What is this content you speak of?

So my sister just told me what my cat is like and it was one of the weirdest things she's ever said. Recently she told me when she saw my cat demanding love and affection that that was the most cat like she’s ever seen my cat act, mainly because my cat only does that when it’s just me and her so none of my family ever witnesses it. 

Today my cat was playing with a hair elastic, more enthusiastically then I’ve ever seen her play with anything that wasn’t the laser pointer (which we lost before Covid and haven’t replaced), usually she play wrestles with my other cat or my feet under the blankets, so I told my sister this and how cat like she was acting and my sister said it was a nice change from the Victorian girl that was murdered she normally acts like. 

Been super into writing recently but haven’t been able to keep on a story for more then a couple of hours in a row so it’s been a while since I’ve worked on this story and I also haven’t been feeling Tumblr recently which is why, even though this chapter was written, I didn’t get around to posting it. 

This chapter is apart of a five part mini series within the series focusing on one event. They all have a warning for tigger warnings for underage relationship, forced marriage and later rape.

Age 8

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Excerpt from Chapter 8: The Preparations (The Wedding Part 1)

Walking half a step behind the woman, who Niu suspected was Talia al Ghul, was a boy around her age. He was a bit paler then his mother, though it was still obvious that he wasn’t cacuasian, with his dark hair, black not brown, swept back. He wore a pair of pants that were loose fitting until the knee where they were pulled in tight to his leg by a pair of knee high leather boots that were obviously hand made just for him. They were black with gold detailing, which matched the rest of his outfit. He wore a long sleeve shirt which was also loose all the way to the forearms were it tapered in, fitting skin tight with enough stretch to still make movement easily. Over that he wore a black leather vest with gold detailing and pointed ‘skirts’ to cover his legs and crotch. Finally he had leather armour pads over his shoulders and a floor length red cape, suggesting his status, though Niu had not previously been aware that Talia al Ghul, nor any of Ra’s other children, had children of their own. A sword was sheathed at his side, and Niu could make out the outlines of dagger holsters that were in his reach but hidden from the untrained or observant eye.

The woman guested for the boy to kneel beside Niu, before she stood behind him, much like her Master stood behind her.

“Excellent,” Ra’s called from his throne. “Now that we are all here, we shall begin.”

Chapter 10: The Duel (The Wedding Part 2)

“Rise,” Ra’s al Ghul ordered. Niu gracefully got up from where she kneeled, to stand in front of, and to the left of, her Master. She saw out of the corner of her eye, the boy doing the same. “Instructions are in order, I do believe. Talia al Ghul, my daughter, met Guardian Zhu of the Order of Guardians. Guardian Zhu met Talia, the youngest of my children.”

Talia and her Master both bowed to each other out of respect before turning back to face Ra’s. He smiled at them. “Now for what we are here for,” he said. “Ibn al Xu’ffasch, met Grand Guardian to be, Niu. Niu, met my grandson and heir, Ibn al Xu’ffasch.”

Niu turned to the heir of the Demon and bowed. She was a warrior after all, she would not curtsy like a weak baby maker. The boy, son of the bat, bowed back at her, allowing them the slightest moment of eye contact, his eyes as green as the Larazaus pit, just like she had assumed. She wondered if he inherited them from his mother and grandfather or if he too has bathed in the pit.

The two then turned back to Ra’s, neither glancing back to the adult that had stood behind them and were now backing away. “Ibn al Xu’ffasch, as my heir, you are expected to be the best, to strike down any enemy that comes in your way. Niu, similarly as the future Grand Guardian, you are expected to be able to protect the First Miracle box, taking down any enemy that comes your way searching for the Miraculouses, using whatever means necessary.” Ra’s said. Niu held her head up higher at the mention of her future responsibility, refusing to look at the boy whom she realised she was soon going to fight, that they weren’t there for a visit but a test. “To prove your worth, the two of you are going to battle, not to the death, nor to the first draw of blood. Instead the two of you are to duel, showcasing all you have learned without injuring your opponent. You have half an hour or until one of you can fight no longer.”

Niu moved back, putting some distance between her and Ibn al Xu’ffasch so that she could prepare and think of a strategy, unsheathing her daggers.. Ibn al Xu’ffasch did the same unsheathing his sword. The two of them faced off for a moment before they both dove forward, sword hitting dagger. The next half hour was a blur of weapons, ducks, jumps and other defensive and offensive moves. Niu had to admit that Ibn al Xu’ffasch was a good adversary, living up to his potential as heir, at least when it came to combat. In a battle of fairness without the ability to wound, she found herself unable to get through the boys defences, though he similarly was having trouble getting through hers. If they had more time, or if she were in a situation where she could have fought dirty, she would have used the frustration and anger that she could sense building within the boy and unbalance him, taking him down. As it was a fight of skill, she knew she’d likely be punished if she baited the boy.

The two of them pulled apart from where they had locked blades, both seeing out of their peripheral vision, Ra’s al Ghul raising his hand, signalling an end to the battle. He glanced at her Master and his daughter who both nodded at him. He turned to look at her and Ibn al Xu’ffasch. “The two of you have proven yourselves to be worthy of the titles you will one day hold,” he said. “When you’re in positions of power, there is nothing more important than your allies, and the best allies come from those who are bound to you, loyal to you.”

