Halyn
By: MIA202
Summary: Harri Potter is a twin, not to mention a girl. Her older twin brother is named boy-who-lived, while she is swept aside, letting her brother have all the fame and spotlight. Eventually sent to live with the Dursley's. Harri grows up very different from her brother, and anyone else in the wizarding world. What happens though, when it turns out Dumbledore made a mistake? What if Harri has already made herself into a new person and barely remembers her past? Will she be bothered to save a world that has never thought anything of her?
Warning: fem!Harry, child neglect and abuse, offensive language, some violence
Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to any Harry Potter character or plots or universe. I only create plots and put the Harry Potter universe into them.
A/N: Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I apologize again if the order is a bit confusing, but I am just writing as it comes.
Chapter 7
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When I was twelve, the deputy headmaster, now headmaster, offered me a time turner. And as I sat there in his office, watching it dangle and spin on the thin gold chain held in the deputy headmaster's hand, I was captured not by its beauty, but by its unnaturalness. He held it out for me to take, and I couldn't even bring myself to raise a hand towards it.
The magic permeating the air around it was not native, like that of the school- where the magic poured into it and coming from it were from the land it was built on and the people who built it. It was not telluric, like that of the Dragons or Romania or even the forests surround the school- magic that was born into the world and thrived on the earth's innate magical core. It wasn't even somatic, like the magic of witches and wizards and other beings- flowing from inside the person, controlled.
The time turner's magic was something different all together, something I'd never felt before. I said so to the man, and he gave me an odd look. I'd later find out that what ever caused me to loose my memories as a child, also allowed me to grow up differently. I was more in touch with the world's natural magic; made me sensitive to magic around me. But for the time being, all I could do was ignore the look of disbelief and keep away from the small hourglass. It was sickly.
They say dark magic, however 'they' feel right to deem it so, is addicting. And it can be, but anything forbidden usually is. According Mai Lin, dark magic, the original stuff, not all this mumbo jumbo added on in the past seventy-five years or so when the ministry got a chip on it shoulder and decided to mess around with ancient rules and practices, is addicting.
"It's like eating a really delicious piece of chocolate cake. And like the chocolate cake, if it is not balanced with the good stuff, in this case light magic, then, well, you end up fat. Okay, so maybe not fat, but the same type of theory applies; too much of anything is never good." Mai Lin explained to me, "So dark magic is wonderfully moist and delicious chocolate cake, you following me? And every bite is wonderfully satisfying. Light magic is foods like vegetables and lean meats and nuts, all that really healthy stuff. Every time you eat it, you know it's good for you and your body needs it, but deep down, you know it's only a means to an end- that chocolate cake. If you never eat the chocolate cake, you get cranky and feel worn and unfulfilled. If all you eat it chocolate cake, something unpleasant is bound to happen to your body. Therefore, there must be balance."
As wonderful as her little speech was, looking back, I can only think I rained on her parade when I informed her that I never tasted any chocolate cake. Still, this time turner was not smoothly satisfyingly addictive like that. I'd call it neurotic; too sweet, too sticky, jumping around trying to cling to something, forced, totally artificial. It felt like the minute I let that magic touch me it would begin to eat away at me, rotting my own magic bit by bit. Though I shouldn't have been surprised. There is nothing natural about messing with time, so why would the magic behind it be.
Back then, in the deputy headmaster's office, I had quickly stood when this realization hit me. "I'm sorry, sir, but I cannot bring myself to even touch that thing." And after saying so, I left the room and went out into the forest to get some fresh, taint-free air. He never brought it up again. So whether he thought I was taking the high road, or something else, I was free of that tainted magic, until now.
As I enter the great hall, I have one of my moments, where everything slows down and time seems to stop. I've learned to understand by now, that these are critical moments; times when I need to observe and think and rationalize. These were time when being different from the other students came in handy; I am separated from the frozen masses, my mind running at full capacity, thinking quickly, my body reacting on instinct. I turn my head, quickly, watching my three friends, the only friends I have at school, approach me in slow motion. I quickly look to my other side, as the world still slows, and see Draco Malfoy making his way to me as well; this man, boy, who I have slowly been opening up to and learning to trust and feel out. He is different too, not like me, but different from the others. I am still figuring that out. The headmaster does not look happy at the head table, nor does the rest of the staff. Their eyes slowly rise to me, but unfrozen as I am, I am already looking elsewhere.
In front of the teacher's table, is a group of people dressed in heavy dark brown cloaks, who are already beginning to turn towards me. In the front, the only figure with his hood down is a tall auburn haired boy who looks to be about my age. His eyes make contact with mine, and suddenly memories of that time turner and it's nasty, forced, artificial magic come back to me. This boy feels the same. It's nauseating.
