PROLOG
The small cottage was filled with warmth, the golden glow of the fireplace flickering across the walls as the laughter rang through the cozy living room. Three-year-old Harry Potter giggled wildly, his tiny hands clutching a toy broomstick as he zoomed around the room with Sirius Black playfully chasing after him.
“You little punk, I’m going to catch you!” He called after the energetic toddler, who just turned to look at the man. His laughter was once again heard.
Harry was so caught in the moment that he didn’t notice his mother, Lily Potter, walking from the kitchen with four mugs of hot chocolate in her hands. She yelped as Harry zoomed past her, and immediately turned back to fly straight at Sirius. His godfather finally caught him, throwing him into the air before catching him again, causing another shriek of joy. Lily looked at the two with a disappointed look.
“You two will keep doing this in my living room and I won’t invite you anymore. You’re a bad influence,” Lily said.
“I'm a great influence, besides, it’s just his training before he becomes the finest quidditch player in the entire world, isn’t that right?”
“Sirius is right, Lily. Give them some time and my son will be unbeatable.” James looked up from the Daily Bugle he was reading.
“You both know that it won’t happen any time soon…” She said in a quieter tone. Harry was busy playing with some blocks while Sirius was drinking his hot chocolate. They all knew what she was talking about. Voldemort was getting more and more loyal followers and only an idiot would ignore this.
“Way to ruin the mood, good job.” Sirius raised both of his thumbs up. Suddenly, a loud cry from the upper floors filled everybody’s ears. Harry got startled, but decided that his toys were more important at the moment.
“Ahh, there it is again, should I go or you?” James asked and started to get up, but Lily stopped him with a hand gesture.
“It’s alright, I will go.”
And she disappeared. She had to take care of a small baby, Violet Marlene Potter, just a few weeks old, who was once sleeping peacefully.
They both watched her go.
“Merlin, she must be exhausted.”
“And she won’t even let me help.” James complained.
“Then I have advice, next time just go and do it for her.”
“I do! But even then she sometimes sees me with Violet and takes care of the situation! It’s like she doesn’t trust me!”
“Well, there was a time that you let Harry fly around the house on his broom and he nearly crashed into the wall-”
“Don’t act like you weren’t involved!” James pointed at his chest and Sirius raised his hands in surrender.
“Oi, shut up, mate.”
It had been two years since they had chosen Sirius as their Secret Keeper, two years of safety, of believing that Voldemort would never find them. But safety came at a cost. No one visited them except Sirius. No other friends, no members of the Order, except Dumbledore sometimes. The world outside moved on while they remained hidden, trapped in the illusion of peace. It was tiring, especially when they just had a newborn, who was constantly crying, whiling and needing attention. Even Harry has been jealous of all the spotlight that was on her, and that was when Sirius came in, playing with him all day.
After Lily came back, for a few more blissful hours, the Potter house was filled with warmth and laughter. Sirius stayed for dinner, playfully stealing bites from James’s plate while Lily scolded them both like misbehaving schoolboys.
For a moment, it felt normal. It felt safe.
As the evening wore on, Lily carried Harry upstairs, humming softly as she tucked him into bed. He sleepily reached out, his tiny fingers curling around hers. "Night, Mummy," he mumbled sleepingly.
"Goodnight, love," she whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.
Downstairs, Sirius stretched with a groan, tossing his elegant coat over his shoulder. "I should head out," he said, reluctant but knowing he couldn’t stay forever.
James sighed, clapping him on the shoulder. "Wish you could just move in, mate. Merlin knows you’re the only one keeping us sane in here. Besides, Harry's gonna be disappointed when he sees that you’re gone."
Sirius smirked. "Tempting, but someone’s got to keep an eye on things out there. And I will see my favorite godson next weekend."
“Your only godson.” Lily smirked.
“Can’t wait for more.” Sirius winked and laughed. Lily and James rolled their eyes at the same time. They both hugged him goodbye.
