Potter's Legacy
Prologue – Revelations

Screams. So many screams…

Bright green light. Eyes hurt, eyes burning…

A woman's screams. High and terrified.

Silence. A chilling laugh.

Screams green light screams laughter screaming dying screaming…

Motorcycle. Cold. Wind.

A giant. A dark street. Cold – so cold….

Alone. All alone. Cold. Alone.

A woman's scream. A crash. Shouts. Shattering glass.

A dark cupboard. Cold. Musty.

Alone.

Cold tired afraid alone cold tired afraid…

Alone. All alone.

Her breath coming in rapid breaths, Miranda Potter sat up quickly, sweat rolling down her forehead. She looked around, her long, straight jet black hair swinging behind her back, her emerald eyes sparkling with confusion. Had someone taken her away in the dead of the night, saved her from the horrible place?

No. She was still there.

Would she ever escape?

The door to the cupboard under the stairs rattled, and her aunt's voice screeched from the other side of the door. "Up! Get up!" the woman hissed, and Miranda sighed.

"I'm up," she replied, pleased when her voice came out steadily. "I'll be out in a moment."

"Make our breakfast!" the woman insisted. "And mind the bacon – I want everything perfect for my darling Dudder's birthday!"

"Of course you do," Miranda murmured softly, pulling a shirt and skirt out of the box in the corner of the cupboard. Sighing, she pulled a spider off her tights and watched as the small creature walked up her finger, which she hastily pressed to the wall. Immediately, the spider scurried up the wall, disappearing through a small crack.

"I wish I could do that," she said quietly, staring at the tiny hole. A second later, she jumped when her aunt hit the door again and shrieked once more, "UP!"

"In a minute!" Miranda replied, pulling on the skirt and shirt and belting them quickly around herself. She had to wrap the skirt around her waist three times to make it fit, but finally, she rose, hunched over to avoid hitting her head on the ceiling, and stepped out of her cupboard.

Petunia Dursley, a bony, horse-faced woman, stood there glaring at her, looking as if she had just swallowed a lemon. "Hurry up!" the woman insisted, and Miranda glanced over at her, nodding slightly and biting back the feelings of fury and shame. Nothing she did would ever be good enough. There was no point in arguing.

Miranda worked quickly in the kitchen, making large piles of bacon, ham and eggs and setting it all out on the table beside the mound of presents. She stepped back just in time to watch Dudley waddle into the kitchen, his face split in a smile, which disappeared immediately when he counted his presents.

"Thirty-five?" he asked incredulously, and Miranda looked away immediately, desperate to hide the amusement that had sprung from learning that Dudley could indeed count. "But that's two less than last year!"

Scenting disaster, Petunia spoke up quickly, "We'll get you four more when we go out today, darling. How's that? Four more presents!"

"Then I'll have thirty – thirty," Dudley began laboriously, his face screwed up as he thought.

"Thirty-nine, son," Vernon Dursley finished kindly, and Miranda finally looked back at the table to see the family of three settling down.

"Well?" Petunia spat, glaring at Miranda, and the small girl rushed forward with a plate of waffles in one hand and a pitcher of syrup in the other. Apologizing swiftly, she set the food down on the table, handing out napkins as she did so. Then, a passive look on her face, she picked up a plate of toast and cheese, along with a glass of water, and asked politely, "May I be excused?"

"Don't want to be around us normal people, do you, brat?" Vernon spat, eyeing her angrily.

"That's not it at all, Uncle," she replied smoothly, a small amount of fear in her eyes. "I simply don't want to ruin Dudley's day. I'm sure he'd rather I not be around."

The walrus of a man grunted in agreement before waving her off, and Miranda walked as quickly as she dared to the cupboard under the stairs.

Shutting the door behind herself, Miranda set down her plate and glass and dug her book out from under the raggedy old mattress. Glancing nervously over at the doorway, she listened carefully for approaching footsteps before opening her book and leaning back, nibbling on toast every few minutes.