Ra’s al Ghul clapped his hands and a bunch of people started streaming into the room. Niu noted a few children who slipped through the crowd, hiding in the shadows. The rest of the people who came in were either high standing within the League, based on their clothing, or were people of importance that she recognized from the Temple and Order. She frowned, what was going on?

The Demons heir seemed to have the same thought, turning to his grandfather. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded, his tone holding none of the respect it should for someone of Ra’s station. She would never imagine speaking to any of the Guardians this way. “Why are they all here?”

Ra’s smiled down at him as if he thought his grandson's questions and tone were amusing. “They’re here for your wedding of course. Afterall, who is best suited to be your ally then the next Grand Guardian, truly bridging the gap between the League of Shadows and the Temple of Light?”

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A03 | Previous | Next

Chapter 1: The Hogwarts Express

Harry ran his hands through Vulpa’s hair, detangling it and spreading the curls out into a bigger poof of hair then it normally was. Professor McGonagall had taken them to the train that would take them to Hogwarts early in the day, before any of the other students arrived as a way not to overwhelm them. Neither he nor his sisters mentioned that they were prepared their whole lives for when they would leave Azkaban and end up in a whole new world falloff stimuli and thus weren’t as easily overwhelmed as the adults thought they'd be. 

Harry had to admit, even if it was just himself, that he was enamoured by the bright bright red that the Hogwarts Express was mainly coloured and a part of him debated using his limited Metamorphmagus abilities to colour his hair the same red colour but ultimately decided against it, knowing it would bring him too much unwanted attention. The inside of the train was mainly neutral colours that Harry was most familiar with, with pops of colour representing the four house even spread throughout the compartments, mainly in the hallway between the different cabins. The seats were plush and soft and comfortable, covered in a faded medium pale blue fabric that was similar to the colour of the sky on some of the less stormy days in Azkaban, bringing Harry a sense of comfort he hadn’t expected. 

Vulpa and Delphi had settled down across from each other, pulling down the table attached to the wall and quickly set up a chess game, a favourite of Vulpa’s and started trying to out maneuver each other. Harry had a few books he wanted to read, mainly about different gaps he had in his education that had happened in the magical world in the last ten years, but for now was content to play with his sisters hair. 

Draco and Narcissa Malfoy had been helping them catch up, educating them on law changes that their parents and uncles hadn’t been free to know about and teach them, and who they’d be going to school with that was of importance. Lucius Malfoy had mainly just interacted with them to make sure they were presentable, buying them clothing and bringing in a tailor to make sure their clothing fit and had room to grow since they were still growing. He had tried to get Harry to replace his glasses with ones that were more fashionable but Harry had refused, liking the idea that his glasses were the same circular shape that his birth fathers had been, even if they were oversized, and he also hadn’t wanted to give up his first piece of successful transfiguration that he had down when he was seven. 

The first students started trickling in around 9:30, mostly older students with badges on their clothing, some of whom where in robes and some in Muggle clothing. Harry realized that they were probably different house prefects and had arrived early so they could help out other student, probably focusing on first years and making sure everyone made it on the train fine. 

By 10:30 the platform was starting to fill up with students all trying to get around each other, putting their baggage on the train and say good-bye to their family. There were also a number of students, all of whom Harry considered to be quiet inconsiderate, forming groups with their friends, catching up on what they had done over the summer. They were acting as if they wouldn’t be sitting together on the train, or about to spend the next several months living together before going home for winter break. He had noticed several smaller kids, likely first years, getting trapped behind some of these groups or trying to squeeze by to get on the train and not being able to. 

A03 | Previous | Next

Prologue Part 2

The Malfoys were a traditional family, a dark family and generally everything that Dumbledore and the light stood against in their own, so to say there were surprised when they received a patronus from their old Headmaster was a bit of a understatement. They made sure Draco was looked after, being watched over by his nursery house elf, before heading to St Mugo’s wondering why they were summoned but without the time or resources to get the answer in time for meeting with the elder wizard.

A healer assistant was waiting for them by the floo, leading them through the hospital to the Janus Thickey Ward. Narcissa slipped her hand through the crook of Lucius’s elbow, ever the more curious as to why she and her husband were being lead to the spell damage ward of St Mugo’s. As far as she was aware no one they knew, as in where friendly with, where patients there, nor had she heard of any of their aquantaces being injured in a way that would require hospitalization.

Lucius Malfoy patted his wife’s hand, his mask firmly in place. He would not show any concern or other emotion to any passerby’s. The only people he knew that were residences of the Janus Thickey ward were the Longbottoms, neither of whom would ever leave, and even if they did miraculously heal, they knew nothing that would affect any of the Malfoy’s lives.

The Healers Assistant bowed to them as they met up with Dumbledore and a Healer.

“Lord and Lady Malfoy,” the Healer greeted with a bow, showing her respect to the most ancient and most noble house of Malfoy. “ I am Healer Miriam Strout, the Head Healer of the Janus Thickey Ward. Thank you for joining us on such short notice. If you could sign these forms stating that anything you see or any information you learn while on the ward is kept to yourself. The privacy of our patients is of great importance of us. Once the papers are signed then Mr. Dumbledore shall fill you in on why you have been called here.”

“And if we do not wish to sign the forms?” Lucius asked.

Healer Strout smiled at him politely. “I am afraid that that isn’t an option Lord Malfoy. If you decide not to sign the forms then you will not be able to meet my patients until Christmas break when they are no longer patients of mine and thus you won’t need to sign the papers. I do believe that now would be a better time then later.”

