Disclaimer: I am not Jk Rowling I own nothing. I do not own Elder Scrolls story line or Once Upon a Time
Note: This fic will have only the aspect of the dragon language from the game and the idea of the Dark One from OUAT... not much of a crossover
Never tickle a Sleeping Dragon
So it begins
It was a dark, moonless Halloween night and the 'trick or treaters' were finishing their rounds in the wizarding neighborhood of Godric's Hallow. It had been a festive evening with parties and celebrations all around despite the terror of the times. Six hooded figures clad in dark robes strode along the sidewalk toward a seemingly abandoned lot; two were wearing masks. As they approached the abandoned lot, the shortest of the four spoke finally, though it sounded more like a frightened squeak. "My Lord, I assure you this is the place. Should we not cast the anti-apparition wards before we break the Fidelus."
A harsh hiss escaped the dark lord's mouth as he responded, "Be silent Pettigrew! I am aware of the situation and though you know the price of treachery, I am not entirely sure of your claim. If this is indeed the place then you will be rewarded, we need not fear their detection fool. The Fidelus charm has been defeated simply by my knowledge of the secret of the location that you shared. This can be confirmed without so much as grazing the ward line." Moreover, as soon as he finished speaking the group arrived at a stop about the middle of the sidewalk to see a house shimmer into existence.
With a vicious wide smile, the dark lord chuckled to himself, "So there you are." He turn to the shivering form of Pettigrew "You have done well Peter, after tonight you shall be rewarded." He turned to the other two Death eaters standing there and said, "Severus did you bring the potion? Did you destroy the recipe like I asked?" Voldemort turned a questioning eye to the potions master.
Severus pulled out a vial and kneeled, "Yes my lord, it was prepared to your exact specifications. Though I must admit, I have never heard of such a recipe nor has my considerable skill been pushed to such limits."
The Dark lord smiled as he took the vial in his hand to inspect it. "That is because it is an ancient potion that has been lost for millennium and I am using it as an experiment. It is claimed that this potion will allow the user to assimilate the magic and traits expressed by foreign magical systems whether they be enchantment or creature and imbue it with their own, I wish to see if this is true."
Severus was careful to keep his expression neutral as his mind raced with the possibilities of such an ability. Pettigrew was not so patient. "My Lord, if it would grant you such power. then why waste it on a test subject. Why not claim.."
"Silence fool! You dare question me? Do you not think that such power comes without a price or risk? Such power has not been attempted in the centuries and you expect me to be so careless?!" Voldemort quietly thundered.
"N-no my Lord I s-simply .." Pettigrew flinches and cowers as the dark lord raises his wand and abruptly stops speaking.
"Enough of your excuses. My patients grows thin. You have done well this night Pettigrew Don't ruin it with your babbling ignorance."
Voldemort turned to face the last member of the group. "Bella dear, take some of my lesser favored followers and attack some village to distract that pathetic old man's measly order. While you are there, you are to find an 18-month-old to 2-year-old boy and have him drink this potion. It must be willingly taken Bella, no Imperius. Afterwards take him to a dragon reserve and leave him there, unspoiled, so no Crucio. I want no external events affecting the experiment. I shall personally retrieve him should he survive. If it proves successful, I will have a power greater than any before me. The inherent power of magic itself."
"It will be done my lord," she responded bowing and taking the vial, the gasping. The potion was ink black and pure darkness seemed to radiate from it. Never in her life had she felt such dark magic. She could now understand the caution her master was taking if such darkness was contained within.
The Dark Lord then turned to Severus and raised his wand. Seeing Severus stiffen he clarified, "Do not fear Severus, I am simply going to obliviate the recipe and recent events from your mind so that that fool Dumbledore can't take it from you. After all, we don't want our other spy compromised. Obliviate!" While Severus was dazed, he turned to Peter saying, "Pettigrew turn into your rat form before he becomes aware, your serves are no longer required. Be sure to deal with that bastard Black as we discussed. He must take the blame to preserve your usefulness to me."
Peter did as instructed and after Severus focused, again the dark lord continued giving orders.
"Severus," the dark lord continued turning to him again, "You are to warn the old man and his scrabble of fools and draw their attention away from here. Force him to choose between his followers. I want no interruptions in my moment of triumph. You have ten minutes from now to do so. I am fond of you Severus, do not fail me." He left the threat hanging in there air as there was no need to clarify what would happen.
Bella quickly got up and apparated with a crack, yet Severus remained kneeling after the dark lord took the vial form him face down cast.
"More you have to say, Severus?"
Severus resisted the urge to flinch from the dangerous tone that entered Voldemort's voice, "Yes my lord. If you would be so gracious as to spare the women my lord. I … I want her for myself."
Voldemort was silent for a moment his dark, hateful eyes squinting in thought as he stared at the home of his still unsuspecting victims. "Very well Severus. You have been very useful and faithful to me and I am a merciful lord am I not. However, should she get in the way or you fail me I shall be forced to kill her."
Severus body noticeably relaxed then, "Thank you, my lord." Then he stood and apparated away.
The dark lord then turned his gaze back to back to house with his remaining Death Eaters shifting nervously beside him. Soon he would defeat this "prophesy of hope" and his victory would be complete. "Stand guard. I want no interruptions. This is my hour." Having given his orders, the dark lord began work establishing and destroying various wards.
