them for four years, keeping these hates under control by making sarcastic comments to the girls in her head, snapping at the teachers under her breath and planning what she would say when she did lose control.
She roamed the halls at night to convince herself that she was a rule- breaker, not a teachers pet, and she really didn't 'need' friends.
It was on one of these midnight romps that they found her.
~8~
There was a party raging in the Gryffindor common room.
Although the room was half empty, it was cheerier than usual - for the beginning of term at least. The smarter students had retired already, most likely wanting to get to bed early, so as to be fresh and perky tomorrow. At least on the first morning.
It was ten o'clock and the remaining teenagers weren't going to bed anytime soon. Fred and George Weasley were handing out their newest samples, which inflated the victim as if he were a balloon, the poor person then floated to the ceiling before popping and gently drifting down.
Ron had somehow roped Colin Creevey into a rousing game of chess and the bits of chessmen flying every whichway showed that Colin wasn't as bad at the boardgame as most people had thought.
Harry and Hermione were laughing together on the couch, at both the stranded people - who looked extremely silly floating near the tops of the bookshelves - and Parvati Patil's antics. She was trying - very unsuccessfully - to have Dean Thomas take her on a walk on the grounds. She had put no thought to it being after lights out, which was rather silly as Dean was the newest Gryffindor prefect, along with Hermione of course. No one had been surprised to find her as the female prefect, how could she not be? All in all it was a rather happy scene.
But there was someone not and out enjoying the party.
Raen sat in the corner of the room. Alone. Not laughing, not drinking, and not eating any of the sweets the Weasley twins had stolen from the kitchens. Her sharp eyes were scanning the room, taking in it's every piece of furniture, every painting, every occupant. She slowly but surely deciphered the ways of Hogwarts. She found which chairs were the best to duck behind so as not to be seen. Which paintings were most likely to help her and which to watch out for, as they would give her away almost immediately. She decided that the more popular students usually claimed the seats by the fireplace, while the quieter students hung around near the back tables. She stored it all into her Memory-Recall Enchantment, you never know when something along that line may be needed.
Her eyes strayed back to her master, Harry Potter. He seemed nice enough, a little clueless, yes, but that could be changed. It was obvious he would be a good master, once she taught him the ways of the Guard of course. He must also be taught to issue orders, Harry seemed to have no idea how the Guard's training had worked. She could not go soft just because her Charge would not treat her as she was - inferior. Guards were created to follow orders, just as House Elves were. That reminded her...
Raen's eyes flicked to Hermione. She was one to watch for, not because she seemed dangerous, but because she would try to persuade her to let go of her duties, and refuse to be ordered around. Nagging her of the exact opposite of what Raen had been taught.
She had spoken to the House Elves before the school term began and they stated that although Miss Granger was pleasant she lacked the ability to shy away from things that did not concern her.
Harry stood, abruptly. "I'm off to bed." He called at Ron.
The Weasley's attention never strayed from the chess board. He seemed to be having a tad more trouble with the game than usual. "I'll be up in a jiffy," He yelled back, over the din of the twin's happy laughter. "I just have to finish off Creevey here."
Raen stood as Harry fought his way through an excited huddle of third years. The Guard's eyes slowly began to glow silver. Starting pale and progressing until the air around her seemed to hold a silvery tinge. And, as Harry grew ever nearer to the Dormitory, Raen disappeared.
She appeared again, before her Charge. Blocking his way to the stairs. Harry jumped.
"How did you do that?" Harry asked, bewildered. "Hermione said this place was charmed with Anti-Apperation spells!"
His Guard smiled. "It wasn't apperation, just part of a Guards magic. It's actually much harder to do here, it's usually much quicker."
A look of relief appeared on Harry's face. "Oh, I see. Well, I'm turning in. Goodnight." He swung around and began up the stairs before turning back to look at the following Guard. "Er, Raen, this is the guys dorm."
"I know." She said honestly. "I have to check the room for enemy magic and place a Separation Enchantment. I sleep in the girls dorm anyway."
"Sure." Harry granted, confused.
They climbed the stairs and Harry pushed open the door walking to his bed and flopping down upon it, watching her warily. Raen set to work. She opened the empty wardrobes and ran her hands over the wood. Crawled beneath beds and tapped the walls. Once done with the room itself she walked to the end of the room and kneeled before Neville Longbottom's trunk. She opened it and was about to begin riffling through his things when Harry spoke up.
"What exactly are you doing?" Harry said angrily. "You can't go through other peoples things!"
