Chapters 1 - 5
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The Beginning
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##Elianne##
There was a girl who lived... again.With fair red hair and startling green eyes.
Elianne had no parents and up until her 11th birthday all she'd known was that they had died in a terrible accident that no one wanted to talk about.
It hadn't helped that her aunt refused to talk about this yet would go on countless times about her father's life, short as it was.
And I'd known from as far back as I could remember that there was a very good reason for this.
My aunt loved him.
Of course she wasn't my aunt, effectively though as she was my guardian. I have no living relatives.
Despite the fact she was a foster aunt I'd always thought of her as my mother, more than my real mum. She was gone, so distant, so far removed and I know barely anything of her.
But then, my aunt doesn't know much about her either.
But the way she talked about my father; like he was a hero. I never knew why. Until now. I'd just thought it was how she saw him. The truth though isn't far from that.
Harry Potter
My dear dad; the wizarding hero. The greatest wizard of the last century. Perhaps they'll expect me to be the next, for this century.
My father was only eighteen when he died and I only a tiny baby, alone in the world and taken in by Hermione.
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How It Was
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##Elianne##
Growing up there were so many things that pointed to it all, that I'd simply never seen.
Like my interest in herbs. I loved the idea of making things, cures, aids. They never did anything much and I could always see my aunt's disapproving look. Almost as if she thought they weren't what they should be, fraudulent compared to whatever she was used to. I never listened to the silent criticism.
Now I could see.
For wizard's herbs really could heal, really could do amazing things. And my little herb garden I grew in hope of getting something from seemed petty.
But with plenty of study I was sure I could cultivate the years spent on normal herbs into a passion and talent for herbology at Hogwarts.
Perhaps I could even be good at potions, despite the supposedly malicious Professor Snape.
That day, it was as if a veil was lifted from me. One that had hidden me from the secrets, from the whole world I was born into.
I couldn't feel bad they'd denied me it.
After all, the same in a way had happened to Hermione. She'd simply chosen to raise me away from the hustle and bustle of the wizards and witches. To save me from the pain of being reminded by someone every day.
I think that was why she never did it. She was saving herself from the pain as much as anything.
Apparently she still had a witch job, which I was unaware of; and all the small things I didn't think anything of, like having a pet owl, my aunt treasuring a stick as special, the clock in the kitchen being different from others I'd seen.
They just didn't get questioned.
Waving pictures gets me. We never had those. I only had one of my father, a normal photo, from when he was maybe 15. And now suddenly I can see him looking up at me, moving. A whole book of them, of all his school friends, even a few of his wedding.
As Hermione has already warned me, this new world I find amazing, it already knows me. Not in and out, not the true details. They know me and I know nothing. She has been explaining though.
All about the families and Hogwarts, my soon to be new home. I'm worried my leaving is going to hurt her. She loves me as much for my link to the past as for me myself, the small part of my father that lives on.
Strange how finding it out brings up a ton of secrets out of the woodwork. I have a godfather. Who of course I knew about, but now its clear why he never came to see me. I remind him too much of everything. Ron Weasley.
I'd been told before that they were family friends, that Hermione and my father were best friends with him, and the Weasleys were like a second family, perhaps more of a first one really.
As with anyone who'd known him, I was too much to deal with. Too much like my father. Only real differences apparently are me being female and a redhead.
I get that from my mother. No one knew her too well. Otherwise maybe they could tell me about her.
My father met her just after he graduated and they had a whirlwind romance, getting married a few months after they met. Then I came along. Even my father had only known her for just a year when they died. It all happened so quickly no one can say much about it.
In the pictures they look happy though. At least for that little while they had.
She told me about it all today. Yesterday she'd explained so much that I thought there could be no more. But today she told me the real trail of events that led to their death, to the pain everyone shared.
I didn't think I could ever hate.
Believing they died in an accident is one thing. Usually accidents are just that, no ones fault, not intentional. He meant to kill them, and so many helped him. I can't believe they exist. That all of it happened. No wonder he was a hero.
He lived, against the odds.
He saved the world, despite the power he was up against.
He died, like no one thought would ever happen.
And as I can't believe, I hate them. It's good they're already gone. I wouldn't like to control what's in my heart; that they gave me this burden. No father, no mother.
It's lucky that it's all over now.