“Say hi to Peter and Remus from us! And tell them to write more letters, especially Peter, I haven’t heard from him for ages.” James told him.
“Will do!”
For the next six years their life changed a lot. Sure, Sirius still came to their house, nobody attacked them. They were happy. But the thing was that they started going out more and more. At first it was just to Weasleys, but then Lognbottoms also joined their merry group. They also were under protection, so they knew how it was to be locked up.
They even met with Sirius, Remus and Peter at once, but it was always at Hogwarts, just for safety reasons. There were rumors about a traitor in the Order, but it wasn’t proved in seven years. However, Dumbledore always insisted on doing it this way, just for safety reasons.
He also asked to make Hogwarts a safe place for all witches and wizards. He cut off from the influence of the Ministry and any Dark forces. This way, he could ensure that everybody was safe there.
In these years, the Ministry was getting more and more corrupted by Death Eaters. They were almost at every position. Sirius was always complaining about Lucius Malfoy, that he knew that was a Death Eater, but had no proof nevertheless. Remus however was constantly changing his job or looking for one that wasn’t looking at his disease…
But this wasn't a time to worry about this, as a ravishing smell spread around the whole house. Lily threw a handful of spices into the soup that she was making and stirred. A chopping noise was heard from James' side. The vegetables that he was cutting got poured over with oil.
“I still think that if you cooked alone, then this meal would be ten times better,” he said. Lily smirked.
“Oh, thank you, but you won’t get out of this just by complimenting me, you know that?”
“Sure, but I can always try. And I also think that this would be ten times faster if we used magic.” He said and hugged her from behind.
“I know, but you know that I prefer doing this the traditional way.”
Their small talk was stopped by the shouting that could be heard from the backyard. Right there, Lily and Harry were arguing again.
“You hit me first!” Harry accused her.
“No, you did!” Vi denied.
“NO! You slammed your elbow into my tummy!” Harry told her. Despite being seven years old, she was really strong and could talk back if she wanted.
“It wasn’t that hard! And I wanted to let you know that it’s your turn to take brooms to the basement! I won’t go there, it’s scary and you’re older!” She yelled at him. They both hated doing this as the basement was the scariest place in there. The inside was all dark and narrow, there were lots of spiders and it always felt like you were being watched.
“I was there yesterday, I won’t go again!”
“But you always make me do it!”
“As if you did anything around the house!”
“You’re not better! And if you weren’t there, nothing would change! It would be even better, you always mess everything up!”
“Violet Marlene Potter, apologise to your brother right now!” Lily came just in time to intervene. She had hands placed on her hips and a kitchen towel swung on her shoulder. She also used her full name, which wasn’t good.
Harry couldn’t pretend that Vi’s words didn’t hurt because they did. And she was right, unfortunately. Lately, he was breaking a lot of things, especially with his accidental magic bursts.
Violet looked down and then between their mother and him. She sighned.
“Fine, I’m sorry.” She said like these words were painful to come through her throat.
“Good, now you will tidy the brooms yourself.” And with that their mum left to prepare the dinner. Violet sighned again and picked up the brooms. Her and Harry went inside at the same moment. He was about to walk away when he saw his sister looking at the basement door with her huge, brown, scared eyes. She wasn’t moving from her spot. He rolled his eyes and walked up to her. He opened the door and took her hand in his.
“It’s the last time.” He said and they walked into the darkness.
A half an hour passed before dinner was ready. The atmosphere was loose again. Violet was in her room, drawing something. She was really keen on drawing recently. The table was laid and the food was ready. And then the doorbell rang.
“Sirius!” Harry called and ran to the door. He opened them to see a tall, handsome man in a neat coat and shoulder-length hair. “Padfoot!” Harry hugged his torso only to be picked up and spun around.
“How’s my little man! What’s for dinner? It smells delicious!” Sirius walked in. He didn’t even bother taking the coat off as he was holding Harry in his hands. James saw that and said.