'Soon it would all be over. And then I will become the ultimate being; the Dark One and see your great work completed, Morgana.'
xXx
Bellatrix Lestrange was a savage, vindictive woman with vile heart as dark as the master she served. As soon as she apparated, she appeared in a small grove near Brimming Shire, a small out of the way village in Scotland though famous for being the birthplace of Merlin. It was because of this small detail that the village had been largely untouched in the war out of respect for the greatest wizard in history… until now at least. She walked forward and stared down at the little village, identifying the orphanage at the far end of the town. It was one of the largest buildings in the town. The sky was overcast and the autumn air was chilling and invigorating. All was quiet. Perfect for an invasion. A moment later, there were several other cracking sounds in the clearing and twenty people in dark robes appeared all wearing masks.
Bellatrix examined them all before begin her nonchalant orders. "I have been given a special task by our lord. In order to accomplish this task flawlessly, you will cause as much chaos and havoc as possible in the west end of the city and engage as many enemies as you can. You are not to retreat at any time until I am clear of the village. This is the dark lord's will. Should any of you fail, well… you know what that means. We strike in 5 minutes." She said with a smirk on her face. Many nodded and began preparing themselves.
"Rodolphus dear, do you have my portkey?"
A man stepped forward holding a leather string with a bead on it.
"Wonderful," she said taking it, "Alright chaps you have your orders. Begin!"
Moreover, after that announcement they disappeared in loud cracks. She turned and waited, staring out from the clearing toward the quiet little village down the hill a ways. Within ten seconds, she could see explosions blasting apart homes at the far end of the village and flashes in various colors of what she could only assume was spell fire. Smiling to herself Bellatrix began to make her way to the other side of the village where the orphanage was. After all she had an appointment with a little boy and it wouldn't do any good to keep him waiting.
xXx
As soon as the first explosion was heard, Marian went to work. She had long been expecting something like this to happen. She knew that the neutrality of this little village wouldn't last forever. Marian Copperfield was the orphanage matron of Little Angel's Orphanage and had been for 107 years. She was muggle born and had been in Hufflepuff at Hogwart. At 5'7" with a thin frame, she became an accomplished dueler and healer in her younger years until she retired from her career to take care of the orphans. She had lived through her fair share of conflicts and seen the darker, sadder sides of life, but these recent years had been a completely different level. The shear amount of war orphans from all the fighting was staggering and room was becoming scarce. Even Grindelwall's reign of terror was not this tragic. Even so, she had yet to turn any away thankfully. The ministry with all its problems still managed to support the orphanage and supply a meager amount of aurours for security of the children. She quickly got up, put her glasses and through on her day robes, and went to check on the children. Marian rounded the corner out of her quarters only to run in to the Auror on night watch, Gaddens was his name she thought, who had run in to check on then orphanage with his five man squad.
"Is everybody alright?" he ask tension and urgency evident in his voice.
"We are fine Mr. Gaddens. What is going on?" she replied calmly but with equal concern and earnest.
"It appears, madam, that death eaters have decided to grace this little village with their presence. Not to worry we will stop them. They are on the other side of the town causing chaos as we speak."
"But why now? Why here? What is there to gain in all this? It just doesn't make sense?"
"They're death eaters mam, nothing they do makes sense," a huge explosion booms in the distance drawing their attention to the urgency of the situation. "I am afraid their reasoning will have to wait. I am leaving Hues and Norm here to guard the orphanage."
However, Marian raised her hand and interrupted him saying, "That won't be necessary captain I am more than capable of defending the children along with the other attendants. We, unlike others, have been expecting such a scenario for quite some time and are prepared for it. This orphanage is one of the most well ward place in all of the country surpassed only by Gringrots and Hogwarts herself." Still the captain tried to insist only to be silenced again. "You men are need by the villagers now and hurry. I will stay and guard the orphanage now off with you there is not more time to argue." Having closed the matter in her mind Marian pushed past them to helped the other attendants with the children.
Gaddens just shrugged in exasperation at the stubborn woman and turned to his men saying, "You heard her men, let's get to it." And out the door they went and raced towards the flashing lights and screams on the other side of town.
As they left, Marian quickly ordered the orphanage workers to begin organizing and guiding the children to the warded shelters underneath the building. The orphanage was one of the few buildings in the country that had such measures thanks to Marian's cautious foresight years prior. These rooms were special in that they would hide the magical signature of the occupants and absorb internal fluctuations, which would prevent the scared children from preforming dangerous accidental magic. They also had powerful rune inscribed doors and wards on the exterior that extended to the external ward network creating a layered effect and allowing occupants to reinforce the wards internally, which prevent the wards form simply being overpowered. They were also tied to the Fidelus charm with her as the secret keeper. All in all the children would be perfectly safe if they sealed the chambers in time.
The attendants and children worked fluidly and seamlessly in the process of lock down thanks to the drills, that Marian had regularly occurring. As the last of the children and attendants reach their assigned rooms and the attendants sealed the doors and activated the rune wards, Marian let out a relived sigh. All she could do now is hope that the defenses held, so she cast the external warding to the rooms, left the bunkers, and went up the stairs back to the main complex to connect the two ward networks and act as the primary line of defense against any intruder. From what she could hear, the fighting seemed to be largely on the other side of town still, but just to be safe; she would start casting the ward charms when the building began to rattle and vibrate. It was then that she felt it. A deep shift in her core that filled her with dread. Not a moment later she felt something large and powerful strain against the wards. She could feel them groan as the tried to compensate for the pressure of whatever it was that was trying to inter the building. Until finally, she heard a load tearing sound along with howling wind followed by a loud bang from the kitchen. Rushing in wand raised with curses on her lips, she rounded the corner only to see a small toddler sprawled on the floor with a splintered set of wooden chairs and table around him.
