Disclaimer: I own nothing… well, okay… I own a computer, a little green piece of crap car, a small assortment of clothes, and a pair of fuzzy slippers… that is all… so please don't sue me for playing with J.K.'s delightful creation.
What if the Potters protected their son in such a way that no one even knew he was alive?
Spoilers: I am not sure. . . This is the first time I have done this. Don't get angry if I let things lip out in the wrong order.
The Phoenix Rises
By TexasJeanette
Chapter 4: Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me.
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
-- "The New Colossus," a sonnet by Emma Lazarus (1883)
Benjamin Docherty is 29 years old.
Benjamin Docherty is slightly paunchy.
Benjamin Docherty is balding.
Benjamin Docherty is one of the richest men in the country.
Benjamin Docherty is the Headmaster of the newest magical primary school in the world.
Benjamin Docherty is has won accolades and awards as well as criticism for his innovative and forward thinking approach to childcare during such dark times.
Benjamin Docherty cares little about all of that…
Benjamin Docherty is heart broken . . .
He was born into one of the oldest, noblest, and most powerful of pure blood wizarding families in all of Europe. He took great pride in his family's stature and power. He read every book on every spell, charm, hex, and potion he could get his hands on. He was determined to be a powerful wizard some day. He was determined to be an important wizard someday. But he was destined to be no wizard at all.
On his 11th birthday he stands at his bedroom window and waits for his official acceptance into Hogwarts. He waits expectantly. He waits impatiently. He waits desperately. He waits in vain. His party guests left long ago, and still. He. Waits.
His father comes and squeezes his shoulder. Benjamin looks up but does not see the sad yet supportive gaze he was expecting. Instead he sees anger, betrayal, and hatred. He staggers back from this cold man. Glancing fearfully around he tries to find what caused this reaction in his distant but normally loving father. He sees his mother just inside the door to his room quietly sobbing into her hands. As he turns and once again faces this stranger that was once his father, he finally understands. He, the once beloved only child, is a squib. He is what his father hates… a being with no magic.
Without a word, Benjamin fills his backpack with as many clothes as he can. He picks up his coat and slings his pack over his shoulder. He goes down to the kitchen and is not surprised to see that Polly, his house-elf, has a sack filled with fruit and sandwiches for him. Crying and wringing her hands she throws herself at him and clings to his waist. Extricating himself, gently, he kneels down beside her and in a quiet voice whispers, "Polly, do you want to stay here? You can come with me if you like."
"Really Sirs? I can comes with you?"
"Yes, Polly, you were given to me last year. . . so the decision is mine . . . but, I will set you free if you prefer . . . life will be very hard from now on."
"You wants Polly to goes away?" The small house-elf asks, her voice quivering.
"Gods, no Polly! But I don't want to force you to leave all your friends just to hide out with me."
"Master Benjamins, Polly is a good house-elf. She is being warm and fed and happy here. And now she is being happy because yous be taking her with you!" She then picks up the same small bag she had with her when she arrived at this house a year ago.
Benjamin wants to ask her what is in the bag he now notices, but the realization she is already packed fills him with love for this fiercely proud creature. Together they silently walk away from the only home he has ever known.
Inside he feels numb with shock and worry. How will he, an 11 year old, survive in the world? He knows very little about muggles and he no longer feels part of the wizarding world. As he strolls away, into the countryside surrounding his family's ancestral home, he glances down at Polly and smiles. She has wrapped a piece of cloth around her head and shoulders and is using it as a shawl. He nods with approval as she can now pass for his younger sister to any muggles they may meet.
He wanders the countryside for many days. Alternately lonely and depressed he is surprised to realize that he is not as distressed as he had anticipated. Amazingly, Polly is taking superb care of him. She arranges leaves and moss to make a bed for him. And while it is not what he was used to, it is far from uncomfortable. She collects sticks and twigs and after making a glorious fire she bakes a kind of bread. She even makes him stew.
He remembers asking her how she did it, but she just shrugged and said her magic leads her to the plants and small animals she needs to do her duties. She shrugs off his heartfelt thanks, but he notices she takes great pride in her ability to care for him. She frets occasionally because the quality is below her usual standards. He quickly assures her it is marvelous with her there . . . an adventure, really.
It has been 8 days since that fateful birthday when he hears a shout, "You there, boy! What are you doing on my property?"
Benjamin turns around and sees a man dismounting his horse and walking directly towards him. He had been so distracted with his thoughts he had failed to notice him sooner. So did Polly apparently because Benjamin sees she does not have her "shawl" covering her head.
