-Prologue-
Consciousness returned and she felt her head. A large lump rose on the back and it was exceedingly painful to the touch. "Lumos" she whispered and her fingertip lit up brightly showing her the shabby state of the cupboard under the stairs blood went from the door to her current spot on the floor from the bleeding of her scalp wound.
It had happened again...memory seared through her skull and she was there back at the very beginning of summer. The first night in her room he had come and she had used her wand to Stupefy him wards were drawn all over her room and he stopped coming up, but a month passed and he grew bold and foolish. After dinner he came to the kitchen and ripped at her clothes a wave of her hand levitated him into the air and she was about to drop him when her aunt came in and she never even saw the club.
The first time she had woken up it was in the closet. Her wand was gone and she was still wearing the ripped clothes a small door opened and food was shoved through her aunt's shrill voice, "Tempting my boy your freak! There will be none of that here you little slut. You'll stay in the cupboard all summer long and not tempt my boy with your freakish ways you little trollop!"
It was interminable boredom, no sun, not note of time passing. One meal per day slipped under that tiny door which was bolted and chained after each use. She had been so hungry her insides gnawing at her and the shadow slipping into her mind, but even his darkness could do nothing here. So, her mind slid away into her happy protective zone and into the radiant white light of peace. No anger, no hunger just a radiant simple joy and it flowed through her until one day instead of dust on the floor there was food.
She had smiled, her magic had worked transfiguration had turned each bit of dust on her floor into a bit of food she could eat and eat she did with abandon, but it was not to last. That was when she heard the bolt cutters working outside the closet.
The next moment he was in the closet with her his questing paws on her flesh and her magic worn out from the wandless power she had expended. He was pulling and grasping, sweaty heavy and disgusting and then she saw her aunt again.
The ugly thin woman screeched and Dudley was gone. Her own reflexes were like molasses and she tried to get up, tried to run, but it hurt so much and her starved state was no help and then she felt the club again and again. Darkness had consumed her once again until now.
Her head pounded screaming in agony at the light her finger was giving off, but she needed it to see. The food she had transfigured from the dust was gone all that was in the room were herself and the blood trail. Then her stomach growled and so in addition to her headache her starvation called itself to the fore.
She needed a better plan this time she couldn't transfigure food again without days of meditation and she wouldn't survive days. She needed help and if she delved into her shadow it would just kill and destroy getting her sent to prison. She sighed softly and pondered under the light of her spell.
Her meal came again with no statements from her aunt this time. Thin gruel she had to eat straight from the bowl, but as she was eating a bit dripped onto her shirt. She wiped It off and ate it, but her gaze lingered on the shirt. She realized that it was a material and then stared at the long line of blood on the floor realizing that it could be ink.
She finished the only meal she would get for the day and tore a strip off her shirt big enough to write on. She licked her fingernail once and dragged it through her dried blood. The tip became light red and she scratched a simple message into the material
Help!
Please come to my house Hermione.
Harry
With her message written Harriett Potter folded the scrap of cloth up into an envelope shape and slowly worked a bit of transfiguration. After that she carefully added Hermione's address to the front of the item and slowly concentrated.
In her mind's eye she saw it the "junk" drawer opened slightly and then a single stamp rips itself off and flutters to the ground as the drawer softly closes. After that the stamp would slowly meander across the hall floors and under the cupboard door. Then she smiled as the small stamp fluttered into her hands.
With a whispered work of thanks to her magic she licked the stamp and affixed it to her missive. After that she fell asleep due to the extreme exertion.
The small feeding door opened and she ate. Then it happened again. Time slowly passed and she gathered her magic to her for the next day, one chance to save herself and it would rely on her memories and her ability to use levitation without a wand.
The door opens and the food is shoved through as she acts. The letter flies out and her aunt screeches with anger and frustration as it sails past and down the hall. The front door opens slightly and the letter sails into the air and then down the block. It is harder and harder to control, hard to remember every detail of what she needs, but she concentrates and holds the tenuous connection between herself and the letter as a public mailbox opens its hinge slightly and the letter slides in.
Once again she is overcome with exhaustion. Once again darkness claims her until there is light and a new feminine scream of outrage.
-Chapter 1-
Her parents had assured her that Harriett would write back, but it had been a month and a few weeks into the summer and still no response. They were getting ready for their trip to Paris and then she would be out of contact until the very beginning of the school year.
Hermione sighed as she flipped through a book without actually reading it and then her mother came in bearing a concerned expression on her face. Hermione looked up at the woman and said, "What is it mum?"
"A letter from your friend Harriett, but it feels strange and the ink, well it looks almost like blood." The elderly Granger woman stared at the odd item and hesitantly held it out for Hermione to see.
The younger girl tore it from her grasp and opened it. Even as she did the object reformed into its original piece of ripped shirt with its dire message inside. Hermione looked up to her mother with fear in her eyes even as her mother was staring at the strange item with shock. "We have to go mother! We have to find out what's wrong with Harry."
She couldn't very well refuse her daughter; a thirteen year old girl had written a dire message in blood and yet at the same time she wasn't so very sure. "Honey don't you think we should dial up the police?"
Hermione looked to her mother and said, "Yes, but we should go. They won't know where to look and I do. Come on mother we have to help."
The older Granger woman nodded and sighed in defeat as she said, "Very well let's get your father as well."
It was the male Granger who said, "I agree we ought to dial up the police, but what can we tell them? We certainly can't say that our daughter received a magical letter written in blood."
He was, of course, right and so the three Grangers got into the car and drove over to the Dursley household. A knock on the door produced no answer as Petunia was at work and Dudley was out playing with friends and possibly planning a new assault on the cage where his cousin was being held.
Daniel Granger tried the knob without much success and he shrugged lightly saying, "Seems to be locked love."