Thoroughly confused as to what exactly was going on and how the child even got there, she quickly, though cautiously, rushed over to the small boy, who was clearly and understandably upset after what appeared to be a burst of very powerful accidental magic. Upon reaching the boy, Marian took him in her old arms and began checking him over for injuries. As she was inspecting him she took in his appearance and realized she had no memory of this boy. The boy was good looking, with dark blond hair, pudgy face and had eyes a bold clear blue color though there were tears in them. He wore a plain purple tunic of fine silk and what appeared to be a silver cord tied around his waist and a golden necklace with a an amethyst the size of her thumb hanging from it. Impossibly in the actual middle of it seemed a calligraphied 'E' was carved out. While clutching her wand, she wrapped him in a hug and whispered, "Shhh shhh It's ok. You're all right. It's going to be ok." The little boy's sobs slowly lessened until he would just sniff occasionally. From this distance it was clear that the necklace was somehow charmed and that many of its enchantments were active, though what they did she was unsure, but seeing as it had not harmed her yet she was not too concerned.
"There, there dear. No need to fuss." She said as she whipped his face. "See all better." After she was sure that he had not been hurt, and he had calmed down enough from Marian holding him, she tried to figure out who he was, "What is your name dear?"
The boy looked up at her with his big blue eyes and said, "Wogan."
If Marian was surprised and how developed this young boy was, she didn't show it. The woman's wrinkly face spread into a kind smile and said, "Well Logan, my name is Mrs. Copperfield. You seem like a smart young man. Think you answer a few questions for me? Can you do that?"
He nodded his head and sank into her lap on the floor.
"Alright then, how old are you dear?" she asked in a soft voice.
"Dis many. Today my birfday," he said in a quiet but even voice as he held up two fingers.
Marian smiled and cooed saying, "Well Happy Birthday Logan, I'll have to get you a nice present to celebrate. Now what's this around your neck?"
Though his face had brightened a bit at the mention of a present it quickly faded to a distressed look of fear as he looked down at the neckless she was holding up to him from around his neck. "Daddy gave it to me to save me from the bad wady. Wady came for me and I was scared. I tried to get away but broke daddy's glass of sand and it broke. She tried to get me and I screamed. And everything got load and started spinning." At this point he was waving his arms around and making whooshing noises, if he hadn't been so serious it would have been funny. But then he stopped and looked up at her, "Will you protect me from the bad wady?"
"Well of course little one. But who is she, Logan?" Marian asked as her mind was whirling with a thousand questions. She gave him a gentle squeeze of reassurance when he started to sob again.
"Fey" he replied.
Not having any idea who he was talking about but deciding not to press the already distressed child. She chose to ask the next mst obvious question, "I see. And what's your father's name?"
The child smiled brightly up at her and said, "Merwin Emrys."
Marian was speechless for a moment as she thought, 'That's not possible. Merlin has been dead for centuries. Well regardless, I need to get this child to safety. No matter who he belongs to.'
"We need to get you cleaned up and with the others. It's far too dangerous to be out here." She said as she moved to get up and escort the child below. It was in that moment that the door burst open. She wiped around wand rasied, but she was too late.
"Crucio!"
The pain was unbelievable. Her entire being was on fire while being stabbed with jagged dull needles repeatedly everywhere. After what seemed like hours, the attack relented and Marian opened her eyes having unknowingly closed them. She felt Logan frantically pulling on her arm and frantically repeating "Okay?!" over and over again, concern evident in his little voice. That was when Marian heard demented laughter and the sound of boots clinking across the floor.
"Well, what do we have here? It seems my errand won't take that much time after all." Said Bellatrix as she cackled, walking towards them to stand just in front of the downed matron eyes trained on the boy after scanning the room.
Marian knew who the women was and figured this who Logan had been referring to, but more importantly, Marian knew she was in a very bad position. She cursed herself for not connecting the ward networks after whatever sent the child here broke apart the external ones and cursed again for dismissing the aurors. Fear gripped her heart. Did this mean they had all been killed? Who would come to help? The other orphanage workers would be keeping the other children safe and wouldn't come out until Marian gave the signal. Having dropped her wand in reaction to the curse used on her, she had very little options of protecting herself and the child since she could only do very small spells with wandless magic.
As Marian wracked her brain trying to come up with a solution while trying to recover from the torture spell, she heard a small little voice next to her say adamantly "Weave awone!" She turned her head and saw the toddler trying to stand while staring their attacker down with his piercing blue eyes.
"Oh? You want me to leave her alone do you?" Bellatrix asked in a mocking tone. At seeing the boy defiantly stare at her and nod a twinkle seemed to appear in her eye. She then continued, "Well I suppose I can, but you will have to come with me and do exactly like I say. If you do I promise to leave the old hag be."
The boy's eyes squinted and seemed to contemplate this for a moment in confusion saying, "Go with you?"
Bellatrix replied as she stretched out her hand, "Yes, go with me. My master needs your help with something."
Upon realizing what was about to happen, Marian tried to struggle to an upright position and muttered a weak and strained "No!" but her aged body just couldn't do it.
Bellatrix snarled at her, "Quiet woman. You should be grateful you even have a chance of being spared. Filthy Mudblood!" Turning to the boy who still looked unsure, she asked in an annoyed tone, "Do we have a deal, or is granny here going to get another taste of my wand?"
The boy turned to look at the old women again and then turned back and nodded.
"Then come boy," with that Bellatrix turned and gestured him to follow.
The little boy tried to follow but Marian reached out and grabbed his shirt shaking her head and pleading with him in a broken voice hoarse from screaming, "No Logan don't go with her! You mustn't! Please!"
"Enough of this! Petrificus totalus!" screeched Bellatrix and Marian's body went ridged.