Raen turned from her work, annoyed. "Rule 24. of the Guards Handbook: A Guard may violate the privacy of a human being other than his Charge if his reasons suffice." She fixed him with a sound look. "You suffice, the well being of my Charge is first priority. I'm sure once the others find that I have done this they will forgive you in a flash. You 'are' their friend."
"Yes but-"
Harry was interrupted by the other Gryffindor fifth years banging happily into the room. They stopped quickly both with the shock of a girl in the room and of her going through Neville's things.
"Oy! What the bloody hell do you think you are doing!?" Came the outraged cry of three boys (Neville was too stunned to say a thing).
Raen turned coolly back to them. "I have to check your items to assure none of you are harboring and objects that could be harmful to Mr. Potter ("'Harry'"). I 'must' go through your bags."
Ron turned angrily to Harry. "And your letting her do this!?"
"Sir," Raen began before Harry could respond. "It is within the Guards Handbook that no Charge may issue an order against a rule. It is Rule 24 which allows me to do this and Mr. Potter cannot hinder me."
Ron began to open his mouth again but stopped as Seamus kicked him swiftly in the shin.
The four boys grumbled and sat down upon their beds while Raen finished checking the trunks. She then walked to the - now sleeping - Harry and placed her fingers upon his temples.
A silver light surrounded them both briefly and Raen's eyes glow bright before both fading. The air about the two still glimmered slightly with movement and Raen backed away silently. She nodded to each of the boys in turn and walked serenely out of the dorm, heading towards her own bed which was nestled in with the Gryffindor girls.
The three boys (Neville and Harry both being asleep by now) watched her go, their eyes wide.
"That is one strange girl." Dean finally stated. The others murmured agreements before all slipping into sleep as well.
~8~
Like it? Hope so! Here are the responces:
Dark Angemon: Same here! I usually read L/J fics and ignoe the ones about the trio. But hey! The plot bug bit me and I had to get the poison out somehow!
GryfGal: Thanks! The title refers to the Thity-One Rules of the Guard, the thirty-first is the most important. I'm also going to try and have 31 chapters, one rule each chapter.
Zoiy Grockle and Elshe Rhosyn: Thanks to you both! As much as I love praise, I need some help to make the story better. If Raen sounds like a Mary-Sue now don't worry. Harry needs to see her as being perfect because then when things go wrong it will be even better. : D
To every one else (especially Bohemian Storm - my first reviewer - and Angel of the Storms - who has become a friend of mine) Thanks you tons and hope you liked this chapter as well!
MysticWood
~8~
It had been two years - two blasted, agonizing years - since she had accepted their offer.
Sure things were bad then, they always had been. For years she had been forced to support her two younger siblings, and at six years old that was a hard task to carry out. Her father had committed suicide while she was only five and - barely a year later - so did her mother.
She had tried to keep the house but it was virtually impossible without a reliable source of income. The power and water were turned off rather quickly and when the police came around to see if they were going to ever pay their bills, the children escaped. She didn't want to be put into a foster home, she knew the three of them would be split into different families and she would never be able to stand it... Her younger brother and sister were the only things left from her once happy family life.
The three children lived on the streets instead, scrounging for food around Sally's Diner, wearing old forgotten clothes found in boxes that had been piled in alleyways. As they grew older they found small odd jobs around the city. Their favorite was arranging displays for George McFerguson, the kindly old owner of the local Read-Now Bookstore. He had no children but could not adopt the three as he was struggling to keep and run the bookstore on barely enough money to support himself, he had no money for feeding and clothing youngsters. He instead taught them how to read, write and do simple arithmetic (which may or may not have been correct as George had never been to school himself) between customers and after the bookstore closed for the night.
George died a month before she turned eight.
The next two years were hell. At a younger age people would take one look at her and employ her, she was so small, so delicate, 'much' to young to live on the streets. Now they thought she had only recently run away from some loving home and looked at her with contempt - she should know better to leave somewhere that she was cared for then come begging to them for jobs.
The three children were found living on the streets while she was ten. They were separated, dealt off to separate foster families, not to see each other for many years. They kept in contact by letter, telling the others every detail of their new lives. The twins cherished it, they had always wished to be part of a proper family and their foster parents were kind and gentle. She, on the other hand, loathed it.
Her family had been awful, beating her for speaking out of turn, for fighting and for running to her foster parents the first time Bobby - their only son - stole her sole possession: A locket taken from her mothers jewelry.