“Harry, how about you give Sirius some space to breathe and change?”
“Fine.”
Harry was on the ground again, while his parents were finished cleaning the kitchen. He took advantage of their distraction and asked:
“Can you turn into Padfoot?”
Sirius only glanced if his friends were paying attention and a second later instead of a man, a dark furred dog was standing in a way. Harry grinned from ear to ear and the dog leaped at him. Harry hit the floor and started petting him, while Sirius was licking his face. His tail was moving from side to side. Harry giggled. His whole face was covered in saliva.
“Sirius, really?! Ew, Can’t leave you two alone for ONE second…” Lily complained while James laughed but tried to cover it.
Harry and Sirius started playing in the corridor instead of the dining room. He was chasing Harry and Harry him, when the boy accidentally slammed his shoulder into a cupboard with a vase, which slammed into the ground, breaking into hundreds of pieces.
“What’s happening!?” James asked. Sirius immediately transferred back into a human.
“Nothing, mate! Just a small accident, everything’s fine.”
Harry’s breath stopped. He really did break everything…
“Relax, Harry. There’s nothing that can’t be fixed… Here, look. Reparo.”
And with a flick of a wand, the vase was whole again.
“See, it’s like it never happened.”
“Uncle Sirius!” Violet yelled with excitement as she walked down. She jumped on his back. He laughed and raised her up.
“Hi, kid. You’re ready for dinner?”
The air was crisp, the ground blanketed in thick, untouched snow—well, untouched until the chaos began. The Burrow was filled with kids for Christmas, and protected by Fidelius charm as well. It was the last Christmans before Harry would start his first year at Hogwarts. It was just Potters and Weasleys, as Sirius had to do work at the Ministry. Remus refused to come, but James suspected that it was because of the full moon. They didn’t invite Peter, as they didn’t invite their other friends.
"Take cover!" A eleven years old Fred bellowed dramatically as a snowball whizzed past Harry’s ear.
He and Ron, as always, were side by side, launching icy projectiles at the opposing team. On the other side of the battlefield, Ginny and Violet stood shoulder to shoulder, both red-faced from the cold and determined. Both girls were redheads with longer hair. They also both had freckled faces and brown eyes.
"Harry, behind you!" Vi shouted, laughing as she hurled a snowball at his head. Harry ducked just in time, and the projectile smacked George square in the face instead.
"You traitor!" George gasped, clutching his chest. "Fred, avenge me!"
Fred saluted before immediately getting tackled into a snowdrift by Ron.
Harry grinned at his sister, as she threw a snowball at Ron’s back, the old fights of childhood feeling like distant memories. They had their differences, but right now, none of that mattered. They still were fighting, but Vi was growing up and becoming more mature and less childish. She stopped stealing Harry’s toys and things, but also didn’t say things out of emotion… that much.
Soon they had to go for dinner, but it didn’t stop them from playing Quidditch later on. It was more difficult because of the snow, but they still played.
Harry tightened his grip on his broom, the cold wind biting at his face as he shot past Ron, who was fiercely guarding the three hoops stacked at one end of the small, homemade pitch.
"Come on, Vi! Is that all you've got?" Fred taunted as his younger teammate zoomed past him. The eight year old had determination written on her face.
Ginny, flying just below Harry, let out an exaggerated groan. "They can’t win! They always win!" She complained, referring to the team that was made by Fred, George and Ron.
"Not if we score first!" Harry grinned, dodging an incoming Bludger launched by George. They have been playing for two hours now and the sun was starting to set. The twins and Ron were winning and their chances of success were destroyed by Molly, Lily and James stopping their game.
“I want to see you down there in five minutes!” Molly called, while everybody in the air sighed.
The next thing they knew was the claiming fire smoking beside them, as they sat in the middle of the small, cozy living room at Weasley’s house. Pawns and cards were spread around the floor along with the game board. They were playing a muggle game that their mother took from her muggle house. She used to play it with her sister in her childhood, at least she said that she did.