Logan, not understanding what was going on, turned to Bellatrix and started shouting, "You promised! You promised!"
"Relax brat she's not dead just frozen in place." Said Bellatrix as she rolled her eyes walking toward him. She quickly cut his shirt off with a small Defindo and picked up Marian's wand and said, "Here I'll even let you have this to remember her by if you do what I ask. Now grab this string."
At that moment they heard a banging at the door and a gruff voice call, "Marian? You alright in there? Answer me. Why are the ward's down?"
Bellatrix recognized that voice instantly and whipped around to the boy, "Now or she dies!" She raised her wand.
Logan turned to Marian and whispered, "Don't worry, I be back." With a hesitant hand, Logan reached out and grabbed the leather string she held out to him, then she whispered something, and with a 'pop', they was gone.
The door then burst open as several aurors, the famous Alaster Moody leading them only to find Marian left still frozen in place with his shirt still clutched in her hand, the only sign of her comprehension being the steady stream of tears that went down her face. 'I failed him,' she thought to herself in self-loathing. 'I failed him.'
xXx
(Earlier that night)
Dumbledore sat behind his desk in his office in a state of serious reflection as his various magical artifacts spun and whirled around the office and the various portraits snored in their frames. He had just finished the Halloween feast, which was wonderful considering the impending doom that shadowed everyone's mind. It was times like these that he was truly grateful for the cheerfulness of children. They always manage to bounce back from the darkest of circumstances. So there he sat contemplating what to do next in the war against Voldemort. So far, their effort had only slowed his conquest not entirely stopped it. Even with the recent victories, they had only managed a slight recovery from the overwhelming attacks from the dark lord and his death eaters. The ministry was in shambles and fear was rampant among the citizens. The only one that had been able to duel the dark lord to a stalemate had been he himself. Moreover, what little hope the prophecy brought was somewhat lessened in the fact that the dark lord was now aware of it, even if only in part. Thankfully, the revelation of the prophecy caused the dark lord to withdraw somewhat from the public eye, resulting in a short time of peace in order for them to recuperate and prepare. In addition, with Potters safely under the Fidelus charm and with their best friend Sirius Black as the secret keeper protected, everything was well in hand. Probably the best benefit of all was the new spy that they got out of it. Severus Snape had been instrumental in the success that they had had.
*BANG*
"Albus I must speak with you immediately!" came the urgent, stern voice from the other side of his office door.
'Well speak of the devil,' thought Professor Dumbledore as he was pulled out of his musings. "Absolutely, come in my boy." And with a flick of his wand, the door rushed open before resting gentle on the wall. "Whatever is the matter?"
"He's found them Albus!" Snape said in a tone injected full of fear and nerves. That statement alone combined with sound of Severus' voice was enough for Dumbledore to bolt out of his chair.
"When! How!" Albus started in confusion and fury but stopped when Snape raised his hand.
"Let me finish. The dark lord has obliviated me and I cannot remember how it happened all I know is that he has caused a diversion by attack Brimming Shire and has sent Belletrix there for something. He will begin his attack in less than 5 minutes on the house. The others have already attacked the village."
Dumbledore paled. Brimming Shire? What could that mean? This was a disaster. Thinking quickly he ran over to the fireplace and threw some floo powder in and yelled "Minerva's office!"
Minerva McGonagall responded immediately, "What is it Albus!"
"Minerva you are officially the castle's warden at this time. Have all teachers on standby and lock down the castle. Send a missive to all order members and the Aurors to apparate directly to Brimming Shire. Priority is to protect the children there. I am going to the Potters; Voldemort has found them. I have to wait for him to trip my alarm charms so that he won't suspect Severus. Am I understood?"
Minerva went from shocked to appalled to resolute throughout the instruction and replied, "Not alone you're not. I will leave Filius in charge. I will be in your office momentarily." Before there could be any attempt at a protest the stern women had stepped through the fireplace and said, "And don't even try to stop me Albus. I have already quilled the instruction and sent the notices before stepping through."
Dumbledore just sighed at the transfiguration teacher and longtime friend. "Very Well, Minerva." He said before turning to Severus and began to say "Now Severus is there anything else…" but he was interrupted by the sound of a very loud alarm clock coming from a spinning top on a bookshelf by his desk.
Grabbing the top as it continued to vibrate in his hand Albus turned to Minerva and said, "Grab ahold my dear. This portkey will take us directly to them."
"A portkey won't work Albus the dark lord will surely have placed wards to block such travel." Severus pointed out in an agitated tone.
Albus turned to him nodding, "Quite right, so Fawlkes will take us." Turning towards his familiar, he address the noble bird. "My old friend I am in desperate need of your help. Please transport us to the Potters residence." The bird trilled and began to fly over to them. "Hold onto me my dear and don't let go." She did so and he turned, nodding to Severus, he said, "We'll stop him my boy." And as Fawlkes flew above him he clapped he hands above his head and with a burst of flames they were gone leaving a fearful, grim Severus Snape sitting in a chair quietly fretting over what would come from all this. He did not have a good feeling about it.
xXx
(Just minutes before)
"Hello my little Harry," a woman with fiery red hair and beautiful green eyes smiled at the boy. "How's my little man?"
"Mummy!" Harry giggled and laughed as she tickled him.
"Look at you. You're getting to be so big I'm sure you'll be slaying dragons and catching bad guys in no time." Lily said as picked him up.
"You know dear, he's going to be the greatest Auror the world has ever known no doubt; not some dragon tamer." Said James who had come in hearing Harry's laughter. He took Harry from Lily and started throwing him in the air and catching him repeatedly.