Hermione simply frowned and stared at the offending lock. Then she pulled out her wand and whispered, "Alohamora" the lock clicked and she opened the door. Her parents looked at her with some amazement and then stepped in behind her as she walked into the house.
Soon enough they were at a triple padlocked and chained cupboard door with a strong steel feeding door at its bottom. Before seeing this item both of Hermione's parents had been wary of their actions, but now it seemed like their daughter might just be right. Even as they were realizing these things Hermione practically shouted, "ALOHAMORA!" and all the locks on the door opened at once.
The bushy haired girl pulled at loose chains and opened the cupboard door and there on the floor in front of the Grangers was a half-starved, beaten young girl unconscious on the floor before them. It was Emma Granger who shrieked with rage as her daughter swept to Harriett's side and began doing what simple healing spells she could.
Dan simply walked into the closet and checked her vitals as well. Even as he was doing that Emma got over her anger and quickly marched to a phone. With a savage yank she grabbed the handset and began to call for emergency assistance. She hadn't ever met Petunia Dursley, but anyone who could do something so cruel to a child in their care was a monster in her book.
Soon enough there were the flashing lights of a police wagon and soon after than an ambulance. The ambulance took the young beaten Harriett to the hospital with Hermione and her mother by her side. Dan was left to answer the questions of the police presenting them with the letter Harriett had written to his daughter as evidence. Afterwards giving his statement he went to the hospital where he was allowed in the waiting room.
Sometime later his wife and daughter met with him, having been questioned themselves at the hospital, and he spoke quietly hugging his daughter close with a tear in his eye saying, "You told us it was bad love, but I guess we didn't want to believe it was that bad. We should have….done more…"
It was a sentiment all three of them shared hitting Hermione hardest of all because she knew even more about the Dursley's and their treatment of her friend. Even so she wondered what would happen to Harriett now, where would she be sent, and it scared her greatly.
Meanwhile, Harriett awoke fully noting that her magic was attenuated but there and a gentle voice was speaking to her. She looked up and saw the woman an elderly lady wearing a comfortable business suit and holding a bag of some sort. Harriett smiled up at her and she smiled back, "I see you are awake. I am from the Office of Children's Welfare my name is Glinda and I will be your advocate and case worker."
Harriett nodded then tilted her head quizzically, "Hermione?
"Your friend and her family are in the waiting room here at the hospital. You have suffered quite a bit and it is my job to help alleviate that suffering." The woman smiled a loving grandmotherly smile and almost radiated warmth and protection.
She continued speaking as Harriett halfheartedly smiled back. "According to our records your parents died in some sort of house explosion when you were a child. It is unknown how, but you were left in the care of your aunt and uncle since that time. Unfortunately, there is no record of any additional living family."
Harriett shrugged and then tentatively added, "I think there is more to the Dursley family ma'am."
Glinda shook her head, "No, I think it would be best to remove you from that environment. There is a small home for young girls here in London that you can stay at for the rest of the summer. There are counselors and tutors there."
She scratched her head lightly and then said, "Now, according to our records you are Attending Hogwarts School. There is not much information about it anywhere, but it has been investigated and is an appropriate place of learning if perhaps a bit light on the sciences. Was your Aunt providing the funding for you to attend?"
"No ma'am my parents left my tuition in their will I am told." The lady listened to that and made a note of it.
"I don't have any records here of any other inheritance Harriett, but I believe sending you back to that school will be good for you." She smiled again and stepped closer, "Now I suppose you will be wanting to see your friend and her family?"
Harriett nodded and Glinda departed the woman went to see the Granger family and stood in front of the three she introduced herself and her role as Harriett's advocate and case worker. Then she brought the three along with her.
All four people walked down the hallways and soon enough they arrived in Harriett's room. There Hermione took Harriett up in a big hug and the two girls smiled happily and began to chat. Meanwhile Emma looked at the two and then at the social worker, "I know this may be a bit early, but do you know where she'll be going?"
"The Sisterhood of Charity's home for young ladies is most likely."
Emma nodded at that and then said, "Do you think it would be possible for my husband and I to take her in?"
Glinda smiled at the woman and said, "It's a big responsibility. Why don't you talk it over with your husband and if you really want to go that route you can fill out the paperwork and have the requisite home visits from my agency."
She nodded and then went to speak with her husband. The middle aged dentist had heard what his wife had asked of the social worker and he had been thinking the same thing. Hermione and Harriett were best friends already and while he and his wife did not yet love their daughter's young friend they were quite fond of her. Of course if they did this it would mean curtailing their vacation trip to Paris and staying home during the summer along with a monthly check up from social services and then a few times every year.
He elucidated those very things to his wife as they conversed lightly while their daughter smiled and spoke with her best friend. Even so visiting hours were soon over and they had to depart. They said their goodbyes and left Harriett in her hospital bed.
Glinda had left some time before that to arrange the details of Harriett's arrival at the group home the next day. She would pick the young girl up from the hospital and then take her to the Dursley house without anyone inside. There they would pack her belongings and travel to the group home where Harriett would live for a while.
-Chapter 2-
Albus Dumbledore was quite upset. Harriett potter had left her house and by the time he arrived at the scene police where everywhere examining the place. He had disillusioned himself and snuck in there he saw the cupboard and frowned lightly at its contents and then shook his head knowing that it had been for the greater good. Still Harriett wasn't at the house and he had no further information to go on.
He sighed lightly realizing that it was too late to do anything for it. He took time to use his legillimancy on the police officers at the house until he found one who knew where Harriett had been taken. After that he simply apparated to the hospital and looked in on the girl.
Finding her asleep in her bed he put a tracking charm on her and apparated away knowing that wherever the muggles took her he would now be able to find her and possibly rectify the damage by erecting wards around the property. He briefly thought of letting her stay with a Wizarding family, but discarded the idea. She needed to be as ignorant as possible and to count on his leadership most of all. She had to go like a lamb to the slaughter or else all was lost. He sighed softly again, but then popped a lemon drop in his mouth and smiled. He would fix this and the greater good would be served.