Twins and Ron were one team. Another was Neville and Violet. It turned out that Harry was with Ginny and he couldn’t complain about that. As much as he was close with Violet, Ron and Neville and as much as the Twins were funny, he really enjoyed spending his time with Ginny. She was fun and honest, which he appreciated.
Now that they were playing, he tried to get closer to her without anybody noticing, but failed miserably, when he heard Fred’s voice.
“Ohhhh, little Harry has a crush on our little sister.”
“What? No I don’t!” Harry denied but his face burned. He felt the redness spreading on his cheeks. Ron and Violet made a disgusted face with scrunched nose. Neville looked surprised and lost by this observation.
“Shut up, you two!” Ginny told them, looking down at the floor, as if she was also trying to hide the big blush on her face.
“Don’t worry sis, you and Harry’s secret is safe with us.” George commented, making Harry even more embarrassed.
Harry looked over at Ginny quickly and looked down again. Her reaction was the same.
“And I win!” Neville said triumphantly and placed his pawn at the last spot on the board. Everyone looked at him in surprise.
“What? No, that’s impossible!” Ron exclaimed and examined the game.
“Alright, then we want a rematch. Whoever gets to the top first wins, And who will be the slowest will have to pick up the game! Ready, steady, go!” Fred yelled and along with George sprinted upstairs first. Other kids looked between each other and also stood up to run.
“Hey, that’s not fair! You’ll be there first!” Ron called after them. The first one to reach the stairs was Neville, but he tripped on his way and Ginny had to help him up when Ron outpaced him.
Harry looked behind him and saw Ginny and Neville sprinting. Traditionally, Neville could win with Ginny and when he saw just how far ahead they were he just gave up and went down to tidy the game.
Harry was so single-minded that he didn’t notice the last step and he also tripped down. It wasn’t painful or anything but enough to make Ginny outpace him.
“On your left, Harry!” she yelled playfully as Harry was trying to gain his speed back.
He was second after Neville in their little rematch. Fred and George still taunted him about having a crush on Ginny and letting her win.
Neville, Harry went to Ron’s bedroom where three of them slept. It was a little narrow but otherwise really homely and cozy.
“When I get to Hogwarts, I bet I will be in Gryffindor!” Harry shared with them. “My father and my mother were there. And uncle Sirius and uncle Remus.”
“Yeah, me too. My whole family was there. I doubt I will land somewhere else.” Ron added from his bed.
“Well, I bet I will get the worst house, like Hufflepuff or something. They will all laugh at me.” Neville complained.
“Being a Hufflepuff can’t be that bad… imagine getting into Slytherine. My mum tells me to not judge anybody by what house they’re in, but I don’t know. From the stories I heard from dad and Sirius…” Harry said.
“Yeah, I mean I would just quit if I was Slytherine.” Ron added. Neville looked slightly more happy. “But I think the worst part will be sorting! Fred said that they’ll do some kind of test and that it’ll be super painful!”
“You’re sure he wasn’t pulling your leg?” Harry scrunched his nose and Ron shrugged. Neville looked really pale. “Don’t worry Nev, I’m sure he was joking. My parents never said that it would hurt.”
“Mine didn’t either.” Neville nodded. Then he yawned. “I think I’ll be going to bed. I’m too tired.”
“Night.” Ron and Harry said and when the light went off they drifted to sleep as well.
Harry didn’t really know why they were at Hogwart near the Headmaster's office, but he wasn’t complaining. He would most likely see it anyway in five months when the school would start.
It was the most magical place he has ever seen. The long corridors and huge windows looked like they were straight out of a fairytale. The calming sunlight coming from the windows was only adding value to the view. Something about talking to Remus and Peter and that it was the only safe space for this. They were waiting in front of two gargoyles for the Headmaster to arrive. Violet was next to their mum, while he was next to Remus. His father was chatting with Peter, who looked paler than usual.
“You should talk with your sister more, you know?” Remus' advice took Harry out of his train of thoughts.