~~
It Could Be
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##Elianne##
We were at the breakfast table a few days later, after my birthday and all the ensuing drama. My aunt was rushing around in a moderate way like she had a habit of doing. Fussing over little details of the morning preparation, as I humbly sat and spread marmalade over my toast. I'm sure I looked a little dreamy, I'd been promised a trip to Diagon Alley today. I just couldn't think what books I wanted to get from Flourish and Blotts. Maybe 'The Haulm of Understanding Herbs', but 'Flinders Encyclopaedia of Harmful Herbs' looked good too, if a little out of my level. It wasn't even like I could grasp what I would see today.
You could be told all you wanted about Diagon Alley and its awe inspiring shops, but nothing was likely to compare to the real wizard world. My head buzzed with excitement. It was all starting. A journey almost, that I set sail out on this day. Only it's not quite as poetic as that really.
Exciting and nonetheless scary too. I don't know anything yet and there are bad people out there, who know alot. Who I can't protect myself from. At least neither can any other new muggleborn Hogwarts student.
I sensed something wrong and twitched my nose in irritation. Then I realised the room was very quiet, practically silent.
I glanced up, ready to look right back down to my breakfast but my attention was caught by the fact my aunt was standing stock still at the other side of the table.
"Hermione? Are you ok?" I asked tentatively
She didn't seem to hear me. Her face was devoid of all colour, pale as ice. For a few second I was afraid she was dead, but then she blinked slowly.
She stared evenly at the parchment in her hand, a letter.
"Who's it from?"
She took a while to answer me, and even then the words came out slowly as if through treacle, she acted like her mind was stuck on something.
"Your godfather."
"Ron? But we never get any letters from him unless it's Christmas." That didn't make any sense, why would it matter anyway? I just didn't know how Ron's letter could affect her like that. The answer came in slowly.
"Not your godfather. Sirius Black, Harry's godfather."
I never heard her call him that; he was always referred to as my father. Hermione didn't want to remind herself on him, it distanced her that way. The only reason she'd say that was if... something else had reminded her.
I stared at her squarely, which was a challenge as she was positioning her eyes downwards. I could see she was shocked, why wasn't very forthcoming. She kept closing her eyes momentarily, working through the facts every way possible.
The chair scraped against the floor as she dragged it away to sit down on. Finally she looked at me, though not without a distant reverie on her face.
"Until today I didn't know if he survived. So many people went missing in the battle, the months before, even after. I never heard from him once."
I raised an eyebrow sceptically.
"That's what it's about? Is it really that shocking? I mean you said you didn't know either way..."
Hermione interrupted my bemused ramblings suddenly. "No, that's not why. It's just that he said.... he wanted me to know...that...that. Well... I can't believe it myself...Your father may be alive...."
In between her disjointed words it came out and as she spoke on, I could feel my mind sinking into myself. Everything had changed at this point. I could feel it, that cool chill reverberating through all my being.
My father alive.
When he shouldn't be. Everyone knew he shouldn't be. He had been dead to the world, muggle and wizard, for over a decade.
And now suddenly he could be back. Maybe yes, maybe no, I heard the words, but I knew he was now, and I knew there was more to it. More implications to this than everyone having him back.
There was a fate, his couldn't have been over.
All this coming from me, a mere girl. I knew though that it was true. I was right. It was knowledge from inside me, my bones, my essence told me. It came from a part of me that couldn't lie.
".... it's not really real...after all this time. We all thought he was dead. Definitely....it's...too much....don't even know if he is...but he might be, somewhere out there, he might be alive."
~~
What Not To Expect
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##Elianne##
Walking down Diagon Alley I managed to sneak a look at every window we passed. Never got to go inside, my aunt was leading me to somewhere and as of yet showed no sign of stopping anywhere.
As promised we'd gone on the shopping trip but when she said we were going still, the words came out without fret or emotion. They had no meaning to her. They were spoken blindly.
And in her showing me around she barely thought about it. She was just took me round searching for a place as far away as possible. Today I was simply a distraction. Anything better than staying in at home alone with your thoughts. I could see her losing control gradually. Not the control of anger.
Of herself.
On her face there was that struggle, she'd held onto hope all those years not allowing to believe and now there was food for that desperate wish, the one that had been wrong to her all along. Suddenly it might be true. And the despair, the desire for it to be was tearing her apart.
I... I felt numb. Possibly should have felt more. I have a dad now. The thought somehow doesn't inspire me much.
There's the fear. What if he doesn't live up to the stories of him, all I know of him?
He already has of course technically. Expectations are different though.
My aunt had stopped momentarily and I noticed a small side alley. It pulled at me; there was something there. I moved towards only to be yanked back by Hermione.