A few days later he arrived at the Sisterhood of Charity's Home for Young Ladies where he met with some of the staff and requested a visit with Harriett saying that he was her great grandfather. Not that his story would matter as they would all forget his visit soon after he was done.
He was escorted to a small room and his young brown haired student was brought in. She frowned deeply at his presence and he gave one of his patented grandfatherly smiles with a twinkle in his eye, "Ahh Harry I am glad to see you well after your ordeal and very saddened by the fact that it happened. I wish I could have done something more to help you my girl."
Her shadow roiled with hatred of this man and she herself was not feeling very amicable towards him, but she forced a smile to her face and found her center. She smiled back at him and said, "Thank you sir I am well and arrangements are working apace for my health and safety. Not to worry sir I will be seeing you at Hogwarts when the new semester begins."
He tried not to frown as he said, "What sort of arrangements Harriett my dear girl? You know I can place wards and protections here and it seems like a good place. The Anglican religious elements should help dissuade your enemies some as well."
She shrugged at him and kept her sweet smile up as she told the perfect truth, "It is up to the muggle authorities sir. I'm sure they will find me a nice place to live and perhaps by using such means any wizard who seeks to do me harm will have a terribly difficult time of doing so."
She had a point and besides any muggles would do to keep her as ignorant as possible. He sighed wishing she weren't so studious and interested in information as that alone was ruining his plans, but there was little to be done, but hope the greater good would be served. Besides a tracking charm would let him know where she went. "A good point dear girl do let me know how it goes I am, as always, interested in your health and safety."
She wondered just where he had been while she was bleeding on the floor in her cupboard, but let it go. Her smile stayed on her lips and she nodded happily, "Of course sir. I will let you know how it goes."
The elderly wizard departed after refreshing his tracking charm and Harriett concentrated on that charm slipping it from her outfit and into the desk. She felt the tension and anger from her shadow. She didn't hate Dumbledore like her shadow did, but she didn't trust him either. She explained this to herself and said, "Don't worry we'll tell him the perfect truth. We are being taken in by a muggle foster family and they are quite nice. We can simply forget to mention the exact name of that family."
-Chapter 3-
Harriett smiled lightly in her shared room at the group home for young ladies. Her bags were packed up, including some presents she had received via owl mail, and she knew that soon the Grangers would be here and she would be celebrating her thirteenth birthday with her new foster family.
It had taken some time in weeks and an assurance to her advocate that she would indeed enjoy living with her best friend, but it was finally happening. She gathered her things and began bringing them to the common room where Sister Angela was watching the television.
The sister looked up and smiled at the young girl saying, "We'll miss you Harriett love, but we are all happy to see you go with a family. If only the other girls were as blessed."
Harriett couldn't comment much on that. The young girls at the home were in just as bad, if not worse straights, than she had been. Abuse was the common theme and group counseling sessions had not been very much fun. Especially since every time she was in the sessions she could hear her shadow following her own negative thoughts. She knew he wanted to slaughter the Dursleys and after hearing some of the other girl's tales he wanted to eviscerate their tormentors as well. She knew it was true and despite her best intentions some part of her soul resonated with him on that level. Some part of her dove past the light and slunk into the shadows where it wanted to torture, maim, and murder the people right along with her mental visitor.
She shivered a moment and focused on happy thoughts until the Granger family arrived. With their help she packed her bags and bid the nun a goodbye with a hug. As they departed the home a Television show announced that a vicious murderer named Sirius Black was on the loose.
The information was mostly ignored and the four people began to drive towards the Grangers home with Harriett saying, "So you got a letter too then Hermione?"
The bushy haired girl nodded and said, "Yes I know I mentioned it to you and our family had to pay the fine for underage use of magic and of course it was twice in a row, but I looked in the legal books and until they send the first warning there's a spot of time so there was nothing they could do but give me the fine."
Her father replied, "We were happy to pay it and glad you're willing to stay with us until school starts again."
His wife added, "I agree we may not have gone to Paris this year, but this was much more important. Besides, I'm sure we can always go next year with you Harriett."
The green eyed girl smiled happily at her situation nudging Hermione, "I see you left my cat at home hmm Hermione?"
"What?" Hermione answered with mock annoyance, "Crookshanks is my kitty even if you do bribe him away with your evil ways. But, yes he is home try not to spoil him overmuch okay Harry?"
Harriett nodded and the car continued to converse about small things as they went. Soon enough they arrived at the Granger residence and Harriett's bags were carried into a spare bedroom. A small party was held with cake and presents and the four person family exchanged hugs.
If Harriett was somewhat confused by her body's reaction to hugging Hermione she didn't say anything and simply went up to her room where she sat and began penning a letter to Dumbledore.
"Dear Headmaster Dumbledore,
I feel very safe here with my foster family and in keeping with your suggestions of precaution I am leaving their name and address out of this missive.
I just wanted to thank you for your concern as to my situation and to let you know that I will be very wary of anyone I believe might be out to harm me or mistreat me in the future.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Harriett "Harry" Potter
She smiled again at her work knowing that if he were to read it in the right light it might just show that she distrusted him greatly. Even so she was absolutely sure that everything she had written was the complete and honest truth and if Dumbledore came seeking her out he would have a terribly difficult time finding her.
A few days later found the Headmaster of Hogwarts stymied in that Harriett was extraordinarily correct in her estimations. His tracing spell led him only to the Holy Sisterhood and very few people there knew who Harriett had gone with. He tried some passive legilimancy, but the nuns who actually did know Harriett's new family were very devout and close-minded. This meant that, unless he was willing to openly pull out his wand in front of muggles, he was stuck.
He frowned lightly and finally decided to leave it as it was. Harriett had obviously taken his warning to heart and if he couldn't find her then it was rather unlikely that any Death eaters would.
