The Chosen Ones

by Daphne Li

Chapter 1.

~*~*~*~

~*~TWO YEARS LATER ~*~

"But Dad! Why can't we go to the Malfoy's this summer?" Thirteen year-old James hissed, as he bent over the front of his father's office desk. His dark hair, so much like his father's, fell messily into his face, and his green eyes glared at his father from behind thin, round glasses.

James Darien Potter had taken after his father in the looks department, there was no doubt about that. They had the same messy black hair, the same green eyes, the same body structure—the only difference was the absence of a lightning-bolt scar on James's forehead. They even had the same 'hero- complex', as Hermione had once called it. But this was where all resemblance faded. Unlike Lily (who was the star Chaser on the Gryffindor team), James had not inherited his father's talent or passion for Quidditch. He hadn't gained his father's popularity, either. He preferred to study in the library so he could get relatively good grades (this caused his Aunt Hermione to become very proud of him). No, James wasn't stupid, he just didn't excel at any one class, as far as anyone could tell. And the biggest difference between them was their topic of conversation at that very moment. The Malfoys.

"I told you, James. The Malfoy's are going on vacation this summer." Harry sighed, rubbing his temples. He had just gotten through another hard day of being headmaster of Hogwarts, and his son was not making it any easier for him to calm down. He had told James the unfortunate news this morning, and apparently, he was as disgruntled as Jason Malfoy seemed to be.

"But why can't Jason come here?" James said in an almost whining voice. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Jason is going to Florida with his brother and cousin, Caleb." Harry tried to patiently explain.

"And Jasmine and Serenity?"

"They're going to France with their grandmother, Starr and Violet." Harry finished. James sighed and collapsed into the chair next to his desk. Starr McKay was Jason's second cousin, and Violet.....well, she was a close friend of the family.

"This isn't fair! We always go to see them, just you and me. We've never missed a summer since.....forever. I mean, it's bad enough that you vetoed the Christmas idea....."

"James, Christmas is for family. You'll spend it with us."

"I *know*! But.....I mean.....they're like my family. Jason's my best friend, besides Curtis, Orion, Romulus, and Max....." He trailed off, his thirteen year-old voice going soft.

"And I promised Serenity....." His voice was no higher than a whisper, so despite his best efforts, Harry could not catch what he had just said. He decided not to bring it up.

"Look. I know you're disappointed. I am too. The Malfoy's are great company, and we'll miss them. But they do have lives beyond us, you know. Their mother thought that the girls needed a little independence, that's why she's letting them go off to France by themselves. Same with the boys. Draco, Kaitlynn, baby Marina, Stephen, and Rachael are all going to come up here to the Malfoy manor, to get a little time off." Harry explained. James sighed, his shoulders slumping as he gave up the fight.

"Ok. Night', dad." He muttered, getting up and stalking out of the room. Harry watched after his son, and sighed once more.

What James had said was true. Over the years, the Malfoy's and James had become almost like family. Then, Starr McKay had entered the picture, only adding to the family, as she too, was welcomed into the little world of the Malfoy's. And then, there came someone into that family, that Harry never would have suspected would ever even communicate with the wizarding world.

Violet Dursley.

~*~FLASHBACK~*~

Professor Harry Potter walked slowly down a sickeningly familiar lane, grimacing at the task he was about to embark in.

Lately, he had gotten strange reports of small magical bursts coming from the town of Surrey. In fact, they came from a house on Privet Drive, number six, just two houses down from the horrible place that Harry had grown up. Curious as to what the magical bursts could mean, Harry had decided to investigate. What he would find would change his life, and the lives of all involved.

*KNOCK, KNOCk*

Harry stood back from the door, looking around at the all-too familiar surroundings. Picture perfect houses and yards stood in their picture perfect settings. Not a twig or a flower out of place. But something at this house was not right. Not right at all.

Muffled shouts filtered through the door, then:

*CRASH!!!!!!!*

Muffled movement and voices.

"I DIDN'T DO IT!"

"Don't lie to me, girl! You did!" Came a voice that Harry knew all too well. Dread grew in his stomach.

"FINE! BE THAT WAY! I'M LEAVING!" Shouted the voice of a small girl. The door was flung open and a small, sobbing form ran *smack* into Harry's arms. He lurched forward and caught the startled child before she could fall, and looked into the tear-sodden face. Clear violet-blue eyes looked back at him fearfully, and her posy-like mouth trembled.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" She whimpered, pulling back. Her short, curly brown hair whipped about her face as she stared fearfully at him. He looked back at her kindly, trying to soothe her. He had a good idea about what was going on here, and if his hunch was right, it wasn't good.