“Hm? We talk a lot, actually.”
“I don’t mean arguing… James told me that you’ve had a hard time recently, you want to talk about it?”
Harry shook his head. He and Violet had their worse and better days, but some time ago they would still talk and play together no matter what. But more recently she would just snap at him when he talked, or seem bored by what he had to say. And when she snaps, he can’t just let her get away with that, he just has to add his say into this, which usually results in them getting into a fight. He supposed it was girl stuff or that she was growing up, but there was no need for her to just take it off on him! She would also talk to Ginny more so sometimes he could talk to her, which was also pissing him off.
“It’s… nothing I can’t handle.” Harry simply replied.
“Hmm, I see.” Remus said. His face looked thoughtful. “Just remember to not let these small things that you can handle ruin everything. Family is important…”
“I know, we will get along… soon.”
Just then an old man in purple robes, half moon glasses and a really long beard came. He gave Harry grandfatherly and warm feelings. He smiled at him and he smiled back. From what his parents told him, he knew that he was called Dumbledore.
“Greetings, You wanted to talk to me?”
“Oh, yes sir. And it’s a matter of greatest importance.” Peter said with a grave look in his eyes.
“Alright, then let's discuss it in a more private area, shall we? Jelly beans.” Said the man and the sculptures that seemed so static before, moved.
“Wow…” said Harry and Violet at the same time. He swore he saw a twinkle in those blue eyes. In the meantime, Lily looked at Dumbledore with a doubtful look. He just smiled and said that these muggle candies were in his favour for a while now.
They went up the spiral staircase that seemed to move on their own. It truly amazed Harry and the concept that he would experience it on a daily basis was remarkable. He couldn't’ wait.
When they were up Peter looked between him and Violet. “I think it will be better if the two of you stay out of this, these are adult topics.”
“What? But I want to come with you…” Violet whiled while Harry only stared daggers into Peter. He was absent for some time now and he thought he could tell them what they can and can't hear. They deserve an explanation to why he was so distant, at least…
“Listen to your uncle, we will be back in a moment.” James said and the adults disappeared into the office while Harry and Violet stayed on the other side of the door.
Harry immediately went closer to the door and placed the side of his head there to listen to what they were saying. Violet copied his movement with a smirk.
“...Death Eaters have him on the top of their list… he is in danger, Headmaster.” Harry heard Peter's voice. He exchanged a glance with his sister and continued to listen. “He's not safe as a Secret Keeper anymore.”
“But he's been protected by the Order for a long time and nothing happened… What would change now?”
“The D-You-know-who… I’ve heard he thinks he waited for too long, he wants the boy now and Sirius is the only way to get to him. I overheard it in Diagon Alley, they were talking about it, Bellatrix and Malfoy… Sirius has made some enemies at the Ministry as well, with Death Eaters, they all want him. I think it would be for the best if you changed him. He would be safer but you too Lily, James… Harry, Violet.”
“I see… it puts him at risk, indeed.” Dumbledore hummed to himself.
“We can’t lose Harry. Or Sirius. If they are at risk, we have to change it!” James said with all confidence. Harry flinched. Why was he at risk? So it wasn’t just Sirius?
“I agree with James, sir. I don’t want him to be in danger because of us.” Lily added and Harry heard Remus agreeing with her.
“Who do you propose?” Dumbledore asked calmly.
“I don’t think I would be a good pick, Death Eaters have rather big suspicions and prejudices towards me…” Remus replied with a sad tone.
There was a beat of silence in the room.
“The Longbottoms are at the same risk as we are… It has to be someone we can trust… Weasleys? No, they’re also targeted -”
“Maybe me? Nobody would suspect me.” Peter asked.
Harry was panicking. They were back home, but after he learned that he and Sirius were in danger, he couldn’t focus on anything… or think about anything but this. He would pace around the room and make a plan in his head of what to do? Did Sirius even know about this? Why was Harry out of all people a target as well? And Neville? He couldn’t just stay at home and wait for something terrible to happen. He had to make sure that Sirius knew and that he was safe.
