Changes
The suddenness of the situation that Harriet had found herself in has- it has made her extremely overwhelmed.
Most especially the fact that all she had thought she had known, before, had been a lie.
A complete and utter lie.
Her parents for one, weren’t drunks, they had died protecting her.
They had given their lives, willingly, just so she could live…They- They loved her.
She was loved…
Love.
A feeling she had never associated with herself before, for she had always thought herself to be unlovable, that she did not deserve to be loved, that it was the reason why she was treated the way she was..
Because she, without her knowledge, might have done something to warrant it, even if she had done nothing, even though she was a child, and children, she was told, were innocent, but she was never really like the other children, nor had she been treated like any of the other children she knows…For she was too different, too strange- too freakish, as the Dursleys would say.
Her young mind had thought it to be the only explanation for it, something she had come to terms with.
Because why else would she be unloved by the Dursleys especially, her supposed family? Who on all accounts- should have loved her like a true family would, shouldn’t they have?
She was aunt Petunia’s own niece after all…
A niece, her aunt would always say, that had been dumped on their doorstep by force, after her parents had died in a drunk-freak accident.
Because of her father, her uncle Vernon would constantly drum into her head.
And that she should feel grateful by it, by their kindness, for taking her in and giving her clothes and food, and most especially- letting her have a roof over her head. Most of the times it would be uncle Vernon that said these things, especially when he would punish her.
Even during times when she had done nothing, which was most of the time really…Harriet had to hold back a shudder from the memory of her recent punishment, especially because she still felt the toll of it on her body.
It was a wonder she could still walk and breathe, but then again- she was used to it, the feeling of it.
And it would also be the only times that she would be touched, all the while she saw how Dudley was treated differently, softer, kinder.
Like how a real child was treated.
Not her, never her.
She had always thought that she deserved it, for being unnatural, as her aunt Petunia would often say to her. Especially when she grabbed her by her hair, here her fingers twitched at the thought of it.
Harriet knew she wasn’t normal, not truly, but that did not mean that she wasn’t good.
She was. And she had tried to make them see!
But they never believed her when she would say it, even when she screamed and cried because of the hurt, when she was younger. Which in time had made her force herself to not show anything at all, even if it hurt so much.
For nothing would change, she would always be the unwanted freak in their eyes.
And now, looking at the large roll of paper in front of her, which showed her- her family and much more…Harry stood frozen at something she was seeing at the moment, all the while the others were still speaking about her newly discovered godfather, Sirius Black, who she was told, was also her father? Because he had blood adopted her when she was little, or so she was told…Harry was still a bit confused about it all, but her mind did not much linger on that aspect- for she had a family, family that seemed to want and love her.
And all because of her new friend, Godric, who was the reason she had met Mr. Marius, or uncle Marius as he would say, for he had been certain that she was family.
Family…It was a strange thing, she thought, especially when she traced her mother’s name, specifically her maiden name- there was something off about it.
It kept on flickering…
And neither could she see Aunt Petunia’s name or anyone’s for that matter beside her mother’s…It almost seemed like she did not have any family at all, or it was kept hidden. But that couldn’t be right, seeing as mister Fanghorn had told her that she would see everything.
What did it mean?
Every time she would try to see it better, it would blur away, as if she was not meant to see it…
Harriet was confused, but most of all- she was truly overwhelmed, by everything.
“Harriet.” She then heard a soft and calm, but firm voice beside her say, which seemed to sound so far away, but yet, also close…it sounded like an echo.
“Harriet…” It- he, she realised, continued to say.
And then she felt her face being pulled away, and she was met with the concerned gaze of her new friend, Godric. His face was closer to her than it had ever been before, which made her then suddenly freeze underneath it…Were his eye-lashes always that long? She then questioned to herself in beffudlement.
“Breathe.” She then, as if her head had been pulled away from being under water, heard him say.
And then she did breathe, and with wide and suddenly teary eyes, her gaze still stood fixed on his steady one. He had been softly grazing his cold fingers on her cheeks then, which took away the panic from before.
“Are you alright, Harriet, did something happen?” She heard her uncle Marius then ask, he was kneeling beside her then, and looking at her eyes in worriedness, the anger from before, had vanished.
All because she was making a scene…Which was embarrassing!