-Chapter 4-
Harriett looked through the window at the Firebolt broomstick with Hermione at her side. "It looks rather fast I suppose."
Her friend smiled and said, "True, but what would you need it for. Tempted to try out for Quiddich then?"
"Oh gods no, can you imagine. The sport makes entirely no sense. A single player and single activity wins the game which is entirely unrelated to the rest of the game. No, I can honestly say I have no interest in playing Quiddich. Now if it were football instead that would be a different story."
Hermione giggled and said, "You and your dislike of Quiddich and who knew that dad was going to find another football nut in the house."
The green eyed girl smiled back, "Yes, well I'd never seen it before and it is rather exciting. Nothing at all like the Quiddich games here. Now if only we could remove the snitch or even play football on our brooms using levitation spells on the ball…"
The other girl giggled again, "Oh goodness you'd totally win with your ability to levitate things so well even without a wand."
A loud voice behind them shouted, "Hey get off of him you mangy cat!"
The two girls looked and surely enough Crookshanks was attempting to savage Ron's rat. Hermione was quickest on the scene picking up her kitty, petting him, and soothing him. "That cat is a menace!"
"Please attempt to understand Ron, Hermione's animal is a cat and he eats rats. That's just all there is to it. No harm was meant he must have just been hungry."
Ron stared back at Harriett and said, "Well you just like that cat better than my rat."
The girl-who-lived really couldn't fault his statement. She did like the cat better than some dingy old rat. "Well that may be true, but I'll try and help Hermione keep him away this year just like last. Maybe you should try not to let your rat just run around though hmm?"
Ron huffed and walked off only to be replaced by a lovely blond girl who said, "You know he may be part sneazel?"
"I doubt Ron is any part sneazel Luna."
The flighty girl laughed lightly and said, "Not him Harry your and Hermione's pet cat there."
"He's mine, not Harriett's even if she does bribe him from time to time." The girl stuck out her tongue in a mock sort of way.
Harriett giggled lightly and said, "Well we can always check and see Luna, what sort of things should we look for?"
"Hmm well the supposedly have heightened intelligence and a protective instinct. According to legend they also can hide very well in the dark. I guess the biggest thing would be if he were able to sense and hunt out animals in other forms. If he doesn't like Ms. McGonagle then it's likely he's a sneazle mix."
The green eyed girl nodded and said, "See Hermione that's why she's in Ravenclaw."
"Oh and what explains our placement in with Gryffindor then?"
Harriett shrugged and said, "You got me there. Maybe there was a mix up with the sorting hat. Or it could be that the magic item just had spot impressions to go on and both of us were radiating courage in the face of adversity while Luna here was probably thinking about a Crumple Horned Snorcack"
Hermione frowned and said, "Oh no not this again. I'll accept that you have changed your perspective, but I'm not changing mine. I want proof first."
Luna looked curious at Harry and Hermione and said, "What are you talking about."
"Well," began Harriett, "It's like this Hermione and I are both muggle raised so we come from a world where evidence is required before you believe in things. Hermione is staying with that process, while I have moved to a trust, but verify sort of process in that if someone tells me a magical item or creature exists I will believe that it might indeed exist, but will then attempt to verify. This is why I believe in Crumple Horned Snorcacks and Hermione does not."
The Ravenclaw girl took that explanation in, "Well why don't you two come on an expedition with father and I next summer. Surely if you find spoor, footprints, and an actual Snorcack you would be convinced."
Hermione sighed and said, "Fine I'll go, but if I'm right I get to say I told you so."
Harriett nodded and with Luna in tow the three girls went about their shopping together for the rest of the day. Another few days after that found the three of them and Neville Longbottom on the Hogwarts express journeying to the school for Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The journey proceeded apace with laughter and friendship all about. Harriett joined in for a time until, at a point mid journey, Hermione was laughing at a joke of Neville's and time seemed to slow down as a dark form approached the window. Her father screaming epithets and a green light arose in her vision. It was horrific and it seemed to take forever as the darkness consumed her she felt her shadow being pulled away first. Her eyes blinked open even as her friends were cowering in fear at the dark apparition over her head its mouth was wide and disgusting and she could see her Shadow being taken out of her he was dying slowly and she was helpless….no….not helpless…she felt the bright light of love her inner fire and all her hopes and desires. She tugged them forwards and heard the words her Shadow was speaking to her or a part of them and she spoke as she held out her wand, "Angelus Incendia!"
The power rushed from her and out of her wand a bright cleansing fire in the shape of a dove. The black creature in front of her screamed and turned to run even as it burned and then the side wall of the train and the dove shot out into the world, then into the sky exploding in a flash of white glory. While Harriett just collapsed and fell unconscious her friends holding her, tapping her arm and asking questions….
She woke looking at an older man with black hair and a fraying wizards robe. A piece of chocolate was handed to her. She took it and ate it as he said, "Lupin, Professor Remus Lupin at your service Harriett."
She shook her head and sat up and wondering aloud, "What happened?"
"A Dementor seems to have attacked the train. You chased it off using some sort of spell, but none of your friends can say which one. Was it the patronus?"
She shook her head as the vision went through her head. Shadow her shadow had been dying somehow and she had listened to him about a spell or maybe changed one that he was telling her. She had pulled on the light the same one she visited when she needed to disappear from herself tugged at that amazing white power even as the most vile part of her was being destroyed. She could have let him die could have said goodbye, but she had not wanted to. His companionship no matter how depraved, no matter how distorted had been with her all her life. Going without it was nearly unimaginable now. "I don't think it was a Patronus sir, but I'd like to learn that spell too if you're willing?"
The professor nodded and said, "All right Harriett. We'll arrange a schedule and you can learn the spell. Should be pretty easy compared to whatever the other one was."