"Alright James that's enough it's his bed time." Lily said as she took him back and placed him in the pin.
"That's right the big guy needs his sleep to go big and strong," he said while Harry whined.
"No no, none of that you can play more in the morning right now it's time for bed," Lilly said as she tucked him in bed. She made sure all of his pillows were fluffed and then went to turn out the lights. Then she turned to Harry from the doorway, looked at him with a small smile, and said, "Good night I love you Harry."
Harry flopped down onto his pillow and said a quick 'wove you' before closing his eyes tight.
Lily just chuckled as she closed the door and was dark and quiet for several minutes.
Harry had grown tired of looking around in the darkness and was about to drift off when he heard a loud bang come from down stairs.
Harry heard his dad shout, "Lily take Harry and go! It's him! Peter betrayed us! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"
Then heard a loud cackle and a voice say, "Fool! You think you can defeat me without your wand? Avada Kadavera!"
Harry could see a green light come from under his door and then he heard something fall over outside.
The door burst open and lily rushed in fear and determination etched on her face with tears streaming from her eyes.
Harry seeing her called out to her a hopeful tone in his voice, "Mummy! We play now?"
But Lily didn't go pick him up instead she attempted to barricade the door with chairs and dressers.
After she had finished did she come over to Harry.
Harry repeated his question, "Mommy, we play now."
But Lily just smiled and shook her head not trusting her voice for that moment as tears continued to stream down her face.
"Mommy sad? Got boo boo?" he asked.
However, Lily just shook her head again but this time she spoke, "No. However, I want you to promise me Harry that you will remember that mummy and daddy love you so much. Oh so so much." She rubbed his cheek gently, and Whispered "Promise?" Harry not understanding why this was necessary just nodded his head. "Always remember Harry that Love is the greatest magic of all and as long as someone loves you they can never be apart." Harry just nodded his head as his mother picked him up into a tight hug and whispered, "I love you."
At that moment the door burst open, exploding and sending all of the objects that had been previously used as a barricade away. In walk a very tall man with very pale skin, dark hair and very very dark eyes.
Lily dropped harry the moment the door exploded and turned around standing against the crib between the man. "Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" Lily pleaded as the man step into the room.
The dark lord smirk thinking to himself, 'Does she really think begging is going to persuade me?" He then laughed and stepped forward saying" Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…" he hissed, His voice sickly cool.
"Not Harry, please not harry, take me, kill me instead!" She begged.
"I won't tell you again, stand aside!" the dark lord ordered.
'Not Harry, please… have mercy….have mercy…." Lily sobbed. They then hear a boom coming from outside and screaming, causing both of them to turn and glance out the window. They could both see Professor McGonagall finishing fighting the two death eaters outside, or what was left of them, while Albus seemed to be all but running across the lawn. They turned back and locked eyes. One hopeful the other full of fury.
"Stand aside!" Voldemort roared.
Something changed in Lily once she realized that help was coming and that Voldemort would not be swayed. She turned around and kissed harry on the forehead before turning around to face the dark lord and said, "Never."
"Foolish girl", he spat before shouting "Avada Kadavera!"
A beam of green light shot across the room and struck Lily and she fell to the floor unmoving.
"Mummy!" Harry shouted as the man walked over to him and kicked his mother out of the way. "No! Bad!"
The dork lord just smile and said "Yes and your next!"
Then they heard someone rush in the door. An old man shouted, "Stop."
Taking in the scene. Eyes lingering on the lifeless form of Lily before darting to Harry as Voldemort laughed and said "Your too late old man!" Albus went to raise his wand but the dark lord struck first shouting "Avada Kadavera!" even as Albus shout "No!" The familiar green beam shot out and hit the child head on, directly on the forehead. However, when the light lingered on the child, the dark lord's wide smiled morphed into a snarl and then a cry of surprise and the power rebounded back to him. Albus on instinctually raised a shield as the now white magic smashed into Voldemort making him scream and then silence. Dumbledore uncovered his eyes and lowered his shield only to see the robes of the dark lord lying on the floor and harry lying on his bed face up. Albus quickly rushed over careful to not step on Lily's body. After a quick diagnostic spell told him harry was very much alive just drained with a nasty almost glowing red scar on his forehead, the full weight of what happened seemed to hit him like the Hogwarts Express. His mind reeled as he struggled to understand what he had just witnessed, the relief that the dark lord had seemingly been vanquished, and the crushing wave of grief for the loss of some of his dear friends and students. They would be dearly missed. Almost everyone they knew between the two of them loved the two Gryffindors.
"Albus?" he heard a trembling quiet voice say form the doorway ending his musing for the moment. He turned, tears in his eyes, to face a distraught and uncertain Minerva McGonagall.
"We failed them," she said tears running down her face unhindered. It wasn't a question.
"Harry's alive my dear just unconscious from his ordeal. I'm afraid though that we were too late." He said in a broken voice. "Voldemort seems to have been defeated by young harry though how I'm not yet sure." Locking eyes with her, he said quietly, "Harry withstood a killing curse to his face."
This revelation seamed to break what little self- control she had left as McGonagall strode forward and uncharacteristically wrapped Albus in a hug. "They would be so proud. He is a true Gryffindor, just like them. He stared death in the face and won," she said as tears streamed down their faces.