Sometimes you had to take risks in life, and neither Malfoy liked the idea of information being kept from them for several months. The two read over their forms carefully, making sure they weren’t signing anything that could be used against them or that trapped them in any way, before signing their names. Healer Strout waved her wand over the forms, activating them, binding the Malfoy by what they had agreed to, before duplicating the papers so each Malfoy could have a copy of what they signed.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. “Some interesting events have happened that need your involvement Lady Malfoy.” he explained as they started to move to the private room section of the ward. Narcissa raised her eyebrow, all the more curious now. She, like her husband, had assumed they were summoned because Dumbledore needed something from Lucius, not her. “There is no easy way to say this. At the end of the war a lot of corners were cut, and laws excused so that we could get through all the trials and put everything behind us as soon as possible. One of those cut corners was not performing pregnancy tests on any females being held for trial. Unfortunately these pregnancy tests weren’t performed upon sentencing and thus it was missed that your sister, Bellatrix, was a few weeks pregnant when shipped off to Azkaban.”

Narcissa couldn’t help it, she placed her hand up to her mouth to stifle her gasp of horror. The idea that Bella had been pregnant when she’d been shipped off to Azkaban was a horror she couldn’t even imagine. It didn’t help that she was standing in the ‘Crazy Ward’ as several, less sensitive purebloods, referred to the Janus Thickey Ward.

“The child?” Lucius asked after a beat of silence.

“Children,” Dumbledore corrected. “Bellatrix gave birth to twins, Vulpecula Ursa Bellatrix Lestrange Black and Cassiopeia Delphini Lestrange Black. Both were adopted into the Black family by Sirius Black upon their birth. Both prefer to use Black for their family name instead of Lestrange.”

“Twins,” Narcissa repeated numbly. “They’re nine then?” the anger started to set in. “How in Merlin’s name did Bellatrix give birth to twins without anyone knowing?”

“Lady Malfoy I understand-“ Dumbledore began.

Narcissa interrupted the old wizard, ignoring her upbringing. “You understand? How could you possibly understand? I have just been informed that I have two nieces that were raised in one of the worst places, if not the worse place, in the Magical World, experiencing how knows what? By Merlin, they spent the last nine years surrounded by Dementers, something that would make any grow witch go insane, much less a bunch of children. So no Albus, I do not thing you understand. I do not think any of us understand what those children have gone through and how they are going to recover.” She took a breath, drawing herself up, putting back on a mask of calm concern before turning to the healer. “When can we see the girls?”

She and Lucius had already figured out why she had been called to St Mugo’s. As the only descendent of the most ancient and most noble house of Black that wasn’t dead, disinherited or imprisoned, she was the only one eligible to raise the twins.

“There is another matter we need to speak of first,” Dumbledore said before Healer Strout could say anything. “As the two of you are aware blood magic is illegal in Europe. Goblin magic isn’t however, even if it involved magic. Ten years ago, a talented young witch, worried that she wouldn’t be there to see her son grow up, used Goblin magic to make it so that, if her son was hurt by someone that was caring for him, that was supposed to look after him, that he’d be magically transported to someone else to raise and look after him, going down the same list she and her husband had included in their will, as long as the person was physically able and magic still accepted them as an acceptable guardian. When the child was one, his parents were murdered as part of the war and he was given to relatives to raise, one of whom hit him, trigger the magic and sending him off to his godfather, only a few months after being placed with his relatives. His godfather adopted him into the Black family months before the twins were born.”

Narcissa’s eyes widened. “Harry Potter.” she whispered. The only male Black imprisoned in Azkaban was Sirius and he only had one godchild.

The saviour of the magical world, or at least magical Europe, was raised in Azkaban.

“Take me to them,” Narcissa ordered, done with waiting around.

At the end of one of the hallways was a private room that was dimly lit, since the children weren’t use to bright colours and lots of lights, with faded colours to start getting the children use to different sights and sound since music was also playing softly in the room. Healer Strout spoke of her plan to slowly introduce the children to bright colours, different sounds, sights, smells, people and so on and so forth throughout the next month so that the three of them would be ready for Hogwarts. While Harry was the only one who was old enough to go to Hogwarts for schooling, it was suggested that the three siblings not be separated as they were being introduced to a whole new world and only knew each other, and had only had each other for their whole lives. For their mental health, the twins would be staying in private chambers with Harry being allowed to visit whenever, so they could alway know where each other are and were always in the same building. They could work on separating the three of them more and getting them used to be apart throughout the school year.

Much like with the twins, Narcissa was the only one eligible to look after Harry, meaning during the Holidays and summer the three children would be staying at Malfoy manor, though both Malfoys knew that was only until Dumbledore figured out a way to discredit them or find another way to get the children to be raised by someone else, someone light.

Until then, the Malfoy had three new children to get to know.

Draco Malfoy wasn’t too worried when his parents were summoned away, they were important people after all. He never expected that they would come back with news that he was about to gain three new siblings, one of which included the Boy-Who-Lived.

Before he was able to met his three new siblings, he first had to spend an hour every day for just over a week with his parents and Healer Strout going over how to interact with them, how to make sure they were comfortable and not overwhelmed and what signs to look for that they needed to get away or see a healer or where about to blow up at someone. They also went over the rough knowledge the three of them had about the wizarding world, all of which was ten years out of date, and how to catch them up on current events and the aftermath of the war as well as the political climate and what people are going to expect of Harry.