That was the last thing he said before the train came to a stop and she exited the car to find her belongings. In the mad rush of departure she had little time to speak with her friends and then they were at the sorting ceremony.
It was not until late that night when she was sitting on her bed with Hermione next to her when the bushy haired girl spoke, "I looked it up. The creature was a dementor, but the only known spell for defeating them is the patronus. The words for that spell are, 'Expecto Patronum' and you didn't use those Harriett."
The unspoken question was sitting there waiting for her to answer it and she sighed. Her green eyes scanning over her friend as she said, "You want to know what spell I did cast right?"
The other girl nodded lightly a curl bouncing off her shoulder and making her look delicate and soft. Harriett sighed again and said, "Well I'm going to bet you looked in some spell compendium indexes and couldn't find the spell there either. This….." she raised her hands in the air and then touched her scar, "well its complicated."
"You're my best friend Harry, my first friend and you stay at my house. I know about your relatives and what they did to you as well. What could possibly change my opinions now?" The bushy haired girl took Harriett's hand in her own. "Don't you see Harriett we're so close to each other. You can tell me."
Harriett smiled back as she realized she loved Hermione. Plainly and simply she loved her best friend and she needed to let her know everything. "It's my shadow he or it lives inside me. He tells me things and helps me in bad situations. I think I know where he came from…."
Hermione looked back at her green eyed friend saying softly, "What do you mean Harry?"
"He, it…Shadow is like the creature we found inside Ginny and yet he's different. I think he was once exactly the same, but my father's death or something changed him. He wants me to live and survive and is prepared to do anything towards that goal and a few others…."
Harriett blushed as Hermione took the information in and then began to panic, "He's Voldemort? Inside of you? Harriett we have to get him out!"
The green eyed girl shook her head, "I think I had the chance today, to let him die, but I couldn't do it. As much as he is against my morals and ethics I've had him with me my whole life. I can't just let him go he's…well…he's my Shadow…"
She finished lamely as Hermione looked at her with a mixture of fear and questioning. "Your entire life, but…but…you're not like Ginny. You're not a bad person at all. I don't understand? You just ignore him?"
"Yes, and he's helped me twice against other versions or spirits of himself. I guess the original Voldemort must have made them, like the book, so he could continue to live even after death maybe. I was planning to try and find out what a Horcrux was, but so far the library hasn't been helpful." She smiled somewhat sheepishly.
Hermione tilted her head, "It saved you on the train….and in the chamber didn't it?"
"Well in the chamber for sure," she answered, "on the train it saved itself by giving me the idea for that spell. It tried to hand me something dark I think, but I knew I could tap into love and happiness and make it light."
Hermione stared as her friend once again informed her that she had simply broken the established guidelines on how magic should work. Levitation shouldn't be possible without a wand and spell creation was supposed to take years not mere moments. She smiled ruefully and hugged her friend deciding that maybe the other girl had things under control. As her arms wrapped around the green eyed girl and she hugged her close a warm feeling rushed through her and she felt some parts of her body react. Hermione blushed as that happened and hoped that Harriett hadn't noticed.
The other girl had noticed and had similar reactions of her own, but did not say anything at all. She just let herself revel for that moment in the hug.
-Chapter 5-
It wasn't until classes began that Harriett began to hear the gossip and see the newspapers. Apparently Sirius Black, the man who had supposedly betrayed her parents to Voldemort, had escaped from Azkaban. Harriett was reading the paper and examining the details therein noting that most of them were quite slim.
Hermione looked over and said, "Worried about Sirus Black Harry?"
"I don't know the paper is quite sparse on the details of his trial. Did he really betray my parents? Does he have a dark mark? It's very much a tabloid this paper even worse than the Sun and nothing at all like the Telegraph. I wish there was a reputable paper to read, but alas even the Quibbler is more tabloid than truth."
The girl with green eyes frowned and Hermione said, "Well I suppose we could do that if we really wanted to when we get older."
"Not a bad idea Hermione. First we'll research this Black thing and get the real story and then we'll have to ask Luna and maybe her father to find out how much it costs to publish these things."
The bushy haired girl nodded and said, "Maybe we could even turn in stories for the Quibbler or something. I bet we could convince her and her father to let us since she already writes stories too."
"Good plan and it would increase readership of the Quibbler maybe even get our names out as trusted information brokers. People deserve to read the truth and the whole truth at that."
With that the two girls walked off to find Luna. The blonde girl was rather happy to see them and upon hearing their plans agreed to speak with her father and help them in their research saying, "Besides, we may find out more on the rot fang conspiracy while we're at it."
Harriett shrugged and said, "You never know Luna. We might at that."
Hours of research later gave them no better answers to their questions. Harriett stared at an old paper about the trial saying, "Look it doesn't say anything about the evidence other than he supposedly killed muggles and this Peter fellow, but few witnesses were talked to and even then how could you trust a non-magical person to know which wizard was casting what spell? Also, his wand wasn't even examined and no Veritaserum was used. Or if it was it isn't mentioned in the paper!"
The girl shook her head and growled, "This is exactly the reporting we need to put an end to. Details and facts are important right?"
Hermione nodded and Luna said, "So many of the creatures I find have few facts for their existence. I just have to believe that I'm right."
Hermione looked at her and said, "But we could find facts, we could take pictures of spoor and footprints. We could prove they exist or not and then your belief would be verified."
The green eyed girl sighed and said, "Magical creatures aren't the same as this really. Myths and legends could be true or something might be invisible or hard to detect, but with so much of Wizards there are spells and ways to detect spells and even ways to get the real truth. A paper should be about trying to find that, not just posting a sensational story."
Hermione chuckled and Harriett added, "Well maybe a sensational story, but a true one. They can be just as sensational and true can't they?"
The other two girls nodded and Luna was convinced to speak to her father about getting Harriett and Hermione onto the writing staff of the Quibbler. The response was quite positive and soon after that two more junior reporters were on the job.
