Hello everyone

Ok, I lied...

One more chapter before we have our time skip and the story really gets started. One more chapter of baby-Sarah before we start building up towards the events of Philosopher's stone.

Once again, I'm blown away by the response this story is getting, thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to follow and/or favourite this story since my last update.

Thank you to: FireShifter, windsongspringheart, LunarCatNinja, ariella21, JannaKalderash, MotherBear, mad 4 the doctor, god of all, skidney and SaruwatariAsuka for their lovely reviews :)

This chapter is dedicated to JannaKalderash who pretty much pitched it to me- I liked the idea FAR too much to put it in the collection of one-shots.

Enjoy :)

Chapter Five: The Tainted Scar

"You know, I'm not an expert but I'm sure that scar should have faded a bit by now," Hazel remarked to her boyfriend as she entered the living room after putting Sarah to bed. "I mean, it's still as stark as it was when I picked her up from Petunia's- over a month ago, I think we need to talk to somebody about it."

"Who?" Sirius asked, pulling her close as she joined him on the sofa. "She's up to date with her check-ups at St Mungo's and none of the healers have said anything about it."

"I was thinking we could go to the goblins."

Sirius stared at her. "The goblins?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "They're renowned for their knowledge of magic that we wand users have long since forgotten."

"How do you know that?" Sirius demanded. "I know you did NEWT History but how in Merlin's name do you know that?"

"I found a book of goblin lore in a used book shop while I was in Denmark. It's a fascinating read- apparently the Gringotts goblins are just one of many races. At least half of the healing techniques we use today come from them."

Sirius didn't look convinced. "Even if we did take her to the goblins- who's to say that they could even do anything for her- it's a curse scar for Merlin's sake."

"If they can't then we're no worse off than we are now." Hazel returned, her mismatched eyes flashing. "We aren't losing anything by asking for their help."

Sirius nodded. "Alright, we'll do it."

Hazel kissed him.

Three days passed before Hazel and Sirius managed to get an appointment with the goblin in charge of the Potter family vaults, a diminutive potbellied goblin who introduced himself as Grimroot. Grimroot led them through to a spacious office furnished with desk and two chairs on one side and a single higher chair on the other. The goblin moved to the single chair and bade Hazel and Sirius sit in the other two.

"Now," he asked once everyone was settled. "How can I help you today sir and miss?"

"I'm worried about this scar on my niece's forehead," Hazel announced, and pulled the little pink hat from Sarah's head, revealing the stark lightning bolt.

Grimroot's eyes widened at the sight of the scar. He hopped down from his chair and moved closer to Sarah. Sarah snuggled closer to Hazel and clutched at the sleeve of her robes, but that was the only sign of discomfort she displayed.

Grimroot touched one long finger to the scar and frowned. "Hmm," he said after a pause. "I believe that I need to take this to a higher authority."

"Higher authority?" Hazel asked, exchanging a glance with her boyfriend.

"Indeed," said Grimroot. "I speak of the leader of the goblin nation and will send you an owl with his response. I will not lie, I do not like the look of that scar- there is something… foul about it."

"Foul?" Sirius echoed, brokenly as Hazel clutched Sarah closer, as if she thought she could protect he little one from everything that might wish to do her harm. "What do you mean?"

"I cannot say for certain," Grimroot admitted. "But I have seen a great many curse scars, but none which carry such a taint. There is an evil to it which no child should be burdened with. Remain here while I see whether his Majesty is amenable."

And just like that, the goblin waddled from the office.

"His Majesty?" Sirius asked, once the door had clicked shut behind Grimroot. "Since when have the goblins had a king?"

Hazel shrugged, bouncing a restless Sarah up and down on her knee. "I didn't know they had- I've heard of clan chiefs, but not goblin royalty."

Jareth smiled to himself as he stood watching with an intense feeling of satisfaction as a wished away met his new parents. The two peasants were clearly besotted by the son he had procured for them- the little changeling, who had no memory of life before he had been wished away, would make a perfect edition to their family.

"Your Majesty?"

Jareth tore his gaze away from the idyllic scene playing out before him to face the rotund goblin in Gringotts' Livery who had just appeared before him. "Yes?"

"Sire, the precious…"

"What of her?" Jareth asked. What business was she of this goblin's? Sarah was not yet two years old, she was of no particular interest to the Aboveground goblins yet.

"Her guardian, Miss Hazel Evans, brought her into the bank, worried about the scar on her brow."

"I know of the scar," he nodded.

"It is tainted," The goblin told him. "I believe it is a soul vessel."

"WHAT!?" Jareth demanded.

This was worrying. If it was true, how had he missed it? He had recognized a malignance when he had healed the wound and sealed the scar, but he had taken that to be a result of the downfall of the self-styled Dark Lord. How hadn't he noticed the taint when he had been mere inches away from Sarah just days later?

"Yes Majesty," the goblin confirmed. "I believed that you would wish to know- the child being who she is. I came to you almost immediately. The precious and her guardians await you in Ragnok's office in the bank."

Jareth vanished.

He appeared in the corridor on which the offices were located and not even bothering to don his usual glamour as he entered the room containing Sarah, her mother's twin, and her godfather.

"You're him aren't you?" the woman asked, staring at him. "You're the Goblin King?"

Jareth might have laughed as the witch parroted the first words which Sarah had spoken to him in her previous life. "Indeed."