After that first week Draco was allowed to see the siblings for the first time, though he would have to wait another day to meet them as he had lessons to get to. The first person he saw was the youngest of the three, Cassiopeia Black as he was informed she preferred to be called, though her siblings called her Delphi, a shortening of her middle name.

She had silver white, not bright blond but silver, hair that fell to her shoulders in slights waves, the tips of which were a stormy blue. Draco realized it was probably the only blue she had ever seen and thus mimic with her Metamorphmagus powers. Draco couldn’t quite make out the colour of her eyes, just that they were dark, likely either a dark grey or brown since those were the two eyes colours that were most common in the Black family. She was tiny, even for what he imagined a nine year old being, he certainly didn’t remember being that small. And she was slim, her robes hanging off her lifelessly, more so then what was normal for non tailored robes.

After her, Draco noticed Cassiopeia’s twin whom was playing a game of one sided chess beside her reading sister. For being the older twin, Vulpecula Black was just a smudge shorter and smaller then her sister, making her appear younger. According to Draco’s mother, Vulpecula looked just like a younger Bellatrix with the same aggressively curly dark brown hair that went to her waist and delicate facial structure. The only different was the admiral blue eyes that stood out form the normal neutral tones of the Black family, standing out even from a distance. She was one of the palest people Draco had ever seen, her sister included in that, though he guessed that made sense since they wouldn’t have seen sunlight in their entire lives. Her robes hanged off her much like her sister, her wrists and hand so tiny and thin that he could clearly seen the bones of them poking through the skin.

Hardwin Black was the last of the three he noticed, the boy his age sitting off to the side meditating. Like his sister, he was pale, though he had a naturally darker skin tone commonly seen throughout the Potter family that made him less so then his sisters. His black hair was pulled back into a thick braid, several of which feathered out from the braid, refusing to be completely contained. He seemed to be taller then the sisters and looked older, which was good since he was two years older, but Draco never would have guessed that the two of them were the same age, Hardwin appearing to be nine while his sisters Draco would have guessed to be closer to six. Draco went to move from the observation glass, he did have lessons, only to stop as Hardwin’s eyes opened and bright green eyes met Draco’s own grey eyes, starring into his soul. A smirk slowly formed on Hardwin’s mouth before he closed his eyes and went back to meditating.

Draco turned away, heart beating, but even more excited to get to know his new brother and sisters.

Theodore ‘Theo’ Nott felt like an outside in his own family some days. Like many kids in his generation he was an only child. He had the chance to have many siblings, all sisters, but they ended up being still born or miscarried, usually from special treatment his father upon finding out the gender of the child. Tertius Nott, his father, was a man of great importance, not because of anything he did, but because no one dared to say anything against him. Theo honestly didn’t know how his father, who was ruthless and violet and openly a blood purist and Voldemort supporter, didn’t get charge with being a Death Eater when he obviously had been.

Tertius Nott followed the thought process of most of the extended Nott family, taught to him by his father, the current Lord Nott, that went back generations. Family ideals and rules included beat down and destroy anyone who got in your way or who was weaker then you, Muggles and Mudbloods were worthless and Half Bloods weren’t much better, You are a Pureblood, you will marry a Pureblood and your children will marry a Pureblood, etc, etc.

That's where Theo mostly found himself feeling like an outside, like someone who didn’t belong in his own family. He didn’t agree with what most his family believed, though he knew better to say anything. He was going to be Lord Nott when his father and the current Lord Nott died and then he would be able to start to change him family image. While he did believe some of the things his family believed in like the fact that Muggleborn and Muggle lovers were ruining the Magical World, destroying tradition and getting ride of many Wizarding customs, replacing them with Muggle ones and that was atrocious, he didn’t believe that Muggleborns were weaker then Purebloods in magic, or that Muggleborns were stealing magic from Pureblood children. He also didn’t believe in judging people by their family. He knew he was nothing like his father, and the Nott men before them, and thus other children couldn’t be exactly like their parents. Some, like Draco Malfoy, obviously mimic their fathers and aimed to be like them, while other, Theo knew, where already trying to be their own person. Theo couldn’t do that quiet yet for fear of his life, after all, his father was still trying to have another son, someone he could use to replace Theo with if he got out of hand.

Theo was excited to get to Hogwarts, to met new people, especially those he wouldn’t ever get to met normally, though he knew he wouldn’t be able to speak with them unless he was disagreeing, in case it got back to his father, but it would be interesting to see all the different view points and perspectives of the other students. He was going to study and learn from his fellow students and then he was going to mould and shape the wizarding world to make it better for all wizard kind, though through laws and government movements and not terror and bloodshed.

The twin sisters loved St. Mugo’s and meeting knew people. They were even more excited for when they’d be moving to Hogwarts in a week. They’d been told stories about the school and the wild, un-contained, lost magic that swirled through the place as common as the air they all breathed. Interesting things had to happen in a place like that.

Vulpecula Ursa Bellatrix Lastrange, Vulpa to her family (except to Sirius who called her his little Lula Lupa), was the eldest of the two of them. No one knew how much older she was, time was hard to keep track of in Azkaban, days really being the only thing they could keep track of consistently, resulting in her and her twin knowing that they were born the same day at the very least. Like both of her siblings, she preferred the Black name as her last name, knowing it was more of a blank slate for a new beginning then Lestrange or Potter. Sirius had adopted all three of them into the Black family within moments of them finding themselves in Azkaban, when Harry had arrived and she and her sister had been born. Besides her mother, Vulpa knew she was going to miss Sirius the most, even more so that her father, whom was nice, but often found himself trapped within memories and the grips of insanity from the Dementers and thus wasn’t really there and thus in her life as a real person.