♠♦♠

Miranda curled up in her cupboard, shaking. Whimpering slightly, she tightened her arms around her knees and dropped her head down, a few stray tears slipping out. She didn't have the slightest clue how the glass had vanished from the snake enclosure, but her uncle would never accept that. Whimpering again, she sat up straighter, listening to the argument raging overhead.

"Vernon, you can't – she's just a little girl. The police–"

"The hell with those bloody cops! I don't care what any of them say! That girl will be taught respect if it's the last thing I ever do!"

"But Vernon, the werewolf–"

"That bloody Lupin hasn't been back in years! He was drunk the last time he came here, Petunia, and the coppers dragged him away! But they felt sorry for him, I know they did! And they dared to question us about how the girl was being treated – that little bitch is more trouble than she's worth!"

"Vernon, you can't leave a mark on her!"

"I don't need to, Pet – that girl pushes me to my limits. I'll teach her respect – I'll teach her!"

Footsteps thundered down the stairs, and Miranda drew herself up, letting out a shaky breath and closing her eyes. Slowly, her stomach settled, and her eyes went to the door as she waited.

The door flew open with a bang, and there stood her uncle, brandishing a belt in one hand. Shakily, Miranda pushed herself to her feet and stepped out of the cupboard as he gestured her forward. His eyes gleamed and she swallowed, but refused to look away.

"Turn around, girl!" he barked.

The monster was back.

And this might be the time that it killed her.

♠♦♠

It was with an agitated snarl that Remus Lupin paced the office, glaring angrily at the old man behind the ornate desk.

"What do you mean, I can't go see her?" he demanded, his eyes flashing, and the old man smiled serenely.

"Now Remus, as our brand-new History of Magic Professor, you can't be seen showing favoritism, now can you? Cornelius doesn't like you very much – he'd be more than happy to have you removed before the school year even begins!" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled madly as he watched the man pace up and down his office.

"Dear Cornelius doesn't have to know," Remus bit out angrily, spinning to face the headmaster. "You know I promised James–"

"Miranda is safe and cared for where she is, Remus," Dumbledore said wearily, staring sorrowfully at Remus. "Why can't you simply be happy for her?"

"I don't like the look of that man," Remus insisted, "or how subservient she acts around them. You haven't seen them together, Dumbledore, but I have – you haven't seen how they treat her."

"I cannot allow you to–"

"And what authority do you have for that?" Remus snarled, glaring at the man.

A stunned silence followed. After a moment, Dumbledore blinked, staring at him. "My boy, what –?"

"I can't let her live like that," Remus muttered angrily. "She's James's daughter, Dumbledore. She's Lily's little princess, for God's sake, and they treat her like a slave!"

"You don't know that," Dumbledore insisted. "They are decent people – close-minded, yes, but well-meaning–"

"The Hell they are!" Remus shouted, and Dumbledore drew back, alarmed. "They'll stop at nothing to break that girl, and you know it!"

"You are letting your emotions cloud your judgment, Remus," Dumbledore said softly. "The wards on Privet Drive will protect Miranda from all dangers. I cannot allow you to endanger her with your rashness." A solemn expression on his face, Dumbledore raised his wand slowly, "Obliviate."

Remus blinked, his face blank, and quickly, Dumbledore engaged him in a few minutes of small talk. Later, he shooed the man off to find his quarters before leaving to try to convince Binns to pass on to the next great adventure.

♠♦♠

In his quarters, Remus sat slowly on his bed, his gaze hardening. With an angry scowl on his face, he twisted the ring on his right index finger, smiling slightly at the small emerald stone set in the center. The ring had been Lily's last creation before her death, the last in a line of protection devices the brilliant witch had created.

She had given the ring to Remus when she and James had gone into hiding, insisting he never take it off.

It would protect him from mind-altering spells.

Looking up, his eyes landing on the heading of his acceptance letter, he smiled ferally. If Albus Dumbledore thought he had Remus Lupin under control, he had another thing coming….

…because though what Lily had given him had helped him on countless occasions, what James had given him had saved his life, had given him a purpose.

I don't know or care what your allegiances are. I don't care who you're working for. Just swear to me that you'll always take care of Miranda. If Lily and I can't be there for her, and Sirius can't do it, please protect her. Take care of her. At all costs.

