Harry Potter: Overcoming Trials

First chapter of a Harry Potter story I want to try out, OC main characters but unlike my OC series, this one is set in the actual Harry Potter universe, takes place between the end of the Battle of Hogwarts and before James Sirius Potter arrives at Hogwarts, always draws on elements from Hogwarts Legacy, anyway, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters.

Chapter 1

"You are an evil monster, a freak, how dare you do this to them!"

The fifteen year old boy flinched and tried to speak, to shake his head, to do anything to defend himself. But it was no use, the moment he opened his mouth the matron slapped him harshly across the face. He bit back a yelp and tried to keep himself composed.

"What were you thinking, you evil monster." The matron continued. "You are a devil child, we should never have had you stay in our orphanage, you dared attack those other children for no reason."

That wasn't what happened and the boy knew it, but he also knew if he said anything he would be hit again and told off for lying. Even if what he said was the truth he'd be accused of lying, it had been the way of things for as long as he could remember. Ryan Flanders had been in the orphanage his whole life, he was fifteen now and had been struggling for most of his life due to being bullied by the other orphanage residents for 'being weird'. All he knew about his parents was that his father died sometime before he was born and his mother died birthing him, leading to him ending up in the orphanage. Andrew was a rather pale boy with longish dirty blonde hair and green eyes, he had an average build and was five foot six in height. The most recent reason for him being treated this way was he had suddenly reacted to his bullying in an unexpected way. He had simply tried to get the people tormenting him to leave him alone when he suddenly, without even touching them, knocked them all over, something that shocked even him, but was now causing all this anger from the matron and other orphanage staff, believing him cursed or, as she had called him, a 'devil child'.

Ryan shuddered, he could feel the oppressiveness closing in on him, the other staff all surrounding and glaring at him. The matron stood over him, as if waiting for him to respond.

'But if I say anything I'll just get hit again.' He told himself.

So he stayed silent, fearful, trying hard not to break down or tremble.

"Nothing to say for yourself, typical." The Matron said darkly. "This needs to be rectified. You need to be purified, you monster."

Andrew flinched at that, wondering what that even meant. He soon got his answer as the matron turned to one of the other staff.

"Go and call Father Robert and tell him we have a boy here needing a demon purged." She said firmly.

That was when it struck Ryan, and horrified him. 'An exorcism, in this day and age, no, this...this can't-'

He tried to stand but before he could one of the staff was already upon him and grabbed him, holding him still.

"Where do you think you're going?"

That drew attention back to him and the matron glared.

"What's this, you dare try to leave."

Ryan finally found his voice. "This is crazy, I don't even know what happened, I didn't-"

"Silence!" She screamed as she slapped him again. "You will be saved, maybe once this obvious demon is purged from you, you'll be worth something, maybe get someone to take you at last, so we don't have to deal with you anymore."

"You can't-"

He was cut off by another slap and Ryan knew it was no use, things were about to get worse.

Finally he was pulled up from the chair and held by two of the staff members, his shirt being twisted in their grasp, a plain button up white shirt which all the orphanage kids wore, along with simple black trousers and simple shoes.

"You dare think you can command us, you foul demon, you will be purged soon." The Matron snarled in Ryan's face. "Make sure he cannot escape and we will get Father Robert here soon and free this boy from you."

With that she turned away and Ryan, despite his efforts to struggle free, was dragged out of the office and to a room that might as well as been a small cupboard, they then forced him inside and slammed the door shut. Andrew bit back a groan as he tried to move, there was very little room to do so, but he heard the door click and lock.

"No, no, no…" He muttered, tears finally starting to fall.

This wasn't the first time he'd been locked up in the dark like this, although this was the first time he was being kept imprisoned while waiting for some priest to come to perform an exorcism on him of all things, all for something he couldn't control, something he had no idea about how it happened.

He hunched up, wrapping his arms around himself. 'Why did this have to happen, what even happened...Why is it not happening now, I could sure use it to get out right now.'

He tried to wipe the tears off his face and stop trembling, but again, there wasn't much room to move. Truthfully he didn't understand why this happened to only him, practically none of the other children ever got in trouble, and if they did, they just got told off. Only he had been put through this nightmare and had been threatened into silence, hence why the orphanage was still open it seemed.

Ryan wasn't sure how long he had been stuck in there, but then the door suddenly burst open. He blinked in the sudden harsh light but that allowed the staff members to grab him and shocking pull him out and begin dragging him down to what was technically the orphanage basement.