Before time has the chance to speed back up, I turn on my heel and leave the room, knowing the four males who were headed towards me will scramble to follow. I quickly break out onto the back lawn of the school, heading to the forest. The boys can find me later.
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It was a little bit after New Years; school was back in session. Mother was staying out of the war, and in France; leaving Father in England with his death eater friends. She'd gotten me out in time, before a mark could be forced on me, and into Bulgaria. I stayed at school for the holiday's, to avoid trouble, and was slowly getting to know Halyn better. My dorm mates are right; she is trouble.
I still watch her every morning from my table, and she knows, I've told her- well, more so confessed when she called me on it. Sometimes I join them, but her three bodyguards, or friends as she call them, still don't like me too much, so I don't push it.
I sit, waiting, eating my breakfast and making small talk, but the hall goes quiet. Walking through the doors is a small group of eight and as they get close to the head table, two take their hoods down. Alastair Potter and Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore has some words with the headmaster, but they are quiet, and as silent as the hall is we cannot hear them. Neither looks happy. The doors open again, and there is Halyn.
I get up, rushing to her, but somehow I'm not quick enough. I glance past her, seeing her three friends approaching her as well. Why can't one of us make it to her? I see her look at me, and them, and the scene before her. She makes a face like something smells rotten, and then she leaves. None of us have even reached her yet.
"How does she move so quickly?" Potter Jr. asks stupidly. Some of the hall snickers at him. I just rush after her. She is quick though, a known and accepted fact, and she looses us at the forests edge. We know better than to follow her into this part of the forest. We'll have to wait for her to come out.
Halyn, I found early on, can be often found outside, especially among the trees, and not only the dangerous ones. The second time I spoke to her was in the forest.
Upon the first week at school, I was rudely informed that no potion stores were kept for students and no purchases were to be made for ingredients without a signed form from the professor. Instead, we were expected to hunt for ingredients in the surrounding forests and shoreline. I was told anything I'd need could be found, and that I should begin building my personal stores early.
Grudgingly, over the next few weekends, I began 'hunting'. I was making good progress, too, until I came upon the part of the forest where vervain grows. The vervain was there, no problem, but so was a pack of hippogriffs. Hiding behind a large tree, far enough away, I contemplated what to do. I needed the vervain for a potion in two days, and they were unlikely to move on by then.
"Are you scared?" a female voice asked from above me. Looking up, I saw Halyn lounging about a story up in the tree branches with a baby hippogriff on her lap.
"What? No. Of course not." I replied, hoping not to sound as worried as I was. I still hadn't gotten oven that incident at Hogwarts.
Without any warning she jumped down from the branch she was in, landing right before me. The baby hippogriff was held tightly to her with two arms as it kicked and squealed.
"Merlin, you better put it down before the adults come for you. He doesn't look very happy."
"Nah, he's just having some fun. The brat actually climbed all the way up there by itself. I was just getting him back for his mom." She said casually, as she began to walk towards the herd. They all stopped, and watched her approach. I wanted to scream at her 'Bow! You have to bow!' But I couldn't; my voice was lost though my mouth was open.
I remained silent as I watched her walk up to one of the biggest in the group and bow, but what I mistook for a bow I quickly realized was her putting the little one down. The little one ran around her feet squealing and the big one head butted her in the side. I waited, holding my breath, as another squawked and ran over butting her too, and then another.
"Halyn! Are you alright?" I finally yelled, finding my voice when she was so surrounded I couldn't see her any more. I really hoped she wasn't dead. I faintly thought I heard giggling.
The yelling was a bad idea. They all suddenly stopped again, and turned to look at me. I watched, scared and mesmerized, and Halyn roughly pushed her way out from the middle of the group, and physically shouldered the closest one to me away.
"Cut it out, would you? He's scared enough as it is. I've told you before that these are potion ingredients you lot are determined to nest on." She said, facing the group of animals. Had she gone crazy?
The one she had shouldered, snorted, and the rest went back to whatever they were doing. The baby was now with its mother. Halyn motioned me over to her, where she was standing by a patch of vervain.
"Don't forget to bow," she reminded me and winked, "properly." As if she knew.
I bowed, waiting until the majority either ignored me or gave a miniscule bow back, before heading towards her.
"Why didn't you bow?" I asked, while I quickly gathered the plant I needed, "They're bloody proud creatures. Dangerous too."
"We have an understanding," she said softly, twirling a sprig of vervain between two fingers, "Plus, they're not as nearly as proud or dangerous as dragons."
After that, I began learning more and more about this endearing and quirky young woman by whom I was mesmerized. I had somehow gained an amount of her trust and I wish I knew what I had done to do so.
TBC…