She then saw a glass of water being held under her nose, and looking up it was Godric holding it towards her. His gaze still holding hers in worry and seriousness. She didn’t know where he suddenly got it from but she thanked him and drank it nonetheless, especially because of the way his gaze had then turned stern when she would take too long to react to it.
She didn’t want to disappoint him, she then realised, which had made her immediately drink from it, and not because she was thirsty…which she had been, she now realises.
And seeing the way his expression had then turned in an approving way, she felt happy by it.
“Harry?” Uncle Marius then once more called, after he softly held her shoulder with on hand, his concerned Silver eyes (which were extremely different from Godric’s ones) were looking into hers for something.
“The paper, it says- well, I’m not certain but, I think the Dursleys might not be my family, or well aunt Petunia, because her name isn’t besides my mother’s, and there’s something strange with her name…it doesn’t show my mother’s maidenname, nor her family.” She then started to explain, still confused by it all, for she did not understand it in the slightest.
And judging by the way the others were looking at her with furrowed brows, this had to be strange…
Mr. Fanghorn then quickly pulled the long roll of paper towards himself, before he then hissed in a language that was unknown to her, which pulled all of their attention then on him, and he was then looking at her with a furrowed brow.
“It seems that Dumbledore had been tempering with more than with the Lady Potter’s affairs- for he has put glamours on her, it’s the only explanation, and there are more than one by the looks of it.” He then told them, before he laid the roll of paper back on the desk, which had then immediately been taken into uncle Marius’ grasp then, where Godric then decided to take a look at it as well.
Both of the men next to her were angry by something then, which startled her, before they noticed and composed themselves afterwards, to put her at ease.
“Can you get rid of them, and also heal her of any hurt she might have endured under the care of her supposed relatives, if they even are that to begin with,” Marius then firmly told the goblin before them, who then simply nodded, before he stood from his seat and made her follow him towards a door a bit further away from the desk, which she did, all the while Godric and uncle Marius (she was still not used to it) had followed her from behind.
When she walked closer to the old goblin, she noticed something strange coming underneath the fancy door, it was almost like a light of some kind, that shone from underneath it…
“My apologies, but the young Lady will be the only one going in.” Mr. Fanghorn then firmly said in front of the door towards Godric and Marius who were standing beside her, with her newly found uncle once again putting his hans gently on her shoulders then, to help her with her sudden anxiousness, she then realised.
Because she was scared.
But before both of the men could protest, she had then pushed herself away from Marius’ grasp and stood before the door with the strange light still coming from within it, almost like moonshine…
“It’s alright, I can- I can do it, alone. I will be fine, thank you.” She then firmly said towards the both of them, before she as quickly pulled her gaze away from them and towards the door in front of her, before she would react any differently.
Because she would have if she stared at them both for a moment longer, but she couldn’t because she had to be strong now, and as the goblin had explained to her: it was a healing chamber, she had to bathe in the water, that had been charged by a full moon, Fanghorn explained, which made her awe at that fact, especially because she had been right!
So it wouldn’t hurt her then, but heal her.
She would be fine.
“Enter, my Lady, you shall be fine.” Mr. Fanghorn then murmured after the door to the room was opened in front of her eyes. And Harry had to stop herself from reacting to the sight in front of her.
Because it was…beautiful.
But she still didn’t forget to thank mister Fanghorn, and tell the others that she’ll see them soon, and that she’ll be okay, before she finally stepped into the room, if she could call it that…but that was all soon forgotten at the sight of the steam like clouds coming from the bath, well a small sized pool to be specific, that seemed to beckon her closer, which she did.
And the door to the room then closed after her, which she did not focus her attention on, for her eyes were completely transfixed upon the shine of the water, that seemed to bring a rainbow of colours around the room.
This is magic, she then realised in awe.
And I am magic. She then thought to herself before she finally jumped into the water, after she got out of her clothes, which she neatly folded at the chaise next to the bath.
She then widened her eyes at the feel from the water, at the way her body for one did not seem to hurt anymore!
She was healing…but what- what is happening now? She thought after she felt some strange strain of pain coming from her head, as though it was getting pushed out, it hurt!
Godric walked around the goblin’s office for the umpteenth time in thought.