That was one Wand Oath he would never regret.

♠♦♠

Shivering, Miranda curled up on the rickety bed, wrapping the ratty blanket around herself. For once, she had a room entirely to herself – Petunia had protested the decorum of having Miranda and Dudley share a room. She had thought her uncle would pay her a visit for the added expense of the extra hotel room – but no. It seemed her uncle was absolutely terrified of whoever had sent the letters.

Silently, she breathed a sincere thanks to whoever had saved her this time.

♠♦♠

It was absolutely freezing on the floor of the old hut, and she was quite convinced that she was going to die.

Glancing around warily, Miranda studied her surroundings, scowling in disgust when she noticed Dudley practically falling off the couch. The little hut on the rock was rickety and poorly insulated, and every second, a gust of freezing wind blew the rain through the roof, soaking her. Outside, she could hear an odd crunching sound – was the rock crumbling into the sea?

Shaking her head, she bit her lip and lay back down, tears springing to life in her eyes. She wished she knew who was writing to her – was it a friend of her parents? Was it someone who would take her away?

Was it someone who would care?

The crunching sound grew louder, more insistent – shifting closer to the door, she strained her ears–

Someone was speaking out on the rock, a soft, gentle voice…

Suddenly, a loud booming sound rang through the air, and the door shook. Behind her, Vernon Dursley skidded out from the back room, a rifle held in his shaking hands.

Boom! The door shook again. "Stay where you are!" her uncle shouted hysterically, as Miranda cringed away from the noise.

Boom! The door trembled, its hinges rattling–

"I'm warning you!" Dursley squeaked as Petunia ran out from the back room and flung herself on her husband, clinging to his arm.

Boom!

The door fell with a loud crash, dust flying up from the floor. Squeaking in shock, Miranda dropped her head to the floor and buried it in her hands, trembling. After a moment, the dust cleared, and she looked up. Silhouetted in the doorway were two figures, one a giant of a man and the other a tall, lanky brown-haired man.

"I daresay, Hagrid," the younger, shorter man said, eyeing the door, "you might have hit it a bit too hard."

Dudley squeaked, and, staring at the two men, Miranda almost smiled.

♠♦♠

Her uncle had blustered for quite some time, the two strangers exchanging amused glances as he went on, his voice getting higher and higher with every sentence. But after a few minutes, his hand began to inch toward the trigger of the rifle, and the younger man had begun to look alarmed.

Sighing tiredly, the man pulled a long stick from his sleeve, ignoring Miranda's astonished stare, and waved it, half-heartedly muttering, "Expelliarmus." The gun leapt from Vernon's hands and the giant caught it easily, twisting it into a bow and throwing it into the corner. Finally, the pair had herded Vernon, Petunia and Dudley into the back room and locked the family in before turning to Miranda, apprehensive looks on their faces.

The giant of a man settled himself on the sofa, which creaked ominously and sank to the floor under his weight. Sighing tiredly, the younger of the two settled cross-legged on the floor near Miranda.

"We should probably introduce ourselves," the younger man said bemusedly. "This is Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the Keys and Grounds at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said slowly, nodding in Hagrid's direction, and the giant of a man smiled at Miranda, his beetle-black eyes crinkling softly. "And I am Remus Lupin. I was one of your father's best friends, and I will be one of your professors at Hogwarts."

"My father's–" she repeated, staring at them, "Hogwarts – what?"

"What'd yeh mean, what?" the giant – Hagrid – repeated, jumping to his feet, and the hut shook. Staring at the man, Miranda trembled slightly, and Remus frowned.

"Hagrid," he said softly, "sit down. I'm not surprised by this – nor should you be."

"Dumbledore said–" Hagrid grumbled as he sat again, and Lupin glanced at the larger man sharply.

"I know what Dumbledore said," he replied shortly, and Hagrid fell silent. Satisfied, Lupin turned back to Miranda.

"It's a very long story, my dear," he said tiredly, a frown crossing his face. But, sighing, he began to tell the tale.

