Chapter 2
"Direct Speech" 'Thoughts' Flashback Dreams
"Kill the spare!" a raspy voice commanded. Harry shook in his sleep, tossing and turning. "Avada Kedavra!" Worm tail shouted, his wand pointed at Cedric. Harry couldn't breathe, couldn't move as pain shot through his scar, couldn't even move as Cedric was killed right in front of him. "Cedric! CEDRIC, NO!"
"Cedric!" Harry jolted awake, barely suppressing the scream he knew would get him beaten.
"Daddy! Daddy-Harry, its ok, it's ok, it's just a dream, it's just a dream, you're alright daddy! I promise..." Alyssa mumbled, attempting to soothe her father, running a hand through his hair as he usually did for her when she was upset. Harry hugged his daughter tightly, trying hard to focus on her and push the memories of Cedric and the graveyard out of his mind.
"Park, papa, park!" Alyssa squealed as Harry attempted to keep up with her as she bounded down the stairs.
"Alyssa," Harry said sternly finally taking the girl by her shoulders, "first off it's Harry in public, and second sit down so I can brush your hair."
Alyssa huffed crossing her arms, "I want to call you papa or Daddy all the time! Not just when we're alone!" Harry sighed and gently pushed the girl into a sitting position on the stair landing. Carefully he began to brush out her hair, gently releasing the soft waves from their knotted prison.
"Alley Cat," Harry murmured as he heard Vernon get into his car for work, "The Dursleys would barely let you out and into the backyard, it took ten different types of cake in order to convince them to let you come to the park in the first place. Calling me Papa or Daddy would only cause gossip and they will never let you out again." Alyssa's eyes went wide and she bobbed her head up and down.
"NO! I'll be good," she whisper-shouted as to not anger Petunia with her voice, "I'll be good Da-," Alyssa stopped and began again slowly, "I'll be good...Harry."
Harry smiled affectionately at the young girl wishing he could always be Papa, "Only in public," He said attempting to make her smile, "and we look enough alike that you could call me big brother."
Alyssa beamed up at him and reached for his hand, "To the park now, big brother!" she said insistently. Harry grasped her hand in his own. "Park it is then."
"Higher pa- brother! Higher!" Alyssa urged as Harry pushed her on the swing at the almost completely destroyed park. The one furthest away from Privet Drive, yet still affected by Dudley and his gang. Harry smiled, a rare occurrence for him these days, yet something Alyssa could always manage to make him do.
"Alright, alright," He conceded pushing the swing slightly higher, "so pushy." Alyssa stopped swinging her legs and looked at him, "not like them!" she shouted, looking at him in horror. Harry could see tears forming in her eyes and stopped the swing to pick her up and give her comfort knowing exactly who "they" were.
"No sweetie," he cooed taking her place on the swing set, "I'm joking, your nothing like them, nothing like Dudley, you're a Potter you know, never were a Dursley, never will be a Dursley" Harry wanted to curse the whole family for making his girl fear the very thought of them.
"What's this? Is Harry got a girlfriend? A little young don't you think?" a voice easily recognized by both as Dudley Dursley himself.
"What are you doing here? Finnish beating up a six-year-old?" Harry shot back sarcastically.
"This one deserved it." Dudley said walking closer as Harry rolled his eyes, "But if you have a new girlfriend what would Cedric think?" Alyssa felt Harry stiffen and she wrapped her arms tighter around him in a show of support and comfort.
"Hit a nerve did I?" Dudley taunted, "Cedric! No, don't kill Cedric. Was Cedric your boyfriend? Why don't you go cry to your parents instead of waking me up every night, having to get comfort from an eight-year-old? Oh wait, where are your parents?" Dudley continued as the sky began to grow dark, "Are they dead? Are mummy and daddy dead? Is Cedric dead?" The sky turned black as Harry stood, setting Alyssa on the ground and rushing up to Dudley, wand ready. Alyssa watched as Dudley paled at the sight of Harry's wand pointed at him.
"You can't do the freaky stuff at home, mum said so," Dudley stuttered as his gang laughed.
"Get him Big D!" one of them shouted. The wind began to pick up and harry shoved his wand into his pocket to grab Alyssa easily lifting her into his arms. At eight years old Alyssa was still barely taller than a five-year-old and even lighter too, due to the lack of food she was given growing up, Harry hoped that going to Hogwarts would fix her up.