Another day or so later gave the two girls their first story of the year as Hagrid taught the Care of Magical Creatures class. Each student was instructed on how to approach the seemingly wild hippogriff named Buckbeak. Harriett followed instructions and bowed to the creature with respect and was then rewarded with a quick flight.
In her wake Draco Malfoy approached the creature with a sneer and said, "I won't bow to such a mangy filthy beast. Especially, not to one that just carried such a Bloodtraitor Whore like Potter."
He was too close to the creature as he said it and it clawed him. The blond screamed in agony and even as Hagrid calmed the beast yelled, "You'll hear from my father for this. That mangy creature will be destroyed for daring to harm a scion of house Malfoy!"
It was the first story that Harriett and Hermione worked on together. Getting facts from students and even trying to ask Miss Pompfrey about treating the injury, but the nurse refused on medical privacy grounds. Even so they were able to get a picture of the bandaged wound and eye witness testimony from other students so that by the time Lucious went to the Minister of Magic the story about how Draco refused to follow instructions and was thus harmed by his own ignorance was out in the Quibbler.
In the meantime as bureaucratic wheels turned and Malfoy gold lined a minister's pockets the students had other classes to attend. These included arithmancy, ancient runes, and Defense against the Dark arts where professor Lupin was teaching the class about Boggarts.
The white orb popped like a balloon and the professor nodded, "So you see class a simple downward slash and 'Riddiculus' thus is the creature chased away back into its hidey hole and removal can proceed apace. Would anyone like to try it and face off against their fear?"
Hands raised and students went up to each try their luck with the creature. Neville saw professor Snape, Hermione saw a failed test and Ron saw a giant spider. Harriett waited her turn, but class ended before they got to her. As they were leaving Lupin said, "Anyone who missed their chance please see me and I will arrange a time for you to try it. Anyone who failed to cast the spell should practice more in their dorm and then arrange a time with me to try again. I want to get this out of the way before we tackle some of the other advanced defenses."
Even as she stepped passed him Lupin said, "Oh Harriett I have some time tomorrow evening if you could stop by for tea and such please?"
She smiled at him and nodded.
-Chapter 6-
Hermione sighed, "It looks like Malfoy's father is going to get his way despite our reporting. The dangerous animals department is examining the issue and will get back to the Minister and Malfoy within a month or so. In the meantime Buckbeak stays imprisoned and Hagrid is reduced to talking about flobberworms."
"I know Hermione, but I can't think of much else we can do. It's been terribly hard even getting that information by sending letters to agencies. Not to mention that apparently Sirius Black's files have been sealed by Ministry authority and it would take the full Wizengamot to unseal them for anyone's purview."
She growled lightly and said, "If I were Minister of magic I swear we'd change all these rules and institute a new government. A constitution like Canada's might work what do you think?"
Even as she said it her shadow grinned inside she was exactly on the train of thought he wanted to see and his glee increased tenfold as Hermione nodded, "It's a good plan. A constitution with freedoms and putting checks on the power of the Ministry. Lucious Malfoy shouldn't be so able to throw money and get what he wants without breaking a law."
It was Luna who added, "The parliament of England seems not to be all that much better though. Rotfang conspiracy seems to have gotten to them as well."
"Well that breaks my bubble Luna, but still I think we should get so much of this changed and I bet Hermione agrees. Even at its most corrupt worst I doubt Parliament is anything near as bad as the Wizengamot and Minister of Magic."
"I agree Harry." She smiled at her friend who smiled back and then Luna smiled as well all three girls having a happy moment even as they were unable to fix a broken system.
Soon after her research and discussion with her friends Harriett came to Professor Lupin's office and knocked. When a voice told her to come in she entered and sat down next to the professor. Lupin smiled down at her and said, "I was good friends of the Potters Harriett, very good friends with James and Lilly."
Harriett nodded and he continued with a smile, "It's been a long time since those days a long sad time for you more than me I would think. I'm really sorry for everything that happened to you. If I could have done anything….."
She shook her head, "It's okay professor you didn't know. Other people were tasked with my care and they failed. You shouldn't feel bad that you weren't there and besides I have a Foster family now and things are looking up."
"Hmm, but no signed permission slip for Hogsmeade?" He queried.
"No, my foster parents didn't feel that it would be safe there. I'm not sure I think it would be safe either a permission slip with their names on it might just be what some Voldemort supporter was looking for to find me."
The professor sighed, "So young and I wish I could say your paranoia was unjustified, but I truly can't. In any case I do have a boggart here if you'd like to practice and you mentioned the Patronus charm. I can help you with that as well."
Lupin pointed to a box near him and Harriett examined it wondering just what her Boggart would look like. She examined the box a bit more and then pulled out her wand saying, "Okay professor I'm ready."
He nodded and opened the box. When a girl looking like Harriett appeared from within with elongated nails, sharp teeth, and coated with blood he was utterly flummoxed. Harriett on the other hand knew exactly what it was it was her. Her if she only listened to Shadow her in the depths of darkness and feeding from it. The vision was mad power and psychopathy and yet it was also her. Even so she concentrated imagining the girl with a pink bow in her hair and shouting the intonation for the spell "Riddiculus!"
With a pop the vision was gone and the Boggart was back in its box. She then smiled to the professor and said, "Thank you it was harder than I thought it might be, but your instructions on how to defeat it worked."
The man looked back at the young girl and wondered just what in her life had made her afraid of herself. But, he didn't ask instead he nodded and said, "Well on to the Patronus spell then shall we?"
She nodded and listened to him with rapt attention. In the middle of his discussion on the finer points of the spell Severus Snape stepped into the room.
-Chapter 7-
His plans had failed to get him any closer to more of Voldemort's horcruxes. None of the former death eaters trusted him and he didn't dare go to Dumbledore with his plans. At least Lilly had been with him all that time serving his darkest fantasies, but even that had become slightly dull in the face of seeing Harriett so often.