Miranda had been in tears by the time he finished, and Remus had quickly moved forward, pulling the girl into his arms. She fought at first, terrified of even friendly contact, but Remus hadn't let go, and eventually, she had broken down completely in tears of pain at her aunt and uncle's betrayal and fury at her parents' fates. After a time, as Hagrid sniffled, watching them, the girl had drifted off to sleep.

Carefully, the two men had spread out Hagrid's cloak on the floor before wrapping her in Lupin's jacket, and they stood watch while she slept.

Neither of them had missed her wince when Remus had rubbed her back in comfort.

♠♦♠

The pair accompanied her to Diagon Alley the next day, delighting in the chance to put a smile on the solemn girl's face. They bought her a rather large ice cream and led her merrily to Gringotts, where she would be taken to her trust vault.

A taller goblin, Griphook, led the trio to the mine carts and the two men climbed in, pulling Miranda in after them. The slightly-frightened girl held Remus's hand tightly as the cart raced along the track, screeching to a halt before her vault. They quickly scooped up enough coins for the year, Remus explaining the currency as they went, and left, with Hagrid staying behind to take care of some "Hogwarts' business." His eyes darkening as he looked at Miranda's clothes, Remus immediately steered the girl into a small clothing shop beside the bank.

Hagrid caught up with them just as they were leaving, smiling as Miranda stammered her thanks to the younger man. Quickly, the pair led her through Madam Malkin's, Flourish & Blotts and all the other necessary stores, before heading off to Ollivander's. Mysteriously, Hagrid departed yet again before they reached that store, leaving Remus to guide Miranda on his own.

A bell rang somewhere inside the shop and Miranda and Remus settled in to wait, the young girl gazing curiously around the shop. After a few moments, a slightly chilling elderly man appeared before them, his eyes lighting up when he saw Miranda. He spoke for a moment about Miranda's parents before darting off to the shelves, pulling out wand after wand in search of one that would fit his young customer.

Hundreds of wands piled up on the counters before the man finally turned to the windows, snatching up the two wands displayed there. One was dark and eleven inches long – the other was light, short and soft-feeling. When she waved each one, they shot off sparks, red and silver for the darker wand, bronze and black for the lighter. Staring at them, she marveled the craftsmanship.

"Remarkable," Ollivander breathed. "Both wands fit her wonderfully – but in different ways. But curious – how very curious."

A few minutes later, when Ollivander had explained what was so very curious, Miranda stared at him, astonished. Ignoring her shock, the shopkeeper continued, "You will have to choose one, Miss Potter. Only Aurors are allowed to own more than two wands."

Nodding absently and biting back her questions, Miranda continued to gaze at the wands. The darker one seemed just that – darker and a bit frightening, and yet stronger... But the lighter wand seemed safer, softer – almost weaker. Reaching out slowly, she picked up one wand.

She chose strength over safety.

When they had paid and departed, Remus steered her gently toward the exit, looking up in surprise as Hagrid joined them yet again, beaming and holding a caged snowy owl in one enormous hand.

♠♦♠

Right, then. This story was begun back in April, and I haven't written anything past chapter two for months, again, because of my shoulder. But it's next in line for work after Wishful Thinking, and I'm hoping to have it done by Tuesday (9.5.2006). Potter's Legacy, FYI, is not going to be very long - probably about 10 to 15 chapters. But it is going to be the longest of any of my works, because I am following dear little Miranda Potter all the way through the end of 7th year (I'm calling it The Legacy Series, mostly because I can). This series follows the major events of canon - somewhat - all the way through book 3, but it is in the fourth installment that the first major, long-reaching break from canon will become evident. (Yes, that does mean that there is another, more major break from canon earlier, but you may not realize just how huge an event it is.) After the fourth installment, canon will be followed slightly, but grudgingly. After the fifth installment - expect changes. Fast. But don't be surprised if you see some things that are familiar from book 6 of the original HP series. And in the seventh? You won't recognize JKR's world.

In the end, I know, this series will end up very different from J.K. Rowling's world. But I hope you enjoy the ride regardless.

Review if you have something to say.

Cheers,
LIZ