"Is that your house-elf young man?" The man asks, curiously.
"Yes, sir. Are you wizard sir?" Benjamin asks, startled that the man knows about house-elves.
"Me? No! But my daughter is one, or will be, I mean she will be a witch." The man speaks with great pride and a little amazement. He smiles down at Benjamin and sits next to the fire, "Are you a wizard?"
"No, sir. My parents are, but not me," Benjamin hangs his head in shame, "I am a squib," he admits quietly.
"Well, except for that word, which I don't like at all, we are in rather similar boats. I mean my wife and I, as well as our oldest daughter, have no magical abilities, but our youngest is 3 and has already earned us a visit from that. . . that place, what was it? Oh, yeah. . . The Ministry of Magic! While you have no powers but come from magical parents. Speaking of parents, where are yours? You're a bit young to be traveling alone across the English countryside, even if you do have your own house-elf."
Benjamin hangs his head and quietly explains that his family has disowned him. They do not want a worthless, magical-less squib. All his fears about the muggle world and how he will fit in come tumbling out. After speaking, Benjamin hangs his head. . . afraid to look up. After listening in silence, the man does a remarkable thing. He laughs! He quickly apologizes, but says that Ministry fellow had said something about such snobbishness, but he had not believed it! Why, only silly people would throw away a perfectly good boy over something as stupid as that.
The man makes a decision. He asks Benjamin to come and stay with his family. At first it seems that Benjamin may refuse. . . his pride keeps him from wanting to accept any charity. The man thinks for some time and then smiles as he arrives at a solution. In exchange for teaching his family about the wizarding world, they will in turn teach him about the muggle world. If he shares his house-elf, that will pay for room and board. If Benjamin does "guy" stuff with him that will pay for school supplies and the occasional fun activity. He explains he had always wanted a son . . . but with only two daughters he missed out on all that father and son stuff.
Benjamin thinks about it a moment and agrees. He can hardly resist as the man sits there looking forlorn. As they shake on it, the man introduces himself, "Mr. Harold Evans at your service."
Benjamin thrives in his new home with his surrogate family. He comes to love his new family, even Petunia who is a difficult person to say the least. He does very well in muggle school and earns a scholarship in electrical engineering to MIT in America. Unable to risk muggle university with his dedicated house-elf, he gives her to his family. He knows she will miss him, but she would miss her "Mistress Evans" even more.
After graduating from MIT Benjamin makes rather monumental discovery in electronics. He invents a small seemingly insignificant contraption that, when combined with a computer's processing unit, more than triples its processing speed. He quickly sells his discovery to an American company called Intel and retires.
Mr. and Mrs. Evans are killed in a Death Eater attack.
Petunia gets married and promptly disowns both Benjamin and Lily.
Lily gets engaged while still in school.
Benjamin settles down near San Francisco, California, USA.
He has come to love the city and its people, muggle and magical alike. He likes the fact that America is a bit more tolerant of muggles and squibs, though Pureblood snobbery is still rather prevalent.
He buys a substantial amount of land just outside a small town called Los Gatos. It is about 60 miles south of San Francisco making it far enough away to be secluded and near enough to be easily accessible.
He hires both wizard and muggles and together they build a huge magical castle. After years of paperwork and months of hiring faculty and staff, Benjamin opens the doors to:
LA ESCUELA DE SUEÑOS
The School of Dreams
It is a school like no other.
It is for muggle born witches and wizards whose families can no longer handle the power their children unwittingly display.
It is an orphanage for magical children who have no family to claim them.
And, close to Benjamin's heart, it is a refuge for non-magical children from the wizarding world.
Those with magic learn to control themselves and prepare for training at some of the world's finest Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Those without magic learn all about the muggle world and prepare for training at some of the world's finest Universities.
When the children leave La Escuela De Sueños they leave well educated and well loved.
In just 2 years it has students from all over the world. . .
But non as important nor as dreaded as the scared and weeping child Benjamin holds in his arms.
Benjamin Docherty knows who this child is… and his significance.
Benjamin Docherty is silent about that…this is just a baby… who is now an orphan.
Benjamin Docherty would die to protect this child.
Benjamin Docherty loves this child deeply.
Benjamin Docherty's heart breaks at the sight of him.
Benjamin Docherty knows that if the baby is here then Lily, his "sister" is dead.
Benjamin Docherty cradles the child and prays and mourns for his lost family.
Child and Guardian comfort each other in the early morning hours.