Chapter 1 – Hidden Curses

"Life is like playing a violin in public and learning the instrument as one goes on." – Samuel Butler

The day was bright and calm as usual, though unusual for the summer, as last year's had been a rough drought. There were children and their parents joyfully having a good time, taking full advantage of the rather nice weather. Among the children was a tall figure, well tall compared to the rest of the kids; wearing a thin fall jacket and having round, black-rimmed glasses, which showed the most remarkable eyes. Emerald-green eyes. The figure could have been around late fifteen to early sixteen years of age, but his eyes showed sadness much like of those of adult men who lost a loved one. His eyes were staring into space sadly, into nothingness as he sat on one of the swings, oblivious to the rest of the world.

"…on the swing?" a little boy asked the teen.

"Oh, sorry?" he hadn't heard the boy.

"I said can I play on the swing?" the boy asked again.

"Oh…sure," the teen got off the swing.

The teen's name was Harry Potter, quite unusual in the world, but you have to know that he was not from this world, rather his world was hidden from the rest. To understand why, you have to know that Harry was very special…very special. Harry James Potter was a wizard, and a famous one that.

Harry was sad because his godfather had died last month, and a very important prophecy was revealed before he ended school…

'The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…

born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…

and the Dark Lord will mark the one as his equal, but the one will have power the Dark Lord knows not…

and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…

the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies …'

Tom Marvolo Riddle (or otherwise known as the Dark Lord Voldemort) killed Harry's parents when he had just turned two years old on the dark night of October 31st, 1980. He had tried to kill Harry too, but since Harry's mother had sacrificed herself, the killing curse backfired, extracting Voldemort's black soul from his body. This action caused Harry to get a lighting-shaped scar on Harry's forehead, and made him famous for destroying the most powerful dark wizard in the world for a century. But, Riddle returned during Harry's 4th year at Hogwarts, the Wizarding School he went to, more powerful than ever, possibly being the most powerful dark wizard to ever live. Last year Riddle tried to get the prophecy, and Harry went into a trap, causing members of The Order of the Phoenix to come to his rescue. Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, got killed in the rescue, by falling in to the veil, the one-way gate into the realm of the dead. Sirius was the closest thing to a parent Harry ever had, and it was his fault that Sirius died…

Harry walked up to where he lived, and up to his room. Harry's relatives ignored him for the summer, and he was grateful for that, he'd rather be ignored than be insulted and treated like trash. Mad-Eye was the reason for that, saying that Harry's relatives would get a proper treatment if they did not treat Harry well, and Harry had to send a letter by his owl, Hedwig, saying that he was doing well and the Dursleys were treating him well.

When he opened the door to his room, he found an owl sitting on his bed. Harry untied the letter from the owl's foot and let the owl go, he unfolded the letter and read it, and finding out it was a letter from Professor Dumbledore…

Harry,

I, along with your friend Remus, have been doing some research on your past history, and have found out something quite strange. If you undergo some strange transformation, contact me immediately, do not panic. I shall explain everything when I meet you.

My Regards,

Albus Dumbledore

P.S.: Miss Granger along with Mr. Weasley have been informed of this…unusual event and if it may happen.

Harry was confused, but one thing he had learned was to trust Dumbledore and do as he says. Nevertheless, tomorrow he had work to do and he wanted to be in a good mood. He went down to eat dinner and after eating went up to his room to re-read his Defense Against the Dark Arts book from last year. After reading it for an hour, he went to bed.

Harry woke up as the brightness of the sun staring down on his face. He got out of bed and walked out the window, to see another boring day. He checked his clock to see that it was 7:00 a.m., quite early for any of the Dursleys to get up. Making up his mind on what to do next, he went down to the bathroom to clean up for the day and went out for a run around his neighborhood, as he did everyday. He found out that running not only kept him fit but it cleared his mind, making it easier for him to think.

He got back in time to eat breakfast, and went back to his room to study on last years subjects. He only stopped reading for lunch, and after he went to the library to read some fiction. Got back to eat dinner, and after eating he went to the park to sit and think.