“You are going to tear a hole in the floor with the way you’ve been worrying, she will be fine, Godric. I’ve heard of these rituals before, especially seeing as my own family has one such room of our own. And have also partaken in it, of course. We are a rather paranoid bunch after all, which I now have come to deeply be thankful for,” Marius then told him, while he sipped at his now cold tea, also in worry, even if the old man showed differently, but Godric knew his tics. Marius had been sitting at the desk with the goblin for the most part,discussing this and that, most especially about the plans concerning Marius’ nephew, who was also Harriet’s father, this Dumbledore man, and finally the wardship of Harriet, for she would not be going back to that family again, it was good that it had been revealed that they weren’t even of the same blood in the first place, which would make this change much easier. But well, the goblin looked to be grateful for the interruption it seems, which Godric understood, for whenever Marius would get into such a mood, it would always, well for the most part, be quite hard to get him to get out of it.
But before he could say anything in answer to the man, the door to the ritual chamber, or well healing chamber, then opened.
And Godric felt his fangs come down by the sudden smell that emanated from the direction, it came from…From Harriet.
She looked different from the girl he had come to know of from before, she had changed it seems, and for the better he imagined, what with the obvious physical changes she had went through, her hair for one is now longer, and healthier looking, and there was also the way the young child now held herself before him, seemingly more sure of herself for one.
That, and she…shined, for she literally did emmitt some glow of a sort from her skin, her eyes especially seemed to shine even brighter than before now…and the smell, the smell was of like before, but now it was even more, something entirely different, almost like - the sun. Bright, and warm.
It made him ache…for what he did not entirely know.
But it made him want to bask in her presence, for one- but he stopped himself from reacting on it, reacting foolishly because of it, and he had retracted his fangs back, it had only been a moment since they had come out before he pulled them back in…they had fallen into their larger size as well, he then noticed in shock, and shame.
For he knew he had much better control than this.
What was she? He then once more thought to himself.
In all of his many years, he had never felt this way, nor encountered a creature such as her, nor had he known of the existence of something like her.
She was truly one of a kind, something- other.
And looking back at her, he found that she was already looking at him then, but instead of the expected fear he expected to see and feel from her, she did not.
On the contrary, she looked at him in wonder and then in- realisation?
Huh.
“Are you a vampire, Godric? Is that why you only come during the night then,” Was the innocent question of the young Harriet then, whose eyes only sparkled on his in- understanding and kindness then.
Which shocked him even more. Not at the fact that she immediately knew of him being a vampire, no-
He did not deserve her kindness, not in the slightest, especially because of his history, for he would only taint her like any other thing he had dared to touch and break before. She should be frightened of him, and not look at him in that way.
But still, she looked at him just the same…the child confused him.
“Are you alright Godric, do you need to take the special bath as well? It really helps, I feel loads better now, lighter, look even the burns are gone!” Harriet then exclaimed, all the while she then bolted closer to him in excitement, to show him her hands in question, which he had known about from the first night he had met her on that fateful day, well night.
But she needn’t come any closer for he had already seen it, and smelled it-well the lack of it.
“Harriet, why don’t you come over here for a moment, and let me look at you?” He then heard Marius say, from behind him,who had stood up from his seat to come closer to the childe, and to steer her away from him, especially with the way he had been been acting strangely,he supposes, which Godric was extremely thankful for, for he did not know how to react to her, nor her kind gesture, which he did not need in the slightest…although- and here his mind then traitorously went to the brand on his shoulder, the brand he knew had been impossible to get rid of, he had tried a countless time, from burning it off, to trying to cut it off, but each and every time he had tried to get rid of it: it had once more reappeared.
It was the mark his Master and sire had burned into him, but it was no ordinary mark he knew. And knowing of this magic, perhaps-
But Godric forced himself to not think of it anymore then, for he had much more pressing matters to think about- about the mystery that is Harriet Potter, and the many other names she had. One of which still trickled in his mind…
Marius parked his car in front of the suburban house, which looked the same as any other house in the neighborhood of Privet Drive, in the town of Little Whinging in Surrey.
“Quite ghastly,” Marius then remarked with a sneer at their surroundings, but most especially at the house in front of them, the Dursley’s house, when they got out of the vehicle.
And Godric had to agree, for the smell especially of the surrounding houses, the chemicals which wafted to his senses, truly irritated him. He was holding Harriet’s small hand in his own, to support her, for it was obvious that she was frightened. Which she should not have been, especially with him around, for he would protect her.