"Indeed they would be." Replied Albus as he to wept enjoying the small amount of comfort. For the moment they stood in silence for the memory of all that had been lost, using each other for support trying to take a moment of peace to honor the fallen before the inevitable clean up. They both knew there were questions that needed answering but for now, they would have to wait.
xXX
(Meanwhile a short time ago)
Bellatrix grabbed the small boy before he stumbled to the ground. Everything had gone perfectly for the most part the last thing she needed was the boy injuring himself. She looked around to get a sense of her bearings. Around them was rocky terrain and clearly mountainous slopes ahead. Behind them was a cliff face that overlooked a rocky valley with a small brook in it. On the cliff, face there was a cave and above the jagged roof clearly a nest of some sort, though it was too small to be a dragon's nest. Bella was beginning to get worried that they had been transported to the incorrect place when in the distance she heard roaring and felt vibrations rumbling in rock.
She then turn to the boy who had just seemed to get his bearings and said, "Alright brat now here's what you have to do. See this vial?" She asked taking in out of her pocket, "When the dragon's come to play with you or if they get upset, you have to drink it. Understand? Every drop. It will calm them right down. If you don't, I'll go back and kill that old hag of yours."
She went to hand him the vial but he crossed his arms and said "Stick."
Rolling her eyes, she pulled out the wand and handed it to him with the vial. All because he had to take the potion willingly. Little did she know just how valuable that particular wand was. This particular wand was made of Hickory 11 ½ inches and had Basilisks retina soaked in venom as the core. It was a very powerful wand with a bit of bite.
Satisfied in having received his keepsake the boy took the vial and went about examining it. Bella took this time to hastily cast a special beacon charm that would attract magical creatures to the boy. She then hid herself behind a bolder and cast powerful notice me not charms on herself to lessen the danger to her person. Never noticing the strange glow that began to emanate from the amulet around his neck.
It then took no time at all for a loud roar to be heard and a monstrous dragon came flying in from down the valley. From the distance, Bellatrix could not quite tell what kind it was but it was irrelevant to her. All she had to do was wait for him to drink the potion when the creature was close enough and then she could leave.
What she didn't know was that it was mating season and her spell had not attracted the attention of just one dragon but three alpha male dragons of three different species as this reserve was a recovery reserve and had various species in it, hence why the dark lord picked it. For this particular reserve was a mixed reserve of small numbers used to study dragons' interactions with each other. From around the corner just behind her she heard a load roar and scraping of claws on rock and so Bella quickly disillusions herself. Just in time too. A giant Ironbelly male comes around the corner its long neck stretching to try to find where the source of the magical draw is from. It did not see the Chinese fireball that clung to the canyon wall that it was next to. The dragon dropped down from the cliff side and bathed the Iron belly in its notorious blue flames in hopes of driving it off. This did little more than annoy the Iron belly though, yet before it could return fire after pinning the Fireball to the wall with its front left paw and tail, the dragon that had been flying up the valley crashed into it snapping and slashing its tail. It turned out to be a Horntail and though not as big as the Ironbelly, it was monstrously huge for its own species.
While all three monstrous dragons were fighting viciously, they had not yet noticed the trembling figure of Logan as he was frozen in place out of fear. However, he heard a trill come from bird-like music come from behind him and it gave him just enough courage to crawl towards the cave. A shadow past over him and he looked up to see what is known as a royal phoenix. The most revered and powerful variety of its species. Not that he knew that of course. It land next to him and trilled again loudly as if to overcome the overpowering roars of the roaring males. It was then that Logan remembered the vial held in his hand and what he was instructed to do. Therefore, He opened the top and downed the surprisingly sweet tasting potion, which to any other wizard would have been the first warning sign. He immediately start convulsing. His entire body writhed in pain as his eyes rolled in the back of his hand and his magic exploded out like a cloak forming strands. The Amulet around his neck glowed blindingly bright in response and purple runes appeared around him in a sphere spinning and fluxing as if the enchantments where trying to find, contain and counter the magic threatening the boy.
Bellatrix, enjoying the violence and hearing the child's screams of pain, suddenly clutched her arm and watched in disbelief as the dark mark began to fade. Fearing what this might mean, she quickly activated the portkey to head back to Brimming Shire, leaving Logan to his fate, completely missing her the light show that had begun in response to the potion.
The magic strands went out and connected to all three dragons, the wand, the phoenix and one went into the cave. Each cried out in pain and shock as their very essence, knowledge, and magic was ripped away from their being and assimilated into the boy's magic and body. And the black magic continued to sap their essence it all was filtered through the sphere around him, which seemed to block portions of it. The dragons each disintegrated, while the phoenix only lost most of itself before flashing away, leaving only a feather in its wake.. It only could make it back to its nest any further and it would burn itself out. The wand's core burned out leaving it hollow and powerless. The magic recoiled to the boy, swarming around him almost like an actual fluid, before cocooning him in a layer of magic. The amulet that had been trying so valiantly to filter the darkness out of the spell itself was drained by the magic and the crystal shattered and faded leaving only a black imprint of the 'E' just above his heart. Hours passed as his magic processed and stretched, adapting his mind and body before finally flowing back in to the boy leaving a crystal-like residue encasing him.
It was in this state that a female Ridgeback dragon found him and the entrance of her cave. She had been roosting in the cave over her brood when she felt a magic disturbance. When she got up to investigate, a black ink mess of concentrated magic attempt to lunge at her and in her dodging had, cause it to land on her eggs, which were quickly devoured by the magic before she could so much as roar. Not fully understanding where they had gone or what had happened the enraged mother followed the trail to find what to her appeared to be one of her eggs. Only it seemed different. She could tell the creature inside was different. In her rage she released all her fury upon the crystalline casing from fire breath to simply smashing it with her tail. It gained not even a scratch. Anger final dwindling, her curiosity to the creatures resilience remained. After examining the boy and smelling him. She could not decide what to do. There was too much confusion in his scent though human was definitely present. After several hours of deliberating, she was going to just leave the boy, when he began to stir and his magic pulsed as if mumbling out the word, "Mummy." Only it didn't sound like the way the rest of his species spoke. No, she had understood him. Understanding what to do instinctively. The dragon decided it was an abandoned hatchling and she would take care of it. Now that hers were gone. Therefore, with as much gentleness as she could she pick him up and disappeared deep into her cave. A calm deep regal voice then spoke to her from within her mind.