"Never go in there. Never Elianne. Remember the dark wizards I told you about? That's their place. Not ours. Merlin save the day any good wizard need go in there."
They walked away, Hermione rushing their bodies from the area.
*I didn't even realize we were near the bad part, must pay more attention. Can't afford mistakes like that now.* thought Hermione.
As we made our way to maybe actually Hermione's intended destination, I glanced behind me. In that alley, dark shadows moved without people, all light seemingly trapped within its seedy darkness. A shiver escaped me.
"You alright? Cold? Guess you ought not to have any ice cream then. Lets go to gringotts first. Get you sorted out. I think you might find this interesting." She said curiously.
+++++
Elianne let out a gasp as they walked into the great entrance hall of gringotts.
"Wha...What are they?"
Hermione smiled and thought to herself of her first time in Diagon Alley. Of all the things goblins had been the most surprising.
"Goblins" she answered and smiled back to herself
"What is this place anyway?"
This was a little too much for her, Goblins. Goblins. She hadn't been prepared for this.
"It's a bank, wizard bank. Very well guarded as well. Your moneys much safer here than any muggle bank"
How could this be any safer than other banks she thought?
"What's so special about how they guard it, what do they use?"
"Hmm. Best not to tell you. There are something's I know, but you wouldn't like to know. Not just yet. Goblins are probably enough of a shock"
Hermione approached a desk, with a rather old looking goblins sitting behind it.
"Ms. Granger, what may I help you with?" he said apparently a little annoyed at being disturbed.
"I'd like to make a withdrawal, from the Potter vault and I'd also like to set up a direct owl for once a month to Hogwarts, for Elianne M. Potter. I think 20 galleons a month should do it, for now"
As the goblin shuffled round papers, I looked around pondering on it all. What was a direct owl, how much was 20 galleons anyway?
Hermione must have seen my confusion. I felt a relieved, so many questions to ask I'd have felt stupid to have to had asked them all.
"Your father had some money here, it's yours too of course. I thought you might appreciate some pocket money whilst at school. It gets delivered by owls, quite a new system though. Didn't have it in my day. They train them very well, have to make sure its not intercepted, so several owls bring it. And 20 galleons should be by far enough to satisfy you each month. I don't want you spoiled after all."
"Thanks, wasn't sure about everything. Is all so…new to me."
She put her hand on my shoulder and comfortingly led me back over to the desk. Where the goblin appeared to have finished his paperwork.
"Everything is in order. Follow me"
My nerves were getting the better of me. I had absolutely no clue about anything that was happening. It would have been so nice to have some warning of the things to come.
"Where are we going?" I whispered.
"For a ride," she said with a devilish grin.
+++++
After speeding down to what was almost like the depths of the earth, we had finally stopped in front of, I supposed, my family vault. Feeling rather sick I leaned against my aunt who was quite happily standing straight up still. If only she'd been my mother, I might have inherited her strong stomach.
Maybe it was a ride you got used to. I could only hope.
She did seem happy. Ever since we'd entered gringotts her mind had left the troubled topic of my father and it might have stayed that way if the goblin hadn't commented on what he did
He twitched his face and coughed, shuffled his feet as he searched for the pocket he had put the key in. finally finding it he turned around before placing the key in the lock.
"Funny," he said, "this is the second time I've this vaults been opened this week. Nothing for years and suddenly so many. Tis strange I say. Know anything of it? For it wasn't you who opened it first. Vaults don't usually have two keys."
Her face paled again as it had this morning. And I sensed her panic, it even worried me now.
"Who opened it the first time?"
"Not really meant to say such things but since you have a key too. Was a bloke, with dark hair. Had a key though so we don't ask questions mind. Couldn't say anymore. Get so many people in here, can't remember everyone"
I heard her breath in deeply, and exhale deeply, trying to calm down. Hermione looked distraught. I cursed that the goblin had ever said anything. I didn't like seeing her like this. She was my guardian, she was meant to look after me, not the other way round. She blinked back tears forming. I squeezed her hand, and thought about it. So much was happening.
But what was the truth?
One thing unexpected, another that we don't know about, everything confusing. When would we finally find out?
Leaving gringotts, not even my bag full of money cheered me up. I wanted to take Hermione's pain away, but I knew only once person could do that. The question was where was he and where had he been for the last eleven years if the letter was true.
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Memories Story
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##Elianne##
The next month went by uneventfully. We heard no more from anyone except the usual muggle friends.
I'd taken to spending my time reading and practising for school. Not that there was much other than reading to do.