He sighed lightly as he finished the potion and decanted it into a number of bottles. The temptation to simply poison it was quite high. But, he didn't do so and just brought up a cup of steaming hot potion for the Werewolf. A sneer was on his face even as he opened the door noting that the stupid creature didn't even have enough intellect to make the potion on his own.
"Oh professor Snape good day to you sir." The words ripped the sneer from him and he almost stared at the girl. Her green eyes were alight with fire and vibrancy just like her mother's eyes. They spoke of intellect and beauty and so many things that had been taken by Potter. Taken from him when he had rightfully deserved them. But, she would be his sooner or later he swore it to himself yet again that someday he would have this girl just like he had her mother.
The cup of potion was placed and he stalked out of the room with that on his mind never realizing that he hadn't even bothered to speak to the object of his fantasies.
Even as he had come in her hackles raised. She felt her Shadow pacing in the far recesses of her mind and knew the creature wanted to kill Snape if it could. She watched as the drink was placed and Lupin took it. She stared a moment as Lupin sipped and then couldn't stand it, "Professor what is that and why would you take anything from Professor Snape?"
He smiled lightly at her and said, "It's a potion I need to take for my condition and not to worry Harriett Snape isn't trying to poison me. He's just helping me out albeit under Dumbledore's orders. I doubt he'd defy Dumbledore."
She sighed with exasperation and ended up excusing herself unable to watch as Lupin drank something given to him by Snape. She then met up with Hermione and began working on some advanced work for their charms class.
After the two girls had gone to bed and were in deep slumber a shriek came from the entrance of the Gryffindor rooms. Students piled down and professors came around to see that the portrait in front of the dorm had been ripped by something.
Harriett took careful note and even asked Colin to take a few pictures of the scene. Meanwhile the professors searched took them to the great hall and attempted to search the castle. Hermione looked to Harriett and said, "I don't get it supposedly the wards keep evil intent out, but we know they don't exactly at that. Plus we know this place is hugely gigantic with numerous hiding spots and even the Chamber of Secrets. The professors searching around like this is patently useless. Instead they should simply have some magic that tracks every occupant in the castle. That wouldn't be so hard…"
Harriett grinned and said, "Maybe you shouldn't mention that. Any item that was able to track students would be used by Filtch for sure."
The brown eyed girl pondered that and said, "Well maybe it should simply track everyone who isn't a student."
"Well that would certainly be useful," Harriett nodded.
A tap on her shoulder and a voice said, "It would now hmm is that right Harriett."
She looked at the source of the tapping and said, "Fred what are you talking about?"
"I'm Fred he's George" a voice to her other side complained.
She shook her head and said, "Not falling for it George I know which of you is which."
Fred frowned and said, "How do you bloody do that Harriett no one really knows for sure which of us is which?"
"A secret that I'll share with you as soon as you tell me more about whatever it is you were trying to say."
George looked to Hermione, "Just a min Hermione we'll bring her back to you safe and sound, there's a place over this way that's quiet for talk."
Hermione rolled her eyes and said, "Careful they don't turn your teeth green Harry."
Harriett's response was swallowed by the crowd as she was dragged off to a corner where the two boys showed her a very special map. The green eyed girl looked at it carefully and then said, "Okay now why are you two showing me this?"
"Well..." started one "we figure that you need it more than us seeing as" the first spoke again "A certain Sirius Black is after you and we" the second one came back in "know you weren't at the outing this weekend so a passage to Hogsmeade might be useful eh?"
Harriett shook her head as she said, "Okay first of all that's just annoying with the back and forth and second just what do you expect in return for this?"
George replied cannily, "Well you see we notice things around here and you are pretty much a whiz with levitation….wandless levitation. We've seen you pick up loose items and such that were dropped or nearby without a word and not a single swish or flick of your wand to be seen."
"You want me to show you how do you?" She smiled at them
"Or at least a hint just let us know how you learned and we'll do the rest."
She smirked lightly and said, "Alright, but you two are not to prank Hermione and I with it or anything else for the rest of the year. Deal?"
They each held out a hand, "Deal!"
She shook with each twin and departed with her map.
-Chapter 8-
"Ugh really must we watch this Hermione. I'd rather be racing my broom or flying myself, why are we watching Quiddich?"
A hand struck her shoulder, "Hush you we're here to support our house mates and to keep Neville company. Also, it's nice out and we can do some work while enjoying the weather."
"I guess so, any luck in finding our more on what we can do for Buckbeak?"
"Sorry Harry, but until a ruling has been made he's got to stay tied up."
The green eyed girl nodded and looked down at the field where she could swear there was a black dog and then Dementors. The hooded creatures ceased chasing the animal, if that had even been what they were doing, and turned towards Harriett.
Panic began to swell and students began to flee even as Mrs. McGonagall came down and raised her wand recite the incantation for the Patronus spell. A bright cat leapt from her wand and stood in front of the Dementors cowing them even as they tried to go around and get at Harriett. She in turn stared at them hearing screams and explosions feeling the pain from when her shadow had been attacked last….her hand touched her wand and she held it straight out feeling righteous indignation at these horrid creatures.
She shouted the words "Expecto Patronum" and from her own wand rose a brilliant white Stag. It joined McGonagall's cat and as more teachers came and they along with the higher years added more glowing Patroni to the field below. The Dementors were cowed and forced away from the student body and the game resumed. Even as the game restarted Harriett stood there and released her spell with a look of minor regret. She had scared the Dementors, but it didn't feel like enough. She turned and stepped away knowing that if she met the creatures again the Patronus spell wouldn't be what she used at all.
Even before the game was over Harriett was receiving kudos on her spell work. She explained that she had asked Lupin for extra lessons and the teacher demurred from having to teach other students by pointing out that there had only been two lessons, that his time was quite limited, and that results like those Harriett showed were atypical.
