Title: Designated Harbinger: Secrets
Author: Lia
Rating: PG-13 (just to be safe, may change later)
Fandom: Harry Potter
Summary: Travel with a new girl thru HP's world. One with a very different heritage. Lies and hidden secrets surround her first year. Can this blend survive Hogwarts? Listing summary may change as fic evolves.
Warnings: Original character alert. You decide if it's a Mary-Sue. In addition, writing as I go, so rating may change.
Spoilers: So far, none. In the future, possibly all HP books.
Feedback: If you want, review. No flames please.
Disclaimer: I do not own HP. I'm not making any money. So, why go through this any further?
Have you ever thought your family was weird? Well, then you never met mine. On the outside we're normal, but inside --- let's just say every family has secrets. Occasionally we leave this world and enter one of magic. It's not as extreme as it sounds. Still, it's cool.
You see my mom is a witch while my dad is a psychic. Not many people I've met know it or would even understand. Witches and wizards don't get along with psychics and vice versa. Both run in families and occasionally pop up out of nowhere. Both have extra abilities, powers when compared with muggles, regular people. So why don't they get along? Probably because they're on the opposite ends of the spectrum with the witches and wizards on one end, the psychics on the other, and muggles in the middle. How did two people such as my parents from two very different worlds come together? They don't particularly like to talk about it, but I have the basic idea. Still, why talk about my parents when I could be telling you about something that has happened more recently. Something that involves me.
"Honey, I'm home!" A young girl's voice rang through the house. The ten- year-old had just entered calling out her customary greeting. A bell began jingling from somewhere upstairs growing louder as it came nearer. A small, pretty Siamese cat quickly appeared running down the stairs before it stopped close to the girl and yowled expectantly. A pair of arms scooped up the cat as the girl gave her a rather noisy kiss before putting her down again. "Yeah, Darling, go on and play," was said softly as the female cat trotted away purring slightly. The girl slung off her book bag onto the floor and headed into the kitchen.
There she grabbed an apple to munch on while watching the man at the sink clean some paintbrushes. "So how was class?," he asked flashing her a smile that made him appear at least ten years younger than she knew he was. "Fine, Da. Christy is really getting good at tennis, but I almost beat her this time," she beamed. He turned towards her drying his hands off. "Congrats! How about the others?" Her face twisted into a grimace. "It was soooo boring. In computers, we just played games. Math was OK, but not challenging. Christy liked it, but then that's her worst subject. Mrs. Jensen looked off today. I think --- she's worried about her husband. So English was just busy work." She paused then continued brightly, "The other kids are great! I'm having fun, but can't wait until this weeks over. I'll try to keep in touch with them, but who knows?"
Dad nodded to me. The summer kid's college camp would end on Friday. At her age most kids tend to live their lives day by day. Lasting friendships depend on the work and time put into them. Without an activity or the effort to remain close it was unlikely that they would last.
"Well, it sounds decent. You could always invite them over in a week or two. God knows Chris is over here enough," he said referring to her best friend Christy Mason. The two of them have been friends since kindergarten. It was hard not to with them being the only girls their age in the neighborhood, being in the same class, and their parents belonging to the same book club. She grinned as she thought of her best friend, but began to look suspiciously at her father when she noticed that his smile was a bit too bright. "So--," he began, a light appearing to shine from his hazel eyes, ". Do you feel up to seeing my latest project?"
She glanced up before tossing the apple core into the compost bin, and headed out of the room. "Sure, let me go change," she said already hurrying from the room leaving her father to head on to his workroom.
Mom found them in Dad's workroom. It used to be a two-car garage before he remodeled it. The floor was still concrete, but now shelves lined the walls, a big heavy worktable, and bench on one side of the room, and a forge on the other side along with the anvil, tools, and slack tub. The windows were slightly open, but with it being summer and all, it was sweltering inside. The forge was on and both of them were wearing overalls and worn long-sleeved shirts. They were sweating a lot and she felt all sticky. Mom looked positively cool compared to them. Thier hair now looked completely different, when the girl's normally looks like a carbon copy of her mother's wavy mahogany colored hair. A sloppy, swept back ponytail black with sweat tends to make a girl look different. She has dad's skin tone and eyes so they looked similar on that point. The young girl and her dad were grinning madly and as dirty as pigs in a sty.
Dad's job is earthy, messy, creative, difficult, and beautiful. He's an artist, but not really viewed as one. The paintings he's done are only a hobby while his metalwork is extreme. The dirty, excited man by my side makes everything from gates, fences, and tools, to swords, weapons, and sculptures. It's a dying skill nowadays and keeps him occupied. As much as she loves working with him, she doesn't think it'll be my life's work. Not because she's a girl ---(cause GIRLS RULE), but because the girl likes to do other stuff just as well. Still there's nothing better than watching her dad work. He just becomes so alive.
They were interrupted from the work when a wet towel hit the back of Dad's head. "Hey!," he yelped and she spun around catching her mom grinning at them. She must have been watching them for a couple of minutes. The girl could feel an evil smile appearing as she ran up to her mother arms opened to receive a hug. "Mom!," she cried.
Her mother quickly grew alarmed and dodged. "Eww. Jessica, stop it! You're filthy." The slim woman sidestepped away from her and darted behind the worktable to have it between them. Dad just stood there laughing, wiping his face off with the towel. "Oh, quiet you two. Jessica go get cleaned up then you can have a hug. Something has arrived for you today that we need to talk about later, OK? Now get!" She shooed her out.
"Aww, Mom!," she wined, sulked a bit, and then ran out of the room. 'What could have arrived for me?' Knowing she'd only get the info when Mom had what she wanted, she headed for the house.
The tall man looked at his wife with a puzzled expression. "What was that all about?," he asked. She normally didn't mind their teasing and it would have been drawn out longer. His wife shot him a look that clearly said, "This is no time for joking around." "What's wrong, Marie?," he asked worried.
A series of expressions passed over her face before she said, "Better get cleaned up. We need to talk." She paused near the doorway and turned away not looking at him. Softly she continued, "The letter...the letter came, David."
He was shocked for a moment before he crossed the distance between them and faced her. "It's alright. Shh, everything'll be fine, Marie. You'll see," he comforted her while she silently cried and he kissed her forehead. Nevertheless, secretly he was worried too.