She was nervous being away from the only home she’d ever known, knowing that she’d never step foot there again, and a part of her felt like the entire world was crushing down on her. Aside from that, she was quite excited for all the new things she was undoubtably going to experience, all the knew places she’d get to experience and things she’d find and the people she’d meet. She couldn’t wait until people got bored of her and her siblings so she could go exploring without worrying about anyone following her or keeping track of where she was going or getting in her way. She wondered what secrets the depths of Hogwarts hid.

Cassiopeia Delpini Lestrange was the youngest of her siblings, though often she was the most mature, at least compared to Vulpa, and Sirius but everyone was more mature then him. Much like with both her siblings, she preferred a shortening of her name, or in her case, her middle name, choosing to be called Delphi by her family. Unlike both her siblings who were fine with being called their shortened forms of their names once they were comfortable enough with a person to get past last names, Delphi knew she’d first let them call her Cassiopeia first, probably because she’d get tired of hearing someone say Black and not know if they were talking about her or her siblings, her full first name still having a level of formality and distance to it for the person to know exactly where they stood.

Delphi felt weird living outside of Azkaban. She like meeting knew people, knowing what made them tick and how that could be used to her advantage or as a way to protect her siblings but the outside world felt…different. She couldn’t explain it. There were things that were obviously different, how warm and dry and light everything was for example. But there was a difference in the air, and it wasn’t the lack of despair, pain and insanity. She couldn’t place her finger on what it was and it unnerved her, made her feel on edge. She couldn't help but wonder what it was and if it was important.

The Weasleys were a large and energetic family. With six boys and one girl, Molly and Arthur Weasley had their hands full. Not to mention over the years, especially during the war and right after, they acted as a safe house for the Order of the Phoenix members between missions, their home a collection of protection charms that prevent people from noticing it, not necessarily preventing from attack as both believed that it best their enemies not find them then rely on shields that may one day fail under strenuous attack.

As the heads of a large family, Arthur and Molly felt the need to protect their children, their children's future and their children’s rights to live the lives they wish to live, as long as they don’t harm other people. As such, it made sense for them, as a ancient light family, to stand against Voldemort during his reign of terror. In times of peace they found themselves to be less busy with anything to do with Order business, allowing them to focus on their children and own hobbies.

They were able to find friends to help teach their eldest son, Bill, the skills he’d need to apply for his curse breaker apprenticeship when the time came, skills he couldn’t get at Hogwarts. Molly had time to bring Charlie to the closest Athenaeum to study and research different creatures when he became especially interested with care for magical creatures, while Arthur spent time with the other kids on his days off. Percy they collected extra money to buy him notebooks and other studying supplies to help him with all his studies, both for school and for personal reasons, to help him expand his knowledge. The twins, well there wasn’t really much they could do with their little trouble makers to reward them, after all they didn’t want to promote behaviour like turning their brother’s hair blue or causing their housemates to speak in rhymes for a week. Instead of rewarding them or helping them specifically, they went easier on them when they got in trouble then they would any of their other children and they turned a blind eye when they pranked one of their siblings in a way that everyone found funny. With Ron, well they didn’t really know what to do with Ron. They got him a second hand wizarding chest set that he seemed happy enough with. Ginny got new clothing that she often got to pick out herself, something the rest of her siblings couldn’t say. She also got her own space the boys couldn’t barge in on and a level of privacy none of her other siblings got.

As happy as they were with spending time with their family and taking care of them and just enjoying life, they knew that should anything happen, they wouldn’t hesitate to help the Order or any of its members out if they needed it. That was why, when Dumbledore stepped through their fireplace, they didn’t hesitate to send their children out to the field for the day to speak with the old wizard in privacy.

They were horrified with what they heard, that Harry Potter, the wizarding world saviour and innocent boy, had grown up in Azkaban, raised by Death Eaters and other monsters. Dumbledore assured them that he was not lost, that the boy still had good in him and would be a figure of the light should he be introduced to the right influences. Unfortunately the Malfoy’s currently had custody of the boy, along with two innocent girls who’d also been raised in Azkaban, and was likely to turn them to the dark much like his old ‘colleagues’ tried to do. Of course, Harry was the one they’d really have to focus on, as he was more likely to turn to the light considering who his parents were until like the girl who parents were Death Eaters locked up with them.

Of course to turn Harry to the light they would first have to get close to him, and the best way to do that… well they did have a lot of children.

Ronald ‘Ron’ Weasley couldn’t wait until he got to Hogwarts. Finally he would have a chance to prove himself and step out from behind his siblings shadows. He’d be the perfect Gryffindor, the star Quidditch player, even better then Charlie and his parents would have no choice but to pay him the same attention they did to the twins or buy him new or special things like they did with the rest of his siblings. Sure he got that Wizard Chess set but he knew not only it was second hand, but he only got it because it was cheap, even for a second hand item, and his parents felt guilty about not giving him anything when they gave his siblings stuff.

