Rebel, Seemingly Without a Cause
Summary: Kathryn's parents died before she was one. She grew up with her Aunt and Uncle, as well as her brother. When her brother's eleventh birthday comes around, Kathryn's world is thrown upside-down. Alternate Universe!
Prologue: The-Boy-Who-Just-Won't-DieLily Evans Potter could hear the conversation downstairs between that twit Voldemort and her twit of a husband. Lily was crying, he had told her that she needed to run, but life without James? He had rudely invaded her life at age eleven, she was nineteen now, she couldn't do it without him.
She heard the fateful shout of 'Avada Kedavra!' Lily let out a noise that wasn't unlike the sound of a drowning cat. Actually, it was more of a squawk. But that was beside the point, after all. She could hear him thumping up her stairs, and Lily quickly looked back at her children.
Her first-born was Harry, the poor baby. He had some damned prophecy made about him that was bringing this all about, and all he did was look up at her with those precious eyes, her eyes. The boy looked like a carbon copy of James, but her eyes, Lily's eyes. They were vivid emerald green, pure and true green. Harry could sense her fear, seemingly, as he gazed up at her, spit gurgling in the back of his throat. Lily fought to suppress her tears.
Her eyes flickered over to a small infant, about four and a half months old. Lily closed her eyes in horror of the thought that little Kathryn would never have a single memory of just how much she was loved. She got a good look at the girl, with her red fuzz that James called hair, and her light green eyes, that held flecks of brown and hazel. Lily knew she was going to die at the moment, when he appeared in the nursery doorway. She would not, under any circumstances, let that poor excuse of a human being get anywhere close to her son.
"No, not Harry, please!" she begged, fruitless as the effort was, she felt she had to. Maybe there was a small bit of humanity left in this man, maybe she could spark it.
"Move aside, silly girl." He demanded, wand raised, voice impatient. "I only want the boy!"
"You can't have him!" Lily sobbed. "I won't let you!"
"Foolish girl, I said move aside! Take your little infant and go!" He was fed up, his wand pointed at the spot above her heart.
"NO! Not Harry!" Lily stood straight, the tears having stopped. The man's red slit eyes were narrowed more than usual, if it was possible, and he gritted his teeth. "Not my boy."
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Lily knew nothing more but the calming darkness that consumed her.
With a scream, Kathryn Anne Potter awoke in the dead of night. Her green eyes swept the room, blinking rapidly. She reached a shaky hand to her forehead, which (along with her hair) was damp with cold, clammy sweat. The ten year-old girl was startled by her strange dreams, always full of wands and magic and witches and wizards. She kept them to herself; of course, god knows what her Aunt Petunia would do to her if she found out. Kathryn let out a quiet giggle at the thought of the purple color her Aunt and Uncle would undoubtedly turn if she told them. It wouldn't be quite unlike the color of a plum.
With a sigh, Kathryn fell back onto her pillows, and looked around her dark room. It was littered with her cousin Dudley's old toys. She noticed a few Playstation's, and a few odd action figures. Amongst the trash were Kathryn's things, which included books, notebooks, pens and pencils, sketchpads, a music stand, her flute (which was in it's case), as well as her music folders. There were also a few odds and ends lying on the desk like jewelry and such. Kathryn rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes, willing herself to sleep. Hopefully, it would be dreamless. The odds, however, were against her.
"Kathy! Kathy!" the next thing poor Kathryn knew was her brother, Harry, violently shaking her awake.
"I'm awake!" she exclaimed, swatting his hands away. "Alright, I'm awake!"
"Sorry, Kathy." Harry grinned sheepishly. "Petunia sent me to wake you."
Kathryn groaned at the very thought of her aunt. Petunia Evans Dursley was a horrid, vile woman, the bane of Kathryn's existence. It was rather the opposite really, if you thought about it, Kathryn was the bane of Petunia's existence. At least, that was how Kathryn liked to think it. She hated the witch with every fiber and ounce of her being, remembering each and every blow the woman had dealt, physical and emotional. Kathryn gritted her teeth as she dressed, that crazy, hateful woman on her mind.
For as long as her memory stretched, Petunia Dursley's sole purpose in life had been to make Kathryn's life pure and unadulterated hell. Everyday Kathryn was told what a filthy wench she was, how ungrateful and how intolerable. She was beaten on a regular basis, and Dudley did fancy pushing her into walls more often than not. Petunia was constantly scolding Kathryn for being a stupid, senseless, incapable, useless girl. She stood over her niece's shoulder watching her every move and then she struck fast and swift like a hawk. A fiery dragon reared its head inside Kathryn's heart at the memories.