But he did understand why she still feared this family behind this ugly door, for he knew intrisinicly how far abuse to a child could affect them, after all, he had only come to terms with his own abuse after some centuries. Here then felt Harriet grasping his much larger hand even firmly into hers, when they reached the door, especially when they all heard the loud sounds coming out of it.
The shouting to be more precise.
“Mommmmm when am I going to eat?!” A child, a boy’s voice then whined towards his mother, from inside the house. The boy had thrown something against the wall in frustration at not having his food set before him.
“Where is the freak, she should have set dinner, and done the dishes by now, it’s been piling up!” He heard a shrill voice of a woman shout, before he then heard a loud male’s voice answer her.
“How should I know, haven’t you been with it the whole day? For I have just returned from work, as you know, Petunia! I swear I’ll wring her neck when I finally see that freak- money or no money!”
“I understand, but Vernon! That man won’t be happy about it, and the money we are getting helps us afford our vacations and gifts for our dear Dudders!” The woman then replied, trying to make the man less angry it seems, to not let him act on it, not because of Harriet being her supposed niece, but because of the money they got out of he, and the way she was treated as their servant, their slave-
As if she was no mere innocent child…
Truly despicable.
“Do not be frightened, you shall be alright, I will not let them hurt you in any way, not anymore. This I swear to you, Harriet.” Godric then softly murmured to her, all the while he forced himself not to react in fury from what he had just heard. And she then turned her wide eyes away from the door to him then, and seeing the truth and calmness in his eyes, she then accepted and stood more firmly then.
“Shall we?” Marius, who stood on the other side of her then said, after he righted his suit, before he then finally rang the door, which then silenced the family behind the door.
The front door then creaked open, and a rather obese male then turned his angry gaze at them, but more specifically at Harriet, and he was opening his mouth then to spat some abuse at her, he knows, before he stopped at the sight of him and Marius, but to be more specific at Marius. At the way the man was richly dressed, and held himself.
The fat man’s eyes had then turned greedy, his previous ire all but melted away in the face of potential gain it seems.
How pathetic.
“Oh my apologies, and thanks for bringing home my niece - I am Vernon Dursley, and my family and I, well, we were all so worried!” The man shouted in faked distress and relief. “And who might you be, sir?” The man then asked with disgustingly wide eyes, he looked like a pig, and also smelled and acted like one as well, Godric thought with a sneer.
Not once did he look away from Marius, who also realised, but forced himself from not sneering at the man, this Vernon Dursley in pure disgust, and hatred. For Godric knew he wanted to shred the filth in front of them.
And Godric, while he shared the same feelings, he forced himself not to react, especially for Harriet, for he did not want to frighten her, and also because of the fact that he knew her tp be quite the gentle child, she would not have them be hurt on her account, for she is that kind.
Even to her own abusers.
Marius then stood forward, and shielded Harriet with the action, his presence commanding attention, which the pig reedily gave him, the pig and his family behind him as well it seems, for a thin and longnecked woman and a rather round blonde boy had stood behind Vernon then, not once sparing a look at Harriet.
“I am Marius Black,” Marius announced, his voice smooth and unwavering as always, but now it hid the obvious disgust, that Godric knew his friend was feeling, for the family in front of them are none the wiser of it.
“And I am here to inform you that Harriet Potter shall no longer be in your care.” He almost spat, before he continued with a dangerous glint in his silver coloured eyes. All the while he ignored the obvious change of demeanor from the family in front of them now, especially the fat lard.
“She shall be in her family’s care now, my care. For you are not even blood related to her for one, that and you have been abusing her from the moement she had been in your care. I could have you behind bars for that alone, but I on the contrary will let you live, if you only kindly hand over all of her belongings now.” Marius then gritted at the end.
And looking down, especially at the way he heard Harriet breathe in then, in shock, Godric saw the way she was now staring at Marius’ back in hope.
“How dare you- and you can’t just barge in here and - do you even have proof?! We are lawabiding citizens, model citizens, it is that freak that isn’t normal, but we have given her a roof, clothes and food- we have taken care of her for all of these years, out of the goodness of our hearts! I demand-” Vernon then began to sputter, enraged, his face and neck turning red, all the while his eyes seemed to almost bulge out of their sockets from the strain of it all.
“I have proof, right here.” Marius then told the filth, while he immediately reached into his leather bag and produced a rather thic casefile out of it.