Hogwarts would change all that he was sure, maybe even once he learned some magic he’d also be able to stop the twins from using him as their person prank tester without his knowledge or permission. He was willing to serve some detentions if it meant no more teddy’s turned into spiders, or waking up in the nearby river or any thing else that the twins found funny in a given moment

He didn’t realize how quick things would change for him though, how soon he’d get an opportunity to prove himself to his family. No one had really thought too hard about why Dumbledore had come to visit, at least not at first. Then Ron had been called in to speak with his future Headmaster and his parents and since then his siblings wouldn’t stop hounding him to find out what they had spoken about, but Ron refused to say anything. Partially because he’d been asked not to, and partially because it was nice to be in the know about something while his siblings sat in the dark.

Harry Potter, the boy who lived and hero to the Wizarding World, had been raised in Azkaban, surrounded by evil dark wizards who had probably tried to taint his mind and turn him dark like they were. Dumbledore assured him that Harry was still light and that Ron was in charge of making sure he stayed that way, of becoming his friend and keeping him on the path of good, to not give in to the temptation the dark hung over him.

Ron happily agreed. After all, he was a Weasley and Harry was a Potter. It was going to be easy.

Inspired by The Quiet Ones by LonelyHarvest. Loved the story and wanted to read more similar to it, the same way you would other tropes within a fandom, but found out that there weren’t really any so I decided to write my own.

A03 | Next

Prologue Part 1

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Minerva McGonagall had been in charge of sending out Hogwarts acceptance letters for a few decades by that point, so she had it down to a point. A magic quill would write out the acceptance letter and list of supplies before the page would fly to her desk where she’d sign it, by hand and not which magic since it wouldn’t be authentic and while they hadn’t had someone try to fake a Hogwarts letters in a couple hundred years, it was still a precaution that was mandatory. After she signed the paper sent sent it off to the side with a flick of her want where it’d be folded up into a envelope and passed off to an owl.

Of course this was only for students that were returning for another year or for students from magical families. Muggleborn letters, at least for coming first years, would still be signed but Minerva would then pick a staff member or go herself, to introduce the Muggleborn child to the Wizarding World and get them ready for the first day of Hogwarts. This was made easier by the fact that Muggleborns received their letter on their eleventh birthday instead of them all getting it on the same day the way the rest of the student body did.

Minerva barely paid attention to what she was doing anymore, her motions having long since become muscle memory. Every few years there were some troubles with letter deliveries, usually involving paranoid pureblood families with ancient, and illegal, wards that kept owls out. Knowing the amount of incoming first years that came from ancient pureblood families, she couldn’t say she was surprised when an owl returned with a letter still with them. It was a little surprising that the owl was wet but not enough for her to think twice about it.

Minerva didn’t bother looking at the letter, or really giving it a second thought as she passed it off to a second owl. She frowned when the owl didn’t take off once it had the letter but it was a newer younger owl and thus new to it jobs, she easily picked the owl up and dropped him out the window, knowing that the birds instincts would take over and the bird would head off. The owl did so but quickly turned around and flew back into her office.

She frowned deeper, taking the letter from the owl, making note of its markings so she could get it looked at later, to make sure it was just a nervous flier and didn’t have something wrong with it, before turning to a third owl. The third owl just looked up at her almost defiantly, not making a move to take the letter.

In all her years, Minerva had never seen a group of owls act like this, act as if there was something wrong with a letter and refuse to deliver it. Curiosity got the best of her and she looked down at the letter. A very familiar name looked back up at her, making her wonder if the wards Albus had placed for the boys protection was what was preventing the owls from delivering the letter. That was until she looked down at the location.

For a moment she thought for sure she was going to pass out as a gasp passed through her lips and her hand reached up to clutch her chest.

Albus Dumbledore was in his office preparing for the fast approaching new year, and a certain special objects arrival, when his deputy headmistress rushed into his office, face pale like death was on her tail, an envelope clutched in her hand. She stopped in front of his desk and looked at him in horror.

Albus found himself getting to his feet, concurred for his co-worker and friend. Not only did she look a little dishevelled but she was pale enough that he worried she’d soon pass out. Her breath was coming out in little puffs and a thing sheet of sweat was starting to form on her forehead.

“Minerva, what is wrong?” He asked her, skipping over pleasantries to get right to the point, as he lead her over to a nearby chair. He couldn’t think of a time, at least in recent years, in which he had seen her so out of sorts.

Minerva shook her head before pressing her lips together as if she were pulling herself together. She took a deep breath before looking him in the eye. “A great mistake has been made. One I’m not sure we’re going to be able to fix.” She hands him the envelope, a school acceptance letter, gravely.

Frowning, he looked down at the letter and for a moment his heart stopped, and he wondered if this would be what did him in, not a curse from a dark wizard but this horrid surprise.

Hermione Granger was born to Ivory Harris and Tristan Granger, two dentists. She didn’t remember her toddler years, besides knowing they were happy. When she was four however, her parents boss scammed her parents and the rest of his workers out of a bunch of their money, before trying to make a run for it. Her parents tried their best but eventually, when she was four, she found herself with her parents staying in a homeless shelter for the first time. Three and a half years later, when her parents had just gotten their feet under them and they were living in their first apartment, having moved out of the shelters not even four months previous, did the law suits go through and her parents got all their money back and a little extra. A year later they opened their own practice and were quite successful.