Unfortunately.....his hunch was right.

"VIOLET DURSLEY, YOU GET BACK IN HERE THIS INSTANT!" Shrieked the voice of a woman. A tall, stick-like woman came into view, her face red with rage.

"How dare you strike our visitor!" The woman shouted, gripping the girl's arm tightly and then slapping the girl smartly across the face, much to Harry's horror.

"Please! She did nothing wrong." Harry murmured, trying to keep his temper at bay as he put a hand on the trembling girl's shoulder. Her tears were coming harder now and a red spot was appearing on the abused cheek.

"Margie, who is it?" Boomed the man's voice. Then, a part of Harry's past came into view, his face closely resembling a mottled blueberries and creme color.

"POTTER!" Dudley Dursley hissed, his piggy eyes flashing with menace. Harry could feel the little girl flinch, and he squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.

"Dudley. Long time no see." Harry murmured, his face calm. Inside, however, he was seething.

"What are *you* doing here, Potter?" His cousin hissed. Harry smiled thinly.

"Perhaps we had better speak inside. I am sure you would not wish your neighbors to become too curious....."

Moments later, he was seated in the ordinary living room, with Dudley and his wife across the room, as far as they could get from him; the little girl had been sent to her room. Harry, not wishing to stay any longer than he had to, decided to get right to the point.

"Your daughter has magic."

"I know." Came Dudley's bitter, yet surprising admission. Harry raised an eyebrow, while Dudley's wife gasped in horror.

"Oh?"

"She's been acting like you did, ever since she could crawl, the little heathen." Dudley hissed, venom in every word. Harry nodded.

"Then I suppose you will not be surprised to find out that I have come to take her to Hogwarts." He murmured. Now, this had not been in his original plans, but there was no way in Merlin he was going to allow his little cousin to spend another day in this place that seemed to hate her so much.

"FINE! Take the little bi*ch! She's a menace anyway!" Dudley roared, standing up. His wife gasped in horror once more, but Harry could see a strange relief fill her eyes. His disgust grew. These people were no more worthy of raising a child than Voldemort would have been! There came a small noise from the hall, and Harry realized that the child had heard everything.

"You can come in, you know." He called out gently. There was a startled squeak, and then a shower of mahogany brown hair appeared around the door, along with an eye. The girl cautiously moved into the room, her eyes never leaving his. She stopped beside the couch where he sat, and stared at him sharply.

"I have magic?" She finally asked in a tiny voice. Harry smiled.

"Yes."

"Are you taking me away?" Her voice was a bit stronger.

"Yes."

"Forever?" This time, her eyes darted over to her parents, and then back to him. There was a desperate light in them, and Harry shuddered, wondering just what this tiny piece of life had been through in her short existence.

"Yes!" This time, it was Dudley who answered. Harry and the girl both turned to stare at him for a moment, then they looked back at each other.

"Go pack your things. We'll leave as soon as you're done." He whispered to her. She gave a timid nod, and then disappeared again.

Half an hour later, Harry had gained two things. A cousin he didn't know he had, and a very big problem.

~*~END FLASHBACK~*~

Harry smiled slightly, remembering all the trouble he had gone through after that. First trying to find a place where Violet could stay, where she would be loved and accepted. Then trying to hide the fact that there was any such problem from Ginny, who didn't know about his discovery.

Eventually, the answer had come to him. He and James were scheduled to take a trip down to the Malfoy's for a vacation. He took both James and Violet this trip, however, and came back with only James at his side. Violet had found a new home.

With the Malfoys.

After that, the group had been inseparable. Violet and Serenity had become the best of friends, while James had learned to accept his new second (or was it third?) cousin. Harry had found it a bit surprising that Serenity, of all people, would open up to this new and strange person. But the moment she had spotted Violet, she had seemed to understand about the other girl's insecurities, and took it upon herself to end them.

But now, the group was to be broken, after eight wonderful summers, they would not be seeing each other. Jason and his younger brothers were going to Florida with their elder cousin, while the all four girls were headed off to France. Harry could understand his son's disappointment. Not seeing them was like loosing a part of his own family.