This was the day she first showed signs of magic. Bobby had stolen her necklace and hidden it in the hayloft while she slept. When she awoke next morning it was around her throat as usual. Bobby was furious and ripped the locket from its resting place. Holding it above his head, he taunted her of her dead parents saying her mother must have been extremely poor to wear something as cheaply made as this locket. She wiped the tears from her eyes, furiously ignoring her foster parents selfish laughter. She stood, silently crying, pouring all of her hatred for that awful family into the necklace perched in Bobby's hand.
The locket slowly heated in the boy's hand. It began to melt, though it should not have, as Bobby still hadn't noticed that it was slightly warm. She kept unleashing her unpleasant feelings into the locket and, suddenly, it became the heat it should be.
Bobby screamed and dropped the bewitched molten metal. It spread away from his hand as easily as if it were solid, sliding to the ground and seeping into the floor boards. Her foster parents stared. Bobby screamed loud enough to wake the neighbourhood. Saying that he needed to go to a hospital, though his hand was as well as if it had never been touched with the hot metal.
His parents slowly came back to the little senses they had and rushed him to the nearest emergency room, but not before giving her a sound beating and literally throwing her into her room.
Hurting their child like that! He could have been killed!
Once they were gone she snuck from her room to find the locket. It lay on the kitchen floor once again fully formed. She grasped it, depositing it into her jumper pocket... it was now pleasantly cool.
She had been accepted into Hogwarts that summer. Her foster family grudgingly paid (as they were told to) for her to go to her new school. They weren't told it was for witchcraft. She was sorted into Hufflepuff on arrival, which was strange as the other students said it was for the 'fiercely loyal'. She had never been fiercely loyal to anything in her life.
Her years at Hogwarts were also less than pleasant. She was known as 'the quiet one', the 'understanding' one. What they didn't know was that she understood because she had been through it all. But they didn't know, because she never told them. Yes, she was quiet, understanding, with no rule-breaking incorporated. An all around goody-two-shoes.
But she hated it.
She hated people coming to her with their pathetic little lives, their biggest problem being that Daddy wouldn't buy them those new shoes or that 'Sammy' didn't love them anymore. She hated following every rule, being thought of as a teacher's pet because she answered correctly in Charms. She endured them for four years, keeping these hates under control by making sarcastic comments to the girls in her head, snapping at the teachers under her breath and planning what she would say when she did lose control.
She roamed the halls at night to convince herself that she was a rule- breaker, not a teachers pet, and she really didn't 'need' friends.
It was on one of these midnight romps that they found her.
~8~
There was a party raging in the Gryffindor common room.
Although the room was half empty, it was cheerier than usual - for the beginning of term at least. The smarter students had retired already, most likely wanting to get to bed early, so as to be fresh and perky tomorrow. At least on the first morning.
It was ten o'clock and the remaining teenagers weren't going to bed anytime soon. Fred and George Weasley were handing out their newest samples, which inflated the victim as if he were a balloon, the poor person then floated to the ceiling before popping and gently drifting down.
Ron had somehow roped Colin Creevey into a rousing game of chess and the bits of chessmen flying every whichway showed that Colin wasn't as bad at the boardgame as most people had thought.
Harry and Hermione were laughing together on the couch, at both the stranded people - who looked extremely silly floating near the tops of the bookshelves - and Parvati Patil's antics. She was trying - very unsuccessfully - to have Dean Thomas take her on a walk on the grounds. She had put no thought to it being after lights out, which was rather silly as Dean was the newest Gryffindor prefect, along with Hermione of course. No one had been surprised to find her as the female prefect, how could she not be? All in all it was a rather happy scene.
But there was someone not and out enjoying the party.
Raen sat in the corner of the room. Alone. Not laughing, not drinking, and not eating any of the sweets the Weasley twins had stolen from the kitchens. Her sharp eyes were scanning the room, taking in it's every piece of furniture, every painting, every occupant. She slowly but surely deciphered the ways of Hogwarts. She found which chairs were the best to duck behind so as not to be seen. Which paintings were most likely to help her and which to watch out for, as they would give her away almost immediately. She decided that the more popular students usually claimed the seats by the fireplace, while the quieter students hung around near the back tables. She stored it all into her Memory-Recall Enchantment, you never know when something along that line may be needed.
Her eyes strayed back to her master, Harry Potter. He seemed nice enough, a little clueless, yes, but that could be changed. It was obvious he would be a good master, once she taught him the ways of the Guard of course. He must also be taught to issue orders, Harry seemed to have no idea how the Guard's training had worked. She could not go soft just because her Charge would not treat her as she was - inferior. Guards were created to follow orders, just as House Elves were. That reminded her...