For all intents and purposes, life had gone back to what could be considered normal. She lived in a two bedroom apartment with talks of getting a house, she had a bed to sleep in every night and all the meals she could want but kids were mean and the kids at her school only knew her as the homeless black kid, they didn’t care that she and her family had a home just for them again, or that in reality she was just half black or any other fact, not when it didn’t fit in with the way they viewed their world. It came down to the teachers too, some of whom would look at her perfect grades and ask if she had cheated. Other would comments about how well educated she was and if her father helped her with her homework. She felt uncomfortable around people and their harsh words or racism or ignorance.

She had her family though and quickly she discovered that she had books.

She had read a little at the shelters for enjoyment instead of just for school, but found the books they had, all great fantasy adventures or other things along that vein, made her sad since she knew no one was going to come and whisk her and her family off to some fantasy land where they wouldn’t have to worry about anything again once they proved at she was a long lost princess or something. It wasn’t until her parents, who no longer had to work two jobs to try and keep food in their bellies and save up for an apartment and could just focus on their practice, took her to the local library for the first time, that she discovered a world of other books that existed out there. Books full of facts or different opinions and points of views, of languages and cultures she’d never seen before instead of false hopes and silly child fantasies.

Soon Hermione found herself reading anything and everything she could get her hands on that was non-fiction, consuming and learning and appreciating just how much the world had to teach her. It wasn’t like she had friends to hang out with or extracurricular that interested her, not when she could learn about how clocks were invented or the history of the British Empire or any number of topics that caught her attention at any given notice.

Besides just learning, she notices that her teachers stop asking her if she cheated instead most just make comments on how impressed they are at her knowledge and she can no longer tell whom of them are just impressed a kid knew so much and whom were impressed that a coloured kid knew so much. Not that it mattered to her, she liked learning and she liked people acknowledging that she was smart, she didn’t care if it came from a place of ignorance or not. At least after her she hoped they’d no longer be able to believe that the colour of ones skin determined ones intelligence.

At the end of the day she’d describe herself as many things but one of the first ones would be logical. Which was why finding out she had magic was so shocking. The fact that she was being given the chance to learn to do the impossible at a magic school that was part of a unknown and fantastical world felt like a punch to the gut. The idea of all there was for her to learn that she never knew of before filled her with excitement. The idea of leaving her parents and setting out on her own among people her own age in a brand new world where she wouldn’t no anyone scared the living daylights out of her.

In the end her parents and her talk and they all agree that she should go to Hogwarts to learn, that if she didn’t like it or decided to wanted to live a normal magical life she could always come home.

She allowed herself to feel excited and hopeful about the new world she was about to enter until she went school supple shopping and an adult sneered at her, not for the colour of her skin, but for the fact that neither of her parents were magical and she realized that magic may be real, but that didn’t mean it existed in some fantasy world where there were no problems or nothing went wrong. It was just a messed up and backwards as the real world.

Neville Longbottom grew up being told he was a squib, after all what magical child doesn’t do magic by the time they could walk. The first time he remembered his great uncle Algie trying to ‘bring out’ his magical abilities, he was four. He knew that the kick down the stairs, and ever other thing Algie ever did to him, wasn’t him trying to bring out Nevilles magic but was actually his attempts to rid the Longbottom family of the failure, of the embarrassing squib. He seemed to survive every attempt however, never once displaying any magical ability up until great uncle Algie dropped him from the window and he bounced.

Within hours the entire Longbottom family was there, congratulating him on his use of magic, of not being a disappointing squib. Of course not long after other comments started forming, like what if this had just been a one time thing? What if he was one of those squibs who could use some magic but not enough to count as a wizard? His father had dozens of bought of accidental magic by the time he was Neville’s age. Everyone knew right off that bat that his father was magical. What would Frank say to having a squib for a son?

Neville had been in the Longbottom greenhouses, his family have long since built them to grow their own potion ingredients, when the owl found him. He took the Hogwarts letter in shaking hands, not believing his eyes. He felt sick as he opened it, a part of him believing it was going to tell him that he was a mistake, a squib. He crumbled to the floor as the acceptance letter stared back up at him, bending over, resting his forehead on the ground as tears formed in his eyes.

He was a wizard.

He was going to Hogwarts.

Daphne Greengrass knew she was a witch, knew she’d be going to Hogwarts for the coming school year and she couldn’t wait. She was going to learn magic, learn what was her birthright, but that wasn’t what she was most excited about. At Hogwarts she’d be away from her parents and surrounded by other children, children for her to mold and bend and break to fit into the position she needed them for.

Daphne was the eldest of the living Greengrass children, all of whom had been girls. There were certain expectations she had to live up to, one of which was finding the perfect husband, the Greengrass family was a patriarchy and thus only a male could inherit. She would have to marry someone of good blood with proper manners, who’d produce a heir, male preferably, and not run the Greengrass name into the ground.

Daphne had her own requirements for a future husband. He had to fit what her parents demanded for the person she married, he had to be non-violent, she would not put up with an abusive husband the way her mother did with her father, and easily manipulated by her. She was not about to give up her freedom nor her future rule of the family by some man who thought he was better then her just because of what dangled between his legs. She would find all the potential matches for a future husband and mold them while they were still young to listen to her, to follow her lead and to be her perfect attentive husband until the day they had heirs she would be done with him, either killing him off if she didn’t care for him, or letting him live as she official took over as head of the family since by then he would have changed the family from a patriarchy to an inheriting system where the eldest child, no matter of gender, would be the next head of the family.

She had plans for the future, and Hogwarts was the first step in getting there.