Over the years, James had decided to keep his relationship with the Malfoys secret, because of all the hatred and fear towards them. But every time he heard one of his friends, family, or any other person speaking badly about them, he became inwardly angry and vindictive. Even though he knew that they couldn't possibly know of his relationship with the Malfoys, it still hurt him to hear their name used in such a way.

It was for this reason, that it would be even harder for poor James to cope with the leaving of his friends. He would have to face the world of prejudice alone, even after they were gone, because of the strong link he shared with them.

Harry groaned and buried his head in his hands, ignoring Fawkes' worried musical note.

It was going to be a long summer.

~*~*~*~

James stomped up to his Gryffindor dorm with a thundercloud over his head.....literally.

"Ah! Little Potter boy is sad. Are you going to cry? Do you need a handkerchief, little cry-baby?" Came the annoying voice of Peeves the Poltergeist. James growled and waved away the cloud that Peeves had conjured, as he hissed out the password of his common room and stalked through.

"Jamey-boy! Where have you been?!" Orion Black crowed, as he looked up from the piece of parchment he and his other friends were bent over. James simply grunted and stormed up the stairs, his green eyes flashing in warning to his friends. They all stared after him in shock.

"Well, that was interesting....." Curtis Weasley muttered, running a hand through his wavy red locks.

But all this James did not see. By then, he had slammed the door of his dormitory, and thrown himself onto his bed, face down. His mind whirled with disappointment. This would be the first time in years that he would not see his old friends.

"Dammit." He grunted, rolling over onto his back. His shockingly green eyes stared unblinkingly up at the ceiling, distress whirling in their depths. Only one thought seemed to stand out from all the others in his mind at the moment, and that made him even more upset. The thought was actually a promise, made long ago.

~*~FLASHBACK~*~

"Hurry up, Reni! Mom said we had to be home by four!" A nine year-old Jason called, as he skated gracefully across the ice next to James. Even though it was the middle of July, they were found to be ice-skating across a small, open lake in the near the Malfoy property. Draco Malfoy had charmed it that morning to freeze, just so they could skate while James was here.

"I'm coming!" Came Serenity's soft voice from behind them. Jasmine and Starr were skating up ahead, laughing at something or other, while Serenity trailed behind the group, gazing at the scenery on her way. Jason rolled his eyes at his friend, as he stepped off the ice.

"She's always like this." He moaned. James smiled, but didn't get a chance to answer. For at that moment, there came a crack that sounded similar to thunder, and then a scream followed that quickly. James turned in time to see Serenity's head disappear under a wave of water that washed through the hole that had appeared under her. Jason, Jasmine, and Starr all let out horrified cries, but it was James' that actually held the most power.

"NO!" James yelled, his feet beginning to skate at their fastest rate. He watched as her head came back up, and she gave a piercing scream.

"HELP!" Her voice had gained a panicky tone, but it was cut off as she frantically clawed at the edge of the hole, trying to gain a hand-hold. James looked around desperately, and spotted a thick, dead branch on the bank nearby. He scooped this up, then skated to where the girl was struggling in the water and fell onto his stomach, digging his skate-toes into the ice behind him.

"Grab this! Hurry!" James cried desperately, his eyes wild with fear. The water was quite deep here, and she wouldn't be able to struggle for much longer, for she was already looking tired. She gave a watery gasp and reached frantically for the branch, as her head dipped beneath the surface again. She came up sputtering in terror, her hand flailing until she managed to grasp the very end of the limb.

James moaned in desperation as her eyes met his for a split second, begging him not to let go. He gave a giant heave, and then grasped her soaking coat, pulling her to safety. James crawled over to her, as icy chills of horror continued to seep though his veins. She lay coughing, on the ice, her face even paler than usual. Her lips were almost a blue color, and her hair lay listlessly like wet seaweed on the ice.

Then his brain kicked in and he realized that she was not yet into the safe- zone yet. The water had been cold, and despite it being summer, she could still catch something if she was not soon warmed up. So he stood stiffly, his hand finally letting go of the branch it held, and moved over to her.

"Come on, Serenity. We have to get you home." He whispered. By now, the horrified Jason was at his side, helping James as they raised her to her feet. Jasmine and Starr were standing, shaken, on the shore, tears streaming down their terrified faces.

"Hurry! Go get mom!" Jason commanded, as he placed one of Serenity's arms around his shoulders, while putting on of his own around her waist. James followed his example and together, they led/dragged the weak girl back to the house.