Harry got back in the house, tried to clear his mind of all of his thoughts and went to sleep thinking 'what a boring life…'

Harry's dreams were once again plagued by Sirius falling through the veil in the Department of Mysteries…

Harry woke up the next day felling different...a bit taller. Harry, confused, went up to the mirror in the bathroom at 2:00 a.m. in the morning. Looking up, Harry almost fainted. There, looking back at Harry was not a boy, but a rather pretty 5'8" girl with shoulder-length hair, which was black with two inch-long stripes of red hair on each side. Also alarming, Harry did not have any glasses on, but could see perfectly. And the most confusing of all Harry also felt powerful, very powerful.

Running back to the room, Harry quickly wrote a note to Professor Dumbledore…

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I think that the transformation you were talking about has occurred, please come see me as soon as possible…

Harry

"Here, Hedwig, take this to Professor Dumbledore as fast as you can, hurry!" Harry said while tying the parchment to the owl's leg and helping her out the window.

Harry lay back on the bed wondering what could have possibly have happened…

Half-hour later a 'pop' signalized the arrival of Dumbledore and Harry sat up straight on her bed. Looking up see saw that Remus had also accompanied Dumbledore.

"Good morning Harry, sorry I couldn't come earlywell what do we have here?" said Dumbledore.

"Er, good morning to you too Professor…" Harry replied.

"Come, Harry, pack up, we're taking you to headquarters," Remus said.

In 10 minutes Harry had packed up everything and was ready to head off. Dumbledore pointed his wand to an empty glass and muttered "Portus". He held it out for Harry to touch, while Remus shrunk her trunk.

Harry stumbled after landing in the dining hall at 12 Grimlaund Place, and Remus helped her up.

"Come sit here," said Dumbledore, motioning to a chair.

Harry sat down and looked around, seeing nobody there she asked, "Professor, isn't there anybody here?"

"Well, no, at the moment only Remus lives here for the full time, but other Order members come in and out, when the time comes. Hermione wanted to stay at her parents, and the Weasleys are staying at the Burrow, with the protection of a couple of Arours." Dumbledore replied, "Now, you may have a question about the sudden change in you, I believe?"

"Yes, well I was dreaming about Sirius again, and woke up. When I went to check up on myself at the bathroom, I found out I had somehow transformed into a girl. I contacted you wasting no time," said Harry.

Remus looked at Dumbledore and back at Harry and said, "Well that has something to do with what we have been researching. You see, Harry, when you were born you were first identified as girl, but the next day, the doctors looked at you again and found out that you were a boy. But we had a sneaking suspicion that you were cursed so, we started to research and found out that you will turn back and the curse will end near your sixteenth birthday."

"But why would anybody want to turn me into a girl?" questioned Harry, still confused.

"Well thought of that too, so we researched the possible spells. Tell me Harry, can you see clearly without your glasses?" asked Dumbledore.

"Well, yes, and I also feel stronger, as in more powerful," replied Harry.

"Well that was the curse we found that was closest to you. Well, we think that Wormtail, cursed you with the knowledge that Voldemort gave him. The curse would block out the major parts of the power a person has, but with some side effects; the effects for you were that you changed your gender and lost part of your eyesight. Now, lets say that Voldemort put the curse on you, then the curse would have lasted your full life, but since Pettigrew did it, he was much weaker it only lasted for sixteen years," Remus replied.

"Oh…"

Dumbledore chuckled, "Well, I think that you should get ready, we need to go shopping. Oh my, I forgot to tell you that Tonks is here also, she keeps an eye on you when you are not running, so if you need any help ask her."

As if on cue, Tonks walked into the dining room and spotted Harry, "Wotcher, Harry," Tonks whistled, "you used to have all the girls after you, now it seems to have changed into having all the guys after you." Harry blushed.

"Also before you go Harry, you may want to have your name changed?" asked Dumbledore.

"What name did my mother and father want?" Harry asked Remus.

"Well for a girl, Harriet Lily Potter, and for a boy, Harry James Potter."

"I'll go for Harriet Lily Potter, but I'll like it if you still call me Harry."

"Very well, Harry, get cleaned and we will take you to Diagon Alley," said Dumbledore.

"Come on, Harry…" Tonks pulled Harry up to the bathroom.