Sarah appeared to recognize him. "Hi," she said brightly. "Hi oo,"

"Hello little one," Jareth smiled. "What has been done to you then?" he cast a glance at the woman who held Sarah on her lap and indicated that he wished to take the child from her. "May I…?"

The aunt offered no objection and Sarah went to him willingly. Jareth had to remind himself that this meant nothing- she was still a babe and he was familiar to her. He removed one of his gloves; teasing it from his fingers with his teeth; and laid the now bare hand over her marred brow.

Oh great Danu, how had he failed to notice this… this abomination which was, even now trying to burrow into and join itself to her soul. It had already made begun to feed on her magic. Sarah Potter, once the princess he had lost his heart too, had been latched onto by a portion of the soul of the monster bound to her by prophecy.

The wand users had a name for that. What was it- hor-something…

Horclump?

No, that was a sort of giant spiky mushroom.

Horcrux! Yes, that was it!

He shuddered, quite involuntarily.

"What is it?" Sarah's aunt asked. "Grimroot said that there was something evil in her scar. Is it hurting her?"

"Not yet," Jareth replied. "But it will if it is not removed."

"And can you?" Sarah's godfather asked, finally breaking his silence. "Remove the thing, I mean."

"I can," Jareth nodded. "Although it will cause her some discomfort."

Actually, no, it would probably cause her some considerable pain- maybe even make her ill for a day or so until she recovered from the ordeal; it all depended on just how much damage the remnant had already done to Sarah's magical well spring.

"But she'll recover?" the man asked, as Sarah's aunt entwined her fingers with his. "And the scar will fade?"

"Fade yes, but curse scars never fully heal."

"Get it out of her!" Sarah's aunt commanded, then remembering just who she was talking to she added in a softer tone which spoke of a caregiver desperate to do right by her charge. "Please, Your Majesty."

"Calm yourself madam," Jareth said soothingly. "I shall of course remove it, frankly it would be remise of me not to. Although this will be unpleasant for her, you have my word as king that she will be fine."

"Then please," the witch whispered. "Please, do it."

Jareth nodded. He sent a silent prayer to the old gods that he was strong enough not to stop when Sarah inevitably started screaming and adjusted his hold on the precious child.

He touched the scar with his finger tips and reaching out with his magic, he began to gently tease the magical parasite out of Sarah's head.

The piece of soul began to put up a fight.

Sarah began to scream.

When Sarah began to scream Hazel clutched Sirius' arm. Sirius had gone worryingly pale, not that she could blame him; he had confided in her, just after they had picked up their relationship again, that while he was in Azkaban he had dreamed of hearing Lily, James and Sarah screaming, of seeing their bodies, and of reliving that night only to enter the nursery and find Sarah as cold and lifeless as Lily and James had been.

And then the screaming stopped, and Hazel became aware of a new sound. The most beautiful music she had ever heard. Eyelids which she had not known she had closed fluttered open and found the source of the music.

The Goblin King was singing.

Merlin, his voice was sublime. She had no idea what the man… goblin… hell she didn't know what he was- was singing, but she didn't want him to stop.

Sarah seemed as enthralled by the song as Hazel was, more so perhaps, because her little niece didn't seem aware of anything beside the song. Her green eyes were wide and trained upon the king, and her mouth hung open slightly in childish wonder.

A short time later; it could have been minutes or moments; the King's song came to an end and as he removed his un-gloved hand from Sarah's forehead, a writhing black tendril of something smoky came away in his fingers.

The Goblin King flicked his wrist and all of a sudden the horrific thing which had been hiding away inside Sarah's scar was encased in a glass ball.

As he encased the remnant of soul in a crystal Jareth leaned against the desk to steady himself. The thing had put up quite a struggle to remain where it was, which meant that Jareth had been forced to call upon spells which he had not used since he was in the school room- invoking the elements to give their aid in tearing out the parasite without causing Sarah lasting harm.

He handed the baby back to her aunt who held her close, peppering kisses to her downy black hair, her forehead and her cheeks.

"Thank you," said the witch thickly, looking up at him with sparkling mismatched eyes, and then she recoiled slightly as Sarah was sick over her. Beside her, Sarah's godfather raised his hand to his mouth to keep from laughing.

"Mama, icky,"

Jareth's heart was moved by Sarah's plaintive whimper.

"It's ok baby," the aunt cooed, and was promptly rewarded by another shower of vomit.

"Forgive me," Jareth said to the woman. "I should have warned you that this was a possibility. Keep her warm and comfortable, she will be fine in a day or two."

"Thank you Sire," the aunt nodded and rose from her chair, moving slowly and smoothly in an attempt to keep Sarah from being sick again.

It didn't work.

Sarah's aunt winced.

Sarah continued to be ill for the rest of the day, but seemed much improved when she woke the next morning. Hazel and Sirius made a conscious decision to tell nobody about their encounter with the King of the Goblins- not even Remus. After all, even in the wizarding world, who would believe a story about the goblins having a king; especially a king that neither of them could describe as both of them discovered that all memory of what the king looked like had faded from their minds by morning.

~v~

Next time: We skip ahead ten years, a school trip reveals something unexpected about Sarah and the the Girl Who Lived gets her Hogwarts letter. I mean it this time too.

Until next time: please leave a contribution in the little box. :)