And so about two hours after their arrival, Harry packed his stuff and snuck out of his room and to the garden. His parents were talking in the kitchen, without paying attention to his actions.
Before Harry would leave, he looked at the house again, just to make sure that he wasn’t spotted. To his surprise he saw Violet standing behind him with her arms crossed on her chest. She really took after mom right now.
“Where are you going? Didn’t you hear you’re in danger?”
“I have to make sure Sirius knows and that he is safe.”
“I’m sure mum and dad will take care of it. Besides, you don’t know where he lives.” She pointed out. Harry’s temper rose. She didn’t understand him, Sirius was like another father to him, not just an uncle.
“I’ve heard an address from Uncle Remus and I can take a knight bus. Now leave me alone, I’m going.”
He didn’t get far as she took him by his backpack.
“You can’t go, what if something happens to you? Don’t leave.”
“And what if something happened to Sirius? You wouldn’t understand…”
He tried to get away but her small and strong grip strengthened. She was frowning and her eyes were starting to look a little dangerous.
“He’s as much my family as he is yours. If you go, I’ll tell mum and dad.”
“You have to ruin everything?!” Harry snapped at her and saw that she would stop holding back her words as well.
“I ruin everything? I’m trying to keep you safe! And it’s you who always messes everything up!”
“Shut up!”
“And when you go you will probably mess everything up more! Can’t you just leave it be and let mum and dad take care of it?! They don’t need your help, nor does Sirius and nor does everybody else! You’re just a jinx!-”
They were wrenching now. She was pulling hard on his backpack and he was trying to free it from her. But what she said was going too far. Harry couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“SHUT UP!” Harry yelled and freed his backpack, but just then a bang was heard in front of him and he saw a bright light, almost fire, in front of him. He was blinded for a second, but the sound of body hitting the building was loud enough. Violet was now lying in front of the house with red skin and bloodied back of the skull. She wasn’t opening her eyes. Her arm was twisted in a strange angle.
Harry was too shocked to react, but when ten seconds passed, he managed to scramble to his feet and get closer to Vi.
“Vi?” he asked, his heartbeat speeding up. He saw warm, red liquid coming out of her ears. “Vi?!”
He felt that his eyes were becoming more wet.
“I only wanted to help…” He hiccuped. “M-mum! DAD! HELP! I only wanted to h-help, please!” Just in the moment he asked for them, they appeared in the doorway, distress painted on their faces.
Lily gasped and immediately went to his sister’s side.
“W-what happened?! Violet, dear? Please wake up, honey.” Lily tried. James looked pissed off and stressed out at the same time.
“I only wanted to help, please…” He cried. He couldn’t stop tears coming to his eyes.
“James, take her to St. Mungo’s, quick.” Lily ordered while stroking Violet’s hair protectively. James got out of his state of disbelief and reacted. He took his daughter into his arms as gently as he could and rushed with her to the fireplace.
Lily stared at Harry with anger.
“You did this?”
“I only wanted to help Sirius, please…”
“So you’ve overhears us? Merlin, it’s not your job to do anything! See what you have done?!” Lily shouted at him. Harry, still crying, flinched back at her fury. This was all his fault. He killed his own sister… “You’ve hurt your sister real bad, young man! You could have killed her! What possibly could have made you so mad to do such a thing?!”
“Mum, please, it- I didn’t want- I only wanted to hel-”
“To your room.”
“But mum, please-”
“To your room right now, I won’t tell you again! And stay there! I have to calm down…” She said through clenched teeth. Her eyes glued to the spot where Violet was laying, looking almost dead. Harry, frightened by her attitude and his own actions, scrambled to his feet and ran up the stairs, his cheeks still wet and eyes red from tears.
He was a monster. Only thing he was adding to their family was bad luck, he really was a useless jinx…