By the time the weekend came around the news had dies down to a quiet roar that Harriett was more used to from being the-girl-who lived. Even so she made arrangements to meet Hermione and Neville at Hogsmeade later in the day. "Why sneak around Harry, why not just give Dumbledore the note from my parents. As your guardians he can't refuse their wishes you know?"
The green eyed girl shook her head, "No, I just don't trust him. There are so many spells we don't know about so many possibilities. I really don't want to put Dan and Emma in danger and I just feel that letting anyone in the magical world know that they are my guardians would do just that."
Hermione sighed, "Well I can't fault you for wanting to keep my parents safe Harry."
"Besides how is Luna going to come with us unless I bring her?"
Hermione snorted and said, "Fine bring her too, but I wasn't involved."
-Chapter 9-
Under her invisibility cloak Harriett was rather uncomfortable. Luna was pressed close to her and she could smell something nice coming from the girl's hair. Harriett's whole body felt very warm and tingly as they moved along the passages of Hogwarts and through a passageway that would lead them to Hogsmeade.
By the time they were out the young green eyed girl was sweating and feeling quite strange while the blonde girl seemed nonplussed by the whole experience saying, "Maybe in a year or two Harriett. I'm much too young to decide that sort of thing don't you think?"
"Ah sure…whatever you say Luna." She replied without really understanding what the younger girl meant.
The two then crept up the stairs hearing Cornelius Fudge speaking as they did so, "That man is a menace I tell you. He's the first escapee ever from Azkaban and he's responsible for telling you-know-who how to get the Potters and he killed Peter Pettigrew. Really, he blew him apart in front of a bunch of Muggles leaving only his finger."
Harriett listened a bit, but no information about the trial was given out so she ushered Luna along to their meeting with Hermione and Neville. The four students enjoyed some sweets and shopping before heading back to Hogwarts where Hagrid was waiting for them with bad news.
Hermione took a letter from the sobbing large man and read it, "Notice that the animal known as Buckbeak will be put on trial for intentionally injuring a noble scion of the realm."
She stared at the paper a few moments and said, "Really a trial…but no jury just Fudge and for a bit of a clawing. Back in the Muggle world maybe Hagrid would be tried, but even then it would just be a fine or something and the animal wouldn't be put down just moved back into the wild where it belongs."
Harriett shrugged and said, "Well we read some of those law books and you know that non-wizards have few rights here. I mean look at the trial itself it will just be Fudge and that's all. He can make any judgment he likes and no one can appeal it or anything."
The two girls sighed almost in unison and tried to comfort Hagrid as best they could, but it was little use. The only consolation for Harriett was a day later in a Firebolt that had apparently been delivered addressed to her.
She looked to Hermione and said, "It's the same one we saw in the shop in Hogsmeade the other day. The one I was drooling over and you told me to save my money."
"Well I know you like to ride fast and challenge yourself, but Hogwarts doesn't have a broom racing league like some other places. Still it is nice for a broom…"
A chuckle came from Harriett, "You still don't like riding them much do you?"
"I much prefer other means of transport Harry. Putting a broom between my legs and shooting off at high speeds without any form of protection, not even a helmet seems like the height of madness."
"Well we could make helmets and pads I suppose. Keep our heads and knees from squishing if the sticking charms failed, but in general the things are charmed to the gills Hermione. It would take quite a bit to make them fail."
The other girl sighed, "I suppose so, I'm just glad you don't play Quiddich. Could you imagine getting a bludger tossed at your head and no protection at all? Madame Pomphrey is always healing some break or massive injury."
"Well I guess that with magic to heal them Wizards just don't realize the danger as much as those of us who come from a world where multiple breaks and contusions would put you in the hospital for months instead of a day or so."
Hermione nodded, "So what do we do with the broom then?"
"Have someone test it for problems I guess. As much as I like it I'm not going to trust that someone hasn't meddled with the charms."
With that the two girls took the broom to Mrs. McGonagall who promised that she would look over it along with some of the other professors in their spare time.
-Chapter 10-
Harriett was awake in the Gryffindor common area late in the night reading through one of the books from the library on Wizarding laws eyes drooping lightly even as she saw Crookshanks stalking across the room. "Hey there kitty what are you doing up so late?"
Even as she made noises at the cat to gets its attention she realized that it was actually coming from the wrong place. Its ears flicked and it made a pounce across the room just missing Ron's rat, which scampered away very quickly out of the common area and towards the door.
Crookshanks was in hot pursuit even as Harriett flicked her wand and levitated the cat to her grasping it in hand as it mrowed menacingly. "Now now sweetums your mommy's upstairs, but I can't have you chasing Ron's nasty old rat okay? How about a kitty treat instead?"
She fished in her pocket for a treat and the cat ate it with a snort and then maneuvered himself onto his belly as if demanding that she rub him in recompense for ruining his fun. She laughed lightly and rubbed the cat saying, "Little monster you are, but I'm going to have to bring you back to your mommy and then go find that silly rat you chased off."
He mrowed in discontent at her statement and she chuckled saying, "Sound like a right sneazle like Luna says you are now don't you boy. But, don't you worry Ron's rat can't possibly be an animagus or anything."
The cat was having nothing to do with being put into the girl's dorm even so and Harriett got a few scratches for her troubles even as she finally shut the door leaving the cat behind saying, "Damn it baby I'm just looking out for you and Hermione. Wouldn't want to get in trouble if you ate Scabbers you know."
She sighed and sucked on her injured thumb as she departed the Gryffindor rooms under her invisibility cloak. Once in the halls she pulled out her map and began to read it muttering lightly, "Students, teachers, Filch. Come on now map surely you can have animals on you…"
There were no animals listed, however there was one name that stood out in glaring detail as she gasped lightly on reading it, "Peter Pettigrew! What the hell?"