"Stop this!" Dudley yelled as his gang ran away.
"I'm not doing it!" Harry answered squeezing Alyssa closer to his chest. Any other time Alyssa would laugh and squirm to be put down but now she only hid her face into his shoulder, shuddering from the sudden the cold, her light summer dress not helping keep her warm. After looking at each other Dudley and Harry began to run, his gang had already taken off, Alyssa still clinging to Harry as they went. Quickly they found a tunnel to get out of the cold. The tunnel was dark and covered in graffiti, but it seemed safe enough. Harry put Alyssa onto the ground, but she knew something was wrong and grasped onto his leg, burying her face in it. Harry looked down at her confused by her actions, Alyssa was always an independent girl this behaviour was not normal.
"What's wrong Aly-" The rainwater that had blown into the tunnel began to turn into ice and Harry felt the happiness begin to leave him. Eyes wide he shoved Alyssa toward Dudley and instructed him to take her and run; as the last syllable left his lips, Harry was thrown against the wall, a cold, skeleton-like hand around his neck. He felt his breath leaving him as the dementor began to suck out his happiness.
'As long as Alyssa gets out,' Harry thought full of hope.
A child's scream broke that hope and Harry began to fight back harder, pulling his wand from his pocket and pointing it at the dementor holding him up. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry shouted, a bright blue light emanated from his wand and shot at the dementor, throwing it away from him. Falling to the ground Harry reached for his wand and looked around for Dudley and Alyssa, seeing the two of them laying on the floor together, a dementor hovering above them switching between Dudley and Alyssa, the latter screaming in pain and repeating "Sir no, I'm sorry!" over and over.
It broke Harry's heart and for a second he thought of leaving Dudley to fend for himself but quickly dispelled the thought and threw the glowing orb at the other dementor. As soon as it was gone Harry ran to the child's side and held her to his chest, his heart still beating with adrenaline.
"M'kay, Pap-Harry," she mumbled
"Its Papa, whenever you want it to be darling," Harry said stroking her hair.
"We need to move." an elderly voice sounded from behind them. Harry whipped around his wand already pointed at whoever spoke. Seeing it was Mrs Figg, Harry hastily began to shove his wand into his pocket but was once again interrupted.
"Don't put your wand away," Mrs Figg scolded, "they might come back." Mrs Figg reached for Alyssa and lifted her into her arms before nodding towards a confused Dudley.
"We need to get you home." As they walked Mrs Figg explained that Harry had been being watched since Voldemort's return.
"I haven't however, heard anything about this child," she said looking at Alyssa who was asleep in her arms, "who is she?"
"My daughter," Harry answered shortly.
Mrs Figg was taken aback, "You're much too young to have a child!"
"It's a long story, one which I do not feel like telling," Harry answered shortly. He took Alyssa from Mrs Figg's arms and hefted Dudley further into his arm before opening the front door to the house.
"Duddykins, is that you?" Petunia called from the living room where she sat watching the news. Harry winced at the sound of her voice, hoping he could have just dropped Dudley on the couch and took Alyssa up to bed. Walking into the room Petunia looked up expecting to see just Dudley but instead saw a sleeping girl, Harry and an extremely shaken Dudley.
"Vernon! Come quickly!" She shouted reaching to push Dudley into a chair. Harry took his chance and laid Alyssa on the couch slipping a blanket over her body. She didn't even stir.
"Who did this to you?" Harry heard Vernon ask, more like demand, unsure of when he came into the room. Dudley lifted a hand and pointed to Harry.
"How dare you?! You finally did it!" Vernon shouted, making Alyssa whimper, "you finally drove him crazy!'
"We need to get Dudders to the hospital!" Petunia insisted. An owl swooped into the room dropping a letter onto Alyssa's lap and began talking, effectively arousing her from sleep.
"Dear Mr Potter,
We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a Muggle.
The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.
As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under section 13 of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 A.M. on August 12th.
Hoping you are well,
Yours sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk
Improper Use of Magic Office
Ministry of Magic."
Harry stood shocked. How was he going to protect Alyssa now? "Justice!" Vernon announced, before going outside to sneak Dudley into the car without suspicion.
What was he going to do?