Kaitlynn was there to meet them, her face pale with fear. She lost no time in dressing her daughter in warm, comfortable clothes and placing her on a couch in the living-room while she went to make some soup. She had taken Jasmine and Starr with her, so they wouldn't bother the tired girl. Just James and Jason were left to watch over her.

"Oh, Reni! I'm sorry I didn't get there!" Jason moaned, his face buried in his hands. Serenity opened her tired blue eyes and smiled at him weakly.

"You couldn't. It's alright. I don't mind." She whispered. Jason gave a sigh of relief, then went off to find one of Serenity's favorite books to keep her occupied. James was left to stare at the girl he had just saved. Realization had long since hit him, and he knew that if he had waited any longer, she could have died. And that, above all else, struck a sharp blow to his little-boy heart.

"Thank you, James." Came the sudden words. James looked down to see Serenity looking up at him, her eyes filled with tears. James knew that she too, had realized just how close she had come to drowning. He bowed his head, wondering what he could say. Then it hit him.

"Serenity, I am going to make a promise, that I will keep from now on." He said, his emerald orbs meeting her blue-grey ones. She looked at him quizzically.

"I promise you, that from this day forward, I will always protect you." He stated in a solemn voice. Serenity's eyes widened, then she smiled.

"My protector." Was all she said.

~*~END FLASHBACK~*~

"Now I can't protect her." James whispered, as the memory faded away. It was a promise that he had kept faithfully all these years, every summer. And now, he wouldn't be there to keep his promise. He wouldn't be able to protect her.

"James? Are you alright?" Came a sweet girl-voice. James sighed but kept his eyes on the curtains above him.

"I'm fine, Lils." He muttered. His twin sister came into view, her black hair falling in waves down her back as she moved closer, and her green eyes boring into his.

"No, you're not. Orion told me that you stomped up here like there was something after you." She informed him, sitting on the edge of his bed. He groaned. Orion and his big mouth!

"Fine. I just found out that I'm not going to America this summer. I have to stay here." He sighed, rolling over so his back was to her. He could almost feel her rolling her eyes in exasperation.

"Is that all?! James Potter, you lout! So what if you can't go to America? I just don't understand what could possibly cause you to want to go there." She sighed. He winced.

"Or who." He muttered, but she didn't hear him. Lily Potter, unlike him, had turned out more like her mother. Perceptive and hot-headed when it came to some things, naïve and innocent when it came to others. She also didn't require the glasses that her twin was forced to wear, much to her delight and his disappointment.

"Well, anyway. Mum and dad are planning on letting us invite our friends over this summer. Isn't that great?!" Lily asked, bouncing off the bed. James grunted, and kept his face neutral. But inside, another pang hit him in the heart. Sure, he could invite his Hogwarts friends over.....but as for the others.....

Mentally shaking his head, he resolved to ignore the feelings of distress that were filling him now, and focus on his worried friends, who had just entered the room.

So what if the Malfoy's couldn't see him this summer. There was always next summer!

~*~*~*~

//JT, aka, Jason Tanner:

I can't believe it! We don't get to see each other this summer! And guess what. My family is unconsciously trying to bring me to the edge of insanity.

Grandmum's invited the entire family over to the Minister's mansion for a family reunion this summer. A three-week reunion! And we all have to go! Luckily, Curtis will be there, so I'll have someone to talk to. But dad told me that after that, we can't come either.

Apparently, mum's got some family-time planned, and it's not going to be short, either. I'm dreading it, mostly because family time to her, is sitting around, talking about school. No offense, I love mum, but sometimes she is a bit much!

So what about you? How are things there?

I'd better go.

WB ASAP!!!

James//

~*~*~*~

James Darien, aka, JD:

This sucks! I mean, I love Florida (the beaches, the weather, the girls.....just kidding), but I wish you were here too. I also miss my family, but I'm getting tons of letters from them, telling me how everything is.

Other than that, things over here are going pretty much the same. Here's an update on everyone.

Jasmine and Starr have begun another hair-brained scheme that is probably going to get them into some trouble in France (the boys are after them like flies, and they don't seem to mind). Darren's already looking forward to going to school (even though he still has three more years to wait). Serenity is her normal quiet self, though boys at Salem Academy have started to notice that she's growing up.....and that's not always good. And Violet is also getting a bit of that attention stuff.....I've had to threaten a few boys away.....hehehehehehehehe!!!!

Anyway, that's things around here!

WBS!!!

~Jason//

~*~*~*~