“This contains irrefutable evidence of your lack of blood relations to her, but furthermore- “ He continued, his voice now hardening, “ it contains proof of the abuse she had suffered under your care for all of these years, which you had somehow put under the rug, each and every time it had come to attention. Must be Dumbledore’s doing, right?” he then asked in clear anger now, which then made the woman gasp in fright, her face had turned ashened then.
“Vernon!” She shouted in fear, all the while she turned to look around the neighbourhood for something, before she turned to gaze at her husband in worry.
“They’re one of them!”
This made the fat man turn pale then as well, before he hardened his eyes at Marius.
“Fine if you want her, then you can have her, but pay us for it and then leave us out of this, we only did what that man askjed of us. For we never even wanted the freak!” Vernon then shouted, with spit flying around.
He then felt Harriet try to slip her hand away from his grasp at the last thing the pig had said, and Godric now narrowed his eyes in anger at this, before he softly pulled her hand back into his, before he let go and set his sights on the fat lard, who dared make her hurt.
He had him against the wall of the house, with his hand on his fat neck then, after the man left the bounderies of the door to the house in his anger. Which was his mistake.
“Greedy, and vile creature.” He slowly hissed at the thing, his voice was low and deadly, which made Vernon widen his eyes in utter fear then.
“You shan’t be receiving a single coin. The only reason you are still breathing is because of her,” Godric then nodded at Harriet, which made the frightened thing and his family behind him, who had been screaming in fear at the sight of him, and at the way he quickly and effortlessly had taken Vernon by his throat. The man was peeing his pants now, because of the fear, and Godric then sneered at the now whimpering thing.
“Please-” He kept on saying, which made Godric throw his body on the ground in the mess he had made.
“Please?” Godric then blandly said, before his eyes glinted in menace at the thing,
“You ask for my mercy? Where was your mercy when you were abusing her? Did you stop when she begged you not to hurt her? Did you?!” he then almost animalistically growled at the fat thing.
Vernon now began bawling his eyes out, while he kneeled in front of him in fear then, where his wife then joined him on the ground.
“Please, we-” She started to beg, before he stopped her.
“I won’t kill you, because of Harriet- but make no mistake, if you or anyone else for that matter tries to harm her in any way, or try to take her back, which this Dumbledore man wants of you, which again, will not happen- I will end you.” He coldly said towards them, all the while he then felt his fangs come out because of the fury he felt, which made the woman then burst in tears because of the sight of it, and the whole moment, all the while she clutched her husband, and ignored the way her own child was now sobbing himself in fear, also peeing his pants, by the smell he could detect in the boy’s direction.
Marius then stepped forward again, he was clearly enjoying the sight of the family in front of them.
“This is your final warning,” He then coldly said, all the while he made his way into the house, bypassing the boy and his puddle of urine.
Godric then felt arms around his back, familiar arms and smell, which calmed him immediately, and made him turn back around to her then, after he knew for certain that he was back to the way he was normally.
He expected her to feel and look afraid of him, but yet again, he was completely wrong, for she simply pushed herself into his arms, and then looked at him with a teary smile, that was full of gratefulness and happiness.
“Thank you Godric,” She said, before she once again pushed her nose against his clothes, which made both of their scents then mingle into each other- and he liked it, for it soothed him immediately, almost as though it was meant to be.
He then closed his eyes and grazed her hair softly at her back then.
“Alright, I have everything, let’s leave.” Marius then said, while he brought out next to nothing of Harriet’s belongings, for she did not have any by the looks of it, which enraged Godric even more, before he forcibly calmed himself, which was not hard by the soothing smell that still lingered in his nose, that of hers.
He then softly guided Harriet to the car with him, sitting beside her at the back, while Marius sat at the front, and started the car, after he left the little he had taken with him on the passenger seat next to him. Which was simply some broken toys, a drawing and a frayed little blanket.
He pulled his gaze away from it, when he felt Harriet nuzzling into his side, and looking down, he saw that she was sleeping.
He then grazed his fingers against her hair then, and parted her hair from her face, which had been annoying her it seemed, even in her sleep.
The car then drove away from the neighborhood, and the town towards where he knew Marius had been living at.
“They put her under the cupboard of the stairs, she had been sleeping inside, it’s where I found her ‘belongings’. I will not stand for this, Godric.” Marius then softly said, keeping his anger contained, to not awaken the child.
“I understand, nor shall I.” He then promised.