Kathryn walked down the steps to the kitchen. Her Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and cousin Dudley were already seated. Harry was silently cooking breakfast, which smelled like bacon. She took a seat next to where Harry would sit once breakfast was done. She wasn't hungry, but when the bacon was set before her, she ate anyway. It was best to eat when she was given food, at least around the Dursley household.
"I'll get it." Harry said quietly when the post came, just like every morning. Kathryn ate her breakfast in silence, as Dudley's presents were opened. Up until several moments ago, she had almost managed to completely ignore the fact that today was Dudley's birthday. She closed her eyes when Dudley's whining began.
Not enough presents, huh Dudley? How would you feel about not getting any presents, how about that? Kathryn thought bitterly.
"We'll get you another one at the zoo, Dudders." Aunt Petunia cooed. "Will that make it all better?"
Kathryn sneered at her aunt's back, hate in her glare. She was thankful that she didn't need to be witness to that, thank God for Mrs. Figg. All right, maybe her house did smell like cabbage, she liked to feed her carrot sticks, and she liked to talk about her cats, but she was better than Dudley any day.
"I've got bad news, Vernon." Aunt Petunia began. "Mrs. Figg broke her leg, she can't take them."
Kathryn's aunt and uncle then proceeded to argue about what to do with the two 'freaks', as they put it. One thing Kathryn had always failed to understand was why Harry and her were hated so much in the Dursley household. Obviously, it's not everyone's dream to have two babies dropped on your doorstep, but if they hadn't wanted them, why were the Potter children still there?
"Oh good lord, they're here!" Aunt Petunia cried out as the doorbell rang. The horse-faced woman went to open the door, and seconds later Piers Polkiss, Dudley's best friend walked through the door accompanied by his mother. Kathryn never liked Piers, and it wasn't for his looks or his personality (or lack thereof).
She hated him because once, when she was five, Kathryn had run off to the park down the street to escape Dudley. He had been playing a game of "Harry Hunting" and she had accidentally interrupted. Dudley chased her down the street, Piers not far behind. Then, when her cousin caught up with her, he proceeded to push her facedown into the pavement. Kathryn still had a horrid scar that ran from her jaw down to her chest from the incident. The problem with Piers had been that he simply stood and watched the whole thing, he just stared at her with the blood all over, soaking straight through her jumper.
"Come on-- the both of you, now!" Vernon grumbled as he led them outside. "And no funny business! If so, you'll both be in the cupboard until Christmas!"
"I'm not going to do anything!" Harry protested. "Honestly, I won't."
Kathryn snorted, and Uncle Vernon threw her a nasty glare. It promptly shut her up, and she climbed into the car. Much to her displeasure, Kathryn was stuffed right in between the two people she liked least of Dudley's entire entourage, Piers and Dudley himself. The whole ride she felt squished by Dudley's immense amounts of blubber, as well as assaulted by Piers's jabbing elbow. Kathryn stared off at the sky in front of her, well, she stared off at the parts that weren't blocked by Uncle Vernon's large, pudgy head, at least.
The zoo was rather boring. Kathryn didn't pay much attention until they reached the reptile house. She always did have an affinity for lizards. Oh no, she hadn't come to see the snakes. Kathryn was content to simply gaze at the lizards, from the small ones to the large ones, she loved them. Secretly, she had always wanted a pet lizard, nothing big or anything; just a small pocket sized one. Of course, she had never thought to ask for one. It would have been pointless waste of breath, Aunt Petunia would say no in less than a heartbeat.
Suddenly, a series of screams erupted from the main section of the Reptile House. Kathryn stood and sprinted towards the noise to see a giant boa constrictor crawl right out of its exhibit! The glass had disappeared, and Dudley and Piers were gaping like fish, and Uncle Vernon looked livid. Harry was lying there on the floor, and she rushed to him. As the snake went by the two, it hissed something, but Harry nodded as if he understood.
"Harry, what happened?" Kathryn whispered hoarsely, wide-eyed in wonder.
"It-it was talking to me Kathy!" Harry said in a low, awe struck tone. "And then, the glass, it just vanished!"
Kathryn stared at her brother, eyes wide as saucers, and blinked several times in quick succession. Did he just say that a snake… talked to him? Kathryn then felt someone standing above her, and looked up to see a very, very purple Uncle Vernon. His face was, as aforementioned, purple, and the veins in his forehead and necked looked about ready to jump out at her.
…
Kathryn gulped. She had a feeling that she would be locked in a cupboard with Harry, or locked in the basement by herself, for an awful long time after this.