"That child will be delivered back to his own kind. He is not a dragon you know. I will help you care for him until then since we are now bound together."
The dragon simply huffed and continued on its way into the cave.
"We are all bound to him now Hyperion. His magic is marked. Whatever was done to him is old almost as old as me. We are some of the last that remain from the ancient times before my kind began to regress. His magic took my children so he may gain our voice. If so he will have to be taught. I will do this and he will protect our home as the dragon he is."
"I agree. His magic will always wish to expand the properties it has just gained. It is a miracle he is alive. It is best he master what he's got and learn to control his new ability. But, his fate is not here. He is a child out of time and he has much to learn both of himself and of the world before he can face it. Despite his abilities he is not our kind. And you Selena cannot take care of him as he needs it. He needs one of his own kind."
The dragon, Selena, growled warningly, "My hatchling is not leaving."
The voice sighed, "Then I will bring one here who can take care of him in due time. For now, I have to regain my strength and the magic has to subside. Bury him deep so no others are affected by this."
The dragon didn't respond as it slide into darkness of the cavern,
"Perhaps the restoration of the fallen house has finally come," Hyperion though as he nestled down contemplating the future and all the possibilities it held.
xXx
Bellatrix cursed as the portkey burned to ashes in her hand. She should not have tried to portkey with so much wild magic active. She needed to get back there, because that is where her master said he would be.
"What do we do now Bellatrix?" asked one of the death eaters that had survived the raid on Brimming Shire.
"We go to the Longbottom's and assist our lord. No doubt he wishes to be absolutely sure of the prophesy's failure." She answered bitterly. Yes, that had to be the answer. They would find their lord even if they had to kill ever wizard in Britain to reach him.
xXx
(The following evening. Hogwarts)
The Headmaster once again sat in his office reflecting on recent events. Various devices and charms continued to whirl and whistle around him as his tired mind tried to conclude what to do with the little bundle in his arms.
After a brief time of grieving Albus and Minerva returned from the Potters home, having casting several charms to preserve the scene and prevent looters. There they informed an anxious Severus Snape what had occurred. After the cries of grief and rage, ceased and everyone calmed down. It was decided that Harry would stay the night and then they would decide where he was to go in the morning. That was not proving to be promising at the moment and Dumbledore had spent all the night before trying to come up with a solution. He heard a knock at the door and knew who it was.
"Come in my boy," he said though it lacked his typical enthusiasm.
The door opened to a stone-faced Severus Snape who closed the door quietly and strode briskly until he was standing in front of the headmaster. "I have considered what you have requested of me."
"And?"
"I accept"
"Excellent, my boy, that's good to hear. Now all I have left to do is deliver young harry here to his new home. I am supposed to meet Minerva there in a half and hour."
"Where are you taking him?"
"The only place I can, his family."
Severus paled at the mention of Lily's family, but simply stood and strode to the door, excusing himself from his new boss, but stopped at the door and said, "If they harm him Albus I am not responsible for my actions in return."
Dumbledore replied, "I will help you with the clean up."
Severus just nodded and closed the door behind him.
Albus sighed and looked at the sleeping form in his arms as he strode towards the fireplace.
"You carry the hope for us all little one. I wish I could give you better, but even I am bound by the law." And with a whoosh of green and smoke he disappeared into the fire.
xXx
It was early evening when they arrived at that small suburb and began walking down Privet Drive, only stopping every so often to seemingly take the light out of a lightpost along the path.
The man walking stopped when he heard a meow come from across the street in front of #4 Privet Dr. First he looked right. Then he looked left. And then nodded his head to the cat, eyes twinkling in the moonlight behind his glasses.
The cat began to cross the street and as it did so, it began to morph. The shadow contorted and changed until standing just in front of the man was nonother than Minerva McGonagall, a very stern faced and scowling McGonagall. She looks tha man in the eye and says.
"No." she says.
"Now Minerva.."
"Don't 'Now Minerva' me Albus! I am saying no. I cannot in good conscience leave him her. Do you have any idea the sort of people these are? well I do. I am spent a good portion of the day observing their behavior and habits and have found them to be the most appalling sort of muggles. Their boy was a terror; spoiled and vile. Not to mention if I recall, the bitterness that has long brooded between Lily Potter and her sister with her sisters' hatred of all things magical. How she was taunted and bullied as a child. I am rather doubtful that much of that sentiment has changed, I fear that the Potter boy would be facing the same abuse. You said I could review the family before we agreed to leave him here."
"Minerva you know that's not what I said. I said you could review them to settle you worries but I fear I may have just increased them." Albus said tiredly.
"I may be the Supreme Mugwump of the Wizgamont but I can't out right change the law. Harry must go to his next of kin if the assign guardians are unable to fulfill their duty. Both the options are gone with Black having betrayed them and with the Longbottom's in St Mungo's for the foreseeable future, which if I may remind you dear for a wizard is a considerable log time. That's not even taking into account the remaining dangers there are for the boy both physically and in his development if he remains in our world. So long as he is in this house he can be protect from the world with the best we have to offer. The blood wards I will place will be more than enough." He pauses looking down at the sleeping form in his arms, "It time for us to give him his best chance."