Raen's eyes flicked to Hermione. She was one to watch for, not because she seemed dangerous, but because she would try to persuade her to let go of her duties, and refuse to be ordered around. Nagging her of the exact opposite of what Raen had been taught.
She had spoken to the House Elves before the school term began and they stated that although Miss Granger was pleasant she lacked the ability to shy away from things that did not concern her.
Harry stood, abruptly. "I'm off to bed." He called at Ron.
The Weasley's attention never strayed from the chess board. He seemed to be having a tad more trouble with the game than usual. "I'll be up in a jiffy," He yelled back, over the din of the twin's happy laughter. "I just have to finish off Creevey here."
Raen stood as Harry fought his way through an excited huddle of third years. The Guard's eyes slowly began to glow silver. Starting pale and progressing until the air around her seemed to hold a silvery tinge. And, as Harry grew ever nearer to the Dormitory, Raen disappeared.
She appeared again, before her Charge. Blocking his way to the stairs. Harry jumped.
"How did you do that?" Harry asked, bewildered. "Hermione said this place was charmed with Anti-Apperation spells!"
His Guard smiled. "It wasn't apperation, just part of a Guards magic. It's actually much harder to do here, it's usually much quicker."
A look of relief appeared on Harry's face. "Oh, I see. Well, I'm turning in. Goodnight." He swung around and began up the stairs before turning back to look at the following Guard. "Er, Raen, this is the guys dorm."
"I know." She said honestly. "I have to check the room for enemy magic and place a Separation Enchantment. I sleep in the girls dorm anyway."
"Sure." Harry granted, confused.
They climbed the stairs and Harry pushed open the door walking to his bed and flopping down upon it, watching her warily. Raen set to work. She opened the empty wardrobes and ran her hands over the wood. Crawled beneath beds and tapped the walls. Once done with the room itself she walked to the end of the room and kneeled before Neville Longbottom's trunk. She opened it and was about to begin riffling through his things when Harry spoke up.
"What exactly are you doing?" Harry said angrily. "You can't go through other peoples things!"
Raen turned from her work, annoyed. "Rule 24. of the Guards Handbook: A Guard may violate the privacy of a human being other than his Charge if his reasons suffice." She fixed him with a sound look. "You suffice, the well being of my Charge is first priority. I'm sure once the others find that I have done this they will forgive you in a flash. You 'are' their friend."
"Yes but-"
Harry was interrupted by the other Gryffindor fifth years banging happily into the room. They stopped quickly both with the shock of a girl in the room and of her going through Neville's things.
"Oy! What the bloody hell do you think you are doing!?" Came the outraged cry of three boys (Neville was too stunned to say a thing).
Raen turned coolly back to them. "I have to check your items to assure none of you are harboring and objects that could be harmful to Mr. Potter ("'Harry'"). I 'must' go through your bags."
Ron turned angrily to Harry. "And your letting her do this!?"
"Sir," Raen began before Harry could respond. "It is within the Guards Handbook that no Charge may issue an order against a rule. It is Rule 24 which allows me to do this and Mr. Potter cannot hinder me."
Ron began to open his mouth again but stopped as Seamus kicked him swiftly in the shin.
The four boys grumbled and sat down upon their beds while Raen finished checking the trunks. She then walked to the - now sleeping - Harry and placed her fingers upon his temples.
A silver light surrounded them both briefly and Raen's eyes glow bright before both fading. The air about the two still glimmered slightly with movement and Raen backed away silently. She nodded to each of the boys in turn and walked serenely out of the dorm, heading towards her own bed which was nestled in with the Gryffindor girls.
The three boys (Neville and Harry both being asleep by now) watched her go, their eyes wide.
"That is one strange girl." Dean finally stated. The others murmured agreements before all slipping into sleep as well.
~8~
Like it? Hope so! Here are the responces:
Dark Angemon: Same here! I usually read L/J fics and ignoe the ones about the trio. But hey! The plot bug bit me and I had to get the poison out somehow!
GryfGal: Thanks! The title refers to the Thity-One Rules of the Guard, the thirty-first is the most important. I'm also going to try and have 31 chapters, one rule each chapter.
Zoiy Grockle and Elshe Rhosyn: Thanks to you both! As much as I love praise, I need some help to make the story better. If Raen sounds like a Mary-Sue now don't worry. Harry needs to see her as being perfect because then when things go wrong it will be even better. : D
To every one else (especially Bohemian Storm - my first reviewer - and Angel of the Storms - who has become a friend of mine) Thanks you tons and hope you liked this chapter as well!
MysticWood