I'd been trying to convince my aunt to let me grow some magical herbs, but I could tell she thoroughly disapproved. Already I knew my best and favourite subjects would be herbology and potions mainly, with transfiguration too, if only could be an animagus one day, however likely that was.
The reason she disapproved was because I didn't like charms nor arithmancy, her old favourites. Even not being her daughter she still expected me to be just like her. The only surprise for her was when she came into my room and said I should be reading all my school books not just one, most potente potions. She didn't think she'd hear the answer that I'd read them all already - in less time than she ever could. Maybe something's are taught inherently, it's not just in the genes. So in many ways I am her daughter. Glad I'm not though, wouldn't wanted to have inherited the teeth she used to have at my age.
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##Hermione##
The days were long now, in the middle of summer. I often took a stroll in the garden to clear my head, straighten out my thoughts. This had happened more so recently.
The evening air refreshed me, made me feel freed from my troubles. It let me breathe deeply and happily. For a few minutes I could forget. All of it gone.
Most of my memories weren't good.
A lot of bad things happened in the past. No one would want to know them. I only clung to them slightly, not letting go because I wished to honour the memory of those who suffered. Yet it made me suffer still.
Even with that in mind I could not forget them all. Some would forever linger in the dark recesses of my mind, haunting me.
And in the last month it was harder to ignore those things. They'd been dragged up from their place into real life thoughts.
The dusk light now fading I walked back towards the house.
Seeing a flash of light through the leaves of our small hawthorn bush, I went to find its source.
What I found was a necklace. Shining like silver and gold together at the same time, with a delicate emerald tear at the centre. An all to familiar necklace.
///Hermione's flashback/// Hogwarts, Christmas day- Year 5//
She awoke to the warmth and unique scent of a lit hearth. Inhaling the smell, she stretched and smiled to herself. Christmas day and no one to spoil it. No Lavender or Parvati. Just her in the whole dormitory. Outside she could see the snow falling, glad though that she was inside.
She practically skipped to her stocking. Wondering what she'd received. There were so many books she'd asked everyone for, despite that she'd be lucky to get one. They were all fed up of getting books, as if it wasn't the most imaginative present you could be given.
Firstly there was her present from her parents - a mini potions set, no doubt to make up for the fact they were both away on work.
Ron, obviously bored of books had tried to get her something more exciting - what he'd got her was a correctix pen. As you wrote it followed alongside changing spelling and grammar errors, even making comments on your work! Every one was said to be different, with its own personality, meaning you in effect had your own personal tutor.
She had to give him points for inventiveness; she wouldn't have known to ask for one of them.
From Mrs.Weasley she got an assortment of cakes, sweets and a hand knitted cardigan. Which she would probably find to be nearly identical to Ginny's.
The last present was Harry's. It was a small neatly wrapped parcel. Her heart fell, definitely not a book. She hadn't got a single one this year. She'd have to spend her money on getting them if she wanted to, which of course she did desperately. Not that anyone cared.
She slunk back on her bed. Realizing that she needed to open the present she reached for it and pulled at its string. One tug and the present began to slowly unwrap itself. The bow moved up and around like a snake. It slid back from under the other piece and the paper finally sprung outwards to reveal the most gorgeous necklace Hermione could ever imagine. It sparkled magically even in the dull yellow light of the morning. She sat with her mouth open in awe at it, til the door creaked suddenly.
"Hermione, are you up? Can I come in?"
"Um, yes, sure"
Harry inched through the door wary of her.
"I hope I didn't wake you"
"No. No, I was just opening your present…"
His eyes glanced at the package open on her bed and to her neck
"Do you want me to put it on for you?"
She looked back at him trying to decide.
"Ok."
She moved her long hair over shoulder as he approached with the necklace. Fiddling with the clasp he nervously took a few seconds longer than usual to close it, fixing the necklace around her neck. He seemed a little pink in the face, embarrassed probably at not being able to close it properly.
And for unknown reason she blushed too.
A few seconds later, he spoke.
"Do you like it?" His face beamed at her eagerly awaiting the answer
"Yes, yes. It's wonderful. Feel like I should have got you something a bit better"
He momentarily caught a look of guilt on her
"No. Don't worry. Your present was great too. I've never played wizard battle cards before. I'm sure Ron will teach me, whilst he beats me at it better than wizard chess."
At that they both shared a small laugh.
//////end flashback////
The necklace she'd been holding fell from her grasp into the gravel on the path. She made no sound or movement as her stared ahead to the darkening sky, a sunset with storm clouds.
Clear except for that.
~