Hardwin ‘Harry’ Potter Black woke up feeling, well he wasn’t sure, but it was a weird mix of emotions that he had never felt before. He knew that today was his eleventh birthday, his dad, the only one around that did have fits of insanity, meticulously kept track of every day was the reason for that. As such he knew that today was the day, the day in which his Hogwarts acceptance letter was going to arrive, the day in which everything was going to change. Technically speaking, his Hogwarts letter was supposed to of arrived several days previously, but…well, he knew why that didn’t work out, he just needed a quick look around his home to know that answer. Uncle Bastian said, and the others agreed, that they’d be sending someone in as soon as the owl didn’t deliver the letter, and they got permission, by the latest, his birthday. Well today was the day, the day in which he would be leaving his home and his family behind for the first time in years, with only his sisters to stand beside him.

He shifted out from under the dirty and worn blanket, careful not to disturb his still sleeping dad and made his way from the cell. His sisters were already gone, probably up at the very top, trying to see if any of the sunrise made it through the clouds and to give the rest of them some privacy. Harry knew that his dad would want to face the wizards who’d be arriving by himself. As such he made his way down to the ‘toy room’ as the adults called it, trying to give him and his sisters a sense of normality. He and his sisters called it the Fun Cell.

The Fun Cell was two cells down from his dads, the last in their wing and was were he and his sisters placed all the little items they found through their life for them to play with, tinker with and experiment with. There wasn’t really anything he wanted to play around with so he decided to organize the cell, splitting everything between what he wants to keep, what he knew his sisters would want to keep and what would go to either of their parents or any of their uncles.

He had most of the cell cleaned up when a chill went up his spine. He continued to clean up, though he made sure to keep an ear on what was happening. After all, this wasn’t the usual time of day the Dementors came to their wing, they usually waited until after they ate breakfast before mentally torturing the prisoners, which meant they had visitors. Couldn’t let the trapped, starved and dehydrated prisoners get too rowdy after all.

Sure enough he could hear as some of his uncles start to yell and scream, partially because of the Dementors and partially to freak out the visitors. He had just finished up his cleaning and organizing, having taken most of the time to wipe away all the chalk drawings and writings, when he saw light creeping towards the Fun Cell and his fathers voice speaking out, criticizing the visitors for taking so long to come and take Harry away, never mind the fact that he liked his home, and for allowing him to end up there at all.

The visiting wizards didn’t like his fathers comments judging by the “Shut up Black, before we make yeh” one of them snapped. His father just responded by laughing. Harry could imagine that he was also rolling his eyes as he did do. Harry knew the visiting wizards would take his fathers laughing as a sign of insanity, when in reality it was just his fathers way of not going on a murderous rampage. He really wasn’t happy that Harry ended up in Azkaban with him and a bunch of dangerous Death Eaters.

Harry sat down facing the bars of the Fun Cell, waiting for the wizards that just dismissed his father to find him. He wasn’t going to make their lives easier after all. His father was angry with the wizards that Harry had ended up in Azkaban, while Harry was angry that his father, and him by default, had ended up in Azkaban without having a trial and when he was in fact, innocent.

It didn’t take long for the wizards to find him. Not that that was an accomplishment since there wasn’t really anywhere to go but backwards or towards him. Harry noted that there was a singular witch among the visiting wizards. He hadn’t expected to recognize any of the wizards upon seeing them, having you know, grown up in Azkaban, but ended up figuring out who two of them were on sight.

Mad Eye Moody was just as he was described by the many of Harry’s uncles that the auror had arrested or at least taken down. His magical eye and prosthetic limbs were a dead giveaway as to who he was. Dumbledore was another wizard that was recognizable on sight alone from descriptions Harry had been told throughout his life. Really who had long grey hair with a long grey beard and half moon glasses?

Harry didn’t say anything as the wizards looked at him, instead studying them instantly and silently, knowing that his stare with his killing curse green eyes unnerved people. He wasn’t about to make the first move after all and wanted to see how long it would take one of them to snap.

A nervous, sweaty man who seemed to be trying to project an air of authority and was failing, stepped forward. Harry focused his eyes on him, forcing down a smirk as the man shifted before taking out a handkerchief and dabbed at his forehead.

“Ah, Mr. Potter,” he said. “It is good to finally meet you.” He shifted nervously as Harry just continued to look at him. He cleared his throat. “I am Minter Fudge your Minister of Magic and it is my honour to personally deliver you your Hogwarts acceptance letter.”

The man held out his hand, an enveloped in it, his hand slipping through the bars of the Fun Cell. Harry was amused that he didn’t make an attempt to walk through the cell bars. Anyone who’s magic wasn’t recoded in the prison, aka he, his sisters and the visitors, could walk straight through the bars as if they were illusions. They were only solid for the prisoners. Seemed like Fudge didn’t trust that however. Wonder if it was just nerves of a guilty conscious.

Harry slowly reach up and grabbed the envelope and scanning it contents. Once he was done he said nothing, going back to staring at the visitors.

Fudge cleared his throat again. “My friends and I are here to take you to St. Mugo’s to be looked after before the school term starts. We will be placing you in a magic sleep to make transit easier and when you awake you will be at Europes best magical hospital being treated and cared by some of the worlds best heroes. Doesn’t that sound great?”

Harry ignored the patronizing tone in the mans voice, instead deciding to play his surprise card now before they could start throwing spells at him.

“What about my sisters?” He said, his voice calm and controlled in a well practice way that gave nothing away.

He could have laughed at the look of surprise and horror that filled the visitors faces.