"It's not outside the home I'm worried about hurting him." She replied dryly.
He just chuckled in reply when they both heard the puttering of a motorcycle they looked up to see Hagrid flying in on his motorcycle. His massive hair whipping through the chilling November air and a suit case strapped in the cab seat.
He landed and rolled just in front of them and despite the loudness of it as if by magic no one noticed.
Evening Hagrid did you get what I ask?
"Evnin Professor Dumbledoor, Professor McGonagall Abslutely sir. Goblins gave me a wee bit a trouble but nothing I couldn't handle." Hagrid grabbed the suitcase and brushed it off. "Copies of all important paper relevant to Mr. Potter including the stipend information and guardianship agreements have been gathered in here case."
"Excellent! Shall we." And so they crossed the street and set little sleeping Harry and place him in a basket. Attached to the blanket Dumbledoor left his long letter explaining the situation to Petunia. They set the important brief case next to the basket and charmed it so only petunia could open it.
As Dumbledoor and McGonagall sadly walked to the end of the driveway and Hagrid takes off on his motor cycle, Dumbledoor turns and whispers, "Be safe my boy." and fires a very loud knocking spell at the door.
They quickly disillusion themselves and watch as a very startled Petunia peers out her door.
In the distance they hear her say "oh good havens!" As the baby was now crying from the loud knock. She quickly picked up the child and started soothing it as she looked up and down the street trying to find who might have left the child. It was then that she started reading the strange letter that didn't seem to have an ending as more fell with the envelope as she dropped it. She quick called out, "Vernon! Vernon come quickly!" as she turned and carried the now calm Harry into the house, more of the letter still trailing out of the envelope.
"See Minerva at the end of the day. Love of family concurs." Albus said eyes twinkling madly though no one could see.
"Well I certainly hope so. For the boy's sake. But I promise you if I find that he is being mistreated I will intervene myself. " She replied sternly as they watch Vernon appear again with Petunia looking up and down the street to see if anyone or the neighbors were out. Seeing no one, they quickly gathered the things off the porch and disappeared inside.
With a flick of his wrist the wards activated, and with a sigh and twirl a loud crack accord and they were gone.
xXx
Two weeks. Two long mournful weeks it had been for Miss Marian Copperfield sice the night of the attack. After Auror Moody had released her from the charm she had just laid their crying for a 10 solid minutes as the guilt crushed her. When she finally calmed down and all but forced a pepper up potion down her throat, the Aurors were able to get answers out of her. When they did, they all understood her reaction. She had left out the boy's specific claims; she didn't need them calling her mad nor did she wish to deal with a paranoid Moody. It was the first time she had ever lost a child under her care. The others didn't know which was more surprising, her defeat in a duel or her loosing one of her charges. After scouring the town for anyone who might know the boy or be related to him the search was abandoned.
The town had survived which was good and most of the Death Eaters had either perished in the raid or captured aside from a handful of the leadership. The next day the Prophet had announced the greatest news and deepest tragedy of the war. Harry Potter had by some miracle defeated the dark lord and survived a killing curse to the forehead. Tragically, this resounding victory had cost the life of both of the Potters leaving him alone. Albus Dumbledoor had apparently taken the boy somewhere he would be safe. Where that could possibly, she had no idea. In addition Bellatrix and other key Death Eaters (not that she cared about who else) had been captured after attacking the Longbottoms. Poor dears; she would say they got it worse than the Potters. It would appear they hadn't believed the reports that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was vanquished by a toddler rebounding the dark lord's own killing curse at him. Frankly speaking, Marian couldn't believe it either. As a witness to some of her crimes Marian was their at her sentencing in order to try and find some answers and maybe closure. They were not able to garner anything useful about the boy she kidnaped. All she would say is he probably died in extreme pain screaming from what her master did to him if the dragons didn't get to him first. Marian wished she could have hexed her into oblivion. Sadly, she would have to settle for Dementors rotting what's left of her mind.
After acquiring a new wand (12 ¼ in Hickory, Dragon Heartstring. Good for warding) and helping the town with repairs, Marian resigned as Headmatron of the orphanage and though the children were sad to see 'gandma Mar' go she needed time to recover fully. She was older than Albus Dumbledoor, and after being subjected to Crucio, she felt every one of those years. So even as she sat in her garden in her new home, she couldn't get her mind to let go of that night. Marian had never had children of her own. Her lover had been killed in the war against Grinderwald. She supposed that's why she worked at the orphanage all these years. It was in this state of reflection that the most unusual of occurrences accosted her. The weight of grief was still heavy on her as she sat in her chair when all of a sudden there was the most wonderful and uplifting sound she had ever heard. The sound seemed to make the world brighter, the flowers seemed to bend towards the source and the breeze paused in its journey to listen to it. Marian forced herself to stand up despite her protesting limbs. She began searching for the source but didn't have to look far when she saw it. Perched on the edge of her roof was the most beautiful bird she had ever seen, a phoenix for it couldn't be anything else.
"Well hello there my friend. What a beautiful song you sing." She said as she turn to face him blue eyes glistening in unshed tears.
"Your timing was perfect," she said as they began to fall in relief.
The black and gold phoenix cocked its head to the side and eyed her as she spoke, then it trilled a soft tune as if in answer.
"Thank you, for comforting a foolish old woman. It's not so lonely with your company. You are welcome to stay as long as you like." She said as she turned around and sat down back in her sun chair, a gentle smile on her face. She never saw or heard him take off nor would she notice him fly down to over her head. She did however hear a male voice say 'You'll do' and in a flash of fire and light they was gone.
End of Chapter 1
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