"No, stop, you can't do this!" He cried out, blinking rapidly to clear his vision. "Please, I don't know how-!"

"Shut up!"

His struggles had ripped his shirt wide open, but they didn't seem to care, all he saw, to his horror, was the set up for the exorcism and the priest standing there, eyes dark and expression stormy as he nodded to the others in the room. That was when the door was shut and locked and, despite his best efforts, Ryan was forced down and actually tied down.

"Stop it, please, I'm not-!"

The priest loomed over him. "Peace boy, you will soon be free."

"No, you don't understand, I'm not-!"

"Enough." The priest cut him off. "Quiet him."

"You can-MRUGH MMMMM!" Ryan screamed.

He was cut off however by a large wad of cloth being shoved forcibly into his mouth and he was fully secured and tied to the bed as everybody stepped back and the priest stood, ready to begin the exorcism.

Before they could begin however, there was a loud sound, the sound of the door being forced open, blasted open even. There were yells of shock and even a shriek of outrage from the matron. Ryan's eyes were wide as he looked towards the door, still trying to scream through his gag. Standing there was a rather severe looking woman, clad in the sort of smart skirt-suit businesswomen might wear, with long blonde hair pulled back into a tight bun and rather sharp grey eyes. She was holding something in her hand, a strange looking stick of sorts, only for the tip to glow and show it was in fact a magic wand.

"Step back, all of of you, how dare you." She growled. "I've never encountered such a disgusting display."

The staff all backed away in a panic while the matron and priest remained in place and were glaring.

"How dare you interrupt my sacred duty, I am here to save-" The priest began.

"Be quiet you worthless fossil." The woman snapped. "I have no time for your delusions. You know full well these behaviours and so called 'rituals' are frowned upon. Now step aside for I will make you."

The Matron just shrieked. "You monster, get out of-!"

"I said shut up and get out of my way, or do I have to make you!" The woman snapped sharply.

That finally did the trick and they also stepped aside, terrified. Ryan could only watch in shock as the woman approached him. Her wand glowed again and she moved it in a complex motion which left him free of the ropes. He quickly scrambled off the bed, pulling the rag out of his mouth and staring at the woman with wide eyes.

He was just so grateful to this woman for saving him that he didn't even think to ask questions, not yet anyway. Right now all he could ask was.

"Who...why are you saving me?"

The woman smiled. "It is my duty to protect those of my kind, your kind too."

Ryan was confused. "My...kind?"

"There will be time for further explanation later, suffice to say however, I am here to take you away from here." She explained. "Take you somewhere you can be safe...and can learn the truth, although this is admittedly a strange situation, even for us."

"Then…" Ryan gasped, starting to feel something strange, hope. "Then I can get out of here."

The woman nodded. "Yes, in fact, I'd say it's essential you get out of here."

"Excuse me." The matron snapped, stepping up again. "How dare you assume-"

"You wanted rid of him for so long, and if you try to report this as a kidnapping, well...who knows what he could tell the police about what you've done to him who knows how the police will react when they learn about THIS especially." The other woman remarked with a smirk.

That silenced the matron who stepped back in shock. Shaking her head the woman swiped her wand across the room and uttered a single word.

"Obliviate."

With that she then gently took Ryan's arm and guided him out of the terrifying room and then out of the orphanage, to his relief there was nobody about. Regardless he was glad when she gave him a jumper to wear which he quickly pulled on and followed her into another quiet area.

He looked up at this woman and finally asked.

"What...who are you, what's going on?"

"My name is Rhoda Anderson and I am...I am the Professor for Transfiguration at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." The woman explained. "I have come to take you there, as you are a wizard and quite an unusual one at that."

Ryan froze, eyes wide, just hearing that was enough to make his mind race and he had absolutely no idea where to begin asking questions.

"A...A Wizard?" He blurted out. "But that, then...what I did there, I...um, this doesn't make any sense, I don't-"

Professor Anderson nodded. "Yes, It is a lot to consider at once and there's a lot more to come...but first, first I'll need to give you something, so you can see what is going on...I can assure you, this is real."

Ryan stammered but quickly stopped and accepted what she handed him, a letter addressed to him. He opened it and began to read.

"Dear Mr. Flanders. We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry…"

He continued to read and was even more startled. When he finished he looked up at Professor Anderson, who was now sitting and clearly set to deliver a long explanation. He sat down too, hoping to finally get some answers.

End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.